Production of recombinant HPV11/16 E6/E7-MBP-His6 fusion proteins and their potential to induce cytokine secretion by immune cells in peripheral blood.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. Targeting the function of HPV E6 and E7 proteins and activating the host immune response against these proteins represent promising therapeutic strategies for combating HPV-related diseases. Consequently, the efficient production of soluble, high-purity E6 and E7 proteins is crucial for function and host immune response studies. In this context, we selected the pMCSG19 protein expression vector for Escherichia coli to produce soluble MBP-His6 tagged HPV11/16 E6/E7 proteins, achieving relatively high purity and yield. Notably, these proteins exhibited low toxicity to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and did not compromise their viability. Additionally, the recombinant proteins were capable of inducing the secretion of multiple cytokines by immune cells in peripheral blood, indicating their potential to elicit immune responses. In conclusion, our study offers a novel approach for the production of HPV11/16 E6/E7 fusion proteins with relatively high purity and yield. The fusing HPV11/16 E6/E7 proteins to MBP-His6 tag may serve as a valuable method for large-scale protein production in future research endeavors.

ERK/MEK Pathway Regulates Th17 Cell Differentiation in Patients with Pemphigus Vulgaris.

Background: T helper (Th) cells are involved in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV). However, the mechanism still needs more exploration. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanism of the dysregulation of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with PV. Materials and Methods: Serum levels of IL-17 and anti-Dsg3 titres in patients with PV were analysed using ELISA. The mRNA expression of retinoic acid orphan receptor γt (RORγt) in CD4+ T cells was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qPCR). The number of Th17 cells was examined using flow cytometry. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining were also performed to investigate the expression levels of ERK/MAPK signalling proteins and Th17 lineage-associated proteins. Results: The proportion of Th17 cells and Th17 spectrum-associated proteins (p-STAT3, RORγt and IL-17) were upregulated in CD4+ cells in PV patients. The increased transcriptional levels of RORγt and IL-17 correlated positively with the severity of PV. Elevated phosphorylation of the ERK signalling factors was found in the collected CD4+ T cells in PV patients. The inhibition of the ERK signalling pathway significantly reduced the differentiation of Th17 cells in PV patients in vitro. Conclusion: Th17 cells are essential in the dysregulation of PV, and ERK signalling is involved in Th17-type immunity and promotes the development of PV. The study here provides us with a potential therapeutic target for PV.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Prime a Protective Immune Response in Galleria mellonella to Defend Against Candida albicans.

Purpose: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have exerted antimicrobial properties. However, there is insufficient evaluation regarding the in vivo antifungal activity of ZnO-NPs. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of ZnO-NPs in controlling Candida albicans in the invertebrate Galleria mellonella. Methods: Galleria mellonella larvae were injected with different doses of ZnO-NPs to determine their in vivo toxicity. Non-toxic doses of ZnO-NPs were chosen for prophylactic injection in G. mellonella followed by C. albicans infection. Then the direct in vitro antifungal effect of ZnO-NPs against C. albicans was evaluated. In addition, the mode of action of ZnO-NPs was assessed in larvae through different assays: quantification of hemocyte density, morphology observation of hemocytes, characterization of hemocyte aggregation and phagocytosis, and measurement of hemolymph phenoloxidase (PO) activity. Results: Zinc oxide nanoparticles were non-toxic to the larvae at relatively low concentrations (≤20 mg/kg). ZnO-NP pretreatment significantly prolonged the survival of C. albicans-infected larvae and decreased the fungal dissemination and burden in the C. albicans-infected larvae. This observation was more related to the activation of host defense rather than their fungicidal capacities. Specifically, ZnO-NP treatment increased hemocyte density, promoted hemocyte aggregation, enhanced hemocyte phagocytosis, and activated PO activity in larvae. Conclusion: Prophylactic treatment with lower concentrations of ZnO-NPs protects G. mellonella from C. albicans infection. The innate immune response primed by ZnO-NPs may be part of the reason for the protective effects. This study provides new evidence of the capacity of ZnO-NPs in enhancing host immunity and predicts that ZnO-NPs will be attractive for further anti-infection applications.

Case Report: Short-Term Application of Topical Imiquimod Is Practical for Chromoblastomycosis.

Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic cutaneous fungal infection caused by dematiaceous fungi. It is a therapeutic challenge because of the lack of specific treatments. We describe a refractory case of chromoblastomycosis in which the lesion did not respond to initial treatment, but then use of topical imiquimod cured the lesion successfully.

Pre-exposure to Candida glabrata protects Galleria mellonella against subsequent lethal fungal infections.

Commensal fungi are an important part of human microbial community, among which Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are two common opportunistic pathogens. Unlike the high pathogenicity of C. albicans, C. glabrata is reported to show low pathogenicity to the host. Here, by using a Galleria mellonella infection model, we were able to confirm the much lower virulence of C. glabrata than C. albicans. Interestingly, pre-exposure to live C. glabrata (LCG) protects the larvae against subsequent various lethal fungal infections, including C. albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Inconsistently, heat-inactivated C. glabrata (HICG) pre-exposure can only protect against C. albicans or C. tropicalis re-infection, but not C. neoformans. Mechanistically, LCG or HICG pre-exposure enhanced the fungicidal activity of hemocytes against C. albicans or C. tropicalis. Meanwhile, LCG pre-exposure enhanced the humoral immunity by modulating the expression of fungal defending proteins in the cell-free hemolymph, which may contribute to the protection against C. neoformans. Together, this study suggests the important role of C. glabrata in enhancing host immunity, and demonstrates the great potential of G. mellonella model in studying the innate immune responses against infections.