Study on Process Optimization and Immunomodulatory Effect of Dendrobium Huoshanense Tea

To explore the synergisic effect of DH (Dendrobium huoshanense) and KBT (Keemun black tea) on preventing immunity reduction. The solid-liquid ratio, extraction time and extraction times of DH and KBT were studied by single factor test and orthogonal test with the extraction rate of Dendrobium polysaccharide and black tea polyphenols as indexes, the extraction techniques of DH and Keemun black tea were optimized respectively. The optimal ratio of KBT and DH was determined by toxicity test and phagocytosis test on RAW264.7 cells. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions of DH polysaccharide were as follows: The ratio of material to liquid was 1:80 (g/mL), the extraction time was 80 min, and the extraction times were 4 times. The optimum extraction conditions of KBT polyphenols were as follows: The ratio of material to liquid was 1:80 (g/mL), the extraction time was 25 min, and the extraction times were 5 times. The ratio of KBT to DH was determined by observing the effect of different proportions of the mixture on macrophages. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that the extract mixture of 75% KBT and 25% DH had the best immune-enhancing effect. The results of the in vivo test showed that the high-dose group of KTDH could significantly reduce the changes of levels of cytokines IL-2 and IL-6 due to immunosuppression in mice (P<0.01). To sum up, DH and KBT can synergistically enhance immunity and prevent immune decline, which can provide new ideas for the development and application of DH and KBT

Follow-up Study on the Outcomes of Recovered Pregnant Women with a History of COVID-19 in the First and Second Trimesters: A Case Series from China

Abstract. Objective:. To determine the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of women who recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that developed in early pregnancy. Methods:. This case series analyzed five pregnant women (26–33 years) whom recovered from COVID-19 which were developed in early pregnancy (6–27 weeks) and admitted at the Wuhan Union Hospital from January 15, 2020 to April 30, 2020. The clinical manifestation, laboratory examinations, treatment, pregnancy outcomes, maternal and neonatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) throat swab reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test results, and SARS-CoV-2 antibody test results in neonates were reviewed. The placental pathology, placental angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression were studied by hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry staining, SARS-CoV-2 presence was examined by QT-PCR. We also followed up the infants at 3–6 months. Results:. Three pregnant women were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early pregnancy (Cases 1–3), and two were serum immunoglobulin G positive asymptomatic cases (Cases 4 and 5). Cases 1–3 showed complete recovery after severe COVID-19. Case 3 was infected at 6 weeks of gestation during the first trimester and had induced medical abortion at 12 weeks of gestation. All neonates had no pneumonia, SARS-CoV-2 mRNA reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and serum immunoglobulin M were negative, and immunoglobulin G were positive. All placental samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the nucleic acid test. Placental pathology showed chronic ischemia changes. ACE-2 expressed in both placenta and decidua. The follow-up showed that the infants were healthy and asymptomatic at 3–6 months. Conclusion:. No adverse outcomes was observed in our case series. However, systemic inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause placental injury. At the time of delivery after recovery from COVID-19, no SARS-CoV-2 positive results was found in the placenta in this case series

A20 controls macrophage to elicit potent cytotoxic CD4(+) T cell response.

Emerging evidence indicates that CD4(+) T cells possess cytotoxic potential for tumor eradication and perforin/granzyme-mediated cytotoxicity functions as one of the important mechanisms for CD4(+) T cell-triggered cell killing. However, the critical issue is how the cytotoxic CD4(+) T cells are developed. During the course of our work that aims at promoting immunostimulation of APCs by inhibition of negative regulators, we found that A20-silenced Mф drastically induced granzyme B expression in CD4(+) T cells. As a consequence, the granzyme-highly expressing CD4(+) T cells exhibited a strong cytotoxic activity that restricted tumor development. We found that A20-silenced Mф activated cytotoxic CD4(+) T cells by MHC class-II restricted mechanism and the activation was largely dependent on enhanced production of IFN-γ

High-Grade Tumor Budding Stratifies Early-Stage Cervical Cancer with Recurrence Risk

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>This study investigated prognostic significance of tumor budding in early-stage cervical cancer (ESCC) following radical surgery and its contribution to improve the stratification of patients with recurrence risk.</p><p>Methods</p><p>The archival medical records and H&E-stained slides of 643 patients with IA2-IIA stage cervical cancer who underwent radical surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological parameters were noted, and tumor buds were counted using immunohistochemistry for each case. The prognostic significance of tumor budding was analyzed. Prediction models that comprised tumor budding were established, and the performance was compared between the novel models and classic criteria via log-rank test and receiver operating characteristic analysis.</p><p>Results</p><p>Tumors with high-grade tumor budding (HTB) exhibited a substantially increased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio = 4.287, <i>P</i> < 0.001). Nine predictive models for recurrence were established, in which HTB was combined with recognized risk factors. The model using of at least two risk factors of HTB, tumor size ≥ 4 cm, deep stromal invasion of outer 1/3, and lymphovascular space invasion to stratify patients with an intermediate risk was most predictive of recurrence compared with the classic criteria.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Tumor budding is an independent, unfavorable, prognostic factor for ESCC patients following radical surgery and holds promise for improved recurrence risk stratification.</p></div

Correlations between tumor budding and clinicopathological characteristics (N = 643).

<p>Correlations between tumor budding and clinicopathological characteristics (N = 643).</p

Participant flow and the frequency of tumor budding.

<p>A, patient selection flow chart. B, patient distribution by the intensity of tumor buds, counted in a microscopic field of 0.95 mm².</p

Novel predictive models involving tumor budding for recurrence following radical surgery.

<p>A-C, Kaplan-Meier curves for disease-free survival between ESCC patients with HTB and those with LTB. The presence of HTB had a significantly adverse effect on the disease-free survival in the whole cohort (A), patients without any of high-risk factors (B), and those with low recurrence risk according to the classic criteria (C). D-E, ROC curves for recurrence via multiple models. Of the nine models, Model 5 (HTB as an additional intermediate-risk factor with LVSI, DSI of outer 1/3, and tumor size ≥ 4 cm) exhibited the highest areas under the curve (AUC = 0.752; D); compared with the Classic model, Model 5 also had a larger AUC (0.752 versus 0.667; E). F-G, Kaplan-Meier curves for disease-free survival using different criteria. The four-factor criteria (G), using HTB as an additional intermediate-risk factor (at least two risk factors of HTB, tumor size ≥ 4 cm, DSI of outer 1/3, and LVSI), more effectively stratified the patients without any high-risk factor with recurrence risk than the Classic criteria (F).</p

Univariate analysis of various models predicting recurrence.

<p>Univariate analysis of various models predicting recurrence.</p

Representative areas of tumor buds in the outer edge of ESCC stained with H&E (A, C, E, and G) and pan-cytokeratin antibody (B, D, F, and H).

<p>A-D, a cervical cancer with intensive tumor buds (arrow); E-H, a cervical cancer with no bud. Scale bar is 1 mm in A, B, E and F and 50 μm in C, D, G and H.</p