A novel M cell–specific carbohydrate-targeted mucosal vaccine effectively induces antigen-specific immune responses

Mucosally ingested and inhaled antigens are taken up by membranous or microfold cells (M cells) in the follicle-associated epithelium of Peyer's patches or nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue. We established a novel M cell–specific monoclonal antibody (mAb NKM 16–2-4) as a carrier for M cell–targeted mucosal vaccine. mAb NKM 16–2-4 also reacted with the recently discovered villous M cells, but not with epithelial cells or goblet cells. Oral administration of tetanus toxoid (TT)– or botulinum toxoid (BT)–conjugated NKM 16–2-4, together with the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin, induced high-level, antigen-specific serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G and mucosal IgA responses. In addition, an oral vaccine formulation of BT-conjugated NKM 16–2-4 induced protective immunity against lethal challenge with botulinum toxin. An epitope analysis of NKM 16–2-4 revealed specificity to an α(1,2)-fucose–containing carbohydrate moiety, and reactivity was enhanced under sialic acid–lacking conditions. This suggests that NKM 16–2-4 distinguishes α(1,2)-fucosylated M cells from goblet cells containing abundant sialic acids neighboring the α(1,2) fucose moiety and from non-α(1,2)-fucosylated epithelial cells. The use of NKM 16–2-4 to target vaccine antigens to the M cell–specific carbohydrate moiety is a new strategy for developing highly effective mucosal vaccines

HIF-PHD inhibitor regulates the function of group2 innate lymphoid cells and polarization of M2 macrophages

Abstract Hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PHD) inhibitors are therapeutic agents for renal anemia that work through HIF2-mediated upregulation of erythropoietin (EPO) and have also been reported to suppress renal fibrosis. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have been proven to be involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in various organs, including the kidney. However, the relationship between the HIF pathway, renal fibrosis, and kidney ILC2s remains unclear. In the present study, we found that HIF activation by HIF-PHD inhibitors suppressed type 2 cytokine production from kidney ILC2s. The enhanced HIF pathway downregulated the IL-33 receptor ST2L on ILC2s, and phosphorylation of downstream p38 MAPK was attenuated. M2 macrophages that promote renal fibrosis were polarized by ILC2 supernatants, but reduced cytokine production from ILC2s treated with HIF-PHD inhibitors suppressed this polarization. Our findings suggest that HIF-PHD inhibitors are potential therapeutic agents for renal fibrosis that are mediated by the alteration of ILC2 function

Studies on Respiration Characteristics of Some Tropical Fruits Grown on Okinawa (Department of Bioproduction)

沖縄県産熱帯果実の代謝生理を知るために3種類の果実について温度と呼吸量の関係を測定したところ, 以下のことが明らかとなった。1)呼吸量の温度依存式としてArrhenius式及びGore式を用いて解析した結果, 測定値は両式によく一致した。2)呼吸量は完熟で果皮が薄く貯蔵力の弱いマンゴ, 7分熟で果皮が薄いパパイヤ, 完熟で果皮の厚いパインアップルの順に高かった。3)生理障害が生じたと推定される温度は完熟パインアップルは9.4℃, 完熟マンゴは7.6℃, パパイヤは11.0℃であった。4) Q_値はパインアップル, マンゴでは低温域で高く, パパイヤでは高温域で高くなった。以上より今回の測定で得られた結果は, 収穫後から貯蔵にいたる果実の代謝生理を容易に知る手段として, 他の果実にも適用でき, 貯蔵装置の設計, 貯蔵中の品質評価を行う上での一つの指標となるものと考えられる。The respiration rate of fresh fruits and vegetables have the fundamental significance in transportation and storage, but there were few data available on respiration of Okinawan grown fruits in wide range of temperatures. In this study, the relationships between respiration rate and temperature of Okinawan grown fruits were measured by carbon dioxide absorption method. Respiration is one of the biochemical reaction, and it is one of chemical reaction velocity. The relationships between respiration rate and temperature were fitted to Arrhenius's equation and Gore's equation (Modified Arrhenius's equation). The respiration heat known as vital heat in kJ per ton per day was obtained multiplying the respiration rate of milligrams of CO_2 per kilogram per hour by a factor of 9.62. Respiration rate of pineapples, mangoes and papayas were measured. It was found that mangoes showed the highest respiration rate, pineapples showed the lowest respiration rate and respiration rate in these tropical fruits were fitted to Arrhenius's equation and Gore's equation and chilling injury estimated zone was assumed 9.4℃ for pineapples, 7.6℃ for mangoes and 11.0℃ for papayas