[Expression of T lymphocyte cytokines in peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical values of T-lymphocyte cytokines in renal transplant acute rejection. METHODS: A total of 31 recipients with renal transplantation and 15 healthy volunteers from January 2010 to January 2012 were enrolled and divided into acute rejection group (n = 11) and stable renal allograft function group (n = 20) according to the inclusion criteria. Peripheral blood was collected from the patients before transplantation, 1, 7, 14, 28 day after transplantation and acute rejection onset. Cytometric bead array (CBA) was used to monitor the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin(IL)-10, IL-6, IL-4 and IL-2. The associations of the changes and levels of cytokines in 3 groups were examined with Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: The levels of IL-17A, TNF, IL-10 and IL-2 in recipients before transplantation were (3.40 ± 1.29) , (1.79 ± 0.53) , (2.73 ± 0.65) and (1.79 ± 1.02) ng/L respectively and decreased significantly compared to healthy volunteers ((4.52 ± 2.01), (3.36 ± 1.09) , (3.91 ± 0.42) , (3.12 ± 1.07) ng/L respectively, all P < 0.05). However the levels of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-4 showed no significant changes between two groups (all P > 0.05). In acute rejection group after transplantation, the levels of IL-17A, IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-6 were (9.47 ± 4.75) , (5.01 ± 2.23) , (12.20 ± 5.79) , (6.55 ± 3.45) ng/L respectively and increased significantly compared to the renal allograft function group ((4.39 ± 1.26), (2.90 ± 0.87),(5.68 ± 2.25) and (2.10 ± 0.70) ng/L respectively, all P < 0.05); the level of IL-17A was correlated with those of IFN-γ and IL-4 (Pearson r = 0.519, 0.395, both P < 0.01), the level of IFN-γ was correlated with those of IL-4 and IL-2 (r = 0.276, 0.335, all P < 0.05) , the level of TNF was correlated with that of IL-4 (r = 0.423, P < 0.05) and the level of IL-10 was correlated with that of IL-6 (r = 0.361, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cytokines play an important role in acute rejection of renal transplant. And further understanding of its mechanism may provide experimental and preventive rationales.

Γ-aminobutyric acid B receptor improves carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

BACKGROUND: It was well known that angiotension II can inhibit hepatic stellate cell activation. The GABAB receptor was upregulated when the hepatic stellate cell line was stimulated by angiotension II in our previous study. But the role of the GABAB receptor in liver fibrosis has never been reported. AIM: In the present study, we investigated the effects of this receptor on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats. METHODS: The rats were divided into four groups including GABAB receptor agonist, antangonist, model and control group. α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and GABAB receptor expression levels were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Liver function tests were performed once blood samples was taken; Western blot analysis was used to detect protein expression level of α-SMA and TGF-ß1. RESULTS: We found baclofen ameliorated the CCl4-induced rats's liver fibrosis. The highest liver enzymes and α-SMA protein levels were found in the CGP35348 group. CONCLUSION: The GABAB receptor may have a protective role in the liver.

Revealing EXPH5 as a potential diagnostic gene biomarker of the late stage of COPD based on machine learning analysis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a kind of chronic lung disease characterized by persistent air flow obstruction, which was the third leading cause of death in China. The incidence of COPD is steadily and increasing and has been a globally sever disease. Accordingly, it is urgently needed to explore how to diagnose and treat COPD timely. This study aims to find key genes to diagnose COPD as soon as possible to avoid COPD processing and analyze immune cell infiltration between COPD early stage and late stage. Two GEO datasets were merged as the merge data for analyses. 157 DEGs were used for GSEA analysis to find the pathway between COPD early stage and late stage. Above all, gene EXPH5 stood out from the screen as the most likely candidate diagnosis biomarker of COPD indicating the late-stage by least LASSO and SVM-RFE. ROC curves of EXPH5 were applied to represent the discriminatory ability through the area under the curve which is the gold standard to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosis and survival rate. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to assess the distribution of tissue-infiltrating immune cells between two COPD stages. The diagnosis biomarker, gene EXPH5 had a positive correlation with NK cells resting; mast cell resting, eosinophils, and negative correlation with T cell gamma delta, macrophages M1, which underscore the role of gene and immune cell infiltration. To make results more reliable, we further analyzed the gene EXPH5 expression in single-cell transcriptome data and showed again that EXPH5 genes significantly downregulated in the late stage of COPD especially in the main lung cell types AT1 and AT2. In a word, our study identified genes EXPH5 as a marker gene, which adds to the knowledge for clinical diagnosis and pharmaceutical design of COPD.

Metatranscriptome of human lung microbial communities in a cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 Omicron patients.

The Omicron variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS­CoV­2) infected a substantial proportion of Chinese population, and understanding the factors underlying the severity of the disease and fatality is valuable for future prevention and clinical treatment. We recruited 64 patients with invasive ventilation for COVID-19 and performed metatranscriptomic sequencing to profile host transcriptomic profiles, plus viral, bacterial, and fungal content, as well as virulence factors and examined their relationships to 28-day mortality were examined. In addition, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from invasive ventilated hospital/community-acquired pneumonia patients (HAP/CAP) sampled in 2019 were included for comparison. Genomic analysis revealed that all Omicron strains belong to BA.5 and BF.7 sub-lineages, with no difference in 28-day mortality between them. Compared to HAP/CAP cohort, invasive ventilated COVID-19 patients have distinct host transcriptomic and microbial signatures in the lower respiratory tract; and in the COVID-19 non-survivors, we found significantly lower gene expressions in pathways related viral processes and positive regulation of protein localization to plasma membrane, higher abundance of opportunistic pathogens including bacterial Alloprevotella, Caulobacter, Escherichia-Shigella, Ralstonia and fungal Aspergillus sydowii and Penicillium rubens. Correlational analysis further revealed significant associations between host immune responses and microbial compositions, besides synergy within viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. Our study presents the relationships of lower respiratory tract microbiome and transcriptome in invasive ventilated COVID-19 patients, providing the basis for future clinical treatment and reduction of fatality.

[Autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of type 1 diabetic mellitus: a report of 16 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy and safety of autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APBHST) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Hematopoietic stem cells were mobilized with cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony stimulating factor for 16 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus who admitted to our department during November 2009 to August 2010. And then stem cells were collected from peripheral blood by leukapheresis and cryopreservation. The cells were infused intravenously after conditioning with cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin. To compare the daily dose of exogenous insulin requirements, the serum levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-peptide, islet cell function during the mixed meal tolerance test were measured before and at different times after APBHST. Blood glucose was monitored 7 times a day before and after APBHST. And the adverse effects were recorded during and after APBHST. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 28 weeks (range: 8 - 44 weeks). Twelve of 16 patients stayed free from insulin at 3 - 20 days post APBHST. And islet cell function greatly improved after APBHST. Four of 16 patients required exogenous insulin but the dosage decreased. And all 4 patients had a poor level of C-peptide before APBHSCT. There were no such severe adverse effects as myelosuppression. CONCLUSION: Very encouraging results have been obtained in the patients treated with APBHST. There is definite therapeutic effects and safety in a short term. But further follow-up is necessary to confirm the duration of insulin independence and the mechanisms of action.

Circulating NK cell subsets and NKT­like cells in renal transplant recipients with acute T­cell­mediated renal allograft rejection.

Emerging evidence indicates that natural killer (NK) cells and NKT­like cells may affect allograft outcomes following solid organ transplantation. However, the roles of these cells in allograft acceptance and dysfunction are controversial. To assess the changes in NK cell and CD3+CD56+ NKT­like cell frequency and phenotype in renal allograft recipients and to explore their associations with acute T­cell­mediated renal allograft rejection (ACR), longitudinal changes in NK and NKT­like cell frequency and phenotype were characterized using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry in the peripheral blood and kidney allograft tissues in 142 recipients undergoing kidney transplantation. The serum concentrations of NK cell­associated cytokines were also detected by cytokine multiplex immunoassay. In contrast to the healthy controls, recipients with stable graft function exhibited increased proportions of CD56brightCD16dim subsets and decreased proportions of NKT­like cells in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Patients with ACR demonstrated increased proportions of NK cells, which were associated with increased CD3­CD56bright subsets and decreased CD3­CD56dim subsets, an increase in the CD56bright/CD56dim ratio in PBMCs and increased CD56+ NK cell infiltration in the kidney allograft, compared with the stable controls. In addition, there was a decreased proportion of NKT­like cells in patients with ACR, and an increased ratio of CD56bright/NKT­like cells compared with the stable controls. These differences appeared to be consistent with the increase in the serum concentrations of C­C motif chemokine 19 and the decrease in the serum concentrations of interleukin­15. These data indicate that CD56bright NK cells may promote the development of ACR, and that NKT­like cells may have immunoregulatory function. The results also imply that the CD56bright/CD56dim ratio may affect the ACR signatures.

Ectopic expression of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 2 in glioma and enhances resistance to apoptosis through activating nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of B cells.

Nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of B cells (NF-κB) is one of the most important tumorigenic factors. Although it has been established that NF-κB is overly activated in human glioma cells, the molecular mechanisms that lead to the signal transduction to NF-κB and thereby the induction of resistance to apoptosis remain poorly understood. The present study demonstrated that mRNA and protein levels of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 2 (MIB2) were markedly upregulated in glioma cell lines and clinical samples. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed high levels of MIB2 expression in glioma specimens. Ectopic overexpression of MIB2 was established in glioma cell lines to investigate its fundamental roles in the response of human glioma to apoptotic inducers. The results indicated that ultraviolet irradiation-induced cell apoptosis was inhibited with MIB2 overexpression in glioma cells. Notably, knockdown of MIB2 using RNA interference was able to increase the sensitivity of glioma cells to the pro-apoptotic agents. The present study identified that MIB2 induces NF-κB activation and facilitates the resistance of glioma cell to apoptosis. It was proposed that MIB2 may not only be an important hallmark to glioma disease progression, but that it may also offer novel clinical strategies to overcome resistance to cancer therapies.