Advance in Nanomedicine for Improving Mucosal Penetration and Effective Therapy of Cervical Cancer

Insufficient intratumor drug distribution and serious adverse effects are often associated with systemic chemotherapy for cervical cancer. Considering the location of cervical cancer, access to the cervix through the vagina may provide an alternative administration route for high drug amounts at the tumor site, minimal systemic exposure as well as convenience of non-invasive self-medication. Enormous progress has been made in nanomedicine to improve mucosal penetration and enhance the effectiveness of therapy for cervical cancer. This review article first introduce the physiological state of cervicovaginal cavity and the characteristics of intravaginal environment in cervical cancers. Based on introduction to the physiological state of cervicovaginal cavity and the characteristics of intravaginal environment in cervical cancers, both "first mucus-adhering then mucosal penetration" and "first mucus-penetrating then mucosal penetration" strategies are discussed with respect to mechanism, application condition, and examples. Finally, existing challenges and future directions are envisioned in the rational design, facile synthesis, and comprehensive utilization of nanomedicine for local therapy of cervical cancer. This review is expected to provide useful reference information for future research on nanomedicine for intravaginally administered formulations for topical treatment of cervical cancer.

Identification of lignans and quality assessment in Dendrobium officinale under different cultivation modes

RATIONALE

Lignans have attracted much attention from researchers because of their wide distribution and industrial applications in plants, as well as their remarkable diversity of their biological activities. As literature mainly focused on the extraction and identification of monomeric compounds of lignans, most lignans in Dendrobium officinale, a traditional Chinese medicine with a long cultivation history and rich sources, have not been detected using quality control methods. The aim of this study was to identify the lignans in D. officinale.

METHODS

HPLC coupled with diode array detection (DAD) and HPLC multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MSⁿ ) was used to identify the chemical constituents of D. officinale. Simultaneously, the characteristic chromatograms of D. officinale were established. Additionally, a method was established to determine the content of syringaresinol-4,4'-di-O-β-D-glucoside, syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucoside and syringaresinol.

RESULTS

Thirty-three lignans, including 17 tetrahydrofuran lignans, two dibenzylbutane lignans, three aryl tetrahydronaphthalene lignans, and 11 8-O-4' neolignans, were tentatively identified from the methanol extract of the stems of D. officinale. It was the first time to report 8-O-4' neolignans from D. officinale. In addition, a total of eight characteristic peaks were marked in the characteristic chromatograms, which were identified as lyoniresinol-9'-O-β-D-glucoside, syringaresinol-4,4'-di-O-β-D-glucoside, 8-hydroxy-syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucoside, 5,5'-di-methoxy-lariciresinol-4-O-β-D-glucoside, syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucoside, 4-hydroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-8,4'-oxyneoligna-7'-ene-9,9'-diol-9-O-β-D-glucoside, 4-hydroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-8,4'-oxyneoligna-7'-ene-9,9'-diol-4-O-β-D-glucoside and syringaresinol. Our results showed that no significant difference occurred in lignan composition among the ninety-nine batches of D. officinale from different sources. However, the peak areas of the lignans of D. officinale planted under simulated wild culture were generally higher than those in greenhouses, and showed an upward trend with the increase in growth years. The average contents of syringaresinol-4,4'-di-O-β-D-glucoside, syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucoside and syringaresinol were 10.112-179.873 μg/g, 51.227-222.294 μg/g, 6.368-120.341 μg/g, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided a basis for improving the quality control of D. officinale and could provide references for the identification of lignans in other Dendrobium species.

Enhancing Vulnerability of Afatinib using Erastin via xCT-mediated ROS/P38MAPK Signaling Feedback Loop in Gastric Cancer Cells

Ferroptosis, being classified as a form of regulated cell death, was driven by the oxidative injury induced by lipid peroxidation(LPO). Recently, ferroptosis has been confirmed to exert a critical effect in the pathogenesis and treatment of various tumors, including gastric cancer (GC). Erastin, as a frequently used ferroptosis inducer, caused ferroptosis by downregulating the xCT expression resulting in increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and aggravating the LPO. However, the mechanisms of Erastin in ferroptosis regulation, especially in GC, remain largely elusive. This work firstly demonstrated that Erastin inhibited cell growth and promoted apoptosis and ferroptosis in AGS and BGC823 cells. Then, based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of Erastin-related targets screened by using PharmMapper Web, the P38MAPK signaling was explored and validated in AGS and BGC-823 cells. Besides, the Fer-1 and p38 inhibitor were performed to investigate the mechanisms of ferroptosis induced by Erastin in depth. This work revealed a feedback mode among xCT, ROS and the P38MAPK pathway, which affected each other. It meant that Erastin regulated ferroptosis through the xCT-mediated ROS/P38MAPK signaling feedback loop. In addition, it was noticed that in co-operation with Erastin, the cytotoxic effects of Afatinib on cells were aggravated by further strengthening ferroptosis with activation of the P38MAPK pathway. In summary, those works provided evidence that Erastin plays an important role in increasing the cytotoxic effect on GC cells treated with Afitinib. Furthermore, the Erastin-induced ferroptosis via the xCT-mediated ROS/P38MAPK pathway feedback loop provides new strategies for GC comprehensive treatment.

Adsorption of HF and H2S on α-Al2O3 (0001) Surfaces: A DFT Study

Ex-service SF₆ adsorbents in SF₆ gas-insulated electric equipment contain many toxic substances. Inside, HF and H₂S are two typical toxic gases. Based on the first principle, the interaction process between HF/H₂S and α-Al₂O₃ (0001) surfaces was calculated using the density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that the adsorption of HF on α-Al₂O₃ (0001) is stronger than that of H₂S. Under the five adsorption sites, the adsorption effect of HF-H and HF-F was similar. At O-2 site, the adsorption energy of H₂S-H adsorption configuration is significantly higher than that of the other four sites. The density of states (DOS) indicated that new peaks appeared after adsorption. The DOS and partial density of states (PDOS) indicated that the adsorption of HF and H₂S occurs via chemical adsorption. The DOS and PDOS shifted to the right when the S atom was approaching, proving that the system shifts to instability. Compared with the energy gap of α-Al₂O₃ (0001), HF and H₂S adsorption systems decreased significantly. The energy gap of the HF adsorption system was 1.173 eV larger than that of the H₂S system and the geometry was relatively stable, which is consistent with the DOS and PDOS adsorption calculation results. Thus, the adsorption of HF and H₂S on α-Al₂O₃ (0001) surfaces was clearly different. The findings of this study may provide theoretical guidance for the adsorption of other gases or developing a new adsorbent.

Ocular therapies with biomacromolecules: From local injection to eyedrop and emerging noninvasive delivery strategies

The last two decades have witnessed a continuously increasing number of biomacromolecules approved for the treatment of ocular diseases. The eye possesses multiple protective mechanisms to resist the invasion of exogenous substances, but meanwhile these physiological defense systems also act as strong barriers, impeding absorption of most biomacromolecules into the eye. As a result, local injections play predominant roles for posterior ocular delivery of biomacromolecules in clinical practice. To achieve safe and convenient application of biomacromolecules, alternative strategies to realize noninvasive intraocular delivery are necessary. Various nanocarriers, novel penetration enhancers and physical strategies have been explored to facilitate delivery of biomacromolecules to both anterior and posterior ocular segments but still suffered difficulties in clinical translation. This review compares the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the eyes from those frequently adopted experimental species and profiles the well-established animal models of ocular diseases. We also summarize the ophthalmic biomacromolecules launched on the market and put emphasis on emerging noninvasive intraocular delivery strategies of peptides, proteins and genes.

Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane-Based Nanoparticles for Efficient Chemotherapy of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common lethal brain tumor with dismal treatment outcomes and poor response to chemotherapy. As the regulatory center of cytogenetics and metabolism, most tumor chemotherapeutic molecules exert therapeutic effects in the nucleus. Nanodrugs showing the nuclear aggregation effect are expected to eliminate and fundamentally suppress tumor cells. In this study, a nanodrug delivery system based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is introduced to deliver drugs into the nuclei of GBM cells, effectively enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy. The nanoparticles are modified with folic acid and iRGD peptides molecules to improve their tumor cell targeting and uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Nuclear aggregation allows for the direct delivery of chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide (TMZ) to the tumor cell nuclei, resulting in more significant DNA damage and inhibition of tumor cell proliferation. Herein, TMZ-loaded POSS nanoparticles can significantly improve the survival of GBM-bearing mice. Therefore, the modified POSS nanoparticles may serve as a promising drug-loaded delivery platform to improve chemotherapy outcomes in GBM patients.

Regulating Type H Vessel Formation and Bone Metabolism via Bone-Targeting Oral Micro/Nano-Hydrogel Microspheres to Prevent Bone Loss

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is one of the most prevalent skeletal disorders in women and is featured by the imbalance between intraosseous vascularization and bone metabolism. In this study, a pH-responsive shell-core structured micro/nano-hydrogel microspheres loaded with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) using gas microfluidics and ionic cross-linking technology are developed. This micro/nano-hydrogel microsphere system (PDAP@Alg/Cs) can achieve oral delivery, intragastric protection, intestinal slow/controlled release, active targeting to bone tissue, and thus negatively affecting intraosseous angiogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. According to biodistribution data, PDAP@Alg/Cs can successfully enhance drug intestinal absorption and bioavailability through intestine adhesion and bone targeting after oral administration. In vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that PDAP@Alg/Cs promoted type H vessel formation and inhibited bone resorption, effectively mitigating bone loss by activating HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway and promoting heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. In conclusion, this novel oral micro/nano-hydrogel microsphere system can simultaneously accelerate intraosseous vascularization and decrease bone resorption, offering a brand-new approach to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Visualizable and Lubricating Hydrogel Microspheres Via NanoPOSS for Cartilage Regeneration

The monitoring of tissue regeneration is particularly important. However, most materials do not allow direct observation of the regeneration process in the cartilage layer. Here, using sulfhydryl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-SH) as a nano-construction platform, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), Kartogenin (KGN), hydrogenated soya phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), and fluorescein are linked through the "click chemistry" method to construct nanomaterial with fluorescence visualization for cartilage repair: POSS linked with PEG, KGN, HSPC, and fluorescein (PPKHF). PPKHF nanoparticles are encapsulated with hyaluronic acid methacryloyl to prepare PPKHF-loaded microfluidic hyaluronic acid methacrylate spheres (MHS@PPKHF) for in situ injection into the joint cavity using microfluidic technology. MHS@PPKHF forms a buffer lubricant layer in the joint space to reduce friction between articular cartilages, while releasing encapsulated positively charged PPKHF to the deep cartilage through electromagnetic force, facilitating visualization of the location of the drug via fluorescence. Moreover, PPKHF facilitates differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes, which are located in the subchondral bone. In animal experiment, the material accelerates cartilage regeneration while allowing monitoring of cartilage layer repair progression via fluorescence signals. Thus, these POSS-based micro-nano hydrogel microspheres can be used for cartilage regeneration and monitoring and potentially for clinical osteoarthritis therapy.

Two-dimensional peptide nanosheets functionalized with gold nanorods for photothermal therapy of tumors

Self-assembled peptide nanomaterials exhibit great potential for applications in materials science, energy storage, nanodevices, analytical science, biomedicine, tissue engineering, and others due to their tailorable ordered nanostructures and unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. Although one-dimensional peptide nanofibers and nanotubes have been widely used for biomedical applications, the design and synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) peptide nanostructures for cancer therapy remain challenging. In this work, we describe the creation of 2D biocompatible peptide nanosheets (PNSs) through molecular self-assembly, which can provide support matrixes for conjugating gold nanorods (AuNRs) to form high-performance 2D nanomaterials for photothermal conversion. After molecular modification, AuNRs can be chemically conjugated onto the surface of 2D PNSs, and the created PNS-AuNR nanohybrids serve as a potential nanoplatform for photothermal therapy of tumor cells. The obtained results indicate that both PNSs and AuNRs contribute to the improved efficiency of photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumors, in which 2D PNSs provide high biocompatibility and a large surface area for binding AuNRs, and AuNRs show a high PTT ability towards tumors. The strategies of molecular design and functional tailoring of self-assembled peptide nanomaterials shown in this study are valuable and inspire the synthesis of biomimetic nanomaterials for biomedicine and tissue engineering applications.

Fast and slow skeletal myosin binding protein-C and aging

Aging is associated with skeletal muscle strength decline and cardiac diastolic dysfunction. The structural arrangements of the sarcomeric proteins, such as myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) are shown to be pivotal in the pathogenesis of diastolic dysfunction. Yet, the role of fast (fMyBP-C) and slow (sMyBP-C) skeletal muscle MyBP-C remains to be elucidated. Herein, we aimed to characterize MyBP-C and its paralogs in the fast tibialis anterior (TA) muscle from adult and old mice. Immunoreactivity preparations showed that the relative abundance of the fMyBP-C paralog was greater in the TA of both adult and old, but no differences were noted between groups. We further found that the expression level of cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C), an important modulator of cardiac output, was lowered by age. Standard SDS-PAGE along with Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein staining did not identify age-related changes in phosphorylated MyBP-C proteins from TA and cardiac muscles; however, it revealed that MyBP-C paralogs in fast skeletal and cardiac muscle were highly phosphorylated. Mass spectrometry further identified glycogen phosphorylase, desmin, actin, troponin T, and myosin regulatory light chain 2 as phosphorylated myofilament proteins in both ages. MyBP-C protein-bound carbonyls were determined using anti-DNP immunostaining and found the carbonyl level of fMyBP-C, sMyBP-C, and cMyBP-C to be similar between old and adult animals. In summary, our data showed some differences regarding the MyBP-C paralog expression and identified an age-related reduction of cMyBP-C expression. Future studies are needed to elucidate which are the age-driven post-translational modifications in the MyBP-C paralogs.

Clinical and biological heterogeneities in triple-negative breast cancer reveals a non-negligible role of HER2-low

Background

HER2-low could be found in some patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, its potential impacts on clinical features and tumor biological characteristics in TNBC remain unclear.

Methods

We enrolled 251 consecutive TNBC patients retrospectively, including 157 HER2-low (HER2low) and 94 HER2-negtive (HER2neg) patients to investigate the clinical and prognostic features. Then, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with another seven TNBC samples (HER2negvs. HER2low, 4 vs. 3) prospectively to further explore the differences of tumor biological properties between the two TNBC phenotypes. The underlying molecular distinctions were also explored and then verified in the additional TNBC samples.

Results

Compared with HER2neg TNBC, HER2low TNBC patients exhibited malignant clinical features with larger tumor size (P = 0.04), more lymph nodes involvement (P = 0.02), higher histological grade of lesions (P < 0.001), higher Ki67 status (P < 0.01), and a worse prognosis (P < 0.001; HR [CI 95%] = 3.44 [2.10–5.62]). Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that neoadjuvant systemic therapy, lymph nodes involvement and Ki67 levels were prognostic factors in HER2low TNBC but not in HER2neg TNBC patients. ScRNA-seq revealed that HER2low TNBC which showed more metabolically active and aggressive hallmarks, while HER2neg TNBC exhibited signatures more involved in immune activities with higher expressions of immunoglobulin-related genes (IGHG1, IGHG4, IGKC, IGLC2); this was further confirmed by immunofluorescence in clinical TNBC samples. Furthermore, HER2low and HER2neg TNBC exhibited distinct tumor evolutionary characteristics. Moreover, HER2neg TNBC revealed a potentially more active immune microenvironment than HER2low TNBC, as evidenced by positively active regulation of macrophage polarization, abundant CD8+ effector T cells, enriched diversity of T-cell receptors and higher levels of immunotherapy-targeted markers, which contributed to achieve immunotherapeutic response.

Conclusions

This study suggests that HER2low TNBC patients harbor more malignant clinical behavior and aggressive tumor biological properties than the HER2neg phenotype. The heterogeneity of HER2 may be a non-negligible factor in the clinical management of TNBC patients. Our data provide new insights into the development of a more refined classification and tailored therapeutic strategies for TNBC patients.

Full-length EFOP3 and EFOP4 proteins are essential for pollen intine development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Pollen development is critical to plant reproduction, but the underlying regulatory molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) EFR3 OF PLANT 3 (EFOP3) and EFR3 OF PLANT 4 (EFOP4) genes encode members of the Armadillo (ARM) repeat superfamily that play key roles in pollen development. Herein, we demonstrate that EFOP3 and EFOP4 are co-expressed in pollen at anther stages 10-12, but loss-of-function of both EFOP3 and EFOP4 leads to male gametophyte sterility, irregular intine, and shriveled pollen grains at anther stage 12. We further established that full-length EFOP3 and EFOP4 specifically localize to the plasma membrane, and the integrity of these proteins is essential for pollen development. We observed uneven intine, less organized cellulose and reduced pectin content in mutant pollen compared with the wild-type. These, together with the misexpression of several genes related to cell wall metabolism in efop3-/- efop4+/- mutants, suggest that EFOP3 and EFOP4 may indirectly regulate the expression of these genes to affect intine formation, thus controlling Arabidopsis pollen fertility in a functionally redundant manner. Moreover, transcriptome analysis showed that the absence of EFOP3 and EFOP4 function affects multiple pollen development pathways. These results enhance our understanding of EFOPs proteins and their role in pollen development.

Correction: Stage-Dependent and Locus-Specific Role of Histone Demethylase Jumonji D3 (JMJD3) in the Embryonic Stages of Lung Development

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004524.].

A new Asian leaf litter toad of the genus Leptobrachella (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae) from central south China

A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella from central south China is described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear RAG1 gene sequences indicated the new species as an independent clade in the genus. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body of medium size (SVL 29.2–34.2 mm in 15 adult males and 34.4–43.1 mm in seven adult females); distinct black spots present on flanks; toes rudimentary webbed, with wide lateral fringes; ventral belly white with distinct nebulous brown speckling on ventrolateral flanks; skin on dorsum shagreened with fine tiny granules or short ridges; iris copper above, silver below; heels overlapped when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibia-tarsal articulation reaches the middle eye; dorsal surface of tadpole semi-transparent light brown, spots on tail absent, keratodont row formula I: 3+3/2+2: I; call series basically consist of repeated long calls, at dominant frequency (5093 ± 412 Hz).

Network pharmacology-based analysis of Resinacein S against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by modulating lipid metabolism

Background

Ganoderma lucidum is reportedly the best source of traditional natural bioactive constituents. Ganoderma triterpenoids (GTs) have been verified as an alternative adjuvant for treating leukemia, cancer, hepatitis and diabetes. One of the major triterpenoids, Resinacein S, has been found to regulate lipid metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that has become a major public health problem. Given the regulatory effects on lipid metabolism of Resinacein S, we sought to explore potential protective effects against NAFLD.

Methods

Resinacein S was extracted and isolated from G. lucidum. And mice were fed with high fat diet with or without Resinacein S to detect hepatic steatosis. According to Network Pharmacology and RNA-seq, we analyzed the hub genes of Resinacein S against NAFLD disease.

Results

Our results can be summarized as follows: (1) The structure of Resinacein S was elucidated using NMR and MS methods. (2) Resinacein S treatment could significantly attenuate high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and hepatic lipid accumulation in mouse. (3) GO terms, KEGG pathways and the PPI network of Resinacein S induced Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) demonstrated the key target genes of Resinacein S against NAFLD. (4) The hub proteins in PPI network analysis could be used for NAFLD diagnosis and treatment as drug targets.

Conclusion

Resinacein S can significantly change the lipid metabolism in liver cells and yield a protective effect against steatosis and liver injury. Intersected proteins between NAFLD related genes and Resinacein S-induced DEGs, especially the hub protein in PPI network analysis, can be used to characterize targets of Resinacein S against NAFLD.

A new phenylpropanoic acid congener from Zanthoxylum nitidum

One new phenylpropanoic acid congener, 2R-(5'-methoxy) pandanusphenol B (1), along with 26 known isolates, were isolated from Zanthoxylum nitidum. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data and circular dichroism analyses. All compounds, except 4, 7-10, 15, 17, 19 and 25, were reported from Z. nitidum for the first time. Among them, 16 compounds (1-3, 5-6, 12-14, 16, 20-24 and 26-27) were discovered from genus Zanthoxylum for the first time, while 15 compounds (1-3, 5-6, 12-14, 20-24 and 26-27) were isolated from the Rutaceae family for the first time. All isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines and the results showed that compound 27 exhibited significant cytotoxicity toward HepG2 and T24, with IC50 values of 2.49 and 7.0 μM, respectively.

Identification of bibenzyls and evaluation of imitative wild planting techniques in Dendrobium officinale by HPLC-ESI-MSn

Dendrobium officinale is a traditional Chinese herb with beneficial properties. Modern pharmacological studies show that bibenzyl is one of the antitumor active ingredients, but there is no effective quality control method for identifying ingredients. In this study, the composition of bibenzyls in Dendrobium officinale was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multistage mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MSⁿ ). A total of nine isolated bibenzyls and their glycosides, 22 bis (bibenzyls), and two phenylpropanol bibenzyl derivatives were identified. The results of HPLC characteristic chromatogram analysis and statistical analysis showed that the relative content of bibenzyls in wild imitation cultivation of samples had been significantly higher than that in greenhouse cultivation. In addition, the relative content of bibenzyls increased with the growth of the original plant. This study provided a scientific reference for controlling the quality of bibenzyls in Dendrobium officinale, developing the cultivation technology and improving the quality of Dendrobium officinale. HIGHLIGHTS: HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the analysis of bibenzyls and bis (bibenzyls) in Dendrobium officinale. Easy-to-use method facilitating rapid measurement of large sample quantities. The method requires only small volumes of samples for the analysis. Applicable for the establishment of Chinese medicine studies and the quality control standard of Chinese herbs.

Metabolic crosstalk between thermogenic adipocyte and cancer cell: Dysfunction and therapeutics

As one of the largest endocrine organs with a wide distribution in organisms, adipose tissue secretes multiple adipokines, cytokines, metabolites, and exosomes to promote tumour development. Elaborating the crosstalk between cancer cells and adipocytes provides a tissue-level perspective of cancer progression, which reflects the heterogeneity and complexity of human tumours. Three main types of adipose tissues, white, brown, and beige adipose tissue, have been described. Thermogenic capacity is a prominent characteristic of brown and beige adipocytes. Most studies so far mainly focus on the contribution of white adipocytes to the tumour microenvironment. However, the role of thermogenic adipose tissue in malignant cancer behaviour has been largely overlooked. Recently, emerging evidence suggests that beige/brown adipocytes play a key role in the development and progression of various cancers. This review focuses on the bidirectional communication between tumour cells and thermogenic adipocytes and the therapeutic strategies to disrupt this interaction.

Identification of three types of O-glycosylated flavonoids in Dendrobium loddigesii, Dendrobium primulinum, Dendrobium crepidatum, Dendrobium porphyrochilum, and Dendrobium hancockii using mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Flavonoids, representing the pharmacologically active ingredients, are found widely in Dendrobium species. The biodiversity of Dendrobium makes the identification of its varieties all the more complicated. Previous studies showed that C-glycosylated flavones and a few O-glycosylated flavonols could be used in the identification of various Dendrobium species. Accordingly, this study further explores the significance of the identification of various types of O-glycosylated flavonoids in Dendrobium species.

METHODS

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MSⁿ ) was used to identify the chemical constituents in five types of Dendrobium: Dendrobium loddigesii, Dendrobium primulinum, Dendrobium crepidatum, Dendrobium porphyrochilum, and Dendrobium hancockii.

RESULTS

A total of 41 O-glycosylated flavonoids and 3 C-glycosylated flavones were identified, among which O-glycosylated dihydroflavones were the main flavonoids in D. loddigesii and D. primulinum, O-Glycosylated flavonols were rich in both D. crepidatum and D. porphyrochilum characterized by the main aglycone, substituted sugars, and their structural characteristics, and O-glycosylated flavones were the main constituents in D. hancockii.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, three types of O-glycosylated flavonoids in the five Dendrobium species were determined to have certain significance. This also provides a reference for the identification of other O-glycosylated flavonoids in Chinese herbs.

Integrative analysis of Iso-Seq and RNA-seq reveals dynamic changes of alternative promoter, alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation during Angiotensin II-induced senescence in rat primary aortic endothelial cells

In eukaryotes, alternative promoter (AP), alternative splicing (AS), and alternative polyadenylation (APA) are three crucial regulatory mechanisms that modulate message RNA (mRNA) diversity. Although AP, AS and APA are involved in diverse biological processess, whether they have dynamic changes in Angiotensin II (Ang II) induced senescence in rat primary aortic endothelial cells (RAECs), an important cellular model for studying cardiovascular disease, remains unclear. Here we integrated both PacBio single-molecule long-read isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) and Illumina short-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to analyze the changes of AP, AS and APA in Ang II-induced senescent RAECs. Iso-Seq generated 36,278 isoforms from 10,145 gene loci and 65.81% of these isoforms are novel, which were further cross-validated by public data obtained by other techonologies such as CAGE, PolyA-Seq and 3'READS. APA contributed most to novel isoforms, followed by AS and AP. Further investigation showed that AP, AS and APA could all contribute to the regulation of isoform, but AS has more dynamic changes compared to AP and APA upon Ang II stimulation. Genes undergoing AP, AS and APA in Ang II-treated cells are enriched in various pathways related to aging or senescence, suggesting that these molecular changes are involved in functional alterations during Ang II-induced senescence. Together, the present study largely improved the annotation of rat genome and revealed gene expression changes at isoform level, extending the understanding of the complexity of gene regulation in Ang II-treated RAECs, and also provided novel clues for discovering the regulatory mechanism undelying Ang II caused vascular senescence and diseases.

Emerging and Versatile Platforms of Metal-Ion-Doped Carbon Dots for Biosensing, Bioimaging, and Disease Therapy

Metal ions possess abundant electrons and unoccupied orbitals, as well as large atomic radii, whose doping into carbon dots (CDs) is a facile strategy to endow CDs with additional physicochemical characteristics. After being doped with metal ions, CDs reveal obvious changes in their optical, electronic, and magnetic properties by adjustments to their electron density distribution and the energy gaps, leading them to be promising and competitive candidates as labeling probes, imaging agents, catalysts, nanodrugs, and so on. In this review, we summarize the fabrication methods of metal-ion-doped CDs (M-CDs), and highlight their biological applications including biosensing, bioimaging, tumor therapy, and anti-microbial treatment. Finally, the challenging future perspectives of M-CDs are analyzed. We hope this review will provide inspiration for further development of M-CDs in various biological aspects, and help readers who are interested in M-CDs and their biological applications.

Self-Assembled Peptide-Based Nanodrugs: Molecular Design, Synthesis, Functionalization, and Targeted Tumor Bioimaging and Biotherapy

Functional nanomaterials as nanodrugs based on the self-assembly of inorganics, polymers, and biomolecules have showed wide applications in biomedicine and tissue engineering. Ascribing to the unique biological, chemical, and physical properties of peptide molecules, peptide is used as an excellent precursor material for the synthesis of functional nanodrugs for highly effective cancer therapy. Herein, recent progress on the design, synthesis, functional regulation, and cancer bioimaging and biotherapy of peptide-based nanodrugs is summarized. For this aim, first molecular design and controllable synthesis of peptide nanodrugs with 0D to 3D structures are presented, and then the functional customization strategies for peptide nanodrugs are presented. Then, the applications of peptide-based nanodrugs in bioimaging, chemotherapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are demonstrated and discussed in detail. Furthermore, peptide-based drugs in preclinical, clinical trials, and approved are briefly described. Finally, the challenges and potential solutions are pointed out on addressing the questions of this promising research topic. This comprehensive review can guide the motif design and functional regulation of peptide nanomaterials for facile synthesis of nanodrugs, and further promote their practical applications for diagnostics and therapy of diseases.

Histone methyltransferase Smyd2 drives vascular aging by its enhancer-dependent activity

BACKGROUND

Vascular aging is one of the important factors contributing to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. However, the systematic epigenetic regulatory mechanisms during vascular aging are still unclear. Histone methyltransferase SET and MYND domain-containing protein 2 (Smyd2) is associated with multiple diseases including cancer and inflammatory diseases, but whether it is involved in endothelial cell senescence and aging-related cardiovascular diseases has not been directly proved. Thus, we aim to address the effects of Smyd2 on regulating angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular endothelial cells (VECs) senescence and its epigenetic mechanism.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The regulatory role of Smyd2 in Ang II-induced VECs senescence was confirmed by performing loss and gain function assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis was used to systematically screen the potential enhancer during VECs senescence. Here, we found that Smyd2 was significantly upregulated in Ang II-triggered VECs, and deficiency of Smyd2 attenuated senescence-associated phenotypes both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, Ang II-induced upregulation of Smyd2 could increase the mono-methylation level of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me1), resulting in a hyper-methylated chromatin state, then further activating enhancers adjacent to key aging-related genes, such as Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a, finally driving the development of vascular aging.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our study uncovered that Smyd2 drives a hyper-methylated chromatin state via H3K4me1 and actives the enhancer elements adjacent to key senescence genes such as Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a, and further induces the senescence-related phenotypes. Targeting Smyd2 possibly unveiled a novel therapeutic candidate for vascular aging-related diseases.

Peptide Nanosheet-Inspired Biomimetic Synthesis of CuS Nanoparticles on Ti3C2 Nanosheets for Electrochemical Biosensing of Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is one of the intermediates or final products of biological metabolism and participates in many important biological processes of life activities. The detection of H₂O₂ is of great significance in clinical disease monitoring, environmental protection, and bioanalysis. In this study, Ti₃C₂-based nanohybrids are prepared by the biological modification and self-assembled peptide nanosheets (PNSs)-based biomimetic synthesis of copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs), which show potential application in the fabrication of low-cost and high-performance electrochemical H₂O₂ biosensors. The synthesized CuS-PNSs/Ti₃C₂ nanohybrids exhibit excellent electrochemical performance towards H₂O₂, in which CuS NPs can catalyze the decomposition of H₂O₂ and realize the transformation from a chemical signal to an electrical signal to achieve the purpose of H₂O₂ detection. The prepared CuS-PNSs/Ti₃C₂-based electrochemical biosensor platform exhibits a wide detection range (5 μM-15 mM) and a low detection limit (0.226 μM). In addition, it reveals good selectivity and stability and can realize the monitoring of H₂O₂ in a complex environment. The successful biomimetic synthesis of CuS-PNSs/Ti₃C₂ hybrid nanomaterials provides a green and friendly strategy for the design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials and also provides a new inspiration for the construction of highly effective electrochemical biosensors for practical detection of H₂O₂ in various environments.

Supramolecular Crystal Networks Constructed from Cucurbit[8]uril with Two Naphthyl Groups

Naphthyl groups are widely used as building blocks for the self-assembly of supramolecular crystal networks. Host-guest complexation of cucurbit[8]uril (Q[8]) with two guests NapA and Nap1 in both aqueous solution and solid state has been fully investigated. Experimental data indicated that double guests resided within the cavity of Q[8], generating highly stable homoternary complexes NapA₂@Q[8] and Nap1₂@Q[8]. Meanwhile, the strong hydrogen-bonding and π···π interaction play critical roles in the formation of 1D supramolecular chain, as well as 2D and 3D networks in solid state.

Monitoring Cell Plasma Membrane Polarity by a NIR Fluorescence Probe with Unexpected Cell Plasma Membrane-Targeting Ability

The cell plasma membrane, the natural barrier of a cell, plays critical roles in a mass of cell physiological and pathological processes. Therefore, revealing and monitoring the local status of the cell plasma membrane are of great significance. Herein, using a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe BTCy, microenvironmental polarity in the cell plasma membrane was in situ monitored. BTCy showed sensitive and selective fluorescence decrease response at 706 nm with the increase of polarity as its polarity-responsive D-π-A structure. Most importantly, BTCy showed unexpected cell plasma membrane-targeting ability, probably due to its amphiphilic structure. With BTCy, the distinguishing imaging of cancer and normal cells was done, in which cancer cells exhibited significantly stronger signals due to their lower cell plasma membrane polarity. In addition, with the imaging of BTCy, the ferroptosis process was revealed with no significant cell plasma membrane polarity variation for the first time. Furthermore, BTCy was employed for in vivo imaging of tumor tissue in the 4T1-tumor-bearing mice. The polarity-responsive and cell plasma membrane-targeting properties of BTCy make it a useful tool for monitoring cell plasma membrane polarity variation, providing an efficient and simple method for tumor diagnosis.

Identification of C-glycosyl flavones and O-glycosyl flavones in five Dendrobium species by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem MS

RATIONALE

Flavones are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and are the pharmacologically active ingredients of many medicinal plants, such as Dendrobium. With the increasing demand for medicinal Dendrobium, the identification of characteristic flavones that can serve as chemical markers for quality control is critical step for quality assurance and safety in the TCM industry.

METHODS

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MSⁿ ) was used to identify the chemical constituents in five types of Dendrobium: D. crystallinum, D. falconeri, D. strongylanthum, D. moniliforme, and D. gratiosissimum.

RESULTS

A total of seventy-six C-glycosyl flavones and three O-glycosyl flavones were identified, of which fifteen C-glycosyl flavones were found in D. crystallinum, twenty four were found in D. falconeri, thirty were found in D. strongylanthum, seven were found in D. moniliforme (also called "Huangtongpi", from Anhui, China), fifteen were found in D. moniliforme (also called "Zitongpi", from Yunnan, China) and seventeen were found in D. gratiosissimum. Additionally, three flavone O-glycosides were all found in D. strongylanthum.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study may be useful for the quality assessment and for the application of D. crystallinum, D. falconeri, D. strongylanthum, D. moniliforme, and D. gratiosissimum. This study provides comprehensive information for identification of flavones from other Chinese herbs.

The influence of sunitinib and sorafenib, two tyrosine kinase inhibitors, on development and thyroid system in zebrafish larvae

Recently, the potential toxic effects of various pharmaceuticals on the thyroid endocrine system have raised considerable concerns. In this study, we evaluated the adverse effects of sorafenib and sunitinib, two widely used anti-tumor drugs, on the developmental toxicities and thyroid endocrine disruption by using zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. Zebrafish embryos/larvae were exposed to different contentions (0, 10, 50 and 100 nM) of sorafenib and sunitinib for 96 hpf. The results revealed that waterborne exposure to sorafenib and sunitinib exhibited remarkable toxic effects on the survival and development in zebrafish embryos/larvae, which was accompanied by obvious disturbances of thyroid endocrine system (e.g., decreased T3 and T4 content, increased TSH content) and genes' transcription changes within the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. In addition, we verified a strikingly abnormal thyroid gland organogenesis in zebrafish larvae in response to sorafenib and sunitinib, by assessing the development of thyroid follicles using the WISH staining of tg, the Tg (tg:GFP) zebrafish transgenic line, and histopathological analysis. Taken together, our results indicated sorafenib and sunitinib exposure could induce obvious developmental toxicities and thyroid function disruption in zebrafish embryos/larvae, which might involve a regulatory mechanism, at least in part, by destroying the thyroid follicle structure, and by disturbing the balance of the HPT axis.

Dataset for transcriptomic, H3K9ac and H3K9me3 profiles during cardiac regeneration

Acetylation and tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9ac and H3K9me3) play an interactive regulatory role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression during heart development and cardiovascular disease, but little is known about their possible role in heart regeneration. Here we utilized genome-wide high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) for H3K9ac and H3K9me3, carried out on regenerative cardiac tissues at different days post amputation in zebrafish (Danio rerio) to investigate dynamic changes in gene expression and the epigenetic landscape of H3K9ac and H3K9me3. The STAR, Bowtie2, MACS2, and deepTools2 were mainly used for RNA-Seq or ChIP-seq data analysis. In this article, we present detailed information on experiment design, data generation, quality assessment and processing pipeline. Raw reads of the RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data have been deposited at the NCBI GEO repository with the accession number GSE158104. Our data will be a valuable resource for the elucidation of H3K9ac and H3K9me3 involvement in the regulation of gene transcription during cardiac regeneration.

Evaluation of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Survival Outcomes in Patients With Synchronous Oligometastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

IMPORTANCE

The optimal treatment for and potential benefit populations of synchronous oligometastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SOESCC) remain unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate outcomes of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and to construct decision tree models for predicting the risk of progression and mortality in patients with SOESCC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This prognostic study included 532 patients with SOESCC who were treated at 2 cancer centers in China from January 2012 to December 2018 and consisted of a development cohort (n = 381) and a validation cohort (n = 151). Data were analyzed from March 2019 to December 2021.

EXPOSURES

All patients received chemotherapy alone or CCRT.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary end points of the study were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and the secondary end points were locoregional control and treatment-related toxic effects. Propensity score matching was performed to control potential confounding factors. Cox regression was used to screen important explanatory variables. Decision trees for optimally partitioning patients were established using recursive partitioning analysis and were then subjected to internal and independent external validation.

RESULTS

Among the 532 patients (median [range] age, 63 [32-82] years; 367 men [69.0%]), 292 patients received chemotherapy alone and 240 patients underwent CCRT. With a median (IQR) follow-up time of 37.0 (21.6-55.8) months, CCRT was associated with improved objective response rate (139 of 240 [57.9%] vs 123 of 292 [42.1%]; P < .001), median (IQR) PFS (9.7 [8.5-10.9] months vs 7.6 [6.6-8.6] months; P < .001), and median (IQR) OS (18.5 [16.1-20.9] months vs 15.2 [13.6-16.8] months; P < .001) compared with chemotherapy alone. Propensity score matching analysis verified the results. Cox multivariate analysis indicated that treatment modality (CCRT vs chemotherapy alone) was an independent prognostic factor related to PFS (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.57-0.83; P < .001) and OS (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.93; P = .008). The final decision trees divided patients with SOESCC into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups in both the internal and external validations, and the corresponding cumulative risk function curves had significant differences (all P < .001). Time-dependent maximum areas under receiver operating curves of decision trees for progression risk at 3 years and mortality risk at 5 years were 0.820 (95% CI, 0.693-0.948) and 0.894 (95% CI, 0.822-0.966), respectively. Calibration curves also demonstrated that the decision trees had favorable performance of risk stratification.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, CCRT vs chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment for patients with SOESCC had superior survival. Patients with low risk had promising long-term survival based on the current treatment modality. The predictive information of the decision tree could provide accurate decision-making for the management of patients with SOESCC.

POLLEN WALL ABORTION 1 is essential for pollen wall development in rice

The integrity of pollen wall structures is essential for pollen development and maturity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we isolated and characterized the rice male-sterile mutant pollen wall abortion 1 (pwa1), which exhibits a defective pollen wall (DPW) structure and has sterile pollen. Map-based cloning, genetic complementation, and gene knockout experiments revealed that PWA1 corresponds to the gene LOC_Os01g55094 encoding a coiled-coil domain-containing protein. PWA1 localized to the nucleus, and PWA1 was expressed in the tapetum and microspores. PWA1 interacted with the transcription factor TAPETUM DEGENERATION RETARDATION (TDR)-INTERACTING PROTEIN2 (TIP2, also named bHLH142) in vivo and in vitro. The tip2-1 mutant, which we obtained by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9-mediated gene editing, showed delayed tapetum degradation, sterile pollen, and DPWs. We determined that TIP2/bHLH142 regulates PWA1 expression by binding to its promoter. Analysis of the phenotype of the tip2-1 pwa1 double mutant indicated that TIP2/bHLH142 functions upstream of PWA1. Further studies suggested that PWA1 has transcriptional activation activity and participates in pollen intine development through the β-glucosidase Os12BGlu38. Therefore, we identified a sterility factor, PWA1, and uncovered a regulatory network underlying the formation of the pollen wall and mature pollen in rice.

A MOF-derived hollow Co3O4/NiCo2O4 nanohybrid: a novel anode for aqueous lithium ion batteries with high energy density and a wide electrochemical window

Aqueous lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have attracted increasing attention because of their higher safety and nontoxicity compared to traditional LIBs. However, crucial shortcomings impede their practical applications. A narrow electrochemical window restricts the capacity of aqueous LIBs so the ultrahigh concentration electrolyte lithium bistrifluoromethosulfonimide (LiTFSI) is introduced to widen the electrochemical window in this work. With the addition of LiTFSI, the electrochemical window of the created aqueous LIBs is improved to 2 V. Moreover, the material design promotes the high density of aqueous LIBs, in which hollow Co₃O₄ nanocrystals obtained by the metal organic framework (MOF) template are connected with NiCo₂O₄ nanorods to form three-dimensional nanohybrids. The formed Co₃O₄/NiCo₂O₄ (CN) materials can provide NiCo₂O₄ channels for electron transfer between hollow Co₃O₄ which can offer more lithium-ions insertion. These effects work together synergistically to achieve aqueous LIBs with a wide electrochemical window and high energy density (93.07 W h kg^-1 at 0.5 C). CN-6/LiMn₂O₄-based aqueous LIBs with LiTFSI as the electrolyte take into account both environmental friendliness and sustainable energy storage and exhibit great potential for producing novel clean energy storage devices from the concepts of material design and synthesis.

Erosion Resistance of Valve Core Surface Combined with WC-10Co-4Cr Coating Process under Different Pretreatments

The erosion of the valve core causes valve failure problems. Thus, a novel method to extend the erosion resistance of the valve was innovatively proposed, namely, nanosecond laser ablation micro-pits on the substrate surface and high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying WC coating to extend the erosion resistance of the valve. The characterization and evaluation of the erosion resistance of the WC-sprayed coating after the pretreatment of the 3Cr13 substrate surface polishing/grit blasting/nanosecond laser ablation circular micro-dimple were conducted using the unit coupon erosion test of liquid-solid two-phase flow, followed by the test evaluation and analysis of the erosion resistance test of the WC coating after different pretreatments of the full-size valve core. Results showed that the micro-dimple pretreatment on the surface of the 3Cr13 substrate increased the contact area rate and bonding strength of the substrate and the WC coating. By taking erosion volume loss as the evaluation index, the erosion resistance of the micro-dimple pretreatment on the surface of the 3Cr13 substrate was increased by about 31.98% compared with that of the polishing pretreatment. Therefore, the new method of surface nanosecond laser texture pretreatment and HVOF-spraying WC coating can effectively improve the erosion resistance of the valve.

Biomolecule-mimetic nanomaterials for photothermal and photodynamic therapy of cancers: Bridging nanobiotechnology and biomedicine

Nanomaterial-based phototherapy has become an important research direction for cancer therapy, but it still to face some obstacles, such as the toxic side effects and low target specificity. The biomimetic synthesis of nanomaterials using biomolecules is a potential strategy to improve photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) techniques due to their endowed biocompatibility, degradability, low toxicity, and specific targeting. This review presents recent advances in the biomolecule-mimetic synthesis of functional nanomaterials for PTT and PDT of cancers. First, we introduce four biomimetic synthesis methods via some case studies and discuss the advantages of each method. Then, we introduce the synthesis of nanomaterials using some biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, protein, peptide, polydopamine, and others, and discuss in detail how to regulate the structure and functions of the obtained biomimetic nanomaterials. Finally, potential applications of biomimetic nanomaterials for both PTT and PDT of cancers are demonstrated and discussed. We believe that this work is valuable for readers to understand the mechanisms of biomimetic synthesis and nanomaterial-based phototherapy techniques, and will contribute to bridging nanotechnology and biomedicine to realize novel highly effective cancer therapies.

Biomimetic graphene-supported ultrafine platinum nanowires for colorimetric and electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide

The detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is of great significance in environmental monitoring, enzymatic reactions, and disease diagnosis. Here we present the peptide-mediated biomimetic synthesis of ultrafine platinum nanowires (PtNWs) on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets for the formation of functional hybrids, which show high potential for the fabrication of colorimetric and electrochemical sensors for the detection of H₂O₂ with high performance. A multifunctional peptide with the sequence KIIIIKYWYAF was designed to create peptide nanofibers (PNFs) via a controllable self-assembly process, which serves as a bridge between GO nanosheets and PtNWs to form PtNWs-PNFs/GO hybrids. On this basis, a dual-mode sensor platform for both colorimetric and electrochemical sensing of H₂O₂ was fabricated successfully. The obtained results indicate that the synthesized PtNWs-PNFs/GO hybrids could catalyze the decomposition of H₂O₂ to generate ˙OH radicals with a significant current response, and the ˙OH radicals are capable of overoxidizing 3,3',5,5',-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), producing a blue-colored species with a distinct color change for colorimetric sensing. In addition, due to its high catalytic activity, the fabricated PtNWs-PNFs/GO hybrid-based electrochemical sensor exhibits a wider linear detection range of 0.05 μM-15 mM and a low detection limit of 0.0206 μM, which can be applied to detect H₂O₂ with high selectivity and sensitivity. Our study provides a green and environmentally friendly synthetic strategy for the preparation of biomimetic materials from PtNWs, and the fabricated colorimetric/electrochemical dual-mode H₂O₂ sensor platform will have a great impact in bioanalysis, environmental monitoring, and biomedicine.

Ligand-switchable nanoparticles resembling viral surface for sequential drug delivery and improved oral insulin therapy

Mutual interference between surface ligands on multifunctional nanoparticles remains a significant obstacle to achieving optimal drug-delivery efficacy. Here, we develop ligand-switchable nanoparticles which resemble viral unique surfaces, enabling them to fully display diverse functions. The nanoparticles are modified with a pH-responsive stretchable cell-penetrating peptide (Pep) and a liver-targeting moiety (Gal) (Pep/Gal-PNPs). Once orally administered, the acidic environments trigger the extension of Pep from surface in a virus-like manner, enabling Pep/Gal-PNPs to traverse intestinal barriers efficiently. Subsequently, Gal is exposed by Pep folding at physiological pH, thereby allowing the specific targeting of Pep/Gal-PNPs to the liver. As a proof-of-concept, insulin-loaded Pep/Gal-PNPs are fabricated which exhibit effective intestinal absorption and excellent hepatic deposition of insulin. Crucially, Pep/Gal-PNPs increase hepatic glycogen production by 7.2-fold, contributing to the maintenance of glucose homeostasis for effective diabetes management. Overall, this study provides a promising approach to achieving full potential of diverse ligands on multifunctional nanoparticles.

Global changes in chromatin accessibility and transcription in growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma

PURPOSE

Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma (GHPA) is an insidious disease with persistent hypersecretion of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1, causing increased morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have investigated the transcription of GHPA. However, the gene regulatory landscape has not been fully characterized. The objective of our study was to unravel the changes in chromatin accessibility and transcription in GHPA.

METHODS

Six patients diagnosed with GHPA in the Department of Neurosurgery at Huashan Hospital were enrolled in our study. Primary pituitary adenoma tissues and adjacent normal pituitary specimens with no morphologic abnormalities from these six patients were obtained at surgery. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) were applied to investigate the underlying relationship between gene expression and chromatin accessibility changes in GHPA.

RESULTS

Totally, 1528 differential expression genes (DEGs) were identified by transcriptomics analyses, including 725 up-regulated and 803 down-regulated. Further, we obtained 64 significantly DEGs including 10 DEGs were elevated and 54 DEGs were negligibly expressed in tumors tissues. The up-regulated DEGs were mainly involved in terms related to synapse formation, nervous system development and secretory pathway. In parallel, 3916 increased and 2895 decreased chromatin-accessible regions were mapped by ATAC-seq. Additionally, the chromatin accessible changes were frequently located adjacent to transcription factor CTCF and Rfx2 binding site.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results are the first to demonstrate the landscape of chromatin accessibility in GHPA, which may contribute to illustrate the underlying transcriptional regulation mechanism of this disease.

Theoretical Study of Adsorption Behavior of Dimethylamine and Ammonia on Al- and Ga-Doped BN Monolayer Surfaces Based on DFT

Endogenous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can reflect human health status and be used for clinical diagnosis and health monitoring. Dimethylamine and ammonia are the signature VOC gases of nephropathy. In order to find a potential gas sensitivity material for the detection of both signature VOC gases of nephropathy, this paper investigated the adsorption properties of dimethylamine and ammonia on Al- and Ga-doped BN monolayers based on density functional theory. Through analyzing the adsorption energy, adsorption distance, charge transfer, density of states, and HOMO/LUMO, the results indicated that the adsorption effect of Al- and Ga-doped BN monolayers to dimethylamine and ammonia is probably good, and these nanomaterials have the potential to be applied for nephropathy monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

Does the Metabolome of Wild-like Dendrobium officinale of Different Origins Have Regional Differences?

Dendrobium officinale, as a traditional Chinese medicine, has considerable commercial value and pharmacological activity. Environmental factors of different origins have a great influence on Dendrobium officinale metabolites, which affect its pharmacological activity. This study sought to identify the differential metabolites of wild-imitating cultivated D. officinale stems of different origins. Using the widely-targeted metabolomics approach, 442 metabolites were detected and characterized, including flavonoids, lipids, amino acids and derivatives, and alkaloids. We found that although the chemical constitution of D. officinale cultured in the three habitats was parallel, the contents were significantly different. Meanwhile, the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the distinctive metabolites among the three groups were mainly involved in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. To further explore the different contents of flavonoids, HPLC was performed on four main flavonoid contents, which can be used as one of the references to distinguish D. officinale from different growing origins. In conclusion, a comprehensive profile of the metabolic differences of D. officinale grown in different origins was provided, which contributed a scientific basis for further research on the quality evaluation of D. officinale.

Carbon Material-Based Aerogels for Gas Adsorption: Fabrication, Structure Design, Functional Tailoring, and Applications

Carbon material-based aerogels (CMBAs) have three-dimensional porous structure, high specific surface area, low density, high thermal stability, good electric conductivity, and abundant surface-active sites, and, therefore, have shown great application potential in energy storage, environmental remediation, electrochemical catalysis, biomedicine, analytical science, electronic devices, and others. In this work, we present recent progress on the fabrication, structural design, functional tailoring, and gas adsorption applications of CMBAs, which are prepared by precursor materials, such as polymer-derived carbon, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, graphene, graphene-like carbides, fullerenes, and carbon dots. To achieve this aim, first we introduce the fabrication methods of various aerogels, and, then, discuss the strategies for regulating the structures of CMBAs by adjusting the porosity and periodicity. In addition, the hybridization of CMBAs with other nanomaterials for enhanced properties and functions is demonstrated and discussed through presenting the synthesis processes of various CMBAs. After that, the adsorption performances and mechanisms of functional CMBAs towards CO₂, CO, H₂S, H₂, and organic gases are analyzed in detail. Finally, we provide our own viewpoints on the possible development directions and prospects of this promising research topic. We believe this work is valuable for readers to understand the synthesis methods and functional tailoring of CMBAs, and, meanwhile, to promote the applications of CMBAs in environmental analysis and safety monitoring of harmful gases.

A scoring system developed from a nomogram to differentiate active pulmonary tuberculosis from inactive pulmonary tuberculosis

Purpose

This study aimed to develop and validate a scoring system based on a nomogram of common clinical metrics to discriminate between active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) and inactive pulmonary tuberculosis (IPTB).

Patients and methods

A total of 1096 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) admitted to Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital between January 2017 and December 2019 were included in this study. Of these patients with PTB, 744 were included in the training cohort (70%; 458 patients with APTB, and 286 patients with IPTB), and 352 were included in the validation cohort (30%; 220 patients with APTB, and 132 patients with IPTB). Data from 744 patients from the training cohort were used to establish the diagnostic model. Routine blood examination indices and biochemical indicators were collected to construct a diagnostic model using the nomogram, which was then transformed into a scoring system. Furthermore, data from 352 patients from the validation cohort were used to validate the scoring system.

Results

Six variables were selected to construct the prediction model. In the scoring system, the mean corpuscular volume, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, albumin level, adenosine deaminase level, monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein-to-lymphocyte ratio were 6, 4, 7, 5, 5, and 10, respectively. When the cut-off value was 15.5, the scoring system for recognizing APTB and IPTB exhibited excellent diagnostic performance. The area under the curve, specificity, and sensitivity of the training cohort were 0.919, 84.06%, and 86.36%, respectively, whereas those of the validation cohort were 0.900, 82.73, and 86.36%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study successfully constructed a scoring system for distinguishing APTB from IPTB that performed well.

Reorganization of 3D chromatin architecture in doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cells

Background: Doxorubicin resistance remains a major therapeutic challenge leading to poor survival prognosis and treatment failure in breast cancer. Although doxorubicin induces massive changes in the transcriptional landscape are well known, potential diagnostic or therapeutic targets associated with the reorganization of three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architecture have not yet been systematically investigated.

Methods: Here we performed in situ high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) on parental and doxorubicin-resistant MCF7 (MCF7-DR) human breast cancer cells, followed by integrative analysis of HiC, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq and TCGA data.

Results: It revealed that A/B compartment switching was positively correlated to genome-wide differential gene expression. The genome of MCF7-DR cells was spatially reorganized into smaller topologically associating domains (TADs) and chromatin loops. We also revealed the contribution of increased chromatin accessibility and potential transcription factor families, including CTCF, AP-1 and bHLH, to gained TADs or loops. Intriguingly, we observed two condensed genomic regions (∼20 kb) with decreased chromatin accessibility flanking TAD boundaries, which might play a critical role in the formation or maintenance of TADs. Finally, combining data from TCGA, we identified a number of gained and lost enhancer-promoter interactions and their corresponding differentially expressed genes involved in chromatin organization and breast cancer signaling pathways, including FA2H, FOXA1 and JRKL, which might serve as potential treatment targets for breast cancer.

Conclusion: These data uncovered a close connection between 3D genome reorganization, chromatin accessibility as well as gene transcription and provide novel insights into the epigenomic mechanisms involving doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer.

Tumor microbiome diversity influences papillary thyroid cancer invasion

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has a high incidence, and its proper treatment remains challenging. Therefore, identifying PTC progression markers is essential. Here, using 16S RNA sequences, we analyzed the PTC intratumor microbiome and its role in tumor progression. Substantial microbial abundance was detected in PTC from all patients. The tumor bacterial diversity in patients with advanced lesions (T3/T4) was significantly higher than that in patients with relatively mild lesions (T1/T2). Importantly, we identified signatures of eight tumor bacterial taxa highly predictive of PTC invasion status. Hence, microbial host factors-independent of the genomic composition of the tumor-may determine tumor behaviors and patient outcomes. Furthermore, the correlation between specific bacterial genus and thyroid hormones or autoimmune thyroid disease-related antibodies may indicate the potential contribution of the microbiome in the relationship between autoimmune thyroid disease or irregular thyroid function and PTC progression, intervention of which might therefore be worth exploring for advancing oncology care.

Corilagin prevents non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via improving lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis in high fat diet-fed mice

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been considered to be one of the most common chronic liver diseases. However, no validated pharmacological therapies have been officially proved in clinic due to its complex pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the protective effects of Corilagin (referred to Cori) against NAFLD in mice under a high fat diet (HFD) condition. Mice were fed either a normal control diet (NCD) or HFD with or without Cori (5 or 10 mg/kg body weight) for 15 weeks. In our results, Cori treatment significantly attenuated HFD-induced hepatic steatosis, high NAFLD activity score (NAD) and liver injury. Consistently, Cori treatment remarkably alleviated HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation (e.g., triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) contents in liver), and improved plasma lipid concentrations (e.g., plasma TG, TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)). Moreover, Cori treatment ameliorated NAFLD associated metabolic disorders such as glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice. Additionally, Cori treatment dramatically changed HFD-induced liver gene expression profiles, and identified overlapped differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between NCD vs. HFD group and HFD vs. HCR (high fat diet plus treatment with Cori) group. With these DEGs, we observed a marked enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, which were closely associated with the metabolic balance in liver. Particularly, we found several potential hub proteins against NAFLD development with analyses of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and qPCR assays. Collectively, our results revealed the important protective effects of Cori against the progress of NAFLD, which was probably mediated through improving dysregulated lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice. Additionally, Cori-dependent overlapped DEGs might serve as a featured NAFLD-associated gene expression signature for the diagnosis, treatment, as well as drug discovery and development of NAFLD in the near future.

Facile synthesis of multifunctional pharmaceutical carbon dots for targeted bioimaging and chemotherapy of tumors

Drug-derived carbon dots (CDs) not only have excellent photoluminescence properties of CDs, but also maintain pharmacological effects of original drugs, so as to realize extended applications for both bioimaging and chemotherapy. In this work, metformin (Met)-derived CDs (Met-CDs) as multifunctional nanocarriers with tumor cell imaging and cancer therapy are synthesized using Met and citric acid as precursors. The created Met-CDs exhibit obvious resistance to photobleaching, significant pH sensitivity in acidic environments, good pH stability in alkaline environments, and high temperature sensitivity. In addition, we further investigate the biological activity of Met-CDs using diabetic cell models, which demonstrate the ability of Met-CDs to treat diabetes and reduce the production of reactive oxygen species in diseased cells. Subsequently, human alveolar adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549) are cultured in both normal glucose and low glucose media, and different concentrations of Met and Met-CDs are added to investigate the effect of Met-CDs on A549 cells. Finally, we successfully utilize the prepared Met-CDs to image live A549 cells in vitro in normal glucose medium. The Met-CDs prepared in this work reveal high potential to be used as both fluorescent probes and drug agents for tumor therapy, realizing controllable integrated diagnosis and treatment of diseases.