Prediction and Identification of HLA-A*0201 Restricted CTL Epitopes from Eps8 / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find and identify HLA-A*0201 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes from epidermal growth factor pathway substrate number 8 (Eps8) for specific immunotherapy based on Eps8-derived epitopes in clinic.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Online biological softwares involved C-proteasomal cleavage, MHC class I binding affinity and TAP transport efficiency were used for prediction of HLA-A*0201 restricted epitopes from Eps8. Then, T2-binding assays and peptide/MHC complex stability tests were used to further verify the predicted epitopes. Specific secretion of IFN-γ from human CTL was assayed using the IFN-γ ELISPOT kit, and cytolytic activity was measured by a 4-h lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Finally, the functional effects in vivo were measured in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic (Tg) mice.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four natural epitopes were designed through online biological softwares. Of the four epitopes selected, p360-368 was found to have the high binding affinity to HLA-A*0201, while p101-109 and p276-284 showed moderate affinities. DC50 of peptide/MHC complexes of the natural epitopes mentioned were all longer than 8 h. In functional assays with human PBMNC in vitro and in HLA-A*0201/Kb transgenic mice in vivo, CTLs primed by each epitope (p101-109, p276-284 and p360-368) secreted IFN-γ and were toxic to cancer cells from a variety of tissue types in an HLA-A*0201-restricted and Eps8-specific manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Natural epitopes (p101-109, p276-284 and p360-368) may be the HLA-A*0201 restricted epitope derived from Eps8.</p>

High resolution melting analysis for detecting of JAK2V617F mutation in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to investigate the feasibility of high resolution melting (HRM) in the detection of JAK2V617F mutation in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). The 29 marrow samples randomly selected from patients with clinically diagnosed MPN from January 2008 to January 2011 were detected by HRM method. The results of HRM analysis were compared with that detected by allele specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) and DNA direct sequencing. The results showed that the JAK2V617F mutations were detected in 11 (37.9%, 11/29) cases by HRM, and its comparability with the direct sequencing result was 100%. While the consistency of AS-PCR with the direct sequencing was moderate (Kappa = 0.179, P = 0.316). It is concluded that the HRM analysis may be an optimal method for clinical screening of JAK2V617F mutation due to its simplicity and promptness with a high specificity.

Advancement of peptide vaccines for hematologic malignancies / 中国实验血液学杂志

Despite recent significant advances in the treatment of hematological malignancies, relapse of this disease is of great note with the existence of the minimal residual disease (MRD). Tumour peptide vaccine seems to be one of the effective immunotherapies for eliminating tumor cells of MRD. This review focuses on the late results of clinical trails of peptide vaccination protocols targeting WT1, RHAMM, BCR-ABL, PR1 in hematological malignancies and the development of specific immune responses to PRAME and Survivin peptides. An outlook to heteroclitic peptides, new adjuvants, combined peptide vaccines and Ad-tWT1 vaccine is also given to further explore the possibility to enhance the efficacy of the peptide vaccine.

Studies on the seed embryo germination and propagation of Dendrobium candidum in vitro / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine optimum culture conditions for the seed embryo culture and rapid propagation of Dendrobium candidum.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Seed embryos of D. candidum were incubated in the medium containing a combination of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), potato extract, banana extract and activated carbon in order to induce seed embryo germination, protocorm differentiation, plantlet propagation and plantlet rooting.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>The maximum embryo germination percentage was obtained in the 1/2 MS media supplemented with 20% potato extract. The 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg x L(-1) BA and 0.1 mg x L(-1) NAA was very beneficial to the protocorm differentiation and propagation of D. candidum. The highest protocorm propagation index was obtained from the medium containing the activated carbon. The highest root numbers and length were observed in plants growing in 1/2 MS medium containing 0.5 mg x L(-1) NAA.</p>