Neutralization of typhoid toxin by alpaca-derived, single-domain antibodies targeting the PltB and CdtB subunits

Typhoid toxin is secreted by the typhoid fever-causing bacterial pathogen Salmonella Typhi and has tropism for immune cells and brain endothelial cells. Here, we generated a camelid single domain antibody (VHH) library from typhoid toxoid-immunized alpacas and identified 41 VHHs selected on the glycan-receptor binding PltB and nuclease CdtB. VHHs exhibiting potent in vitro neutralizing activities from each sequence-based family were epitope binned via competition ELISAs, leading to 6 distinct VHHs, two anti-PltB (T2E7 and T2G9) and four anti-CdtB VHHs (T4C4, T4C12, T4E5, and T4E8), whose in vivo neutralizing activities and associated toxin neutralizing mechanisms were investigated. We found that T2E7, T2G9, and T4E5 effectively neutralized typhoid toxin in vivo , as demonstrated by 100% survival of mice administered a lethal-dose of typhoid toxin and with little to no typhoid toxin-mediated upper motor function defect. Cumulatively, these results highlight the potential of the compact antibodies to neutralize typhoid toxin by targeting the glycan-binding and/or nuclease subunits.

PENGARUH PEMBERIAN MINYAK BUAH MERAH (Pandanus conoideus Lam.) TERHADAP DEGENERASI SEL GINJAL MENCIT (Mus musculus) YANG DIPAPAR PLUMBUM

Plumbum (Pb) pollution in environment can cause dangerous for animal. Plumbum enter the body through oral cavity and was excreted by kidney and can effect to the kidney function. Defect in kidney can make distraction of metabolism. An effort to prevent deffect in kidney that cause by plumbum can be used antioxidant from Red Fruit plant (Padanus conoideus Lam). The aim of this research was to know the effect of Red Fruit plant with the degrees of kidney cell degeneration that was exposed by plumbum. Type of this research was experimental research that use complete random design with 4 treatment, P0 (aquadest 0,5 ml), P1 (Pb 0,01 mg), P2 (was given with Red Fruit Oil 0,3 ml and Pb 0,01 mg), P3 (was given with Red Fruit Oil 0,8 ml and Pb0,01 mg). The data was analyzed by Kruskal Wallis using SPSS and followed with Mann-Whitney test. The result of this research show that there were significant difference between P0 and P1, P0 and P2, P0 and P3, P1 and P3 (P<0,05), but did not showed significant difference (p>0.05) with P2 and P3. Base on this research can be concluded that giving red fruit oil can decrease the degrees of cell degeneration in mouse kidney that was exposed by plumbum.

Enhancer-gene rewiring in the pathogenesis of Quebec Platelet Disorder

Quebec Platelet Disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder with a unique, platelet-dependent gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis, without systemic fibrinolysis. The hallmark feature of QPD is a &gt;100-fold overexpression of PLAU specifically in megakaryocytes. This overexpression leads to &gt;100-fold increased platelet stores of urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU/uPA), subsequent plasmin-mediated degradation of diverse a-granule proteins, and platelet-dependent, accelerated fibrinolysis. The causative mutation is a 78kb tandem duplication of PLAU. How this duplication causes megakaryocyte-specific PLAU overexpression is unknown. To investigate the mechanism that causes QPD, we used epigenomic profiling, comparative genomics, and chromatin conformation capture approaches to study PLAU regulation in cultured megakaryocytes from QPD participants and unaffected controls. We show that the QPD duplication leads to ectopic interactions between PLAU and a conserved megakaryocyte enhancer found within the same topologically associating domain (TAD). Our results support a unique disease mechanism whereby the reorganization of subTAD genome architecture results in a dramatic, cell-type specific blood disorder phenotype.

MiR-23a-3p-regulated abnormal acetylation of FOXP3 induces regulatory T cell function defect in Graves’ disease

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of miR-23a-3p in regulating Treg dysfunction in Graves’ disease (GD). The percentage of Treg cells and interleukin (IL)-17+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) and miR-23a-3p was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or Western blot. CD4+ T cells were treated with SIRT1 specific inhibitor EX-527 or left untreated. MiR-23a-3p mimic or inhibitor were transfected into CD4+ T cells. Acetylation expression of FOXP3 was analyzed by immunoprecipitation. The suppressive function of Treg was analyzed by the carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay. The results showed that GD patients have significantly less Treg cells and more IL-17+ T cells. FOXP3 and miR-23a-3p were significantly down-regulated meanwhile SIRT1 and RORγt were up-regulated in GD patients. FOXP3 acetylation level of the GD group was lower than that of control groups. After EX-527 treatment, the percentage of Treg cells, expression and acetylation level of FOXP3 were significantly increased in the GD group. GD Tregs exhibited weaker suppressive activity, miR-23a-3p mimic suppressed SIRT1 expression and suppressive-activity of Tregs whereas it promoted the expression and acetylation level of FOXP3 in the GD group. Our findings suggest that the Treg function defect in GD patients is mediated by the abnormal acetylation of FOXP3, which is regulated by miR-23a-3p via targeting SIRT1.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Is Associated with a Broad Platelet-Function Defect Which Is Exacerbated By Ibrutinib and Acalabrutinib

INTRODUCTION Bleeding from thrombocytopathy is a common complication of advanced chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). In addition to disease-related thrombocytopenia, the presence of the CLL clone and/or therapeutic interventions may further impair platelet function. In particular, the BTK inhibitors ibrutinib and acalabrutinib are known to inhibit platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI)-mediated platelet aggregation. We compared platelet function and markers of GPVI activation between untreated CLL patients, ibrutinib-treated CLL patients and healthy controls, and studied the in vitro effects of ibrutinib and acalabrutinib on clinically utilised platelet function assays to assess their impact on GPVI-mediated as well as non-GPVI-mediated platelet activation pathways. METHODS Blood samples from 17 healthy volunteers and 8 untreated CLL patients were spiked with vehicle or comparable plasma concentrations of ibrutinib (0.3µM, 1.0µM) and acalabrutinib (1.8µM, 6.0µM) attainable during the treatment of CLL. Additional samples were obtained from 5 CLL patients undergoing ibrutinib treatment. Platelet function was evaluated using whole blood multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA - Multiplate®) and light transmission aggregometry (LTA - AggRAM®) in response to varying concentrations of aggregation-inducing reagents (collagen, CRP-XL, ADP, TRAP, ristocetin, arachidonic acid, and adrenaline). Shear-induced platelet adhesion was assessed using PFA-100®. Soluble GPVI plasma levels were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS In the absence of treatment, CLL patients exhibited significant platelet defects on whole-blood platelet function analyses in response to various agonists including ADP, ristocetin, TRAP and collagen (MEA) and prolongation of PFA-100® collagen/epinephrine closure time. This impairment was not replicated in assays using platelet-rich plasma (LTA). Ibrutinib-treated CLL patients demonstrated an additive impairment of platelet function, especially in regards to collagen-mediated activation by MEA or PFA-100®. There was no significant difference in soluble GPVI levels between normal, untreated or ibrutinib treated CLL patients. Addition of clinically-attainable concentrations of ibrutinib and acalabrutinib in vitro produced similar concentration-dependent inhibition of platelet function in healthy controls, with inhibition of aggregation evident in response to various agonists including collagen, CRP-XL, ristocetin and ADP but not arachidonic acid or TRAP. Ibrutinib also impaired aggregation in response to epinephrine, and caused selective prolongation of the PFA-100® collagen/epinephrine closure time, an effect not observed with acalabrutinib. MEA appears more sensitive and reproducible than LTA to describe the various inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation. Similar concentration-dependent inhibition of platelet function was observed by adding ibrutinib and acalabrutinib in vitro to blood samples from untreated CLL patients. CONCLUSIONS CLL is associated with a broad platelet function defect, which can be exacerbated by BTK inhibitors. Acalabrutinib induces a platelet function defect similar but less potent to that observed with ibrutinib, with the exception of shear-induced platelet adhesion (PFA-100®) which was only abnormal with ibrutinib. Routine platelet function assays are capable of quantifying BTK inhibitor-induced platelet dysfunction in CLL patients, with the most sensitive and reproducible measure being collagen-induced aggregation by MEA. There was no evidence for BTK-dependent platelet GPVI cleavage. Whole-blood platelet function assays may have utility in managing CLL patients presenting with bleeding or requiring urgent surgery during therapy with BTK inhibitors. Disclosures McGregor: Pfizer: Other: Conference travel support; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Other: Conference travel support; Gilead Sciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Roche: Honoraria. Baker:CSL Behring: Research Funding; Biogen Idec: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bayer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Conference travel support, Research Funding; Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Conference travel support; Roche: Other: Conference travel support; Novo Nordisk: Other: Conference travel support.