Exploration of the Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Brevinin-1BW.

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as a grave threat to global public health, leading to an increasing number of treatment failures. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widely regarded as potential substitutes for traditional antibiotics since they are less likely to induce resistance when used. A novel AMP named Brevinin-1BW (FLPLLAGLAASFLPTIFCKISRKC) was obtained by the Research Center of Molecular Medicine of Yunnan Province from the skin of the Pelophylax nigromaculatus. Brevinia-1BW had effective inhibitory effects on Gram-positive bacteria, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.125 µg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) and 6.25 µg/mL against both Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213) but had weaker inhibitory effects on Gram-negative bacteria, with a MIC of ≥100 µg/mL. Studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and flow cytometry have revealed that it exerts its antibacterial activity by disrupting bacterial membranes. Additionally, it possesses strong biofilm inhibitory and eradication activities as well as significant lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding activity. Furthermore, Brevinin-1BW has shown a significant anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, Brevinin-1BW is anticipated to be a promising clinical agent with potent anti-Gram-positive bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Functional features of a novel interferon-stimulated gene SHFL: a comprehensive review.

Various interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs), expressed via Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway-stimulated IFNs to increase antiviral effects or regulate immune response, perform different roles in virus-infected cells. In recent years, a novel ISG, SHFL, which is located in the genomic region 19p13.2 and comprises two isoforms, has been studied as a virus-inhibiting agent. Studies have shown that SHFL suppressive effects on human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV), Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus (DENV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), Human enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV). SHFL interacts with various viral and host molecules to inhibit viral life circle and activities, such as replication, translation, and ribosomal frameshifting, or regulates host pathways to degrade viral proteins. In this review, we summarized the functional features of SHFL to provide insights to underlying mechanisms of the antiviral effects of SHFL and explored its potential function.

Genetic polymorphisms in the C19orf66 gene influenced HIV-1 infection in a Yunnan population.

Background: Due to the deficiencies of vaccines and effective medicine, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection mechanism should be studied. The C19orf66 gene, one of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), expresses broad-spectra anti-viral activity, including inhibiting HIV replication. Methods: In this study, we collect 421 HIV-1 infected patients and 448 controls to genotype three SNPs in the C19orf66 gene. Then, the association between SNPs and biochemical indices/ HIV-1 subtypes are analyzed. Results: Genotypes CC and CT of rs12611087 show statistically lower and higher frequencies in HIV-1 infected patients than in controls, respectively. Alleles C and T of rs12611087 play protective and risk roles in Yunnan HIV population, respectively. Biochemical indices analysis shows that HIV-1 infected persons carried genotype TT of rs77076061 express significantly lower CD3+/CD45+ ratio level and higher IBIL level. The epidemic subtypes of HIV-1 patients in this study are CRF 07_BC and CRF 08_BC. Moreover, subtype CRF 08_BC tends to infect persons with genotype CC of rs12611087. Conclusion: The genetic polymorphisms of the C19orf66 gene are firstly studied and reported to associate with HIV-1 infection and biochemical indices of patients in Yunnan. Furthermore, subtype CRF 08_BC infection could be influenced by genotypes of SNP in the C19orf66 gene.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and clearance of hepatitis B surface for CHB patients in the indeterminate phase: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Nearly 30%-40% of patients with chronic hepatitis B do not fall into any of the traditional natural history classification and thus are classified as indeterminate. However, it is unclear whether patients in the indeterminate phase (IP) are at a higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than those in the defined phases (DP) and would benefit from antiviral therapy. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of HCC incidence and HBsAg clearance among patients in the IP versus DP. Methods: We defined the clinical phases as per the AASLD 2018 hepatitis B guidance. We searched PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Web of Science for relevant studies that reported HCC incidence or HBsAg clearance in IP versus DP patients published between January 2007 and March 2023. Annual HCC incidence and HBsAg clearance rates were pooled using a random/common-effects model. Results: We analyzed data from 14 studies, comprising 7798 IP patients (222 patients developed HCC and 239 achieved HBsAg clearance) and 10,725 DP patients. The pooled annual HCC incidence was 2.54 cases per 1,000 person-years (95% CI, 1.14-4.39) and HBsAg clearance rate was 12.36 cases per 1,000 person-years (95% CI, 10.70-14.13) for the IP patients. IP patients were associated with significantly higher HCC incidence risk (RR = 1.64, 95% CI, 1.34-2.00) and slightly lower annual HBsAg clearance rate (RR = 0.83, 95% CI, 0.70-0.99) than the DP patients. In addition, HBeAg-negative IP patients (2.31%; 95% CI, 0.87-4.45) showed a significantly higher HCC incidence than those who were HBeAg positive (0.00%; 95% CI, 0.00-0.99) (p< 0.001). The Asia-Pacific region IP patients (4.30%; 95% CI, 2.07-7.27) were also associated with a higher HCC incidence versus Europe (0.05%; 95% CI, 0.00-1.39) (p< 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between different strategies (treated vs. untreated: 2.56%; 95% CI, 1.01-4.63 vs. 1.61%; 95% CI, 0.00-5.81, p = 0.09), and heterogeneity was substantial across the studies (I2 = 89%). Conclusion: The systematic review and meta-analysis showed a high HCC incidence and low HBsAg clearance among patients in the IP, especially for HBeAg-negative patients and the Asian population. We emphasize that future multicenter prospective cohort studies or randomized trials are needed to verify if expanding antiviral therapy for patients in the IP is associated with reduced HCC risk or good treatment outcomes.

Association of genetic polymorphisms in the C19orf66 gene and biochemical indices of HBV infected individuals in Yunnan.

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes serious liver diseases and is a healthy problem worldwide. Although vaccines are administered to infants after birth, there is no effective medicine for HBV infection. The interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) are important factors in the host that can aid in restraining the virus, and the C19orf66 gene has a wide-antiviral spectrum. Methods: In this study, three SNPs in the C19orf66 gene were sequenced and genotyped, and their potential function were predicted and further verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: Although no significant difference of genotype and allele frequency was observed between HBV patients and the controls, the genotype and allele frequency showed significant difference between HBV patients with HBsAg-positive and HBV patients with HBsAg-negative or controls. Genotype AA (P= 0.009) and AT (P= 0.019) of rs77076061 showed higher and lower frequency in HBV patients with HBsAg-positive than in patients with HBsAg-negative, respectively. Genotype AG of rs1979262 played a risk role in HBV patients with HBsAg-positive (13.22%) than in patients with HBsAg-negative (7.53%, P= 0.036) or controls (8.48%, P= 0.033). The frequency of allele A of rs1979262 was higher in patients with HBsAg-positive (6.61%) than in patients with HBsAg-negative (3.77%, P= 0.042), while it was the opposite for the allele G. Moreover, the associations between genotypes of SNPs in the C19orf66 gene and the ALT, AST, and DBIL level were also identified. The functional assay suggested that the SNPs might influence the C19orf66 expression by changing the connection of transcriptional factors. Conclusion: In summary, the association between genetic polymorphisms in the C19orf66 gene and HBV infection/biochemical indices of patients was firstly identified in Yunnan Province.

KIR2DL4/HLA-G polymorphisms were associated with HCV infection susceptibility among Chinese high-risk population.

Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors 2DL4 (KIR2DL4) and the human leukocyte antigen class I-G (HLA-G) display vital parts in immune responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We select four potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of KIR/HLA to explore the associations between KIR2DL4/HLA-G genetic variants and HCV infection results. In the present case-control study, a total of 2225 HCV-infected high-risk subjects, including 1778 paid blood donors (PBD) and 447 drug users were consecutively recruited before treatment from 2011 to 2018. KIR2DL4-rs660773, KIR2DL4-rs660437, HLA-G-rs9380142, and HLA-G-rs1707 SNPs were sorted as genotypes in the subdivided groups, involving 1095 uninfected controls subjects, 432 spontaneous HCV clearance subjects and 698 HCV persistent infection subjects. After genotyping experiments using the TaqMan-MGB assay, modified logistic regression was used to calculate the correlation among the SNPs and HCV infection. The SNPs were functionally annotated using bioinformatics analysis. Following adjusting by age, sex, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, IFNL3-rs12979860, IFNL3-rs8099917, and the infection route, the logistic regression analysis discovered that KIR2DL4-rs660773 and HLA-G-rs9380142 were correlated with vulnerability to HCV infection (all p < 0.05). In a locus-dosage way, compared with subjects carrying the rs9380142-AA or rs660773-AA genotypes, subjects with rs9380142-AG or rs660773-AG/GG (all p < 0.05) were more vulnerable to HCV infection; the overall impact of their risk genotypes (rs9380142-AGrs660773-AG/GG) was correlated with an elevated incidence of HCV infection (ptrend < 0.001). In the Haplotype analysis, patients with haplotype AG were more likely to contract HCV compared to those with the highest common AA haplotype (p = 0.002) were higher in susceptibility to infect HCV. The SNPinfo web server estimated that rs660773 is a transcription factor binding site, whereas rs9380142 is a potential microRNA-binding site. In two Chinese high-risk population (PBD and drug uesrs), KIR2DL4 rs660773-G and HLA-G rs9380142-G alleles polymorphisms are related to HCV susceptibility. KIR2DL4/HLA-G pathway genes might affect the innate immune responses by regulating KIR2DL4/HLA-G transcription and translation play a potential role in HCV infection.

Polymorphisms of the MxA and MxB genes are associated with biochemical indices and viral subtypes in Yunnan HCV patients.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was the primary reason causing critical hepatic Q7 diseases. Although direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) were widely used in clinics, anti-drug mutation, the outcome of patients with different viral subtypes, and recurrence suggested that HCV pathogenic mechanism should be studied further. HCV infection, replication, and outcome were influenced by the IFNL4 and itsdownstream genes (MxA and MxB). However, whether genetic polymorphisms of these genes played necessary roles required verification in the Yunnan population. Methods and Results: After analyzing the genotypes and allele frequencies of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), we found the association between the genotype and allele frequencies of rs11322783 in the IFNL4 gene and HCV infection in Yunnan population. Furthermore, the genetic polymorphisms of the MxA and MxB genescould influence liver function of HCV patients. The indirect bilirubin (IBIL) and albumin (ALB) levels showed significant differences among HCV patients, who carried various genotypes. The IBIL levels were associated with genotypes of rs17000900 (P= 0.025) and rs2071430 (P= 0.037) in the MxA gene, and ALB levels were associated with genotypes of rs2838029 (P= 0.010) in the MxB gene. Similarly, the genotypes of SNPs also showed significant difference in patients infected with subtype 3a (P=0.035) and 2a (P=0.034). However, no association was identified between expression level and SNPs of the MxA and MxB genes. Furthermore, HCV subtype 3b was found to be the predominantly epidemic strain in Yunnan Province. Conclusion: In conclusion, the association between biochemical indices/HCV subtypes and SNPs in the MxA and MxB genes was identified in Yunnan HCV population.

Wound healing mechanism of antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin-DM.

Background and Purpose: Chronic wound infections and the development of antibiotic resistance are serious clinical problems that affect millions of people worldwide. Cathelicidin-DM, an antimicrobial peptide from Duttaphrynus melanostictus, has powerful antimicrobial activity and wound healing efficacy. So, it could be a potential candidate to address this problem. In this paper, we investigate the wound healing mechanism of cathelicidin-DM to establish a basis for preclinical studies of the drug. Experimental Approach: The effects of cathelicidin-DM on cell proliferation and migration, cytokines, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were examined. Then mice whole skin wound model was constructed to evaluate the wound healing activity of cathelicidin-DM, and further histological changes in the wounds were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E) and immunohistochemical assays. Key Results: Cathelicidin-DM promotes the proliferation of HaCaT, HSF, and HUVEC cells in a concentration-dependent manner and the migration of HSF, HUVEC, and RAW.264.7 cells. Moreover,cathelicidin-DM can involve in wound healing through activation of the MAPK signaling pathway by upregulating phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and P38. However, cathelicidin-DM didn't affect the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α. At the animal level, cathelicidin-DM accelerated skin wound healing and early debridement in mice as well as promoted re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation, α-SMA expression, and collagen I deposition in mice. Conclusion and Implications: Our data suggest that cathelicidin-DM can be engaged in the healing of infected and non-infected wounds through multiple pathways, providing a new strategy for the treatment of infected chronic wounds.

Genetic polymorphisms in the IFNL4, MxA, and MxB genes were associated with biochemical index of chronic HBV patients from Yunnan, China.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes Hepatitis B, which is one of the most common causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the host immune genes could impact HBV infection, viral clearance, and treatment effect. However, the contradictory roles of several studies suggest further analysis of various populations. The whole blood and biochemical indexes of 448 HBV patients and matched controls were collected from the Yunnan population to investigate the genetic roles of IFNL4 and the downstream genes (MxA and MxB). The genotypes, alleles, and haplotypes frequencies of the seven SNPs (rs11322783, rs117648444, rs2071430, rs17000900, rs9982944, rs408825, and rs2838029) from the HBV patients and controls were analyzed. However, no association was identified between the SNPs and HBV infection. Then, biochemical index levels were evaluated among the HBV patients with different genotypes of the seven SNPs. The results indicated that the liver function index levels (including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), and albumin (ALB)) were influenced by the genotypes of the SNPs in HBV patients. Moreover, when the HBV patients were divided into HBsAg-positive and -negative groups, the association between the SNP genotypes and the biochemical indexes still existed. In addition, although the genetic polymorphisms in the IFNL4, MxA, and MxB genes were not significantly associated with HBV infection in the Yunnan population, these genes could indirectly influence disease progression by associating with the biochemical index levels of Yunnan HBV patients.

MicroRNA-206 inhibits HCV proliferation through depressing ACC1 lipid synthesis signalling pathway.

MicroRNAs are considered to play important roles in cell biological and pathological progress. microRNA-206 (miR-206) was reported to participate in lipogenesis, and lipid droplets were necessary for the life cycle of HCV proliferation. Whether miR-206 was associated with HCV proliferation and the potential mechanism are not clear. In this study, we firstly identified that miR-206 could inhibit HCV proliferation at the RNA and protein level. Bioinformatical prediction of target genes binding to miR-206 was performed to investigate whether inhibiting function was due to a lipogenesis pathway. Then, the acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) gene was selected as target gene of miR-206. The dual-luciferase reporter assay results showed that luciferase significantly decreased in cells transfected with 3'-UTR of the ACC1 gene and miR-206. The RNA and protein levels of the ACC1 gene and its pathway genes were significantly lower in cells transfected with miR-206 than in controls. Furthermore, the lipid droplet numbers also significantly decreased in cells transfected with miR-206. In conclusion, miR-206 could inhibit HCV proliferation through depressing ACC1 lipogenesis pathway and decreasing the lipid droplet numbers. miR-206 might be used as anti-HCV biochemical drug in the future.

[Correlations between genetic polymorphism of IFN-λ family gene and HBV infection, virus replication and clearance].

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most serious public health problems. HBV infection could lead to hepatitis B, and even further develop into hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Interferon lambda (IFN-λ) is a member of the interferon (IFN) family and an important cytokine for antiviral defense. There are four members in IFN-λ family, including IFN-λ1, IFN-λ2, IFN-λ3, and IFN-λ4. The genetic polymorphisms in the IFN-λ genes are associated with HBV replication and treatment response of HBV patients. In this review, we summarized the roles of genetic polymorphisms of the IFN-λ genes played in HBV infection, disease progression and treatment, with the aim to better understand their function. This review could serve as a reference for the HBV prevention and treatment of HBV patients, as well as for future clinical usage.

Establishment of Tree Shrew Animal Model for Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (HHV-8) Infection.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the most common cause of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and other malignant growths in humans. However, the lack of a KSHV-infected small animal model has hampered understanding of the mechanisms of KSHV infection, virus replication, pathogenesis, and persistence. This study was designed to explore the susceptibility of tree shrews as a possible KSHV-infected small animal model. A recombinant GFP (latent)/RFP (lytic)-positive rKSHV.219 strain was used to infect primary cells cultured from different tissues of tree shrews as an in vitro model and adult tree shrews as an in vivo model. KSHV latent nuclear antigen (LANA) and DNA were successfully detected in primary cells of tree shrews. Among them, tree shrew kidney epithelial cells (TSKEC) were the most susceptible cells to KSHV infection compared to other cells. KSHV genomic DNA, mRNA, and KSHV-specific proteins were readily detected in the TSKEC cultured up to 32 dpi. Moreover, KSHV DNA and mRNA transcription were also readily detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and various tissues of tree shrews infected with KSHV. Haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining showed lymphocyte infiltration, lymphoid tissue focal aggregation, alveolar wall thickening, hepatocyte edema, hepatic necrosis in the spleen, lung, and liver of KSHV-infected animals. Additionally, immune-histochemical (IHC) staining showed that LANA or ORF62-positive cells were present in the spleen, lung, liver, and kidney of KSHV-infected tree shrews. Here, we have successfully established in vitro and in vivo KSHV latent infection in tree shrews. This small animal model is not only useful for studying the pathogenesis of KSHV in vivo but can also be a useful model to study transmission routes of viral infection and a useful platform to characterize the novel therapeutics against KSHV.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical sputum by a unique gene in MTB strains called Conserved protein TB18.5 (TB18.5).

A rapid and accurate diagnosis increases the treatment effect and decreases the mortality of tuberculosis (TB) patients. The purpose of this study was to establish an accurate, unique, and rapid molecular diagnostic technique to screen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from clinical sputum. A unique gene in MTB strains called conserved protein TB18.5 (TB18.5) was selected by bioinformatics analysis. Two pairs of primers were designed to amplify TB18.5 using the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or quantitative real-time PCR. Nine pathogens and the MTB strain were used to determine the specificity of the TB18.5 gene. The sensitivity assay was performed after optimizing the PCR conditions. The correct fragment was amplified when a 10 copy number template was used. A total of 232 sputum samples were collected from TB patients (from 2019 to 2020) to evaluate the accuracy of the molecular method in this study. MTB was first detected using the BACTEC MGIT-960 culture test and the Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Totals of 195 (84.05%), 182 (78.45%), and 162 (69.83%) sputum samples were determined to be infected with MTB using nested PCR, the Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay, and the BACTEC MGIT-960 culture test, respectively. In summary, a rapid, unique, and sensitive molecular method was established to diagnose TB infection in clinical sputum samples.

Rapid and Simultaneous Detection of Five, Viable, Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria by Photoinduced PMAxx-Coupled Multiplex PCR in Fresh Juice.

Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae are common foodborne pathogens. In this study, the light-induced PMAxx-coupled multiplex PCR (PMAxx-mPCR) was established to detect the aforementioned five foodborne pathogens in fresh juice at the same time. Moreover, PMAxx pretreatment could effectively distinguish live bacteria from dead bacteria. The optimized PMAxx pretreatment conditions were incubation with a final concentration of 10 µmol/L PMAxx for 10 min and then photolysis for 8 min. After PMAxx pretreatment, the difference in Ct values with or without PMAxx was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed a significant difference in Ct value before and after PMAxx treatment. Finally, the bacteria-contaminated fresh juice samples treated with PMAxx dye were detected by mPCR. The detection limit of PMAxx-mPCR was 102 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for E. coli, Shigella, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae and 103 CFU/mL for S. aureus. Compared with mPCR detection of samples without PMAxx treatment, the proposed method solved the false-positive problem due to dead bacteria. Hence, an accurate and efficient method for the simultaneous detection of five types of pathogenic bacteria was established. This method could be applied to analytical procedures for ensuring food safety.

Phylogenetic characteristics of HIV among female cross-border travelers in Yunnan province between 2003 and 2012.

Sexual transmission is currently the main mode of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this study, 181 HIV-infected female cross-border travelers entering Yunnan province were recruited between 2003 and 2012. HIV RNAs were extracted from their frozen serum and gag-pol gene sequences were obtained for phylogenetic and recombination analyses. In total, 131 gag-pol gene sequences were obtained successfully, at a rate of 72.4%. The most prevalent subtypes were CRF01_AE, followed by CRF08_BC, subtypes B and C. The other four subjects were classified as undefined subtypes and other recombinants. The subtype distribution of intravenous drug users was significantly different from that of sexually transmitted infections and unknown groups. The genetic distances of subtype B, C, and CRF01_AE strains were all close to the reference sequences from Yunnan province and Southeast Asian countries. Gene diversity and cocirculation of multiple subtypes were observed in female cross-border travelers, and CRF01_AE was the dominant epidemic subtype. The advantages of these subtype preferences for sexual transmission were obvious in HIV infection and transmission among this population. Our findings also suggest that close attention should be given to the HIV infection status of the female migrant population. In addition, a description of their epidemic characteristics is significant for the surveillance and prevention of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the Yunnan province.

The homology analysis of ACE2 gene and its distinct expression in laboratory and wild animals

Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) has been recognized as an entry receptor of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into the host cells while bats has been suspected as natural host of SARS-CoV-2. However, the detail of intermediate host or the route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear. In this study, we analyze the conservation of ACE2 gene in 11 laboratory and wild animals that live in close proximity either with Bats or human and further investigated its RNA and protein expression pattern in wild bats, mice and tree shrew. We verified that the wild-bats and mice were belonged to Hipposideros pomona and Rattus norvegicus, respectively. ACE2 gene is highly conserved among all 11 animals species at the DNA level. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ACE2 nucleotide sequences revealed that wild bat and Tree shrew were forming a cluster close to human. We further report that ACE2 RNA expression pattern is highly species-specific in different tissues of different animals. Most notably, we found that the expression pattern of ACE2 RNA and protein are very different in each animal species. In summary, our results suggested that ACE2 gene is highly conserved among all 11 animals species. However, different relative expression pattern of ACE2 RNA and protein in each animal species is interesting. Further research is needed to clarify the possible connection between different relative expression pattern of ACE2 RNA and protein in different laboratory and wild animal species and the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Genetic polymorphisms of the HLA-DP and HLA-DQ genes could influence Hepatitis B virus infection in Yunnan population.

Hepatitis B, caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, is one of the epidemic and infectious hepatitis diseases. The sigle-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified to associate with HBV infection in East Asian population by genome-wide association study (GWAS), but no study in Yunnan HBV population was reported. We recruited 493 HBV patients and 460 general controls to genotype 7 GWAS SNPs, and then, the association study was performed between these SNPs and biochemical features of HBV patients. The results showed that genotype and allele frequencies of SNPs in the HLA-DP (rs3077, 9277535, and 3128917) and HLA-DQ (rs2856718 and 7453920) genes were associated with HBV infection. Significantly different genotyping frequencies were investigated among three HBV subgroups. Genotype AA of rs3130542 (HLA-C) showed significantly higher frequency in subgroup #1 patients than the other two subgroups (#1 vs. #2, p = .02; #1 vs. #3, p = .03). Meanwhile, genotype frequencies of rs3077, rs9277535, and 3128917 (HLA-DP) were significantly different between patients in subgroup #2 and #3. The indirect bilirubin level was significantly lower in patients with genotype CT of rs3077 than patients with genotype CC (p = .009) or TT (p = .016), and it also showed lower level in patients with genotype GT of rs3128917 than patients with genotype GG (p = .015). The direct bilirubin level was higher in patients with genotype TT of rs4821116 (UBE2L3) than patients with genotype CT (p = .010). In summary, we identified the association between GWAS SNPs and HBV infection or biochemical features in Yunnan HBV population.

Cathelicidin-DM is an Antimicrobial Peptide from Duttaphrynus melanostictus and Has Wound-Healing Therapeutic Potential.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of templates with application potential for drug development. Amphibians are important sources of AMPs. Duttaphrynus melanostictus is the main source of traditional Chinese medicine "Chansu", which has anti-infection effect while without a clear mechanism. This study aimed to find the cathelicidin peptide in D. melanostictus and then investigate the activity in vivo and in vitro, and an AMP-encoding gene (cathelicidin-DM, GenBank: KJ820824.1) was obtained from the constructed cDNA library of D. melanostictus. The MIC test and SYTOX Green uptake were used for the evaluation of the bactericidal capacity and mechanisms. The serum stability tests were used for the evaluation of the application potential. The skin wound infection model and in vivo imaging were used for in vitro application of possibility evaluation. The results showed that cathelicidin-DM was a 37 amino acid AMP with good bactericidal ability, which was similar to melittin: both can kill bacteria within 15 min. Moreover, cathelicidin-DM exhibits good therapeutic potential in the mouse wound infection model, and it can be enriched to the site of infection for treatment. Thus, cathelicidin-DM could be a new template for antimicrobial drug development given its good antibacterial activity in vivo and in vitro.

A rapid and accurate method for the detection of four aminoglycoside modifying enzyme drug resistance gene in clinical strains of Escherichia coli by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are highly effective drugs used in the treatment of infectious diseases. Aminoglycoside antibiotics are one of the most common antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the development of drug resistance against those medicines is becoming a serious concern. AIM: This study aimed to develop an efficient, rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection method that is applicable for routine clinical use. METHODS: Escherichia coli was used as a model organism to develop a rapid, accurate, and reliable multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) for the detection of four aminoglycoside modifying enzyme (AME) resistance genes Aac(6')-Ib, Aac(3)-II, Ant(3″)-Ia, and Aph(3')-Ia. M-PCR was used to detect the distribution of AME resistance genes in 237 clinical strains of E. coli. The results were verified by simplex polymerase chain reaction (S-PCR). RESULTS: Results of M-PCR and S-PCR showed that the detection rates of Aac(6')-Ib, Aac(3)-II, Ant(3″)-Ia, and Aph(3')-Ia were 32.7%, 59.2%, 23.5%, and 16.8%, respectively, in 237 clinical strains of E. coli. Compared with the traditional methods for detection and identification, the rapid and accurate M-PCR detection method was established to detect AME drug resistance genes. This technique can be used for the clinical detection as well as the surveillance and monitoring of the spread of those specific antibiotic resistance genes.

Genetic Polymorphisms of the IFNLR1 Gene Correlate with HCV Infection and Biochemical Features of Chronic HCV Patients in Yunnan, China.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection could lead to serious liver diseases, but the pathogenic mechanisms were not completely clear. Cytokines play critical roles in infection, and the genetic polymorphisms in the cytokine genes are widely studied in infectious diseases. The variations in the IL28B gene were associated with HCV infection, viral clearance, and biochemical features of patients, but the studies of its receptor (IFNLR1/IL10RB) were rare. In this study, we collected 395 chronic HCV patients and 397 normal controls to investigate the genetic role of the IFNLR1 gene. Eight tagSNPs were genotyped, and the haplotypes were constructed. Genotypes CT (23.80% vs. 17.13%) and TT (75.19% vs. 81.36%) of rs7532146 showed higher and lower frequencies in HCV patients than that in controls (P = .022; P = .039). Haplotypes GGAATCTC (P = .028) and AAAGCCCT (P = .002) were risk factors for HCV infection, but haplotype GAAATCTT (P = .027) played protective role in HCV infection. Moreover, we identified that the ALT level was significantly lower in HCV patients with genotype TT of rs4489498 than those with other genotypes (CC vs. TT: P = .037; CT vs. TT: P = .013). HCV viral load was highest in HCV patients with genotype CC of rs4489498 than in patients with other two genotypes (CC vs. CT: P = .006; CC vs. TT: P = .039). In conclusion, the genotypes and haplotypes in the IFNLR1 gene were associated with HCV infection and biochemical features of Chinese HCV patients.