Downregulation of miRNA-663b protects against hypoxia-induced injury in cardiomyocytes by targeting BCL2L1.

In the present study, the role of microRNA-663b (miR-663b) in cardiomyocyte injury was examined. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect miR-663b expression in hypoxia-induced H9c2 cells. The results revealed that miR-663b expression was significantly upregulated in hypoxia-induced H9c2 cells compared with control cells. TargetScan analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that miR-663b directly targeted the B-cell lymphoma 2 like 1 (BCL2L1) gene. RT-qPCR and western blotting data indicated that BCL2L1 expression was significantly downregulated in hypoxia-induced H9c2 cells compared with control cells. Under hypoxic conditions, H9c2 cells were transfected with miR-663b inhibitor, inhibitor control, miR-663b inhibitor + control small interfering (si)RNA or miR-663b inhibitor + BCL2L1-siRNA for 48 h. ELISA against creatine kinase-muscle/brain (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin 1 (cTnI) demonstrated that the miR-663b inhibitor reduced CK-MD and cTnI release and increased mitochondrial viability when compared with hypoxia-treated cells. Additionally, the miR-663b inhibitor significantly increased H9c2 cell viability and decreased cell apoptosis under hypoxic conditions. The results of ELISA further revealed that the miR-663b inhibitor decreased the release of various inflammatory factors, including tumour necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL) 1ß and IL-6 in H9c2 cells under hypoxic conditions. These changes were reversed following BCL2L1 knockdown. In conclusion, miR-663b inhibition protected cardiomyocytes against hypoxia-induced injury by targeting BCL2L1 and may potentially be a novel target for the treatment of patients with myocardial infarction.

Autoimmune encephalitis positive for both anti-γ-aminobutyric acid B receptor and anticollapsin response-mediator protein 5 antibodies: A case report.

RATIONALE: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a heterogeneous group of recently identified disorders. Despite severe and even prolonged neurologic deficits, dramatic improvements may occur with proper immunotherapy in some patients with AE. Antineuronal antibodies have been discovered in patients' serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, AE with multiple antineuronal antibodies is rare. To date, there are no published reports of AE with both anti-γ-aminobutyric acid B receptor (GABABR) and anticollapsin response-mediator protein 5 (CV2) antibodies. PATIENT CONCERNS: We describe a 46-year-old man who presented with seizures, working memory deficits, and visual hallucinations. We detected anti-CV2 and anti-GABABR antibodies in his serum and CSF. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed patchy abnormal signals in his left temporal lobe and hippocampus. The patient's symptoms improved after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin injections and glucocorticoids, but his condition relapsed within 4 months, and he was readmitted to our hospital. Repeated MRI scans revealed new lesions in his right temporal lobe and hippocampus. DIAGNOSIS: The AE diagnosis was established from the results of the preliminary physical examination, the laboratory tests, and the imaging findings. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received intravenous immunoglobulins and glucocorticoids. OUTCOMES: We followed the patient for 9 months from the date of the patient's second hospital discharge. He experienced no seizures during this period, but his short-term memory deficits and visual hallucinations were not completely alleviated. LESSONS: Coexisting anti-CV2 and anti-GABABR antibodies may have synergistic effects and worsen the clinical syndrome. AE with multiple antineuronal antibodies may be relapse-prone. Further studies investigating the relationship between anti-CV2 and anti-GABABR antibodies are warranted.

Complete genome sequence of Ostreid herpesvirus-1 associated with mortalities of Scapharca broughtonii broodstocks.

BACKGROUND: Ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) is the major bivalve pathogen associated with severe mortality events in a wide host range. In the early summer of 2012 and 2013, mass mortalities of blood clam (Scapharca broughtonii) broodstocks associated with a newly described variant of OsHV-1 (OsHV-1-SB) were reported. METHODS: In this study, the complete genome sequence of the newly described variant was determined through the primer walking approach, and compared with those of the other two OsHV-1 variants. RESULTS: OsHV-1-SB genome was found to contain 199, 354 bp nucleotides with 38.5% G/C content, which is highly similar to those of acute viral necrosis virus (AVNV) and OsHV-1 reference type. A total of 123 open reading frames (ORFs) putatively encoding functional proteins were identified; eight of which were duplicated in the major repeat elements of the genome. The genomic organization of OsHV-1-SB could be represented as TRL-UL-IRL-IRS-US-TRS, which is different from that of OsHV-1 reference type and AVNV due to the deletion of a unique region (X, 1.5Kb) between IRL and IRS. The DNA sequence of OsHV-1-SB is 95.2% and 97.3% identical to that of OsHV-1 reference type and AVNV respectively. On the basis of nucleotide sequences of 32 ORFs in OsHV-1-SB and the other nine OsHV-1 variants, results from phylogenetic analysis also demonstrated that OsHV-1-SB is most closely related to AVNV. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of the genome of OsHV-1 with distinguished epidemiological features will aid in our better understanding of OsHV-1 diversity, and facilitate further research on the origin, evolution, and epidemiology of the virus.

Emerging and endemic types of Ostreid herpesvirus 1 were detected in bivalves in China.

Viral infection caused by Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) is one of the proximate causes of mass mortalities of cultivated bivalves around the world. The emergence and spread of different variants of OsHV-1 accompanied by different epidemiological characteristics have been reported frequently in different countries around the world. In this paper, we present a study of the detection of OsHV-1 DNA and their variations from 1599 samples over 18 species collected in 27 aquaculture sites and two food markets during 2001-2013 in China. All of the samples were examined by a nested PCR assay targeting the C2/C6 fragment of OsHV-1 followed by sequencing. Our results showed 338 individuals (21.1%) of seven species sampled from 14 (14/27=51.9%) sites and the two food markets were positive for viral DNA. Sequencing of 289 PCR products revealed 24 virus types. No shared virus type was found among different countries with 47 types (23 in Japan, 16 in France, 2 in South Korea and 1 in each country of Australia, USA, Ireland, New Zealand, Mexico and China) identified in previous studies. As previously reported, two main phylogenetic groups were identified by phylogenetic analysis based on the 71 virus types; within which 6 separate clades were identified. Our results also demonstrated that two clades were associated with abnormal mortalities of the scallop, Chlamys farrier and the calm, Scapharca broughtonii in China. These findings indicated that cultivated bivalves may face potential threats from OsHV-1 types found in our study.