The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family consists of six family members (IL-17A–IL-17F) and all the corresponding receptors have been identified recently. This family is mainly involved in the host defense mechanisms against bacteria, fungi and helminth infection by inducing cytokines and chemokines, recruiting neutrophils, inducing anti-microbial proteins and modifying T-helper cell differentiation. IL-17A and some other family cytokines are also involved in the development of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis by inducing inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and antibodies against IL-17A as well as the receptor IL-17RA are being successfully used for the treatment of these diseases. Involvement in the development of inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and tumors has also been suggested in animal disease models. In this review, we will briefly review the mechanisms by which IL-17 cytokines are involved in the development of these diseases and discuss possible treatment of inflammatory diseases by targeting IL-17 family members.
Background
Solidago canadensis
is a notorious invasive species from North America that is spreading across East China. It is invading some coastal grasslands and replacing native grass species. The effects of the
S. canadensis
invasion on soil nutrient cycling in the grasslands remain unclear. This study examined the effects of the invasion of
S. canadensis
on macronutrient accumulation in species aboveground part and soil.
Methods
Aboveground biomass, macronutrient (N, P, and K) pools in biomass, litter mass and decomposition rates, soil macronutrient availability and soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity that were related to nutrient transformation were compared between plots invaded by
S. canadensis
and uninvaded plots dominated by three different native grass species:
Phacelurus latifolius
,
Phragmites australis
, and
Imperata cylindrica
.
Results
S. canadensis
had higher aboveground biomass, higher leaf N, P, and K concentrations, and consequently, a larger macronutrient pool size in the standing biomass.
S. canadensis
also produced more litter with higher N, P, and K concentrations and faster decomposition rates. The
S. canadensis
invasion did not change the total N, P, and K concentration in the topsoil (0–10 cm), but the invasion did increase their availability. The
S. canadensis
invasion did not increase the total soil organic matter (TSOM) content but did increase the soil microbial biomass and the activities of urease, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, amylase, and glucosidase in the topsoil.
Conclusion
The invasion of
S. canadensis
accelerates the macronutrient cycling rate via increases in aboveground productivity and nutrient accumulation in standing biomass, faster nutrient release from litter and higher soil microbial activity. An enhanced nutrient cycling rate may further enhance its invasiveness through a positive feedback on soil processes.
Background: The past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in China. The nationwide burden of hospitalization remains unclear, however. We aimed to address this gap by conducting analysis using a nationwide database. Methods: Population-based hospitalization rates from 2013 to 2018 were calculated by extrapolating the number of patients in the database to the national level. Surgical rates, annual hospital charges, and length of stay were also used for quantification of hospitalization burden. The Poisson regression analysis and the Cochran–Armitage trend test were conducted to analyze temporal trends as expressed as annual percentage of change (APC) with 95% confidential intervals (CIs). Results: From 2013 to 2018, the hospitalization rates for Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in China increased from 2.20 (95% CI = 2.17–2.22) to 3.62 (3.59–3.65) per 100,000 inhabitants ( p < 0.0001) with an APC of 10.68% (6.00–15.36%) and from 6.24 (6.20–6.28) to 8.29 (8.23–8.33) per 100,000 inhabitants ( p < 0.0001) with an APC of 5.73% (2.32–9.15%), respectively. Surgical rates decreased from 7.96% (7.29–8.63%) to 5.56% (5.11–6.00%) for CD patients ( p < 0.0001) with APC of −6.30% (−11.33 to −1.27%) and from 3.54% (3.26–3.82%) to 2.52% (2.32–2.72%) for UC patients ( p < 0.0001) with APC of −6.35% (−16.21 to 3.51). In 2018, there were estimated 166,000 IBD patients hospitalized costing a total of $426.37 million ($149.91 + $276.46 million) across the entire China. Conclusion: The population-based hospitalization rate of IBD increased, whereas the surgical rate decreased from 2013 to 2018 in China.
Field of the paper: Immunology
Original paperThe C-type lectin receptor Clec1A plays an important role in the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by enhancing antigen presenting ability of dendritic cells and inducing inflammatory cytokine IL-17
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