Appendicular lean mass and the risk of stroke and Alzheimer's disease: a mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicular lean mass (ALM) is a good predictive biomarker for sarcopenia. And previous studies have reported the association between ALM and stroke or Alzheimer's disease (AD), however, the causal relationship is still unclear, The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether genetically predicted ALM is causally associated with the risk of stroke and AD by performing Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. METHODS: A two-sample MR study was designed. Genetic variants associated with the ALM were obtained from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) and utilized as instrumental variables (IVs). Summary-level data for stroke and AD were generated from the corresponding GWASs. We used random-effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW) as the main method for estimating causal effects, complemented by several sensitivity analyses, including the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) methods. Multivariable analysis was further conducted to adjust for confounding factors, including body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), low density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C), and atrial fibrillation (AF). RESULTS: The present MR study indicated significant inverse associations of genetically predicted ALM with any ischemic stroke ([AIS], odds ratio [OR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89-0.97; P = 0.002) and AD (OR, 090; 95% CI 0.85-0.96; P = 0.001). Regarding the subtypes of AIS, genetically predicted ALM was related to the risk of large artery stroke ([LAS], OR, 0.86; 95% CI 0.77-0.95; P = 0.005) and small vessel stroke ([SVS], OR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.73-0.89; P < 0.001). Regarding multivariable MR analysis, ALM retained the stable effect on AIS when adjusting for BMI, LDL-C, and AF, while a suggestive association was observed after adjusting for T2DM. And the estimated effect of ALM on LAS was significant after adjustment for BMI and AF, while a suggestive association was found after adjusting for T2DM and LDL-C. Besides, the estimated effects of ALM were still significant on SVS and AD after adjustment for BMI, T2DM, LDL-C, and AF. CONCLUSIONS: The two-sample MR analysis indicated that genetically predicted ALM was negatively related to AIS and AD. And the subgroup analysis of AIS revealed a negative causal effect of genetically predicted ALM on LAS or SVS. Future studies are required to further investigate the underlying mechanisms.

High-Fat Diet Promotes Adipogenesis in Offspring Female Rats Induced by Perinatal Exposure to 4-Nonylphenol.

Background: Both high-fat diet (HFD) and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) could affect fat formation in adipose tissue individually. We investigated whether HFD promote abnormal adipose tissue formation caused by early exposure to 4-NP in life and preliminarily explore the possible mechanisms involved. Methods: The first-generation rats were treated with HFD on postnatal day after pregnant rats exposure to 5 ug/kg/day 4-NP. Then, the second generation rats started to only receive normal diet without 4-NP or HFD. We analyzed organ coefficient and histopathology of fat tissues, biochemical index, and gene level involved in lipid metabolism in female offspring rats. Results: HFD and 4-NP interaction synergistically increased birth weight, body weight, and organ coefficients of adipose tissue in offspring female rats. HFD accelerately aggravated abnormal lipid metabolism and increased the adipocyte mean areas around the uterus of the offspring female rats induced by prenatal exposure to 4-NP. HFD also facilitate the regulation of gene expression involved lipid metabolism in offspring female rats induced by perinatal exposure to 4-NP, even passed on to the second generation of female rats. Moreover, HFD and 4-NP interaction synergistically declined the gene and protein expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in the adipose tissue of second-generation female rats. Conclusion: HFD and 4-NP synergistically regulate the expression of lipid metabolism genes in adipose tissue of F2 female rats and promote adipose tissue generation, leading to obesity in offspring rats, which is closely related to low expression of ER. Therefore, ER genes and proteins may be involved in the synergistic effect of HFD and 4-NP.

Alginate Oligosaccharides Enhance Autophagy to Rejuvenate H2O2-Induced Senescent IEC-6 Through the AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Intestinal epithelial cellular senescence contributes to the physiological decline of intestine and induces age-associated intestinal diseases. Therefore, the intestine is a vital target to delay intestinal epithelial cellular senescence and extend healthy lifespan. Alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs) have a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. However, there are no related reports of AOSs on intestinal epithelial cellular senescence. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of AOSs on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced senescent intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) and its antiaging mechanism. A senescent model was successfully constructed by H2O2 (200 µmol/L) treatment on IEC-6 for 4 hours. Different concentrations of AOSs (10, 50, 100 µg/mL) were used to intervene in H2O2-induced senescent IEC-6. The number of ß-galactosidase staining-positive cells was significantly reduced by AOS intervention. The expression levels of p21 and p16, known as the senescent biomarkers, were also decreased. In addition, AOSs alleviated oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen species and improving antioxidative ability. To understand how AOSs rejuvenate H2O2-induced senescent IEC-6, we detected the expression level of genes in autophagy process. The results indicated that AOSs restored the expression level of Beclin 1, Atg7, and LC3 to enhance autophagy process by activating activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin in H2O2-induced senescent IEC-6. Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, abolished the effect of AOSs on activating autophagy and rejuvenating senescent IEC-6. Altogether, our study suggests that AOS is a promising drug for delaying intestinal epithelial cellular senescence.

Low muscle mass and Charlson comorbidity index are risk factors for short-term postoperative prognosis of elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumor: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is one of the most frequent syndromes in older adults and one of its main characteristics is low muscle mass. Gastrointestinal tumor is a malignant disease with high incidence. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors of low muscle mass in older adults with gastrointestinal tumor, the prognostic indicators of and short-term outcomes after resection for gastrointestinal tumor, and to explore the relationship between low muscle mass and short-term postoperative prognosis. METHOD: A total of 247 older patients with gastrointestinal tumors who underwent radical resection in 2019 were included in this study. Relevant indexes were calculated using L3 slice image of computed tomography (CT) to evaluate low muscle mass. Short-term postoperative complications and length of stay were considered as short-term outcomes of this study. RESULTS: Advanced age, lower higher body mass index (BMI), lower hemoglobin, having history of abdominal surgery and higher visceral fat index (VFI) were risk factors of low muscle mass, while higher BMI and lower subcutaneous fat index (SFI) were protective factors of low muscle mass. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that having history of abdominal surgery, advanced age and lower BMI were independent risk factors. Low muscle mass and higher Charlson comorbidity index were independent risk factors of short-term postoperative complications in older adults with gastrointestinal tumor. Higher Charlson comorbidity index gave rise to longer length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Low muscle mass and higher Charlson comorbidity index predict poor short-term prognosis of older patients undergoing gastrointestinal tumor resection.

Simultaneous or Prior Activation of Intrahepatic Type I Interferon Signaling Leads to Hepatitis B Virus Persistence in a Mouse Model.

It remains controversial how interferon (IFN) response contributes to hepatitis B virus (HBV) control and pathogenesis. A previous study identified that hydrodynamic injection (HI) of type I IFN (IFN-I) inducer polyinosinic-poly(C) [poly(I·C)] leads to HBV clearance in a chronic HBV mouse model. However, recent studies have suggested that premature IFN-I activation in the liver may facilitate HBV persistence. In the present study, we investigated how the early IFN-I response induces an immunosuppressive signaling cascade and thus causes HBV persistence. We performed HI of the plasmid adeno-associated virus (pAAV)/HBV1.2 into adult BALB/c mice to establish an adult acute HBV replication model. Activation of the IFN-I signaling pathway following poly(I·C) stimulation or murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection resulted in subsequent HBV persistence. HI of poly(I·C) with the pAAV/HBV1.2 plasmid resulted in not only the production of IFN-I and the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) but also the expansion of intrahepatic regulatory T cells (Tregs), Kupffer cells (KCs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), all of which impaired the T cell response. However, when poly(I·C) was injected at day 14 after the HBV plasmid injection, it significantly enhanced HBV-specific T cell responses. In addition, interferon-alpha/beta receptor (IFNAR) blockade rescued T cell response by downregulating IL-10 expression and decreasing Treg and KC expansion. Consistently, Treg depletion or IL-10 blockade also controlled HBV replication. IMPORTANCE IFN-I plays a double-edged sword role during chronic HBV infection. Here, we identified that application of IFN-I at different time points causes contrast outcomes. Activation of the IFN-I pathway before HBV replication induces an immunosuppressive signaling cascade in the liver and consequently caused HBV persistence, while IFN-I activation post HBV infection enhances HBV-specific T cell responses and thus promotes HBV clearance. This result provided an important clue to the mechanism of HBV persistence in adult individuals.

Regulatory long non-coding RNAs of hepatic stellate cells in liver fibrosis (Review).

Liver fibrosis (LF) is a continuous wound healing process caused by numerous chronic hepatic diseases and poses a major threat to human health. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a critical event in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are involved in HSC activation, participate in the development of LF and are likely to be therapeutic targets for LF. In the present review, the cellular signaling pathways of LF with respect to HSCs were discussed. In particular, this present review highlighted the current knowledge on the role of lncRNAs in activating or inhibiting LF, revealing lncRNAs that are likely to be biomarkers or therapeutic targets for LF. Additional studies should be performed to elucidate the potential of lncRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis of LF and to provide novel therapeutic approaches for the reversion of LF.

Periodontitis in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: impact on gut microbiota and systemic inflammation.

Elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibit considerable periodontitis frequency, which causes tooth loss and poor quality of life. To investigate the impact of periodontitis on gut microbiota, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the composition and structure of gut microbiota among elderly patients with T2DM and periodontitis (T2DM_P), elderly patients with T2DM alone (T2DM_NP), and healthy volunteers. We identified 34 key gut microbiota markers that distinguished participants with different periodontal conditions and investigated their connections to other gut bacteria, as well as their clinical correlates. The most striking differences in co-occurrence networks between the T2DM_P and T2DM_NP groups comprised interactions involving dominant genera in the oral cavity (i.e., Streptococcus and Veillonella). Of the 34 identified key gut microbiota markers that distinguished participants with different periodontal conditions, 25 taxa were correlated with duration of diabetes, dry mouth or the peripheral levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, prostaglandin E2, interleukin-17, and interleukin-6) and metabolic parameters (e.g., hemoglobin A1c), respectively. Our findings suggest that gut microbial shifts driven by periodontitis may contribute to systemic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction during the progression of T2DM.

Effects of probiotic supplementation on natural killer cell function in healthy elderly individuals: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To evaluate evidence for the role of probiotic supplementation in enhancing natural killer (NK) cell function in healthy elderly individuals. Five electronic databases were searched, and references of included articles and eligible reviews up to December 2019, with English language and human subject restrictions, were examined. Two independent reviewers identified randomized control trials (RCTs) of probiotic supplementation influencing NK cell function in healthy elderly individuals, assessed the quality of every article, and extracted data for subsequent meta-analysis. We identified six eligible trials including 364 healthy elderly subjects. Trials were heterogeneous in study design and probiotic supplementation (including genus, strain, dose, and duration). Five trials used Lactobacillus interventions alone or in combination with Bifidobacterium. Only one trial focused on Bacillus coagulans. The duration of supplementation ranged from 3 to 12 weeks, and the doses, from 1 × 109 to 4 × 1010 colony-forming units. Pooling data of eligible trials showed that probiotics significantly (P < 0.05) increased NK cell activity in healthy elderly individuals (standardized mean difference = 0.777, 95% confidence interval: 0.187‒1.366, P = 0.01, I2 = 84.6%). Although we obtained a significant outcome, the data do not provide convincing evidence for associations between probiotic supplementation and enhancement of NK cell function, given the small final number and very large heterogeneity. More RCTs with sufficient sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed to focus on optimal probiotic dose, species, and duration of supplementation for healthy elderly individuals.

Pre-Activation of Toll-Like Receptor 2 Enhances CD8+ T-Cell Responses and Accelerates Hepatitis B Virus Clearance in the Mouse Models.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in activation of innate immunity, which is essential for inducing effective adaptive immune responses. Our previous studies have shown that toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is required to induce effective virus-specific T-cell responses against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vivo. However, the contribution of TLR2 activation to adaptive immunity and HBV clearance remains to be clarified. In this study, we explored the hydrodynamic injection (HI) mouse models for HBV infection and examined how the TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK (P3C) influences HBV control and modulates HBV-specific T-cell response if applied in vivo. We found that TLR2 activation by P3C injection leads to the rapid but transient production of serum proinflammatory factors interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α and activation of CD8+ T cells in vivo. Then, the anti-HBV effect and HBV-specific T-cell immunity were investigated by TLR2 activation in the mouse models for persistent or acute HBV infections using HBV plasmids pAAV-HBV1.2 and pSM2, respectively. Both P3C application at early stage and pre-activation promoted HBV clearance, while only TLR2 pre-activation enhanced HBV-specific T-cell response in the liver. In the mouse model for acute HBV infection, P3C application had no significant effect on HBV clearance though P3C significantly enhanced the HBV-specific T-cell response. Collectively, TLR2 pre-activation enhances HBV-specific T-cell responses and accelerates HBV clearance in HI mouse models. Thus, the modulation of host immune status by TLR2 agonists may be explored for immunotherapeutic strategies to control HBV infection.

LSECs express functional NOD1 receptors: A role for NOD1 in LSEC maturation-induced T cell immunity in vitro.

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are organ resident APCs capable of antigen presentation and subsequent tolerization of T cells under physiological conditions. In this study, we investigated whether LSEC pretreatment with NOD-like receptor (NLR) agonists can switch the cells from a tolerogenic to an immunogenic state and promote the development of T cell immunity. LSECs constitutively express NOD1, NOD2 and RIPK2. Stimulation of LSECs with DAP induced the activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases and upregulated the expression of chemokines (CXCL2/9, CCL2/7/8) and cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2). Pretreatment of LSECs with DAP induced significantly increased IFN-γ and IL-2-production by HBV-stimulated CD8+ T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. Consistently, a significant reduction in the HBV DNA and HBsAg level occurred in mice receiving T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. MDP stimulation had no impact on LSECs or HBV-stimulated CD8+ T cells primed with MDP-treated LSECs except for the upregulation of PD-L1. DAP stimulation in vitro could promote LSEC maturation and activate HBV-specific T cell responses. These results are of particular relevance for the regulation of the local innate immune response against HBV infections.

Chinese woodchucks with different susceptibility to WHV infection differ in their genetic background exemplified by cytochrome B and MHC-DRB molecules.

BACKGROUND: Chinese woodchucks (M. himalayana) were recently found to be susceptible to woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection. In this study, we aimed to determine the susceptibility to WHV infection of M. himalayana from different areas and their association with the animal genetic background exemplified by cytochrome B and MHC-DRB molecules. METHODS: Animals from four different areas in Qinghai province were inoculated with WHV59 strains. The virological markers including WHV surface antigen (WHsAg), WHV core antibody (WHcAb), and WHV DNA in serum were measured by ELISA and Real-time PCR, respectively. The sequences of cytochrome B gene and MHC-DRB molecules were obtained and sorted with Clustalx software. The nucleotide variation sites were identified using MEGA5 software. RESULTS: The animals from four different areas had different susceptibility to WHV infection. Animals from TR and TD areas had a high level of long-lasting viremia, while those from GD and WL areas had a low level of transient viremia after WHV inoculation. All of the animals belong to the same subspecies M. himalayana robusta identified by cytochrome B gene sequences. Based on their nucleotide variation pattern, 8 alleles of cytochrome B gene were identified, and 7 MHC-DRB alleles were identified. Allele A of cytochrome B and Allele Mamo-DRB1*02 of MHC-DRB was found to be frequent in animals from TR and TD areas, while Allele H of cytochrome B and Allele Mamo-DRB1*07 of MHC-DRB was predominant in animals from GD and WL areas. CONCLUSION: Chinese woodchucks from different areas differed in their susceptibility to WHV infection, though they belong to the same subspecies M. himalayana robusta. The genetic background exemplified by cytochrome B and MHC-DRB differed in Chinese woodchucks with different susceptibility to WHV infection.

Local Stimulation of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells with a NOD1 Agonist Activates T Cells and Suppresses Hepatitis B Virus Replication in Mice.

Functional maturation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) induced by a NOD1 ligand (diaminopimelic acid [DAP]) during viral infection has not been well defined. Thus, we investigated the role of DAP-stimulated LSEC maturation during hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its potential mechanism in a hydrodynamic injection (HI) mouse model. Primary LSECs were isolated from wild-type C57BL/6 mice and stimulated with DAP in vitro and in vivo and assessed for the expression of surface markers as well as for their ability to promote T cell responses via flow cytometry. The effects of LSEC maturation on HBV replication and expression and the role of LSECs in the regulation of other immune cells were also investigated. Pretreatment of LSECs with DAP induced T cell activation in vitro. HI-administered DAP induced LSEC maturation and subsequently enhanced T cell responses, which was accompanied by an increased production of intrahepatic cytokines, chemokines, and T cell markers in the liver. The HI of DAP significantly reduced the HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in the mice. Importantly, the DAP-induced anti-HBV effect was impaired in the LSEC-depleted mice, which indicated that LSEC activation and T cell recruitment into the liver were essential for the antiviral function mediated by DAP application. Taken together, the results showed that the Ag-presenting ability of LSECs was enhanced by DAP application, which resulted in enhanced T cell responses and inhibited HBV replication in a mouse model.

Delivery of the TLR ligand poly(I:C) to liver cells in vitro and in vivo by calcium phosphate nanoparticles leads to a pronounced immunostimulation.

The selective activation of the immune system is a concurrent problem in the treatment of persistent diseases like viral infections (e.g. hepatitis). For the delivery of the toll-like receptor ligand poly(I:C), an immunostimulatory action was discovered earlier by hydrodynamic injection. However, this technique is not clinically transferable to human patients. A modular system where the immunoactive toll-like-receptor ligand 3 (TLR-3) poly(I:C) was incorporated into calcium phosphate nanoparticles was developed. The nanoparticles had a hydrodynamic diameter of 275nm and a zeta potential of +20mV, measured by dynamic light scattering. The diameter of the solid core was 120nm by scanning electron microscopy. In vitro, the nanoparticle uptake was investigated after 1 and 24h of incubation of THP-1 cells (macrophages) with nanoparticles by fluorescence microscopy. After intravenous injection into BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice, respectively, the in vivo uptake was especially prominent in lung and liver, 1 and 3h after the injection. Pronounced immunostimulatory effects of the nanoparticles were found in vitro with primary liver cells, i.e. Kupffer cells (KC) and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) from wild-type C57BL/6J mice. Thus, they represent a suitable alternative to hydrodynamic injection treatments for future vaccination concepts. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The selective activation of the immune system is a concurrent problem in the treatment of persistent diseases like viral infections (e.g. hepatitis). For the delivery of the toll-like receptor ligand poly(I:C), an immunostimulatory action has been discovered earlier by hydrodynamic injection. However, this technique is not clinically transferable to human patients. We have developed a modular system where poly(I:C) was incorporated into calcium phosphate nanoparticles. The uptake into relevant liver cells was studied both in vitro and in vivo. After intravenous injection into mice, the in vivo uptake was especially prominent in lung and liver, 1 and 3h after the injection. The corresponding strong immune reaction proves their high potential to turn up the immune system, e.g. against viral infections, without adverse side reactions.

Different antiviral effects of IFNα and IFNß in an HBV mouse model.

Interferons α and ß (IFNα and IFNß) are type I interferons produced by the host to control pathogen propagation. However, only a minority of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients generate a sustained response after treatment with recombinant IFNα. The anti-HBV effect of IFNß and the underlying mechanism are not well-understood. Here, we compared the antiviral activities of IFNα and IFNß by application of IFNα or IFNß expression plasmids using the well-established HBV hydrodynamic injection (HI) mouse model. Injection of IFNα expression plasmid could significantly reduce HBV serum markers including HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA as well as the number of HBcAg positive cells in the liver, while IFNß showed only a weak inhibition of HBV replication. In contrast to IFNß, IFNα resulted in elevated expression levels of IFN stimulated genes (ISGs) as well as the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL6) in the liver. Moreover, IFNß treated mice showed higher expression levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL10 and TGFß in the liver compared to IFNα. Our results demonstrated that both IFNα and IFNß exert antiviral activities against HBV in HI mouse model, but IFNα is more effective than IFNß.

Poly(I:C) treatment leads to interferon-dependent clearance of hepatitis B virus in a hydrodynamic injection mouse model.

UNLABELLED: We have previously shown that poly(I:C) activates murine hepatic cells to produce interferon (IFN) and suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in vitro. Therefore, we addressed whether poly(I:C) is able to induce the clearance of HBV in vivo. The chronic HBV replication mouse model was established by the hydrodynamic injection (HI) of pAAV-HBV1.2 into the tail veins of wild-type and IFN-α/ßR-, IFN-γ-, and CXCR3-deficient C57BL/6 mice. Fourteen days post-HI of pAAV-HBV1.2, mice were administered poly(I:C) by intraperitoneal injection, intramuscular injection, or HI. Only treatment of poly(I:C) by HI led to HBV clearance in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Serum HBsAg disappeared within 40 days postinfection (dpi) in mice that received poly(I:C) by HI, and this was accompanied by the appearance of anti-HBs antibodies. HBV-specific T-cell and antibody responses were significantly enhanced by HI of poly(I:C). HBV replication intermediates and HBcAg-positive hepatocytes were eliminated in the liver. HI of poly(I:C) induced the production of IFNs in mice and enhanced the levels of cytokines, IFN-stimulated genes, and T-cell markers in the liver. Importantly, poly(I:C)-induced HBV clearance was impaired in IFN-α/ßR-, IFN-γ-, and CXCR3-deficient mice, indicating that the induction of type I IFN and the stimulation and recruitment of T cells into the liver are essential for HBV clearance in this model. Taken together, the application of poly(I:C) by HI into the liver enhances innate and adaptive immune responses and leads to HBV clearance in an HBV mouse model, implicating the potential of intrahepatic Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) activation for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B patients. IMPORTANCE: It has become well accepted that immunomodulation is a potentially useful approach to treat chronic viral infection. Recently, combinations of antiviral treatment and therapeutic vaccinations were evaluated for therapies of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Activation of the innate immune branch may also be important for viral control and contributes to HBV clearance. Our present study demonstrated that hepatic TLR3 activation led to clearance of hepatitis B virus in an HBV mouse model. For the first time, we showed that HBV clearance in this model is dependent not only on type I interferon (IFN) but also on type II IFN, indicating a coordinated action of innate and adaptive immune responses. T-cell recruitment appeared to be critical for the success of TLR3-mediated antiviral action. These findings implicate the potential of intrahepatic TLR3 activation for the treatment of chronic HBV infection.

Nucleoside analogues alone or combined with vaccination prevent hepadnavirus viremia and induce protective immunity: alternative strategy for hepatitis B virus post-exposure prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVES: The current strategies for hepatitis B virus (HBV) post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are not generally available in remote and rural areas of developing countries and/or carry potential risks for infection with blood-borne transmitted pathogens. Nucleotide analogues (NAs) are successfully used for human immunodeficiency virus PEP, and maybe effective for HBV PEP. In this study, we tested the NA-based strategies for HBV PEP using the Chinese woodchuck model. METHODS: Chinese woodchucks were inoculated intravenously with different doses of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV). A deoxyguanosine analogue entacavir (ETV), a DNA vaccine pWHcIm, or ETV plus pWHcIm were applied to the infected animals 24h later. Twenty weeks later, the animals were re-challenged with WHV to test for the presence of immunity against WHV. RESULTS: Inoculation with different WHV doses had a strong influence on the course of WHV infection; NA alone or in combination with a DNA vaccine completely prevented viremia after a high dose of WHV inoculation in Chinese woodchucks and induced partial or complete protective immunity, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NA-based PEP strategies (NA alone or in combination with vaccine) may be an alternative of HBV PEP, especially in those living in the remote and rural areas of the developing countries and the non-responders to the current vaccine, and may be valuable in the PEP of HBV and HIV co-infection after occupational and non-occupational exposure. Further clinical studies are warranted to confirm the valuable of NA-based strategies in HBV PEP.

Immunosuppressive drugs modulate the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a hydrodynamic injection mouse model.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation and recurrence are common in patients under immunosuppression and can be controlled by hepatitis B immunoglobulin, antivirals, and hepatitis B vaccine. However, the detailed analysis of HBV infection under immunosuppression is essential for the prophylaxis and therapy for HBV reactivation and recurrence. In this study, HBV replication and T cell responses were analyzed in a HBV-transfected mouse model under immunosuppressive therapy. During the treatment, HBV replication was at a high level in mice treated with dexamethasone, cyclosporine, and cyclophosphamide, whereas was terminated in mice treated with mycophenolate mofetil. After the withdrawal, HBV replication was at low or high levels in the dexamethasone-treated mice or in both cyclosporine- and cyclophosphamide-treated mice. The early withdrawal of cyclosporine allowed the recovery of suppressed T cell responses and led to subsequent HBV clearance, while the adoptive immune transfer to the mice with HBV persistence led to HBV suppression. Taken together, long-term HBV persistence under immunosuppression depends on the immunosuppressive drugs used and on the treatment duration and is mediated by the suppressed intrahepatic CD8 T cell response. These data may be helpful for individualized immunosuppressive therapy in patients with high risk of HBV reactivation and recurrence, and the mouse system is suitable for studying HBV reactivation and recurrence under immunosuppression.

[Assessment of mitochondrial toxicity induced by zidovudine and adefovir dipivoxil in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mitochondrial toxicities induced by zidovudine (AZT) and adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) antiviral drugs using a rat model system. METHODS: Twelve healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups and treated by oral gavage with zidovudine (125 mg/kg/day), adefovir (40 mg/kg/day), or saline (equal volume) for 28 days. The rats' body weights were measured once a week, and blood was collected every two weeks for blood and biochemical tests. All animals were sacrificed at the end of treatment, and liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle were collected by necropsy. Mitochondria were isolated from the respective tissue samples, and the activities of respiratory chain complexes were measured. DNA was purified from each sample and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content was monitored by quantitative real time PCR. Mitochondrial morphology was analyzed under electron microscope. RESULTS: No significant adverse effects, including body weight loss, abnormal blood or biochemistry, were observed in rats treated with AZT or ADV. The activities of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase in liver and cardiac muscle were slightly decreased in rats treated with AZT (liver: 9.44+/-3.09 vs. 17.8+/-12.38, P?=?0.21; cardiac muscle: 32.74+/-5.52 vs. 24.74+/-20.59, P?=?0.28; kidney: 4.42+/-1.53 vs. 14.45+/-13.75, P?=?0.18; skeletal muscle: 33.75+/-8.74 vs. 40.04+/-2.49, P?=?0.45). The mtDNA content was significantly decreased in cardiac muscle of AZT-treated rats (cardiac muscle: 0.15+/-0.13 vs. 0.32+/-0.42, P?=?0.85). The morphology of mitochondria in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle was significantly altered in the AZT-treated rats and included disappearance of the outer membrane, severely damaged structure, and swollen or completely absent cristae. No obvious effects were noted in the ADV- or saline-treated rats. CONCLUSION: Significant adverse effects related to mitochondrial toxicity were observed in rats treated with AZT. The slightly decreased mtDNA content in ADV-treated rats may suggest that this antiviral drug can also cause mitochondrial toxic effects.