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Objective: Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic tumors. Current treatment methods include debulking surgery with chemotherapy, however even with treatment, the five-year survival rate is below 45%. Cancer immunotherapy is an innovative treatment option being highly researched. Interleukins (ILs) are signaling molecules used by the human immune system to assist in detecting and destroying cancer cells. The ability of tumor cells to evade the immune system is a major challenge we face in fighting cancer. Ox40L/Ox40 and 4-1BBL/4-1BB are key immune costimulatory molecules that increase T cell activation to eliminate tumors. Past research has shown that IL9 has unique influences on various types of cancer, however, its role in ovarian cancer has not yet been assessed. In this study, ovarian cancer cells were treated with IL9 and the expression of Ox40L and 4-1BBL were measured. Methods: A2780 ovarian cancer cells were treated with IL9. Proliferation of ovarian cancer cells was measured by a Clonogenic Survival Assay and Quick Proliferation Assay. RT-PCR was conducted to determine whether IL9 upregulated the costimulatory molecules Ox40L and 4-1BBL. IHC was performed to further investigate IL9 upregulation of Ox40L and 4-1BBL. Results: Treatment of A2780 ovarian cancer cells with IL9 resulted in decreased proliferation of the ovarian cancer cells. By using RT-PCR, it was determined that IL9 treated ovarian cancer cells displayed upregulation of the costimulatory molecules Ox40L and 4-1BBL. Upregulation of OX40L and 4-1BBL was further confirmed by IHC. Conclusions: IL9 inhibited growth of ovarian cancer cells, and IL9 upregulated the key immune costimulatory molecules Ox40L and 4-1BBL. This suggests that increased expression of Ox40L and 4-1BBL may be associated with the inhibitory effect of IL9 on proliferation of ovarian cancer. This study warrants further investigation of the role of Ox40L and 4-1BBL in ovarian cancer growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been inducing an ongoing global health and economic emergency. Although viral pneumonia is the most striking presentation for COVID-19 patients, it has been noticed that some patients may also be accompanied with an abnormal liver function. Methods: CT was performed in both lungs, and routine bloodwork and the blood metabolic panel were measured. Results: Here, we report on a young male patient without any history of live diseases who suffered simultaneously both SARS-CoV-2 caused pneumonia and hepatitis as evidenced by increased serum bilirubin together with increased serum transaminases. Conclusions: Studies on mechanisms whereby SARS-CoV-2 causing liver damages might provide more information about the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and help management of this global health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nocardia infection is a very rare bacterial infection caused by Gram-positive, aerobic nocardia species. However, in recent years, it has become a serious infection in immunocompromised patients. Earlier diagnosis plays a pivotal in the effective treatment of nocardia infection. Methods: In this study, we reported a 65-year-old male patient with nephrotic syndrome who had disseminated abscesses in the lungs, right lower limb, and right cheek. Results: Bacterial culture from these lesions confirmed the presence of nocardia. Timely administration of sensitive antibiotics resulted in a quick recovery for this patient. Conclusions: Nocardia infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infectious lesions, especially when a patient has multiple abscesses and an underlying disorder in which the immune function of the patient may be compromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are nanovesicles secreted by cells and contain various molecules including protein, lipid, and DNA/RNA. They are crucial mediators of the intercellular communication and serve as promising vehicles for drug delivery and gene therapy. Recently, accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as new and potentially powerful targets for therapeutic interventions against various human diseases. However, steadily and effectively delivering miRNA mimics or inhibitors to target cells remains a major obstacle. To enhance the efficacy of exosome-mediated delivery of miRNA molecules, it is crucial to develop a convenient and efficient method to enrich specific miRNAs or antisense oligos in isolated exosomes. Here we report a novel method to prepare specific miRNA molecule-loaded exosomes. Using a modified calcium chloride-mediated transfection method, we successfully enhanced the designated miRNA mimics or inhibitors in isolated exosomes directly, instead of transfecting their mother cells. We also compared this method with direct transfection of exosomes using electroporation. Both methods confirmed that exosomes can serve as cargos to deliver a robustly increased amount of selected miRNA mimic(s) or inhibitor(s) to the recipient cells. Delivery of these miRNA molecule enriched-exosomes subsequently results in highly efficient overexpression or deletion of the designated miRNAs in the recipient cells both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, we confirmed that exosome-delivered miRNA mimics or inhibitors are functional in the recipient cells. Collectively, we developed a novel protocol to conveniently manipulate exosomal miRNAs with high efficiency and successfully deliver the exosomal miRNA molecules to recipient cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary hepatic tuberculosis is a very rare clinical form of tuberculosis, with atypical clinical presentations and nonspecific imaging features. This results in great difficulty to reach a correct and timely clinical diagnosis. Traditionally, liver biopsy is the gold standard for its diagnosis. Here we assessed the effectiveness of using a T-SPOT.TB test in the early diagnosis of primary hepatic tuberculosis. Methods: We report a case of primary hepatic tuberculosis whose location of hepatic lesion renders it hard to perform a biopsy. Instead, a T-SPOT.TB test was utilized to help in the early diagnosis of this rare form of tuberculosis. A conventional four-drug regimen for anti-tubercular therapy together with vitamin B6 was initiated and maintained for 6 months. Results: The T-SPOT.TB test was highly positive for ESAT-6 (87 > 20) and CFP-10 (89 > 20). Dull pain in the upper right abdomen was gone 2 months post treatment. The abnormal lesions shown in an MRI reduced significantly 4 months post treatment. Spot count for ESAT-6 and CFP-10 decreased 6 months post treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest the critical role of T-SPOT.TB test in the earlier diagnosis of primary hepatic tuberculosis for those patients who have difficulties having a hepatic biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalase or catalase-peroxidase activity commonly exists in many pathogens and plays an important role in resisting the oxidative burst of phagocytes helping the pathogen persistently colonize in the host. Yersinia pestis is a facultative pathogen and the causative agent of plague. KatY has been identified as a thermosensing antigen with modest catalase activity in this pathogen. Here Y. pestis KatA and KatY were experimentally confirmed as a monofunctional catalase and bifunctional catalase-peroxidase, respectively. Their expression induced by H2O2 was proven to be mediated by the oxidative regulator, OxyR. Expression of KatA changed with growth phases and was crucial to its traditional physiological role in protecting Y. pestis cells against toxicity of exogenous H2O2. KatY was regulated by temperature and H2O2, two major elements of phagolysosomal microenvironments. Consistent with the above results, gene expression of katY increased significantly during intracellular growth of Y. pestis compared with that in vitro growth. However, a ΔkatY mutant was fully virulent to mice, suggesting that KatY is not required for Y. pestis virulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virulence of the pathogenic Yersinia species depends on a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) that transfers six Yersinia outer protein (Yop) effector proteins into the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, leading to disruption of host defence mechanisms. It is shown in this study that Yersinia pestis YscW, a protein of the T3SS injectisome, contributes to the induction of a deficiency in phagocytosis in host macrophages and a reduction in their antigen-presenting capacity. A Y. pestis strain lacking yscW had no effect on uptake by host macrophages. In mice infected with wild-type Y. pestis, the yscW mutant or a complement strain, immunodeficiency was observed in host macrophages compared with those from uninfected mice. However, the phagocytosis and antigen presenting capacities of macrophages infected by yscW mutant strain both in vivo and in vitro were significantly higher than those by wild type strain. Consistent with this finding, when YscW was expressed in the RAW264·7 macrophage cell line, phagocytosis and antigen-presenting capacities were significantly lower than those of the control groups. These results indicate that Y. pestis YscW may directly induce immunodeficiency in murine macrophages by crippling their phagocytosis and antigen-presenting capacities. These data provide evidences to Y. pestis pathogenesis that some proteins in T3SS injectisome, such as YscW protein, might play independent roles in disrupting host defense apart from their known functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]