Ureaplasma urealyticum-derived lipid-associated membrane proteins introduce IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α cytokines into human amniotic epithelial cells via Toll-like receptor 2 / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

OBJECTIVE@#The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Ureaplasma urealyticum-derived lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) in the host innate immune system, specifically their effect on Toll-like receptors (TLRs).@*METHODS@#LAMPs were derived from U. urealyticum strains, and human amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs) were isolated from healthy full-term placentas. Cytokine concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and TLR2 mRNA by real-time PCR. Expression of TLR2 was confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.@*RESULTS@#LAMPs induced HAECs to produce inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Cytokine production was reduced after blocking TLR2 using TLR2 inhibitor (anti-hTLR2-IgA).@*CONCLUSIONS@#LAMPs isolated from U. urealyticum induced TLR2-dependent up-regulation of inflammatory genes and cytokines in HAECs.

Preliminary Study on the Gene Characteristics of Oidiomycetes Mutant Strains Like Bacterial Morphology / 现代检验医学杂志

Objective To further explore the genetic characteristics of oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology on the basis of the study on morphology and structure of mutated candida.Methods The standard strains of candida albicans were induced by low temperature and under the condition of low temperature and nutrient deficiency.Variation of standard strains of Candida albicans were induced by clinical antifungal drugs such as fluconazole with different concentration gradient.Fungal gene template was prepared by boiling method,sequences of 16SRNA and 18SRNA were amplified using bacteria conservative gene sequence of 16SRNA and fungal conserved gene sequence of 18SRNA,and observed and recorded the results agarose gel electrophoresis.At the same time,the amplified fragment of bacterial conservative gene 16SRNA was sequenced,and the sequence was analyzed by BLAST comparison.Results the 16SRNA sequences of candida variant were amplified positive,while the standard strain of candida albicans did not show the corresponding amplification band.Except 2 strains which showed a faint band,the other variants of the 18SRNA sequences did not amplified the target band,while the standard strains of candida albicans showed a corresponding amplification bands.Suggested that proportion of 18SRNA sequences in the genome of oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology was not much even lack.The 16SRNA fragments amplified of oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology did determination of DNA sequence after purification.BLAST comparison analysis,it was found that sequence of oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology had higher similarity with bacterial sequences in the database.Conclusion Oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology contained bacterial and a small amount of fungus conservative gene.Oidiomycetes mutant strains like bacterial morphology with original nuclear biological character are ones from eukaryotes.This study is great significance in biological evolution,especially in the evolution of prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells.

The role of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HBV-infected mothers in the intrauterine infection of their fetuses / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the role of the HBV-infected mothers' PBMC in intrauterine transmission of HBV to their fetuses.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty pregnant women with serum HBV DNA negative and PBMC HBV DNA positive and their newborns were used as the study group. Ten pregnant women with serum HBV negative and their infants served as the control group. HBV DNA in serum and in PBMC was detected using nested polymerase chain reaction (n-PCR). The mothers' PBMC in newborns' peripheral blood was examined using heminested-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four newborns were serum HBV DNA positive and 8 newborns were HBV DNA positive in PBMC in the study group. Among them, 2 newborns were HBV DNA positive in both serum and PBMC, 6 cases were positive in PBMC only, and 2 cases were positive in serum only. Five mothers had the GSTM1 gene; and it was not detected in 3 newborns. Among the 8 newborns with HBV DNA positive in PBMC, 3 did not have the GSTM1 gene, at the same time their mothers possessed the GSTM1 gene. Mothers' PBMC were detected in all of these three newborns' peripheral blood. HBV DNA in serum and in PBMC of the control group infants were all negative.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HBV-infected PBMC of the mother may serve as a vector in HBV intrauterine infection.</p>