AJUBA increases the cisplatin resistance through hippo pathway in cervical cancer

Though LIM-domain protein AJUBA was identified as a putative oncogene, the function and underlying mechanisms of AJUBA in cervical cancer remain largely unknown. Firstly, AJUBA expression was detected via real-time quantitative PCR in patients' samples. Furthermore, Hela and Siha cells were transfected with AJUBA-overexpressing plasmids, and then exposed to cisplatin, the apoptosis was measured by cytometry assay. In addition, the expression of YAP and TAZ was disclosed through western blot assay. Our results revealed that AJUBA expression was significantly higher in the cervical cancer patients resistant to cisplatin treatment compared with cervical cancer patients sensitive to cisplatin treatment. In addition, overall survival time was significantly shorter in the cervical cancer patients with high AJUBA expression compare with those with low AJUBA expression using kaplan-meier analysis. Hela and Siha cells transfected with AJUBA-expressing plasmids exposed to cisplatin treatment had higher survival rate compared with the cells transfected with empty vector control. Mechanistic studies revealed the AJUBA upregulated the downstream targets YAP and TAZ. These results suggest that high AJUBA level enhances cervical cancer cells drug resistance to cisplatin, also associates with decreased patient survival times.

MiR-483-5p promotes IGF-II transcription and is associated with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

The human insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) gene transcribes four mRNAs (P1 mRNA-P4 mRNA), and P3 mRNA overexpression contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis. IGF-II-derived miR-483-5p is implicated in the development of cancers. Here, we investigated the involvement of miR-483-5p in P3 mRNA overexpression regulation and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma. Our results showed that miR-483-5p up-regulated P3 mRNA transcription by targeting the 5′-untranslated region (5′UTR) of P3 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanism was involved in recruiting of an argonaute 1(Ago1)-argonaute 2 (Ago2) complex to the P3 mRNA 5′UTR and the P3 promoter of IGF-II gene by miR-483-5p, accompanied by increased enrichment of RNA polymerase II and activating histone marks histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3), histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac), and histone 4 lysine 5/8/12/16 acetylation (H4Kac) at the P3 promoter. High miR-483-5p expression was an independent predictor for shorter survival of HCC patients. The findings suggest that miR-483-5p promotes P3 mRNA transcription by recruiting the Ago1-Ago2 complex to the P3 mRNA 5′UTR and is associated with poor prognosis of HCC. Our results display a potential new model for miRNAs to up-regulate gene expression.

Activation of SRY accounts for male-specific hepatocarcinogenesis: Implication in gender disparity of hepatocellular carcinoma

Sex affects the risk, treatment responses and outcome of many types of cancers. The mechanism of gender disparity in development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains obscure. Sex-determining region on Y chromosome (SRY) was overexpressed in approximate 84% male patient HCC. Moreover, we are the first to generate a liver-specific transgenic (TG) murine model with overexpression of the male specific gene SRY. Subject to a single intraperitoneal injection N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) at day 14, TG and wildtype (WT) mice of both genders were sacrificed at different time points (6-13.5 months). Overexpression of SRY in male TG and ectopic expression of SRY in female TG livers promoted DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis compared to age- and sex-matched WT. This accelerated tumorigenesis in TG of both genders was a consequence of increased injury and inflammation, fibrosis, and compensatory enhancement in hepatocytes proliferation secondary to activation of downstream targets Sox9 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and c-myc/CyclinD1. In conclusion, activation of SRY and its downstream Sox9 and PDGFRα pathways are commonly involved in male hepatocarcinogenesis, which provides novel insights into gender disparity and sex-specific therapeutic strategies of HCC.

Expression of BrpA in Streptococcus mutans is regulated by FNR-box mediated repression

Our previous studies showed that brpA in Streptococcus mutans, which encodes a member of the LytR-CpsA-Psr family of proteins, can be co-transcribed with brpB upstream as a bicistronic operon, and the intergenic region also has strong promoter activity. To elucidate how brpA expression is regulated, the promoter regions were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-based deletions and site-directed mutagenesis and a promoterless luciferase gene as a reporter. Allelic exchange mutagenesis was also used to examine genes encoding putative trans-acting factors, and the impact of such mutations on brpA expression was analyzed by reporter assays. Multiple elements in the short brpA promoter (nucleotide -1 to -344 relative to start cordon ATG) were shown to have a major impact on brpA expression, including an FNR-box, for a putative binding site of an FNR-type of transcriptional regulator. When compared with the intact brpA promoter, mutations of the highly conserved nucleotides in FNR-box from TTGATgtttAcCtt to TTACAgaaaGtTac resulted in 1362-fold increases of luciferase activity (P < .001), indicative of the FNR-box-mediated repression as a major mechanism in regulation of brpA expression. When luciferase reporter was fused to the upstream brpBA promoter (nucleotides -784 to -1144), luciferase activity was decreased by 4.5-fold (P < .001) in the brpA mutant, TW14D, and by 67.7-fold (P < .001) in the brpB mutant, JB409, compared with the wild-type, UA159. However, no such effects were observed when the reporter gene was fused to the short brpA promoter and its derivatives. These results also suggest that brpA expression in S. mutans is auto-regulated through the upstream brpBA promoter.

Overexpression of Srcin1 contributes to the growth and metastasis of colorectal cancer

The adaptor protein Srcin1 is a novel Src-binding protein that regulates Src activation through C-terminal Src kinase (Csk). Srcin1 behaves as a tumour suppressor in breast cancer, but the role of Srcin1 in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In the present study, Srcin1 expression in normal tissue was examined by tissue microarray and assessed by immunohistochemistry in 10 patients. In addition, the biological impact of Srcin1 knockdown on CRC cells was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that Srcin1 was expressed in different types of normal human tissues, whereas its expression was increased in human CRC tissues. Srcin1 expression also correlated with tumour progression. The suppression of Srcin1 induced cell differentiation and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, Srcin1 increased cell growth as well as the capacity of migration and invasion in CRC cells. Srcin1 induced the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Moreover, Srcin1 suppression sensitized cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results demonstrate that Srcin1 contributes to CRC carcinogenesis, invasion and metastasis. These findings provide a rationale for a mechanistic approach to CRC treatment based on the development of Srcin1-targeted therapies.

DNA Repair Interacts with Autophagy To Regulate Inflammatory Responses to Pulmonary Hyperoxia

Oxygen is supplied as a supportive treatment for patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. Unfortunately, high oxygen concentration increases reactive oxygen species generation, which causes DNA damage and ultimately cell death in the lung. Although 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG-1) is involved in repairing hyperoxia-mediated DNA damage, the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we report that ogg-1-deficient mice exhibited a significant increase of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IFN-γ) in the lung after being exposed to 95% oxygen. In addition, we found that ogg-1 deficiency downregulated (macro)autophagy when exposed to hyperoxia both in vitro and in vivo, which was evident by decreased conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II, reduced LC3 punctate staining, and lower Atg7 expression compared with controls. Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we found that OGG-1 associated with the promoter of Atg7, suggesting a role for OGG1 in regulation of Atg7 activity. Knocking down OGG-1 decreased the luciferase reporter activity of Atg7. Further, inflammatory cytokine levels in murine lung epithelial cell line cells were downregulated following autophagy induction by starvation and rapamycin treatment, and upregulated when autophagy was blocked using 3-methyladenine and chloroquine. atg7 knockout mice and Atg7 small interfering RNA-treated cells exhibited elevated levels of phospho-NF-κB and intensified inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that Atg7 impacts inflammatory responses to hyperoxia. These findings demonstrate that OGG-1 negatively regulates inflammatory cytokine release by coordinating molecular interaction with the autophagic pathway in hyperoxia-induced lung injury.

Inflammatory 'double hit' model of temporomandibular joint disorder with elevated CCL2, CXCL9, CXCL10, RANTES and behavioural hypersensitivity in TNFR1/R2-/- mice

BACKGROUND

Patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), reactive arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis often have combined etiology of hereditary and microenvironmental factors contributing to joint pain. Multiple clinical and animal studies indicate 'double-hit' inflammatory insults can cause chronic inflammation. The first inflammatory insult primes the immune system and subsequent insults elicit amplified responses. The present 'double hit' study produced a chronic orofacial pain model in mice with genetic deletion of both TNFα receptors (TNFR1/R2-/-), investigating the main nociceptive signalling pathways in comparisons to wild type mice.

METHODS

An initial inflammatory insult was given unilaterally into the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Secondary hypersensitivity was tested on the skin over the TMJ throughout the experiment. Three weeks later after complete reversal of hypersensitivity, a second inflammatory insult was imposed on the colon. Pharmacological interventions were tested for efficacy after week 10 when hypersensitivity was chronic in TNFR1/R2-/- mice. Serum cytokines were analysed at Days 1, 14, and Week 18.

RESULTS

The double hit insult produced chronic hypersensitivity continuing through the 4-month experimental timeline in the absence of TNFα signalling. P2X7 and NMDA receptor antagonists temporarily attenuated chronic hypersensitivity. Serum cytokine/chemokine analysis on Day 14 when CFA induced hypersensitivity was resolved identified increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines CCL2, CXCL9, CXCL10, RANTES and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ra and IL-4 in TNFR1/R2-/- compared to WT mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest a causal feed-forward signalling cascade of these little studied cytokines have the potential to cause recrudescence in this orofacial inflammatory pain model in the absence of TNFα signalling.

SIGNIFICANCE

Using a mouse model of chronic inflammatory temporomandibular joint disorder, we determined that absence of functional TNFR1/R2 induces aberrant inflammatory signalling caused by other increased pro-inflammatory and decreased anti-inflammatory cytokines that could serve as blood biomarkers and may predict disease progression.

25-Hydroxycholesterol Protects Host against Zika Virus Infection and Its Associated Microcephaly in a Mouse Model

Zika virus (ZIKV) has become a public health threat due to its global transmission and link to severe congenital disorders. The host immune responses to ZIKV infection have not been fully elucidated, and effective therapeutics are not currently available. Herein, we demonstrated that cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (CH25H) was induced in response to ZIKV infection and that its enzymatic product, 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), was a critical mediator of host protection against ZIKV. Synthetic 25HC addition inhibited ZIKV infection in vitro by blocking viral entry, and treatment with 25HC reduced viremia and conferred protection against ZIKV in mice and rhesus macaques. 25HC suppressed ZIKV infection and reduced tissue damage in human cortical organoids and the embryonic brain of the ZIKV-induced mouse microcephaly model. Our findings highlight the protective role of CH25H during ZIKV infection and the potential use of 25HC as a natural antiviral agent to combat ZIKV infection and prevent ZIKV-associated outcomes, such as microcephaly.

A recurrent mutation in bone morphogenetic proteins-2-inducible kinase gene is associated with developmental dysplasia of the hip

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a complex disorder of the hip joint affecting 1-5‰ of newborns. While genetic influence on DDH has been long known, DDH has not been ascribed to any specific genetic event. The present study reported on variants contributing to DDH susceptibility in a family with four individuals affected across three generations. Whole-exome sequencing was performed in three affected and two unaffected individuals of a pedigree with DDH. Candidate variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing and then validated in available family members and 37 sporadic DDH patients. Two novel heterozygous, inframe mutations causing multi-nucleotide substitution polymorphisms (c.1432_1440delCAGCAGCAG corresponding with p.Gln478_480del and c.1440_1441insCAG corresponding with p.Gln480ins) in exon 11 of chromosome 4 in bone morphogenetic proteins-2-inducible kinase (BMP2K) were identified; these were found in members of the pedigree affected by DDH and in the unaffected grandmother of the proband, who was deemed to be the carrier of potential mutations, but not in the unaffected normal control saunt of the proband. These two variants shared the same genomic coordinate but with different types of mutation in BMP2K. BMP2K is known to be associated with bone and cartridge development and heterozygous mutations were found to be present in 4/4 (100%) of the affected family members, 4/15 (26.7%) of the unaffected family members and 0/7 (0%) of the unaffected unrelated family members. Genotyping of 37 unrelated, sporadic DDH patients showed that three cases were positive for the BMP2K c.1432_1440delCAGCAGCAG variants (8.12%). These findings provided strong evidence for the role of BMP2K variants in causing DDH and demonstrated that the combination of pedigree information and next-generation sequencing is an effective method for identifying pathogenic sites associated with DDH.

Atg7 Deficiency Intensifies Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptosis in Pseudomonas Sepsis

Sepsis is a severe and complicated syndrome that is characterized by dysregulation of host inflammatory responses and organ failure, with high morbidity and mortality. The literature implies that autophagy is a crucial regulator of inflammation in sepsis. In this article, we report that autophagy-related protein 7 (Atg7) is involved in inflammasome activation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa abdominal infection. Following i.p. challenge with P. aeruginosa, atg7^fl/fl mice showed impaired pathogen clearance, decreased survival, and widespread dissemination of bacteria into the blood and lung tissue compared with wild-type mice. The septic atg7^fl/fl mice also exhibited elevated neutrophil infiltration and severe lung injury. Loss of Atg7 resulted in increased production of IL-1β and pyroptosis, consistent with enhanced inflammasome activation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that P. aeruginosa flagellin is a chief trigger of inflammasome activation in the sepsis model. Collectively, our results provide insight into innate immunity and inflammasome activation in sepsis.

Energy storage materials derived from Prussian blue analogues

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) with open frameworks have drawn much attention in energy storage fields due to their tridimensional ionic diffusion path, easy preparation, and low cost. This review summarizes the recent progress of using PBAs and their derivatives as energy storage materials in alkali ions, multi-valent ions, and metal-air batteries. The key factors to improve the electrochemical performance of PBAs as cathode materials in rechargeable batteries were firstly discussed. Several approaches for performance enhancement such as controlling the amounts of vacancies and coordinated water, optimizing morphologies, and depositing carbon coating are described in details. Then, we highlighted the significance of their diverse architectures and morphologies in anode materials for lithium/sodium ion batteries. Finally, the applications of Prussian blue derivatives as catalysts in metal-air batteries are also reviewed, providing insights into the origin of favorable morphologies and structures of catalyst for the optimal performance.

[Correlations between genetic variations of glutathione synthetase gene and the response to platinum-based chemotherapy and prognosis of small cell lung cancer patients]

Objective: To explore the associations between genetic variations of glutathione synthetase gene (GSS) and response to platinum-based chemotherapy of small cell lung cancer(SCLC), and to analyze the influencing factors on survival. Methods: Four haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) of GSS were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY methods in 903 SCLC patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy, and had different response and survival time. The associations between genotypes and platinum-based chemotherapy response were measured by odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for sex, age, smoking, KPS, staging and chemotherapy regiments, by unconditional logistic regression model. The hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Among the 903 patients, 462(51.2%) cases received cis-platinum and etoposide treatment while others were treated with carboplatin and etoposide. 656 patients were chemotherapy responders in the study with a response rate of 72.6%. Patients were followed up to get their survival information. The median survival time (MST) of these patients was 25.0 months.We found that rs725521 located in the 3' near gene region of GSS was significantly associated with chemotherapy response. Compared with the T allele, patients with C allele had a worse chemotherapy response and an increased risk of no-responders (P=0.027). Rs7265992 and rs725521 of GSS were associated with the overall survival (OS) of SCLC patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy (HR=1.16, 95% CI=1.02-1.33, P=0.027; HR=1.17, 95% CI=1.05-1.31, P=0.006, respectively). The patients carrying 1 or 2 risk alleles and the patients carrying 3 or 4 risk alleles had worse MST than the patients without the rs7265992A and rs725521C risk alleles (24.0 and 22.0 versus 30.0 months), with the HR for death being 1.26 (95% CI=1.04-1.54) and with the HR of 1.52 (95%CI=1.18-1.97, P=0.001). Rs2025096 and rs2273684 were not associated with the OS of SCLC patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy. Age ≤ 56, KPS> 80, limited-stage, chemotherapy response and radiation therapy had a remarkably prolonged OS (all P<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that GSS genetic polymorphism rs725521 plays an important role in the response to platinum-based chemotherapy, while rs7265992 and rs725521 have important effect on the prognosis of SCLC patients, which may be potential genetic biomarkers for personalized treatment of SCLC.

Type I IFN augments IL-27-dependent TRIM25 expression to inhibit HBV replication

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause chronic hepatitis B, which may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Type I interferon (IFN) is an approved drug for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. However, the fundamental mechanisms of antiviral action by type I IFN and the downstream signaling pathway are unclear. TRIM25 is an IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) that has an important role in RIG-I ubiquitination and activation. Whether TRIM25 is induced in liver cells by type I IFN to mediate anti-HBV function remains unclear. Here we report that interleukin-27 (IL-27) has a critical role in IFN-induced TRIM25 upregulation. TRIM25 induction requires both STAT1 and STAT3. In TRIM25 knockout HepG2 cells, type I IFN production was consistently attenuated and HBV replication was increased, whereas overexpression of TRIM25 in HepG2 cells resulted in elevated IFN production and reduced HBV replication. More interestingly, we found that TRIM25 expression was downregulated in HBV patients and the addition of serum samples from HBV patients could inhibit TRIM25 expression in HepG2 cells, suggesting that HBV might have involved a mechanism to inhibit antiviral ISG expression and induce IFN resistance. Collectively, our results demonstrate that type I IFN -induced TRIM25 is an important factor in inhibiting HBV replication, and the IFN-IL-27-TRIM25 axis may represent a new target for treating HBV infection.

Long non-coding RNA TUG1 is involved in cell growth and chemoresistance of small cell lung cancer by regulating LIMK2b via EZH2

BACKGROUND

Taurine upregulated gene1 (TUG1) as a 7.1-kb lncRNA, has been shown to play an oncogenic role in various cancers. However, the biological functions of lncRNA TUG1 in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remain unknown. The aim of this study is to explore the roles of TUG1 in cell growth and chemoresistance of SCLC and its possible molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The expression of TUG1 in thirty-three cases of SCLC tissues and SCLC cell line were examined by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The functional roles of TUG1 in SCLC were demonstrated by CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, flow cytometry analysis and in vivo study through siRNA or shRNA mediated knockdown. Western blot assays were used to evaluate gene and protein expression in cell lines. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) were performed to confirm the molecular mechanism of TUG1 involved in cell growth and chemoresistance of small cell lung cancer.

RESULTS

We found that TUG1 was overexpressed in SCLC tissues, and its expression was correlated with the clinical stage and the shorter survival time of SCLC patients. Moreover, downregulation of TUG1 expression could impair cell proliferation and increased cell sensitivity to anticancer drugs both in vitro and in vivo. We also discovered that TUG1 knockdown significantly promoted cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and inhibited cell migration and invasion in vitro . We further demonstrated that TUG1 can regulate the expression of LIMK2b (a splice variant of LIM-kinase 2) via binding with enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and then promoted cell growth and chemoresistance of SCLC.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, these results suggested that TUG1 mediates cell growth and chemoresistance of SCLC by regulating LIMK2b via EZH2.

Facile synthesis and characterization of a SnO2-modified LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 high-voltage cathode material with superior electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries

The SnO₂-modified LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ high-voltage Li-ion cathode material exhibits superior electrochemical performance, and the synthetic method has the advantage of being facile.

Healthcare resource use in schizophrenia, EuroSC findings

Background: It is unclear if the burden associated with schizophrenia is affected by the type and severity of patient's symptoms. Objective: This study aims to quantify healthcare resource use associated with different profiles of schizophrenia symptoms. Study design: Post-hoc analysis of data from a naturalistic follow-up study. Setting: Secondary psychiatric services in France, Germany and the UK. Patients: EuroSC cohort:, representative sample of 1,208 schizophrenia patients Main outcome measure: We classified patients into eight health states, according to the Lenert classification (HS1-HS8), and estimated 6-month healthcare resource use (outpatient and day clinic visits, and hospitalisations) across the health states. Results: Approximately half of the patients were classed as having mild symptoms (HS1), with around 20% experiencing moderate, predominantly negative symptoms (HS2). The remaining health states were represented by <10% of patients each. Very few patients experienced extremely severe symptoms (HS8). No health state was associated with excess utilisation across all resource types. In terms of outpatient visits, patients were estimated to see a psychiatrist most often (3.01-4.15 visits over 6 months). Hospital admission was needed in 11%(HS1) - 35%(HS8) of patients and inpatient stays were generally prolonged for all health states (39-57 days). The average number of inpatient days was highest for patients in HS8 (18.17 days), followed by patients with severe negative symptoms (HS4; 13.37 days). In other health states characterised by severe symptoms (HS5-HS7), the average number of inpatient days was approximately half of those seen for HS4 (6.09-7.66). Conclusion: While none of the symptom profiles was associated with excess resource usage, hospitalization days were highest for HS with severe, predominantly negative or extremely severe symptoms. Patients with predominantly negative, moderate or severe symptoms appeared to have a high number of psychologist visits - an interesting finding that may reflect a specific therapeutic approach to the treatment of these patients.