CpG oligodeoxynucleotides and pan-serotype inhibitors control neurotropic Dengue infection in novel immune competent neonatal mouse model.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a growing global public health threat. The lack of symptomatic immune competent animal models for Dengue has hindered the screening and development of effective therapeutics that can be used to control dengue virus replication and thereby control the progression to severe dengue disease. To address this, we established an infection model in neonatal C57BL/6 mice and showed that a systemic Dengue challenge leads to ataxia, seizures, paralysis, and death within 15 days.

The Roles of Ninjurin1 and Estrogen in Modulating AOM/DSS-Induced Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer in Male Mice.

Purpose: Ninjury-induced protein 1 (Ninj1) is associated with inflammation and tumor progression and shows increased expression in various cancers. This study aimed to investigate the role of Ninj1 in colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) by focusing on its interaction with 17β-estradiol (E2).

Materials And Methods: Using an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) mouse model of colitis-associated CRC, wild-type (WT) and Ninj1 knockout (KO) male mice were treated with or without E2.

Sex-specific Molecular Markers NRF2 and PD-L1 in Colon Carcinogenesis: Implications for Right-sided Colon Cancer.

Purpose: This study examined the roles of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in colon carcinogenesis, underscoring on sex and differences in tumor location.

Materials And Methods: A total of 378 participants were enrolled from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital: 88 healthy controls (HC), 139 patients with colorectal adenoma (AD), and 151 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), methylation-specific PCR, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed utilizing tumor samples from patients and normal mucosa in the HC group.

Enhancing the Survival of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Quality Improvement Initiative With a Multidisciplinary Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Team Approach.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is the only treatment option that can stabilize patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with severe pulmonary hypertension. This study assessed the effects of a multidisciplinary ECMO team approach (META) as part of a quality improvement initiative aimed at enhancing the survival rates of neonates with CDH.

Methods: The medical records of infants with CDH treated at a tertiary center were retrospectively reviewed.

Significance as a Prognostic Factor of Eosinophil Count in Nasal Polyp Tissue in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis Accompanied by Asthma.

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) accompanied by asthma often show poor prognoses and require continuous management. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of eosinophil counts in nasal polyp tissue for selecting individuals who would benefit from ongoing management in CRS patients with asthma. Patients with asthma who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for CRS with nasal polyps were included in the study.

Ebola virus-induced eye sequelae: a murine model for evaluating glycoprotein-targeting therapeutics.

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors experience ocular sequelae including retinal lesions, cataracts, and vision loss. While monoclonal antibodies targeting the Ebola virus glycoprotein (EBOV-GP) have shown promise in improving prognosis, their effectiveness in mitigating ocular sequelae remains uncertain.

Methods: We developed and characterized a BSL-2-compatible immunocompetent mouse model to evaluate therapeutics targeting EBOV-GP by inoculating neonatal mice with vesicular stomatitis virus expressing EBOV-GP (VSV-EBOV).

Mycobacterial biotin synthases require an auxiliary protein to convert dethiobiotin into biotin.

Lipid biosynthesis in the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis depends on biotin for posttranslational modification of key enzymes. However, the mycobacterial biotin synthetic pathway is not fully understood. Here, we show that rv1590, a gene of previously unknown function, is required by M.

Comparing the efficacy of combined versus single immune cell adaptive therapy targeting colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequent cancer with limited therapeutic achievements. Recently, adoptive cellular immunotherapy has been developed as an antitumor therapy. However, its efficacy has not been tested in CRC.

Development of a dual immunochromatographic test strip to detect E2 and E antibodies against classical swine fever.

Background: It is essential to consider a practical antibody test to successfully implement marker vaccines and validate vaccination efficacy against classical swine fever virus (CSFV). The test should include a serological antibody assay, combined with a tool for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). The immunochromatographic test strip (ICS) has been exclusively designed for detecting CSFV E2 antibodies while lacking in detecting E antibodies, which can be employed and satisfy DIVA strategy.

Pulmonary Artery Measurements as Postnatal Prognostic Tool in Right Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

Background: Right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (RCDH) is a rare and often fatal congenital anomaly, primarily attributed to lung hypoplasia, which is associated with small branch pulmonary artery (PA). This study investigated whether postnatal PA measurements obtained through echocardiography are associated with mortality or the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) requirement in neonates with RCDH.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on neonates with RCDH born between 2008 and 2022.

Outcomes at 18-24 Months of Infants with Birth Weight under 500 g Born in Korea during 2013-2017: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of infants at 18-24 months born in the Korean Neonatal Network with a birth weight <500 g.

Methods: The anthropometric and neurodevelopmental data of infants with a birth weight <500 g at a gestational age of ≥22 weeks who were registered in the Korean Neonatal Network 2013-2017 and followed up at a corrected age of 18-24 months were reviewed. Neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as the presence of any of the following: (1) cerebral palsy; (2) severe visual impairment; (3) hearing impairment; or (4) cognitive impairment.

Early echocardiographic pulmonary artery measurements as prognostic indicators in left congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: To predict whether the left pulmonary artery (LPA) to the main pulmonary artery (MPA) ratio measured by echocardiography in left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) was related to death or need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed neonates with left CDH born between 2018 and 2022 in a single tertiary medical institution. Echocardiography was performed immediately after birth.

Neonatal Zika virus infection causes transient perineuronal net degradation.

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) form a specialized extracellular matrix that predominantly surrounds parvalbumin (PV)-expressing GABAergic inhibitory interneurons and help regulate neuronal activity. Their formation early in the postnatal period is regulated by neuronal signaling and glial activation raising concerns that part of the long-term effects ascribed to perinatal viral infections could be mediated by altered PNN formation. Previously, we developed a model of neonatal Zika virus (ZIKV) infection where mice have lifelong neurological sequelae that includes motor disfunction and reduced anxiety coupled with a persistent low-grade expression in proinflammatory markers despite resolving the acute infection.

Mycobacterial Regulatory Systems Involved in the Regulation of Gene Expression Under Respiration-Inhibitory Conditions.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis can survive in a dormant state within the granuloma, avoiding the host-mounting immune attack.

Anti-PD-L1 Antibody and/or 17β-Estradiol Treatment Induces Changes in the Gut Microbiome in MC38 Colon Tumor Model.

Purpose: 17β-Estradiol (E2) supplementation suppresses MC38 tumor growth by downregulating the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). This study aims to figure out the gut microbiota that respond to anti-PD-L1 and/or estrogen treatment in MC38 colon cancer model.

Materials And Methods: A syngeneic colon tumor model was developed by injection of MC38 cells into C57BL/6 background male and female mice.

Two Cases of Primary Nasopharyngeal Tuberculosis.

Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis can arise from both a primary infection and a secondary spread via the lymphatic or hematogenous system from a primary pulmonary lesion. Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is rare and difficult to detect earlier because of the nonspecific presentations of the disease. As upper airway tuberculosis can be contagious, early initial diagnosis and suspicion of the physicians are needed in clinical practice.

Occult metastasis to the superficial level VI lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of occult metastasis to superficial level VI, defined as the space anterior to the strap muscles, including the lymph nodes between the sternocleidomastoid and sternohyoid muscles and suprasternal space lymph nodes.

Methods: We studied 129 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent thyroidectomy and neck dissection, including superficial level VI dissection.

Results: Of the 129 patients, 62 (48%) had lymph nodes in the harvested specimens of superficial level VI, and the mean number of lymph nodes retrieved was 1.

BSL2-compliant lethal mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern to evaluate therapeutics targeting the Spike protein.

Since first reported in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly acquiring mutations, particularly in the spike protein, that can modulate pathogenicity, transmission and antibody evasion leading to successive waves of COVID19 infections despite an unprecedented mass vaccination necessitating continuous adaptation of therapeutics. Small animal models can facilitate understanding host-pathogen interactions, target selection for therapeutic drugs, and vaccine development, but availability and cost of studies in BSL3 facilities hinder progress. To generate a BSL2-compatible system that specifically recapitulates spike protein mediated disease we used replication competent, GFP tagged, recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus where the VSV glycoprotein was replaced by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (rVSV-SARS2-S).

Changes in Gut Microbiome upon Orchiectomy and Testosterone Administration in AOM/DSS-Induced Colon Cancer Mouse Model.

Purpose: Sex hormones are known to affect the gut microbiota. Previously, we reported that endogenous and exogenous testosterone are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) development and submucosal invasion. In the present study, we investigated whether the gut microbiota is affected by orchiectomy (ORX) and testosterone propionate (TP) administration using an azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced CRC mouse model.

Combination treatment with 17β-estradiol and anti-PD-L1 suppresses MC38 tumor growth by reducing PD-L1 expression and enhancing M1 macrophage population in MC38 colon tumor model.

17β-estradiol (E2) is known to have a protective effect in colorectal cancer (CRC); thus, E2 may be effective for cancer immunotherapy in CRC. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of combination therapy with E2 and anti-programmed cell death receptor-1 ligand (PD-L1) antibodies, and the effects of sex and estrogen on colon tumor growth, PD-L1 expression, and tumor-associated cell populations in an MC38 colon tumor model. Male mice showed increased MC38 colon tumor growth and PD-L1 expression in tumor sections as well as higher proportion of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CD45CD31CD140a), PD-L1-expressing tumor cells (CD45CD274) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) (CD11bF4/80CD274) compared to female mice.

NK cells require immune checkpoint receptor LILRB4/gp49B to control neurotropic Zika virus infections in mice.

Immune cells express an array of inhibitory checkpoint receptors that are upregulated upon activation and limit tissue damage associated with excessive response to pathogens or allergens. Mouse leukocyte immunoglobulin like receptor B4 (LILRB4), also known as glycoprotein 49B (gp49B), is an inhibitory checkpoint receptor constitutively expressed in myeloid cells and upregulated in B cells, T cells, and NK cells upon activation. Here, we report that expression of LILRB4, which binds Zika virus (ZIKV), was increased in microglia and myeloid cells infiltrating the brains of neonatal mice with ZIKV-associated meningoencephalitis.

Potential Role of Heme Oxygenase-1 in the Resolution of Experimentally Induced Colitis through Regulation of Macrophage Polarization.

Background/aims: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plays a central role in cellular defense against inflammatory insults, and its induction in macrophages potentiates their efferocytic activity. In this study, we explored the potential role of macrophage HO-1 in the resolution of experimentally induced colitis.

Methods: To induce colitis, male C57BL/6 mice were treated with 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in the drinking water for 7 days.