Impact of various vaccine boosters on neutralization against Omicron following prime vaccinations with inactivated or adenovirus-vectored vaccine

Since the first report on November 24, 2021, the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant is now overwhelmingly spreading across the world. Two SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccines (IAVs), one recombinant protein subunit vaccine (PRV), and one adenovirus-vectored vaccine (AdV) have been widely administrated in many countries including China to pursue herd immunity. Here we investigated cross-neutralizing activities in 341 human serum specimens elicited by full-course vaccinations with IAV, PRV and AdV, and by various vaccine boosters following prime IAV and AdV vaccinations. We found that all types of vaccines induced significantly lower neutralizing antibody titers against the Omicron variant than against the prototype strain. For prime vaccinations with IAV and AdV, heterologous boosters with AdV and PRV, respectively, elevated serum Omicron-neutralizing activities to the highest degrees. In a mouse model, we further demonstrated that among a series of variant-derived RBD-encoding mRNA vaccine boosters, it is only the Omicron booster that significantly enhanced Omicron neutralizing antibody titers compared with the prototype booster following a prime immunization with a prototype S-encoding mRNA vaccine candidate. In summary, our systematical investigations of various vaccine boosters inform potential booster administrations in the future to combat the Omicron variant.

Involvement of sympathetic nervous system in the pathogenesis of hypertension / 中华医学遗传学杂志

Sustained activation of sympathetic nervous system in response to stimulation of a wide variety of stress factors is an independent risk factor for the development of essential hypertension. Adrenal hormone biosynthesis pathway as an important part of the sympathetic nervous system consists of hormones, neurotransmitters, receptors, and a variety of synthases and invertases. In this article, we have systematically reviewed research progresses made in elucidating the interactions between genes of the adrenal hormone biosynthesis pathway and stress factors in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

Association of ER22/23EK polymorphism in glucocorticoid receptor gene with natural longevity in Xinjiang Uygur nationality and comparison with Han nationality / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate association of the ER22/23EK polymorphism of the glucocorticoid receptor gene(GR) with natural longevity in the XinJiang Uygur nationality people and the race difference.Methods One hundred and nintyone healthy individuals over 90 years old from Uighur people were recruited as the longevity group at the same time,82 Han nationality people aged between 65～70 who immigrated in Xinjiang Hetian for more than 30 years were randomly selected and investigated.Genotyping was performed by PCR-SSP,PCR-RELP and PCR-sequencing.ResultsThe frequencies of ER22/23EK alleles and genotypes showed no significant difference between the longevity group and the controls in Uygur,but the carriers of ER22/23EK of GR gene in Xinjiang Han old folkswere significantly more than those in Uygurs,the frequencies of WM, MM genotypes and M allele were significantly higher in Han nationality,while the frequencies of WW genotype and W allele were significant lower.Conclusion There is possibly no association between ER22/23EK polymorphism and XinJiang Uygur natural longevity,but there are significant differences between the two ethnic groups.