Vaccination is the primary strategy for the prevention and control of pandemic influenza. Because influenza virus is highly variable across strains, universal influenza vaccines need to be developed to address this problem. This review describes the research progress in conserved epitopes of influenza virus, the advances in the research and development of universal influenza vaccines based on the relatively conserved sequences of NP, M2e, HA2, and headless HA, the mechanisms of cross-protection, and the methods to improve cross-protection.
Animals ; Cross Reactions ; Humans ; Orthomyxoviridae ; immunology ; Species Specificity ; Viral Proteins ; immunology ; Viral Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To study the association between the plasma homocysteine level and coronary artery disease(CAD), and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) A1298C polymorphism, the methionine synthase (MS) A2756G polymorphism and their associations to the plasma homocysteine level and CAD in the elderly . Methods One hundred and twenty-nine elderly patients with CAD documented by coronary angiogram and 48 elderly patients with normal coronary angiographic results were included in this study. Plasma homocysteine level were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to analyse the MTHFR A1298C and MS A2756G genotypes. Results The plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in CAD group than that in the control group〔(16.2?8.6) ?mol/L vs (12.7?5.0) ?mol/L,P0.05);the prevalence of MTHFR 1298CC homozygous in the CAD patients was significantly less than that in the control group (3.1% vs 14.6%, P

Objective To detect levels of serum platelet activating factor(PAF),thrombomodulin(TM) and white blood cell(WBC),platelet count(PLT) in neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome(MAS),and observe changes of mediators of inflammation and function of endotheliocute.Methods All cases were taken vein blood in 24 h and 72-96 h after birth.Surm PAF and TM were detected by EILSA technique,at the same time,blood cell counts were determined.Results PAF and WBC in neonates with MAS increased,which were relevant to the patients′ condition.TM of neonates with MAS increased significantly,especially in 72-96 h after birth and(aggrava)-ted with the patients′ condition.Conclusion Neonates with MAS have inflammatory reaction and injured endotheliocyte,which are(inte)-raction.

Background and Purpose:TIP30 is a newly found tumor suppressing protein that has low level expression in many kinds of tumor cell lines,and it inhibits the growth of tumor cells of different origin.In this article,we want to probe into the value of a newly found tumor suppressor gene TIP30 as a molecular marker for the prediction of relapse or metastasis of lung cancer patients.Methods:In our present study,immunohistochemical analyses of a retrospective database of pathologic specimens were used to demonstrate the expression of TIP30 protein in NSCLC.Results:The low expression of TIP30 protein in NSCLC tumor tissue was statistically significant in the clinical stage,relapse or metastasis or 5 year disease-free survival rate,whereas low levels of TIP30 expression did not relate to histologic type and histologic differentiation.Conclusions:TIP30 protein may be used as a molecular marker to identify and predict the relapse or metastasis of NSCLC,and may provide a new clue for the clinical doctor to evaluate the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

OBJECTIVETo study whether Langchuangping granule (LG) could exert its renal protection by down-regulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) via suppressing nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway in BXSB lupus nephritis (LN) mice. Methods Eighteen male 11-week-old BXSB LN mice were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., the model group, the hormone group, and the Chinese medicine group, 6 in each. They were administered by gastrogavage with normal saline, methylprednisolone, and LG, respectively. Another six C57BL/6 male mice of the same age was taken as the normal control group, which was administered with normal saline by gastrogavage. All mice were treated once daily, for 4 successive weeks. The 24-h urine protein was determined. The mRNA and protein expressions of MCP-1 in the renal tissue were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot. The expression of NF-kappaB p65 in the renal tissue was detected using immunohistochemical assay. Activity index (AI) of the renal tissue was counted using PAS stain. The content of ds-DNA antibody was detected using ELISA. The correlations of the aforesaid indices were analyzed.

RESULTSThe 24-h urine protein level, serum ds-DNA antibody content, protein and mRNA expressions of MCP-1, NF-kappaB p65 expression level, and AI count were obviously higher in the model group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01). The aforesaid indices all obviously decreased after medication in the Chinese medicine group and the hormone group (P < 0.05). MCP-1 protein expression level was positively correlated with MCP-1 mRNA, NF-kappaB p65, AI, 24-h urine protein, and ds-DNA antibody of all LN mice (r= 0.984, 0.936, 0.887, 0.698, 0.679, all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLG possibly played renal protection by down-regulating NF-kappaB-mediated MCP-1 expression levels. MCP-1 played important roles in the occurrence and development of LN, being one of ideal targets for LN treatment.

Animals ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lupus Nephritis ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

AIM:To investigate the regulatory effect of JAK 2-STAT3 signaling pathway on the neuroprotection of ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) in tree shrews, and to explore the mechanisms of cerebral injury deterioration after in-hibiting the JAK2-STAT3 pathway .METHODS:The model of thrombotic cerebral ischemia was induced by photochemical reaction in tree shrews and the IPoC was established at 4 h after ischemia followed by clipping ipsilateral common carotid ar-tery on the ischemia side for 5 min ( 3 times ) .After IPoC and intracerebroventricular injection of AG 490 ( JAK2 inhibi-tor), the changes of cerebral infarction area were detected by TTC staining , and the histological and ultrastructural changes of cortical neurons were observed under light and electron microscopes , respectively .The protein levels of t-STAT3 and p-STAT3 in the cortical tissue were determined by Western blot .RESULTS:The neuronal pycnosis , mitochondrial swelling and vanish of the mitochondrial cristae were found in cortical cortex , and the infarction area was (24.78 ±3.30)%at 24 h after cerebral ischemia .Meanwhile, the phosphorylation level of STAT 3 protein in the cortical tissue was significantly in-creased (P<0.01).The cortical neuronal damage and mitochondrial swelling were decreased after IPoC , the area of cere-bral infarction was significantly reduced to (17.67 ±1.83)%(P<0.01), and the phosphorylation level of STAT3 protein was further increased ( P<0.01 ) .However , the neuronal damage was aggravated , the infarction area was expanded to (23.85 ±2.77)%(P<0.05) after treatment with AG490, and the phosphorylation level of STAT3 protein was also signif-icantly reduced ( P <0.05 ) .CONCLUSION: IPoC may reduce cerebral injury by regulating the phosphorylation of STAT3 protein, and inhibition of JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway may counteract the cerebral protective effect of IPoC and aggravate brain injury .

The way of "extracting-salting-chromatography" was used to purify the phycoerythrin and phycocyanin from Porphyra yezoensis in process scale-up.First,by comprehensive comparison of efficiency,the Sephadex G-25 was selected from four resins (Sephadex G-25、G-100、S-300 and CL-6B) as the best choice used in crude extract desalting of phycobiliprotein.Then the preparation process of phycobiliprotein was scaled-up with raw material(Porphyra yezoensis) increased from 1g to 20g,and finally to 400g.The results indicated that the yields of purified phycoerythrin and phycocyanin (absorption spectra purity above 3.2) increased during according to process scale-up,with 0.323% phycoerythrin and 0.148% phycocyanin obtained from 400g frozen Porphyra yezoensis blades respectively.It is no doubt that the process involved in the experiment is a potential way for large scale preparation of phycobiliproteins of high purity.

OBJECTIVETo observe the dynamic expression of calcium-sensing receptor(CaSR) in myocardium of diabetic rats.

METHODSThirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups including control, diabetic-4 week and diabetic-8 week groups(n = 10). The type 2 diabetes mellitus models were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) after high-fat and high-sugar diet for one month. The cardiac morphology was observed by electron microscope. Western blot analyzed the expression of CaSR, phospholamban (PLN), a calcium handling regulator, and Ca+-ATPase(SERCA) in cardiac tissues.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the expressions of CaSR and SERCA were decreased, while the expression of PLN was significantly increased in a time-dependent manner in diabetic groups. Meanwhile diabetic rats displayed abnormal cardiac structure.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that the CaSR expression of myocardium is reduced in the progression of DCM, and its potential mechanism may be related to the imnaired intracellular calcium homeostasis.

Animals ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Disease Progression ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Calcium-Sensing ; metabolism ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Streptozocin

AIM:To investigate the effects of xeroderma pigmentosum group D ( XPD) gene on the prolifera-tion of human umbilical arterial smooth muscle cells ( HUASMCs) induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein ( Ox-LDL) . METHODS:The recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N2/XPD was transfected into HUASMCs by liposome .The cells were di-vided into blank control group , pEGFP-N2 group, pEGFP-N2/XPD group, Ox-LDL group, Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2 group and Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group.The proliferation rate of the cells was detected by MTT and EdU assays .The apop-totic rate and cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry .The protein levels of XPD, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot .RESULTS:Compared with blank control group , the expression of XPD was increased in pEGFP-N2/XPD group (P<0.05).According to the results of MTT and EdU assays , the cell proliferation in pEGFP-N2/XPD group was reduced compared with blank control group (P<0.05).Compared with Ox-LDL group, the cell prolifera-tion in Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group was significantly inhibited (P<0.05).According to the results of flow cytome-try, the cell proportion of S phase decreased and the G 0/G1-phase cell proportion increased significantly in pEGFP-N2/XPD group and Ox-LDL+pEGFP-N2/XPD group compared with blank control group and Ox-LDL group, repectively (P<0.05).Compared with blank control group and Ox-LDL group, the protein level of Bcl-2 decreased and the protein levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 increased in pEGFP-N2/XPD group and Ox-LDL +pEGFP-N2/XPD group, respectively (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:XPD inhibits the proliferation of HUASMCs and promotes their apoptosis , and reduces the promoting effect of Ox-LDL on the proliferation of HUVSMCs .XPD may be the target for treatment of atherosclerosis .

OBJECTIVETo assess the relationship between fractional esterification rate of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (FER(HDL)) and coronary artery disease.

METHODSA total of 131 hospitalized patients underwent coronary angiography due to chest pain were included in the study and patients were divided into CAD group (n = 76) and non CAD group (n = 55) according to coronary angiogram. Clinical and laboratory data including biochemical laboratory, FER(HDL) and lipid subclasses were analyzed.

RESULTSThe FER(HDL) value of CAD group was significantly higher than that of the non CAD group (21.70 ± 8.73 vs. 18.65 ± 6.26, P < 0.05). There was an increased trend of FER(HDL) with numbers of diseased coronary arteries, significant difference was evidenced between non CAD group and 3-vessel group (18.65 ± 6.26 vs. 24.00 ± 9.22, P < 0.05). FER(HDL) was positively correlated with TG (r = 0.647, P < 0.001), LDLb-C(r = 0.441, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with HDL-C (r = -0.708, P < 0.001) and HDL(2)-C (r = -0.748, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONOur data showed that the values of FER(HDL) were significantly increased in CAD patients and correlated with the severity of the CAD.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholesterol, HDL ; metabolism ; Cholesterol, LDL ; metabolism ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Esterification ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged