Cytokine profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with cystic echinococcosis

IntroductionCystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus), which affects domestic and wild carnivores as the definitive host and ungulates as intermediate hosts. In intermediate hosts, both Th1 and Th2 cells are involved in the immune responses to an echinoccocal infection. This study aimed to investigate production of IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CE patients before and after surgical treatment.MethodsTo evaluate cytokine production in response to E. granulosus antigens, we investigated IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ production in PBMCs of 20 CE patients in response to hydatid cyst fluid antigen (HCF-Ag) before and after surgical treatment using ELISA.ResultsThe mean IL-4 production from HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while IFN-γ was significantly increased in HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs in patients after surgery (p = 0.005).Furthermore, our results showed that there is no significant difference between IL-10 production in patients before and after treatment (p = 0.562).ConclusionsOur data Indicated production of IL-4 in cultured PBMCs of CE patients stimulated with HCF-Ag was decreased significantly. While, production of IFN-γ was increased significantly in responses to HCF Ag after surgery. We concluded that the evaluation of IL-4 and IFN-γ in HCF-Ag stimulated PBMCs of CE patients should be considered as a useful marker in the follow up of patients with cystic echinococcosis.     

牦牛IFN-β基因在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达

用真核表达引物从pGEM-yakIFN-β重组质粒中扩增出牦牛IFN-β基因,将目的基因和真核表达载体pPIC9K连接转入E.coli的JM109中,得到pPIC9K-yakIFN-β重组表达质粒.通过电击法将经SalⅠ线性化的pPIC9K-yakIFN-β质粒转化到巴斯德毕赤酵母GS115感受态细胞中,采用G418抗性梯度法筛选得到多拷贝重组菌株,利用甲醇诱导表达,分泌表达产物用MTT法检测其生物学活性.经SDS-PAGE电泳分析表明:表达出约22ku大小分泌于胞外的牦牛IFN-β蛋白分子量,比理论值稍大;MTT结果表明:纯化的重组yak-IFN-β蛋白具有促进淋巴细胞增殖的活性.     

东北虎γ-干扰素基因的克隆、生物信息学分析及其在毕赤酵母中的表达

本试验旨在通过克隆东北虎γ-干扰素(IFN-γ)基因,研究其分子特征并预测蛋白生物学功能,为后续研究干扰素抗病毒活性做前期准备。通过RT-PCR从ConA诱导过的东北虎血淋巴细胞中扩增东北虎IFN-γ基因并测序,应用生物信息学方法进行序列分析。结果表明:东北虎IFN-γ编码区由504个核苷酸组成,共编码167个氨基酸,蛋白相对分子质量为19.59 ku,等电点为9.03,所编码的蛋白为碱性亲水性蛋白,其中前23个氨基酸可能为信号肽,IFN-γ编码蛋白保守结构域为IFN-γ超家族,且存在跨膜结构,其中1-6位氨基酸为胞内区域,7-28位氨基酸为跨膜区域,29-167位氨基酸为胞外区域;IFN-γ编码蛋白二级结构主要以α-螺旋(58.08%)和无规则卷曲(33.53%)为主,存在5个潜在的B细胞抗原表位,3个潜在的N-糖基化位点;分子进化分析显示,东北虎IFN-γ与GenBank上发表的东北虎、非洲狮、金钱豹、美洲狮、猎豹、家猫、加拿大猞猁、野猪等的核苷酸相似性为80.4%~99.8%,氨基酸相似性为70.5%~100%,东北虎IFN-γ与非洲狮、金钱豹亲缘关系最近,美洲狮、猎豹、家猫、猞猁次之,野猪最远。通过合成改造后的东北虎IFN-γ基因,构建能表达IFN-γ蛋白的重组质粒pPIC9K-IFN-γ,将其导入高效表达系统-毕赤酵母中进行诱导表达,经SDS-PAGE分析,表达蛋白的分子量约17.8 ku,与预期大小相符,表明东北虎IFN-γ成功表达。     

妊娠早期蒙古绵羊子宫内膜enJSRV及IFN-τ基因表达水平的分析

本研究旨在检测内源性绵羊肺腺瘤反转录病毒(enJSRV)与干扰素-τ(IFN-τ)在妊娠早期蒙古绵羊子宫内膜组织的表达以及enJSRV的表达与外周血孕酮水平变化的关系。运用TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR技术和电化学发光法对enJSRV和IFN-τ在妊娠早期蒙古绵羊子宫内膜组织相对表达及孕酮水平进行了测定。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,enJSRV和IFN-τmRNA在妊娠早期绵羊子宫内膜组织有不同程度的表达。SAS统计学软件分析得出,子宫内膜组织中enJSRV mRNA在妊娠12～14d(交配日为0d)表达较高,2～10、16～30d的表达均低于前者。IFN-τmRNA仅在妊娠12～25d表达,14d达其峰值,30d就不能检出,且差异都极显著(P<0.01)。电化学发光法结果显示,孕酮水平在妊娠2d为0.4ng·mL-1,以后升高,妊娠8～16d维持在8.3ng·mL-1左右,在妊娠19～30d孕酮水平有所下降,30d为2.5ng·mL-1。以上结果提示,子宫内膜组织中enJSRV mRNA的表达与外周血孕酮含量及IFN-τ的变化高度相关,且enJSRV在胎盘的形态发生及生殖生物学方面发挥重要作用。     

干扰素-τ(IFN-τ)的分子结构和妊娠识别机理

在反刍动物的整个妊娠失败中，早期胚胎死亡占有很大的比例，它在很大程度上是由母体妊娠识别失败造成的IFN-τ（干扰素-τ）是由反刍动物孕体附植时发出的特有的妊娠识别信号，它是建立母体妊娠识别的一种主要因子，本文阐述了IFN-τ的分子结构及其最新研究进展，即IFN-τ和PGF2α，UCRP，OTR，GM-CSF的互作机理。     

结核分枝杆菌CFP10-ESAT6融合蛋白的真核表达及其牛结核病诊断价值评价

本研究旨在利用毕赤酵母(Pichia pastoris)系统融合表达结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis,MTB)的培养滤液蛋白10(culture filter protein 10,CFP10)和早期分泌抗原靶6蛋白(earlier secreted antigen target 6,ESAT6),并评价其作为牛结核病外周血γ-干扰素(interferon gamma,IFN-γ)体外释放实验特异性刺激剂来诊断牛结核病的应用潜能.通过PCR扩增cfp1 0-esat6融合基因,构建pPICZα A-(cfp10-esat6)重组质粒,电转化毕赤酵母GSll5,添加甲醇至终浓度1.0％,诱导3d,取培养上清进行SDS-PAGE分析,镍离子金属螯合亲和层析柱纯化目的蛋白,Western blot分析重组蛋白的免疫反应性;取纯化的融合蛋白CFP10-ESAT6作为刺激剂用于牛结核病外周血IFN-γ体外释放实验,评价其牛结核病诊断价值.结果表明,目的蛋白(33kD)被成功分泌表达,该融合蛋白与抗CFP10、ESAT6、组氨酸标签和c-Myc4种单抗均发生特异性反应,具有较好的免疫反应性.165份奶牛外周血样品的IFN-γ检测结果表明,CFP 10-ESAT6融合蛋白与结核菌素纯蛋白衍生物(purified protein derivative,PPD)作为刺激剂,二者阳性符合率为82.3％,阴性符合率为78.8％.本研究利用酵母表达系统成功表达CFP10-ESAT6融合蛋白,并表现出更高的生物学活性,在牛结核病外周血IFN-γ体外释放实验中可作为候选刺激剂,并能克服混合感染导致的PPD漏检问题,从而进一步提高检测的敏感性和特异性.     

猪干扰素α1与胸腺肽α1融合蛋白原核表达系统的建立

依据GenBank已发表的猪干扰素α1(poIFN-α1)成熟肽基因序列,胸腺肽α1(THY-α1)蛋白序列及Escherichia coliB密码子使用频率表,优化并人工合成poIFN-α1和THY-α1基因,利用SOE-PCR法在poIFN-α1和THY-α1之间设计1个13肽Linker。将融合基因克隆至pRSFDue-t 1表达载体,转化BL21(DE3)感受态,37℃培养至菌液OD600为0.6~0.8,IPTG(0.5 mmol/L)诱导,20℃培养12h,SDS-PAGE和Western blot鉴定。结果表明:目的蛋白为菌体内可溶性表达,经强阴离子交换层析和疏水层析纯化获得高纯度poIFNα1-THYα1融合蛋白。     

牛α干扰素在毕赤酵母中的高效分泌表达及活性鉴定

为高效分泌表达牛α干扰素(boIFN-α),本研究通过人工合成boIFN-α基因,将目的基因克隆至表达载体pPIC9K中,构建重组质粒pPIC9K-boIFN-α,将其电转化于毕赤酵母菌株GS115,利用抗药选择压力G418筛选重组菌,对重组菌诱导表达,取上清进行SDS-PAGE和western blot检测,并优化重组菌的诱导表达条件.结果显示:筛选获得高效分泌表达boIFN-α的重组菌,其最佳诱导条件为:250 r/min,26℃培养,1％甲醇浓度诱导,诱导72 h.上清中目的蛋白表达量最高可达200 μg/mL,本研究为boIFN-α在生产中的应用奠定了基础.     

Increased Inflammatory Mediators in Horses Naturally Infected with Trypanosoma vivax. A Preliminary Study

The aim of this study was to measure the levels of inflammatory mediators in serum from horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma vivax. Banked serum samples collected during a previously reported T. vivax natural infection were used to analyze proinflammatory cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and nitrite/nitrate (NO_x) levels. We evaluated 12 serum samples from horses from a farm in southern Brazil, four of which had parasitological and molecular diagnoses for T. vivax and presented with clinical signs of disease. Cytokines were assessed by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and NO_x was measured using the modified Griess method. Levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and NO_x were increased in serum of infected animals compared to that in noninfected animals. Therefore, infection with T. vivax caused an increase in proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide content.     

Immunohistochemical expression of interferon-γ in different types of granulomatous lesions associated with bovine paratuberculosis

Animals infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) show a variety of lesions, from focal forms, seen in subclinical stages to diffuse lesions in clinical cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the local expression of IFN-γ by immunohistochemistry in relation with the type of lesion in naturally Map-infected cows. The number of immunolabelled cells, −the majority morphologically consistent with lymphocytes-, was higher in focal and diffuse paucibacillary forms than in diffuse multibacillary lesions, where they appeared closely related to epithelioid cells. Diffuse multibacillary lesions had the lowest numbers, but higher than controls, and positive cells were intermingled among the macrophages. The peripheral IFN-γ production was higher in all Map infected cows and a positive correlation was found with the number of immunolabelled cells in the intestine. The findings of this study show that IFN-γ would play a role in the development of the different types of lesions in paratuberculosis, and also points out the importance of adequate sampling of lymphoid tissue containing samples when studying the local immune response in which IFN-γ expression may be involved, especially in cases where focal lesions are present.