RESUMO Infecção com o vírus Hepatite E (HEV) é uma importante questão de saúde pública global. Infecções HEV são reconhecidas como doença zoológica. Acredita-se que suínos são o principal reservatório de HEV. Recentemente iaques, vacas, e gado amarelo foram reportados como novos reservatórios do HEV. Porém, não se sabe se outras espécies de gado e búfalo são sensíveis a infecção HEV. Para investigar a prevalência de infecção HEV em búfalos, foram realizados prova de imunoabsorção enzimática e polimerização em cadeia inversa ancorada em transcrição. Apenas um búfalo foi positivo para o anticorpo anti-HEV IgM (1/106, 0,94%), e nenhum foi positivo para o anticorpo anti-HEV IgG. Para nossa surpresa cinco (5/106, 4,72%) e três amostras de leite (3/40, 7,50%) de búfalos foram positivos para HEV RNA. Todas as estirpes de HEV isoladas de búfalos pertencem ao genótipo 4. Resultados indicam que búfalos podem ser um reservatório de HEV.

ABSTRACT Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is an important global public health issue. HEV infections are recognized as a zoonotic disease. Swine are believed to be the main reservoir of HEV. Recently, yaks, cows, and yellow cattle have been reported as new reservoirs of HEV. However, whether other species of cattle and buffaloes are sensitive to HEV infection is unknown. To investigate the prevalence of HEV infection in buffaloes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) were performed. Only one buffalo was positive to anti-HEV IgM antibody (1/106, 0.94%), and none were positive for anti-HEV IgG antibody. To our surprise, five serum (5/106, 4.72%) and three milk samples (3/40, 7.50%) from buffaloes were positive to HEV RNA. All strains of HEV isolated from buffaloes belong to genotype 4. Results indicate that buffaloes may be a new reservoir of HEV.

Alveolar epithelia play an essential role in maintaining the integrity and homeostasis of lungs, in which alveolar epithelial type II cells (AECII) are a cell type with stem cell potential for epithelial injury repair and regeneration. However, mechanisms behind the physiological and pathological roles of alveolar epithelia in human lungs remain largely unknown, partially owing to the difficulty of isolation and culture of primary human AECII cells. In the present study, we aimed to characterize alveolar epithelia generated from A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells that were cultured in an air-liquid interface (ALI) state. Morphological analysis demonstrated that A549 cells could reconstitute epithelial layers in ALI cultures as evaluated by histochemistry staining and electronic microscopy. Immunofluorescent staining further revealed an expression of alveolar epithelial type I cell (AECI) markers aquaporin-5 protein (AQP-5), and AECII cell marker surfactant protein C (SPC) in subpopulations of ALI cultured cells. Importantly, molecular analysis further revealed the expression of AQP-5, SPC, thyroid transcription factor-1, zonula occludens-1 and Mucin 5B in A549 ALI cultures as determined by both immunoblotting and quantitative RT-PCR assay. These results suggest that the ALI culture of A549 cells can partially mimic the property of alveolar epithelia, which may be a feasible and alternative model for investigating roles and mechanisms of alveolar epithelia in vitro.

ABSTRACT Objective: To detect the skewness of T cell receptor (TCR) Vα and TCR Vβ of patients with Type 1 diabetes. Methods: The heparinized venous blood was collected from ten patients with Type 1 diabetes. The peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were isolated and used to extract mRNA. Reverse amplyfication was performed for cDNA synthesis. The skewness of TCR Vα and Vβ was detected with real-time florescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) and analysed by DNA melting-curve analysis technique, respectively. Results: Among the TCR Vα genes, the skewness frequency rate (SFR) of Vα22 was 30%; both of Vα5 and Vα24 were 20%; the SFR of Vα28 was 10%, which was the only gene that showed restricted-clone. In all the Vβ genes, Vβ7 and Vβ17 were the the highest expression genes, and their SFRs were both 60%. Vβ11 was near them with the SFR of 40%; the restricted clonal genes were Vβ18 and Vβ20, and their SFRs were 10% and 20%, respectivley. Conclusions: There were skewed genes in TCR Vα and TCR Vβ, which were probably relative to the onset of Type 1 diabetes.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Detectar la asimetría de RCT Vα y RCT Vβ de pacientes con diabetes tipo 1 (DT1). Métodos: Muestras de sangre venosa heparinizada fueron tomadas de diez pacientes con DT1. Los linfocitos de la sangre periférica (LSP) fueron aislados y usados para extraer el ARNm. La amplificación inversa se realizó para la síntesis del ADNc. La asimetría de RCT Vα y Vβ fue detectada mediante reacción en cadena cuantitativa fluorescente de la polimerasa en tiempo real (QF-PCR) y analizada mediante la técnica de análisis de curva de fusión del DNA, respectivamente. Resultados: Entre los genes RCT Vα, el índice de frecuencia de asimetría (SFR, en inglés) de Vα22 fue de 30%; tanto el de Vα5 como el de Vα24 fue 20%; y el SFR de Vα28 fue 10%, siendo el único gene que mostró clon restringido. De todos los genes Vβ, los de mayor expresión fueron Vβ7 y Vβ17, y sus índices SFR fueron de 60%. El gen Vβ11 estuvo cerca de estos valores, con un SFR de 40%; los genes clónicos restringidos fueron Vβ18 y Vβ20, y sus SFR fueron de 10% y 20%, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Hubo genes sesgados en RCT Vα y RCT Vβ, probablemente relacionados con el inicio de DT1.

ABSTRACT This study is a family survey based on a typical patient with seborrhoeic keratosis (SK). Family members comprised 47 people of four generations, including 22 affected members (12 males and 10 females). The 17 people of the fourth generation were aged less than 26 years old. The proband in this study had typical clinical manifestations and pathology of SK, and all affected members of the family had characteristic skin rash that was easy to be identified. The pattern is consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance and SK is indicated to have a certain age onset.

RESUMEN Este estudio es una encuesta familiar basada en un paciente típico con queratosis seborreica (QS). Los miembros de la familia comprendían 47 personas de cuatro generaciones, incluyendo a 22 miembros afectados (12 varones y 10 hembras). Las 17 personas de la cuarta generación tenían menos de 26 años de edad. El probando (caso índice) en este estudio tenía manifestaciones clínicas típicas y patología de QS, y todos los miembros afectados de la familia presentaban la erupción de la piel característica, fácil de identificar. El patrón concuerda con la herencia autosómica dominante, y se indica que QS tiene su inicio a una cierta edad.