Comparison of the effects of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and conventional ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation on benign thyroid nodules.

Objective: To compare the effect of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and conventional ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) on benign thyroid nodules (BTNs). Methods: In this retrospective observational study, the data of 72 patients with BTNs who received RFA treatment in The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed and selected. The records showed that 34 patients received RFA under the guidance of conventional ultrasound (conventional ultrasound group) and 38 patients received RFA under the guidance of CEUS (CEUS group). The effect of treatment, complications and recurrence of the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results: There was a smaller volume of thyroid nodules in the two groups immediately post-operation. The incidence of complications was lower in the CEUS group (5.26%) compared to the conventional ultrasound group (23.53%) (P<0.05). The recurrence rate at 6-months (0.00% vs 11.76%) and 12- months (2.63% vs 20.59%) post-operation was lower in the CEUS group compared to the conventional ultrasound group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with conventional ultrasound, CEUS-guided RFA is effective in treating BTNs, with smaller postoperative nodule volume, reduced occurrence of surgical complications, and reduced recurrence rate of thyroid nodules.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus degrades Rab27a to suppress the exosome-mediated antiviral immune response.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious infection caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that mediate antiviral immune responses in host cells and could be used by pathogens to evade host cell immune responses. Whether FMDV affects exosome secretion or whether exosomes derived from FMDV-infected cells mediate host cell antiviral immune responses is not yet clarified. In this study, the exosomes were identified and extracted from FMDV-infected PK-15 cells, and it was found that FMDV inhibits exosome secretion. Further investigation revealed that FMDV suppresses exosomes by degrading Rab27a via the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Also, microRNA (miRNA) differential analysis was performed in exosomes, which revealed that miRNA-136 was highly differentially expressed in exosomes and may be the key miRNA that inhibits the proliferation of FMDV. In summary, these results showed that host cells take advantage of exosomes to mediate their antiviral immune response, while FMDV evades exosome-mediated immune responses by degrading the exosome molecular switch, Rab27a.

Correction to: Intercellular transmission of Seneca Valley virus mediated by exosomes.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Intercellular transmission of Seneca Valley virus mediated by exosomes.

Seneca Valley virus (SVV) is a non-encapsulated single-stranded positive-strand RNA virus whose transmission routes have not yet been fully elucidated. Exosomes have been implicated in the intercellular transport of a variety of materials, such as proteins, RNA, and liposomes. However, whether exosomes can mediate SVV intercellular transmission remains unknown. In this study, we extracted exosomes from SVV-infected IBRS-2 cells to investigate intercellular transmission. Our results suggest that the intercellular transmission of SVV is mediated by exosomes. The results of co-localization and RT-qPCR studies showed that exosomes harbor SVV and enable the virus to proliferate in both susceptible and non-susceptible cells. Furthermore, the replication of SVV was inhibited when IBRS-2 cells were treated with interfering RNA Rab27a and exosome inhibitor GW4869. Finally, neutralization experiments were performed to further verify whether the virus was encapsulated by the exosomes that mediated transmission between cells. It was found that exosome-mediated intercellular transmission was not blocked by SVV-specific neutralizing antibodies. This study reveals a new transmission route of SVV and provides clear evidence regarding the pathogenesis of SVV, information which can also be useful for identifying therapeutic interventions.

Exosomes-mediated transmission of foot-and-mouth disease virus in vivo and in vitro.

Exosomes are small membrane-enclosed vesicles that participate in intercellular communication between cells. Numerous evidences suggested that exosomes derived from virus-infected cells can mediate virus transmission or/and regulate immune response. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the prototype member of the Aphthovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family. It can cause highly infectious disease of cloven-hoofed livestock and significantly increase public awareness. However, the role of exosomes in the transmission of FMDV has still remained unknown. In this study, full length of FMDV genomic RNA and partial viral proteins were identified in purified exosomes isolated from FMDV-infected PK-15 cells with qRT-PCR and /MS. Exosomes from FMDV-infected cells were capable of transmitting infection to naive PK-15 cells and suckling mice. Furthermore, exosome-mediated infection cannot be fully blocked by FMDV-specific neutralizing antibodies. This finding highlights that FMDV transmission by exosomes as a potential immune evasion mechanism.