Safety and immunogenicity of heterologous boost immunization with an adenovirus type-5-vectored and protein-subunit-based COVID-19 vaccine (Convidecia/ZF2001): a randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

BackgroundHeterologous boost vaccination has been proposed as an option to elicit stronger and broader, or longer-lasting immunity. We assessed the safety and immunogenicity of heterologous immunization with a recombinant adenovirus type-5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine (Convidecia) and a protein-subunit-based COVID-19 vaccine (ZF2001). Methods and FindingsWe did a randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults previously received one dose of Convidecia. Participants were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either ZF2001 (vaccine group) or a trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) (placebo group) at either 28-day or 56-day intervals. For both regimens, all participants received the 2nd injection with ZF2001 at 4 months after a dose of ZF2001 or TIV, with three-dose schedules of Convidecia/Convidecia/ZF2001 at day 0, day 28 and month 5 (referred to as CV/ZF/ZF (D0-D28-M5)) and CV/ZF/ZF (D0-D56-M6), and two-dose schedules of CV/ZF (D0-M5) and CV/ZF (D0-M6). The primary outcome was the geometric mean titer (GMT) of the neutralizing antibodies against live SARS-CoV-2 virus 14 days after each boost vaccination. The safety outcome was 7-day reactogenicity, measured as solicited local or systemic adverse reactions after each vaccination. Between April 7, 2021, and May 6, 2021, 120 participants were enrolled, among whom 60 were randomly assigned to receive ZF2001 (n=40) or TIV (n=20) at a 28-day interval, and 60 were randomly assigned to receive ZF2001 (n=40) or TIV (n=20) at a 56-day interval. 113 (94.2%) participants received the 2nd injection with ZF2001 4 months after a dose of ZF2001 or TIV. A total of 26 participants (21.7%) reported solicited adverse events within 7 days post boost vaccinations, and all the reported adverse reactions were mild. Among participants receiving ZF001 as second dose, the GMTs of neutralizing antibodies increased to 58.4 IU/ml (42.8-79.8) in 0-28 regimen, and to 80.8 IU/ml (53.1-122.9) in 0-56 regimen at 14 days post first boost dose. The GMTs of neutralizing antibodies increased to 334.9 IU/ml (95% CI 230.4, 486.9) in C/Z/Z (D0-D28-M5) regimen, and 441.2 IU/ml (260.8, 746.4) in C/Z/Z (D0-D56-M6) regimen at 14 days after the third dose. Two-dose schedules of CV/ZF (D0-M5) and CV/ZF (D0-M6) induced comparable antibody level comparable with that elicited by three-dose schedules, with the GMTs of 282.9 IU/ml (142.5, 561.8) and 293.9 IU/ml (137.6, 627.9), respectively. Study limitations include the absence of vaccine effectiveness in real-world, and current lack of immune persistence data and the neutralizing antibodies to Omicron. ConclusionsHeterologous boosting with ZF001 following primary vaccination of Convidecia is safe and more immunogenic than a single dose of Convidecia. These results support flexibility in cooperating viral vectored vaccines and recombinant protein vaccine. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrial.gov NCT04833101

Endoscopic and pathologic of gastrointestinal tuberculosis / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective To report the experience in diagnosing gastroenteric tuberculosis under en-doscopies, and arose enough attention to avoid missed or mis-diagnosis. Methods Biopsy is taken when lesions, such as gastroenteric mucosal protrusions, nodule, erythema and ulcer are found under endoscopies. Results In 7 cases studied, 2 of them are the gastric tuberculosis (1 ulceration, 1 proliferation) , the rest, colonic tuberculosis (4 proliferation and 1 mixed). Distribution of lesions: gastric antrum 2, each one in terminal ileum, ileocecal valve, terminal ileum plus ileocecum, terminal ileum plus pan colon, and ascending colon. Endoscopic diagnosis: colonic tuberculosis with infiltrative tuberculosis in both lungs 1; colonic malignant tumors 2, mucosal protrusions and ulcerative lesions with undefined nature 4. Caseous necrotic granu-lomas are found in all cases on pathological examination. Conclusion The various appearances of gastroenteral tuberculosis under endoscopies are hard in differentiating from those of colonic carcer, inflammatory bowel diseases ( Crohn' s disease etc. ) , gastric benign or malignant ulceration. The definite diagnosis of gastroenteral tuberculosis is greatly depended on pathological results.

Effects of ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone on the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines in astrocytes in vitro / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:In order to explore the anti inflammatory mechanisms of ? melanocyte stimulating hormone (? MSH), the effects of ? MSH on the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines in astrocytes induced by LPS were investigated Methods:Rat brain astrocytes cultured in vitro were stimulated with LPS or given ? MSH with LPS stimulation NO produced in astrocytes was tested with Griess reagent IL 1, IL 6 and TNF ? secreted from astrocytes were examined by MTT assay The expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) mRNA was examined with semiquantitative RT PCR analysis Results:The production of NO, IL 1, IL 6, TNF ? and the expression of MIF mRNA were significantly increased in astrocytes stimulated with LPS If giving ? MSH with LPS stimulation, the production of NO, IL 1, IL 6, TNF ? and the expression of MIF mRNA were markedly decreased Conclusion:[WT5”,6BZ]It is suggested that the inhibitory actions of ? MSH on the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines in astrocytes are related to the inhibitory effects of ? MSH on inflammation in central nervous system

hG-CSF cDNA Cloning and the Construction and Applicaltion in Gene Therapy of Its Retroviral Vector / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

The hG -CSF cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR and confirmed by sequencing, which contains the full length of hG-CSF encoding region and parts of 5 '、3' non - coding region. Then the hG - CSF retroviral vector pLGSN was constructed by orientationally inserting the hG-CSF cDNA into the EcoRI/XhoI cloning sites of pLXSN vector. Packaged with CRE and CRIP packaging cell lines which are considered to be unlikely to produce helper viruses, the final pLGSN retrovirion titer reached 1. 1 ?106 CFU/ml. During constitutive passaging, the CRIP - LGSN cell clone produced relatively stable tilers of pLGSN retrovirion, ranging from 6. 8?105CFU/ml to 1. 1?106CFU/ml. By infecting the murine fibroblast cell line NIH3T3 with pLGSN retrovirion, a cell clone designated as NIH3T3 -G -CSF was obstained, secreting 168U/ml G-CSF . The integration and expression of hG-CSF gene in this cell clone were confirmed by Southern and Northern blotting analyses. Western blotting has also detected specifically the hG-CSF protein in the condensed supernalants from NIH3T3-G-CSF cells . After packaging the hG-CSF-secreting fibroblasts with collagen and implanting them into synergenic mice peritoneally , we detected a certain levels of G-CSF in the sera of mice, which suggested the implanted NIH3T3-G-CSF fibroblast cells could constitutively express and release hG-CSF in vivo. Our data showed the constructed hG-CSF retroviral vector could be used to further investigate the fibroblasl-mediated hG-CSF gene therapy .