Construction of recombinant Lactococcus expressing thymosin and interferon fusion protein and its application as an immune adjuvant.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, biosafety and green food safety standards have increased the demand for immune enhancers and adjuvants. In the present study, recombinant food-grade Lactococcus lactis (r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN) expressing thymosin Tα1 and chicken interferon fusion protein was constructed. RESULTS: The in vitro interactions with macrophages revealed a mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly activate both macrophage J774-Dual™ NF-κB and interferon regulator (IRF) signaling pathways. In vitro interactions with chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) demonstrated that a mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN significantly enhanced the expression levels of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, CD80, and CD86 proteins in chicken PBMCs. Animal experiments displayed that injecting a lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly activate the proliferation of T cells and antigen-presenting cells in chicken PBMCs. Moreover, 16S analysis of intestinal microbiota demonstrated that injection of the lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN could significantly improve the structure and composition of chicken intestinal microbiota, with a significant increase in probiotic genera, such as Lactobacillus spp. Results of animal experiments using the lysis mixture of recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN as an immune adjuvant for inactivated chicken Newcastle disease vaccine showed that the serum antibody titers of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the vaccine control group, and the expression levels of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly higher than those of the vaccine control group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that food-safe recombinant r-L. lactis-Tα1-IFN has potential as a vaccine immune booster and immune adjuvant. This study lays the foundation for the development of natural green novel animal immune booster or immune adjuvant.

STING channels its proton power.

Induction of type I interferon by the STING pathway is a cornerstone of innate immunity. STING also turns on non-canonical autophagy and inflammasome activation although the underlying mechanisms remain ill defined. Liu et al.1 discovered that STING forms a channel that directs proton efflux from the Golgi to drive these responses.

Malnutrition Predicts Adverse Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that malnutrition helps to predict the occurrence of adverse outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. However, there is still controversy and uncertainty regarding the prevalence and consequences of malnutrition. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relationship between malnutrition and poor postoperative outcomes in transcatheter aortic valve replacement. METHODS: Observational studies were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and MEDLINE regarding the relationship between malnutrition and adverse outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, with the primary end-point being all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes such as cardiovascular complications and readmission rates. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO (number CRD42022310139). RESULTS: A total of 10 studies involving 5936 subjects were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that malnourished patients had an increased risk of all-cause mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement compared with non-malnourished patients (hazard ratios [HR] = 1.32, 95% CI [1.13, 1.53], P <.01). Subgroup analysis showed that in Asia, postoperative all-cause mortality was significantly higher in malnourished transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients than in non-malnourished transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients (P <.01), and in addition, sample size and follow-up time may have contributed to the large heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition increases the risk of all-cause mortality in such patients and may predict the occurrence of adverse postoperative outcomes.

Analysis of risk factors for systemic inflammatory response syndrome in patients after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the risk factors of postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in patients with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), identify those with a high risk of SIRS, and help reduce SIRS occurrence. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect the clinical data of patients who underwent TAVR from January 2014 to December 2019 at a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province. The study included 156 men and 94 women. Patients were divided into SIRS and non-SIRS groups. The pre-, intra-, and postoperative indices of the two groups were recorded. The data of the two groups were compared, and univariate analysis was performed. All statistically significant factors were assessed using binary logistic regression analysis to clarify the risk factors of SIRS after TAVR. RESULTS: Overall, 30 patients developed SIRS after TAVR, with an incidence rate of 12%, an odds ratio (OR) of 0.571, and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.469-0.694 (p = 0.000). There was a significant correlation between SIRS and glucose (OR: 0.823, 95% CI: 0.678-1.000, p = 0.049), albumin (OR: 0.938, 95% CI: 0.881-0.998, p = 0.044), brain natriuretic peptide (OR: 1.000, 95% CI: 1.000-1.000, p = 0.010), sex (OR: 0.412, 95% CI: 0.190-0.892, p = 0.025), and history of hypertension (OR: 0.375, 95% CI: 0.169-0.819, p = 0.014). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that age (OR: 1.190, 95%CI: 1.073-1.319, p = 0.001) and body mass index (BMI; OR: 0.559, 95% CI: 0.447-0.698, p = 0.000) were independent risk factors for postoperative SIRS in patients with TAVR. CONCLUSION: The incidence of SIRS after TAVR was 12%. There was a significant correlation between SIRS and albumin, glucose, and hypertension. The independent risk factors for SIRS after TAVR were age and BMI.