Esophageal cancer-related gene 4 and solid tumors: a brief literature review

Esophageal cancer-related gene 4 (ECRG4) plays key roles in various malignancies, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, esophageal cancer, and breast cancer, and has potential applications in the early diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and prognosis of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the role of ECRG4 in cancer remain elusive. An association between ECRG4 and proliferation, migration, cell cycle, apoptosis, methylation, and ubiquitination in cancer has been found. Additionally, some studies have investigated the regulatory mechanism of the relationship between ECRG4 and long non-coding RNAs, co-factors, and resistance to chemotherapy. Drugs that demethylate ECRG4 are in clinical use. Thus, further investigation of the mechanisms by which ECRG4 influences tumorigenesis, and its clinical significance, are needed. The present study outlines the current understanding of the functions of ECRG4 in cancer and discusses its potential value in cancer therapy.

Isoleucine stimulates mTOR and SREBP-1c gene expression for milk synthesis in mammary epithelial cells through BRG1-mediated chromatin remodelling

Several amino acids can stimulate milk synthesis in mammary epithelial cells (MEC); however, the regulatory role of isoleucine (Ile) and underlying molecular mechanism remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the regulatory effects of Ile on milk protein and fat synthesis in MEC and reveal the mediation mechanism of Brahma-related gene 1 (BRG1) on this regulation. Ile dose dependently affected milk protein and fat synthesis, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation, sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) expression and maturation, and BRG1 protein expression in bovine MEC. Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibition by LY294002 treatment blocked the stimulation of Ile on BRG1 expression. BRG1 knockdown and gene activation experiments showed that it mediated the stimulation of Ile on milk protein and fat synthesis, mTOR phosphorylation, and SREBP-1c expression and maturation in MEC. ChIP-PCR analysis detected that BRG1 bound to the promoters of mTOR and SREBP-1c, and ChIP-qPCR further detected that these bindings were increased by Ile stimulation. In addition, BRG1 positively regulated the binding of H3K27ac to these two promoters, while it negatively affected the binding of H3K27me3 to these promoters. BRG1 knockdown blocked the stimulation of Ile on these two gene expressions. The expression of BRG1 was higher in mouse mammary gland in the lactating period, compared with that in the puberty or dry period. Taken together, these experimental data reveal that Ile stimulates milk protein and fat synthesis in MEC via the PI3K-BRG1-mTOR/SREBP-1c pathway.

In situ bridging nanotwinned all-solid-state Z-scheme g-C3N4/CdCO3/CdS heterojunction photocatalyst by metal oxide for H2 evolution

Nanotwin and all-solid-state (ASS) Z-scheme heterojunction engineering are two widely used strategies for improving photocatalytic activity in H₂ production. However, both strategies fail to produce a satisfactory effect when used alone due to their own limitations. Hence, combining nanotwin and ASS Z-scheme heterojunction engineering is expected to improve photocatalytic activity effectively. Herein, we report a nanotwinned ASS Z-scheme g-C₃N₄/CdCO₃/CdS (CN/CC/CS) photocatalyst synthesized for the first time by in situ bridging of (CN) and (CS) with a (CC) conductor. The growth and ripening of CN/CC/CS are limited by thiourea (Tu) and CN. CN/CC/CS can improve charge carrier separation and transfer kinetics due to the synergetic advantages of its nanotwin structure, ASS Z-scheme junction, N-Cd chemically bonded interfaces, in situ intimate contact, and hierarchical architecture. The visible-light-driven H₂ production rate of CN/CC/CS is 345% of that of CN/CS. This work proposes a new method for rationally designing novel materials with improved photocatalytic activity by combining heterojunction and defect engineering.

Viscoacoustic wave equations for the power-law dependence of Q on frequency

The power-law dependence of the quality factor Q on frequency (i.e. Q = Q 0 | f / f 0 | γ ), which is called the power-law frequency-dependent Q for brevity, is a common phenomenological description of seismic wave attenuation in the interior of the Earth. The wave equation in differential form is essential to forward and inverse modelling of dissipative seismic waveforms in an accurate and efficient manner. However, all existing methods are seemingly unable to explicitly incorporate the exponent parameter γ into the wave equation in differential form. This drawback apparently limits the development of gradient-based inverse methods for spatially varying γ via the wave equation. In this paper, we use a weighting function method to derive the viscoacoustic wave equations for the power-law frequency-dependent Q , which explicitly involve the parameters γ and Q 0 . A critical step in this method is to construct a dissipative model, for which the complex modulus is expressed as an N -order series in terms of the weighting function. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the accuracy of the dissipative model, the effect of γ on waveforms, and the application of the newly proposed wave equations in viscoacoustic wavefield modelling for the power-law frequency-dependent Q .

Stabilization of crystal and interfacial structure of Ni-rich cathode material by vanadium-doping

Stable structure and interface of nickel-rich metal oxides is crucial for practical application of next generation lithium-ion batteries with high energy density. Bulk doping is the promising strategy to improve the structural and interfacial stability of the materials. Herein, we report the impact of vanadium-doping on the structure and electrochemical performance of LiNi_0.88Co_0.09Al_0.03O₂ (NCA88). Vanadium doped in high oxidation state (+5) would lead to alteration of the crystal lattice and Li⁺/Ni²⁺ cation mixing. Those are the main factors determining the cycling and rate capability of the materials. With optimization of vanadium-doping, the preservation of the integrity of the secondary particles of the materials, the enhancement of the diffusion of Li⁺ ions, and alleviation of the side reactions of the electrolyte can be efficiently achieved. As a result, NCA88 doped with vanadium of 1.5 mol % can provide superior cycling stability with capacity retention of 84.3% after 250 cycles at 2C, and rate capability with capacity retention of 65.5% at 10C, as compared to the corresponding values of 58.6% and 55% for the pristine counterpart, respectively. The results might be helpful to the selection of dopants in the design of the nickel-rich materials.

Therapeutic Effects of Hyaluronic Acid Against Cytotoxic Extracellular Vesicles Released During Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pneumonia

ABSTRACT

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have now been recognized as important mediators of cellular communication during injury and repair. We previously found that plasma EVs isolated from ex vivo perfused human lungs injured with Escherichia coli bacterial pneumonia were inflammatory, and exogenous administration of high molecular weight (HMW) hyaluronic acid (HA) as therapy bound to these EVs, decreasing inflammation and injury. In the current study, we studied the role of EVs released during severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) pneumonia in mice and determined whether intravenous administration of exogenous HMW HA would have therapeutic effects against the bacterial pneumonia. EVs were collected from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice infected with PA103 by ultracentrifugation and analyzed by NanoSight and flow cytometry. In a cytotoxicity assay, administration of EVs released from infected mice (I-EVs) decreased the viability of A549 cells compared to EV isolated from sham control mice (C-EVs). Either exogenous HMW HA or an anti-CD44 antibody, when co-incubated with I-EVs, significantly improved the viability of the A549 cells. In mice with PA103 pneumonia, administration of HMW HA improved pulmonary edema and bacterial count in the lungs and decreased TNF-α and caspase-3 levels in the supernatant of lung homogenates. In conclusion, EVs isolated from BALF of mice with P. aeruginosa pneumonia were cytotoxic and inflammatory, and intravenous HMW HA administration was protective against P. aeruginosa pneumonia.

Boosting Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction on Atomically Dispersed Nickel Catalyst

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with metal–nitrogen (M–N) sites are one of the most promising electrocatalysts for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction (ECO₂R). However, challenges in simultaneously enhancing the activity and selectivity greatly limit the efficiency of ECO₂R due to the improper interaction of reactants/intermediates on these catalytic sites. Herein, we report a carbon-based nickel (Ni) cluster catalyst containing both single-atom and cluster sites (NiNx-T, T = 500–800) through a ligand-mediated method and realize a highly active and selective electrocatalytic CO₂R process. The catalytic performance can be regulated by the dispersion of Ni–N species via controlling the pyrolysis condition. Benefitting from the synergistic effect of pyrrolic-nitrogen coordinated Ni single-atom and cluster sites, NiNx-600 exhibits a satisfying catalytic performance, including a high partial current density of 61.85 mA cm⁻² and a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 7,291 h⁻¹ at −1.2 V vs. RHE, and almost 100% selectivity toward carbon monoxide (CO) production, as well as good stability under 10 h of continuous electrolysis. This work discloses the significant role of regulating the coordination environment of the transition metal sites and the synergistic effect between the isolated single-site and cluster site in enhancing the ECO₂R performance.

[Immediate rehabilitation of edentulous mandibles with implant-supported full-arch prostheses by intra-oral welding technique: a two-year follow-up]

Objective: To evaluate the 2-year clinical outcome of immediate loading implant-supported fixed full-arch prostheses in mandibles using intra-oral welding technique and to discuss the characteristics of the technique. Methods: Totally 15 patients (4 males and 11 females) who treated with immediate rehabilitation of edentulous mandibles with implant-supported full-arch prostheses from July 2015 to February 2019 in Department of Implantology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology were included in the present study. The patients' average age was 64.2±9.3 years. In each case, 4 implants were placed in the mandible area, a titanium bar was connected with each of the implants by using intra-oral welding technique as the Ti-metal framework of the prostheses. Pre-fabricated abutment-level fixed prostheses were delivered immediately after the surgery. A total of 60 implants, 15 mandibles were treated. Biological and mechanical complications, hygiene of the tissue-contacted surface of the restoration and patients' satisfactory grade were recorded. The radiological fitness of welded frameworks to abutments, survival rate of implants and marginal bone loss were calculated and analyzed. The observation period of the study was 24-55 months, with an average of 34.9 months. Results: All of the 15 cases of welded bar-abutment frameworks were fixed on implants with well passive fitness in clinical and radiological level. However, 2 of the 60 implants were failed by loss of osseointegration, and the result of implant survival rate of 96.7% in 2 years. The average marginal bone loss was (0.7±0.2) mm. The average bleeding index of the 58 implants remained was under 3 without clinical signs of gingival swelling, tenderness or fistula. No mechanical complications, such as break or distortion of the implants, occurred. Fracture of artificial teeth and complex resin area happened in 6 of the 15 prostheses. The average debris index was 3.4±0.4 and the hygiene of the tissue-contact areas was under satisfactory condition. Conclusions: Using the intra-oral welding technique to achieve a rigid splint of implants, the clinical outcome of the newly performed technique was predictable in early stage. The frame structure remained stable to avoiding the occurrence of mechanical complications. The provisional restoration could be expected to provide long functional period. Long term result of the treatment were needed for further observation.

Manipulating Hot-Electron Injection in Metal Oxide Heterojunction Array for Ultrasensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Efficient photoinduced charge transfer (PICT) resonance is crucial to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance of metal oxide substrates. Herein, we venture into the hot-electron injection strategy to achieve unprecedented enhanced PICT efficiency between substrates and molecules. A heterojunction array composed of plasmonic MoO₂ and semiconducting WO_3-x is designed to prove the concept. The plasmonic MoO₂ generates intense localized surface plasmon resonance under illumination, which can generate near-field Raman enhancement as well as accompanied plasmon-induced hot-electrons. The hot-electron injection in direct interfacial charge transfer and plasmon-induced charge transfer process can effectively promote the PICT efficiency between substrates and molecules, achieving a record Raman enhancement factor among metal oxide substrates (2.12 × 10⁸) and the ultrasensitive detection of target molecule down to 10^-11 M. This work demonstrates the possibility of hot-electron manipulation to realize unprecedented Raman enhancement in metal oxides, offering a cutting-edge strategy to design high-performance SERS substrates.

The analysis of osteosarcopenia as a risk factor for fractures, mortality, and falls

Osteosarcopenia is defined as the concomitant occurrence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis/osteopenia. This study aimed to clarify whether osteosarcopenia implies a greater risk of fractures, mortality, and falls and to draw attention to osteosarcopenia.

INTRODUCTION

Osteosarcopenia, which is characterized by the co-existence of osteoporosis/osteopenia and sarcopenia, is one of the most challenging geriatric syndromes. However, the association between osteosarcopenia and the risk of falls, fractures, disability, and mortality is controversial.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from their inception to March 18, 2021, for cohort studies on the relationship between osteosarcopenia and fractures, falls, and mortality. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. A pooled analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed or random-effects models.

RESULTS

Eight cohort studies including 19,836 participants showed that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fracture (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.83-3.30, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.006, I² = 63.0%), three cohort studies involving 2601 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of mortality (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.26, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.214, I² = 35.2%), and three cohort studies involving 3144 participants indicated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of falls (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.28-2.04, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.219, I² = 34.1%). No publication bias existed among the studies regarding the association between osteosarcopenia and fractures. The findings were robust according to the subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This pooled analysis demonstrated that osteosarcopenia significantly increased the risk of fractures, falls, and mortality, thus highlighting its relevance in daily life. Therefore, we suggest that elderly persons should be aware of the risks associated with osteosarcopenia.

Association between novel variants in BMPR1B gene and litter size in Mongolia and Ujimqin sheep breeds

Prolificacy is an important trait of animals, specifically for sheep. The Bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1B (BMPR1B) is a major gene affecting the litter size of many sheep breeds. The well-known FecB mutation (Q249R) was associated fully with the hyper prolific phenotype of Booroola Merino. However, the identification of variation in all exonic regions of BMPR1B was rare. In this study, we sequenced all exonic regions of BMPR1B gene of Mongolia sheep breed, and ten novel variants were detected by direct sequencing. Among them, the litter size of the Mongolia ewes with the CC genotype was significantly higher (0.34 additional lambs, p < .05) than those with the TT genotype of the g.29346567C>T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). The litter size of the Mongolia ewes with the TT genotype was significantly higher (0.19 additional lambs, p < .05 and .31 additional lambs, p < .01, respectively) than those with the GT and GG genotypes of the c.1470G>T SNP. The silent c.1470G>T mutation is predicted to increase the stability of the mRNA secondary structure through reducing minimum free energy and is predicted to change the mRNA secondary structure of BMPR1B. Our findings may give potentially useful genetic markers for increasing litter size in sheep.

Down-regulation of betatrophin enhances insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus through activation of the GSK-3β/PGC-1α signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among children and adolescents has been rising. Accumulating evidences have noted the significant role of betatrophin in the regulation of lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. In our study, we tried to figure out the underlying mechanism of betatrophin in insulin resistance (IR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

First, fasting serum betatrophin, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected in T2DM children. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), Gutt insulin sensitivity index (ISI_G) and Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI_M) were calculated. A T2DM-IR mouse model was induced by high-fat diet, with the expression of GSK-3β and PGC-1α detected. Besides, HepG2 cells were induced by a high concentration of insulin to establish an IR cell model (HepG2-IR). The cell viability, glucose consumption, liver glycogen content, inflammation, and fluorescence level of GSK-3β and PGC-1α were analyzed.

RESULTS

Betatrophin was highly expressed in serum of T2DM children and was positively correlated with FBG, insulin, TC, TG, LDL-C and HOMA-IR, while negatively correlated with ISI_G and ISI_M. Betatrophin and GSK-3β in the liver tissues of T2DM-IR mice were increased, while the PGC-1α expression was decreased. Betatrophin expression was negatively correlated with PGC-1α and positively correlated with GSK-3β. Silencing of betatrophin enhanced insulin sensitivity through the activation of GSK-3β/PGC-1α signaling pathway. In vitro experiments also found that silencing of betatrophin promoted glucose consumption and glycogen synthesis while inhibited inflammation.

CONCLUSION

Our findings concluded that silencing of betatrophin could enhance insulin sensitivity and improve histopathological morphology through the activation of GSK-3β/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

MRD abnormal expression predict poor outcomes for refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

We retrospectively analyzed data from 197 patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (r/rAML) who underwent allo‐HCT between January 2013 and February 2020 in our center (patients with promyelocytic leukemia were excluded). Of all patients, 86 achieved a complete morphological remission (CR) before transplant, while 111 failed to do so (NR). In the CR group, 32 patients displayed minimal residual disease (MRD‐positive). According to their immunophenotype pre‐HCT, we divided the MRD‐positive group and NR group into three subgroups: MRD 0+ group (without any antigen abnormal expression of CD7+, CD56+, CD38−, or HLA‐DR−) 28 patients, MRD 1+ group (with one abnormal antigen expression of CD7+, CD56+, CD38−, or HLA‐DR−) 63 patients, MRD 2+ group (with two or more abnormal antigens expression of CD7+, CD56+, CD38‐, or HLA‐DR‐) 52 patients. 3‐year estimates of disease‐free survival (DFS) for MRD 0+, MRD 1+ and MRD 2+ patients were 59.5 ± 9.5%, 29.9 ± 6.1%, and 9.4 ± 5.1%, and 3‐year estimates of overall survival (OS) were 59.5 ± 9.5%, 34.5 ± 6.3%, and 14.5 ± 10.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis adjusted for genetic risk, blast cell level, secondary disease, age, sex, and donor relationship pre‐HCT, the hazard ratios of abnormal expression of CD7+, CD56+, HLA‐DR−, and CD38^‐ were 6.69 (range 2.08–21.52; p = 0.001) for DFS, 2.24 (range 1.21–4.14; p = 0.010) for OS, and 7.18 (range 2.23–23.10; p = 0.001) for relapse compared with CD7−, CD56−, HLA‐DR+, and CD38+ patients. Our finding suggested that abnormal expression of CD7+, CD56+, HLA‐DR−, and CD38− is associated with poor outcomes, and the more number of abnormal antigens expression predict worse outcomes.

Nearly constant Q dissipative models and wave equations for general viscoelastic anisotropy

The quality factor ( Q ) links seismic wave energy dissipation to physical properties of the Earth’s interior, such as temperature, stress and composition. Frequency independence of Q , also called constant Q for brevity, is a common assumption in practice for seismic Q inversions. Although exactly and nearly constant Q dissipative models are proposed in the literature, it is inconvenient to obtain constant Q wave equations in differential form, which explicitly involve a specified Q parameter. In our recent research paper, we proposed a novel weighting function method to build the first- and second-order nearly constant Q dissipative models. Of importance is the fact that the wave equations in differential form for these two models explicitly involve a specified Q parameter. This behaviour is beneficial for time-domain seismic waveform inversion for Q , which requires the first derivative of wavefields with respect to Q parameters. In this paper, we extend the first- and second-order nearly constant Q models to the general viscoelastic anisotropic case. We also present a few formulations of the nearly constant Q viscoelastic anisotropic wave equations in differential form.

Sugar phosphate activation of the stress sensor eIF2B

The multi-subunit translation initiation factor eIF2B is a control node for protein synthesis. eIF2B activity is canonically modulated through stress-responsive phosphorylation of its substrate eIF2. The eIF2B regulatory subcomplex is evolutionarily related to sugar-metabolizing enzymes, but the biological relevance of this relationship was unknown. To identify natural ligands that might regulate eIF2B, we conduct unbiased binding- and activity-based screens followed by structural studies. We find that sugar phosphates occupy the ancestral catalytic site in the eIF2Bα subunit, promote eIF2B holoenzyme formation and enhance enzymatic activity towards eIF2. A mutant in the eIF2Bα ligand pocket that causes Vanishing White Matter disease fails to engage and is not stimulated by sugar phosphates. These data underscore the importance of allosteric metabolite modulation for proper eIF2B function. We propose that eIF2B evolved to couple nutrient status via sugar phosphate sensing with the rate of protein synthesis, one of the most energetically costly cellular processes.

The activity of translation initiation factor eIF2B is known to be modulated through stress-responsive phosphorylation of its substrate eIF2. Here, the authors uncover the regulation of eIF2B by the binding of sugar phosphates, suggesting a link between nutrient status and the rate of protein synthesis.

Up-regulation of long non-coding RNA CYTOR induced by icariin promotes the viability and inhibits the apoptosis of chondrocytes

Background

Icariin (ICAR) is the main effective component extracted from epimedium, and is reported to have the potential to treat osteoarthritis (OA). However, its pharmacological function on chondrocytes has not been fully clarified.

Methods

Different doses of ICAR were used to treat chondrocyte cell lines, including CHON-001 and ATDC5. Then the expressions of different lncRNAs were measured by qRT-PCR. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was used to simulate the inflammatory response environment of chondrocytes. Overexpression plasmids and short hairpin RNAs of lncRNA CYTOR were used to construct gain-of-function and loss of function models. CCK-8 was conducted to determine the cell viability. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of chondrocytes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to measure the contents of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) in the supernatant of the chondrocytes.

Results

Compared with other lncRNAs, CYTOR was changed most significantly in both CHON-001 and ATDC5 cells after treatment with ICAR. ICAR promotes the viability and inhibits the apoptosis of CHON-001 and ATDC5 cells induced by IL-1β, accompanied with reduced levels of inflammatory factors. Overexpression of CYTOR facilitated the viability of chondrocytes, while repressed their apoptosis and inflammatory response. What’s more, knockdown of CYTOR reversed the protective effects of ICAR on chondrocytes.

Conclusion

CYTOR was a pivotal lncRNA involved in the protective function of ICAR on chondrocytes.

Role of CD44 in increasing the potency of mesenchymal stem cell extracellular vesicles by hyaluronic acid in severe pneumonia

Background

Although promising, clinical translation of human mesenchymal stem or stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC EV) for acute lung injury is potentially limited by significant production costs. The current study was performed to determine whether pretreatment of MSC EV with high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW HA) would increase the therapeutic potency of MSC EV in severe bacterial pneumonia.

Methods

In vitro experiments were performed to determine the binding affinity of HMW HA to MSC EV and its uptake by human monocytes, and whether HMW HA primed MSC EV would increase bacterial phagocytosis by the monocytes. In addition, the role of CD44 receptor on MSC EV in the therapeutic effects of HMW HA primed MSC EV were investigated. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) pneumonia in mice, MSC EV primed with or without HMW HA were instilled intravenously 4 h after injury. After 24 h, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood, and lungs were analyzed for levels of bacteria, inflammation, MSC EV trafficking, and lung pathology.

Results

MSC EV bound preferentially to HMW HA at a molecular weight of 1.0 MDa compared with HA with a molecular weight of 40 KDa or 1.5 MDa. HMW HA primed MSC EV further increased MSC EV uptake and bacterial phagocytosis by monocytes compared to treatment with MSC EV alone. In PA pneumonia in mice, instillation of HMW HA primed MSC EV further reduced inflammation and decreased the bacterial load by enhancing the trafficking of MSC EV to the injured alveolus. CD44 siRNA pretreatment of MSC EV prior to incubation with HMW HA eliminated its trafficking to the alveolus and therapeutic effects.

Conclusions

HMW HA primed MSC EV significantly increased the potency of MSC EV in PA pneumonia in part by enhancing the trafficking of MSC EV to the sites of inflammation via the CD44 receptor on MSC EV which was associated with increased antimicrobial activity.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-021-02329-2.

Galectin-9 and PSMB8 overexpression predict unfavorable prognosis in patients with AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a deadly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy. Despite the well-characterized genetic characteristics and new promising targeted therapies for AML, the clinical outcome remains suboptimal. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a good potential target due to its immunosuppressive capacity in inflammatory processes. In our study, we firstly performed a wide range of integrated bioinformatical approach to assess the importance of Gal-9 by analyzing the expression, potential function and prognostic impact in AML. The results indicated that Gal-9 is overexpressed in AML cells, especially when relapse after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and predicts poor prognosis. Co-expression analysis showed Gal-9 has a strong positive correlation with proteasome subunit beta type-8 (PSMB8), which was also highly expressed in AML with poor prognosis, implying a synergy in cell survival, cell signaling and the development of AML. In summary, we have confirmed the overexpression of Gal-9 and its partner PSMB8 in AML and validated their importance as prognostic factors. We propose that Gal-9 and PSMB8 could be a promising molecular target for treatment of AML and may provide more combined treatment options, especially in patients with relapse after HSCT.