Objective: To explore antitumor responses induced by recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing a p53 antigenic peptide (rVV-p53M) and enhanced effect of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing costimulatory molecule B7 (rVVB7). Methods: A 135 Cys to Tyr point mutation p53-transduced P815 mastocytoma (P815-mp53) was used as an experimental tumor and the p53 protein as the model of tumor associated antigen． rVV-p53M and rVV-B7 were used as vaccine to test their induction of CTL and antitumor immunity. Results: Immunization of BABL/c mice with rVV-p53M could elicit specific CTLs, which could specifically lyse P815-mp53 cells. Immunization of mice with rVV-p53M could survive a part of mice challenged with 1×106 P815-mp53. Treatment with rVV-p53M could significantly prolong the survival oftumor-bearing mice. Admixture at 1:1 ratio of rVV-p53 M and rVV-B7 could enhance antitumor responses induced by rVV-p53M. Conclusion: Immunization with recombinant vaceinia virus expressing antigenic peptide is a useful alternative to peptide-based vaccine. Costimulatory molecule B7 can enhance antigenic peptide to induce antitumor responses.

Objective: To explore antitumor responses induced by recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing a p53 antigenic peptide (rVV p53 M) and enhanced effect of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing costimulatory molecule B7 (rVV B7). Methods: A 135 Cys to Tyr point mutation p53 transduced P815 mastocytoma (P815 mp53) was used as an experimental tumor and the p53 protein as the model of tumor associated antigen. rVV p53 M and rVV B7 were used as vaccine to test their induction of CTL and antitumor immunity. Results: Immunization of BABL/c mice with rVV p53 M could elicit specific CTLs, which could specifically lyse P815 mp53 cells. Immunization of mice with rVV p53 M could survive a part of mice challenged with 1?10 6 P815 mp53. Treatment with rVV p53 M could significantly prolong the survival of tumor bearing mice. Admixture at 1∶1 ratio of rVV p53 M and rVV B7 could enhance antitumor responses induced by rVV p53 M. Conclusion: Immunization with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing antigenic peptide is a useful alternative to peptide based vaccine. Costimulatory molecule B7 can enhance antigenic peptide to induce antitumor responses.

Objective To investigate a periosteal autograft method to repair major defects of joint cartilage in rabbits of different ages. Methods Major cartilage defects of 52 rabbits aged 4 to 52 weeks were repaired with free periosteal grafts and the results were compared in the study. The regenerated cartilage by the cambium of periosteum growing up to the cavity of joint and that growing down to the cancellus of femur were also compared. Results The macroscopical and histological observations at different intervals showed that in young and adult rabbits the grafts could develop into cartilages to repair the major cartilage defects. In adult rabbits the newly formed cartilage was the same as the normal cartilage in thickness and histology. There was no difference between the cambium growing up to the cavity and that growing down to the cancellus. Conclusions Periosteum possesses chondrogenic potential and can be used to repair the cartilage defects. Different directions of chondrogenesis leads to no significantly different outcomes. In adult rabbits the newly formed cartilage can develop into a normal one.

Objective The staffs of biosafety level 3 laboratories (BSL-3) face with the stress of handling highly pathogenic microbs and special laboratory environment.The job stress may result in accidents in the laboratory as negative factor for the risk control.The research may provide support for the control of risk in biosafety laboratories.Methods In order to assess the job stress in the staff in BSL-3 laboratory, we modified “the Chinese simple job stress questionnaire”based on the theory of the JDC mode and ERI mode, and an investigation was carried out.The present study included the staffs (87 employees) from six BSL-3 laboratories located in five provinces ( Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian and Wuhan) .Results Analysis of the data indicates that variables of age, working years, job duties, manipulating of animals, type of microorganisms and transmission route have a significant influence on the level of job stress in BSL-3 laboratory.Conclusion The BSL-3 laboratory staff in higher stress level have the characteristicses:20-39 years old, short work years, regular staff, operating on air-borne microbiology, manipulating of animals and operating on one more microbiology.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotential progenitors of connective tissues and bone marrow stroma as well, which implies the modulatory function of MSCs in hematopoiesis. To clarify the contributions of MSCs to hematopoiesis, the methods for isolation and expansion of MSCs were established and long-term bone marrow cultures were performed using irradiated MSCs as the feeder layer. The results here showed that CD34(+) cells from cord blood formed hematopoietic foci adherent to the monolayer. Furthermore, colony-forming cells remained in the coculture of 5 weeks, indicating the maintenance of long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC). Flow cytometry analysis showed that about 1% of the hematopoietic cells in the culture were positive for CD34 and around 15% were CD41a-positive. It is clear that MSCs maintain LTC-IC in vitro and promote differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors especially into megakaryocytic lineage. The preliminary results here demonstrate that MSCs residing in the bone marrow might be a crucial cellular component in the hematopoietic microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Previous research demonstrated that a homozygous mutation of g.136372044G>A (S12N) in caspase recruitment domain family member 9 ( CARD9 ) is critical for producing Aspergillus fumigatus -induced ( Af -induced) T helper 2 (T H 2)-mediated responses in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). However, it remains unclear whether the CARD9S12N mutation, especially the heterozygous occurrence, predisposes the host to ABPA. METHODS: A total of 61 ABPA patients and 264 controls (including 156 healthy controls and 108 asthma patients) were recruited for sequencing the CARD9 locus to clarify whether patients with this heterozygous single-nucleotide polymorphisms are predisposed to the development of ABPA. A series of in vivo and in vitro experiments, such as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and RNA isolation and quantification, were used to illuminate the involved mechanism of the disease. RESULTS: The presence of the p.S12N mutation was associated with a significant risk of ABPA in ABPA patients when compared with healthy controls and asthma patients, regardless of Aspergillus sensitivity. Relative to healthy controls without relevant allergies, the mutation of p.S12N was associated with a significant risk of ABPA (OR: 2.69 and 4.17 for GA and AA genotypes, P = 0.003 and 0.029, respectively). Compared with patients with asthma, ABPA patients had a significantly higher heterozygous mutation (GA genotype), indicating that p.S12N might be a significant ABPA-susceptibility locus ( aspergillus sensitized asthma: OR: 3.02, P = 0.009; aspergillus unsensitized asthma: OR: 2.94, P = 0.005). The mutant allele was preferentially expressed in ABPA patients with heterozygous CARD9S12N , which contributes to its functional alterations to facilitate Af -induced T H 2-mediated ABPA development. In terms of mechanism, Card9 wild-type ( Card9WT ) expression levels decreased significantly due to Af -induced decay of its messenger RNA compared to the heterozygous Card9S12N . In addition, ABPA patients with heterozygous CARD9S12N had increased Af -induced interleukin-5 production. CONCLUSION Our study provides the genetic evidence showing that the heterozygous mutation of CARD9S12N , followed by allele expression imbalance of CARD9S12N , facilitates the development of ABPA.
Humans ; Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary/complications* ; Aspergillus fumigatus/genetics* ; Asthma/genetics* ; Aspergillus ; Mutation/genetics* ; CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins/genetics*