Background A vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 for children and adolescents will play an important role in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a candidate COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, containing inactivated SARS-CoV-2, in children and adolescents aged 3–17 years. Methods We did a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial of CoronaVac in healthy children and adolescents aged 3–17 years old at Hebei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Zanhuang (Hebei, China). Individuals with SARS-CoV-2 exposure or infection history were excluded. Vaccine (in 0·5 mL aluminum hydroxide adjuvant) or aluminum hydroxide only (alum only, control) was given by intramuscular injection in two doses (day 0 and day 28). We did a phase 1 trial in 72 participants with an age de-escalation in three groups and dose-escalation in two blocks (1·5 μg or 3·0 μg per injection). Within each block, participants were randomly assigned (3:1) by means of block randomisation to receive CoronaVac or alum only. In phase 2, participants were randomly assigned (2:2:1) by means of block randomisation to receive either CoronaVac at 1·5 μg or 3·0 μg per dose, or alum only. All participants, investigators, and laboratory staff were masked to group allocation. The primary safety endpoint was adverse reactions within 28 days after each injection in all participants who received at least one dose. The primary immunogenicity endpoint assessed in the per-protocol population was seroconversion rate of neutralising antibody to live SARS-CoV-2 at 28 days after the second injection. This study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04551547 . Findings Between Oct 31, 2020, and Dec 2, 2020, 72 participants were enrolled in phase 1, and between Dec 12, 2020, and Dec 30, 2020, 480 participants were enrolled in phase 2. 550 participants received at least one dose of vaccine or alum only (n=71 for phase 1 and n=479 for phase 2; safety population). In the combined safety profile of phase 1 and phase 2, any adverse reactions within 28 days after injection occurred in 56 (26%) of 219 participants in the 1·5 μg group, 63 (29%) of 217 in the 3·0 μg group, and 27 (24%) of 114 in the alum-only group, without significant difference (p=0·55). Most adverse reactions were mild and moderate in severity. Injection site pain was the most frequently reported event (73 [13%] of 550 participants), occurring in 36 (16%) of 219 participants in the 1·5 μg group, 35 (16%) of 217 in the 3·0 μg group, and two (2%) in the alum-only group. As of June 12, 2021, only one serious adverse event of pneumonia has been reported in the alum-only group, which was considered unrelated to vaccination. In phase 1, seroconversion of neutralising antibody after the second dose was observed in 27 of 27 participants (100·0% [95% CI 87·2–100·0]) in the 1·5 μg group and 26 ...

These findings strongly suggest that STAT4 is a novel locus underlying BD. We propose a model in which up-regulation of STAT4 expression and subsequent STAT4-driven production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17, constitute a potential pathway leading to BD.

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Bagging is an efficient method to improve fruit colour development. This work reported a transcriptome analysis using bagging-treated red Chinese sand pear peels. In total, 8,870 differentially expressed genes were further analysed by a weighted gene co-expression network analysis and early-, middle- and late light-responsive genes were identified. An annotation analysis revealed several pathways involved in the different responsive stages. The presence of LONG HYPOCOTLY 5, CRY-DASH and a CONSTANS-like transcription factors among the early light-responsive genes indicated the pivotal role of light, especially blue light, in the biological changes that occurred after bag removal. Other light-responsive transcription factors were also identified from the three light-responsive stages. In addition, the light-responsive pattern of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes differed among the biosynthetic steps. Although yeast-one hybrid assay showed that most of the structural genes were regulated by PpMYB10, their different temporal expressive pattern suggested that besides PpMYB10, other light-responsive transcriptional factors were also involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. In summary, our transcriptome analysis provides knowledge of the transcriptional regulatory network operating during light responses, which results in anthocyanin accumulation and other significant physiological changes in red Chinese sand pear peels after bag removal.

The color of fruit skin is an important quality parameter, and in many plants, it is the result of coordinative regulation of the anthocyanin pathway. To characterize the mechanism involved in fruit peel coloration of Yunnan red pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), we constructed a subtractive cDNA library using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technology. cDNA of red peel exposed to sunlight (for 2, 4, 6, and 8 days) was subtracted from that of white skin unexposed to sunlight. Over 100 differentially expressed ESTs were obtained, putatively involved in primary and secondary metabolism, stress, and defense response. Expression analysis using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for 13 genes was performed with two pear cultivars, lightskinned 'Zaobaimi' and red-skinned 'Yunhong-1', which had been bagged and then exposed to sunlight for 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days before harvest. This analysis showed that genes encoding for a metallothionein-like protein and a NADP-malic acid enzyme were constitutively expressed, whereas other selected genes were either down-or upregulated. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis for 7 anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes and 3 putative regulatory genes was also performed. Results showed that an R2R3 MYB transcription factor PyMYB10 was up-regulated in both the less-colored pear 'Zaobaimi' and well-colored red pear Yunhong-1 after the bag was removed, but that kinetics differed between cultivars. Other anthocyanin-related genes appeared to be coordinately regulated by the MYB-bHLH-WD40 complex. DFR and ANS genes seemed to be limiting factors for the peel coloration of less-colored pear 'Zaobaimi', while all biosynthetic steps are up-regulated by 7 days after bag removal in red fruit. This study suggests the regulation of red pear coloring is via differential effects of the MYB-bHLH-WD40 complex on the pear anthocyanin pathway genes.

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BackgroundAttention is increasingly being given to microglia-related inflammation in neovascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular disease. Evidence shows that activated microglia contribute to disruption of the blood–retinal barrier, however, the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether and how microglia affect the function of retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMECs).MethodsWe activated microglia by Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation. After co-culturing static or activated microglia with RMECs using the Transwell system, we evaluated the function of RMECs. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels in the supernatant from the lower chamber were evaluated by ELISA. Angiogenesis, migration, and proliferation of RMECs were assessed by tube formation, wound healing, and WST-1 assays. The expression levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin) and endothelial markers (CD31 and CD34) were examined by Western blot analysis.ResultsWe successfully established an LPS-activated microglia model and co-culture system of static or activated microglia with RMECs. In the co-culture system, we showed that microglia, especially activated microglia stimulated VEGF-A and PDGF-BB expression, enhanced angiogenesis, migration, proliferation, and permeability, and altered the phenotype of co-cultured RMECs.ConclusionsMicroglia, especially activated microglia, play important roles in angiogenesis and maintenance of vascular function hemostasis in the retinal microvasculature. The mechanism needs further investigation and clarification.