[Regulation of ILC3/Th17-Mediated Intestinal Immune Response by Circadian Rhythm].

The circadian rhythm is a widely-recognized phenomenon, according to which the life activities of organisms change periodically, synchronizing with the day and night cycles. The activities of the immune system are also regulated by the circadian rhythm. Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells (ILC3/Th17) are the innate and adaptive subsets of immune cells mediating type 17 immune response, which is featured by the expression of transcription factor retinoid orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) and the production of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22. The processes of type 17 immune response are completed mainly through the participation of ILC3/Th17 and are closely associated with the intestinal immune response. Recent studies have found that the immune response mediated by ILC3/Th17 is intricately regulated by the circadian rhythm through molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm, or through other external factors that change according to the light-darkness cycle, for example the food intake rhythm. The secretion of cytokines changes along with the regulatory effect of circadian rhythm on ILC3/Th17, which in turn impacts, to a certain degree, on the onset and development of intestinal inflammatory diseases, including bacterial infection and autoimmune diseases. The understanding of mechanisms regulating ILC3/Th17 responses by the circadian rhythm may promote better understanding of the course of action of the immune system and facilitate the development and discovery of potential targets for treatment of intestinal inflammatory diseases.

Folic acid-modified nonionic surfactant vesicles for gambogenic acid targeting: Preparation, characterization, and in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The aim of present study was to develop folic acid (FA)-modified nonionic surfactant vesicles (NISVs, niosomes) as carrier systems for targeted delivery of gambogenic acid (GNA). The FA-GNA-NISVs exhibited a mean particle size of 180.77 ± 2.41 nm with a narrow poly dispersion index of 0.147 ± 0.08 determined by dynamic light scattering. Transmission electron microscopy also revealed that the FA-GNA-NISVs were spherical with double-layer structure. Entrapment efficiency (EE%) and zeta potential of the optimal FA-GNA-NISVs were 87.84 ± 1.06% and -37.33 ± 0.33 mV, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated that the GNA was in a molecular or amorphous state inside the FA-NISVs in vitro release profiles suggested that FA-GNA-NISVs could release GNA at a sustained manner, and less than 60% of GNA was released from the FA-NISVs within 12 hours of dialysis. in vivo pharmacokinetic results illustrated that FA-GNA-NISVs had considerably higher Cmax , area under curve (AUC0 - t ) and accumulation in lung. The cell proliferation study shown that the FA-GNA-NISVs significantly enhanced the in vitro cytotoxicity against A549 cells. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy further demonstrated that the FA-GNA-NISVs increased apoptosis compared with nonmodified GNA-NISVs and free GNA. Moreover, FA-GNA-NISVs induced A549 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, cellular uptake assays showed a higher uptake of FA-GNA-NISVs than GNA-NISVs as well as free GNA. Taken together, it could be concluded that FA-GNA-NISVs were proposed as a novel targeting carriers for efficient delivering of GNA to cancers cells.

Paracoccus sphaerophysae sp. nov., a siderophore-producing, endophytic bacterium isolated from root nodules of Sphaerophysa salsula.

An aerobic, brown-pigmented, non-spore-forming, endophytic bacterium, designated strain Zy-3(T), was isolated from root nodules of Sphaerophysa salsula, a native leguminous herb belonging to the family Leguminosae growing in north-western China. Cells of strain Zy-3(T) were non-motile, Gram-negative rods. Strain Zy-3(T) produced siderophores and showed antifungal activity. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the closest relative of this organism was Paracoccus halophilus HN-182(T) (96.6 % sequence similarity). On the basis of genotype, fatty acid patterns and physiological characteristics, a novel species Paracoccus sphaerophysae sp. nov. is proposed, with Zy-3(T) (=ACCC 05413(T) =HAMBI 3106(T)) as the type strain.