OBJECTIVES: To observe the therapeutic effect of spermine in neonatal mouse models of severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection and explore its therapeutic mechanism in light of regulation of macrophage GBP5/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. METHODS: Neonatal BALB/c mice (3-5 days old) were divided into control group, EV71 infection group and Spermine treatment group. The mice in the latter two groups received an intraperitoneal injection of 50 μL EV71 suspension (1×10⁶ TCID50 of EV71), followed 3 days later by intraperitoneal injection of 50 μL PBS or 100 μmol/L spermine. GBP5, NLRP3, CXCL10, and TNFSF10 expressions in heart, liver, lung and kidney tissues of the mice were detected using Western blotting and qPCR, and tissue pathologies and macrophage infiltration were assessed with HE staining and immunohistochemistry. In cultured THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells, the effects of EV71 infection, GBP5 siRNA transfection and treatment with spermine or eflornithine on GBP5, NLRP3, CXCL10, and TNFSF10 mRNA expressions were investigated using qPCR. RESULTS: In the neonatal mice, EV71 infection resulted in multiple organ damage, macrophage infiltration and activation of the GBP5/NLRP3 pathway, and spermine treatment significantly improved tissue injuries, reduced macrophage infiltration, and down-regulated the expressions of GBP5, NLRP3 and the inflammatory factors in the infected mice. In THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells, EV71 infection caused significant upregulation of GBP5, NLRP3, CXCL10, and TNFSF10 expressions, which were obviously lowered by spermine treatment. In THP-1 cells, treatment with eflornithine significantly suppressed the reduction of GBP5, NLRP3, CXCL10, and TNFSF10 expressions induced by GBP5 siRNA transfection. CONCLUSIONS Spermine suppressed EV71 infection-induced inflammatory responses by inhibiting GBP5-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suggesting a new strategy for treatment of severe HFMD.
Animals ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Mice ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Enterovirus A, Human ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; Spermine/therapeutic use* ; Animals, Newborn ; Humans ; Enterovirus Infections ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease/drug therapy* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Chemokine CXCL10/metabolism*

The apoptosis-inducing factor, mitochondrion-associated 1(AIFM1)gene encodes an apoptosis-inducing factor(AIF)protein with apoptosis and redox function.AIF is widely expressed within cells in human tissues, and playing an important role in the mitochondria.Mutations in the AIFM1 gene are associated with severe X-linked mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, Cowchock syndrome, X-linked spondyloepimeta-physeal dysplasia with hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, auditory neuropathy and other diseases.AIFM1 gene mutations exhibit a wide range of clinical phenotypes, but the pathogenesis between mutations and phenotypes and phenotypic severity remains unclear.This paper summarizes the reported AIFM1 mutation-related loci, phenotypes, and possible pathogenesis mechanisms, and provide a brief review of AIFM1 mutation-related diseases and their progression.

Human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) is a major causative agent of hand,foot and mouth disease.Children infection with HEV71 can lead to series of neurological complications including aseptic meningitis,cerebral ataxia and even fatal outcomes.During recent decades,epidemic of hand,foot and mouth disease have occurred in many countries and regions in the world,which has become a major public health problem for children's health.There are no specific antiviral drugs for HEV71 infection,so it is necessary to develop safe and effective vaccine.In recent years,the research on HEV71 vaccine has made a breakthrough,and this article reviews the research progress of the vaccine.