胞壁酰二肽对体外奶牛乳腺上皮细胞生长及胞内NOD2 mRNA表达的影响

【目的】奶牛乳房炎是奶牛养殖业中最为常见,同时也是带来经济损失最为严重的疾病之一,其主要病因是细菌感染。奶牛乳腺的固有免疫是抵抗病原菌入侵的第一道防线。NOD2是机体固有免疫模式识别受体核苷酸结合寡聚域(nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain,NOD)蛋白家族中的重要一员,通过识别其特异性配体胞壁酰二肽(muramyl dipeptide,MDP)——一种广泛存在于革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌细胞壁中的成分,而参与抵抗多种病原菌入侵。奶牛乳腺上皮细胞(bovine mammary epithelial cells,BMEC)除泌乳以外,还是奶牛乳腺的免疫屏障。本试验欲探究MDP对BMEC体外生长状态及胞内NOD2表达量的影响。【方法】选取健康泌乳中期荷斯坦奶牛乳腺腺泡为组织原材料,采用胶原酶Ⅰ消化法结合梯度浓度胰蛋白酶纯化法分离BMEC;使用上皮细胞特异性表达的角蛋白-18(cytokeratin-18,CK-18)及成纤维细胞特异性表达的波形蛋白(Vimentin)抗体,通过免疫荧光技术对纯化后获得的细胞进行鉴定;将BMEC设为6个处理组,分别添加浓度为0(空白对照组)、1、5、10、15及20μg·mL~(-1)的MDP,24 h后显微镜下观察细胞状态,同时提取细胞RNA并反转录为cDNA,采用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测BMEC中NOD2的表达量。【结果】(1)胶原酶Ⅰ消化法结合梯度浓度胰蛋白酶纯化法分离得到的细胞CK-18免疫荧光结果为阳性,而Vimentin反应为阴性;细胞生长状态良好。(2)空白对照组、1、5及10μg·mL~(-1) MDP刺激组的BMEC生长状态良好,无任何肉眼可见变化;15μg·mL~(-1) MDP刺激组可见少量的BMEC脱落;而20μg·mL~(-1)MDP刺激组可见大量BMEC脱落,漂浮,且即使仍贴壁的细胞,其形态也发生了变化。(3)与空白对照组相比,各刺激组细胞NOD2 mRNA的表达量与MDP的刺激浓度呈正相关,即刺激时间为24 h时,随着MDP浓度的增加,BMEC中NOD2受体mRNA的表达量逐渐增加(P0.05)。【结论】成功获得了纯度较好的BMEC,该细胞生长状态良好,可以用于后续试验;虽然BMEC中NOD2受体mRNA的表达量与MDP的刺激浓度呈正相关,但在保持BMEC生长状态正常的前提下,MDP体外刺激浓度应控制在10μg·mL~(-1)以下。这些结果提示我们:当病原菌入侵乳腺时,BMEC可以通过NOD2受体途径参与免疫防御反应,但这种防御能力受细菌数量或毒力强度的影响。即在一定的细菌数量或毒力范围内,随着细菌数量的增加或毒力的增强,奶牛乳腺的免疫防御反应也增强,进而清除外来病原菌;而当细菌数量或毒力强度超过一定范围时,乳腺组织受到严重损伤,免疫防御屏障也随之崩溃,奶牛乳腺局部甚至全身将呈现出明显的临床症状。     

Distribution and identification of immunocytes in humanized SCID mouse model

AIM: Humanized-NOD/SCID(hu-NOD/SCID) mouse model was established and the level of immune reconstitution was assessed in this model. METHODS: Mononuclear cells (MNC) and CD34⁺ cells were isolated or sorted from cord blood(CB). Human CD45, CD19, CD3 markers on cells from NOD/SCID murine peripheral blood(PB), bone marrow(BM), thymus were detected by FCM from 4 to 10 weeks after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. After 10 weeks, the gene expressions of the human β₂M and RAG2 were detected by RT-PCR in PB or bone marrow of mice model. RESULTS: Human CD45, CD19, CD3 cells populations in PB and BM were found by flow cytometry in mice model transplanted with CD34+ cells or CB MNC from 4 to 10 weeks. The highest positivity of human lymphocytes was at 8 week after transplantation. The levels of human cell engraftment in mice transplanted with CD34⁺ cells were higher than those in mice transplanted with CB MNC. The mRNA of human β₂M and RAG2 were found by RT-PCR in BM.CONCLUSION: The higher level of human lymphocyte engraftment is established in NOD/SCID mouse model transplanted with CD34⁺ compared with CB MNC. The maturation of T lymphocytes could be happened in bone marrow of mice model.     

Inductive expression of the NOD1 signalling pathway in chickens infected with Salmonella pullorum

1. The aim of this study was to describe the role of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) receptor signalling in chicken.

2. Tissue-specific expression analysis of NOD1, receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2 (RIPK2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MAPK11 or p38) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed their wide distribution in various organs and tissues.

3. Salmonella pullorum infection activated NOD1 receptor signalling in vivo and in vitro, resulting in significant induction of downstream signalling molecules RIPK2, NF-κB/p65, MAPK11/p38 and the effector molecules IL-1b and IL-8.

4. Activation of NOD1 by its agonist bacterial γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (iE-DAP) in HD11 cells induced the adapter molecular RIPK2 and activated the NF-κB/p65 and MAPK11/p38 pathways, resulting in an increase in IL-8 but not IL-1β. Additionally, inhibition of NOD1 using NOD1-shRNA resulted in downregulation of RIPK2, MAPK11 and IL-8, while NF-κB/p65 and IL-1β were unaltered.

5. These results highlight the important role of NOD1 receptors in eliciting the innate immune response following pathogenic invasion in chicken.     

Evaluation of a recombinant measles virus expressing hepatitis C virus envelope proteins by infection of human PBL-NOD/Scid/Jak3null mouse

In this study, we infected NOD/Scid/Jak3null mice engrafted human peripheral blood leukocytes (hu-PBL-NOJ) with measles virus Edmonston B strain (MV-Edm) expressing hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope proteins (rMV-E1E2) to evaluate the immunogenicity as a vaccine candidate. Although human leukocytes could be isolated from the spleen of mock-infected mice during the 2-weeks experiment, the proportion of engrafted human leukocytes in mice infected with MV (10³–10⁵ pfu) or rMV-E1E2 (10⁴ pfu) was decreased. Viral infection of the splenocytes was confirmed by the development of cytopathic effects (CPEs) in co-cultures of splenocytes and B95a cells and verified using RT-PCR. Finally, human antibodies against MV were more frequently observed than E2-specific antibodies in serum from mice infected with a low dose of virus (MV, 10⁰–10¹ pfu, and rMV-E1E2, 10¹–10² pfu). These results showed the possibility of hu-PBL-NOJ mice for the evaluation of the immunogenicity of viral proteins.     

Cytosolic proteins NODs involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) proteins are members of a growing family of cytosolic factors related to the apoptosis regulator Apaf-1 and a class of plant disease resistance proteins. NOD proteins have been implicated in the induction of NF-κB activity and in the activation of caspases. Biochemical evidence has unraveled the role of NOD1 and NOD2 as intracellular sensors of bacterial peptidoglycan. Notably, genetic variation in the genes encoding the NOD proteins NOD2, cryopyrin and CⅡTA in humans is associated with inflammatory disease or increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. NOD proteins may be involved in the recognition of microorganisms and regulation of inflammatory responses.     

NOD8 inhibits autophagy in human pancreatic cancer cells and effect of apoptosis on autophagy regulatd by NOD8

AIM: To explore whether NOD8 inhibits autophagy in human pancreatic cancer cells and its underlying mechanisms, and to investigate the effect of apoptosis on the autophagy regulated by NOD8. METHODS: The empty plasmid pEGFP-C2 and recombinant plasmid pEGFP-NOD8 were transfected into the Panc-1 cells using JetPRIME reagent.The untransfected cells served as control group. The protein levels of NOD8, autophagy-related proteins beclin-1 and LC3-II, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway-related proteins Akt, p-Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR were determined by Western blot 48 h after transfection. Meanwhile, the number of LC3 spots was quantified by immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, after a broad caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was applied to NOD8-over-expressing cells, the protein expression levels of beclin-1 and LC3-II were detected by Western blot and the number of LC3 spots was observed by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The protein level of NOD8 in pEGFP-NOD8 group was significantly higher than that in control group and pEGFP-C2 group (P<0.01). The protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3-II, and the number of LC3 spots in pEGFP-NOD8 group were significantly decreased as compared with control group and pEGFP-C2 group. Moreover, the protein levels of p-AKT and p-mTOR in pEGFP-NOD8 group were higher than those in control group and pEGFP-C2 group, while no significant difference of mTOR and AKT protein expression was found among these 3 groups. Furthermore, the protein levels of beclin-1 and LC3-II, and the number of LC3 spots in pEGFP-NOD8+Z-VAD-FMK group were significantly increased compared with pEGFP-NOD8 group. CONCLUSION: NOD8 inhibits autophagy in the Panc-1 cells and its mechanism may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways. Apoptosis enhances the inhibitory effect of NOD8 on autophagy.     

NOD小鼠的遗传学特性和部分生物学特性观察

应用定期测定NOD小鼠的体重、血糖，统计繁殖特性，绘制生长曲线图，检测遗传位点，镜检病理学特征等方法，对NOD小鼠的遗传学特性和部分生物学特性进行了研究。结果显示：4－32周龄♀、♂小鼠有明显统计学差异（P＜0．01）。非糖尿病小鼠的受孕率为86．7％，而糖尿病小鼠的受孕率仅为53．3％，两组也差异显著（P＜0．05）。小鼠发病后体重随周龄的增长而急剧下降，至死亡时平均体重仅为发病前的60％。NOD（14♀）小鼠从发病到死亡的平均存活时间为22d。NOD小鼠只有在所有胰岛完全或近乎完全破坏时才发生糖尿病，若仍存有少量未萎缩的胰岛，其血糖水平维持于正常范围内。NOD小鼠在所检测的生化标志基因位点上，等位基因全部为纯合子，基因型一致，因某些位点不同程度地参与糖的代谢过程，可能导致糖尿病的发生。     

细胞内模式识别受体NOD2研究进展

NOD2蛋白是一种新发现的细胞内模式识别受体,可识别细菌细胞壁的肽聚糖及其裂解产物胞壁酰二肽,广泛参与宿主对病原体的免疫应答,是联系天然免疫与特异性免疫的重要桥梁。本文在查阅、总结近年来NOD2相关研究报道的基础上,介绍了NOD2识别的配体及识别方式、NOD2信号转导通路及信号转导调控,及与NOD2相关的肠道免疫损伤等方面的研究进展。     

Proinflammatory cytokine responses of cultured equine keratinocytes to bacterial pathogen‐associated molecular pattern motifs

Reasons for performing study: Further knowledge of equine keratinocyte physiology and keratinocyte response to various stimuli is important in developing a better understanding of disease states involving the epidermis. Objectives: To assess the inflammatory cytokine response of cultured equine keratinocytes to various pathogen‐associated molecular pattern molecules (PAMPs) from both Gram‐negative and positive bacteria likely to be present in equine sepsis. Methods: Keratinocytes were isolated from skin of 2 horses and primary cultures performed. Keratinocytes were harvested for RNA extraction after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), peptidoglycan (PGN), bacterial DNA (CpG), flagellin or maintained in medium (controls) for 4 or 24 h. Real time‐quantitative PCR was used to quantify interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and CXCL8 mRNA concentrations. Results: Increases (P<0.05) in IL‐1β, IL‐6 and CXCL8 mRNA concentrations were induced by LPS exposure compared to controls. Increased mRNA concentrations of both IL‐6 and CXCL8 were also noted (vs. controls) upon exposure to flagellin. Overall, responses were greater at 4 h. No increases (P>0.05) in cytokine expression by keratinocytes were present after LTA, PGN or CpG exposure. Conclusions: Increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in response to LPS and flagellin indicate that equine keratinocytes have functional TLR4 and TLR5 receptor signalling. However, the lack of keratinocyte stimulation by PGN, LTA or CpG provides no evidence for functional TLR2, TLR9 or NOD receptor signalling. These results suggest that equine keratinocytes are more responsive to PAMPs usually associated with Gram‐negative sepsis and unresponsive to PAMPs most commonly associated with Gram‐positive sepsis. Potential relevance: The increased incidence of injury of epidermal structures in clinical cases of Gram‐negative (vs. Gram‐positive) sepsis in the horse may be due to a lack of functional TLR signalling for Gram‐positive PAMPs in the equine keratinocyte.