The effect of black carbon on the chemical degradability of PCB1 via TENAX desorption technology from the perspective of adsorption states

Chemical degradation is one of the crucial methods for the remediation of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in soil/sediment. The sequestration effect of black carbon (BC) can affect the adsorption state of HOCs, thereby affecting their chemical degradability. Our study focused on the chemical degradability of 2-Chlorobiphenyl (PCB1) sequestrated on the typical BC (fly ash (FC), soot (SC), low-temperature biochar (BC400) and high-temperature biochar (BC900)) by iron-nickel bimetallic nanomaterials (nZVI/Ni) based on TENAX desorption technology. The results showed that PCB1 adsorbed in various states were simultaneously dechlorinated by nZVI/Ni. Specifically, rapid-desorption-state PCB1 tended to degrade more easily than resistant-desorption-state PCB1. Moreover, the degradation mechanism varied according to the type of BC. In the case of FC and SC, the degradation rate was lower than the desorption rate for the PCB1 in rapid and slow desorption states, and the degradation rate of PCB1 in the resistant desorption state was negligible. The PCB1 on FC and SC was first desorbed from BC and then degraded. However, in terms of BC400 and BC900, the degradation rate was higher than the desorption rate, and the degradation rate of the resistant-desorption-state PCB1 was 1.4 × 10^-2 h^-1 and 4.1 × 10^-2 h^-1, respectively. The graphitized structure of BC900 can directly transfer electrons, so more than 90% of the resistant-desorption-state PCB1 could be degraded. In addition, BC may affect the longevity of nZVI/Ni, thereby affecting its degradability. Therefore, the chemical degradability of BC-adsorbed HOCs should be comprehensively evaluated based on the adsorption state and the properties of BC.

Individualized model for predicting pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer: A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Pathological complete response (pCR) is considered a surrogate for favorable survival in breast cancer (BC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), which is the goal of NACT. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the pCR probability of BC patients after NACT based on the clinicopathological features.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 527 BC patients treated with NACT between January 2018 and December 2021 from two institutions was conducted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to select the most useful predictors from the training cohort (n = 225), and then a nomogram model was developed. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated with respect to its discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. Internal validation and external validation were performed in an independent validation cohort of 96 and 205 consecutive BC patients, respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 18 clinicopathological features, five variables were selected to develop the prediction model, including age, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T stage, Ki67 index before NACT, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and hormone receptor (HR) status. The model showed good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.825 (95% CI, 0.772 to 0.878) in the training cohort, and 0.755 (95% CI, 0.658 to 0.851) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.724 to 0.856) in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve presented good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation, and decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the nomogram had good net benefits in clinical scenarios.

CONCLUSION

This study constructed a validated nomogram based on age, AJCC T stage, Ki67 index before NACT, HER2, and HR status, which could be non-invasively applied to personalize the prediction of pCR in BC patients treated with NACT.

The Multiple Function of lncRNA MALAT1 in Cancer Occurrence and Progression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have received particular attention in the last decade due to its engaging in carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a lncRNA that plays physiological and pathological roles in many aspects of genome function as well as biological processes involved in cell development, differentiation, proliferation, invasion, and migration. In this article, we will review the effects of lncRNA MALAT1 on the progression of six prevalent human cancers by focusing on MALAT1 ability to regulate post-transcriptional modification and signaling pathways.

Bacterial cellulose adhesive composites for oral cavity applications

Topical approaches to oral diseases require frequent dosing due to limited retention time. A mucoadhesive drug delivery platform with extended soft tissue adhesion capability of up to 7 days is proposed for on-site management of oral wound. Bacterial cellulose (BC) and photoactivated carbene-based bioadhesives (PDz) are combined to yield flexible film platform for interfacing soft tissues in dynamic, wet environments. Structure-activity relationships evaluate UV dose and hydration state with respect to adhesive strength on soft tissue mimics. The bioadhesive composite has an adhesion strength ranging from 7 to 17 kPa and duration exceeding 48 h in wet conditions under sustained shear forces, while other mucoadhesives based on hydrophilic macromolecules exhibit adhesion strength of 0.5-5 kPa and last only a few hours. The work highlights the first evaluation of BC composites for mucoadhesive treatments in the buccal cavity.

Attenuation of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine on the invasive potential of bladder cancer through targeting matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression

Bladder cancer (BC), one of the most common urological neoplastic disorders in men, has an extremely low survival rate because of its tendency to metastasize. The anticancer drugs chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxy CQ (HCQ) might inhibit tumor progression and invasiveness. However, the mechanism by which CQ and HCQ influence BC is undetermined. In this study, CQ and HCQ treatments inhibited the migration and invasion of two BC cell types (5637 and T24) through expression modulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), which belongs to the matrix MMP family and is a key mediator of cancer progression. Moreover, additional data revealed that the migrative and invasive effects of BC cells treated with CQ or HCQ were abolished after treatment with rapamycin, which induces autophagy, demonstrating that CQ and HCQ functions in BC are based on autophagy inhibition. In conclusion, our research demonstrated that CQ and HCQ regulated cell motility in BC through MMP-2 downregulation by targeting autophagy functions, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for BC treatment.

LncRNA MIAT Services as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Diagnosis and Correlated with Immune Infiltrates in Breast Cancer

Background

Myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) is identified as a long chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA), which was associated with myocardial infarction susceptibility. While intense efforts have been made to elucidate the relationship between MIAT and carcinogenesis, the tumor immunoreaction of MIAT remains elusive. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of MIAT in the immunoregulation of breast cancer (BC) and further explore the better clinical significance.

Methods

The differential expression of MIAT between BC and normal/adjacent tissues was compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test. The diagnostic and prognostic values of elevated MIAT expression in BC tissues were unveiled via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and KM-plotter analysis. Limma and edgeR package were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and microRNAs (DEMs) from TCGA database respectively. A co-expression dataset was constructed to comprehensively understand the relationship between MIAT and DEGs based on the Pearson correlation coefficient. Furthermore, GO and KEGG analyses were conducted to predict the potential functions of MIAT. We next intersected immune-related genes (IRGs) from ImmPort database with MIAT-co-expressed genes to obtain MIAT-co-expressed IRGs, in order to construct MIAT-microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA network. And the correlation between MIAT and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) and immunophenoscore (IPS) analysis was analyzed by TIMER and CIBERSORT. Finally, the reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression profiles of MIAT in serum samples.

Results

The expression levels of MIAT were notably higher in BC than in normal or adjacent tissues. And MIAT expression could be used as a prognostic indicator of mortality risk in patients with BC in different aspects. Moreover, the enrichment analyses suggested that MIAT was strongly involved in BC immune response. In addition, TIMER database and CIBERSORT analyses indicated that MIAT was significantly correlated with 13 types of TICs (B cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, CD8 T cells, CD4 memory resting T cells, CD4 memory activated T cells, gamma delta T cells, M1 macrophages, plasma cells, activated NK cells, monocytes, M2 macrophages, activated mast cells). Simultaneously, the IPS analysis implied that the higher the MIAT expression, the better the immunotherapy effect. The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) value of MIAT was 0.86 (sensitivity = 87.80%, specificity = 75.61%). And the high MIAT expression in serum was positive related to TNM stage (P = 0.032) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.028).

Conclusion

MIAT may be a valuable noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for BC and is associated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells in tumor microenvironment, suggesting MIAT as a potential target for future treatment of BC.

Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1094 (LINC01094) promotes the progression of breast cancer (BC) by regulating the microRNA-340-5p (miR-340-5p)/E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) axis

The present study was targeted at investigating the effects of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1094 on breast cancer (BC) cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle and its related mechanism. In this study, Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were conducted to detect the expressions of LINC01094, microRNA (miRNA, miR)-340-5p, and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) in BC tissues and cells. With transfection, LINC01094 and miR-340-5p expressions were selectively up-regulated or down-regulated in BC cell lines, and then cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-bromo-2ʹ-deoxyuridine (BrdU), and flow cytometry assays. Bioinformatics was utilized to predict the targeted relationships between miR-340-5p and LINC01094, as well as miR-340-5p and E2F3 mRNA 3ʹ-untranslated region (3ʹUTR), and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were employed to validate them. It was revealed that, LINC01094 expression was enhanced in BC cells and tissues, and LINC01094 overexpression promoted BC cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle progression, and inhibited apoptosis while knocking down LINC01094 worked oppositely. LINC01094 directly targeted miR-340-5p and negatively regulated its expression in BC cells. Besides, E2F3 was substantiated to be the target gene of miR-340-5p, and E2F3 expression could be indirectly and positively modulated by LINC01094. All in all, LINC01094 promotes BC cell proliferation and cell cycle progression and inhibits apoptosis via modulating miR-340-5p/E2F3 molecular axis.

Strong adsorption of metolachlor by biochar prepared from walnut shells in water

In this study, we investigated the removal of metolachlor (MET) by biochar (BC) prepared from walnut shells (W-BC) compared with BCs made from cow dung (D-BC) and corn cobs (C-BC) by characterizing the adsorption kinetics, pH, adsorbent dose, and ionic strength, and using isotherm models. Weight analysis was also conducted to understand the adsorption capacity and adsorption mechanisms. The results showed that the MET removal rates were 87.89% (W-BC), 52.91% (D-BC), and 10.91% (C-BC), respectively. According to the results fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model, the saturated adsorption capacities for MET were 96.15 mg g^-1, 37.88 mg g^-1, and 11.98 mg g^-1 with W-BC, D-BC, and C-BC, respectively. The results demonstrated that W-BC was particularly effective at MET removal. Analyses based on the weights of different factors showed that the correlation coefficient was highest for the BC type with 46.11% in the MET adsorption process, followed by the initial concentration of MET (19.29%). The adsorption of MET by BCs was probably influenced mostly by electron donor-acceptor interactions and pore filling. These results may facilitate further studies of the adsorption mechanism and optimization of the process.

The Impact of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Long Non-coding MEG3 Gene on MicroRNA-182 and MicroRNA-29 Expression Levels in the Development of Breast Cancer in Egyptian Women

Early-stage detection of BC is a critical factor for effective treatment of the disease and can increase the survival rate of BC patients. Long non-coding RNAs can act as miRNA decoys by sequestering miRNAs, thus acting as competing endogenous RNAs and leading to re-expression of miRNA target genes. Maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) is LncRNA and it was reported to be tumor suppressor in breast cancer. The study aims to investigate the effect of MEG3 SNP (rs7158663 G/A) and its association with breast cancer risk in the Egyptian population. In addition, demonstrate the consequence of the MEG3 polymorphism on the expression levels of MEG3, miR-182, and miRNA-29. MEG3 rs7158663 G/A was genotyped and serum MEG3, miRNA-182, and miRNA-29 were measured in 180 breast cancer, 120 FA, and 150 controls by the qPCR. Frequencies of MEG3 rs7158663 GA/AA genotype and A allele were significantly higher in BC patients compared to the controls results showed that serum MEG3 levels were significantly lower, according to the presence of the A allele in different study groups while the expression of miR-182 and miRNA 29 were significantly elevated. MEG3, miR-182, and miRNA-29 are key genes involved in the development of BC, are considered as a novel potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for BC.

Expression of SR-B1 receptor in breast cancer cell lines, MDAMB-468 and MCF-7: Effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is necessary for proliferation of several cells. The growth of many kinds of cells, such as breast cancer cells (BCC) is motivated by HDL. Cellular uptake of cholesterol from HDL which increases cell growth is facilitated by scavenger receptors of the B class (SR-BI). The proliferative effect of HDL might be mediated by this receptor. It is also believed that HDL has an anti-apoptotic effect on various cell types and promotes cell growth. This study was designed to investigate SR-BI expression, proliferation and apoptotic effect of HDL on human BCC lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Real-time-PCR method was used to evaluate expression of SR-BI, and cholesterol concentration was measured using a cholesterol assay kits (Pars AZ moon, Karaj, Iran). Cell viability was assessed using the MTT test. To identify cell apoptosis, the annexin V-FITC staining test and caspase-9 activity assay were applied.

RESULTS

Treatment of both cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-468) with HDL results in augmentation of SR-BI mRNA expression and also elevation of the intracellular cholesterol (P<0.01). HDL induced cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and prevented activation of caspase-9 (P<0.05). We also demonstrated that inhibition of SR-B1 by BLT-1 could reduce cell proliferation, and induction of SR-B1 receptor by quercetin increased HDL-induced proliferation in both cell lines (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that alteration in HDL levels by SR-B1 activator (Quercetin) or inhibitor (BLT-1) may affect BCC growth and apoptosis induction.

CircRPPH1 serves as a sponge for miR-296-5p to enhance progression of breast cancer by regulating FOXP4 expression

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to play critical roles in the initiation and development of breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to uncover the regulatory roles of a novel circRNA, circRPPH1 (hsa_circ_0000514) in BC progression. CircRPPH1, miR-296-5p and FOXP4 levels were determined by qRT-PCR. CircRPPH1 stability was detected in response to ribonuclease (RNase) R digestion and actinomycin D treatment. Cell growth, migration and invasion were evaluated using various functional experiments. Protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), hexokinase 2 (HK2) and forkhead box protein 4 (FOXP4) were measured by Western blotting. Metabolic alterations of BC cells were evaluated using commercial kits. The interaction between miR-296-5p and circRPPH1/FOXP4 was assessed using dual-luciferase assay, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The in vivo tumorigenesis was assessed in nude mice. According to the results, up-regulation of circRPPH1 was closely correlated with the poor prognosis of BC patients. Functional experiments showed that knockdown of circRPPH1 repressed BC cell growth, migration, invasion, glycolysis, and in vivo tumor growth. In addition, circRPPH1 could sponge miR-296-5p to enhance FOXP4 expression in BC cells. miR-296-5p inhibition or FOXP4 overexpression restored the malignant properties of circRPPH1-silenced BC cells. Thus, circRPPH1 promoted BC malignant progression through regulating miR-296-5p/FOXP4 axis, indicating a possible novel therapeutic strategy involving circRNA for BC patients.

Personal exposures to traffic-related air pollution in three Canadian bus transit systems: the Urban Transportation Exposure Study

BACKGROUND

Exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is associated with increased incidence of several cardiopulmonary diseases. The elevated TRAP exposures of commuting environments can result in significant contributions to daily exposures.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the personal TRAP exposures (UFPs, BC, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀) of the bus transit systems of Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, Canada. Personal exposure models estimated the contribution of bus commuting to daily TRAP exposures. Associations between bus type and riding exposures and bus stop/station type and waiting exposures were estimated.

RESULTS

Bus commuting (4.6% of the day) contributed ~59%(SD = 15%), 60%(SD = 20%), and 57%(SD = 18%) of daily PM_2.5-Ba and 70%(SD = 19%), 64%(SD = 15%), and 70%(SD = 15%) of daily PM_2.5-Fe, in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, respectively. Enclosed bus stations were found to be hotspots of PM_2.5 and BC. Buses with diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and hybrid diesel/electric propulsion were found to have significantly lower in-bus PM_2.5, UFP, and BC relative to 1983-2003 diesel buses in each city with the exception of UFP in Vancouver.

SIGNIFICANCE

Personal exposures for traffic-related air pollutants were assessed for three Canadian bus transit systems. In each system, bus commuting was estimated to contribute significantly toward daily exposures of fine-fraction Ba and Fe as well as BC. Exposures while riding were associated with bus type for several pollutants in each city. These associations suggest the use of hybrid diesel/electric buses equipped with diesel particulate filters have improved air quality for riders.

Characterization of the immune cell infiltration landscape in bladder cancer to aid immunotherapy

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed mainly of tumor cells, tumorinfiltrating immune cells, and matrix components. Recent clinical studies have indicated that tumor immune cell infiltration (ICI) is related to the sensitivity of immunotherapy and the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer (BC). Nevertheless, up to now, the landscape of immune infiltration in BC has not been clearly defined. Here we present two algorithms to reveal the landscape of ICI in 277 cases of BC. Two kinds of ICI patterns were established, and ICI scores were based on the analysis of the main components. In sub-types with high ICI scores, we found highly expressed immunecheckpoint and activated transforming growth factor b and WNT signal pathways. These might be the cause of poor prognosis. A low ICI score indicated a better prognosis. Our study showed that ICI scores in immunotherapy could be a valid biomarker for the prognosis of patients and a predictive indicator. The evaluation of ICI patterns of a larger cohort of samples would expand our cognition of TME, and the present study might guide the strategies of immunotherapy for patients with BC.

Black carbon over a central Himalayan Glacier (Satopanth): Pathways and direct radiative impacts

Continuous measurement of Black Carbon (BC) concentration was carried out during May-October 2018 periods over Satopanth Glacier in the central Himalayas. BC concentrations varied between 28 and 287 ngm^-3 on different days during the observational period. High concentration of BC was observed in the month of May (monthly mean of 221 ± 79 ngm^-3), and a lower concentration was observed in August (monthly mean of 92 ± 58 ngm^-3). Biomass burning was found to contribute up to 58% of BC mass over the region, with lower contribution during June and higher during the month of May. Compensation parameter (K) values were found to vary between -0.005 and 0.005 in different months, asserting the presence of aged BC in June to October months and relatively fresh BC in the month of May. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis showed that the air mass from Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP) was responsible for the majority of transported BC in July & August months (up to 65%) and partially in September (up to 40%). However, the transport from Middle East and far north-western regions was found to be the major contributor to BC concentrations in other months. The estimated BC direct radiative forcing was found to induce 4.5 to 7.6 Wm^-2 reduction of radiation at the surface (SFC) and the forcing was +2.3 to +3.5 Wm^-2 at the Top of the Atmosphere (TOA). The BC induced atmospheric heating rates were found to be up to 0.35 k day^-1 over the region. The sensitivity of snow albedo to radiative forcing was studied, and it is found that BC albedo changes tend to decrease albedo with an increase in BC-snow deposition, leading to a decrease in atmospheric absorption.

CircMMP11 regulates proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of breast cancer cells through miR-625-5p/ZEB2 axis

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to play significant roles in regulating gene expression in tumorigenesis, including breast cancer (BC). This study was designed to explore the role and underlying molecular mechanisms of circMMP11 in BC.

Methods

The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay was used for examining expression of circMMP11, microRNA-625-5p (miR-625-5p), and Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox-2 (ZEB2). The protein expression of ZEB2, Vimentin, and E-cadherin was assessed by western blot assay. The proliferation ability of BC cells was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazol-3-ium bromide (MTT) and colony-forming assays. The transwell assay was used to measure migration and invasion of BC cells. The apoptotic cells were examined by flow cytometry assay. The interaction association among circMMP11, miR-625-5p, and ZEB2 was confirmed by RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase report assays. A xenograft experiment was established to clarify the role of circMMP11 silencing in vivo.

Results

We found that circMMP11 and ZEB2 were overexpressed in BC tissues and cells compared with controls. The suppression of circMMP11 or ZEB2 repressed proliferation, migration, and invasion while induced apoptosis of BC cells. Additionally, miR-625-5p, interacted with ZEB2, was a target of circMMP11 in BC cells. CircMMP11 regulated the expression of ZEB2 by targeting miR-625-5p. Knockdown of circMMP11-mediated effects on BC cells could be abolished by overexpression of ZEB2. Consistently, silencing of circMMP11 impeded the tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusions

CircMMP11/miR-625-5p/ZEB2 axis affected proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of BC cells through the mechanism of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA), indicating that circMMP11 was an oncogenic circRNA in BC.

CircRNA circYY1 (hsa_circ_0101187) Modulates Cell Glycolysis and Malignancy Through Regulating YY1 Expression by Sponging miR-769-3p in Breast Cancer

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous malignant tumor that affects women’s health. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in tumor growth in many cancers. However, the role of hsa_circ_0101187 (circYY1) in BC is still unclear.

Methods

Expression of circYY1, microRNA (miR)-769-3p, and YY1 (Yin Yang 1) mRNA was tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion were analyzed with MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), colony formation, and transwell assays. Glucose uptake, lactate product, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) content were detected with corresponding kits. Several protein levels were measured with Western blotting. The regulatory mechanisms of the circYY1, miR-769-3p, and YY1 were validated by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and/or RNA pull-down assay. The role of circYY1 in BC was confirmed by xenograft assay.

Results

CircYY1 and YY1 were upregulated in BC, while miR-769-3p had an opposing result. Also, BC patients with high circYY1 expression had a poor prognosis. Downregulation of circYY1 decreased xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Both circYY1 inhibition and miR-769-3p elevation constrained BC cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in vitro. CircYY1 acted as a sponge for miR-769-3p, which targeted YY1. CircYY1 sponged miR-769-3p to modulate YY1 expression. Both miR-769-3p inhibition and YY1 upregulation antagonized circYY1 silencing-mediated influence on malignancy and glycolysis of BC cells.

Conclusion

CircYY1 promoted glycolysis and tumor growth via increasing YY1 expression through sponging miR-769-3p in BC, offering a promising therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for BC.

A study on variation of atmospheric pollutants over Bhubaneswar during imposition of nationwide lockdown in India for the COVID-19 pandemic

The nationwide lockdown in India to flatten the pandemic COVID-19 curve has resulted in the reduction of anthropogenic emission sources to a great extent. This study reports change in air quality and its impact on the environment during the unique lockdown scenario at Bhubaneswar, a coastal smart city in east India. The urban air shows a remarkable reduction in the mean pollutant levels influenced by traffic emission viz. NO_x (~ 67 %) and BC (~ 47 %) during lockdown over the pre-lockdown. Comparatively, a lower reduction of CO (~ 14 %) is attributed to the dominance of natural atmospheric chemical regulation and biogenic sources in addition to anthropogenic contributions. In addition to the lockdown, frequent rain events due to depression in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) also had a significant role in the reduction of the primary pollutants over the study site. An enhancement of secondary pollutant viz. O₃ (~ 3%) with a distinct diurnal pattern was observed during the first phase of lockdown over the pre-lockdown period. An anti-correlation between O₃ and NO_x during pre-lockdown points to a higher O₃ production potential with decreasing NO_x. While a reduction in the titration of O₃ due to suppression of fresh NO emissions led to accumulation of O₃ in the first phase of lockdown, inhibited photochemistry due to cloudy skies as well as reduction in precursors led to lower O₃ values during the later phases of lockdown.

The role of tumor suppressor short non-coding RNAs on breast cancer

Characterized by remarkable levels of aggression and malignancy, BC remains one of the leading causes of death in females world wide. Accordingly, significant efforts have been made to develop early diagnostic tools, increase treatment efficacy, and improve patient prognosis. Hopefully, many of the molecular mechanisms underlying BC have been detected and show promising targeting potential. In particular, short and long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of endogenous BC controllers and include a number of different species including microRNAs, Piwi-interacting RNAs, small nucleolar RNA, short interfering RNAs, and tRNA-derivatives. In this review, we discuss the tumor suppressing roles of ncRNAs in the context of BC, and the mechanisms by which ncRNAs target tumor hallmarks, including apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and cell cycle progression, in addition to their diagnostic and prognostic significance in cancer treatment.

Circular RNA circ_SETD2 represses breast cancer progression via modulating the miR-155-5p/SCUBE2 axis

Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. Circular RNA circ_SETD2 (circ_SETD2), also termed as hsa_circ_0065173, is reported to be abnormally expressed in BC. Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of circ_SETD2 in BC are unclear. Expression of circ_SETD2, miR-155-5p, and SCUBE2 mRNA was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell cycle progression, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by flow cytometry, MTT, and transwell assays. The relationship between circ_SETD2 or SCUBE2 and miR-155-5p was verified through a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The role of circ_SETD2 in BC in vivo was confirmed by a xenograft assay. circ_SETD2 and SCUBE2 were downregulated, while miR-155-5p was upregulated in BC tissues and cells. Both circ_SETD2 and SCUBE2 elevation arrested cell cycle progression, inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and accelerated cell apoptosis in BC cells. Moreover, circ_SETD2 upregulation repressed BC growth in vivo. Importantly, circ_SETD2 modulated SCUBE2 expression through competitively binding to miR-155-5p in BC cells. Also, the inhibitory impacts of circ_SETD2 enhancement on the malignant behavior of BC cells were restored by miR-155-5p overexpression. Besides, SCUBE2 silencing abolished miR-155-5p downregulation mediated effects on the malignant behavior of BC cells. Therefore, circ_SETD2 curbed BC progression via upregulating SCUBE2 via binding to miR-155-5p.

LncRNA ATXN8OS enhances tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer

Background

Tamoxifen (TAMR) resistance remains a massive obstacle for breast cancer (BC) management. The precise parts of long non-coding RNA ataxin 8 opposite strand (ATXN8OS) in BC TAMR resistance have not been defined.

Methods

The levels of ATXN8OS, vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), and miR-16-5p were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Colony formation and cell viability were analyzed by MTT and colony formation assays, respectively. Targeted interactions among miR-16-5p, ATXN8OS, and VASP were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Animal studies were performed to observe the role of ATXN8OS in TAMR sensitivity in vivo.

Results

ATXN8OS expression was increased in BC tissues and cells. ATXN8OS depletion promoted BC cell sensitivity to TAMR. ATXN8OS sequestered miR-16-5p by directly binding to miR-16-5p. The promotional effect of ATXN8OS knockdown on BC cell TAMR sensitivity was mediated by miR-16-5p. VASP was a direct target of miR-16-5p, and miR-16-5p overexpression enhanced TAMR sensitivity by VASP. Moreover, ATXN8OS regulated VASP expression by acting as a miR-16-5p sponge. In addition, ATXN8OS knockdown augmented BC TAMR sensitivity in vivo.

Conclusion

ATXN8OS knockdown enhanced BC TAMR sensitivity partially through the miR-16-5p/VASP axis, highlighting a potential therapeutic target for improving the clinical benefits of TAMR treatment in BC patients.

Hsa_circ_0069094 accelerates cell malignancy and glycolysis through regulating the miR-591/HK2 axis in breast cancer

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in the initiation and advancement of diverse tumors. CircRNA hsa_circ_0069094 (circ_0069094) has been reported to be upregulated in BC, but the biological role of circ_0069094 in BC is indistinct. Hence, we aimed to survey the biological role of circ_0069094 in BC. In the present study, we verified that circ_0069094 was upregulated in BC tissues and cells. BC patients with high circ_0069094 expression had a poor prognosis. Functional analysis revealed that circ_0069094 silencing induced apoptosis, curbed proliferation, and reduced glycolysis in BC cells in vitro, but circ_0069094 overexpression had an opposing influence. Also, circ_0069094 knockdown reduced BC growth in vivo. Mechanically, circ_0069094 was validated as a decoy for miR-591, which targeted HK2. Importantly, circ_0069094 sponged miR-591 to regulate HK2 expression. Both miR-591 silencing and HK2 overexpression counteracted circ_0069094 inhibition-mediated influence on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and glycolysis in BC cells. In conclusion, these results indicated that circ_0069094 facilitated cell malignancy and glycolysis by upregulating HK2 through adsorbing miR-591, suggesting that circ_0069094 might be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BC.

Oncolytic virotherapy: new weapon for breast cancer treatment

The recent introduction of viruses as a weapon against cancer can be regarded as one of the most intriguing approaches in the context of precision medicine. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors has been extensively studied in early and advanced cancer stages, with extraordinary results. Although there is a good tolerability profile, especially when compared with conventional chemotherapy, severe immune-related adverse events have emerged as a potential limitation. Moreover, there are still treatment-resistant cases and thus further treatment options need to be implemented. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have been conducted and are ongoing to develop oncolytic viruses (OVs) as a tool to modulate the immune system response. OVs are attenuated viruses that can kill cancer cells after having infected them, producing microenvironment remodelling and antitumour immune response. The potential of oncolytic virotherapy is to contrast the absence of T cell infiltrates, converting ‘cold’ tumours into ‘hot’ ones, thus improving the performance of the immune system. Breast cancer, the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women, is considered a ‘cold’ tumour. In this context, oncolytic virotherapy might well be considered as a promising strategy. This review summarises the current status, clinical applications and future development of OVs, focusing on breast cancer treatment.

Fingerprinting characterization of sedimentary PAHs and black carbon in the East China Sea using carbon and hydrogen isotopes

In this study, we present the application of a dual-isotope approach for the source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon (BC) in the East China Sea (ECS). The δ¹³C and δ²H isotope signatures of the PAHs were determined from surface sediments collected from the ECS. A Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) model was used to the environmental source identifications with dual-isotope PAHs data. The results indicate that the coal combustion source is predominant (with average of 41%) in the ECS. Liquid fossil fuels combustion, biomass combustion, and petrogenic sources account for 23%, 20%, and 12% of the total PAH burden, respectively. Additionally, we also determine the stable and radio carbon isotopes (δ¹³C and Δ¹⁴C) of total BC in sediment samples of the ECS. The results demonstrate the quantitative source apportionments for different sources, reflecting the contributions of fossil fuels (coal combustion and petroleum-related emissions), biomass (C3 and C4 plants) combustion, and rock-weathering sources. The fossil combustion in BC accounts for 67%, with 23% for biomass sources, meanwhile the rock weathering source in BC is an average of 10%. These results show a remarkable similarity and extensive homologies at source apportionment of PAHs and BC in the ECS, even though some differences in source mechanisms and processes. These findings on the environmental source apportionment will provide a reference for improved emission inventories, and will help to provide guidance for the efforts to mitigate environmental pollution in the coastal areas and marginal sea.

HSP70 as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Egyptian Women With Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a significant cellular stress response protein that has intrinsic and extrinsic pathways to protect cells against apoptosis. It is one of the most induced proteins in cancer cells. The aim of the present study is to investigate the significant role of the HSP70 expression in Egyptian patients with breast cancer (BC) and its potential to be as a diagnostic and prognostic marker.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HSP70 was examined in 155 cases in this prospective study; patients were subdivided into 3 groups: 60 patients with malignant metastatic disease, 60 patients with malignant non-metastatic disease, and 35 patients with benign lesions as control. HSP70 expression was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTS

Most cases of breast cancer expressed HSP70 in both serum (98.3%) and tumor tissue (90%). A strong positive correlation was found between HSP70 IHC and ELISA (r = 0.811). The mean HSP70 levels, as detected in both patients' serum by ELISA and tumor tissue by IHC, was significantly higher in patients with BC than in benign cases (P = .001). HSP70 was significantly higher in patients with metastatic BC than in those with non-metastatic BC (P = .001). HSP70 showed positive correlation with tumor size (pT stage) and number of lymph node metastases (P ≤ .001).

CONCLUSION

HSP70 is over-expressed in patients with metastatic and non-metastatic BC than in benign cases. A high level of HSP70 either in patient's serum or in tumor tissue correlated significantly with advanced disease in patients with BC. This present study suggests that HSP70 can serve as a BC biomarker for early screening, diagnosis, and follow-up.

Insulin-Regulated Aminopeptidase in Women with Breast Cancer: A Role beyond the Regulation of Oxytocin and Vasopressin

Simple Summary

Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) is a well-known enzyme involved mainly in the regulation of the peptide hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, this enzyme activity has hardly been analyzed in breast cancer patients. Additionally, the influence of both the hormonal status (pre or postmenopause) and the administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy have rarely been studied. We show that there is a weak association between IRAP activity and the circulating levels of peptide hormones with variations depending on the hormonal status and the neoadjuvant treatment, and propose a role beyond oxytocin and vasopressin regulation that is related to the local mammary renin-angiotensin system and glucose transportation to the cells.

Abstract

Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) is the only enzyme known to cleave oxytocin and vasopressin; however, it is also the high-affinity binding site for angiotensin IV (AngIV) receptor type 4 (AT4) ligands and it is related to insulin-dependent glucose transporters through the translocation of the glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4). Previous studies have demonstrated an association between IRAP activity and the number and size of mammary tumors in an animal model of breast cancer (BC). Also, a highly significant increase in IRAP activity has been found in BC tissue from women patients. Here, we found no changes in circulating IRAP in premenopausal (preMP) women, but it increased significantly in postmenopausal (postMP) women not treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACH). However, in women treated with NACH, IRAP activity increased in both preMP and postMP women. Two years of follow-up indicated lower levels of IRAP activity in untreated preMP women, but a return to control levels in untreated postMP women, while IRAP activity returned to control levels in women treated with NACH. Circulating oxytocin decreased in both preMP and postMP women during the follow-up period. Differences in Oxytocin appeared between preMP and postMP women treated with NACH, but not in women who were not treated with NACH. On the contrary, circulating vasopressin increased in untreated and treated preMP and postMP women, with most of the differences related to the hormonal status as well as the neoadjuvant treatment during the two year follow-up We propose that IRAP is involved in mechanisms related not only to oxytocin and/or vasopressin regulation, but also to the local mammary RAS through AngIV and its role in glucose transportation through the IRAP/GLUT4 system.