Numerous studies have shown that cell replacement therapy can replenish lost cells and rebuild neural circuitry in animal models of Parkinson’s disease.Transplantation of midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells is a p...Numerous studies have shown that cell replacement therapy can replenish lost cells and rebuild neural circuitry in animal models of Parkinson’s disease.Transplantation of midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells is a promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease.However,transplanted cells can be injured by mechanical damage during handling and by changes in the transplantation niche.Here,we developed a one-step biomanufacturing platform that uses small-aperture gelatin microcarriers to produce beads carrying midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells.These beads allow midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell differentiation and cryopreservation without digestion,effectively maintaining axonal integrity in vitro.Importantly,midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell bead grafts showed increased survival and only mild immunoreactivity in vivo compared with suspended midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell grafts.Overall,our findings show that these midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell beads enhance the effectiveness of neuronal cell transplantation.展开更多
Hereditary hearing loss(HHL),a genetic disorder that impairs auditory function,significantly affects quality of life and incurs substantial economic losses for society.To investigate the underlying causes of HHL and e...Hereditary hearing loss(HHL),a genetic disorder that impairs auditory function,significantly affects quality of life and incurs substantial economic losses for society.To investigate the underlying causes of HHL and evaluate therapeutic outcomes,appropriate animal models are necessary.Pigs have been extensively used as valuable large animal models in biomedical research.In this review,we highlight the advantages of pig models in terms of ear anatomy,inner ear morphology,and electrophysiological characteristics,as well as recent advancements in the development of distinct genetically modified porcine models of hearing loss.Additionally,we discuss the prospects,challenges,and recommendations regarding the use pig models in HHL research.Overall,this review provides insights and perspectives for future studies on HHL using porcine models.展开更多
Background: Mucosal-associated invariant T(MAIT) cells are systemically depleted in human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) infected patients and are not replenished even after successful combined antiretroviral th...Background: Mucosal-associated invariant T(MAIT) cells are systemically depleted in human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) infected patients and are not replenished even after successful combined antiretroviral therapy(cART).This study aimed to identify the mechanism underlying MAIT cell depletion.Methods: In the present study, we applied flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical staining to evaluate the characteristics of pyroptotic MAIT cells in a total of 127 HIV-1 infected individuals, including 69 treatment-naive patients, 28 complete responders, 15 immunological non-responders, and 15 elite controllers, at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.Results: Single-cell transcriptomic profiles revealed that circulating MAIT cells from HIV-1 infected subjects were highly activated, with upregulation of pyroptosis-related genes. Further analysis revealed that increased frequencies of pyroptotic MAIT cells correlated with markers of systemic T-cell activation, microbial translocation, and intestinal damage in cART-naive patients and poor CD4+ T-cell recovery in long-term cART patients. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that MAIT cells in the gut mucosa of HIV-1 infected patients exhibited a strong active gasdermin-D(GSDMD, marker of pyroptosis) signal near the cavity side, suggesting that these MAIT cells underwent active pyroptosis in the colorectal mucosa. Increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-12(IL-12) and IL-18 were observed in HIV-1 infected patients. In addition, activated MAIT cells exhibited an increased pyroptotic phenotype after being triggered by HIV-1 virions, T-cell receptor signals, IL-12 plus IL-18, and combinations of these factors, in vitro.Conclusions: Activation-induced MAIT cell pyroptosis contributes to the loss of MAIT cells in HIV-1 infected patients,which could potentiate disease progression and poor immune reconstitution.展开更多
Three new heptelidic acid derivatives(1-3)including two new dimeric esters and two known heptelidic acid analogues(4 and 5)were isolated from the solid culture of mushroom Lentinellus ursinus.The structures of new com...Three new heptelidic acid derivatives(1-3)including two new dimeric esters and two known heptelidic acid analogues(4 and 5)were isolated from the solid culture of mushroom Lentinellus ursinus.The structures of new compounds were confirmed by the analysis of NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic data.The biosynthetic origin of compounds 1-5 was postulated.Compounds 1-5 exhibited no antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at the dose of 100 μM.展开更多
The initial case of atypical pneumonia occurred in Wuhan,Hubei Province at the end of 2019 caused by a novel coronavirus,soon it broke out all over the country beyond our imagination.For the very beginning of the brea...The initial case of atypical pneumonia occurred in Wuhan,Hubei Province at the end of 2019 caused by a novel coronavirus,soon it broke out all over the country beyond our imagination.For the very beginning of the break-out,we were lack of acknowledge of the newly disease,but with the further researches go,we intend to know the virus and disease better in every aspect.In this review we focus on the recent paper have been published online about epidemiology,clinical characteristics and therapy,which might help doctors to have a better understanding of the very disease.展开更多
Dysregulation of gut homeostasis is associated with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 11.2%of the global population.The poorly understood pathogenesis...Dysregulation of gut homeostasis is associated with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 11.2%of the global population.The poorly understood pathogenesis of IBS has impeded its treatment.Here,we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif-containing 27(TRIM27)is weakly expressed in IBS but highly expressed in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),a frequent chronic organic gastrointestinal disorder.Accordingly,knockout of Trim27 in mice causes spontaneously occurring IBS-like symptoms,including increased visceral hyperalgesia and abnormal stool features,as observed in IBS patients.Mechanistically,TRIM27 stabilizesβ-catenin and thus activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote intestinal stem cell(ISC)self-renewal.Consistent with these findings,Trim27 deficiency disrupts organoid formation,which is rescued by reintroducing TRIM27 orβ-catenin.Furthermore,Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator treatment ameliorates IBS symptoms by promoting ISC self-renewal.Taken together,these data indicate that TRIM27 is critical for maintaining gut homeostasis,suggesting that targeting the TRIM27/Wnt/β-catenin axis could be a potential treatment strategy for IBS.Our study also indicates that TRIM27 might serve as a potential biomarker for differentiating IBS from IBD.展开更多
With continuous mutations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),the severe immune escape of Omicron sub-variants urges the development of next-generation broad-spectrum vaccines,especially as ...With continuous mutations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),the severe immune escape of Omicron sub-variants urges the development of next-generation broad-spectrum vaccines,especially as booster jabs after high-level vaccination coverage of inactivated vaccines in China and many other countries.Previously,we developed a coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)protein subunit vaccine ZF2001?based on the tandem homo-prototype receptor-binding domain(RBD)-dimer of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.We upgraded the antigen into a hetero-chimeric prototype(PT)-Beta or Delta-BA.1 RBD-dimer to broaden the cross-protection efficacy and prove its efficiency with protein subunit and mRNA vaccine platforms.Herein,we further explored the hetero-chimeric RBD-dimer mRNA vaccines and evaluated their broad-spectrum activities as booster jabs following two doses of inactivated vaccine(Ⅳ)in mice.Our data demonstrated that the chi-meric vaccines significantly boosted neutralizing antibody levels and specific T-cell responses against the vari-ants,and PT-Beta was superior to Delta-BA.1 RBD as a booster in mice,shedding light on the antigen design for the next-generation COVID-19 vaccines.展开更多
Interactions between gut microbiome and host immune system are fundamental to maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier and homeostasis.At the host-gut microbiome interface,cell wall-derived molecules from gut commen...Interactions between gut microbiome and host immune system are fundamental to maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier and homeostasis.At the host-gut microbiome interface,cell wall-derived molecules from gut commensal bacteria have been reported to play a pivotal role in training and remodeling host immune responses.In this article,we review gut bacterial cell wall-derived molecules with characterized chemical structures,including peptidoglycan and lipid-related molecules that impact host health and disease processes via regulating innate and adaptive immunity.Also,we aim to discuss the structures,immune responses,and underlying mechanisms of these immunogenic molecules.Based on current advances,we propose cell wall-derived components as important sources of medicinal agents for the treatment of infection and immune diseases.展开更多
Dear Editor,Migrasomes are newly discovered cellular organelles with diameters of 0.5–3μm which have been found to be produced by normal and cancer cells,and distributed in various organs of animals(Ma et al.,2015)a...Dear Editor,Migrasomes are newly discovered cellular organelles with diameters of 0.5–3μm which have been found to be produced by normal and cancer cells,and distributed in various organs of animals(Ma et al.,2015)and in human sera(Zhao et al.,2019).Migrasomes are present inside the cavities of pulmonary alveoli,blood vessels and lymph capillaries(Zhang et al.,2020),and can be captured by surrounding cells with their cargoes internalized.展开更多
Bone homeostasis is maintained by the balance between osteoblastic bone formation and osteoclastic bone resorption.Dysregulation of this process leads to multiple diseases,including osteoporosis.However,the underlying...Bone homeostasis is maintained by the balance between osteoblastic bone formation and osteoclastic bone resorption.Dysregulation of this process leads to multiple diseases,including osteoporosis.However,the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.Here,we show that the global and conditional osteoblast knockout of a deubiquitinase Otub1 result in low bone mass and poor bone strength due to defects in osteogenic differentiation and mineralization.Mechanistically,the stability of FGFR2,a crucial regulator of osteogenesis,is maintained by OTUB1.OTUB1 attenuates the E3 ligase SMURF1-mediated FGFR2 ubiquitination by inhibiting SMURF1’s E2 binding.In the absence of OTUB1,FGFR2 is ubiquitinated excessively by SMURF1,followed by lysosomal degradation.Consistently,adeno-associated virus serotype 9(AAV9)-delivered FGFR2 in knee joints rescued the bone mass loss in osteoblast-specific Otub1-deleted mice.Moreover,Otub1 mRNA level was significantly downregulated in bones from osteoporotic mice,and restoring OTUB1 levels through an AAV9-delivered system in ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic mice attenuated osteopenia.Taken together,our results suggest that OTUB1 positively regulates osteogenic differentiation and mineralization in bone homeostasis by controlling FGFR2 stability,which provides an optical therapeutic strategy to alleviate osteoporosis.展开更多
Tyrosine-decahydrofluorene derivatives are a class of hybrid compounds that integrate the properties of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides.These compounds feature a[6.5.6]tricarbocyclic core and a para-cyclophane e...Tyrosine-decahydrofluorene derivatives are a class of hybrid compounds that integrate the properties of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides.These compounds feature a[6.5.6]tricarbocyclic core and a para-cyclophane ether moiety in their structures and exhibit anti-tumor and anti-microbial activities.In this study,we constructed the biosynthetic pathway of xenoacremones from Xenoacremonium sinensis ML-31 in the Aspergillus nidulans host,resulting in the identification of four novel tyrosine-decahydrofluorene analogs,xenoacremones I–L(1-4),along with two known analogs,xenoacremones A and B.Remarkably,compounds 3 and 4 contained a 12-membered para-cyclophane ring system,which is unprecedented among tyrosine-decahydrofluorene analogs in X.sinensis.The successful reconstruction of the biosynthetic pathway and the discovery of novel analogs demonstrate the utility of heterologous expression strategy for the generation of structurally diverse natural products with potential biological activities.展开更多
Uncovering gene regulatory networks is vital for identifying core regulators,understanding disease progression mechanisms,and identifying potential therapeutic targets,in which large amounts of transcriptome data are ...Uncovering gene regulatory networks is vital for identifying core regulators,understanding disease progression mechanisms,and identifying potential therapeutic targets,in which large amounts of transcriptome data are required.However,most research projects face limitations in obtaining only limited data,constrained by factors such as individual heterogeneity and sequencing technology.展开更多
Characterization of filamentous fungal regulatory elements remains challenging because of time-consuming transformation technologies and limited quantitative methods.Here we established a method for quantitative asses...Characterization of filamentous fungal regulatory elements remains challenging because of time-consuming transformation technologies and limited quantitative methods.Here we established a method for quantitative assessment of filamentous fungal promoters based on flow cytometry detection of the superfolder green fluorescent protein at single-cell resolution.Using this quantitative method,we acquired a library of 93 native promoter elements from Aspergillus nidulans in a high-throughput format.The strengths of identified promoters covered a 37-fold range by flow cytometry.P_(zipA) and P_(sltA)were identified as the strongest promoters,which were 2.9-and 1.5-fold higher than that of the commonly used constitutive promoter P_(gpdA).Thus,we applied P_(zipA)and P_(sltA)to activate the silent nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene Afpes1 from Aspergillus fumigatus in its native host and the heterologous host A.nidulans.The metabolic products of Afpes1 were identified as new cyclic tetrapeptide derivatives,namely,fumiganins A and B.Our method provides an innovative strategy for natural product discovery in fungi.展开更多
Salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) is a member of the AMP-activated serine/threonine kinase family. It has been reported that inhibition of SIK2 can enhance the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel,1 promote premitotic apoptosis, a...Salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) is a member of the AMP-activated serine/threonine kinase family. It has been reported that inhibition of SIK2 can enhance the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel,1 promote premitotic apoptosis, and lead to cell cycle arrest in the metaphase.2 Thus, targeting SIK2 may be a therapeutic strategy for cancers drug and radiotherapy resistance. Mitotic catastrophe is a type of abnormal mitosis leading to cell death characterized by the multipolar spindle and multinucleation, which was first discovered during an ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell damage.3 However, the mechanism of mitotic catastrophe is not well understood. The present study aimed to assess the effect of the knockdown of SIK2 on IR-induced mitotic catastrophe.展开更多
Dear Editor,The placenta connecting the fetus to the matermal uterus provides material exchange and an immune-tolerant environment for the embryo in all eutherian mammals(Shao et al.,2022).The representative mouse pla...Dear Editor,The placenta connecting the fetus to the matermal uterus provides material exchange and an immune-tolerant environment for the embryo in all eutherian mammals(Shao et al.,2022).The representative mouse placenta displays a multilayered structure with distinct characteristics and functions,including the matermal decidua,junctional zone,and labyrinth layer(Marsh and Blelloch,2020).The decidua,which is thought to be derived from the matermal endometrium(and further undergoes decidualization),provides an anchor for fetal trophoblast invasion.The junctional zone predominantly contains spongiotrophoblasts(SpT),glycogen trophoblasts(GlyT),and trophoblast giant cells(TGCs).The labyrinth is the innermost two-layer structure,which mainly consists of syncytiotrophoblast cells(SynTI and SynTII),sinusoidal TGCs(S-TGCs),and fetal endothelial cells(Simmons and Cross,2005).展开更多
Current influenza vaccines need to be updated annually owing to constant antigenic drift in the globular head of the viral surface hemagglutinin(HA)glycoprotein.The immunogenic subdominant stem domain of HA is highly ...Current influenza vaccines need to be updated annually owing to constant antigenic drift in the globular head of the viral surface hemagglutinin(HA)glycoprotein.The immunogenic subdominant stem domain of HA is highly conserved and can be recognized by antibodies capable of binding multiple HA subtypes.Therefore,the HA stem antigen is a promising target for the design of universal influenza vaccines.On the basis of an established lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA vaccine platform,we designed and developed a novel universal influenza mRNA vaccine(mHAs)encoding the HA stem antigen of the influenza A(H1N1)virus.We tested the efficacy of the mHAs vaccine using a mouse model.The vaccine induced robust humoral and specific cellular immune responses against the stem region of HA.Importantly,two doses of the mHAs vaccine fully protected mice from lethal challenges of the heterologous H1N1 and heterosubtypic H5N8 influenza viruses.Vacci-nated mice had less pathological lung damage and lower viral titers than control mice.These results suggest that an mRNA vaccine using the conserved stem region of HA may provide effective protection against seasonal and other possible influenza variants.展开更多
Current attempts in vaccine delivery systems concentrate on replicating the natural dissemination of live pathogens,but neglect that pathogens evolve to evade the immune system rather than to provoke it.In the case of...Current attempts in vaccine delivery systems concentrate on replicating the natural dissemination of live pathogens,but neglect that pathogens evolve to evade the immune system rather than to provoke it.In the case of enveloped RNA viruses,it is the natural dissemination of nucleocapsid protein(NP,core antigen)and surface antigen that delays NP exposure to immune surveillance.Here,we report a multi-layered aluminum hydroxide-stabilized emulsion(MASE)to dictate the delivery sequence of the antigens.In this manner,the receptor-binding domain(RBD,surface antigen)of the spike protein was trapped inside the nanocavity,while NP was absorbed on the outside of the droplets,enabling the burst release of NP before RBD.Compared with the natural packaging strategy,the inside-out strategy induced potent type I interferon-mediated innate immune responses and triggered an immune-potentiated environment in advance,which subsequently boosted CD40+DC activations and the engagement of the lymph nodes.In both H1N1 influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines,rMASE significantly increased antigen-specific antibody secretion,memory T cell engagement,and Th1-biased immune response,which diminished viral loads after lethal challenge.By simply reversing the delivery sequence of the surface antigen and core antigen,the inside-out strategy may offer major implications for enhanced vaccinations against the enveloped RNA virus.展开更多
The major innate immune cell types involved in tuberculosis(TB)infection are macrophages,dendritic cells(DCs),neutrophils and natural killer(NK)cells.These immune cells recognize the TB-causing pathogen Mycobacterium ...The major innate immune cell types involved in tuberculosis(TB)infection are macrophages,dendritic cells(DCs),neutrophils and natural killer(NK)cells.These immune cells recognize the TB-causing pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)through various pattern recognition receptors(PRRs),including but not limited to Toll-like receptors(TLRs),Nod-like receptors(NLRs)and C-type lectin receptors(CLRs).Upon infection by Mtb,the host orchestrates multiple signaling cascades via the PRRs to launch a variety of innate immune defense functions such as phagocytosis,autophagy,apoptosis and inflammasome activation.In contrast,Mtb utilizes numerous exquisite strategies to evade or circumvent host innate immunity.Here we discuss recent research on major host innate immune cells,PRR signaling,and the cellular functions involved in Mtb infection,with a specific focus on the host’s innate immune defense and Mtb immune evasion.A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host–pathogen interactions could provide a rational basis for the development of effective anti-TB therapeutics.展开更多
Laccases, multicopper oxidoreductases, are mainly produced in white-rot fungi and are considered as ideal green catalysts in industrial and biotechnological applications. However, the development of laccases is limite...Laccases, multicopper oxidoreductases, are mainly produced in white-rot fungi and are considered as ideal green catalysts in industrial and biotechnological applications. However, the development of laccases is limited due to the slow growth of natural laccase producing strains and the low expression levels of laccases. In this study, we designed three regulation strategies for laccase gene expression in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. By introducing various promoters in front of the laccase gene pslcc from the white-rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus, we found that the laccase gene with the original promoter had effective expression in A. nidulans. Using the previously identified transcription factor RsmA regulatory mechanism, the aflR promoter was inserted into the pslcc expression vectors, and the laccase production was 15-fold higher in the strain overexpressing of RsmA compared to the control strain. To improve the laccase yield, the dipeptidyl-peptidase DppV, aspartic protease PepA and mannosyltransferase Mnn9 were successfully deleted in the A. nidulans host. The laccase activities were increased approximately 8-fold and 13-fold in the double deletions strains of Δmnn9ΔpepA and ΔdppVΔpepA over the control strains, respectively.Taken together, these results not only demonstrate an efficient system for heterologous protein production in the model fungus A.nidulans but also provide a general approach to applying regulatory methods to control gene expression.展开更多
Inulin has been used as a prebiotic to alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in mice and humans by modulating the gut microbiota. However, the mechanism underlying the alleviation of metabolic disorders by ...Inulin has been used as a prebiotic to alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in mice and humans by modulating the gut microbiota. However, the mechanism underlying the alleviation of metabolic disorders by inulin through interactions between the gut microbiota and host cells is unclear. We use ob/ob mice as a model to study the effect of inulin on the cecal microbiota by16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and its interaction with host cells by transcriptomics. The inulin-supplemented diet improved glucose and lipid metabolism disorder parameters in ob/ob mice,alleviating fat accumulation and glucose intolerance. The a diversity of gut microbial community of ob/ob mice was reduced after inulin treatment, while the b diversity tended to return to the level of wild type mice. Interestingly, Prevotellaceae UCG 001(family Prevotellaceae) was obviously enriched after inulin treatment. A comparative analysis of the gene expression profile showed that the cecal transcriptome was changed in leptin gene deficiency mice, whereas the inulin-supplemented diet partially reversed the changes in leptin gene-related signaling pathways, especially AMPK signaling pathway, where the levels of gene expression became comparable to those in wild type mice.Further analysis indicated that Prevotellaceae UCG 001 was positively correlated with the AMPK signaling pathway, which was negatively correlated with markers of glycolipid metabolism disorders. Our results suggest that the inulin-supplemented diet alleviates glucose and lipid metabolism disorders by partially restoring leptin related pathways mediated by gut microbiota.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China,Nos.2017YFE0122900(to BH),2019YFA0110800(to WL),2019YFA0903802(to YW),2021YFA1101604(to LW),2018YFA0108502(to LF),and 2020YFA0804003(to JW)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.31621004(to WL,BH)and 31970821(to YW)+1 种基金CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research,No.YSBR-041(to YW)Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.U21A20396(to BH)。
文摘Numerous studies have shown that cell replacement therapy can replenish lost cells and rebuild neural circuitry in animal models of Parkinson’s disease.Transplantation of midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells is a promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease.However,transplanted cells can be injured by mechanical damage during handling and by changes in the transplantation niche.Here,we developed a one-step biomanufacturing platform that uses small-aperture gelatin microcarriers to produce beads carrying midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells.These beads allow midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell differentiation and cryopreservation without digestion,effectively maintaining axonal integrity in vitro.Importantly,midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell bead grafts showed increased survival and only mild immunoreactivity in vivo compared with suspended midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell grafts.Overall,our findings show that these midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cell beads enhance the effectiveness of neuronal cell transplantation.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA0805902,2022YFF0710703)National Natural Science Foundation of China (32201257)+1 种基金Science and Technology Innovation Project of Xiongan New Area (2022XAGG0121)Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by the China Association for Science and Technology (2019QNRC001)。
文摘Hereditary hearing loss(HHL),a genetic disorder that impairs auditory function,significantly affects quality of life and incurs substantial economic losses for society.To investigate the underlying causes of HHL and evaluate therapeutic outcomes,appropriate animal models are necessary.Pigs have been extensively used as valuable large animal models in biomedical research.In this review,we highlight the advantages of pig models in terms of ear anatomy,inner ear morphology,and electrophysiological characteristics,as well as recent advancements in the development of distinct genetically modified porcine models of hearing loss.Additionally,we discuss the prospects,challenges,and recommendations regarding the use pig models in HHL research.Overall,this review provides insights and perspectives for future studies on HHL using porcine models.
基金supported by the Peking University Clinical Scientist Program Special(BMU2019LCKXJ013)the National Natural Science Foundation Innovation Research Group Project(81721002)+2 种基金the Sanming Project of Medicine Project in Shenzhen(SZSM201612014)the Yunnan Applied Basic Research Projects-Union Foundation by Yunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology and Kunming Medical University(202001AY070001-154)the Scientific Research Fund of Education Department of Yunnan Province(2021J0297)。
文摘Background: Mucosal-associated invariant T(MAIT) cells are systemically depleted in human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) infected patients and are not replenished even after successful combined antiretroviral therapy(cART).This study aimed to identify the mechanism underlying MAIT cell depletion.Methods: In the present study, we applied flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical staining to evaluate the characteristics of pyroptotic MAIT cells in a total of 127 HIV-1 infected individuals, including 69 treatment-naive patients, 28 complete responders, 15 immunological non-responders, and 15 elite controllers, at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.Results: Single-cell transcriptomic profiles revealed that circulating MAIT cells from HIV-1 infected subjects were highly activated, with upregulation of pyroptosis-related genes. Further analysis revealed that increased frequencies of pyroptotic MAIT cells correlated with markers of systemic T-cell activation, microbial translocation, and intestinal damage in cART-naive patients and poor CD4+ T-cell recovery in long-term cART patients. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that MAIT cells in the gut mucosa of HIV-1 infected patients exhibited a strong active gasdermin-D(GSDMD, marker of pyroptosis) signal near the cavity side, suggesting that these MAIT cells underwent active pyroptosis in the colorectal mucosa. Increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-12(IL-12) and IL-18 were observed in HIV-1 infected patients. In addition, activated MAIT cells exhibited an increased pyroptotic phenotype after being triggered by HIV-1 virions, T-cell receptor signals, IL-12 plus IL-18, and combinations of these factors, in vitro.Conclusions: Activation-induced MAIT cell pyroptosis contributes to the loss of MAIT cells in HIV-1 infected patients,which could potentiate disease progression and poor immune reconstitution.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21472233 and 81673334).
文摘Three new heptelidic acid derivatives(1-3)including two new dimeric esters and two known heptelidic acid analogues(4 and 5)were isolated from the solid culture of mushroom Lentinellus ursinus.The structures of new compounds were confirmed by the analysis of NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic data.The biosynthetic origin of compounds 1-5 was postulated.Compounds 1-5 exhibited no antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at the dose of 100 μM.
文摘The initial case of atypical pneumonia occurred in Wuhan,Hubei Province at the end of 2019 caused by a novel coronavirus,soon it broke out all over the country beyond our imagination.For the very beginning of the break-out,we were lack of acknowledge of the newly disease,but with the further researches go,we intend to know the virus and disease better in every aspect.In this review we focus on the recent paper have been published online about epidemiology,clinical characteristics and therapy,which might help doctors to have a better understanding of the very disease.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Project of China(2021YFA1300200 to CHL and LZ,2022YFC2302900 to CHL and JW)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81825014 to CHL,31830003 to CHL,82022041 to JW and 81871616 to JW)+2 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB29020000 to CHL)Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS(2018118 to JW)the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics(SKLP-K202001 to LZ and SKLPO202003 to JW).
文摘Dysregulation of gut homeostasis is associated with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 11.2%of the global population.The poorly understood pathogenesis of IBS has impeded its treatment.Here,we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif-containing 27(TRIM27)is weakly expressed in IBS but highly expressed in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),a frequent chronic organic gastrointestinal disorder.Accordingly,knockout of Trim27 in mice causes spontaneously occurring IBS-like symptoms,including increased visceral hyperalgesia and abnormal stool features,as observed in IBS patients.Mechanistically,TRIM27 stabilizesβ-catenin and thus activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote intestinal stem cell(ISC)self-renewal.Consistent with these findings,Trim27 deficiency disrupts organoid formation,which is rescued by reintroducing TRIM27 orβ-catenin.Furthermore,Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator treatment ameliorates IBS symptoms by promoting ISC self-renewal.Taken together,these data indicate that TRIM27 is critical for maintaining gut homeostasis,suggesting that targeting the TRIM27/Wnt/β-catenin axis could be a potential treatment strategy for IBS.Our study also indicates that TRIM27 might serve as a potential biomarker for differentiating IBS from IBD.
基金This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(grant number XDB29040203)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(grant number 2021YFA1301404 and 2020YFA0907102)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers 82225021 and 32171428)In addition,Qihui Wang was supported by the CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(grant number YSBR-010)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the CAS(grant number Y2022037).We thank Professor Xiao Zhao from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology for sharing the LNP encapsulation and DLS platforms.We thank Dr.Kun Xu for his help during the revision of this manuscript.We thank Linjie Li for sharing recombinant RBD proteins.We thank the Institutional Center for Shared Technology and Facilitates in the Institute of Microbiology,CAS,and the Institute of Zoology,CAS.
文摘With continuous mutations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),the severe immune escape of Omicron sub-variants urges the development of next-generation broad-spectrum vaccines,especially as booster jabs after high-level vaccination coverage of inactivated vaccines in China and many other countries.Previously,we developed a coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)protein subunit vaccine ZF2001?based on the tandem homo-prototype receptor-binding domain(RBD)-dimer of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.We upgraded the antigen into a hetero-chimeric prototype(PT)-Beta or Delta-BA.1 RBD-dimer to broaden the cross-protection efficacy and prove its efficiency with protein subunit and mRNA vaccine platforms.Herein,we further explored the hetero-chimeric RBD-dimer mRNA vaccines and evaluated their broad-spectrum activities as booster jabs following two doses of inactivated vaccine(Ⅳ)in mice.Our data demonstrated that the chi-meric vaccines significantly boosted neutralizing antibody levels and specific T-cell responses against the vari-ants,and PT-Beta was superior to Delta-BA.1 RBD as a booster in mice,shedding light on the antigen design for the next-generation COVID-19 vaccines.
基金The work was financially supported by a grant from National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFA1304200).
文摘Interactions between gut microbiome and host immune system are fundamental to maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier and homeostasis.At the host-gut microbiome interface,cell wall-derived molecules from gut commensal bacteria have been reported to play a pivotal role in training and remodeling host immune responses.In this article,we review gut bacterial cell wall-derived molecules with characterized chemical structures,including peptidoglycan and lipid-related molecules that impact host health and disease processes via regulating innate and adaptive immunity.Also,we aim to discuss the structures,immune responses,and underlying mechanisms of these immunogenic molecules.Based on current advances,we propose cell wall-derived components as important sources of medicinal agents for the treatment of infection and immune diseases.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970172 and 82171736)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC2304300)。
文摘Dear Editor,Migrasomes are newly discovered cellular organelles with diameters of 0.5–3μm which have been found to be produced by normal and cancer cells,and distributed in various organs of animals(Ma et al.,2015)and in human sera(Zhao et al.,2019).Migrasomes are present inside the cavities of pulmonary alveoli,blood vessels and lymph capillaries(Zhang et al.,2020),and can be captured by surrounding cells with their cargoes internalized.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Project of China (2021YFA1300200)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021T140797)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82192881,81825014,31830003,32201023,81900765)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB29020000)the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics (SKLP-K202001).
文摘Bone homeostasis is maintained by the balance between osteoblastic bone formation and osteoclastic bone resorption.Dysregulation of this process leads to multiple diseases,including osteoporosis.However,the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.Here,we show that the global and conditional osteoblast knockout of a deubiquitinase Otub1 result in low bone mass and poor bone strength due to defects in osteogenic differentiation and mineralization.Mechanistically,the stability of FGFR2,a crucial regulator of osteogenesis,is maintained by OTUB1.OTUB1 attenuates the E3 ligase SMURF1-mediated FGFR2 ubiquitination by inhibiting SMURF1’s E2 binding.In the absence of OTUB1,FGFR2 is ubiquitinated excessively by SMURF1,followed by lysosomal degradation.Consistently,adeno-associated virus serotype 9(AAV9)-delivered FGFR2 in knee joints rescued the bone mass loss in osteoblast-specific Otub1-deleted mice.Moreover,Otub1 mRNA level was significantly downregulated in bones from osteoporotic mice,and restoring OTUB1 levels through an AAV9-delivered system in ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic mice attenuated osteopenia.Taken together,our results suggest that OTUB1 positively regulates osteogenic differentiation and mineralization in bone homeostasis by controlling FGFR2 stability,which provides an optical therapeutic strategy to alleviate osteoporosis.
基金supported by the the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFC2300400)the Biological Resources Program,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KFJ-BRP-009)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.ZDBS-LY-SM016).
文摘Tyrosine-decahydrofluorene derivatives are a class of hybrid compounds that integrate the properties of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides.These compounds feature a[6.5.6]tricarbocyclic core and a para-cyclophane ether moiety in their structures and exhibit anti-tumor and anti-microbial activities.In this study,we constructed the biosynthetic pathway of xenoacremones from Xenoacremonium sinensis ML-31 in the Aspergillus nidulans host,resulting in the identification of four novel tyrosine-decahydrofluorene analogs,xenoacremones I–L(1-4),along with two known analogs,xenoacremones A and B.Remarkably,compounds 3 and 4 contained a 12-membered para-cyclophane ring system,which is unprecedented among tyrosine-decahydrofluorene analogs in X.sinensis.The successful reconstruction of the biosynthetic pathway and the discovery of novel analogs demonstrate the utility of heterologous expression strategy for the generation of structurally diverse natural products with potential biological activities.
文摘Uncovering gene regulatory networks is vital for identifying core regulators,understanding disease progression mechanisms,and identifying potential therapeutic targets,in which large amounts of transcriptome data are required.However,most research projects face limitations in obtaining only limited data,constrained by factors such as individual heterogeneity and sequencing technology.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0907800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31861133004,81872771)+2 种基金the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,CAS(ZDBS-LY-SM016)the Biological Resources Programme,Chinese Academy of Sciences(KFJBRP-009-005)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(YJ20200201,2020M680720,2022T150689)。
文摘Characterization of filamentous fungal regulatory elements remains challenging because of time-consuming transformation technologies and limited quantitative methods.Here we established a method for quantitative assessment of filamentous fungal promoters based on flow cytometry detection of the superfolder green fluorescent protein at single-cell resolution.Using this quantitative method,we acquired a library of 93 native promoter elements from Aspergillus nidulans in a high-throughput format.The strengths of identified promoters covered a 37-fold range by flow cytometry.P_(zipA) and P_(sltA)were identified as the strongest promoters,which were 2.9-and 1.5-fold higher than that of the commonly used constitutive promoter P_(gpdA).Thus,we applied P_(zipA)and P_(sltA)to activate the silent nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene Afpes1 from Aspergillus fumigatus in its native host and the heterologous host A.nidulans.The metabolic products of Afpes1 were identified as new cyclic tetrapeptide derivatives,namely,fumiganins A and B.Our method provides an innovative strategy for natural product discovery in fungi.
基金funded by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31470827,81773359,82073488,31870847 and 3127894).
文摘Salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) is a member of the AMP-activated serine/threonine kinase family. It has been reported that inhibition of SIK2 can enhance the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel,1 promote premitotic apoptosis, and lead to cell cycle arrest in the metaphase.2 Thus, targeting SIK2 may be a therapeutic strategy for cancers drug and radiotherapy resistance. Mitotic catastrophe is a type of abnormal mitosis leading to cell death characterized by the multipolar spindle and multinucleation, which was first discovered during an ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell damage.3 However, the mechanism of mitotic catastrophe is not well understood. The present study aimed to assess the effect of the knockdown of SIK2 on IR-induced mitotic catastrophe.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFE0201100 to Lw.,2019YFA0110901 to G.F,2022YFA1104101 to GF,2022YFA1104300 to CL.)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,CAS(2019084 to GF),informatization Plan of Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS-Wx20215F-0101 to GF)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31972895 toLw).
文摘Dear Editor,The placenta connecting the fetus to the matermal uterus provides material exchange and an immune-tolerant environment for the embryo in all eutherian mammals(Shao et al.,2022).The representative mouse placenta displays a multilayered structure with distinct characteristics and functions,including the matermal decidua,junctional zone,and labyrinth layer(Marsh and Blelloch,2020).The decidua,which is thought to be derived from the matermal endometrium(and further undergoes decidualization),provides an anchor for fetal trophoblast invasion.The junctional zone predominantly contains spongiotrophoblasts(SpT),glycogen trophoblasts(GlyT),and trophoblast giant cells(TGCs).The labyrinth is the innermost two-layer structure,which mainly consists of syncytiotrophoblast cells(SynTI and SynTII),sinusoidal TGCs(S-TGCs),and fetal endothelial cells(Simmons and Cross,2005).
基金supported by the Key Collaborative Research Program of the 14 Alliance of International Science Organ-izations(Grant No.ANSO‐CR‐SP‐2020‐05)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32170068).
文摘Current influenza vaccines need to be updated annually owing to constant antigenic drift in the globular head of the viral surface hemagglutinin(HA)glycoprotein.The immunogenic subdominant stem domain of HA is highly conserved and can be recognized by antibodies capable of binding multiple HA subtypes.Therefore,the HA stem antigen is a promising target for the design of universal influenza vaccines.On the basis of an established lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated mRNA vaccine platform,we designed and developed a novel universal influenza mRNA vaccine(mHAs)encoding the HA stem antigen of the influenza A(H1N1)virus.We tested the efficacy of the mHAs vaccine using a mouse model.The vaccine induced robust humoral and specific cellular immune responses against the stem region of HA.Importantly,two doses of the mHAs vaccine fully protected mice from lethal challenges of the heterologous H1N1 and heterosubtypic H5N8 influenza viruses.Vacci-nated mice had less pathological lung damage and lower viral titers than control mice.These results suggest that an mRNA vaccine using the conserved stem region of HA may provide effective protection against seasonal and other possible influenza variants.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFE020527,2021YFC2302605,2021YFC2300142),"From 0 to 1"Original Innovation Project of Basic Frontier Scientific Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(ZDBS-LY-SLH040)Bejing Nova Program(Z201100006820139)the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.21821005)+4 种基金CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(YSBR-010)the Pilot Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB29040303)The National Natural Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholar(T2222022)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32030062),Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(NO.2020000053)the foundation of Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grand No.IAGM2020C30).
文摘Current attempts in vaccine delivery systems concentrate on replicating the natural dissemination of live pathogens,but neglect that pathogens evolve to evade the immune system rather than to provoke it.In the case of enveloped RNA viruses,it is the natural dissemination of nucleocapsid protein(NP,core antigen)and surface antigen that delays NP exposure to immune surveillance.Here,we report a multi-layered aluminum hydroxide-stabilized emulsion(MASE)to dictate the delivery sequence of the antigens.In this manner,the receptor-binding domain(RBD,surface antigen)of the spike protein was trapped inside the nanocavity,while NP was absorbed on the outside of the droplets,enabling the burst release of NP before RBD.Compared with the natural packaging strategy,the inside-out strategy induced potent type I interferon-mediated innate immune responses and triggered an immune-potentiated environment in advance,which subsequently boosted CD40+DC activations and the engagement of the lymph nodes.In both H1N1 influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines,rMASE significantly increased antigen-specific antibody secretion,memory T cell engagement,and Th1-biased immune response,which diminished viral loads after lethal challenge.By simply reversing the delivery sequence of the surface antigen and core antigen,the inside-out strategy may offer major implications for enhanced vaccinations against the enveloped RNA virus.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2017YFA0505900 and 2017YFD0500300)the National Basic Research Programs of China(Grant No.2014CB74440)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.81371769 and 81571954)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDPB03)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS(Grant No.Y12A027BB2).
文摘The major innate immune cell types involved in tuberculosis(TB)infection are macrophages,dendritic cells(DCs),neutrophils and natural killer(NK)cells.These immune cells recognize the TB-causing pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)through various pattern recognition receptors(PRRs),including but not limited to Toll-like receptors(TLRs),Nod-like receptors(NLRs)and C-type lectin receptors(CLRs).Upon infection by Mtb,the host orchestrates multiple signaling cascades via the PRRs to launch a variety of innate immune defense functions such as phagocytosis,autophagy,apoptosis and inflammasome activation.In contrast,Mtb utilizes numerous exquisite strategies to evade or circumvent host innate immunity.Here we discuss recent research on major host innate immune cells,PRR signaling,and the cellular functions involved in Mtb infection,with a specific focus on the host’s innate immune defense and Mtb immune evasion.A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host–pathogen interactions could provide a rational basis for the development of effective anti-TB therapeutics.
基金supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation (5152018)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470178)Wen-Bing Yin is a scholar of "the 100 Talents Project" of CAS
文摘Laccases, multicopper oxidoreductases, are mainly produced in white-rot fungi and are considered as ideal green catalysts in industrial and biotechnological applications. However, the development of laccases is limited due to the slow growth of natural laccase producing strains and the low expression levels of laccases. In this study, we designed three regulation strategies for laccase gene expression in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. By introducing various promoters in front of the laccase gene pslcc from the white-rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus, we found that the laccase gene with the original promoter had effective expression in A. nidulans. Using the previously identified transcription factor RsmA regulatory mechanism, the aflR promoter was inserted into the pslcc expression vectors, and the laccase production was 15-fold higher in the strain overexpressing of RsmA compared to the control strain. To improve the laccase yield, the dipeptidyl-peptidase DppV, aspartic protease PepA and mannosyltransferase Mnn9 were successfully deleted in the A. nidulans host. The laccase activities were increased approximately 8-fold and 13-fold in the double deletions strains of Δmnn9ΔpepA and ΔdppVΔpepA over the control strains, respectively.Taken together, these results not only demonstrate an efficient system for heterologous protein production in the model fungus A.nidulans but also provide a general approach to applying regulatory methods to control gene expression.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2015CB554200)the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KFZD-SW-219)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31601081 and 31471203)
文摘Inulin has been used as a prebiotic to alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in mice and humans by modulating the gut microbiota. However, the mechanism underlying the alleviation of metabolic disorders by inulin through interactions between the gut microbiota and host cells is unclear. We use ob/ob mice as a model to study the effect of inulin on the cecal microbiota by16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and its interaction with host cells by transcriptomics. The inulin-supplemented diet improved glucose and lipid metabolism disorder parameters in ob/ob mice,alleviating fat accumulation and glucose intolerance. The a diversity of gut microbial community of ob/ob mice was reduced after inulin treatment, while the b diversity tended to return to the level of wild type mice. Interestingly, Prevotellaceae UCG 001(family Prevotellaceae) was obviously enriched after inulin treatment. A comparative analysis of the gene expression profile showed that the cecal transcriptome was changed in leptin gene deficiency mice, whereas the inulin-supplemented diet partially reversed the changes in leptin gene-related signaling pathways, especially AMPK signaling pathway, where the levels of gene expression became comparable to those in wild type mice.Further analysis indicated that Prevotellaceae UCG 001 was positively correlated with the AMPK signaling pathway, which was negatively correlated with markers of glycolipid metabolism disorders. Our results suggest that the inulin-supplemented diet alleviates glucose and lipid metabolism disorders by partially restoring leptin related pathways mediated by gut microbiota.
