Clinical characteristics and virus identification of 4 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Zhejiang province / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of monkeypox patients.Methods:The clinical data and laboratory findings of 4 patients with monkeypox patients diagnosed at Yiwu Central Hospital in July 2023 were analyzed. Herpes fluid and skin tissue samples were collected, the viruses were isolation and cultured in African green monkey kidney cells (Vero) and identified with whole gene sequencing.Results:All four patients were male, aged 24-35 years. All patients had male-to-male behavior within 21 days before onset of the disease. Among them, one patient has AIDS and one patient has syphilis. Four patients presented with perineal skin lesions with itching, and 3 patients were found to have enlarged lymph nodes upon admission. Laboratory testing: lymphocyte abnormality (4.57×10 9/L) in 1 case; increased procalcitonin (0.25 ng/mL) in 1 case; elevated IL-10 levels ( 7.11 ng/L and 9.42 ng/L) in 2 cases; increased IL-6 (66 ng/L) and IL-4 (3.24 ng/L) in 1 case, respectively. One case had abnormal myocardial zymogram with a elevated lactate dehydrogenase level of 313 U/L. The monkeypox virus was isolated from lesion tissue and herpes fluid, and the whole gene sequencing identified it as the B. 1.3 subtype of the IIb evolutionary branch, exhibiting typical pathological effects on Vero cells. Conclusion:The clinical manifestations of the 4 monkeypox patients confirmed in Zhejiang province are mild, patients had a definitive history of male-to-male sexual behavior and the virus strains belong to the B. 1.3 lineage of the IIb evolutionary branch.

Molecular architecture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite recent advances in the structural elucidation of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and the complexes of the spike (S) proteins with the cellular receptor ACE2 or neutralizing antibodies, detailed architecture of the intact virus remains to be unveiled. Here we report the molecular assembly of the authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and subtomogram averaging (STA). Native structures of the S proteins in both pre- and postfusion conformations were determined to average resolutions of 8.7-11 [A]. Compositions of the N-linked glycans from the native spikes were analyzed by mass-spectrometry, which revealed highly similar overall processing states of the native glycans to that of the recombinant glycoprotein glycans. The native conformation of the ribonucleoproteins (RNP) and its higher-order assemblies were revealed. Overall, these characterizations have revealed the architecture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in unprecedented detail, and shed lights on how the virus packs its [~]30 kb long single-segmented RNA in the [~]80 nm diameter lumen.

Patient-derived mutations impact pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2

The sudden outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally with more than 1,300,000 patients diagnosed and a death toll of 70,000. Current genomic survey data suggest that single nucleotide variants (SNVs) are abundant. However, no mutation has been directly linked with functional changes in viral pathogenicity. We report functional characterizations of 11 patient-derived viral isolates. We observed diverse mutations in these viral isolates, including 6 different mutations in the spike glycoprotein (S protein), and 2 of which are different SNVs that led to the same missense mutation. Importantly, these viral isolates show significant variation in cytopathic effects and viral load, up to 270-fold differences, when infecting Vero-E6 cells. Therefore, we provide direct evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 has acquired mutations capable of substantially changing its pathogenicity.

Association of IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms with efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV-1 infection / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective To investigate the associations of IFNL3/IFNL4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)with the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy(HAART)in patients with HIV-1 infection.Methods Sixty-three adult patients with HIV-1 infection receiving HAART for at least 1 year in the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine were enrolled.HIV-1 RNA loads in plasma and HIV-1 DNA loads in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs),and blood SNPs were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR).Plasma inflammatory cytokines were examined by magnetic beads method,and the CD4 +T and CD8 +T lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry.According to response to HAART,the patients were classified as low HIV-1 RNA group(viral load <100 copies/mL)and high HIV-1 RNA group(viral load≥100 copies/mL);according to CD4+T lymphocyte counts,the patients were defined as low CD4+T cell group(<250 cells/μL), and high CD4+T cell group(≥250 cells/μL);according to HIV-1 DNA levels,the patients were divided into low(<100 copies/106cells)and high(≥100 copies/106cells)HIV-1 DNA groups.Results Three candidate SNPs rs368234815,rs8099917 and rs4803223 had significantly different distribution between low and high HIV-1 RNA groups(χ2=0.043,0.047 and 0.032,all P<0.05).The levels of interleukin(IL)-10 were declined in the low HIV-1 RNA group(U=4.00,P<0.05);the levels of IL-13 were decreased in the high HIV-1 RNA group and the high HIV-1 DNA group(U=0.00 and 2.00,both P<0.05);the levels of IL-21 were reduced in the high HIV-1 RNA group and in the low CD4 +T cell group(U=3.00 and 2.00, both P<0.05),the levels of IL-28A were decreased in the high HIV-1 RNA group,the high HIV-1 DNA group,and the low CD4 +T cell group(U=3.00, 0.50 and 3.00,P<0.05 or <0.01).In addition, rs368234815 was associated with IL-21 level(H=6.690,P<0.05),the IL-21 level in rs368234815 ΔG/ΔG [131.88(2.66,174.00)]was higher than that in TT/TT[6.79(2.81,26.48)](P<0.05);rs4803223 was correlated with IFN-γlevel(H=6.690, P<0.05),the IFN-γlevel in GG subtype[62.26(19.45, 96.49)]was higher than that in GA subtype[6.98(2.19, 99.14)](P<0.05).Conclusion The polymorphisms of IFNL3/IFNL4 rs368234815, rs8099917 and rs4803223 are associated with efficacy of HAART and immune-associated cytokines levels in patients with HIV-1 infection.

Effect of retinoblastoma binding protein 4 (RBBP4)on Sp1-mediated transcription of HIV long terminal repeat in 293 T cells / 中华临床感染病杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of retinoblastoma binding protein 4 (RBBP4)in Sp1 -mediated HIV long terminal repeat(LTR)transcription.Methods RBBP4 expression vector and Sp1 expression vector were respectively co-transfected into 293 T cells with HIV promoter pHIV-LTR-Luc or Sp1 site mutated pHIV-LTR-sp1 -mut by liposome transfection,and the transfected cells were examined by dual luciferase reporter assay system.The effect of RBBP4 on the binding of Sp1 to LTR was further studied by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).Results The relative firefly luciferase activity activated by Sp1 was decreased from 62.5 to 16 at the dose of 500 ng of RBBP4 expression vector (t =14.52,P <0.01 ).When the Sp1 binding sites were mutated,the effects of 100,300 or 500 ng of RBBP4 expression vector on the firefly luciferase activity of HIV LTR were not statistically significance (t =1 .897,2.357 and 3.162,all P <0.05).ChIP results showed that when the binding of RBBP4 on HIV LTR increased,the binding of Sp1 on HIV LTR increased significantly (t =11 .93,P <0.01 ),while the reduced binding of RBBP4 on HIV LTR significantly attenuated the binding of Sp1 onto LTR(t =11 .38,P <0.01 ).The effect of RBBP4 on the binding of Sp1 to DNA in ChIP assays was further verified by EMSA assays.Conclusion RBBP4 can inhibit the Sp1 -mediated HIV LTR transcription in 293 T cells.

Role of DC-SIGN induced signaling pathway in the activation of HIV-1 virus / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To explore the mechanism of latent human immunodeficiency ciency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is unclear, especially in dendritic cells (DC).We hypothesized that DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) binds with HIV-1 may activate HIV-1 provirus.Methods We generated a model by transfecting 293T cells with a DC-SIGN expression plasmid and a HIV-1 5'long terminal repeat (LTR) reporter plasmid, and then stimulated the 293T cells with HIV-1 gp120 protein, wild-type HIV-1 and VSV-G-pNL4.3 pseudotype virus ( without gp120 protein).CEM-Bru cells were transfected with the DC-SIGN expression plasmid and stimulated by HIV-1 gp120 protein.Then HIV-1 replication was detected.The involvement of the ERK, p38 and NF-κB pathways signaling in this response were determined by inhibiting the pathways specifically and detecting the phosphorylation of the signaling kinase.Results The HIV-1 5'LTR was reactivated by HIV-1 gp120 in DC-SIGN-expressing 293T cells.After HIV-1 gp120 protein stimulation of the mold of CEM-Bru cells, the increasing expression of HIV-1 Tat mRNA and HIV-1 p24,which implies early and late HIV-1 provirus replication was reactivated by the HIV-1 gp120/DC-SIGN stimulation.HIV-1 gp120/DC-SIGN stimulation reactivates latent HIV-1 provirus via the NF-κB signal pathway.Conclusion HIV-1 gp120/DC-SIGN stimulation reactivates latent HIV-1 provirus via the NF-κB signal pathway.

IL-4 induced signal pathways regulating DC-SIGN expression in THP-1 cells / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To detect the signal pathways through which IL-4 regulates expression of DC-SIGN in THP-1 cells.Methods We used phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA) differentiated THP-1 cells as the in vitro model of monocyte/macrophage cells to study the signal pathways involved in IL-4 regulated expression of DC-SIGN.DC-SIGN mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR.Cytoplasmic DC-SIGN protein was tested by Western blot.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell surface expression of DC-SIGN.Cytoplasm and nuclear protein of PMA stimulated THP-1 cells induced by IL-4 for 0,10,20,30,60 and 120 min was extracted and detected by Western blot for signal pathway signaling protein and phosphoprotein.Results We found that a high expression of DC-SIGN could be induced by IL-4 at the levels of mRNA and cell surface protein.Up-regulated expression of DC-SIGN was almost completely blocked by the specific inhibitor of ERK pathway,and partly reduced by the specific inhibitors of JAK-STAT and NF-κB pathways.The activation of the three signaling pathways was directly confirmed by testing the phosphorylation of protein kinase within the cytoplasm and nucleus over time.Conclusion Multiple signaling pathways are involved in IL-4 induced high expression of DC-SIGN on THP-1 cells,in which ERK pathway is the main signal pathway.