Immunomodulatory Effects of Microcin C7 in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressed Mice.

Microcin C7 (McC) as a viable immunomodulator peptide can be a potential solution for pathogenic microbial infection in the post-antibiotic era and has gained substantial attention. This study was designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of Microcin C7 in a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunodeficient mouse model. We show that Microcin C7 treatment significantly alleviated the CTX-caused body weight loss, improved the feed and water consumption to improve the state of the mice, and elevated the absolute number and proportion of peripheral blood lymphocytes as well as the level of hemoglobulin. We further aim to characterize the phenotypes of the immune function and intestinal health profiles. The results demonstrate that Microcin C7 treatment increased serum levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG, interleukin 6, and hemolysin, promoted splenic lymphocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A and LPS, and enhanced the phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages immunized by sheep red blood cells. Additionally, Microcin C7 treatment decreased levels of diamine oxidase and d-lactate, ameliorated CTX-induced intestinal morphological damage, and increased the levels of zonula occluden 1, occludin, claudin-1, mucin 2, and secretary IgA in the jejunum and colon. Moreover, Microcin C7 administration is sufficient to reverse CTX-induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis by increasing the number of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, decreasing the number of Escherichia coli in colonic contents. Collectively, our results demonstrate that Microcin C7 may have protective and immunomodulatory functions and could be a potential candidate used in animal feed, functional foods, and immunological regimens..

[Levels of serum acylation-stimulating protein and C3 in children with primary nephrotic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study serum acylation-stimulating protein (ASP) and complement 3 (C3) levels and their relationship with blood lipids in children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS). METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 35 PNS children with proteinuria, 25 children with PNS at remission and 35 body mass index-matched healthy children (control group). Fasting serum ASP, C3, albumin and blood lipids were measured. RESULTS: The serum ASP levels in the proteinuria group (101 ± 22 nmol/L) were significantly higher than those in the remission group (32 ± 8 nmol/L) and the control group (33 ± 8 nmol/L) (P<0.01). Serum C3 levels were not significantly different among the three groups. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B increased, in contrast, serum albumin level decreased significantly in the proteinuria group when compared with the remission and the control groups. Serum ASP levels were positively correlated with serum C3 (r=0.661; P<0.05) and triglyceride levels (r=0.354; P<0.05), whereas serum C3 levels were not correlated with serum triglyceride levels (r=0.319, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased serum ASP level may be associated with a complemental mechanism against hyperlipidemia in children with PNS.

[Study on serum proteome of rat endotoxemia treated by figwort root].

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum proteome of rat endotoxemia treated by figwort root (FR). METHOD: The differences of serum proteome among rats treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), FR, LPS + FR and saline respectively were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) assay. RESULT: The volumes of sixteen serum proteins (xPr) in LPS induced-endotoxemia group were greatly changed compared with those of the control group. Among them, the volumes of xPr 16, 19 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly increased. When treated with FR, the volumes of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 8, 9, 11, 12, 23, 14 were back to normal level. Two factors statistic analysis showed that FR had interaction with LPS for xPr 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and FR might be the functional antagonist of LPS. We also observed that the volumes of xPr 10, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22 were found to change significantly only in FR treated group but not in LPS treated group or control group. Interestingly, the volume of xPr 13, 20, 21, 22 were increased and the volume of xPr 10, 15 were decreased. CONCLUSION: The molecular basis of therapeutic effect of FR on endotoxemia might be through the regulation of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23. We can use proteomic techniques to study the molecular mechanisms of diseases treated by functional Chinese herbs and the combination of different herbs is necessary for the treatment of endotoxemia, as FR can not regulated all the changed proteins induced by LPS.