Electroacupuncture alleviates neuropathic pain caused by SNL by promoting M2 microglia polarization through PD-L1.

As a common clinical disease, neuropathic pain is difficult to be cured with drugs. The occurrence and progression of pain is closely related to the response of spinal microglia. Aspartof the regulation of microglialactivity,PD-L1 playsacriticalrole. Loss of PD-L1 promoted the polarization of M1-like microglia. Increased expression of PD-L1 promoted M2-like polarization. Electroacupuncture has a significant analgesic effect in clinical practice, but its specific mechanism remains to be further explored. In this study, we verified the role of PD-L1 in EA analgesia and the underlying molecular mechanism through spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in rats and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV2 microglial cells. Forbehavioralstudiesofrats,mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured, and spinal cord neuros were examined under transmission electron microscopyto determine changes to their myelin structure. The expression levels of PD-L1 and M1/M2-specific markers in rat spinal cord and BV2 microglial cells were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis. Our study showed that EA increased the pain threshold, reduced the destruction of myelin structure, promoted the expression of PD-L1 and PD-1, inhibited the MAPK signaling pathway, and promoted the conversion of microglial polarization from the M1 phenotype to the M2 phenotype in SNL rats. PD-L1 knockdown reversed these effects of EA. In addition, PD-L1 knockdown activated the MAPK signaling pathway, promoted microglial polarization to the M1 phenotype, decreased the expression of anti-inflammatory mediators and increased the expression of proinflammatory factors in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Our results showed that EA may regulate the excitability of primary afferent neurons through PD-L1 and then inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway to promote the transformation of activated M1 microglia into M2 microglia, reduce inflammatory reactions, and finally achieve analgesic effects. A therapy targeting PD-L1 may be an effective strategy for treating neuropathic pain.

Electroacupuncture inhibits dendritic spine remodeling through the srGAP3-Rac1 signaling pathway in rats with SNL.

Previous studies have shown that peripheral nerve injury can lead to abnormal dendritic spine remodeling in spinal dorsal horn neurons. Inhibition of abnormal dendritic spine remodeling can relieve neuropathic pain. Electroacupuncture (EA) has a beneficial effect on the treatment of neuropathic pain, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Evidence has shown that slit-robo GTPase activating protein 3 (srGAP3) and Rho GTPase (Rac1) play very important roles in dendritic spine remodeling. Here, we used srGAP3 siRNA and Rac1 activator CN04 to confirm the relationship between SrGAP3 and Rac1 and their roles in improving neuropathic pain with EA. Spinal nerve ligation (SNL) was used as the experimental model, and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and Golgi-Cox staining were used to examine changes in behavioral performance, protein expression and dendritic spines. More dendritic spines and higher expression levels of srGAP3 were found in the initial phase of neuropathic pain. During the maintenance phase, dendritic spines were more mature, which was consistent with lower expression levels of srGAP3 and higher expression levels of Rac1-GTP. EA during the maintenance phase reduced the density and maturity of dendritic spines of rats with SNL, increased the levels of srGAP3 and reduced the levels of Rac1-GTP, while srGAP3 siRNA and CN04 reversed the therapeutic effects of EA. These results suggest that dendritic spines have different manifestations in different stages of neuropathic pain and that EA may inhibit the abnormal dendritic spine remodeling by regulating the srGAP3/Rac1 signaling pathway to alleviate neuropathic pain.

Electroacupuncture inhibits dendritic spine remodeling through the srGAP3-Rac1 signaling pathway in rats with SNL

Previous studies have shown that peripheral nerve injury can lead to abnormal dendritic spine remodeling in spinal dorsal horn neurons. Inhibition of abnormal dendritic spine remodeling can relieve neuropathic pain. Electroacupuncture (EA) has a beneficial effect on the treatment of neuropathic pain, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Evidence has shown that slit-robo GTPase activating protein 3 (srGAP3) and Rho GTPase (Rac1) play very important roles in dendritic spine remodeling. Here, we used srGAP3 siRNA and Rac1 activator CN04 to confirm the relationship between SrGAP3 and Rac1 and their roles in improving neuropathic pain with EA. Spinal nerve ligation (SNL) was used as the experimental model, and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and Golgi-Cox staining were used to examine changes in behavioral performance, protein expression and dendritic spines. More dendritic spines and higher expression levels of srGAP3 were found in the initial phase of neuropathic pain. During the maintenance phase, dendritic spines were more mature, which was consistent with lower expression levels of srGAP3 and higher expression levels of Rac1-GTP. EA during the maintenance phase reduced the density and maturity of dendritic spines of rats with SNL, increased the levels of srGAP3 and reduced the levels of Rac1-GTP, while srGAP3 siRNA and CN04 reversed the therapeutic effects of EA. These results suggest that dendritic spines have different manifestations in different stages of neuropathic pain and that EA may inhibit the abnormal dendritic spine remodeling by regulating the srGAP3/Rac1 signaling pathway to alleviate neuropathic pain.

A 2-year longitudinal follow-up of quantitative assessment neck tics in Tourette's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Neck motor tics in Tourette's syndrome can cause severe neck complications. Although addressed in a few longitudinal studies, the clinical course of Tourette's syndrome has not been quantitatively assessed. We had previously developed a method for quantifying the angular movements of neck tics using a compact gyroscope. Here, we present a follow-up study aimed at elucidating the clinical course of neck tics at both the group and individual levels. METHODS: Eleven patients with Tourette's syndrome from our previous study participated in the present study, and their neck tics were recorded during a 5-min observation period. The severity of neck symptoms was assessed using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. The peak angular velocities and accelerations, tic counts, and severity scores in our previous study (baseline) and the present study (2-year follow-up) were compared at the group and individual levels. The individual level consistency between baseline and follow-up were calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs, one-way random, single measure). RESULTS: At the group level, no significant change was observed between baseline and follow-up. At the individual level, angular velocity (ICC 0.73) and YGTSS scores (ICC 0.75) had substantial consistency over the two time points, and angular acceleration (ICC 0.59) and tic counts (ICC 0.69) had moderate consistency. CONCLUSIONS: The intensity and frequency of neck tics did not change over time. Therefore, quantification of angular neck motor tics will aid in identifying patients with neck tics at high risk for severe neck complications.

Sequence characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of H9N2 subtype avian influenza A viruses detected from poultry and the environment in China, 2018.

H9N2 subtype avian influenza A virus (AIV) is a causative agent that poses serious threats to both the poultry industry and global public health. In this study, we performed active surveillance to identify H9N2 AIVs from poultry (chicken, duck, and goose) and the environment of different regions in China, and we phylogenetically characterized the sequences. AIV subtype-specific reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that 5.43% (83/1529) samples were AIV positive, and 87.02% (67/77) of which were H9N2 AIVs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all H9N2 field viruses belonged to the Y280-like lineage, exhibiting 93.9-100% and 94.6-100% of homology in the hemagglutinin (HA) gene and 94.4-100% and 96.3-100% in the neuraminidase (NA) gene, at the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) levels, respectively. All field viruses shared relatively lower identities with vaccine strains, ranging from 89.4% to 97.7%. The aa sequence at the cleavage site (aa 333-340) in HA of all the isolated H9N2 AIVs was PSRSSRG/L, which is a characteristic of low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV). Notably, all the H9N2 field viruses harbored eight glycosylation sites, whereas a glycosylation site 218 NRT was missing and a new site 313 NCS was inserted. All field viruses had NGLMR as their receptor binding sites (RBS) at aa position 224-229, showing high conservation with many recently-isolated H9N2 strains. All H9N2 field isolates at position 226 had the aa Leucine (L), indicating their ability to bind to sialic acid (SA) α, a 2-6 receptor of mammals that poses the potential risk of transmission to humans. Our results suggest that H9N2 AIVs circulating in poultry populations that have genetic variation and the potential of infecting mammalian species are of great significance when monitoring H9N2 AIVs in China.

Occurrence and Characterization of Salmonella Isolated From Chicken Breeder Flocks in Nine Chinese Provinces.

We investigated the prevalence of salmonellosis on 17 poultry breeding farms in nine Chinese provinces (Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing). Altogether, 3,508 samples from poultry breeding farms were collected in 2019, including 1,400 from cloaca swabs, 210 from feed, 1,688 from chicken embryos, and 210 from water. All the samples were subjected to bacterial isolation and culture, and bacterial species were identified by polymerase chain reaction. Serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and drug-resistance phenotyping were performed on the isolates identified as Salmonella. Altogether, 126 Salmonella strains were detected in the 3,508 samples and the positivity rate for the samples was 3.59%. Among all the strains, 95 Salmonella isolates were selected for antimicrobial susceptibility test, resistance gene detection, serotyping, and genotyping. S. gallinarum-pullorum (57/95, 60.00%), S. enteritidis (22/95, 23.16%), and S. agona (16/95, 16.84%) serotypes were identified. The MLST classification showed that the 95 Salmonella strains fell into the following five sequence types (STs): ST92 (37/95, 38.95%), ST11 (22/95, 23.16%), ST2151 (19/95, 20.00%), ST13 (16/95, 16.84%), and ST470 (1/95, 1.05%). Apart from ST13, the other four STs shared close genetic relationships, and the genetic direction was ST11-ST470-ST92-ST2151. The resistance rates in the 95 isolates were 100% (95/95) for erythromycin, 68.42% (65/95) for tetracycline, and 53.68% (51/95) for streptomycin and ampicillin, respectively. The isolates were sensitive to polymyxin and sulfamethoxazole. Multi-drug resistance was seen in 70.53% (67/95) of the isolates. ß-lactam-, aminoglycoside- and sulfonamide-encoding resistance genes were detected by PCR. The detection rate for bla TEM and sul3 was 100% (95/95), whereas sul2 and aaC4 had rates of 52.63 and 23.16%, respectively. These results indicate that some of the salmonellosis seen in Chinese breeding chicken farms may be caused by infection with S. gallinarum-pullorum, S. enteritidis, and S. agona. They also show that some Salmonella isolates have multi-drug resistance phenotypes and carry multi-drug resistance genes.

Optimized real-time fluorescence PCR assay for the detection of porcine Circovirus type 3 (PCV3).

BACKGROUND: Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) has been an emerging porcine virus spread around the world. The conserved DNA sequence of PCV3 enabled good performance in molecular biological assays. RESULT: In this study, we developed a real-time fluorescence PCR assay for the detection of PCV3. The conserved region within Capsid genome of PCV3 was selected for the design of primer pairs and probes. After optimizing, a primer pair and probe was screened, providing high sensitivity (10 copies/µL) and specificity (no cross reaction with other porcine viruses or common bacterium). In addition, this method was applied in the detection of 110 clinical samples, and the performance was compared with other previously reported PCR and real-time PCR methods. This method provided higher detection rate. CONCLUSION: A real-time fluorescence PCR assay has been developed for the detection of PCV3, with high sensitivity and specificity, exhibiting good performance in detecting clinical samples.

The prevalence of novel porcine circovirus type 3 isolates in pig farms in China.

The emerging porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) has been reported in Chinese swine herds since 2017. We performed a nationwide investigation on the prevalence of PCV3 in pig breeding farms and slaughterhouses in China. A total of 4,040 tonsil samples were collected from 89 farms in 25 provinces, and 1,419 lymph node samples were collected from 50 slaughterhouses in 27 provinces. The PCR results showed that in pig breeding farms, the positive rate was 41.6% (37/89) at the farm level and 5.0% (201/4040) at the individual level. In the slaughterhouses, the positive rate was 62.0% (31/50) at the farm level and 8.0% (114/1419) at the individual level. The PCR-positive samples were further sequenced, and 19 new PCV3 isolates were identified. The complete genomes of the 19 virus isolates showed 97.4%-99.7% nucleotide identity with other PCV3 isolates. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 19 isolates were divided into PCV3a and PCV3b genotype clusters based on the PCV3 complete genome sequences. This study indicated that PCV3 has spread extensively in both pig breeding farms and slaughterhouses. The positive rate of PCV3 was higher in eastern China compared to other regions in China. Furthermore, this study will help us understand the prevalence and genetic variation of PCV3 in Chinese swine herds.

Complete genomic characterization and genetic diversity of four European genotype porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus isolates from China in 2011.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an emerging disease that has caused serious economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. In 2011, a nation-wide surveillance program investigated the prevalence of PRRS viruses (PRRSV) in Chinese breeding swine farms, and four European genotype PRRSV (PRRSV-Type 1) were successfully isolated. To explore the genetic diversity of PRRSV-Type 1 in China, these 4 viral strains were subjected to genome sequencing and analysis. The four isolates shared 87.4-90.7 % nucleotide homology with the Lelystad strain (PRRSV-Type 1 stereotype strain). NSP2, ORF3, and ORF4 were the most variable regions and contained discontinuous deletions or insertions when compared to other PRRSV-Type 1 strains. All isolates fell into separate branches of the subtype 1 of PRRSV-Type 1 phylogenetic tree. This analysis of emerging PRRSV-Type 1 strains revealed previously unrecorded genetic diversity. Close attention should be paid to the prevention and control of this evolving virus.

A descriptive study of the progression of the Metabolic Syndrome in middle-aged Chinese population.

This longitudinal study investigated the prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in middle-aged (44-56 years) men and women in China. The presence of the components of the MetS was determined in a cohort of 643 persons born in 1956, 1960-1961, and 1964 in Shanxi Province China in 2008 and 2012. The rate of MetS in 2008 was 51.63% (95% CI [44.73, 58.48]) and 37.15% (95% CI [32.56, 41.92]) and in 2012 was 50.23% (95% CI [43.35, 57.10]) and 46.26% (95% CI [41.46, 51.11]) for men and women, respectively. Increased blood glucose and triglycerides and decreased high-density lipoprotein for women, and blood glucose and triglycerides for men were the components responsible for the development of MetS from 2008 to 2012. MetS develops differently between men and women. From age 44 to 56, the rate is unchanged among men and increasing among women.

Assessment of the safety and efficacy of an attenuated live vaccine based on highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.

The safety and efficacy of the JXA1-R vaccine, an attenuated strain of highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV), were examined using an intramuscular challenge model in piglets. The JXA1-R vaccine was obtained by passing HP-PRRSV JXA1 through Marc-145 cells (82nd passage). Genomic sequence comparisons showed that strain JXA1-R and its parental strain, JXA1, differ by 47 amino acids, and most of these differences are scattered throughout the PRRSV genome. Four-week-old PRRSV-free piglets were inoculated intramuscularly with JXA1-R vaccine (10(3.0), 10(4.0), 10(5.0), 10(6.0), and 10(7.0) 50% tissue culture infective doses [TCID50]/ml for groups 1 to 5, respectively) and then challenged intramuscularly with the 5th passage virus of JXA1 virus (JXA1-F5, 3 ml × 10(4.5) TCID50/ml) 28 days after inoculation. The humoral immune response, swine growth, clinical signs, and differential organ lesions were monitored. The results showed that all vaccinated piglets had a perceptible humoral immune response to vaccination after day 7, which then promptly increased, almost reaching the maximum sample/positive (S/P) ratio value at 28 days postimmunization. Viremia detection indicated that the viral replication levels of the challenge virus in the immunized groups (immunization doses ≥10(4.0)/ml) were significantly lower than that of the virus-challenged unvaccinated control group. Piglets in groups 2 to 5 were effectively protected against lethal HP-PRRSV infection and did not show any obvious changes in body temperature or clinical signs of disease at any point during the experiment. However, two of five piglets in group 1 showed mild pathological lesions and transitory high fever. These results suggest that JXA1-R (TCID50/ml ≥10(4.0)) is sufficiently attenuated and can provide effective protection against the lethal wild-type HP-PRRSV.

Pathogenic pseudorabies virus, China, 2012.

In 2012, an unprecedented large-scale outbreak of disease in pigs in China caused great economic losses to the swine industry. Isolates from pseudorabies virus epidemics in swine herds were characterized. Evidence confirmed that the pathogenic pseudorabies virus was the etiologic agent of this epidemic.

Complete genome sequence of a European genotype porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in china.

Here, we report a novel European genotype porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strain with 15 nucleotide deletions in the nonstructural protein 2 region and 3 nucleotide deletions in the overlapping regions of the open reading frame 3 (ORF3) and ORF4 regions. This study will aid in further exploration of the genetic and antigenic diversity of the European genotype of the PRRSV in China.

Genomic sequencing reveals mutations potentially related to the overattenuation of a highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.

Highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) continues to evolve when serially passaged in Marc-145 cells. In this study, we analyzed the genomic and antigenic variants of HP-PRRSV strain JXA1 during in vitro passage. Protective efficacies of JXA1 from passages 100, 110, 120, 140, and 170 against the high-virulence parental virus were evaluated by inoculating pigs with each of these viruses and then challenging with JXA1 from passage 5 at 28 days postimmunization. We found that the antigenicities of JXA1 from passages after 110 were significantly reduced. Inoculation with JXA1 from passages after 110 provided only insufficient protection against the parental strain challenge, indicating that the immunogenicity of JXA1 is significantly decreased when it is in vitro passaged for 110 times and more. To identify the genomic variants that emerged during the overattenuation, eight complete genomes of highly passaged JXA1 were sequenced. One guanine deletion in the 5' untranslated region (UTR), two nucleotide substitutions in the 3' UTR, and 65 amino acid mutations in nonstructural and structural proteins that accompanied with the attenuation and overattenuation were determined. Genomic sequencing of in vitro serially passaged HP-PRRSV first identified the mutations potentially correlated with the overattenuation of a HP-PRRSV strain. These results facilitate the research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms for PRRSV genomic and antigenic changes and may also contribute to developing a safe and effective PRRSV vaccine.