The development of gene therapy for diseases of the lung

The development of a successful gene therapy has many stages, including preclinical testing in animal models and proof of principle clinical studies. A variety of diseases affect the lung, which are candidates for gene therapy; this review will mainly focus on the diseases that have attracted the most attention and have therefore yielded the most progress, namely lung cancer and the monogenic disorder cystic fibrosis. Knowledge gained from clinical studies could eventually be applied to more complex lung conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and asthma. In addition, increased gene transfer efficiencies could be obtained by appropriate selection of the gene transfer vector and mode of delivery.Received 8 August 2003; received after revision 10 September 2003; accepted 17 September 2003     

Enhanced heparan sulfate proteoglycan-mediated uptake of cell-penetrating peptide-modified liposomes

Protein transduction domains (PTDs) are used to enhance cellular uptake of drugs, proteins, polynucleotides or liposomes. In this study, functionalized Antennapedia (Antp, aa 43–-58) and HIV Tat (aa 47–57) peptides were coupled to small unilamellar liposomes via thiol-maleimide linkage. Modified liposomes showed higher uptake into a panel of cell lines including tumor and dendritic cells than unmodified control liposomes. Liposome uptake was time and concentration dependent as analyzed by flow cytometry and live-cell microscopy. At least 100 PTD molecules per small unilamellar liposome (100 ± 30 nm) were necessary for efficient translocation into cells. Cellular uptake of PTD-modified liposomes was 15- to 25-fold increased compared to unmodified liposomes and was inhibited by preincubation of liposomes with heparin. Glycosaminoglycan-deficient CHO cells showed dramatically reduced cell association of PTD-modified liposomes, confirming the important role of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in PTD-mediated uptake. Antp-liposomes used as carriers of the cytotoxic drug N⁴-octadecyl-1--D-arabinofuranosylcytosine-(5- 5)-3-C-ethinylcytidine showed a reduction of the IC₅₀ by 70% on B16F1 melanoma cells compared with unmodified liposomes. PTD-functionalized liposomes, particularly Antp-liposomes, represent an interesting novel carrier system for enhanced cell-specific delivery of a large variety of liposome-entrapped molecules.Received 16 April 2004; received after revision 13 May 2004; accepted 25 May 2004     

DNA fragmentation in leukocytes following subacute lowdose nerve agent exposure

The objective of the present study was to determine levels of DNA fragmentation in blood leukocytes from guinea pigs by single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) after exposure to the chemical warfare nerve agent (CWNA), soman, at doses ranging from 0.1 LD₅₀ to 0.4 LD₅₀, once per day for either 5 or 10 days. Post-exposure recovery periods ranged from 0 to 17 days. Leukocytes were imaged from each animal, and the images analyzed by computer. Data obtained for exposure to soman demonstrated significant increases in DNA fragmentation in circulating leukocytes in CWNA-treated guinea pigs compared with saline-injected control animals at all doses and time points examined. Notably, significantly increased DNA fragmentation was observed in leukocytes 17 days after cessation of soman exposure. Our findings demonstrate that leukocyte DNA fragmentation assays may provide a sensitive biomarker for low-dose CWNA exposure.Received 29 July 2003; accepted 14 August 2003     

HLA－G inhibits xenogenetic cytotoxicity mediated by human NK cells and T lymphocytes against PECs

In order to investigate whether the non-classical HLA-G class I molecule protects the prcine endothelial cells(PECs)from the lysis mediated by human immune cells in pig to human discordant xenotransplantation,we have cloned HLA-G cDNA from a human placents by RT-PCR.Mammalian expression vector,pEFG-neo,was constructed by insertion of HLA-G cDNA in pEF-neo.We obtained efficiently expressed PECs by stable transfection.Cytotoxicity assay showed that overexpression of HLA-G on PECs was sufficient to inhibit human NK-92 cell lysis.The level of lysis was equal to or less than that of the lysis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells mediated by human NK-92 cells.It also indicated that HLA-G inhibited the lysis of PECs mediated by xeno-antigen specific T lymphocytes.The reduction of lysis ranged between 59.1% and 88.9A%.These findings suggest that the transgenic approach to overexpress HLA-G is believed to be a new immunotherapy in overconing the immune rejections in xenotransplantion,including delayed xenograft rejection and cell-mediated rejection.     

甲亢患者双特异性免疫复合物的研究

采用捕捉法ELISA,检测108例亢患者的抗体／补体类双特异性免疫合（Ig-C3-TCIC）和抗体／抗体类双特异性免疫复合物（Ig/Ig-TCIC),结果发现,甲亢患者除了C3／IgA-tcic含量显著高于健康人,C3／IgM-TCIC与健康人无显著性差异外,IgM/C3-TCIC、IgG/C3-TCIC、IgA/C3-TCIC和C3／IgG－TCIC的含量均显著低于健康人;各类Ig/Ig－含量,除IgA/IgM-TCIC与健康人无显著差异外,其余均显著高于健康人,结果表明,甲亢患者排除“异己”原的能力低下,而免疫调节水平紊乱,从而出现过高的免疫应答,也证明甲亢患者存在整体的和细胞免疫紊乱。     

Protective and immunostimulating activity of a low dose of cyclophosphamide in the experimental infection of mice with foot-and-mouth disease virus

Summary Administration to mice of a low, non-immunosuppressive dose of cyclophosphamide 4 days before infection with foot-and-mouth disease virus decreases viral replication, enhances the immune response against the virus and prevents panceatic damage.     

Virus-immune T cells and the major histocompatibility complex: Evolution of some basic concepts over the past two years

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences -     

Antibodies against analogous heptad repeat peptide HR212 of Newcastle Disease Virus inhibit virus-cell membrane fusion

Membrane fusion is a key step in enveloped virus entry. Highly conserved heptad repeat regions (HR1 and HR2) of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion protein (F) are critical functional domains for viral membrane fusion. They display different conformations in the membrane fusion states and are viewed as candidate targets for neutralizing antibody responses. We previously reported that an analog of heptad repeat peptides HR2-HR1-HR2(HR212) and HR2 could inhibit NDV induced cell-cell membrane fusion. Here, we show that HR212 can induce the production of highly potent antibody in immunized rabbits, which could recognize full length peptides of both HR1 and HR2, and inhibit NDV hemagglutination and NDV entry. These suggest that either HR212 or its antibody could be an inhibitor of virus-induced cell-cell membrane fusion.     

一种新的免疫克隆选择算法

提出了一种新的人工免疫系统算法——免疫克隆选择算法，描述了算法的操作过程。采用函数优化仿真实验与进化算法进行比较，结果表明免疫克隆选择算法收敛速度快，求解精度高，稳定性好，并能有效地克服早熟问题和骗问题．