Production, characterization, and application of phage-derived PK34 recombinant anti-microbial peptide.

PK34 is a D29 mycobacteriophage-derived anti-microbial peptide (AMP) with anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity. It is expected to become an auxiliary drug for the treatment of M. tuberculosis infection, or as a template for the development of anti-M. tuberculosis drugs. The focus of this paper is to obtain recombinant PK34 by a novel method of prokaryotic expression and purification by affinity chromatography. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of recombinant PK34 was better than that of synthetic PK34 as measured by the microplate-based Alamar Blue assay (MABA). In order to further compare the different anti-bacterial effects of PK34 obtained by the two methods on M. tuberculosis, the bacterial changes after drug incubation were observed at the microscopic level by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In order to apply PK34 to clinical treatment earlier in the future, this paper tested the maximum non-toxic concentration of recombinant PK34 to the two most studied immune cells, RAW264.7 and THP-1, through cytotoxicity experiments. The maximum non-toxic concentration was the same as the MIC of recombinant PK34 to M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and both were 12.5 µg/mL. The monoclonal antibodies against PK34 and their hybridoma cell lines were prepared using recombinant PK34 as the antigen. Next, we obtained the gene sequence of the monoclonal antibody, which was prepared for the basic research of PK34 in M. tuberculosis treatment. In addition, the possible molecular docking mode between PK34 and trehalose-6,6-dimycolate (TDM) was predicted by AI simulation. To sum up, this paper provides a new idea for the birth of more new AMPs of the same type as PK34 in the future. KEY POINTS: • Design and prepare a novel recombinant PK34 anti-microbial peptide. • Recombinant PK34 has higher purity and anti-bacterial activity than synthetic PK34. • The monoclonal antibody against recombinant PK34 was prepared and sequenced.

Up-regulated SAMD9L modulated by TLR2 and HIF-1α as a promising biomarker in tuberculosis.

The aim of this study was to identify potential biomarkers of TB in blood and determine their function in Mtb-infected macrophages. First of all, WGCNA was used to analyse 9451 genes with significant changes in TB patients' whole blood. The 220 interferon-γ-related genes were identified, and then 30 key genes were screened using Cytoscape. Then, the AUC values of key genes were calculated to further narrow the gene range. Finally, we identified 9 genes from GSE19444. ROC analysis showed that SAMD9L, among 9 genes, had a high diagnostic value (AUC = 0.925) and a differential diagnostic value (AUC>0.865). To further narrow down the range of DEGs, the top 10 hub-connecting genes were screened from monocytes (GSE19443). Finally, we obtained 4 genes (SAMD9L, GBP1, GBP5 and STAT1) by intersections of genes from monocytes and whole blood. Among them, it was found that the function of SAMD9L was unknown after data review, so this paper studied this gene. Our results showed that SAMD9L is up-regulated and suppresses cell necrosis, and might be regulated by TLR2 and HIF-1α during Mtb infection. In addition, miR-181b-5p is significantly up-regulated in the peripheral blood plasma of tuberculosis patients, which has a high diagnostic value (AUC = 0.969).

Amentoflavone impairs the reconsolidated fear memories through inhibition of ERK pathway.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a pathological fear memory-related disease. The persistence of pathological fearful memories is one of the most characteristic symptoms of PTSD. However, this can be eliminated by intervening in reconsolidation. Inflammation is intimately involved in the pathophysiologic progression of PTSD. Amentoflavone (AF) has anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effect of AF on fear memory reconsolidation remains unclear. In the present series of experiments, the CFC paradigm of rats were constructed. This was followed by AF administration immediately after exposure to the conditioning chamber to observe the maintenance of fear memory. Finally, a Western blot for the amygdala was used to explore the possible molecular biological mechanisms of AF affecting animal behavior. The findings suggest that re-exposure to the conditioning chamber for retrieval of CFC memory followed by immediate intragastric AF administration in rats attenuated the fear response for at least 14 days. In addition, the Western blot results show that the CFC memory intervention effect of AF administration during the reconsolidation phase may be related to the ERK signaling pathway inhibition. In general, the administration of AF in the reconsolidation phase to inhibit neuroinflammation can block the reconsolidation process and disrupt fear memory retention in the long term, at least in part through ERK pathway.

Increased UBE2L6 regulated by type 1 interferon as potential marker in TB.

The aim of this study is to identify potential biomarker of tuberculosis (TB) and determine its function. Differentially expressed mRNAs(DEGs) were selected from a blood database GSE101805, and then, 30 key genes were screened using STING, Cytoscape and further functionally enriched. We then found that only 6 of 13 genes related to ubiquitination (the first in the functional enrichment) were increased significantly. ROC analysis showed that UBE2L6, among 6 genes, had the highest diagnostic value, and then, we found that it also had mild value in differential diagnosis. Moreover, our analysis showed that UBE2L6 may be upregulated by type I interferon, which was further confirmed by us. In addition, we also found that UBE2L6 inhibits the apoptosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)infected macrophages. Subsequently, we discovered that miR-146a-5p, which may target UBE2L6, is reduced in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma of TB, and it also had certain diagnostic efficiency(AUC=0.791). In brief, we demonstrated that UBE2L6 as well as miR-146a-5p is a potential biomarker for TB and UBE2L6,which may also plays important role in TB by, at least, modulating Mtb-infected macrophage apoptosis.

miR-18a promotes Mycobacterial survival in macrophages via inhibiting autophagy by down-regulation of ATM.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is one of leading causes of global deaths. This study aimed to explore the role of miR-18a in RAW264.7 cells response to Mtb infection. Exosomes derived from Mtb-infected cells were isolated and further validated by size, transmission electron microscopy and Western blot. RT-PCR was utilized to measure miR-18a expression. Cell viability and ultrastructure were examined by CFU counting, CCK-8 and electron microscope, respectively. Potential target genes of miR-18a were predicted with bioinformatics and further confirmed using RT-PCR, Western blot and laser confocal microscope analysis, respectively. LC3, AMPK and mTOR were measured using Western blot. We found that miR-18a was induced both in Mtb-infected RAW264.7 cells and its derived exosomes compared with the controls. In addition, up-regulation of miR-18a promoted intracellular Mtb survival, attenuated cell viability and reduced LC3-II level, while its down-regulation had the opposite effect. miR-18a overexpression suppressed level of ATM, one possible target of miR-18a, while its underexpression enhanced ATM. We also found that inhibition of ATM induced LC3-II decrease in Mtb-infected cells and could reverse the increase of LC3-II caused by inhibition of miR-18a. Moreover, down-regulation of miR-18a increased p-AMPK level while reduction of ATM could reverse the change. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-18a is up-regulated in macrophages response to Mtb infection, and it promotes intracellular Mtb survival through repressing autophagic process by down-regulation of ATM pathway. This provides new thought for TB pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment.

STAT1 and its related molecules as potential biomarkers in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a severe infectious disease that seriously endangers human health. The immune defence mechanism of the body against TB is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to find the key molecules involved in the immune defence response during TB infection, and provide reference for the treatment of TB and further understanding of the immune defence mechanism of the body. Data from GSE83456 were downloaded from GEO data sets for analysis, and a total of 192 differentially expressed genes were screened out. Most of these genes are enriched in the interferon signalling pathway and are defence response-related. We also found that STAT1 plays an important role in the immune defence of TB infection and it is one of the key genes related to interferon signalling pathway. STAT1-related molecules including hsa-miR-448, hsa-miR-223-3p, SAMD8_hsa_circRNA 994 and TWF1_hsa_circRNA 9897 were therefore screened out. Furthermore, expression levels of hsa-miR-448 and hsa-miR-223-3p were then verified by qRT-PCR. Results showed that both hsa-miR-448 and hsa-miR-223-3p were down-regulated in plasma from patients with pulmonary TB. Taken together, our data indicate that an mRNA-miRNA-circRNA interaction chain may play an important role in the infection of MTB, and STAT1 and related molecules including hsa-miR-223-3p, has-miR-448, SAMD8_hsa_circRNA994 and TWF1_hsa_circRNA9897 were identified as potential biomarkers in the development of active TB.

Relationships among lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, and the pulmonary inflammation index in coronavirus (COVID-19) infected patients.

We explored the relationships between lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, pulmonary inflammation index (PII) and disease evolution in patients with (corona virus disease 2019) COVID-19. A total of 123 patients with COVID-19 were divided into mild and severe groups. Lymphocyte subsets and cytokines were detected on the first day of hospital admission and lung computed tomography results were quantified by PII. Difference analysis and correlation analysis were performed on the two groups. A total of 102 mild and 21 severe patients were included in the analysis. There were significant differences in cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4+ T), cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8+ T), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and PII between the two groups. There were significant positive correlations between CD4+ T and CD8+ T, IL-6 and IL-10 in the mild group (r2  = 0·694, r 2  = 0·633, respectively; P < 0·01). After 'five-in-one' treatment, all patients were discharged with the exception of the four who died. Higher survival rates occurred in the mild group and in those with IL-6 within normal values. CD4+ T, CD8+ T, IL-6, IL-10 and PII can be used as indicators of disease evolution, and the PII can be used as an independent indicator for disease progression of COVID-19.

Signature of circular RNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with active tuberculosis.

The study was to characterize the expression profiles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from active tuberculosis (TB) patients and to investigate their function. Microarray was applied to detect circRNA expression and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to validate the microarray results. Meanwhile, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve was calculated to evaluate the predictive power of the selected circRNAs for TB diagnosis. Additionally, circRNA/miRNA interaction was predicted based on miRNA target prediction software, and gene ontology as well as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were used to predict their biological function. In total, 171 circRNAs were found to be dysregulated in TB samples. Specifically, circRNA_103017, circRNA_059914 and circRNA_101128 were confirmed to be increased, while circRNA_062400 was decreased in TB samples. ROC analysis revealed that circRNA_103017 had potential value for TB diagnosis, followed by circRNA_059914 and circRNA_101128. Moreover, circRNA_101128 expression in TB samples was negatively correlated with the level of its possible target let-7a and bioinformatics analysis showed that circRNA_101128 was potentially involved in MAPK and P13K-Akt pathway possibly via modulation of let-7a. Taken together, our results indicated that some dysregulated circRNAs were potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of TB and circRNA_101128-let-7a interplay may play considerable role in PBMCs response to Mtb infection.

Downregulation of miR-20b-5p facilitates Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival in RAW 264.7 macrophages via attenuating the cell apoptosis by Mcl-1 upregulation.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The interaction between Mtb and macrophages, which is regulated by microRNAs, determines the development of TB. However, the function of microRNA-20b-5p (miR-20b-5p) in RAW 264.7 macrophages against Mtb remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed the expression level of miR-20b-5p in macrophage responses to Mtb infection and exosomes derived from macrophages after Mtb infection. MiR-20b-5p mimics and inhibitor were, respectively, transfected to evaluate the effect of miR-20b-5p on Mtb and macrophages. In addition, the targets of miR-20b-5p were predicted by a bioinformatics analysis. The macrophages were respectively transfected with miR-20b-5p mimics and inhibitor to determine the messenger RNA expression levels of the targets by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. The results revealed that the miR-20b-5p expression level was decreased in the infected macrophages at different times. MiR-20b-5p was shown in the exosomes released from macrophages infected with Mtb. Upregulation of the miR-20b-5p level suppressed the survival of Mtb in macrophages, while downregulation of the miR-20b-5p level enhanced the survival of Mtb in macrophages. Overexpression of miR-20b-5p decreased the cell viability and induced apoptosis in Mtb-infected macrophages, while underexpression of miR-20b-5p increased the cell vitality and attenuated apoptosis in Mtb-infected macrophages. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that Mcl-1 was a target of miR-20b-5p. MiR-20b-5p negatively regulated the expression of Mcl-1. Overall, this study is the first to demonstrate the effect of miR-20b-5p on Mtb infection and present miR-20b-5p and exosomes as the potential therapeutic targets of TB.

Lysin cell-binding domain-functionalized magnetic beads for detection of Staphylococcus aureus via inhibition of fluorescence of Amplex Red/hydrogen peroxide assay by intracellular catalase.

Accurate and rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is of great significance for controlling the food poisoning and infectious diseases caused by S. aureus. In this study, a novel strategy that combines lysin cell-binding domain (CBD)-based magnetic separation with fluorescence detection was developed for the specific and sensitive quantification of S. aureus in authentic samples. The S. aureus cells were separated from the sample matrix by lysin CBD-functionalized magnetic beads. Following lysis by lysostaphin, intracellular catalase was released from S. aureus cells and detected by a fluorometric system composed of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and Amplex Red. S. aureus was quantified via the inhibitory effect of the released intracellular catalase on the fluorometric system since the catalase could decompose the H2O2. Optimized conditions afforded a calibration curve for S. aureus ranging from 1.0 × 102 to 1.0 × 107 CFU mL-1. The detection limit was as low as 78 CFU mL-1 in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and the total detection process could be completed in less than 50 min. Other bacteria associated with common food-borne and nosocomial infections negligibly interfered with S. aureus detection, except for Staphylococcus epidermidis, which may have slightly interfered. Moreover, the potential of this proposed method for practical applications has been demonstrated by detection assays of sterilized milk and human serum. Graphical abstract.

Dysregulated circRNAs in plasma from active tuberculosis patients.

Endogenous circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported in various diseases. However, their role in active TB remains unknown. The study was aimed to determine plasma circRNA expression profile to characterize potential biomarker and improve our understanding of active TB pathogenesis. CircRNA expression profiles were screened by circRNA microarrays in active TB plasma samples. Dysregulated circRNAs were then verified by qRT-PCR. CircRNA targets were predicted based on analysis of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction. GO and KEGG pathway analyses were used to predict the function of circRNA. ROC curve was calculated to evaluate diagnostic value for active TB. A total of 75 circRNAs were significantly dysregulated in active TB plasma. By further validation, hsa_circRNA_103571 exhibited significant decrease in active TB patients and showed potential interaction with active TB-related miRNAs such as miR-29a and miR-16. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that hsa_circRNA_103571 was primarily involved in ras signalling pathway, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, T- and B-cell receptor signalling pathway. ROC curve analysis suggested that hsa_circRNA_103571 had significant value for active TB diagnosis. Circulating circRNA dysregulation may play a role in active TB pathogenesis. Hsa_circRNA_103571 may be served as a potential biomarker for active TB diagnosis, and hsa_circRNA_103571-miRNA-mRNA interaction may provide some novel mechanism for active TB.

Activation of TLR7 Inhibition of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Survival by Autophagy in RAW 264.7 Macrophages.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of regulation of TLR7 on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) survival in macrophages. TLR7 expression in macrophages infected by Mtb was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Regulation of TLR7 was achieved by single strand RNA (ssRNA) or siRNA. The effects of TLR7 on Mtb survival and cell viability were detected by acid fast staining and cell counting kit-8, respectively. Cell ultrastructure was observed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and autophagy related protein LC3 was analyzed by Western blotting. TLR7 in Mtb infected macrophages was up-regulated and up-regulation of TLR7 could eliminate intracellular Mtb. Up-regulation of TLR7 could increase viability of Mtb infected cells, while down-regulation of TLR7 induced decrease of cell viability compared with the controls. Autophagosome was significantly increased in the Mtb infected macrophages after up-regulation of TLR7 and LC3-II protein showed obvious increase compared with the controls. Autophagosome could not be detected in macrophages after down-regulation of TLR7, rough endoplasmic reticulum was dilated, and nuclear week gap was widened. Moreover, LC3-II protein was reduced in Mtb infected macrophages based upon the down-regulation of TLR7. Up-regulation of TLR7 could eliminate intracellular Mtb through autophagy. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4222-4229, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aberrantly Expressed Long Non-Coding RNAs In CD8+ T Cells Response to Active Tuberculosis.

Dysregulated expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been demonstrated as being implicated in a variety of human diseases. In the study we aimed to determine lncRNA profile in CD8+ T cells response to active tuberculosis (TB). We examined the lncRNA expression by microarray in circulating CD8+ T cells isolated from patients with active TB and healthy controls. Change predictions to analysis was used to address functional roles of the deregulated mRNAs. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to validate the microarray result. In total, 328 lncRNAs and 356 mRNAs were differentially expressed in TB CD8+ T cells. Upregulated mRNAs were mainly enriched in cAMP signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, and TGF-beta signaling pathway, while downregulated mRNAs were enriched in antigen processing and presentation and natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity in TB CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, we found that heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) was decreased in active TB CD8+ T cells, while its nearby lincRNA XLOC_014219 was upregulated. Subsequent RT-qPCR results confirmed the changes. This is the first research addressing lncRNA expression profiles in active TB CD8+ T cells. The aberrantly expressed lncRNAs observed in the study may provide clues to the dysfunction of CD8+ T cells and so to the pathophysiological properties of active TB. Further studies should focus on the function of lncRNAs involved in active TB. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4275-4284, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Deregulated microRNAs in CD4+ T cells from individuals with latent tuberculosis versus active tuberculosis.

The mechanisms of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection remain elusive. Roles of microRNA (miRNA) have been highlighted in pathogen-host interactions recently. To identify miRNAs involved in the immune response to TB, expression profiles of miRNAs in CD4(+) T cells from patients with latent TB, active TB and healthy controls were investigated by microarray assay and validated by RT-qPCR. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were used to analyse the significant functions and involvement in signalling pathways of the differentially expressed miRNAs. To identify potential target genes for miR-29, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) mRNA expression was measured by RT-qPCR. Our results showed that 27 miRNAs were deregulated among the three groups. RT-qPCR results were generally consistent with the microarray data. We observed an inverse correlation between miR-29 level and IFN-γ mRNA expression in CD4(+) T cells. GO and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the possible target genes of deregulated miRNAs were significantly enriched in mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway, focal adhesion and extracellular matrix receptor interaction, which might be involved in the transition from latent to active TB. In all, for the first time, our study revealed that some miRNAs in CD4(+) T cells were altered in latent and active TB. Function and pathway analysis highlighted the possible involvement of miRNA-deregulated mRNAs in TB. The study might help to improve understanding of the relationship between miRNAs in CD4(+) T cells and TB, and laid an important foundation for further identification of the underlying mechanisms of latent TB infection and its reactivation.

Dihydroartemisinin: a new story of an old drug against Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Currently, praziquantel is the drug of choice for the treatment of human Schistosoma mansoni infections. It has not been proved until now that there is real praziquantel resistance, but there is decreased praziquantel sensitivity. A search for novel antischistosomal agents against the parasite has been given a high priority. Dihydroartemisinin, formerly identified as an antimalarial drug, has been shown to be active against both Schistosoma japonicum and S. mansoni in mice. Interestingly, dihydroartemisinin is found to be highly effective against the 14-28-day schistosomula of S. mansoni, and treatment with multiple low doses of the drug achieves a high efficacy with reduced toxicity to the host. The long time development from juveniles to adults allows adequate timing for treatment of this neglected tropical disease. It is supposed that dihydroartemisinin, a safe orally administered agent, may be used for the prevention and control of human S. mansoni infections, notably in areas with reduced praziquantel sensitivity or praziquantel resistance detected.

[Expression and bioinformatic analysis of miR-29 family, target gene IFN-γ in CD4(+) T cells from subjects with latent tuberculosis infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of latent and active pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) on expression of miR-29 family and target gene IFN-γ in CD4(+)T cells. METHODS: Subjects from two hospitals of Weifang were enrolled from March 2012 to December 2012 and divided into three groups: active TB group(30 cases), latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI) group(25 cases) and healthy control group(30 cases). CD4(+) T cells in blood were collected from the three groups.Levels of miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c were measured by nucleic acid hybridization and RT-qPCR.Expression of IFN-γ was analyzed by RT-qPCR. Target genes of miR-29 family were predicted with both TargetScan and PicTar.GO annotation and pathway overrepresentation were further analyzed with David database and Cytoscape. RESULTS: Levels of miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c showed significant differences among the three groups(P < 0.05): levels of miR-29b and miR-29c in the active TB group(561.63 ± 65.36, 281.85 ± 42.78) were higher than the healthy controls(260.74 ± 38.69, 128.21 ± 19.98), but lower than the LTBI group(2030.29 ± 321.68, 620.93 ± 79.14); expression of miR-29a in the healthy control group(913.95 ± 104.73) were higher than the active TB group(323.37 ± 54.38), but lower than the LTBI group(4782.13 ± 567.81).Level of IFN-γ showed significant differences among the three groups(P < 0.05): level of IFN-γ in the LTBI group(0.45 ± 0.09) were lower than the healthy controls(1.00), but higher than the active TB group(0.11 ± 0.03). The target genes of miR-29 family mainly existed in molecular function such as extracellular matrix structural constituent and transcription regulator activity.In KEGG pathway, the gene set mostly existed in signaling pathway such as Focal adhesion,ECM-receptor interaction and mTOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: The expression of miR-29 family was increased and target gene IFN-γ in CD4(+) T cells was decreased by latent and active pulmonary TB, which might play important role in alteration of signal pathway.

[Expression of miR-29a in serum of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and prediction of its function with bioinformatics analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression of miR-29a in serum of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, and to predict and analyze function of its target genes for further studying of its biological function and regulatory mechanism in tuberculosis (TB). METHODS: Fasting venous blood samples were collected from 65 untreated patients with active pulmonary TB (case group) and 45 healthy controls (control group) in the morning, respectively, and then sera were isolated. Total RNA was extracted with TRIzol reagent and was further purified. RNA quality was measured by gel electrophoresis and ultraviolet spectrophotometer. Nucleic acid hybridization and real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed to investigate expression of miR-29a in serum. Both TargetSean and PicTar software were used to predict comprehensively target genes of miR-29a and their intersection was regarded as target genes of miR-29a. Gene ontology of target genes was analyzed with DAVID database and three category annotations were extracted, respectively. GO overrepresentation was further analyzed by BINGO of Cytoscape. Enriched pathways of target genes were analyzed. RESULTS: The hybridization result showed that miR-29a was increased in serum of the case group (854 ± 93) compared to the control group (80 ± 22) (t = 3.541, P < 0.05). The PCR result showed that compared to the control group (0.18 ± 0.07), miR-29a was increased in serum of the case group (1.35 ± 0.62) (t = 2.987, P < 0.05). The target genes were mainly involved in biological processes including regulation of transcription, molecular function including metal ion binding, and cellular components including extracellular matrix, respectively. In the KEGG pathway, the target gene set was significantly enriched in the 7 signaling pathways including adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction and so on. In the PANTHER pathway, the gene set mostly existed in integrin signaling pathway, cadherin signaling pathway and Wnt signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Level of miR-29a was increased significantly in serum of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Target genes of miR-29a were mainly involved in biological processes including cell adhesion, regulation of transcription and so on.

Identification and validation of ubiquitination-related signature and subgroups in immune microenvironment of tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the bacterial pathogen responsible for causing tuberculosis (TB), a severe public health concern that results in numerous deaths worldwide. Ubiquitination (Ub) is an essential physiological process that aids in maintaining homeostasis and contributes to the development of TB. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to investigate the potential role of Ub-related genes in TB. METHODS: Our research entailed utilizing single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) in combination with several machine learning techniques to discern the Ub-related signature of TB and identify potential diagnostic markers that distinguish TB from healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: In summary, we used the ssGSEA algorithm to determine the score of Ub families (E1, E2, E3, DUB, UBD, and ULD). Notably, the score of E1, E3, and UBD were lower in TB patients than in HC individuals, and we identified 96 Ub-related differentially expressed genes (UbDEGs). Employing machine learning algorithms, we identified 11 Ub-related hub genes and defined two distinct Ub-related subclusters. Notably, through GSVA and functional analysis, it was determined that these subclusters were implicated in numerous immune-related processes. We further investigated these Ub-related hub genes in four TB-related diseases and found that TRIM68 exhibited higher correlations with various immune cells in different conditions, indicating that it may play a crucial role in the immune process of these diseases. CONCLUSION: The observed enrichment of Ub-related gene expression in TB patients emphasizes the potential involvement of ubiquitination in the progression of TB. These significant findings establish a basis for future investigations to elucidate the molecular mechanisms associated with TB, select suitable diagnostic biomarkers, and design innovative therapeutic interventions for combating this fatal infectious disease.

Creation of a quick and sensitive fluorescent immunosensor for detecting the mineralocorticoid steroid hormone aldosterone.

Aldosterone (ALD) is a steroid hormone secreted by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex that mainly acts on the kidney to regulate sodium ion and water reabsorption. Detection of ALD plays an important role in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism in patients with hypertension. For the first time, the gene encoding the anti-ALD antibody, A2E11, was successfully cloned and analyzed using phage display technology. The antibody had an affinity of 2.5 nM against ALD, and after binding to ALD, it reached saturation within 5 s. Using this antibody, a Quenchbody (Q-body) was constructed by labeling the N-termini of heavy and light chains of the antigen-binding fragment of A2E11 with the fluorescent dye ATTO520 to detect ALD based on the principle of photoinduced electron transfer. The sensor detected ALD in 2 min, and the limit of detection was 24.1 pg/mL with a wide detection range from 24.1 pg/mL to 10 µg/mL and a half-maximal effective concentration of 42.3 ng/mL. At the highest concentration of ALD in the assay, the fluorescence intensity increased by 5.0-fold compared to the original fluorescence intensity of the Q-body solution. The Q-body could be applied to analyze 50% of human serum without a significant influence of the matrix. The recoveries of ALD in spiked serum samples with the Q-body assay were confirmed to range from 90.3% to 98.2%, suggesting their potential applications in the diagnosis of diseases, such as essential hypertension.

Circulating microRNAs in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Emerging evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in pathogen-host interactions. Circulating miRNAs have been repeatedly and stably detected in blood and hold promise to serve as molecular markers for diverse physiological and pathological conditions. To date, the relationship between circulating miRNAs and active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has not been reported. Using microarray-based expression profiling followed by real-time quantitative PCR validation, the levels of circulating miRNAs were compared between patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and matched healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic effect of selected miRNA. Bioinformatic analysis was used to explore the potential roles of these circulating miRNAs in active pulmonary tuberculosis infection. Among 92 miRNAs significantly detected, 59 miRNAs were downregulated and 33 miRNAs were upregulated in the TB serum compared to their levels in the control serum. Interestingly, only two differentially expressed miRNAs were increased not only in the serum but also in the sputum of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis compared to the levels for the healthy controls. Upregulated miR-29a could discriminate TB patients from healthy controls with reasonable sensitivity and specificity. A number of significantly enriched pathways regulated by these circulating miRNAs were predicted, and most of them were involved in acute-phase response, inflammatory response, and the regulation of the cytoskeleton. In all, for the first time our results revealed that a number of miRNAs were differentially expressed during active pulmonary tuberculosis infection, and circulating miR-29a has great potential to serve as a marker for the detection of active pulmonary tuberculosis infection.