Advances in Metagenomics and Its Application in Environmental Microorganisms.

Metagenomics is a new approach to study microorganisms obtained from a specific environment by functional gene screening or sequencing analysis. Metagenomics studies focus on microbial diversity, community constitute, genetic and evolutionary relationships, functional activities, and interactions and relationships with the environment. Sequencing technologies have evolved from shotgun sequencing to high-throughput, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and third-generation sequencing (TGS).

COVID-19 Vaccination in People Living with HIV (PLWH) in China: A Cross Sectional Study of Vaccine Hesitancy, Safety, and Immunogenicity.

The administration of COVID-19 vaccines is the primary strategy used to prevent further infections by COVID-19, especially in people living with HIV (PLWH), who are at increased risk for severe symptoms and mortality. However, the vaccine hesitancy, safety, and immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines among PLWH have not been fully characterized. We estimated vaccine hesitancy and status of COVID-19 vaccination in Chinese PLWH, explored the safety and impact on antiviral therapy (ART) efficacy and compared the immunogenicity of an inactivated vaccine between PLWH and healthy controls (HC).

C6orf120 gene knockout in rats mitigates concanavalin A‑induced autoimmune hepatitis via regulating NKT cells.

Objective: To elucidate the role of the functional unknown gene C6orf120 in the pathogenesis of AIH and its mechanism of action, using C6orf120 knockout rats.

Methods: An autoimmune hepatitis model was established with 35 mg/kg intravenous injection of concanavalin A (Con A) in C6orf120-knockout (C6orf120) and wild-type (WT) rats. Rats were sacrificed after administering Con A for 0, 12, and 24 h.

Application of Lab-on-Chip for Detection of Microbial Nucleic Acid in Food and Environment.

Various diseases caused by food-borne or environmental pathogenic microorganisms have been a persistent threat to public health and global economies. It is necessary to regularly detect microorganisms in food and environment to prevent infection of pathogenic microorganisms. However, most traditional detection methods are expensive, time-consuming, and unfeasible in practice in the absence of sophisticated instruments and trained operators.

Combination and Intermittent Therapy Based on Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a for Chronic Hepatitis B with Nucleoside (Nucleotide) Analog-Experienced Resulting in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Clearance: A Case Report.

Interferon (IFN) and nucleoside (nucleotide) analogs (NAs) are two effective antiviral drugs for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). More and more evidence shows that the combination of the two drugs can better inhibit viral replication and even achieve clinical cure. IFN intermittent therapy is also considered to be an important measure to resolve IFN fatigue when hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decline appears stagnated during IFN-based antiviral therapy.

Effect of microbiota metabolites on the progression of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Accumulating evidence shows that the intestinal microbiota is closely related to the pathophysiology and the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The intestinal microbiota acts on the host through its metabolites. This review aimed to discuss the effects of gut microbiota metabolites on the disease progression of chronic HBV infection.

Role of neutrophils in acute viral infection.

Neutrophils play multiple roles in acute viral infections. They restrict viral replication and diffusion through phagocytosis, degranulation, respiratory burst, secretion of cytokines, and the release of neutrophil extracellular traps, as well as, activate the adaptive immune response. However, the overactivation of neutrophils may cause tissue damage and lead to poor outcomes.

Developmental consequences of children born from mothers with telbivudine treatment during late pregnancy: A prospective study with 3-year follow-up.

We prospectively investigated the neurological development in infants born from mothers treated with telbivudine (LdT) in the third trimester for prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) mother-to-infant transmission. Mothers with high HBV load were assigned to either the LdT group ( = 81, 600 mg of LdT each day from gestational week 28 to delivery) or the Control group ( = 39, untreated). Their infants were followed for 36 months to assess physical and neurological developments with Gesell Developmental Schedule tools.

Transforming growth factor β as a possible independent factor in chronic hepatitis B.

To investigate the association between immune-cell-related cytokines and the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the immunotolerant (IT) phase (n = 30) or hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB (n = 250) were enrolled in this study. Serological indicators and plasma cytokine levels were measured at the time of enrollment. The results showed that there were significant differences in the median age of the patients (27 vs.

Collagen β(1-O) galactosyltransferase 2 deficiency contributes to lipodystrophy and aggravates NAFLD related to HMW adiponectin in mice.

Aim: Our previous results showed that Colgalt1 knock-out resulted in fetal death on day E11.5, and collagen secretion was retarded. This study aimed to elucidate the role of Collagen β(1-O) galactosyltransferase 2 (Colgalt2) in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Reactivation of SARS-CoV-2 infection following recovery from COVID-19.

Introduction: Many individuals test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA after recovering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but the incidence of reactivation is unknown. We, therefore, estimated the incidence of reactivation among individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and determined its predictors.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with COVID-19 were followed up for at least 14 days after two consecutive negative SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test results obtained ≥24 h apart, and the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 reactivation was assessed.

The Characteristics of Natural Killer Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Who Received PEGylated-Interferon versus Entecavir Therapy.

Background: To explore the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the process of hepatitis B virus (HBV) clearance and whether their phenotype is related to antiviral treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Method: We performed a single-center prospective cohort study to analyze changes of NK cells at weeks 12 and 24 from baseline in CHB patients who received PEGylated-interferon- (PEG-IFN-) -2a versus entecavir. The frequencies of NK, CD56, CD56, IFNAR2, NKp46, NKp46, and NKp46 NK cells and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of receptors NKp46 and IFNAR2 on the surface of NK cells were measured.

Outcome of Chinese patients with hepatitis B at 96 weeks after functional cure with IFN versus combination regimens.

Background & Aims: Nucleotides with add-on interferon treatment (NUC-IFN) provide significantly higher rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to investigate the sustainability of HBsAg loss and the prevention of clinical relapse.

Methods: Patients with CHB who achieved HBsAg loss and HBV DNA levels <20 IU/ml after IFN or NUC-IFN therapy were enrolled and followed up for 96 weeks.

S6K1 inhibits HBV replication through inhibiting AMPK-ULK1 pathway and disrupting acetylation modification of H3K27.

Aims: To investigated the effect of S6K1 on the replication and transcription of HBV DNA using multiple cell models.

Main Methods: The pgRNA, total HBV RNA and HBV DNA level were detected by Real-time PCR. The HBcAg expression by Western blot and the activity of four HBV promoters, such as preS1, preS2/S, core, and X promoters by using dual luciferase reporter assay.

Real-World Effectiveness of Direct-Acting Antiviral Regimens against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Genotype 3 Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 (GT3) infection are resistant to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of sofosbuvir (SOF)+daclatasvir (DCV) ± ribavirin (RBV); SOF+velpatasvir (VEL)±RBV; SOF+VEL+voxilaprevir (VOX); and glecaprevir (GLE)+pibrentasvir (PIB) in the treatment of HCV GT3-infected patients in real-world studies. Articles were identified by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from January 1, 2016 to September 10, 2019.

Early Serum HBsAg Kinetics as Predictor of HBsAg Loss in Patients with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B after Treatment with Pegylated Interferonα-2a.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is an ideal treatment endpoint for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We investigated the predictive value of on-treatment HBsAg levels for HBsAg loss in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB patients who received 120-week PEG-IFNα-2a treatment. Serum HBV DNA, HBsAg, and anti-HBs levels were assayed at baseline and every 3 months during the treatment.

C6orf120 gene deficiency may be vulnerable to carbon tetrachloride induced acute hepatic injury in rats.

Introduction: The function of the C6orf120 gene, which encodes an N-glycosylated protein, remains unknown. The study was performed to characterize the utility of the C6orf120 gene in carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury and to elucidate the potential underlying mechanisms by establishing a C6orf120 gene-knockout (C6orf120) rat model.

Material And Methods: C6orf120 and wild-type (WT) rats were intraperitoneally administered with CCl (1 : 1 v/v in olive oil, 2 µl/g).

Deficiency of O-linked-glycosylation regulates activation of T cells and aggravates Concanavalin A-induced liver injury.

Objective: Protein glycosylation is involved in immunological recognition and immune cell activation. The role of O-glycosylation in Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was elucidated in the present study.

Methods: Mice were intravenously injected with Con A (10 mg/kg) to establish an AIH mouse model.

Advances in Gut Microbiota of Viral Hepatitis Cirrhosis.

Although gut dysbiosis appears in 20%-75% of cirrhotic patients, there are limited data on microbiota profiles in viral hepatitis cirrhotics and its role in progression to cirrhosis. Further understanding on the relationship between gut dysbiosis and cirrhosis presents a unique opportunity in not only predicting the development of cirrhosis but also discovering new therapies. Recent advances have been made on identifying unique microbiota in viral hepatitis cirrhotics and adopting the microbiota index to predict cirrhosis.

Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate Mitigates Liver Injury Via Inhibiting Proliferation Of NKT Cells And Promoting Proliferation Of Tregs.

Purpose: Diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) is a replacement for glycyrrhizic acid, which is used as a hepatic protector in clinical practice for most liver diseases. The potential role of immune response during autoimmune hepatitis-induced by concanavalin A (Con A)-remains to be elucidated.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were treated with two different doses of DG (75 and 200 mg/kg) 2 hrs before administering Con A.