[Effects of Tetrandrine Prenatal Intervention on Alveolar Epithelial Cells Type I Differentiation in Rat Model of Nitrofen-induced Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Tetrandrine (TET) prenatal intervention on the differentiation of alveolar epithelial cells type I (AEC I) in rat model of Nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, namely control, CDH and TET group on day 9.5 of gestation. The rats in TET group and CDH group were given 125 mg of Nitrofen by gavage one time, while the rats in control group were given the same dose of seed fat. After that, the rats in TET group was given 30 mg/kg of TET by gavage once a day for three days from day 18.5 of gestation, while the rats in CDH and control group were given the same dose of normal saline. On day 21.5 of gestation, all fetuses were delivered by cesarean, the lungs of fetuses were histologically evaluated by microscope and electron microscope. The expressions of type I cell-specific protein (RT140) and thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) in alveolar fluid content were analyzed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. To detect the number of AEC I and AEC II of each group by transmission electron microscopy and calculate the percentage of AEC I and AEC II (I/II%). RESULTS: The microscope and electron microscope study found the lungs of fetuses in CDH group showed marked hypoplasia, in contrast to the improvement of hypoplasia in TET fetuses. The pulmonary alveolar area had significant difference statistically (P < 0.01) in each group, which present as control > TET > CDH. I/II% had significant difference statistically (P < 0.01) in each group, which present as control > TET > CDH. The expression level of TTF1 was up-regulated in both CDH and TET groups, and it was higher in CDH group (P < 0.01). The expression level of RT140 were down-regulated in CDH and TET groups, which was lower in CDH group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The development of AEC I was interfered in CDH rat model, TET prenatal treatment could improve the lung development of CDH.

[Establishment and identification of the near-infrared fluorescence labeled exosomes in breast cancer cell lines].

Exosomes, a population of extracellular membrane vesicles of 30-100 nm in diameter, play important roles in cell biological functions, intercellular signal transduction and especially in cancer diagnosis and therapy. To better apply exosomes in mechanistic study of breast cancer signal transduction, we constructed recombinant eukaryotic expression vector expressing the near-infrared fluorescence protein and CD63 fusion protein through cloning iRFP682 gene and exosomal marker protein CD63 gene into plasmid containing the ITR of AAV. The constructed plasmids were co-transfected with helper plasmid in AAV-293 cell lines and were packaged into rAAV. After titer measurement, the recombinant plasmids were transfected into breast cancer cell lines. The cell lines that stably expressing near-infrared fluorescence protein were selected by fluorescence. Through isolation, purification and identification, we finally obtained a new biomarker: iRFP682 labeled exosomes secreted by breast cancer cell lines, which could be used in further studies of the distribution and signal transduction of exosomes in breast cancer microenvironment.

Contribution of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor -173G/C Gene Polymorphism to the Risk of Cancer in Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) -173G/C (rs755622) gene polymorphism has been associated with cancer risk. Previous studies have revealed that MIF -173G/C gene polymorphism may increase cancer in the Chinese population, while results of individual published studies remain inconsistent and inconclusive.We performed this meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a search on PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library ,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Weipu on Dec 31, 2014.Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were used to assess the association. A total of eight studies including 2,186 cases and 2,285 controls were involved in this meta-analysis. RESULTS: The pooled results indicated the significant association between MIF -173G/C polymorphism and the risk of cancer for Chinese population (CC + CG vs GG: OR=1.14, 95%CI=1.02-127, pheterogeneity<0.01; P =0.023; CC vs CG+GG: OR=1.12, 95%CI=1.02- 1.23, pheterogeneity< 001; P =0.017;CC vs GG: OR=1.18, 95%CI=1.04-1.33, pheterogeneity<001; P =0.008; CG vs GG:OR=1.03, 95%CI=0.91-1.15, pheterogeneity<001; P =0.656; C vs G:OR=1.24, 95%CI=1.14-1.25, pheterogeneity<001; P <001). Subgroup analysis showed that in patients with "solid tumors", heterogeneity was very large (OR=0.94,95%CI=0.83-1.06,pheterogeneity=0.044; p=0.297). Within "non-solid tumors", the association became even stronger (OR=6.62, 95 % CI=4.32-10.14, pheterogeneity<0.001; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that MIF ?173G/C gene polymorphism may increase increase cancer in the Chinese population.Furthermore, more larger sample and representative population-based casees and well-matched controls are needed to validate our results.

Detection of antibodies against customized epitope: use of a coating antigen employing VEGF as fusion partner.

Diagnosis of many infectious, autoimmune diseases and cancers depends on the detection of specific antibodies against peptide epitope by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, small peptides are difficult to be coated on the plate surfaces. In this study, we selected GnRH as a model hapten to evaluate whether VEGF121 would be suitable as an irrelevant hapten-carrier to develop a universal platform for specific antibodies detection. Firstly, GnRH was fused to the C terminus of VEGF121 and the resultant fusion protein VEGF-GnRH expressed effectively as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. Thereafter, VEGF-GnRH was easily purified to near homogeneity with a yield of about 235 mg from 2.1 L induced culture. At last, VEGF-GnRH was used to perform ELISA and western blot, and our results suggested that VEGF-GnRH was capable of detecting anti-GnRH antibodies in sera both qualitatively and quantitatively. Indeed, previous studies of our laboratory had demonstrated that other fusion proteins such as VEGF-Aß10, VEGF-GRP, VEGF-CETPC, and VEGF-ßhCGCTP37 were able to detect their corresponding antibodies specifically. Therefore, VEGF121 may be a suitable irrelevant fusion partner of important diagnostic peptide markers. Our works would shed some light on the development of a universal platform for detection of specific antibodies.

Protective antitumor immunity induced by tumor cell lysates conjugated with diphtheria toxin and adjuvant epitope in mouse breast tumor models.

Cancer cell vaccine-based immunotherapy has received increasing interest in many clinical trials involving patients with breast cancer. Combining with appropriate adjuvants can enhance the weak immunogenic properties of tumor cell lysates (TCL). In this study, diphtheria toxin (DT) and two tandem repeats of mycobacterial heat shock protein 70 (mHSP70) fragment 407-426 (M2) were conjugated to TCL with glutaraldehyde, and the constructed cancer cell vaccine was named DT-TCL-M2. Subcutaneous injection of DT-TCL-M2 in mice effectively elicited tumor-specific polyclonal immune responses, including humoral and cellular immune responses. High levels of antibodies against TCL were detected in the serum of immunized mice with ELISA and verified with Western blot analyses. The splenocytes from immunized mice showed potent cytotoxicity on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Moreover, the protective antitumor immunity induced by DT-TCL-M2 inhibited tumor growth in a mouse breast tumor model. DT-TCL-M2 also attenuated tumor-induced angiogenesis and slowed tumor growth in a mouse intradermal tumor model. These findings demonstrate that TCL conjugated with appropriate adjuvants induced effective antitumor immunity in vivo. Improvements in potency could further make cancer cell vaccines a useful and safe method for preventing cancer recurrence after resection.

Vaccination of non-obese diabetic mice with a fragment of peptide P277 attenuates insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

P277 is a peptide derived from the HSP60 regions, have potent immunological effect on insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and its phase III clinical trials are currently under investigation. However, we recently discovered a positive correlation between anti-P277 autoantibodies and the presence of endothelial cells damage in inducing vascular leak syndrome. Therefore, the aim of our study was to demonstrate the critical peptide epitope of P277 to IDDM and to highlight the effects of this peptide therapy on inflammation of the islets. Groups of 4-week old female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were immunized one time every three weeks for three times with a residue of P277, showing a significant effect of down-regulating immunity to P277 protein and preventing the development of IDDM. Immunologic results including the suppression of T-cell proliferation, the increase of interleukin-10 (IL-10) production and reduction of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production caused immune tolerance to P277. Hence, a functional role of the key epitope in P277 peptide capable of preventing IDDM is suggested, which could be modified to develop a novel safe and effective peptide vaccine against IDDM by reconstructing P277 in the further studies.

Immunization with a recombinant GnRH vaccine fused to heat shock protein 65 inhibits mammary tumor growth in vivo.

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the prime decapeptide hormone in the regulation of mammalian reproduction. Active immunization against GnRH has been a good treatment option to fight against hormone-dependent disease such as breast cancer. We designed and purified a novel protein vaccine Hsp65-GnRH(6) containing heat shock protein 65 (Hsp65) and six copies of GnRH in linear alignment. Immunization with Hsp65-GnRH(6) evoked strong humoral response in female mice. The generation of specific anti-GnRH antibodies was detected by ELISA and verified by western blot. In addition, anti-GnRH antibodies effectively neutralized endogenous GnRH activity in vivo, as demonstrated by the degeneration of the ovaries and uteri in the vaccinated mice. Moreover, the growth of EMT-6 mammary tumor allografts was inhibited by anti-GnRH antibodies. Histological examinations have shown that there was increased focal necrosis in tumors. Taken together, our results showed that immunization with Hsp65-GnRH(6) elicited high titer of specific anti-GnRH antibodies and further led to atrophy of reproductive organs. The specific antibodies could inhibit the growth of EMT-6 murine mammary tumor probably via an indirect mechanism that includes the depletion of estrogen. In view of these results, the protein vaccine Hsp65-GnRH(6) appears to be a promising candidate vaccine for hormone-dependent cancer therapy.

Preparation of a peptide vaccine against GnRH by a bioprocess system based on asparaginase.

GnRH is a promising target in hormone-dependent cancer immunotherapy. In our previous study, we have designed and purified a peptide vaccine GhM (GnRH3-hinge-MVP) by use of the bioprocess system based on asparaginase. Active immunization with GhM in the presence of CFA/IFA evoked strong humoral response. In this study, the motif NRLLLTG with high affinity to nanoparticle carrier VLP HBcDelta-SBD was fused to the C terminus of GhM to form a new peptide vaccine GhMNR (GnRH3-hinge-MVP-NRLLLTG). The fusion protein ansB-C-GhMNR was controlled by vigorous T7lac promotor and expressed effectively as inclusion bodies after induction by lactose and then purified by means of cell disruption, washing and cold ethanol fractionation. After hydrolyzed for 72 h, GhMNR was liberated from the fusion partner ansB-C and purified by CM52 cation exchange chromatography. These results suggested that the bioprocess system is suitable for large-scale expression and purification of the peptide vaccine GhMNR, and even some other proteins or peptides which may be important for industrial or laboratory purposes.

A novel virus-like particle based on hepatitis B core antigen and substrate-binding domain of bacterial molecular chaperone DnaK.

Hepatitis B virus core (HBc) protein has been proved to be an attractive carrier for foreign epitopes, and can display green fluorescent protein (GFP) on its surface. The structure of substrate-binding domain of DnaK [DnaK (394-504 aa), DnaK SBD] is similar to GFP, we therefore reasoned that DnaK SBD might also be tolerated. Electron microscopic observations suggested that the chimeric proteins containing the truncated HBc (HBcDelta) and DnaK SBD could self-assemble into virus-like particle (VLP). Then the accessibility of DnaK SBD and the adjuvanticity of VLP HBcDelta-SBD were demonstrated by two recombinant peptide vaccines against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), GhM and GhMNR. The latter carries in addition the peptide motif NRLLLTG which is known to bind to DnaK and DnaK SBD. The combination of VLP HBcDelta-SBD and GhMNR elicited stronger humoral responses and caused further testicular atrophy than the combinations of VLP HBcDelta and GhMNR or VLP HBcDelta-SBD and GhM in Balb/c mice. These findings indicate VLP HBcDelta-SBD might serve as an excellent carrier for GhMNR and some other peptide vaccines.