Objective:To predict Th/B cell epitopes in HA of influenza virus(H1N1) and analyze antigenicity of the candidate epitopes in order to develop epitope-bacterin by the way of bioinformatics.Methods:The HA amino acid sequences of influenza virus (H1N1),which the viral infection was prevalent recently,were downloaded from Genbank.The Th/B cell epitopes were predicted and analyzed by bioinformatics methods.Then,specificity and conservation of the candidate epitopes were estimated.Finally,antigenicity of the candidate epitopes was identified by influenza virus (H1N1) positive serum samples of mice.Results:Three Th/B cell epitopes containing HA73-87,HA125-139,HA188-205 were acquired.Two of the candidate epitopes were in a relatively conserved domain of HA1,and a deal of 2006-2009 influenza virus (H1N1) isolates contained the sequences.Moreover,the candidate epitopes were showedin a distinct antibody combining reactivity with the influenza virus (H1N1) positive serum of mice,which inferred the predicted epitopes to be functional ones.Conclusion:The selected epitopes are able to be functional HA Th/B cell epitopes of influenza virus (H1N1).Our study also establish the foundations for the further research of influenza virus infection and immunity mechanism,the recognition of influenza virus (H1N1) functional epitope and the development of epitope vaccines.

Objective:To predict Th/B cell epitopes in HA of influenza virus(H1N1)and analyze antigenicity of the candidate epitopes in order to develop epitope-bacterin by the way of bioinformatics.Methods:The HA amino acid sequences of infiuenza virus(H1N1),which the viral infection was prevalent recently,were downloaded from Genbank.The Th/B cell epitopes were predicted and analyzed by bioinformatics methods.Then,specificity and conservation of the candidate epitopes were estimated.Finally,antigenicity of the candidate epitopes was identified by influenza virus(H1N1)positiVe serum samples of mice.Results:Three Th/B cell epitopes containing HA_(73-87),HA_(125-139),HA_(188-205) were acquired Two of the candidate epitopes were in a relatively conserved domain of HA1,and a deal of 2006-2009 influenza virus(H1N1)isolates contained the sequences.Moreover,the candidate epitopes were showedin a distinct antibody combining reactivity with the influenza virus (H1N1)positive serum of mice,which inferred the predicted epitopes to be functional ones.Conclusion:The selected epitopes are able to be functional HA Th/B cell epitopes of influenza virus(H1N1).Our study also establish the foundations for the further research of influenza virus infectlon and immunity mechanism,the recognition of influenza virus(H1N1)functional epitope and the development of epitope vaccines.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) eyedrops for the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye disease (DED).Methods:A total of 395 patients (790 eyes) with moderate to severe DED diagnosed and treated in the Armed Police Liaoning Corps Hospital and the PLA 967 Hospital from March 2018 to October 2019 were collected. Random number table method was used to divide into autologous PRP treatment group (196 cases, 392 eyes) treated with autologous PRP and control group (199 cases, 398 eyes) treated with artificial tears. The changes of subjective symptoms of DED, Schirmer test (ST), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) before and after treatment were observed in both groups.Results:After 1 course of treatment, the ST values of both groups increased, which was statistically significant compared with before treatment ( P<0.05). After treatment, the OSDI and CFS scores of the two groups were reduced. The difference in OSDI and CFS scores of the PRP treatment group before and after treatment was statistically significant ( P<0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the control group before and after treatment ( P>0.05). After treatment, the OSDI and CFS scores of the PRP treatment group were lower than those of the control group [(16.8 ± 18.7) scores vs. (43.2 ± 14.5) scores, (0.21 ± 0.53) scores vs. (1.62 ± 0.69) scores], the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). After one course of treatment, the total effective rate of the autologous PRP treatment group was higher than that of the control group [80.1% (157/196) vs. 51.76% (103/196)], the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Autologous PRP can treat patients with moderate-to-severe autologous PRP treatment group, which can greatly improve patients' eye discomfort and other symptoms.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of ursolic acid in Hippophae rhamnoides L. on hepatocyte apoptosis in rats with alcoholic liver disease based on the mitochondria-cytochrome c pathway. Methods A total of 50 specific pathogen-free male Wistar rats were divided into normal control group, alcohol model group, and low-, middle-, and high-dose ursolic acid groups using a random number table, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the normal control group were given normal saline by gavage once a day for 8 weeks; the rats in the alcohol model group were given alcohol at increasing concentrations by gavage for 8 consecutive weeks; the rats in the low-, middle-, and high-dose ursolic acid groups were given ursolic acid at a dose of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, respectively, followed by an equal volume of alcohol as the model group 1 hour later. Serum liver function parameters were measured for each group; HE staining was used to observe liver histopathology; an electron microscope was used to observe hepatocyte ultrastructure; the TUNEL method was used to measure hepatocyte apoptosis; Western Blotting was used to measure the protein expression levels of cytochrome c and activated caspase-3 in hepatocyte mitochondria and cytoplasm. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the alcohol model group, the middle- and high-dose ursolic acid groups had significant reductions in the serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and cholinesterase (all P < 0.05). The rats in the alcohol model group had disordered arrangement of hepatic cords with marked hepatocyte edema and fatty degeneration, while those in the middle- and high- dose ursolic acid groups had basically normal arrangement of hepatic cords and a significant improvement in hepatocyte fatty degeneration, as well as a significant increase in the number of hepatocyte mitochondria and a significant improvement in morphology. Compared with the alcohol model group, the middle- and high-dose ursolic acid groups had significantly lower hepatocyte apoptosis rate and protein expression levels of cytochrome c and caspase-3 in cytoplasm (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Ursolic acid in Hippophae rhamnoides L. can improve the liver function and histomorphology of rats with alcoholic liver disease, possibly by inhibiting the release of cytochrome c in hepatocyte mitochondria, the activation of caspase-3, and the apoptosis of hepatocytes via the mitochondria-cytochrome c pathway.

Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. is a famous medicinal plant commonly used in East Asia. Triterpene saponins isolated from P. grandiflorum are the main biologically active compounds, among which polygalacin D (PGD) has been reported to be an anti-tumor agent. However, its anti-tumor mechanism against hepatocellular carcinoma is unknown. This study aimed to explore the inhibitory effect of PGD in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and related mechanisms of action. We found that PGD exerted significant inhibitory effect on hepatocellular carcinoma cells through apoptosis and autophagy. Analysis of the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and autophagy-related proteins revealed that this phenomenon was attributed to the mitochondrial apoptosis and mitophagy pathways. Subsequently, using specific inhibitors, we found that apoptosis and autophagy had mutually reinforcing effects. In addition, further analysis of autophagy showed that PGD induced mitophagy by increasing BCL2 interacting protein 3 like (BNIP3L) levels.In vivo experiments demonstrated that PGD significantly inhibited tumor growth and increased the levels of apoptosis and autophagy in tumors. Overall, our findings showed that PGD induced cell death of hepatocellular carcinoma cells primarily through mitochondrial apoptosis and mitophagy pathways. Therefore, PGD can be used as an apoptosis and autophagy agonist in the research and development of antitumor agents.
Humans ; Mitophagy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cell Line ; Autophagy ; Apoptosis ; Membrane Proteins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics* ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins/pharmacology*