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Subunit vaccine delivery systems have emerged as groundbreaking strategies to enhance immunogenicity and efficacy, overcoming the limitations of traditional vaccine approaches. This review article delves into the vast landscape of subunit vaccine delivery systems, encompassing diverse platforms, such as polymer-based, lipid-based, micelle-based, phage-based, hydrogel-based, inorganic-based, and emulsion-based carriers. This review aimed to comprehensively explore the advancements, challenges, and potential of these delivery systems in revolutionizing vaccine development. Key findings revealed that polymer-based systems offer tunable properties for sustained release, while lipid-based and micelle-based carriers enable efficient encapsulation of hydrophobic antigens. Phage- based platforms leverage host–pathogen interactions, whereas hydrogel-based carriers provide localized delivery and adjuvant effects. Inorganic nanoparticles and emulsions offer targeted delivery and improved immune responses. These findings offer opportunities to enhance the immunogenicity of subunit vaccines, optimize antigen delivery, and tailor responses to specific diseases. This review can guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers in harnessing the strengths of diverse delivery systems to improve vaccination strategies. By shedding light on their design, applications, and impacts, this review serves as a roadmap for the development of next-generation vaccines with the potential to transform global health-care paradigms.
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Inflammatory processes, involving both innate and adaptive responses, are essential for controlling pathogens and maintaining homeostasis. However, excessive inflammation can cause chronic conditions including autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Alternative treatment options for inflammation are crucial, and exploring plants with anti-inflammatory properties holds significance. The genus Baccharis (Asteraceae family) is widespread across the Americas and is traditionally used to treat various disorders, including inflammatory diseases. Several biological activities of Baccharis species have been described; however, their immunomodulatory effects have not been widely evaluated. In this study, we analyzed the immunomodulatory activity of two Baccharis species, Baccharis punctulata, and Baccharis trimera, using an in vitro inflammation model involving monocytic cells and splenocytes to evaluate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Both B. punctulata and B. trimera reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory mediators, including soluble CD14 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, in THP-1 cells. Furthermore, they suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production in splenocytes, demonstrating a dampened innate immune response. In addition, both species attenuated concanavalin A (ConA)-induced splenocyte proliferation, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect on the adaptive immune response. In summary, the extracts demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity, affecting both innate and adaptive immune responses, and underscoring their potential as treatments for inflammatory diseases and sources of anti-inflammatory molecules.
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Retroperitoneal and extensive breast abscesses in elderly patients are associated with a significant burden of comorbidities, insidious symptoms, and signs resulting in delayed diagnosis. We present two elderly COVID-19-positive patients with retroperitoneal and breast abscesses. Both patients underwent multiple procedures and , despite a protracted course, survived each two potentially lethal infections. A 72-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) with back pain. Labs showed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive COVID-19 test and leukocytosis. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) showed a perirectal abscess spreading into the pelvis and retroperitoneum. The patient underwent an incision and drainage (I and D). Additional imaging found multiple collections with extension into the retroperitoneum. These were drained, and the patient was discharged after repeat imaging showed resolution. A 78-year-old female was admitted with swelling of the right breast. Labs showed a positive PCR COVID-19 test, and chest computed tomography (CT) showed a rim-enhancing collection extending from the right breast into the right pectoralis muscle. The patient was started on antibiotics and underwent an I and D of the right breast. She was discharged on post-operative day (POD) four on antibiotics. She was readmitted 32 days later with a left sided abscess overlying the left pectoralis and was successfully treated conservatively with a course of antibiotics. There are few studies on the formation of abscesses in the breast and retroperitoneum in the setting of COVID-19 infection. Thus, information on the topic can aid physicians in maintaining clinical suspicion of severe abscesses illness in elderly patients presenting with vague clinical symptoms or symptoms concerning soft-tissue infections in the setting of COVID-19 infections
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Typhoid is endemic in India and has high global incidence. There were large outbreaks of typhoid in India between 1990 and 2018. Available typhoid vaccines induce variable levels of protective antibodies among recipients; thus, there is variability in response to the vaccine. Interindividual genomic differences is hypothesized to be a determinant of the variability in response. We studied the antibody response of *1000 recipients of the Vi-polysaccharide typhoid vaccine from Kolkata, India, who showed considerable variability of antibody response, i.e., anti-Vi-polysaccharide antibody level 28 days postvaccination relative to prevaccination. For each vaccinee, whole- genome genotyping was performed using the Infinium Global Screening Array (Illumina). We identified 39 SNPs that mapped to 13 chromosomal regions to be associated with antibody response to the vaccine; these included SNPs on genes LRRC28 (15q26.3), RGS7 (1q43), PTPRD (9p23), CERKL (2q31.3), DGKB (7p21.2), and TCF4 (18q21.2). Many of these loci are known to be associated with various blood cell traits, autoimmune traits and responses to other vaccines; these genes are involved in immune related functions, including TLR response, JAK–STAT signalling, phagocytosis and immune homeostasis.
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Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by the infection of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) larva. Currently, blocking the pathogenic cycle chain through immunoprophylaxis has become the main research direction. EgG1Y162 protein has good antigenicity and immunogenicity and is therefore a good candidate molecule for E. granulosus vaccine. Mature T cells express CTLA-4 on their surface, and its extracellular IgV region binds efficiently to the B7 molecules on antigen-presenting cells to deliver negative signals. We designed and prepared a recombinant vaccine by fusing CTLA-4IgV to the EgG1Y162 protein to exploit its binding properties. Bioinformatic methods were used to analyze the structure and epitopes of the proposed recombinant vaccine. The placement of 16 amino acids (GTDDDDKAMADIGSEF) between the CTLA-4IgV and EgG1Y162 using the skeleton structure of pET30a plasmid did not affect the correct folding of the proteins. When the recombinant proteins were co-cultured with bone marrow-induced dendritic cells (DC), the protein CTLA-4IgV-EgG1Y162 promoted its binding to DC and increased the percentage of DC maturation compared with protein EgG1Y162 in vitro and in vivo. Compared to EgG1Y162, CTLA-4IgV-EgG1Y162 promoted the proliferation of lymphocytes in spleen and the release of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 by those lymphocytes in vitro, while it also promoted the release of protective antibodies in the serum of immunized mice in vivo. These findings indicated that the designed recombinant vaccine, CTLA-4IgV-EgG1Y162, can provide new ideas for the optimization and improvement of vaccines against E. granulosus.
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Background: Hematologic malignancies can impair immune responses following COVID-19 vaccination. We analyzed seroconversion rates following a primary two-dose COVID-19 vaccination series and subsequent seroconversion rates after booster doses (doses 3 and above) in patients with various subtypes of hematologic malignancies (HM), human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), and solid tumors (ST). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 299 fully vaccinated adults with HM (n=202), HIV without diagnosed cancer (n=48), HIV and cancer (n=17), ST (n=12), autoimmune diseases (n=12), or other hematologic diseases (n=10) seen in a single tertiary institution between May 2020 and July 2022. A serum spike antibody level ?0.8U/mL was considered evidence of seroconversion as defined by the manufacturer (Roche Elecsys®). A Mann-Whitney test was utilized to analyze continuous variables and a chi-square test for categorical variables. Results: Seroconversion after initial vaccination was significantly associated with disease category and treatment. Seroconversion rates were lowest in people with B-cell lymphomas (including patients not currently receiving treatment) (44/68) and patients receiving anti-B-cell monoclonal antibodies (23/57). All individuals with HIV alone or ST (n=60) demonstrated seroconversion after initial vaccination as did 94% of individuals with HIV and cancer (16/17) and 86% of those with plasma cell dyscrasias (37/43). Of the 51 people who did not seroconvert after their primary vaccination course, 25 achieved seroconversions after one booster dose. Conclusion: Our study supports the potential utility of COVID-19 serological testing to identify those at high risk of impaired response to COVID-19 vaccination and to help physicians develop personalized vaccination strategies. Continued research is needed to refine our understanding of immune response in these patients and improve their protection against COVID-19.
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In 2023,numerous theoretical advancements and technological breakthroughs have been achieved in the field of immunology research.In this article,we summarized representative research achievements in the field of immunology both domestically and internationally in 2023,and discussed the challenges and opportunities for future research.
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Immune system is thought to be closely associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in recent years. Genome-wide association studies have identified many AD risk genes related to immune response and microglia. This paper mainly reviews immune-related AD risk genes, describing their biological functions and possible roles in AD, in order to provide new scientific basis for early prevention and treatment of AD.
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As a cation with abundant intracellular contents and extensive functions, magnesium plays an active role in immune function and captivates widespread attention. Under the influence of multiple factors, such as use of calcineurin inhibitors, hypomagnesemia post-kidney transplantation is not uncommon. Infection is a common complication post-kidney transplantation and one of the main causes of death of kidney transplant recipients. Recent clinical studies have shown that hypomagnesemia post-kidney transplantation is closely associated with the risk of infection post-transplantation. Emphasizing and monitoring magnesium concentration in kidney transplant recipients may help prevent infection and improve clinical prognosis of both recipients and grafts. Therefore, research progress in magnesium and immune response, the causes of hypomagnesemia post-kidney transplantation and hypomagnesemia and infection post-kidney transplantation was reviewed, aiming to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of infection post-kidney transplantation.
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The WRKYs are a group of plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in defense responses. In this study, we silenced 2 GmWRKY33B homologous genes using a bean pod mosaic virus (BPMV) vector carrying a single fragment from the conserved region of the GmWRKY33B genes. Silencing GmWRKY33B did not result in morphological changes. However, significantly reduced resistances to Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea (Psg) and soybean mosaic virus (SMV) were observed in the GmWRKY33B-silenced plants, indicating a positive role of the GmWRKY33B genes in disease resistance. Kinase assay showed that silencing the GmWRKY33B genes significantly reduced the activation of GmMPK6, but not GmMPK3, in response to flg22 treatment. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) analysis of the genes encoding prenyltransferases (PTs), which are the key enzymes in the biosynthesis of glyceollin, showed that the Psg-induced expression of these genes was significantly reduced in the GmWRKY33B-silenced plants compared with the BPMV-0 empty vector plants, which correlated with the presence of the W-boxes in the promoter regions of these genes. Taken together, our results suggest that GmWRKY33Bs are involved in soybean immunity through regulating the activation of the kinase activity of GmMPK6 as well as through regulating the expression of the key genes encoding the biosynthesis of glyceollins.
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Glycine max/genetics , Disease Resistance/genetics , Biological Assay , Dimethylallyltranstransferase , Gene SilencingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Myocardial patches are used as an effective way to repair damaged myocardium,and there is controversy over which cells to use to make myocardial patches and how to maximize the therapeutic effect of myocardial patches in vivo. OBJECTIVE:To find out the best way to make myocardial patches by overviewing the cellular sources of myocardial patches and strategies for perfecting them. METHODS:The first author searched PubMed and Web of Science databases by using"cell sheet,cell patch,cardiomyocytes,cardiac progenitor cells,fibroblasts,embryonic stem cell,mesenchymal stem cells"as English search terms,and searched CNKI and Wanfang databases by using"myocardial patch,biological 3D printing,myocardial"as Chinese search terms.After enrollment screening,94 articles were ultimately included in the result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The cellular sources of myocardial patches are mainly divided into three categories:somatic cells,monoenergetic stem cells,and pluripotent stem cells,respectively.There are rich sources of cells for myocardial patches,but not all of them are suitable for making myocardial patches,e.g.,myocardial patches made from fibroblasts and skeletal myoblasts carry a risk of arrhythmogenicity,and mesenchymal stem cells have a short in vivo duration of action and ethical concerns.With the discovery of induced multifunctional stem cells,a reliable source of cells for making myocardial patches is available.(2)There are two methods of making myocardial patches.One is using cell sheet technology.The other is using biological 3D printing technology.Cell sheet technology can preserve the extracellular matrix components intact and can maximally mimic the cell growth ring in vivo.However,it is still difficult to obtain myocardial patches with three-dimensional structure by cell sheet technology.Biologicasl 3D printing technology,however,can be used to obtain myocardial patches with three-dimensional structures through computerized personalized design.(3)The strategies for perfecting myocardial patches mainly include:making myocardial patches after co-cultivation of multiple cells,improving the ink formulation and scaffold composition in biological 3D printing technology,improving the therapeutic effect of myocardial patches,suppressing immune rejection after transplantation,and perfecting the differentiation and cultivation protocols of stem cells.(4)There is no optimal cell source or method for making myocardial patches,and myocardial patches obtained from a particular cell or technique alone often do not achieve the desired therapeutic effect.Therefore,researchers need to choose the appropriate strategy for making myocardial patches based on the desired therapeutic effect before making them.
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BACKGROUND:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease,which often leads to the death of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.The pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is extremely complex,with high refractory rate and mortality rate.There are only two kinds of drugs for its treatment,so it is urgent to develop new treatment methods to improve the prognosis of patients. OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanism of Chinese medicine and mesenchymal stem cells regulating the immune response in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. METHODS:"Traditional Chinese medicine,medical stem cells,ALS,immune response"were Chinese and English search terms.Articles were retrieved from WanFang,CNKI,PubMed,Web of Science and other databases from 2010 to 2023.Finally,69 articles were included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The article summarizes in detail the five mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine regulating the immune response in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:mainly including the promotion of expression of closed zone protein-1 and closed protein-5 by traditional Chinese medicine such as borneol and astragaloside IV to rebuild the integrity of the blood central nervous system barrier.Fufangteng Mixture can regulate the receptor molecules on the surface of the natural killer cells to inhibit their autotoxicity.The complement system factors such as Scutellaria barbata and patchouli can inhibit their abnormal activation.Tripterygium wilfordii and Uncaria rhynchophylla inhibit the activation of microglia by mediating the production of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase.Zuogui Pill and Trichosanthes kirilowii Root promote the expression of interleukin-10 and regulate T cells to improve the immune environment.(2)Through existing research,five mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells regulating the immune response in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have been summarized,mainly including reducing the expression of aquaporin 4 and reducing endothelial nitric oxide synthase signal transduction to repair the integrity of the immune barrier;releasing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase,prostaglandin E2 and other factors to resist natural killer cell toxicity;secretion factor H interferes with the activity of invertase and inhibits abnormal activation of the complement system;regulating the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 system axis or secreting transforming growth factors β,which can change the phenotype of microglia and inhibit its activity by other ways;increasing the expression of interleukin-10 or activating the STATS phosphorylation pathway to restore T cell function.(3)At present,there are few studies on the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Relevant research reports have shown that Jiweiling Injection can promote stem cell proliferation and differentiation and that Buyang Huanwu decoction combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can significantly improve the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.In the future,further exploration is needed to explore the synergistic treatment effect of both on refractory amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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ObjectiveTo illustrate the mechanism of COVID-19 vaccine in the T cell immune response. MethodsBased on the characteristics of T cell and B cell immune response, we matched the data of incubation periods across the SARS-CoV-2 prototype strain, Delta variants, and Omicron variants and effectiveness of mRNA and inactivated COVID-19 vaccines for analysis. ResultsThe effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against infection and onset was consistent with incubation period principally being ≥5 days. In contrast, the effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine was consistent with incubation period principally being ≥8 days. ConclusionIt may be interpreted by faster T cell immune response stimulated by mRNA vaccine, compared to B cell immune response byinactivated vaccine.
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The interaction between microbes and the human immune system has long been a focus in biomedical research. Next-generation sequencing has revealed that in addition to gut microbiota, the respiratory tract also harbors microbial communities, forming an interconnected network with the gut microbiota through immune cells and active factors. This review aims to explore how the gut and lung microbiota regulate immune responses, including their roles in local and systemic immune modulation. It also delineates the immunological connections along the gut-lung axis. Further elucidating the influence of microbes on the immune system holds important clinical significance for understanding diseases and exploring novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Objective:To investigate the effect of stress-induced protein Sestrin2 (SESN2) on necroptosis of mouse dendritic cell (DC) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) combined with zVAD, a panaspartate-specific cysteine protease (caspase) inhibitor.Methods:The DC2.4 cell line derived from the bone marrow of mouse in the 3rd to 10th generations was cultured. The cells were stimulated with LPS for 0 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours, and grouped according to the stimulation time points. Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression of SESN2 in each group. Overexpression empty lentivirus (NC), SESN2 gene overexpression RNA sequence lentivirus (SESN2 LV-RNA), small interfering empty lentivirus (NS), and SESN2 gene small interfering RNA sequence lentivirus (SESN2 siRNA) were transfected into DC2.4 cells. After 72 hours of transfection, cell fluorescence expression was observed under the inverted fluorescence microscope. Cells in each transfection group were stimulated with LPS for 24 hours. The blank control groups were set up and cultured with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 24 hours. Western blotting was performed to measure SESN2 protein expression. In the same groups as above, cells were stimulated with LPS+zVAD for 24 hours. The blank control groups were set up and cultured with PBS for 24 hours. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) and phosphorylated-MLKL (p-MLKL). The p-MLKL levels and the number of positive cells were observed using laser scanning confocal microscopy. The necroptotic cell ratios were assessed by both flow cytometry and Hoechst staining.Results:Compared to the LPS 0 hour group, the expression of SESN2 in the LPS 24 hours group showed a significant increase. Therefore, 24 hours was chosen as the subsequent stimulation time point. After successful lentivirus transduction and 24 hours of cultivation, the MLKL phosphorylation level in the SESN2 siRNA+LPS+zVAD group was significantly higher than that in the NS+LPS+zVAD group. The MLKL phosphorylation in the SESN2 LV-RNA+LPS+zVAD group was significantly lower than that in the NC+LPS+zVAD group. The MLKL phosphorylation levels in both the NS+LPS+zVAD group and the NC+LPS+zVAD group were obviously higher than those in the NS+PBS group and the NC+PBS group, respectively. Laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that the trends in quantity and fluorescence intensity of p-MLKL protein expressions were consistent with the above results. The results from flow cytometry analysis and Hoechst staining showed that the rates of cell necrotic apoptosis in SESN2 siRNA+LPS+zVAD group were significantly higher than those in NS+LPS+zVAD group [flow cytometry analysis: (30.800±1.153)% vs. (20.800±1.114)%, Hoechst staining: (75.267±0.451)% vs. (46.267±3.371)%, both P < 0.05], indicating that knocking down SESN2 further exacerbated the occurrence of necroptosis. The necrotic apoptosis rates in SESN2 LV-RNA+LPS+zVAD group were significantly lower than those in NC+LPS+zVAD group [flow cytometry analysis: (7.160±0.669)% vs. (19.240±2.322)%, Hoechst staining: (32.433±3.113)% vs. (48.567±4.128)%, both P < 0.05], indicating that overexpressing SESN2 reversed such response and markedly reduced the proportion of necroptotic cells compared to the corresponding empty vector group. Conclusion:SESN2 exhibits an inhibitory effect on necroptosis of DC in sepsis. Targeted SESN2 expression may regulate the process of DC-mediated immune response in sepsis.
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Objective To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 2(TLR2)and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)in children with recurrent respiratory tract infection(RRTI)and its relationship with T helper cell 1(Th1)/T helper cell 2(Th2)immune response.Methods A total of 65 children diagnosed with RRTI who admitted to the hospital from December 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled in the study as the RRTI group,and 45 healthy children who underwent physical examination in the hospital during the same period were enrolled as the control group.The relative expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA in PBMCs were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR).The expres-sion rates of TLR2 and TLR4 protein in PBMCs were detected by flow cytometry.The levels of Th1 cytokine interferon-γ(IFN-γ),Th2 cytokine interleukin-4(IL-4)and their ratio(IFN-γ/IL-4)in plasma were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the corre-lation between TLR2,TLR4 protein expression rates and plasma IFN-γ,IL-4 levels.Results The RRTI group had significantly higher plasma level of Th2 cytokine IL-4 than the control group,significantly lower plasma level of Th1 cytokine IFN-y than the control group,and significantly lower ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 than the con-trol group,the differences were all statistically significant(P<0.05).The relative expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA and protein expression rates in PBMC of children in the RRTI group were higher than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the protein expression rates of TLR2 and TLR4 in PBMC of children with RRTI were both nega-tively correlated with both plasma IFN-γ levels and IFN-γ/IL-4(P<0.05)and positively correlated with plasma IL-4 levels(P<0.05).Conclusion The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in PBMC and plasma Th1/Th2 cytokines in children with RRTI may be involved in the occurrence and development of the disease.Ex-cessive activation of TLR2 and TLR4 may weaken Th1 function and enhance Th2 function.
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Objective To evaluate the characteristics of different antigen-specific T cell immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)after inoculation with 2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine for 12 months.Methods Fifteen healthy adults were enrolled in this study and blood samples collected at 12 months after receiving two doses of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine.The level and phenotypic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific T lymphocytes were detected by activation-induced markers(AIM)based on polychromatic flow cytometry.Results After 12 months of inoculation with 2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine,more than 90%of adults had detectable Spike and Non-spike antigen-specific CD4+ T cells immune responses(Spike:14/15,P=0.0001;Non-spike:15/15,P<0.0001).80%of adults had detectable Spike and Non-spike antigen-specific CD8+ T cells immune responses(Spike:12/15,P=0.0463;Non-spike:12/15,P=0.0806).Antigen-specific CD4+ T cells induced by SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccination after 12 months were composed of predominantly central memory(CM)and effector memory 1(EM1)cells.On the other hand,in terms of helper subsets,antigen-specific CD4+ T cells mainly showed T helper 1/17(Th1/17)and T helper 2(Th2)phenotypes.Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccination generates durable and extensive antigen-specific CD4+ T cell memory responses,which may be the key factor for the low proportion of severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)infection in China.
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Recent clinical studies have shown that mutation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) gene in cancer cells may be associated with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and poor response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Therefore, efficiently restoring PTEN gene expression in cancer cells is critical to improving the responding rate to ICB therapy. Here, we screened an adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid for efficient PTEN gene delivery into B16F10 tumor cells. We demonstrated that intratumorally injected AAV6-PTEN successfully restored the tumor cell PTEN gene expression and effectively inhibited tumor progression by inducing tumor cell immunogenic cell death (ICD) and increasing immune cell infiltration. Moreover, we developed an anti-PD-1 loaded phospholipid-based phase separation gel (PPSG), which formed an in situ depot and sustainably release anti-PD-1 drugs within 42 days in vivo. In order to effectively inhibit the recurrence of melanoma, we further applied a triple therapy based on AAV6-PTEN, PPSG@anti-PD-1 and CpG, and showed that this triple therapy strategy enhanced the synergistic antitumor immune effect and also induced robust immune memory, which completely rejected tumor recurrence. We anticipate that this triple therapy could be used as a new tumor combination therapy with stronger immune activation capacity and tumor inhibition efficacy.
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor of the intestinal tract with changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, and pain as the main clinical manifestations. With the change in lifestyle and diet structure in recent years, the incidence of CRC has been increasing year by year. The pathogenesis of CRC is closely related to abnormal immune response and chronic inflammation, intestinal microbial dysbiosis, and the production of oncogenic metabolites. There is a two-way communication between the intestinal microbiota and the body's immunity, which not only plays a key role in maintaining the body's health but also has a close relationship with the development of diseases. An increasing number of studies have shown that abnormal immune responses accelerate the disease process by producing inflammatory factors, causing chronic inflammation in the body, disrupting the intestinal mucosal barrier, and increasing mucosal permeability, thus resulting in dysbiosis of the intestinal microbial ecology and a large number of pathogenic microorganisms and their metabolites. In addition, dysbiosis of intestinal microbes, by suppressing the normal immune response, leads to the disruption of multiple metabolic pathways in the body, affecting the internal and external stress response of the intestine, inducing inflammation, and thus producing disease. Therefore, the complex crosstalk mechanism between the immune response and intestinal microbial axis is closely related to the development of CRC. Based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical research, it was found that dietary factors are an important causative factor in the development of CRC. The deficiency of positive energy is the root cause of the disease, and damp-heat accumulation is the key pathogenesis. Through modern medical and biological research, it is believed that abnormal immune response is the microscopic manifestation of damp-heat entrapment, while intestinal microbial dysbiosis is the biological basis of toxic injection into the large intestine, and in the pathogenesis of CRC, the imbalance of immune response-intestinal microbial axis is compatible with damp-heat accumulation in traditional Chinese medicine. This study aims to explore the biological connotation of CRC due to damp-heat accumulation from the immune response-intestinal microbial axis, so as to interpret the pathogenesis of CRC due to damp-heat accumulation with objective data and provide new ideas and theoretical basis for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of CRC due to damp-heat accumulation.
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Depression is a common neurological disorder with high incidence, high recurrence and high disability, but its pathogenesis is unclear. In recent years, the protective and attacking effects of glial cells on neurons have become the frontier of neurological disease research. Neuronal injury caused by abnormal activation of microglia (MG) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. In this paper, through literature retrieval by GeenMedical and CNKI, the relevant pathways and key targets of MG activation in depression are summarized so as to provide a theoretical basis for further clinical research.