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Mpox (MPX), a zoonotic infection reported as early as 1970, is a double-stranded DNA virus, Mpox virus (MPXV), belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus. MPX, a virus closely related to smallpox, was once considered a geographically restricted infection because it was predominantly endemic in West and Central Africa, except for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). However, in May 2022, a rare case of MPX was diagnosed in the UK. As of February 25, 2023, 86,127 confirmed cases and 97 deaths have been reported globally. It spreads through close contact with an infected person, infected animal, or an object which an infected person has touched. Although most people infected with MPXV may present with mild symptoms and will recover fully within a few weeks, people can have serious diseases and complications and may need to be hospitalized with it. Although smallpox vaccines and antiviral drugs are also effective against MPX, there is still no specific vaccine or drug for MPXV infection. Therefore, we need to take the right attitude and measures to stop the MPXV outbreak. In this review, we summarize the characteristics, mechanisms, immunology, and transmission of MPXV, as well as current vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments used for MPX, and provide clues for controlling MPX outbreaks and preventing such diseases.

Hair follicle stem cells are vital seed cells for hair follicle and tissue engineering skin. However, there is no valid approach to obtain abundant cells within short times in vitro. The purpose of this study was to establish a new medium for culture and expansion of hair follicle outer root sheath (ORS) cells. ORS cells were harvested from human samples and cultured with a medium mixed with keratinocyte serum free medium and mouse embryonic fibroblasts suspension. The proliferation and vitality of ORS cells were evaluated. The cells exhibited typical cobblestone morphology with good adhesion and colony-forming ability. The cells were also characterized through detecting specific markers with immunofluorescent staining and the results showed that partial ORS cells could express hair follicle stem cell markers of CK15, CK19 and FST. At last, ORS cells and fibroblasts were used as seed cells and preliminarily constructed tissue engineering skin successfully. In conclusion, these findings suggested that this new medium could effectively accelerate cell proliferation and maintain the fundamental characteristics of ORS cells.

The reprogramming of adult cells into pluripotent cells or directly into alternative adult cell types represents a great potential technology for regenerative medicine. In the present study, the potential of key developmental adipogenic, neurogenic and hepatogenic regulators to reprogram human fibroblasts into adipocytes, neurocytes and hepatocytes was investigated. The results demonstrated that direct reprogramming of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)β activated C/EBPα and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ expression, inducing the conversion of fibroblasts into adipocytes. Similarly, direct reprogramming of the transcription factors sex determining region-box 2, trans-acting T-cell specific transcription factor (GATA-3) and neurogenic differentiation 1 in fibroblasts may induce neurogenic differentiation through hemagglutinating virus of Japan envelope (HVJ-E) transfection. Moreover, hepatogenic differentiation was induced by combining the direct reprogramming of Oct4, GATA-3, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 homeobox α and forkhead box protein A2 in fibroblasts. These results demonstrate that specific transcription factors and reprogramming factors are able to directly reprogram fibroblasts into adipogenic, neurogenic and hepatogenic differentiation lineages by HVJ-E transfection.

Background Cupressus gigantea, a rare and endangered tree species with remarkable medicinal value, is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. Yet, little is known about the underlying genetics of the unique ecological adaptability of this extremely long-lived conifer with a large genome size. Here, we present its first de novo and multi-tissue transcriptome in-depth characterization. Results We performed Illumina paired-end sequencing and RNA libraries assembly derived from terminal buds, male and female strobili, biennial leaves, and cambium tissues taken from adult C. gigantea. In total, large-scale high-quality reads were assembled into 101,092 unigenes, with an average sequence length of 1029 bp, and 6848 unigenes (6.77%) were mapped against the KEGG databases to identify 292 pathways. A core set of 41,373 genes belonging to 2412 orthologous gene families shared between C. gigantea and nine other plants was revealed. In addition, we identified 2515 small to larger-size gene families containing in total 9223 genes specific to C. gigantea, and enriched for gene ontologies relating to biotic interactions. We identified an important terpene synthases gene family expansion with its 121 putative members. Conclusions This study presents the first comprehensive transcriptome characterization of C. gigantea. Our results will facilitate functional genomic studies to support genetic improvement and conservation programs for this endangered conifer. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5584-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

In recent years, bone marrow-derived cells have been found to be crucial for peripheral nerve regeneration. After traumatic peripheral nerve injury, bone marrow-derived macrophages quickly infiltrate into the distal regions of nerves. To explore the changes caused by bone marrow-derived cells within the proximal regions of the nerves, sciatic nerves of chimeric mice carrying bone marrow cells expressing green fluorescent protein were crushed to observe the infiltration of invading bone marrow-derived cells. Seven days after surgery, abundant bone marrow-derived cells had infiltrated into the damaged proximal nerve segments. The numbers of these cells increased to a peak at 2 weeks and then gradually returned to normal levels within 30 weeks. Through immunofluorescence staining, many of these cells were identified as macrophages, and they showed a similar infiltration tendency toward distal nerve segments. However, fewer cells infiltrated proximal segments than distal nerve segments. In conclusion, these findings suggest that bone marrow-derived cells response not only occurs within the distal nerve segments but may also take place within the proximal segments of nerve tissues after nerve injury.

// Zhen Gao 1 , Yu-Qing Jin 2 , Wei Wu 1 1 Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China 2 Department of Plastic Surgery, Shanghai International Medical Center, Shanghai, China Correspondence to: Wei Wu, email: babevivi@126.com Keywords: alopecia areata, SOCS3, IFN-γ, autoimmune, hair follicle Received: October 02, 2016 Accepted: February 23, 2017 Published: March 23, 2017 ABSTRACT Alopecia areata is one of the most common autoimmune diseases resulting from T cell-mediated damage of hair follicles. CD8+ T cells infiltrate hair follicles and are responsible for destruction of hair follicles. However the underlying mechanisms for hair loss remain still obscure. In the present study, we identified that suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3), a classical inhibitor of cytokine signaling, significantly inhibits CD8+T cell maturation, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production and alopecia areata. SOCS3 is downregulated in the skin of alopecia areata patients and murine autoimmune alopecia model. Furthermore, SOCS3 treatment prevents the development of alopecia areata in the graft model. SOCS3 decreases the CD44 high CD62L low effector memory CD8+ T cells, resulting in the decrease of IFN-γ production. The expression of Fas and major histocompatibility complex-1 (MHC I) is upregulated in skin from C3H/HeJ alopecia areata mice, and this increase is suppressed by SOCS3. The SOCS3 level is negative correlation with the Fas and MHC I level in patients with alopecia areata. These results suggest that SOCS3 treatment may be an effective strategy to treat autoimmune alopecia as well as to more generally prevent cytokine-dependent tissue destruction in inflammatory diseases.

To quantity the amount of tetramethylpyrazine in Szechwan Lovage Rhizome (Chuanxiong, the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., CX) and Cnidium Rhizome(Japanese Chuanxiong, the rhizome of Cnidium officinale Makino, JCX) for quality assessment.An HPLC-DAD-MS technique was employed to detect tetramethylpyrazine in 27 CX and 10 JCX samples. Tetramethylpyrazine was separated on a Waters Symmetry C,, column (250 mm x 4. 6 mm, 5 µm). The mobile phase was methanol-acetonitrile-water(27: 1: 72) at a flow rate of 1. 0 mL/min. The column temperature was 35 °C. DAD detection wavelength was 280 nm, while electrospray ionization detector was set at positive mode to collect MS spectrum.In the total of 37 herb samples, 11 samples were found to contain tetramethylpyrazine with the mean amount of 2. 19 µg/g(n = 11). 6 of 27 CX samples and 5 of 10 JCX sample were found the existence of tetramethylpyrazine with the amount of 0. 60 - 11. 75 µg and 0. 61 - 3. 05 µg/g,respectively. The correlation was not found between tetramethylpyrazine and the cultivation area, morphological character, processing or storage method for CX and JCX samples. It was possible that tetramethylpyrazine resulted from the microbes in soil.The developed method is accurate to quantify tetramethylpyrazine in CX and JCX herbs. Both the two herbs indeed contain tetramethylpyrazine, but it is not suitable to be a chemical marker to assess the quality of CX and JCX owing to low content.

Bioactivity of Danggui is linked to the content of ligustilide, but the relationship between ligustilide with herb shape, cultivating areas and plant species is still unknown. The relationship was investigated by quantifying on the amounts of Z-ligustilide and E-ligustilide by HPLC-DAD-MS method, and then comparing the content of ligustilides (the sum of Z-ligustilide and E-ligustilide) among forty-four various "Danggui" samples containing thirty Chinese Danggui (CDG), six Japanese Danggui (JDG), four Korea Danggui (KDG) and four European Danggui (EDG). Results showed that the content of ligustilides in CDG samples (Angelica sinensis) was in the range of 5.63-24.53 mg x g(-1) with the mean of 11.02 mg x g(-1) (n = 30). Ligustilides amounts were varied among samples cultivated in different areas in China, i. e. 13.90 mg x g(-1) (n = 6) in Yannan, 12.51 mg x g(-1) (n = 6) in Sichuan and 10.04 mg x g(-1) (n = 13) in Gansu. It was also found that ligustilides content was related to the shape, color and fragrance of herb, e. g. the relative larger amount of ligustilides was in the small main root, long rootlet and perfumed sample. Further, ligustilides contents were estimated to be 1.00 mg x g(-1) (n = 6) in JDG samples (A. acutiloba and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae) and 2.78 mg x g(-1) (n = 2) in EDG samples (lovage root, Levisticum officinale). However, ligustilides could not be detected in the four KDG samples (A. gigas) and two EDG samples (angelica root, A. archangelica). It has been concluded that ligustilide is significant variant among plant species, which may result in the variety of bioactivity and therapeutic effect.

To evaluate the chemical changes in Chuanxiong raw material (CX), the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., during CX storage and further assess its quality variety.Four CX samples were sealed and stored at ambient temperature in room for two years. These samples were quantified on the amounts of characteristic chemical compounds by HPLC-DAD-(APCI) MS techniques.Eight characteristic peaks in HPLC fingerprint were found to be good separation and assigned as vanillin (1), ferulic acid (2), senkyunolide I (3), senkyunolide H (4), coniferyl ferulate (5), senkyunolide A (6), Z-ligustilide (7) and levistolide A(8), respectively based on their on-line APCI-MS data and UV spectra. After CX being stored, compounds 1 - 4, and 8 were decreased by 44.4%, 52.1%, 37.6%, 52.8% and 47.5% (n = 4), respectively, whilst compounds 5 - 7 were increased by 59.1%, 40.1% and 47.5% (n = 4), respectively.Multiple chemical compounds are found to be changed during CX storage, which results in the variety of quality and therapeutic effect because most of the tested compounds have been demonstrated to be bioactive by pharmacological study and clinical trials. It is suggested that CX should be stored under dark, cool and dry condition.

A variety of nerve conduits incorporated with chemical and biological factors have been developed to further stimulate nerve regeneration. Although most of the nerve guides in studies are basically limited to bridge a short gap of nerve defect in rat models, it is vital to evaluate effects of conduits on nerve regeneration over distance greater than 20 mm, or more clinically relevant nerve gap lengths in higher mammals. In this study, a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nerve conduit, treated with pulsed plasma and coated with ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) as well as chitosan, was used to repair 25-mm-long canine tibial nerve defects in eighteen cross-bred dogs. The canines were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6), a 25-mm segment of the tibial nerve was removed and replaced by a PLGA/chitosan-CNTF nerve conduit, PLGA/chitoson conduit and autologous nerve grafts were performed as the control. The results were evaluated by general observation, eletromyogram testing, S-100 histological immunostaining, and image analysis at 3 months after operation. The histological results demonstrated that the PLGA/chitosan-CNTF conduits and PLGA/chitosan conduits were capable of leading the damaged axons through the lesioned area. Through the comparation of the three groups, the results in PLGA/chitosan-CNTF conduits group were better than that of PLGA/chitosan conduits group, while they were similar to autologous nerve grafts group. Therefore, CNTF-coated PLGA/chitosan nerve conduits could be an alternative artificial nerve conduit for nerve regeneration. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010.