Replication of neurovirulent equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) in CD172a+ monocytic cells

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is responsible for respiratory disorders, abortion and myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in horses. Two pathotypes of EHV-1 strains are circulating in the field: neurovirulent (N) and non-neurovirulent (NN). For both strains, CD172a⁺ monocytic cells are one of the main carrier cells of EHV-1 during primary infection, allowing the virus to invade the horse’s body. Recently, we showed that EHV-1 NN strains showed a restricted and delayed replication in CD172a⁺ cells. Here we characterize the in vitro replication kinetics of two EHV-1 N strains in CD172a⁺ cells and investigate if the replication of these strains is similarly silenced as shown for EHV-1 NN strains. We found that EHV-1 N replication was restricted to 7–8% in CD172a⁺ cells compared to 100% in control RK-13 cells. EHV-1 N replication was not delayed in CD172a⁺ cells but virus production was significant lower (10^3.0 TCID₅₀/10⁵ inoculated cells) than in RK-13 cells (10^8.5 TCID₅₀/10⁵ inoculated cells). Approximately 0.04% of CD172a⁺ cells produced and transmitted infectious EHV-1 to neighbour cells compared to 65% of RK-13 cells. Unlike what we observed for the NN strain, pretreatment of CD172a⁺ cells with histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACi) did not influence the replication of EHV-1 N strains in these cells. Overall, these results show that the EHV-1 replication of N strains in CD172a⁺ cells differs from that observed for NN strains, which may contribute to their different pathogeneses in vivo.     

浅谈强筋麦8901的优质选育技术与产业化开发

本文简要介绍了8901小麦选育与开发的背景概况，系统总结了8901小麦的选育条件、关键技术、品种特性与产业化开发方面的进展，并阐述了对8901小麦今后应重点加强的研究领域。     

水牛牛巴贝斯虫体外培养的研究：Ⅱ.冷冻血清的应用和筛选

应用冷冻血清对１株采自自然感染的水牛牛巴贝斯虫进行了长达７２ｄ的体外连续培养，共继代２０次，培养７２ｈ红细胞染虫率最高达１４．１％，平均为８％～１０％。培养２０ｄ和３０ｄ的牛巴贝斯虫经液氮保存复苏后，接种于去脾水牛犊均引发了严重的牛巴贝斯虫病，从而说明已建立了水牛牛巴贝斯虫的体外连续培养，且经培养后的牛巴贝斯虫致病力没有改变。本试验利用６头份的冷冻健康水牛血清同时进行培养，结果发现，并非所有的健康水牛血清均适合于体外培养牛巴贝斯虫。这一发现对建立水牛牛巴贝斯虫的体外培养和研究水牛牛巴贝斯虫病均具有重要意义     

Characterisation of energy-dependent efflux of imazalil and fenarimol in isolates of Penicillium italicum with a low,medium and high degree of resistance to DMI-fungicides

Differential accumulation of [¹⁴C]imazalil and [¹⁴C]fenarimol by germlings of wild-type and DMI-resistant isolates ofPenicillium italicum was studied at various pH values. At pH 7 and 8 the low-resistant isolate E_300–3 accumulated 22% and 35%, respectively, less imazalil than the wild-type isolate W₅. Imazalil accumulation at pH 5 and 6 was similar. Isolate E_300–3 also accumulated less fenarimol as compared with the wild-type isolate. This difference was much more obvious than for imazalil and was observed at all pH values tested. Differences in accumulation of both imazalil and fenarimol between low (E_300–3), medium (H₁₇) and high resistant (I₃₃) isolates were not observed. These results suggest that decreased accumulation of DMIs is responsible for a low level of resistance only and that additional mechanisms of resistance might operate in isolates with a medium and high degree of resistance. With all isolates fenarimol accumulation was energy-dependent. This was not obvious for imazalil.The wild-type and DMI-resistant isolates had a similar plasma membrane potential as determined with the probe [¹⁴C]tetraphenylphosphonium bromide ([¹⁴C]TPP⁺). Various test compounds, among which ATPase inhibitors, ionophoric antibiotics and calmodulin antagonists, affected the accumulation of [¹⁴C]TPP⁺, [¹⁴C]imazalil and [¹⁴C]fenarimol. No obvious correlation between the effects of the test compounds on accumulation levels of the fungicides and [¹⁴C]TPP⁺ could be observed. These results indicate that the plasma membrane potential does not mediate the efflux of DMI fungicides byP. italicum.     

Increased expression of CD40 ligand by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

AIM:To investigate expression and function of CD40 ligand by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).METHODS:Expression of CD40 ligand by PBMCs in patients with SLE and control were examined by flow cytometric analysis before and after stimulated by phytohemagglutinin(PHA)and depressed by Dexamethasone(Dex). The correlation between expression of CD40 ligand and SLE activity index(SLEDAI) was analysed in patients with SLE.RESULTS:The expression of CD40 ligand by PBMCs in patients with active SLE was higher than that in patients with inactive SLE and control. Though the expression of CD40 ligang by PBMCs could be stimulated by PHA in three groups, it was the highest in patients with active SLE. Dex depressed the expression of CD40 ligand by PBMCs significantly in patients with SLE, but not in control. There was high positive correlation between expression of CD40 ligand and SLEDAI in patients with active and inactive SLE.CONCLUSION:Increased expression of CD40L by PBMCs in patients with SLE may play an important role in pathogenesis of SLE.     

Study on adherent precursors from human cord blood

AIM: To confirm the existence of the endothelial progenitor cells in human cord blood and to study its differentiation and development process. METHODS: The mononuclear cells in human cord blood were isolated using lymphocyte separation solution. Then the mononuclear cells were cltured in MCDB131 containing 20% fetal bovine serum. The effects of 5 μmol/L dexamethasone, the extract from bovine brain, insulin and hypoxanine on the proliferation and differentiation of the adherent cells were observed. The morphology of the adherent cells were examined twice daily by inverted phase contrast microscope. CD34 and CD14 expression were determined by FACS. Immunohistochemistry was used to confirm the expression of factor Ⅷ. RESULTS: The proliferative endothelial progenitor cells existed within the CD34^-adherent mononuclear cells of human cord blood. Dexamethasone and hypoxanine decreased the number of spindle-shaped cells and caudated cells. Bovine brain extract, insulin and FCS enhanced the number of spindle-shaped cells and caudated cells. CONCLUSION: The existence of endothelial progenitor cells within the CD34 - adherent monouclear cells of the human cord blood was observed and these cells were able to differentiate into endothelial-like cells in vitro.     

Expression of CD44s in lung cancer and its significance

AIM: To investigate expression of CD44s in lung cancer and it's clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 117 primary lung cancer from patients were examined for CD44s expression by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: CD44s mostly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but not in small ecll lung cancer (SCLC), and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) showed much stronger expression of CD44s than adenocarcinoma(ADC)(P＜0.05). In comparison of the lung cancer with/ without lymph node metastasis, the latter showed stronger expression of CD44s(P＜0.01). According to TNM, there was a distinct statistic difference between early stage and advanced stage(P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: CD44s might be a better indicant in histological classification of lung cancer, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and prognosis.     

The ex vivo expansion characteristic of endothelial progenitor cells

AIM: To explore the ex vivo expansion characteristics of the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). METHODS: CD34⁺ cells were selected from umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC) by MiniMACS system, expanded at the same conditions as that for total MNC, coincubation of CD34⁺ and CD34^- from the same donation for EPCs. In addition, we tested the effect of vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and passage on cell differentiation, expansion kinetics and apoptosis. EPCs were determined and quantified by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Coculture of CD34⁺ and CD34^-,total MNC led to a significant increase in the expansion of CD34⁺ cells compared with CD34 enrichment (P＜0.05). There was a trend toward decreased apoptosis in cultures when early passage was performed once the linear cord like structures appeared. There was no significant effect on apoptosis between with VEGF and without VEGF group (P＞0.05). These differentiated EPCs were stained positive for CD34⁺, von Willebrand factor (vWF), KDR, CD31 and incorporate acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). CD34⁺ and AC133⁺cells accounted for 68.2%±6.3% (n=6) and 57.2%±9.8% (n=6) of attaching (AT) cells at day 7 of culture, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Coculture of CD34⁺ and CD34^- or culture of MNC enhances ex vivo expansion of EPCs. Early passage decreases apoptosis rate, VEGF has no significant effect on ex vivo expansion of EPCs.     

The molecular mechanism of inhibition of murine Lewis lung carcinoma metastasis by weimaining in vivo

AIM: To investigate the anti-metastasis effect of weimaining, extracted from fragopyrum cymosum meissn, a Chinese medicine, on murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL). METHODS: The anti-metastasis effect of weimaining in vivo was detected in the grafting lung metastasis model of murine Lewis lung carcinoma. The effects of the drug on the expression of CD34 and E-cadherin were investigated by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Weimaining effectively inhibited the lung metastasis of 3LL at a concentration of 250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, significantly suppressed the expression of CD34 and increased the expression levels of E-cadherin protein and mRNA in 3LL cells. CONCLUSIONS: Weimaining inhibits the metastasis of murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) in vivo via increasing the expression of E-cadherin and decreasing microvessel density of tumor tissue.