The Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Prion Research

Scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy are fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by the accumulation of a misfolded protein (PrP^res), the pathological form of the cellular prion protein (PrP^C). For the last decades, prion research has greatly progressed, but many questions need to be solved about prion replication mechanisms, cell toxicity, differences in genetic susceptibility, species barrier or the nature of prion strains. These studies can be developed in murine models of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, although development of cell models for prion replication and sample titration could reduce economic and timing costs and also serve for basic research and treatment testing. Some murine cell lines can replicate scrapie strains previously adapted in mice and very few show the toxic effects of prion accumulation. Brain cell primary cultures can be more accurate models but are difficult to develop in naturally susceptible species like humans or domestic ruminants. Stem cells can be differentiated into neuron‐like cells and be infected by prions. However, the use of embryo stem cells causes ethical problems in humans. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from many adult tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue or even peripheral blood. These cells differentiate into neuronal cells, express PrP^C and can be infected by prions in vitro. In addition, in the last years, these cells are being used to develop therapies for many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. We review here the use of cell models in prion research with a special interest in the potential use of MSCs.     

猪传染性胃肠炎病毒S基因实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用简

据猪传染性胃肠炎病毒（transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine,TGEV）S基因序列设计1对特异性引物,通过对实时荧光定量RT-PCR反应条件的优化,建立了SYBR GreenⅠ实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测TGEV的方法,同时对12份病料进行检测,并与常规RT-PCR进行比较。结果显示,该方法的敏感性达到43.07拷贝/μL,具有良好的特异性和重复性,而常规RT-PCR最低只检测到4.307×10³ 拷贝/μL,敏感性较低。本试验建立的检测TGEV S基因的SYBR GreenⅠ实时荧光定量RT-PCR方法为传染性胃肠炎的鉴别诊断及TGEV的分离鉴定奠定了技术基础。     

Cloning and expression of nucleocapsid protein gene of TGEV HB06 strain

The nucleocapsid protein gene of transmissible gastroenteritis virus, 1 149 bp in length, was amplified by RT-PCR from isolated strain HB06 and cloned into pMD18-T. Sequence comparison with other transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) strains selected from the Gene Bank revealed that the homology of N gene complete sequence shares more than 97% in nucleotide. N gene was cloned into BamHI and EcoRI multiple cloning sites of the prokaryotic expression vector pET 20 b, and named pETN. After being induced by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), the recombinant nucleocapsid protein was expressed. The result of SDS-PAGE and Western-blot showed that the recombinant nucleocapsid protein was 47 kDa and had strong positive reactions with TGEV-specific antibody.     

Seven samurai to protect “our” food: the reform of the food safety regulatory system in Japan after the BSE crisis of 2001

Using the case of food safety governance reform in Japan between 2001 and 2003, this paper examines the relationship between science and trust. The paper explains how the discovery of the first BSE positive cow and consequent food safety scandals in 2001 politicized the role of science in protecting the safety of the food supply. The analysis of the Parliamentary debate focuses on the contestation among legislators and other participants over three dimensions of risk science, including “knowledge,” “objects,” and “beneficiaries.” The metaphor of “seven samurai” and the relationally situated roles of “samurai,” “bandits,” and “beneficiaries” are used to show that in the process of policy making certain moral and ethical expectations on a new expert institution for food safety were contested and negotiated to frame responsibilities and commitments of social actors for creating the food system based on trust.

Simulation of the options for a national control programme to eradicate scrapie from Great Britain

Because of the risk to public health posed by the potential presence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in sheep, there are plans to eradicate transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) from the British sheep population. We used a mathematical model for the spread of scrapie between sheep flocks to assess the efficacy of five control strategies at eradicating the infection from the national flock. These range from ram-genotyping schemes through whole-flock genotyping with selective culling to whole-flock slaughter. The impact of control was considered under three scenarios for the long-term dynamics of scrapie in GB: two in which scrapie is ultimately eliminated (with different median extinction times) and one in which scrapie remains endemic. Results suggested that it is feasible to eradicate scrapie from the British sheep flock, but that any national control programme will take decades to eliminate the disease and be costly. The most-effective strategy, measured in terms of the probability of eradication and time taken for eradication, was predicted to be whole-flock culling, which was effective under all three scenarios for the long-term dynamics of scrapie. Strategies involving whole-flock genotyping with selective culling were also effective, though they were predicted to take longer to eradicate scrapie than whole-flock culling. Ram-genotyping schemes were effective in some instances, but not for the scenario where scrapie remained endemic in the national flock. At low levels of reporting of clinical disease (<20%) the probability of eradication within 100 years was predicted to be <100% and, consequently, low levels of reporting could compromise the effectiveness of a control programme. Moreover, the predicted time taken to eradicate scrapie would increase markedly if the reporting compliance decreased.     

转基因玉米表达的猪传染性胃肠炎病毒纤突蛋白免疫原性鉴定

为鉴定猪传染性胃肠炎病毒纤突蛋白(TGEV-S)在转基因玉米中的表达及对试验小鼠的免疫原性,本试验在前期TGEV-S转基因玉米植株构建成功的基础上,自玉米叶片中抽提可溶性蛋白作为包被抗原,建立筛选表达TGEV-S转基因玉米的间接ELISA检测方法。结果显示在92份被检测植株中8株为阳性,取阳性值较高的2株152-3和156-6,提取叶片可溶性蛋白,与弗氏佐剂乳化后皮下注射免疫小鼠,只有植株156-6中可溶性蛋白免疫小鼠可产生针对TGEV的抗体,而152-3免疫组检测结果为阴性。利用156-6植株叶片对小鼠进行灌胃免疫,也可产生针对TGEV的特异性抗体。以上结果表明,获得的TGEV-S转基因玉米植株不但可表达TGEV-S蛋白,而且该蛋白通过注射或口服途径免疫小鼠后均可产生针对TGEV-S的特异性抗体,提示TGEV-S转基因玉米具有发展成为TGEV口服疫苗的潜力。     

猪传染性胃肠炎病毒荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法的建立

【目的】建立一种能检测猪传染性胃肠炎病毒（TGEV）含量的荧光定量RT-PCR方法,为猪传染性胃肠炎（TGE）的诊断和防治提供技术支持。【方法】根据TGEV TH98株的N基因序列设计1对特异性引物,扩增出目的片段,连接克隆载体后构建质粒标准品;对荧光定量的循环条件进行优化,建立猪传染性胃肠炎病毒荧光定量RT-PCR检测方法,对其重复性、特异性进行检测,并与普通PCR检测方法进行比较,最后应用该方法对采自陕西杨凌周边的30份临床样品进行检测。【结果】成功构建了质粒标准品,建立了检测猪传染性胃肠炎病毒的荧光定量RT-PCR方法,该方法特异性高、重复性好、敏感性比普通PCR检测方法高2个数量级,对质粒标准品的线性检测范围为1.0×10⁷～1.0×10¹拷贝/μL。用建立的检测方法对从陕西杨凌周边猪场采集的30份样品进行检测,检出4份阳性,与普通PCR检测方法符合率为100%。【结论】建立的TGEV荧光定量RT-PCR方法敏感性高、特异性好、省时省力,可以对猪传染性胃肠炎病毒进行快速检测。