Clinical Factors Associated with SFTS Diagnosis and Severity in Cats.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a potentially fatal tick-borne zoonosis caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). In addition to tick bites, animal-to-human transmission of SFTSV has been reported, but little is known about feline SFTSV infection. In this study, we analyzed data on 187 cats with suspected SFTS to identify biomarkers for SFTS diagnosis and clinical outcome. Body weight, red and white blood cell and platelet counts, and serum aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels were useful for SFTS diagnosis, whereas alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and serum SFTSV RNA levels were associated with clinical outcome. We developed a scoring model to predict SFTSV infection. In addition, we performed a phylogenetic analysis to reveal the relationship between disease severity and viral strain. This study provides comprehensive information on feline SFTS and could contribute to the protection of cat owners, community members, and veterinarians from the risk of cat-transmitted SFTSV infection.

Enhancing breast cancer outcomes with machine learning-driven glutamine metabolic reprogramming signature.

Background: This study aims to identify precise biomarkers for breast cancer to improve patient outcomes, addressing the limitations of traditional staging in predicting treatment responses. Methods: Our analysis encompassed data from over 7,000 breast cancer patients across 14 datasets, which included in-house clinical data and single-cell data from 8 patients (totaling 43,766 cells). We utilized an integrative approach, applying 10 machine learning algorithms in 54 unique combinations to analyze 100 existing breast cancer signatures. Immunohistochemistry assays were performed for empirical validation. The study also investigated potential immunotherapies and chemotherapies. Results: Our research identified five consistent glutamine metabolic reprogramming (GMR)-related genes from multi-center cohorts, forming the foundation of a novel GMR-model. This model demonstrated superior accuracy in predicting recurrence and mortality risks compared to existing clinical and molecular features. Patients classified as high-risk by the model exhibited poorer outcomes. IHC validation in 30 patients reinforced these findings, suggesting the model's broad applicability. Intriguingly, the model indicates a differential therapeutic response: low-risk patients may benefit more from immunotherapy, whereas high-risk patients showed sensitivity to specific chemotherapies like BI-2536 and ispinesib. Conclusions: The GMR-model marks a significant leap forward in breast cancer prognosis and the personalization of treatment strategies, offering vital insights for the effective management of diverse breast cancer patient populations.

Abnormal protein SUMOylation in liver disease: novel target for therapy.

SUMOylation is an important protein post-translational modification (PTM) process, in which the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protein covalently binds to the target protein and regulates stability, subcellular localization, and protein-protein interaction of the target protein. Protein SUMOylation exerts crucial regulatory function in the liver, and its abnormalities are associated with various liver-related disease processes. This review focuses on the biological functions of protein SUMOylation in liver-related diseases in recent years, summarizes the molecular mechanisms of SUMOylation in the replication of hepatitis viruses and the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and discusses the significance of SUMOylation in liver-related disorders, which is essential for understanding liver biological processes and formulating therapeutic strategies.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress in breast cancer: a predictive model for prognosis and therapy selection.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of mortality among women, underscoring the urgent need for improved therapeutic predictio. Developing a precise prognostic model is crucial. The role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress (ERS) in cancer suggests its potential as a critical factor in BC development and progression, highlighting the importance of precise prognostic models for tailored treatment strategies. Methods: Through comprehensive analysis of ERS-related gene expression in BC, utilizing both single-cell and bulk sequencing data from varied BC subtypes, we identified eight key ERS-related genes. LASSO regression and machine learning techniques were employed to construct a prognostic model, validated across multiple datasets and compared with existing models for its predictive accuracy. Results: The developed ERS-model categorizes BC patients into distinct risk groups with significant differences in clinical prognosis, confirmed by robust ROC, DCA, and KM analyses. The model forecasts survival rates with high precision, revealing distinct immune infiltration patterns and treatment responsiveness between risk groups. Notably, we discovered six druggable targets and validated Methotrexate and Gemcitabine as effective agents for high-risk BC treatment, based on their sensitivity profiles and potential for addressing the lack of active targets in BC. Conclusion: Our study advances BC research by establishing a significant link between ERS and BC prognosis at both the molecular and cellular levels. By stratifying patients into risk-defined groups, we unveil disparities in immune cell infiltration and drug response, guiding personalized treatment. The identification of potential drug targets and therapeutic agents opens new avenues for targeted interventions, promising to enhance outcomes for high-risk BC patients and paving the way for personalized cancer therapy.

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids: Current progress and challenges.

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived kidney organoids share similarities with the fetal kidney. However, the current hPSC-derived kidney organoids have some limitations, including the inability to perform nephrogenesis and lack of a corticomedullary definition, uniform vascular system, and coordinated exit pathway for urinary filtrate. Therefore, further studies are required to produce hPSC-derived kidney organoids that accurately mimic human kidneys to facilitate research on kidney development, regeneration, disease modeling, and drug screening. In this review, we discussed recent advances in the generation of hPSC-derived kidney organoids, how these organoids contribute to the understanding of human kidney development and research in disease modeling. Additionally, the limitations, future research focus, and applications of hPSC-derived kidney organoids were highlighted.

[High mobility group nucleosome binding protein 1 (HMGN1) induces activation of mouse BV2 microglia and upregulates their pro-inflammatory mediator expression by activating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65/IKK-ß signal pathway].

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of high-mobility group nucleosome-binding protein 1 (HMGN1) on the inflammatory response of mouse BV2 microglia. Methods BV2 cells were incubated with recombinant HMGN1 at different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 ng/mL) for 6 hours, and the morphological changes were observed under a microscope. The mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) were detected by real time quantitative PCR. Microglial cells were then randomly divided into a control group, model group, inhibitor group and antagonist group. The cells in the model group were treated with 500 ng/mL HMGN1, while the antagonist group was treated with 500 ng/mL TAK-242 (resatorvid), a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, in addition to HMGN1. Real time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of M1/M2 markers in the four groups, and Western blot analysis was used to measure the protein expression levels of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor88 (MyD88), nuclear factor κB p65 (NF-κB p65) and inhibitor of NF-κB(IκB)kinase ß(IKK-ß). Results After the treatment of HMGN1, the morphology of BV2 cells changed significantly, showing an amoeba-like appearance. The mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß and MCP-1 increased with the HMGN1 concentration, with a statistically significant difference compared to the 0 ng/mL HMGN1 group. At the same time, the mRNA level of iNOS, a M1 phenotype marker, increased with the HMGN1 concentration, while the level of CD206, a M2 phenotype marker, decreased with HMGN1 concentration, showing a statistically significant difference compared to the 0 ng/mL HMGN1 group. Compared with the model group, the mRNA level of M1 phenotypic marker iNOS in the antagonist group was significantly lower, and the level of M2 phenotypic marker CD206 was significantly higher. The results of immunofluorescence cytochemistry also showed that the expression of M1 phenotypic marker iNOS in the antagonist group was lower. The results of Western blot suggested that the protein expression levels of iNOS, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65 and IKK-ß decreased significantly in the antagonist group. Conclusion HMGN1 may induce the activation of BV2 microglial cells by upregulating pro-inflammatory mediators through activating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65/IKK-ß signaling pathway.

Central administration of Dapagliflozin alleviates a hypothalamic neuroinflammatory signature and changing tubular lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetic nephropathy by upregulating MCPIP1.

BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic neuroinflammation is associated with disorders of lipid metabolism. Considering the anti-neuroinflammation effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2(SGLT2) inhibitors, a central administration of Dapagliflozin is postulated to provide hypothalamic protection and change lipid metabolism in kidney against diabetic kidney disease (DKD). METHODS: Blood samples of DKD patients were collected. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with 30 mg/kg streptozotocin and a high-fat diet, db/db mice and palmitic acid (PA)-stimulated BV2 microglia were used for study models. 0.28 mg/3ul dapagliflozin was injected into the lateral ventricle in db/db mice. Genes and protein expression levels were determined by qPCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry staining. Secreted IL-1ß and IL-6 were quantified by ELISA. Oil red O staining, lipidomic, and non-targeted metabolomics were performed to evaluate abnormal lipid metabolism in kidney. RESULTS: The decrease of serum MCPIP1 was an independent risk factor for renal progression in DKD patients (OR=1.22, 95 %CI: 1.02-1.45, P = 0.033). Higher microglia marker IBA1 and lower MCPIP1 in the hypothalamus, as well as lipid droplet deposition increasing in the kidney were observed in DKD rats. Central dapagliflozin could reduce the blood sugar, hypothalamic inflammatory cytokines, lipid droplet deposition in renal tubular. Lipidomics and metabolomics results showed that dapagliflozin changed 37 lipids and 19 metabolites considered on promoting lipolysis. These lipid metabolism changes were attributed to dapagliflozin by upregulating MCPIP1, and inhibiting cytokines in the microglia induced by PA. CONCLUSIONS: Central administrated Dapagliflozin elicits an anti-inflammatory effect by upregulating MCPIP1 levels in microglia and changes lipid metabolism in kidney of DKD.

Molecular epidemiological investigation of piroplasms carried by pet cats and dogs in an animal hospital in Guiyang, China.

Piroplasmosis is a zoonotic disease mainly caused by the Babesia and Theileria parasites. Piroplasmosis is often a subclinical infection in dogs and cats that is difficult to detect and is often suspected when clinical signs such as anemia are present. It has been reported to be prevalent in China. However, molecular evidence of the disease has not been reported in pet dogs and cats in Guiyang. In this study, we collected 307 anticoagulated blood samples from an animal hospital in the Wudang District of Guiyang during the period March 2021 to November 2021 and extracted DNA from the samples. The 18S rDNA gene was amplified using PCR, and the positive amplification product was sequenced. The sequences were then analyzed for homology and phylogeny. Of the 307 samples collected, 164 were feline and 143 were canine, with a total of 23 amplifying a target band of approximately 400 bp. The percentage of positives of piroplasms infection in pet cats was 4.27% (7/164), with the pathogens being T. uilenbergi (3) and T. luwenshuni (4). One Colpodella sp. and two undetermined species were also detected in the cat samples. The percentage of positives of piroplasms infection in pet dogs was 7.69% (11/143), with the pathogen being T. uilenbergi (11). One Colpodella sp. was also detected in the dog samples. The results confirmed that T. uilenbergi and T. luwenshuni are prevalent in pet cats and dogs in this area. In addition, the study found a rare zoonotic pathogen, Colpodella sp., in cats and dogs. Therefore, this study is expected to serve as a valuable reference for decision-making regarding animal health management and public health work.

PM2.5 exposure aggravates kidney damage by facilitating the lipid metabolism disorder in diabetic mice.

Background: Ambient fine particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) air pollution exposure has been identified as a global health threat, the epidemiological evidence suggests that PM2.5 increased the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Despite the growing body of research on PM2.5 exposure, there has been limited investigation into its impact on the kidneys and the underlying mechanisms. Past studies have demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure can lead to lipid metabolism disorder, which has been linked to the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: In this study, db/db mice were exposed to different dosage PM2.5 for 8 weeks. The effect of PM2.5 exposure was analysis by assessment of renal function, pathological staining, immunohistochemical (IHC), quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based metabolomic analyses. Results: The increasing of Oil Red staining area and adipose differentiation related protein (ADRP) expression detected by IHC staining indicated more ectopic lipid accumulation in kidney after PM2.5 exposure, and the increasing of SREBP-1 and the declining of ATGL detected by IHC staining and qPCR indicated the disorder of lipid synthesisandlipolysis in DKD mice kidney after PM2.5 exposure. The expressions of high mobility group nucleosome binding protein 1 (HMGN1) and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) that are associated with kidney damage increased in kidney after PM2.5 exposure. Correlation analysis indicated that there was a relationship between HMGN1-KIM-1 and lipid metabolic markers. In addition, kidneys of mice were analyzed using LC-MS/MS based metabolomic analyses. PM2.5 exposure altered metabolic profiles in the mice kidney, including 50 metabolites. In conclusion the results of this study show that PM2.5 exposure lead to abnormal renal function and further promotes renal injury by disturbance of renal lipid metabolism and alter metabolic profiles.

Genomic Characteristics of Emerging Intraerythrocytic Anaplasma capra and High Prevalence in Goats, China.

Anaplasma capra is an emerging tickborne human pathogen initially recognized in China in 2015; it has been reported in ticks and in a wide range of domestic and wild animals worldwide. We describe whole-genome sequences of 2 A. capra strains from metagenomic sequencing of purified erythrocytes from infected goats in China. The genome of A. capra was the smallest among members of the genus Anaplasma. The genomes of the 2 A. capra strains contained comparable G+C content and numbers of pseudogenes with intraerythrocytic Anaplasma species. The 2 A. capra strains had 54 unique genes. The prevalence of A. capra was high among goats in the 2 endemic areas. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the A. capra strains detected in this study were basically classified into 2 subclusters with those previously detected in Asia. Our findings clarify details of the genomic characteristics of A. capra and shed light on its genetic diversity.

Characterization of bacterial communities in ticks parasitizing cattle in a touristic location in southwestern China.

The purpose of this study was to investigate tick species around Mount Fanjing and analyze bacterial communities in two species - Rhipicephalus microplus and Haemaphysalis longicornis - parasitizing cattle in Tongren, Guizhou province, Southwest China, using high-throughput sequencing methods. In April 2019, ticks were collected from five sites in Jiangkou County, Yinjiang County, and Songtao County. In total, 296 ticks were collected, comprising two genera and three species: H. longicornis, Haemaphysalis flava, and R. microplus. Rhipicephalus microplus was the most representative species (57.4%) within the collected group, being the dominant species in Tongren City, followed by H. longicornis (39.5%) and H. flava (3.0%). Beta-diversity analysis revealed differences in bacterial community composition among the tick species. The bacterial community structure of R. microplus collected in the three counties was highly similar. Chlorella and Bacillus were highly abundant in H. longicornis. Rickettsia was detected at high relative abundance in R. microplus but in low relative abundance in H. longicornis, suggesting that Rickettsia is more associated with R. microplus than with H. longicornis. More in-depth investigations are needed to determine the pathogenic risk of Rickettsia and its relationship with the host. This is the first survey on tick-borne bacterial communities in this area, which is of great significance for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases locally.

Acteoside alleviates UUO-induced inflammation and fibrosis by regulating the HMGN1/TLR4/TREM1 signaling pathway.

Purpose: Acteoside (Act), a phenylethanoid compound that was first isolated from mullein, has been widely used for the investigation of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effect. However, the mechanism of Act against unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-mediated renal injury is largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of Act on UUO rats and possible mechanisms. Methods: A total of 20 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided randomly into three groups (n ≥ 6): (i) sham-operated group (Sham); (ii) UUO group (UUO+Saline); and (iii) UUO + Act 40 mg/kg/day, (UUO+Act); Continuous gavage administration for 2 weeks postoperatively, while the rats in Sham and UUO+saline groups were given equal amounts of saline. All rats were sacrificed after 14 days, the urine and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis, the renal tissues were collected for pathological staining and immunohistochemistry. Correlations between individual proteins were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The results of renal function indexes and histopathological staining showed that Act could improve renal function by reducing serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and urine protein at the same time, Act could alleviate renal inflammation and fibrosis. In addition, the results of immunohistochemistry showed that Act could reduce the expression of inflammation and kidney injury-related proteins F4/80, Mcp-1, KIM-1 proteins, as well as the expression of fibrosis-related protein α-SMA and ß-catenin. More importantly, Act can also reduce the expression of HMGN1, TLR4 and TREM-1 proteins. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that Act can ameliorate UUO-induced renal inflammation and fibrosis in rats probably through triggering HMGN1/TLR4/TREM-1 pathway.

Development of monoclonal antibody based IgG and IgM ELISA for diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection.

INTRODUCTION: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a newly emerged virus that poses a great threat to human health because of high fatality rate. METHODS: To develop sensitive and specific sero-diagnostic systems for SFTSV infections, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against recombinant SFTSV nucleocapsid (rSFTSV-N) protein were developed by immunizing BALB/C mice with rSFTSV-N protein and fusing the spleen cells with SP2/0 myeloma cells. Three hybridoma cell lines secreting MAbs against rSFTSV-N were obtained. MAb based IgG sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IgM capture ELISA systems were established by using the newly developed MAbs. One hundred fifteen clinical suspected SFTS patients serum samples were used to evaluate the newly established systems by comparing with the total antibody detecting sandwich ELISA system and indirect ELISA systems. RESULTS: The MAbs based sandwich IgG ELISA was perfectly matched with that of the total antibody sandwich ELISA and the indirect IgG ELISA. IgM capture ELISA results perfectly matched with that of the total antibody sandwich ELISA while detecting eight additional positive samples missed by the indirect IgM ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: The MAbs against rSFTSV-N protein offer new tools for SFTSV studies and our newly developed MAb-based IgG and IgM capture ELISA systems would offer safe and useful tools for diagnosis of SFTS virus infections and epidemiological investigations.

Renal tubule ectopic lipid deposition in diabetic kidney disease rat model and in vitro mechanism of leptin intervention

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major health burden closely related to lipid metabolism disorders. Leptin has lipid-lowering efficacy, but the specific mechanism of its local effects on kidney is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of ectopic lipid deposition (ELD) in DKD and evaluate the lipid-lowering efficacy of leptin in the palmitic acid (PA)-induced renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E). DKD model was established in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats by giving single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) after high-fat diet for 8 weeks. Then, the expression changes of lipid metabolism-related markers were observed. At week 12, the protein expression level of lipid-deposited marker adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) was significantly increased. Besides, the lipid synthesis marker sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP 1c) was highly expressed while the expression of insulin-induced gene 1 (Insig-1), a key molecular of inhibiting SREBP 1c, was decreased. Leptin and compound c were incubated with the PA-induced NRK-52E cells to investigate the lipid-lowering effects and whether this effect was mediated by the AMPK/Insig-1/SREBP 1c signaling pathways. mRNA and protein of ADRP and SREBP 1c were reduced after leptin treatment, while Insig-1 and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were increased. Conversely, inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation by compound c mostly eliminated lipid-lowering efficacy of leptin in PA-induced cells. Collectively, these results suggested that there was ELD of renal tubular epithelial cells in DKD rats. Leptin upregulated the expression level of Insig-1 by activating AMPK to attenuate ELD in PA-induced NRK-52E cells. (AU)

Generation of human embryonic stem cell-derived lung organoids.

This protocol describes how to generate lung organoids from human embryonic stem cells. Lung organoids form by self-assembly in Matrigel and contain lung epithelial cell types. The protocol presented in this study is simple and only uses 6 cytokines or small molecules. This protocol provides a promising tool to study human lung development, drug screening, regeneration, and disease modeling in vitro. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Chen et al. (2018).

Renal tubule ectopic lipid deposition in diabetic kidney disease rat model and in vitro mechanism of leptin intervention.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major health burden closely related to lipid metabolism disorders. Leptin has lipid-lowering efficacy, but the specific mechanism of its local effects on kidney is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of ectopic lipid deposition (ELD) in DKD and evaluate the lipid-lowering efficacy of leptin in the palmitic acid (PA)-induced renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E). DKD model was established in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by giving single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) after high-fat diet for 8 weeks. Then, the expression changes of lipid metabolism-related markers were observed. At week 12, the protein expression level of lipid-deposited marker adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) was significantly increased. Besides, the lipid synthesis marker sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP 1c) was highly expressed while the expression of insulin-induced gene 1 (Insig-1), a key molecular of inhibiting SREBP 1c, was decreased. Leptin and compound c were incubated with the PA-induced NRK-52E cells to investigate the lipid-lowering effects and whether this effect was mediated by the AMPK/Insig-1/SREBP 1c signaling pathways. mRNA and protein of ADRP and SREBP 1c were reduced after leptin treatment, while Insig-1 and phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were increased. Conversely, inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation by compound c mostly eliminated lipid-lowering efficacy of leptin in PA-induced cells. Collectively, these results suggested that there was ELD of renal tubular epithelial cells in DKD rats. Leptin upregulated the expression level of Insig-1 by activating AMPK to attenuate ELD in PA-induced NRK-52E cells.

Development of monoclonal antibody based IgG and IgM ELISA for diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection

ABSTRACT Introduction: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a newly emerged virus that poses a great threat to human health because of high fatality rate. Methods: To develop sensitive and specific sero-diagnostic systems for SFTSV infections, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against recombinant SFTSV nucleocapsid (rSFTSV-N) protein were developed by immunizing BALB/C mice with rSFTSV-N protein and fusing the spleen cells with SP2/0 myeloma cells. Three hybridoma cell lines secreting MAbs against rSFTSV-N were obtained. MAb based IgG sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IgM capture ELISA systems were established by using the newly developed MAbs. One hundred fifteen clinical suspected SFTS patients serum samples were used to evaluate the newly established systems by comparing with the total antibody detecting sandwich ELISA system and indirect ELISA systems. Results: The MAbs based sandwich IgG ELISA was perfectly matched with that of the total antibody sandwich ELISA and the indirect IgG ELISA. IgM capture ELISA results perfectly matched with that of the total antibody sandwich ELISA while detecting eight additional positive samples missed by the indirect IgM ELISA. Conclusions: The MAbs against rSFTSV-N protein offer new tools for SFTSV studies and our newly developed MAb-based IgG and IgM capture ELISA systems would offer safe and useful tools for diagnosis of SFTS virus infections and epidemiological investigations.

IgG antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein correlate with the severity of COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) is a current worldwide threat for which the immunological features after infection need to be investigated. The aim of this study was to establish a highly sensitive and quantitative detection method for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody and to compare the antibody reaction difference in patients with different disease severity. RESULTS: Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to establish an indirect IgG ELISA detection system. The sensitivity of the ELISA was 100% with a specificity of 96.8% and a 98.3% concordance when compared to a colloidal gold kit, in addition, the sensitivity of the ELISA was 100% with a specificity of 98.9% and a 99.4% concordance when compared to a SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 protein IgG antibody ELISA kit. The increased sensitivity resulted in a higher rate of IgG antibody detection for COVID-19 patients. Moreover, the quantitative detection can be conducted with a much higher serum dilution (1:400 vs 1:10, 1:400 vs 1:100). The antibody titers of 88 patients with differing COVID-19 severity at their early convalescence ranged from 800 to 102,400, and the geometric mean titer for severe and critical cases, moderate cases, asymptomatic and mild cases was 51,203, 20,912, and 9590 respectively. CONCLUSION: The development of a highly sensitive ELISA system for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies is described herein. This system enabled a quantitative study of rSARS-CoV-2-N IgG antibody titers in COVID-19 patients, the occurrence of higher IgG antibody titers were found to be correlated with more severe cases.

Evidence of Chikungunya virus seroprevalence in Myanmar among dengue-suspected patients and healthy volunteers in 2013, 2015, and 2018.

INTRODUCTION: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus known to cause acute febrile illness associated with debilitating polyarthritis. In 2019, several institutions in Myanmar reported a CHIKV outbreak. There are no official reports of CHIKV cases between 2011 and 2018. Therefore, this study sought to determine the seroprevalence of CHIKV infection before the 2019 outbreak. METHODS: A total of 1,544 serum samples were collected from healthy volunteers and patients with febrile illnesses in Yangon, Mandalay, and the Myeik district in 2013, 2015, and 2018. Participants ranged from one month to 65 years of age. Antibody screening was performed with in-house anti-CHIKV IgG and IgM ELISA. A neutralization assay was used as a confirmatory test. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of anti-CHIKV IgM and anti-CHIKV IgG was 8.9% and 28.6%, respectively, with an overall seropositivity rate of 34.5%. A focus reduction neutralization assay confirmed 32.5% seroprevalence of CHIKV in the study population. Age, health status, and region were significantly associated with neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and CHIKV seropositivity (p < 0.05), while gender was not (p = 0.9). Seroprevalence in 2013, 2015, and 2018 was 32.1%, 28.8%, and 37.3%, respectively. Of the clinical symptoms observed in participants with fevers, arthralgia was mainly noted in CHIKV-seropositive patients. CONCLUSION: The findings in this study reveal the circulation of CHIKV in Myanmar's Mandalay, Yangon, and Myeik regions before the 2019 CHIKV outbreak. As no treatment or vaccine for CHIKV exists, the virus must be monitored through systematic surveillance in Myanmar.

Verbascoside alleviates renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction rats by inhibiting macrophage infiltration.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of verbascoside on renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into sham-operated, UUO, and UUO+Verbascoside groups. After two weeks of rat model construction, urine and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis while kidney tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's Trichrome, and immunohistochemistry staining. Pearson coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the two proteins. RESULTS: Verbascoside improved UUO-induced renal dysfunction as detected by decreased serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and urinary protein excretion rate. In UUO rats, H&E staining result revealed increased total nucleated cell number, and Masson's Trichrome staining results showed tubular interstitial fibrosis with the deposition of collagen fibrils. Besides, expressions of fibrosis-related proteins including collagen type I (COL-I), α-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) expressed higher in the UUO group. Moreover, macrophage infiltration-related factors such as CD68+, F4/80+ cells, and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) were significantly higher in the UUO group than in sham-operated rats. However, after administration with verbascoside, the accumulation of collagen fibrils and total nucleated cell numbers were mitigated. Likewise, macrophage infiltration was extenuated and fibrosis-related proteins were down-regulated in the UUO+Verbascoside rats. Correlation analysis indicated that macrophage infiltration-related markers were related to fibrosis-related factors. CONCLUSION: Verbascoside could alleviate renal fibrosis in UUO rats probably through ameliorating macrophage infiltration.