Objective To construct a universal influenza mRNA vaccine and evaluate its immunogenicity.Methods The antigen sequence of hemagglutinin(HA),nucleoprotein(NP)and matrix protein 2 ectodomain(M2e)in influenza A/California/04/2009 was optimized.HA,NP and 3 tandem M2e(3M2e)were cloned into pcDNA3.1 vector,respectively.Then the mRNAs were synthesized by linearization,in vitro transcription,enzymatic capping and enzymatic tailing,and named as mRNA-HA,mRNA-NP and mRNA-3M2e,respectively.The protein expression of the 3 kinds of mRNAs in 293T cells was detected by immunofluorescence assay.Comb-mRNA vaccine was prepared by enveloped mRNA-HA,mRNA-NP and mRNA-3M2e with lipid nanoparticles,respectively,and the particle size and potential were identified.Twenty-eight 6-week-old female BALB/c mice(18～22 g)were randomly divided into LNP group(n=14)and Comb-mRNA group(n=14).Hemagglutination inhibition(HI)method and microneutralization(MN)test were used to evaluate the serum antibody titer induced by Comb-mRNA vaccines.The mice were infected by 5LD50 wild-type H1 N1 influenza virus to evaluate the protective efficacy.Results The mRNA-HA,mRNA-NP and mRNA-3M2e were successfully constructed,and the 3 mRNAs could be expressed in 293T cells.The average size of mRNA encapsulated by lipid nanoparticles was 119.53±6.5 nm,and the average potential was-8.23±1.3 mV.The geometric mean titer(GMT)of HI and MN in the Comb-mRNA group were 179.6 and 201.6,compared with the LNP group.The ratio of IFN-γ+CD4+/CD8+Tcells was increased.The Comb-mRNA group could provide protection against 5LD50 wild type influenza H1 N1 virus after 2 weeks of booster immunization.Conclusion Comb-mRNA,an influenza vaccine candidate,can induce immune responses and protect mice from influenza virus challenge.

Objective:To explore the effects of aerobic exercise on learning and memory functions, hippocampal synaptic plasticity and the ADPN signaling pathway in diabetic rats.Methods:6-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into a blank control group(NC group)and a high-fat diet group, and a rat model for diabetes was induced by feeding rats in the high-fat diet group with a high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal instillation of low-dose streptozotocin(STZ)for 5 weeks.Rats in the high-fat diet group were further divided into a diabetic group(DC group)and a diabetic aerobic exercise group(DM group)after successful establishment of the model.Rats in the DM group were subjected to aerobic exercise for eight weeks and then the Morris water maze test was conducted to assess learning and memory functions, relevant serum markers were measured, Golgi staining was used to examine synaptic changes in the hippocampus, and Western blot was carried out to detect hippocampal protein expression levels of adiponectin(ADPN), AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK), glucose transporter 4(GLUT4), synaptic plasticity-related protein synaptophysin(SYN)and postsynaptic density protein 95(PSD-95)for rats in each group.Results:Serum FBG and HBA1c in diabetic rats were markedly significantly decreased after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise( P<0.01), and serum ADPN and insulin were significantly increased after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise( P<0.05).When test results from the three groups of rats compared, the F value was 69.248 for FBG, 6.740 for INS, 7.017 for HBA1C and 14.315 for serum ADPN.The results of the water maze test and hippocampal Golgi staining showed that the escape latency of diabetic rats was highly significantly decreased after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise( P<0.01).The platform crossing times, the number of dendritic branches and the dendritic spine density in the hippocampal CA3 region of diabetic rats were significantly increased after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise( P<0.05).When results from the three groups of rats were compared, the F value was 13.934 for escape latency, 5.864 for platform crossing times, 9.307 and 6.734 for the number of dendritic branches and the density of dendritic spine in hippocampal CA3 region.Hippocampal PSD-95, SYN, ADPN, p-AMPK, and GLUT4 protein expression levels of diabetic rats were significantly increased( P<0.05)after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise.When results from the three groups of rats were compared, the F value was 15.137 for SYN, 5.415 for PSD-95, 9.687 for ADPN, 27.761 for GLUT4, and 9.298 for p-AMPK. Conclusions:Eight weeks of aerobic exercise can improve the learning and memory functions of diabetic rats, and the mechanisms may be related to exercise-induced hippocampal ADPN/AMPK/GLUT4 signaling activation in rats, leading to enhanced synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ for improving renal function and pathology in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy and analyze its therapeutic mechanism for renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease using network pharmacology combined with molecular docking. METHODS: Forty male SD rats were randomized into two groups to receive two-staged 5/6 nephrectomy (n=30) or sham operation (n=10), and 2 weeks after the final operation, serum creatinine level of the rats was measured. The rats with nephrectomy were further randomized into Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ group, losartan group and model group for daily treatment with the corresponding drugs via gavage starting at 1 week after 5/6 nephrectomy. After 16 weeks of treatment, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels of the rats were measured, and HE staining and Western blotting were used to examine the changes in renal pathology and fibrosis-related factors. Network pharmacology combined with molecular docking study was performed to explore the therapeutic mechanism Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ against renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease, and Western blotting was used to verify the expressions of the core targets. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the rats receiving 5/6 nephrectomy and Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ treatment showed significantly reduced serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, lessened renal pathologies, and improvement of the changes in epithelial mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Network pharmacological analysis showed that the main active ingredients of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ were acacetin, apigenin, eupatilin, quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin, and the key targets included STAT3, SRC, CTNNB1, PIK3R1 and AKT1. Molecular docking study revealed that the active ingredients of Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ had good binding activity to the key targets. Western blotting showed that in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy, treatment with Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ obviously restored the protein expression of STAT3, PI3K, and AKT in renal tissue. CONCLUSION Shenbing Decoction Ⅲ can reduce renal injury induced by 5/6 nephrectomy in rats, and its therapeutic effects are mediated possibly by its main pharmacologically active ingredients that alleviate renal fibrosis via modulating multiple targets including STAT3, PIK3R1, and AKT1.
Male ; Animals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Network Pharmacology ; Creatinine ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/drug therapy* ; Fibrosis ; Urea

Objective To analyze the characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the visceral leishmaniasis control srtrategy. Methods All epidemiological data of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemiological features and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis cases were descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 93 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023, with a male to female ratio of 2.58∶1, and including 2 imported cases from other provinces and 91 local cases. The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases peaked during the period between March and May, and between July and October. The reported visceral leishmaniasis cases had ages of 7 months to 74 years, with the largest number of cases found at ages of 0 to 9 years (26 cases, 27.96%), followed by at ages of 60 to 70 years (24 cases, 25.81%). Farmer (47 cases, 50.54%) and diaspora children (19 cases, 20.43%) were predominant occupations, and 91 local visceral leishmaniasis cases were found in 6 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Hebi, Sanmenxia and Xuchang. The median duration from onset of visceral leishmaniasis to diagnosis was 20 days, and there were 25.81% (24/93) cases with 10 days and less duration from onset to diagnosis, 38.71% (36/93) cases receiving diagnosis at 11 to 30 days following onset, and 35.48% (33/93) cases receiving diagnosis for more than 30 days following onset. All cases were predominantly diagnosed in province- (60.00%) and city-level (28.89%) medical institutions. Conclusions The number of visceral leishmaniasis is on the rise in Henan Province, with a gradually expanding coverage. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis cases, dogs, and vectors, dog management, sandflies control and improved individual protection are recommended to prevent the spread of visceral leishmaniasis.

Tumor metastasis is responsible for most mortality in cancer patients, and remains a challenge in clinical cancer treatment. Platelets can be recruited and activated by tumor cells, then adhere to circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and assist tumor cells extravasate in distant organs. Therefore, nanoparticles specially hitchhiking on activated platelets are considered to have excellent targeting ability for primary tumor, CTCs and metastasis in distant organs. However, the activated tumor-homing platelets will release transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which promotes tumor metastasis and forms immunosuppressive microenvironment. Therefore, a multitalent strategy is needed to balance the accurate tumor tracking and alleviate the immunosuppressive signals. In this study, a fucoidan-functionalized micelle (FD/DOX) was constructed, which could efficiently adhere to activated platelets through P-selectin. Compared with the micelle without P-selectin targeting effect, FD/DOX had increased distribution in both tumor tissue and metastasis niche, and exhibited excellent anti-tumor and anti-metastasis efficacy on 4T1 spontaneous metastasis model. In addition, due to the contribution of fucoidan, FD/DOX treatment was confirmed to inhibit the expression of TGF-β, thereby stimulating anti-tumor immune response and reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment. The fucoidan-functionalized activated platelets-hitchhiking micelle was promising for the metastatic cancer treatment.

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy