Core-Shell Pd@Au Nanoplates as Theranostic Agents for In-Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging, CT Imaging, and Photothermal Therapy

通讯作者地址: Liu, GMinistry of Science and Technology of China 2011CB932403 2014CB932004 National Natural Science Foundation of China 21420102001 21131005 8142202

Association of Genotyping of Bacillus cereus with Clinical Features of Post-Traumatic Endophthalmitis.

Bacillus cereus is the second most frequent cause of post-traumatic bacterial endophthalmitis. Although genotyping of B. cereus associated with gastrointestinal infections has been reported, little is known about the B. cereus clinical isolates associated with post-traumatic endophthalmitis. This is largely due to the limited number of clinical strains available isolated from infected tissues of patients with post-traumatic endophthalmitis. In this study, we report successful isolation of twenty-four B. cereus strains from individual patients with different disease severity of post-traumatic endophthalmitis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all strains could be categorized into three genotypes (GTI, GTII and GTIII) and the clinical score showed significant differences among these groups. We then further performed genotyping using the vrrA gene, and evaluated possible correlation of genotype with the clinical features of B. cereus-caused post-traumatic endophthalmitis, and with the prognosis of infection by conducting follow-up with patients for up to 2 months. We found that the disease of onset and final vision acuity were significantly different among the three groups. These results suggested that the vrrA gene may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of endophthalmitis, and genotyping of B. cereus has the potential for predicting clinical manifestation and prognosis of endophthalmitis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of isolation of large numbers of clinical isolates of B. cereus from patients with endophthalmitis. This work sets the foundation for future investigation of the pathogenesis endophthalmitis caused by B. cereus infection

Epididymal RNase T2 contributes to astheno-teratozoospermia and intergenerational metabolic disorder through epididymosome-sperm interaction

Abstract Background The epididymis is crucial for post-testicular sperm development which is termed sperm maturation. During this process, fertilizing ability is acquired through the epididymis-sperm communication via exchange of protein and small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs). More importantly, epididymal-derived exosomes secreted by the epididymal epithelial cells transfer sncRNAs into maturing sperm. These sncRNAs could mediate intergenerational inheritance which further influences the health of their offspring. Recently, the linkage and mechanism involved in regulating sperm function and sncRNAs during epididymal sperm maturation are increasingly gaining more and more attention. Methods An epididymal-specific ribonuclease T2 (RNase T2) knock-in (KI) mouse model was constructed to investigate its role in developing sperm fertilizing capability. The sperm parameters of RNase T2 KI males were evaluated and the metabolic phenotypes of their offspring were characterized. Pandora sequencing technology profiled and sequenced the sperm sncRNA expression pattern to determine the effect of epididymal RNase T2 on the expression levels of sperm sncRNAs. Furthermore, the expression levels of RNase T2 in the epididymal epithelial cells in response to environmental stress were confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Results Overexpression of RNase T2 caused severe subfertility associated with astheno-teratozoospermia in mice caput epididymis, and furthermore contributed to the acquired metabolic disorders in the offspring, including hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Pandora sequencing showed altered profiles of sncRNAs especially rRNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs) and tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) in RNase T2 KI sperm compared to control sperm. Moreover, environmental stress upregulated RNase T2 in the caput epididymis. Conclusions The importance was demonstrated of epididymal RNase T2 in inducing sperm maturation and intergenerational inheritance. Overexpressed RNase T2 in the caput epididymis leads to astheno-teratozoospermia and metabolic disorder in the offspring

Core-shell Pd@Au nanoplates as theranostic agents for in-vivo photoacoustic imaging, CT imaging, and photothermal therapy

(Figure Presented) Uniform plasmonic Pd@Au core-shell bimetallic nanoplates are synthesized by seeded growth strategy. Surface modified with SH-PEG makes it good biocompatibility, prolonged blood circulation, and relatively high tumor accumulation. Enhanced tumor contrast effects can be obtained for in vivo photoacoustic/CT imaging after intravenous injection of Pd@Au-PEG. Moreover, efficient photothermal tumor ablation is achieved, guided by the imaging techniques. This work promises further exploration of the superiority of 2D nanostructures for in vivo biomedical applications

B-scan images of the patients' eyes infected with <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> before (A,B,C) and after (D,E,F) surgery operation.

<p>(A). Infection caused by GTI strains showed severe vitreous opacity (gay arrows). (B). Infection caused by GTII strains showed mild vitreous opacity (gray arrows). (C). Mild vitreous opacity infection caused by GTIII strains (gray arrow),high reflection and ascoustic shadow in vitreous showed foreign body (white arrow). (D). Infection caused by GTI strains after surgery. (E). Infection caused by GTII strains after surgery. (F). Infection caused by GTIII strains after surgery(the false expansion of eye ball after vitreous surgery with silicon oil tamponade).</p

Patients’ Information.

<p>Patients’ Information.</p

PCR amplification of the <i>vrrA</i> gene among clinical <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> isolates.

<p>Lane1-14: Bc1-Bc14; lane16-25: Bc16-Bc25; Lane26: <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> ATCC14579; Lane27: <i>B</i>. <i>thuringiensis</i> CTCC22945; Lane28: <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> ATCC9372; Lane29: ddH2O; Lane15 and Lane30: DNA marker. The predicted size of the product was approximately 430bp. A total of twenty–four <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains were confirmed by the PCR, and non-<i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains did not yield a PCR product.</p

Clustering analysis of genotyping data of B. cereus clinical endophthalmitis isolates.

<p>Phylogenetic tree of <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> clinical endophthalmitis isolates was drawn based on <i>vrrA</i> gene sequence analyses. The figure showed that <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> isolats could be grouped into three genotyping (GT) groups: GTI, GTII, and GTIII. GTI was be further divided into three subgroups.</p

Clinical manifestation and prognosis associated with three <i>vrrA</i>-based genotypes of <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i>.

<p>Clinical manifestation and prognosis associated with three <i>vrrA</i>-based genotypes of <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i>.</p