Imbalance of Vaginal Microbiota and Immunity: Two Main Accomplices of Cervical Cancer in Chinese Women

Objective

To explore the correlation of female vaginal microbiota and immune factors with cervical cancer.

Methods

The distribution pattern difference of vaginal microbiota of four groups of women (cervical cancer, HPV-positive CIN, HPV-positive non-CIN, and HPV-negative groups) were compared by microbial 16S rDNA sequencing. The protein chip was used to detect the composition and changes of the immune factors in the four groups.

Results

Alpha diversity analysis demonstrated that the diversity of the vaginal microbiota was increased as the disease develops. Among those bacteria abundant in the vaginal microbiota, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, and Gardnerella dominate at the genus level of vaginal flora. Compared with the HPV-negative group, the differentially dominant bacteria, such as Prevotella, Ralstonia, Gardnerella and Sneathia, are enriched in the cervical cancer group. Likewise, Gardnerella, Prevotella, and Sneathia are more in the HPV-positive CIN group, while Gardnerella and Prevotella in the HPV-positive non-CIN group, respectively. In contrast, Lactobacillus and Atopobium are dominant in the HPV-negative group (LDA>4log10). The concentration of inflammatory immune factors IP-10 and VEGF-A were increased in the cervical cancer group (P < 0.05), compared with other groups.

Conclusion

The occurrence of cervical cancer is related to an increase of vaginal microbiota diversity and up-regulation of inflammatory immune factor proteins. The abundance of Lactobacillus was decreased while the one of Prevotella and Gardnerella were increased in the cervical cancer group, compared with other three groups. Moreover, the IP-10 and VEGF-A were also increased in the cervical cancer group. Thus, evaluation of changes in the vaginal microbiota and these two immune factor levels might be a potential non-invasive and simple method to predict cervical cancer. Furthermore, it is significant to adjust and restore the balance of vaginal microbiota and maintain normal immune function in preventing and treating cervical cancer.

Resistance to Powdery Mildew Is Conferred by Different Genetic Loci at the Adult-Plant and Seedling Stages in Winter Wheat Line Tianmin 668

Winter wheat line Tianmin 668 was crossed with susceptible cultivar Jingshuang 16 to develop 216 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for dissecting its adult-plant resistance (APR) and all-stage resistance (ASR) against powdery mildew. The RIL population was genotyped on a 16K genotyping by target sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphism array and phenotyped in six field trials and in the greenhouse. Three loci-QPmtj.caas-2BL, QPmtj.caas-2AS, and QPmtj.caas-5AL-conferring APR to powdery mildew were detected on chromosomes 2BL, 2AS, and 5AL, respectively, of Tianmin 668. The effect of resistance to powdery mildew for QPmtj.caas-2BL was greater than that of the other two loci. A Kompetitive allele-specific PCR marker specific for QPmtj.caas-2BL was developed and verified on 402 wheat cultivars or breeding lines. Results of virulence and avirulence patterns to 17 Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici isolates, bulked segregant analysis-RNA-sequencing, and a genetic linkage mapping identified a resistance allele at locus Pm4 in Tianmin 668 based on the seedling phenotypes of the RIL population. The PCR-based DNA sequence alignment and cosegregation of the functional marker with the phenotypes of the RIL population demonstrated that Pm4d was responsible for the ASR to isolate Bgt1 in Tianmin 668. The dissection of genetic loci for APR and ASR may facilitate the application of Tianmin 668 in developing powdery mildew-resistant wheat cultivars.

Evaluation of Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Southwest China

The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic efficacy of Xpert MTB/RIF assay for rapid diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) and detection of rifampicin (RIF) resistance in patients suspected of having EPTB, assessing it against traditional culture and drug susceptibility test (DST) by proportional method, and the ability to predict multidrug resistance TB by Xpert MTB/RIF assay. In this study, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was applied to 1,614 extrapulmonary specimens. Compared with TB culture and Composite Reference Standard (CRS), the Xpert MTB/RIF assay had a high sensitivity and specificity for detection of EPTB. Depending on the culture method or CRS as the standard, sensitivity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for detection of MTB in pleural effusion, cerebrospinal fluid, thoracic drainage fluid and throat swabs specimens were lower than that of other specimens. According to the experimental results, we have reason to believe that Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a rapid and simple technique with high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing EPTB and detecting drug resistance in variety of specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF assay combined with DST maybe identify more cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Identification, and Experimental and Bioinformatics Validation of an Immune-Related Prognosis Gene Signature for Low-Grade Glioma Based on mRNAsi

BACKGROUND

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs), which are the second most common intracranial tumor, are diagnosed in seven out of one million people, tending to develop in younger people. Tumor stem cells and immune cells are important in the development of tumorigenesis. However, research on prognostic factors linked to the immune microenvironment and stem cells in LGG patients is limited. We critically need accurate related tools for assessing the risk of LGG patients.

METHODS

In this study, we aimed to identify immune-related genes (IRGs) in LGG based on the mRNAsi score. We employed differentially expressed gene (DEG) methods and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). The risk signature was then further established using a lasso Cox regression analysis and a multivariate Cox analysis. Next, we used immunohistochemical sections (HPA) and a survival analysis to identify the hub genes. A nomogram was built to assess the prognosis of patients based on their clinical information and risk scores and was validated using a DCA curve, among other methods.

RESULTS

Four hub genes were obtained: C3AR1 (HR = 0.98, p < 0.001), MSR1 (HR = 1.02, p < 0.001), SLC11A1 (HR = 1.01, p < 0.01), and IL-10 (HR = 1.01, p < 0.001). For LGG patients, we created an immune-related prognostic signature (IPS) based on mRNAsi for estimating risk scores; different risk groups showed significantly different survival rates (p = 3.3 × 10^-16). Then, via an evaluation of the IRG-related signature, we created a nomogram for predicting LGG survival probability.

CONCLUSION

The outcome suggests that, when predicting the prognosis of LGG patients, our nomogram was more effective than the IPS. In this study, four immune-related predictive biomarkers for LGG were identified and proven to be IRGs. Therefore, the development of efficient immunotherapy techniques can be facilitated by the creation of the IPS.

The reduced SCFA-producing gut microbes are involved in the inflammatory activation in Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD), an acute febrile systemic vasculitis in children, has become the leading cause of acquired heart disease in developed countries. Recently, the altered gut microbiota was found in KD patients during the acute phase. However, little is known about its characteristics and role in the pathogenesis of KD. In our study, an altered gut microbiota composition featured by the reduction in SCFAs-producing bacteria was demonstrated in the KD mouse model. Next, probiotic Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) and antibiotic cocktails were respectively employed to modulate gut microbiota. The use of C. butyricum significantly increased the abundance of SCFAs-producing bacteria and attenuated the coronary lesions with reduced inflammatory markers IL-1β and IL-6, but antibiotics depleting gut bacteria oppositely deteriorated the inflammation response. The gut leakage induced by dysbiosis to deteriorate the host's inflammation was confirmed by the decreased intestinal barrier proteins Claudin-1, Jam-1, Occludin, and ZO-1, and increased plasma D-lactate level in KD mice. Mechanistically, SCFAs, the major beneficial metabolites of gut microbes to maintain the intestinal barrier integrity and inhibit inflammation, was also found decreased, especially butyrate, acetate and propionate, in KD mice by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Moreover, the reduced expression of SCFAs transporters, monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT-1) and sodium-dependent monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SMCT-1), was also shown in KD mice by western blot and RT-qPCR analyses. As expected, the decrease of fecal SCFAs production and barrier dysfunction were improved by oral C. butyricum treatment but was deteriorated by antibiotics. In vitro, butyrate, not acetate or propionate, increased the expression of phosphatase MKP-1 to dephosphorylate activated JNK, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK against excessive inflammation in RAW264.7 macrophages. It suggests a new insight into probiotics and their metabolites supplements to treat KD.

[Analysis of the impact of health management measures for entry personnel on imported Dengue fever in Guangdong Province, 2020-2022]

Objective: To explore the impact of health management measures for entry personnel (entry management measures) against COVID-19 on the epidemiological characteristics of imported Dengue fever in Guangdong Province from 2020 to 2022. Methods: Data of imported Dengue fever from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2022, mosquito density surveillance from 2016 to 2021, and international airline passengers and Dengue fever annual reported cases from 2011 to 2021 in Guangdong were collected. Comparative analysis was conducted to explore changes in the epidemic characteristics of imported Dengue fever before the implementation of entry management measures (from January 1, 2016 to March 20, 2020) and after the implementation (from March 21, 2020 to August 31, 2022). Results: From March 21, 2020, to August 31, 2022, a total of 52 cases of imported Dengue fever cases were reported, with an imported risk intensity of 0.12, which were lower than those before implementation of entry management measures (1 828, 5.29). No significant differences were found in the characteristics of imported cases before and after implementation of entry management measures, including seasonality, sex, age, career, and imported countries (all P>0.05). 59.62% (31/52) of cases were found at the centralized isolation sites and 38.46% (20/52) at the entry ports. However, before implementation of entry management measures, 95.08% (1 738/1 828) of cases were found in hospitals. Among 51 cases who had provided entry dates, 82.35% (42/51) and 98.04% (50/51) of cases were found within seven days and fourteen days after entry, slightly higher than before implementation [(72.69%(362/498) and 97.59% (486/498)]. There was significant difference between the monthly mean values of Aedes mosquito larval density (Bretto index) from 2020 to 2021 and those from 2016 to 2019 (Z=2.83, P=0.005). There is a strong positive correlation between the annual international airline passengers volume in Guangdong from 2011 to 2021 and the annual imported Dengue fever cases (r=0.94, P<0.001), and a positive correlation also existed between the international passenger volume and the annual indigenous Dengue fever cases (r=0.72, P=0.013). Conclusions: In Guangdong, the entry management measures of centralized isolation for fourteen days after entry from abroad had been implemented, and most imported Dengue fever cases were found within fourteen days after entry. The risk of local transmission caused by imported cases has reduced significantly.

[Analysis on the Distribution Characteristics and Influence Mechanism of Migration and Transformation of Heavy Metals in Mining Wasteland]

In order to explore the distribution characteristics and the influence mechanism of migration and transformation of heavy metals in mining wasteland, soil and tailings samples were collected from the mining wasteland in the Dabaoshan Mining area, Guangdong Province, and the morphological characteristics of heavy metals were analyzed. At the same time, the pollution sources of the mining area were analyzed using Pb stable isotope analysis, and the characteristics and influencing factors of heavy metal migration and transformation in the mining area were expounded by combining X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscope-energy spectrum analysis (TEM-EDS), and Raman analysis of typical minerals in the mining area, as well as laboratory-simulated leaching experiments. Morphological analysis showed that the forms of Cd, Pb, and As in the soil and tailings samples in the mining area were mainly the residual phase, accounting for 85%-95% of the total, followed by the iron and manganese oxide-bound form (1%-15%). The main mineral types in the soil and tailings in the Dabaoshan Mining area were pyrite (FeS₂), chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), and metal oxides, as well as a small amount of sphalerite (ZnS) and galena (PbS). Acidic conditions (pH=3.0) were beneficial to the release and migration of Cd and Pb from soil, tailings, and minerals (pyrite, chalcopyrite) and from the residual phase to the non-residual phase. Lead isotope analysis showed that the lead in the soil and tailings mainly came from the release of metal minerals in the mining area, and the contribution of diesel in the mining area was less than 30%. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that Pyrite, Chalcopyrite, Sphalerite, and Metal oxide were the main sources of heavy metals in the soil and tailings in the mining area, in which Cd, As, and Pb were mainly contributed by sphalerite and metal oxide. The form change in heavy metals in the mining wasteland was easily affected by environmental factors. The form characteristics and migration and transformation factors of heavy metals should be considered in the source control of heavy metal pollution in mining wasteland.

The cotton protein GhIQD21 interacts with GhCaM7 and modulates organ morphogenesis in Arabidopsis by influencing microtubule stability

KEY MESSAGE

GhIQD21, a cotton IQ67-domain protein, interacts with GhCaM7 and alters organ shape in Arabidopsis by modulating microtubule stability. Calcium ion (Ca²⁺) and the calcium sensor calmodulin play crucial roles in the growth and development of plants. GhCaM7, a calmodulin in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), is highly expressed in cotton fiber cells during the rapid elongation period and plays an important role in fiber cell development. In this study, we screened for GhCaM7-interacting proteins and identified GhIQD21, which contains a typical IQ67-domain. GhIQD21 was preferentially expressed at the fiber rapid elongation stage, and the protein localized to microtubules (MTs). Ectopic expression of GhIQD21 in Arabidopsis resulted in shorter leaves, petals, siliques, and plant height, thicker inflorescences, and more trichomes when compared with wild type (WT). Further investigation indicated that the morphogenesis of leaf epidermal cells and silique cells was altered. There was less consistency in the orientation of cortical microtubules in cotyledon and hypocotyl epidermal cells. Furthermore, compared with WT, transgenic seedling hypocotyls were more sensitive to oryzalin, a MT depolymerization drug. These results indicated that GhIQD21 is a GhCaM7-interacting protein located in MTs and that it plays a role in plant growth and potentially cotton fiber development. This study provides a foundation for further studies of the function and regulatory mechanism of GhIQD21 in fiber cell development.

A split GAL4 RUBY assay for visual in planta detection of protein-protein interactions

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are a fundamental process in cellular biogenesis. Here we have developed a split GAL4 RUBY assay that enables macroscopically visual PPI detection in plant leaves in real time. Candidate interacting protein partners are fused to specific domains of the yeast GAL4 and herpes simplex virus VP16 transcription factors and transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamina leaves by Agrobacterium infiltration. PPI, that may be either direct or indirect, results in transcriptional activation of a RUBY reporter gene leading to the production of the highly visual metabolite, betalain, in leaf tissue of living plants. Samples require no processing for in planta visual qualitative assessment, but with very simple processing steps the assay is quantitative. Its accuracy is demonstrated using a series of known interacting protein partners and mutant derivatives including transcription factors, signalling molecules and plant resistance proteins with cognate pathogen effectors. Using this assay, association between the wheat Sr27 stem rust disease resistance protein and corresponding AvrSr27 avirulence effector family produced by the rust pathogen is detected. Interaction is also observed between this resistance protein and the effector encoded by the corresponding avrSr27-3 virulence allele. However, this association appears weaker in the split GAL4 RUBY assay, which coupled with lower avrSr27-3 expression during stem rust infection, likely enables virulent races of the rust pathogen to avoid Sr27-mediated detection.

Reshaping aromatic frameworks: expansion of aromatic system drives metallabenzenoids to metallapentalenes

Reshaping an aromatic framework to generate other skeletons is a challenging issue due to the stabilization energy of aromaticity. Such reconfigurations of aromatics commonly generate non-aromatic products and hardly ever reshape to a different aromatic framework. Herein, we present the transformation of metallaindenols to metallapentalenes and metallaindenes in divergent pathways, converting one aromatic framework to another with an extension of the conjugation framework. The mechanistic study of this transformation shows that phosphorus ligands play different roles in the divergent processes. Further theoretical studies indicate that the expansion of the aromatic system is the driving force promoting this skeletal rearrangement. Our findings offer a new concept and strategy to reshape and construct aromatic compounds.

Impairment of rigidity sensing caused by mutant TP53 gain of function in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant pediatric bone tumor and is characterized by high heterogeneity. Studies have revealed a wide range of phenotypic differences among OS cell lines in terms of their in vivo tumorigenicity and in vitro colony-forming abilities. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of these discrepancies remains unclear. The potential role of mechanotransduction in tumorigenicity is of particular interest. To this end, we tested the tumorigenicity and anoikis resistance of OS cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. We utilized a sphere culture model, a soft agar assay, and soft and rigid hydrogel surface culture models to investigate the function of rigidity sensing in the tumorigenicity of OS cells. Additionally, we quantified the expression of sensor proteins, including four kinases and seven cytoskeletal proteins, in OS cell lines. The upstream core transcription factors of rigidity-sensing proteins were further investigated. We detected anoikis resistance in transformed OS cells. The mechanosensing function of transformed OS cells was also impaired, with general downregulation of rigidity-sensing components. We identified toggling between normal and transformed growth based on the expression pattern of rigidity-sensing proteins in OS cells. We further uncovered a novel TP53 mutation (R156P) in transformed OS cells, which acquired gain of function to inhibit rigidity sensing, thus sustaining transformed growth. Our findings suggest a fundamental role of rigidity-sensing components in OS tumorigenicity as mechanotransduction elements through which cells can sense their physical microenvironment. In addition, the gain of function of mutant TP53 appears to serve as an executor for such malignant programs.

Spatiotemporally continuous estimates of daily 1-km PM2.5 concentrations and their long-term exposure in China from 2000 to 2020

Monitoring long-term variations in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is essential for environmental management and epidemiological studies. While satellite-based statistical/machine-learning methods can be used for estimating high-resolution ground-level PM_2.5 concentration data, their applications have been hindered by limited accuracy in daily estimates during years without PM_2.5 measurements and massive missing values due to satellite retrieval data. To address these issues, we developed a new spatiotemporal high-resolution PM_2.5 hindcast modeling framework to generate the full-coverage, daily, 1-km PM_2.5 data for China for the period 2000-2020 with improved accuracy. Our modeling framework incorporated information on changes in observation variables between periods with and without monitoring data and filled gaps in PM_2.5 estimates induced by satellite data using imputed high-resolution aerosol data. Compared to previous hindcast studies, our method achieved superior overall cross-validation (CV) R² and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.90 and 12.94 μg/m³ and significantly improved the model performance in years without PM_2.5 measurements, raising the leave-one-year-out CV R² [RMSE] to 0.83 [12.10 μg/m³] at a monthly scale (0.65 [23.29 μg/m³] at a daily scale). Our long-term PM_2.5 estimates show a sharp decline in PM_2.5 exposure in recent years, but the national exposure level in 2020 still exceeded the first annual interim target of the 2021 World Health Organization air quality guidelines. The proposed hindcast framework represents a new strategy to improve air quality hindcast modeling and can be applied to other regions with limited air quality monitoring periods. These high-quality estimates can support both long- and short-term scientific research and environmental management of PM_2.5 in China.

Development of a Single-Molecule Nanobalance Ratiometric Electrochemical DNA Biosensor Using a Triblock Poly-Adenine Probe

The development of electrochemical DNA biosensors has been limited by their reliability and reproducibility due to many interfering factors such as electrode properties, DNA surface densities, and complex biological samples. In this work, we developed a nanobalance polyA hairpin probe (polyA-HP), which was effectively assembled onto the gold electrode surface through the affinity between the central polyA fragment and the Au surface. One flanking probe of the polyA-HP captured the target sequence together with a MB-labeled signal probe, and the other flanking probe captured a reference probe simultaneously. The MB signal related to the amount of target was normalized by the reference Fc signal; thus, the signal-to-noise (S/N) was as high as 2000, and the reproducibility was remarkably improved to 2.77%, even facing deliberately changed experiment conditions. By designing a hairpin structure at the terminal of the polyA-HP, the selectivity and specificity were dramatically improved for the analysis of mismatched sequences. The analysis performance of biological samples was dramatically improved after normalization, which is critical for its practicability. Our novel biosensor is a universal single-molecule platform for ratiometric biosensors with excellent performance in real samples, indicating great potential for next-generation high-precision electrochemical sensors.

Bacillus cereus WL08 immobilized on tobacco stem charcoal eliminates butylated hydroxytoluene in soils and alleviates the continuous cropping obstacle of Pinellia ternata

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), as an emerging contaminant in ecosystems, has potential influences on animals, aquatic organisms, and public health, and has been proven to be a major allelochemical of Pinellia ternata. In this study, Bacillus cereus WL08 was used to rapidly degrade BHT in liquid culture. Strain WL08 immobilized on tobacco stem charcoal (TSC) particles notably accelerated BHT removal in contract to its free cells, and exhibited excellent reutilization and storage capacities. The optimal removal parameters of TSC WL08 were ascertained to be pH 7.0, 30 °C, 50 mg L^-1 BHT and 0.14 mg L^-1 TSC WL08. Moreover, TSC WL08 significantly accelerated the degradation of 50 mg L^-1 BHT in sterile and non-sterile soils compared to that of free WL08 or natural dissipation, and notably shortened their half-lives by 2.47- or 362.14- fold, and 2.20- or 14.99- fold, respectively. Simultaneously, TSC WL08 was introduced into the continuous cropping soils of P. ternata, which accelerated the elimination of allelochemical BHT, and notably enhanced the photosynthesis, growth, yield, and quality of P. ternata. This study provides new insights and strategies for the rapid in situ remediation of BHT-polluted soils and effective alleviation of P. ternata cropping obstacles.

Oxford nanopore long-read sequencing enables the generation of complete bacterial and plasmid genomes without short-read sequencing

Introduction

Genome-based analysis is crucial in monitoring antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB)and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs). Short-read sequencing is typically used to obtain incomplete draft genomes, while long-read sequencing can obtain genomes of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids and track the transmission of plasmid-borne antimicrobial resistance genes in bacteria. However, long-read sequencing suffers from low-accuracy base calling, and short-read sequencing is often required to improve genome accuracy. This increases costs and turnaround time.

Methods

In this study, a novel ONT sequencing method is described, which uses the latest ONT chemistry with improved accuracy to assemble genomes of MDR strains and plasmids from long-read sequencing data only. Three strains of Salmonella carrying MDR plasmids were sequenced using the ONT SQK-LSK114 kit with flow cell R10.4.1, and de novo genome assembly was performed with average read accuracy (Q > 10) of 98.9%.

Results and Discussion

For a 5-Mb-long bacterial genome, finished genome sequences with accuracy of >99.99% could be obtained at 75× sequencing coverage depth using Flye and Medaka software. Thus, this new ONT method greatly improves base-calling accuracy, allowing for the de novo assembly of high-quality finished bacterial or plasmid genomes without the need for short-read sequencing. This saves both money and time and supports the application of ONT data in critical genome-based epidemiological analyses. The novel ONT approach described in this study can take the place of traditional combination genome assembly based on short- and long-read sequencing, enabling pangenomic analyses based on high-quality complete bacterial and plasmid genomes to monitor the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) suppresses asexual embryo and autonomous endosperm formation in rice.. [DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1087314/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Prevention of autonomous division of the egg apparatus and central cell in a female gametophyte before fertilization ensures successful reproduction in flowering plants. Here we show that rice ovules with PRC2 Osfie1 and Osfie2 double mutations exhibit asexual embryo and autonomous endosperm formation at a high frequency, while ovules with a single Osfie2 mutation display asexual pre-embryo-like structures at a lower frequency without fertilization. Confocal microscopy images indicate that the asexual embryos were mainly derived from eggs in the double mutants, while the asexual pre-embryos likely originated from eggs or synergids. Early onsetting, higher penetrance and better development of asexual embryos in the double mutants compared with those in Osfie2 suggest that autonomous endosperm facilitated the asexual embryo development. Transcriptomic analysis showed pluripotency factors such as male genome expressed OsBBM1 and OsWOX8/9 were activated in the asexual embryos. Similarly, the maternal alleles of the paternally expressed imprinted genes were activated in the autonomous endosperm. Our results suggest that the egg apparatus and central cell convergently adopt PRC2 to suppresses asexual embryo and autonomous endosperm formation possibly through silencing male genome-expressed genes.

LncRNA XIST regulates breast cancer stem cells by activating proinflammatory IL-6/STAT3 signaling

Aberrant expression of XIST, a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) initiating X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in early embryogenesis, is a common feature of breast cancer (BC). However, the roles of post-XCI XIST in breast carcinogenesis remain elusive. Here we identify XIST as a key regulator of breast cancer stem cells (CSCs), which exhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase positive (ALDH+) epithelial- (E) and CD24loCD44hi mesenchymal-like (M) phenotypes. XIST is variably expressed across the spectrum of BC subtypes, and doxycycline (DOX)-inducible knockdown (KD) of XIST markedly inhibits spheroid/colony forming capacity, tumor growth and tumor-initiating potential. This phenotype is attributed to impaired E-CSC in luminal and E- and M-CSC activities in triple-negative (TN) BC. Gene expression profiling unveils that XIST KD most significantly affects cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, leading to markedly suppressed expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 in ALDH- bulk BC cells. Exogenous IL-6, but not IL-8, rescues the reduced sphere-forming capacity and proportion of ALDH+ E-CSCs in luminal and TN BC upon XIST KD. XIST functions as a nuclear sponge for microRNA let-7a-2-3p to activate IL-6 production from ALDH- bulk BC cells, which acts in a paracrine fashion on ALDH+ E-CSCs that display elevated cell surface IL-6 receptor (IL6R) expression. This promotes CSC self-renewal via STAT3 activation and expression of key CSC factors including c-MYC, KLF4 and SOX9. Together, this study supports a novel role of XIST by derepressing let-7 controlled paracrine IL-6 proinflammatory signaling to promote CSC self-renewal.

Integrative Analysis of Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Data Reveals the Mechanism of Color Formation in Corms of Pinellia ternata

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit. (P. ternata) is a very important plant that is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Its corms can be used as medicine and function to alleviate cough, headache, and phlegm. The epidermis of P. ternata corms is often light yellow to yellow in color; however, within the range of P. ternata found in JingZhou City in Hubei Province, China, there is a form of P. ternata in which the epidermis of the corm is red. We found that the total flavonoid content of red P. ternata corms is significantly higher than that of yellow P. ternata corms. The objective of this study was to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the difference in epidermal color between the two forms of P. ternata. The results showed that a high content of anthocyanidin was responsible for the red epidermal color in P. ternata, and 15 metabolites, including cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside-5-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, were screened as potential color markers in P. ternata through metabolomic analysis. Based on an analysis of the transcriptome, seven genes, including PtCHS1, PtCHS2, PtCHI1, PtDFR5, PtANS, PtUPD-GT2, and PtUPD-GT3, were found to have important effects on the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in the P. ternata corm epidermis. Furthermore, two transcription factors (TFs), bHLH1 and bHLH2, may have regulatory functions in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in red P. ternata corms. Using an integrative analysis of the metabolomic and transcriptomic data, we identified five genes, PtCHI, PtDFR2, PtUPD-GT1, PtUPD-GT2, and PtUPD-GT3, that may play important roles in the presence of the red epidermis color in P. ternata corms.

[Clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of patients with lung metastasis of stage Ⅰa~Ⅲb cervical cancer]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of lung metastasis in patients with cervical cancer after treatment. Methods: The clinicopathological data of 191 patients with lung metastasis of stage Ⅰa-Ⅲb cervical cancer (FIGO 2009 stage) treated in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2007 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan Meier method and Log rank test were used for survival analysis, and Cox regression model was used for prognostic factors analysis. Results: Among 191 patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer, pulmonary metastasis was found in 134 patients (70.2%) during follow-up examination, and 57 patients (29.8%) had clinical symptoms (cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, and fever). The time from the initial treatment of cervical cancer to the discovery of lung metastasis was 1-144 months in the whole group, with a median time of 19 months. Univariate analysis of the prognosis of lung metastasis after treatment of cervical cancer showed that the diameter of cervical tumor, lymph node metastasis, positive surgical margin, disease-free interval after treatment of cervical cancer, whether it is accompanied by other metastasis, the number, location and maximum diameter of lung metastasis, and the treatment method after lung metastasis are related to the prognosis of patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of lung metastases and other site metastases in addition to lung metastases were independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with lung metastases of cervical cancer (P<0.05). Conclusions: For patients with cervical cancer, attention should be paid to chest CT examination during follow-up to guard against the possibility of lung metastasis after treatment. Besides lung metastasis, other site metastasis and the number of lung metastasis are independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer. For patients with lung metastasis after treatment of cervical cancer, surgical treatment is an effective treatment. It is necessary to strictly grasp the surgical indications, and some patients can achieve long-term survival. For patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer who are not suitable for resection of lung metastasis, the remedial treatment of chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy is still a recommended choice.

Abstract 2786: Targeting oncogene and inflammation for cancer therapy

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the overexpression of and the loss of tumor suppressor genes contribute to the aggressiveness, poor prognosis, and poor response to treatment associated with advanced cancer. Overexpression and activation of the MDM2 and NFAT1 oncogenes frequently occur in human cancer and is associated with invasive and high grade/late-stage tumors, metastasis, and recurrence, and are negative prognostic factors for cancer patients. Dual targeting MDM2 and NFAT1 represents a novel molecular target for the treatment of cancer. However, most of the current MDM2 inhibitors have been designed to block the binding between MDM2 and p53, and have limited efficacy against tumors with mutant or deficient p53. Considering that high incidence of TP53 mutations and MDM2 overexpression in tumors, these MDM2 SMIs are expected to have low or no efficacy against those types of cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify a novel, p53-independent strategy to inhibit MDM2, in order to affirm the therapeutic value of targeting MDM2. In addition, as an important inflammatory factor, there are no specific NFAT1 inhibitors developed for cancer therapy. By employing crystallization screening, NMR-based screening, and high-throughput virtual and cell-based screening assays, we discovered a class of makaluvamine analogs with the desired property. One of these analogs, MA242, was identified as a potent and selective MDM2 and NFAT1 inhibitor. Its in vitro and in vivo anti-breast cancer activities and underlying mechanisms of action were evaluated in breast cancer cell lines with various p53 backgrounds. Our results demonstrated that MA242 directly bound to MDM2 and NFAT1 protein with high affinity and induced its protein degradation. As a result of this binding, MA242 decreased cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in breast cancer cell lines, regardless of the p53 status. Furthermore, MA242 inhibited the tumor growth and metastasis in orthotopic and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, without any host toxicity. Single-cell sequencing results provided the molecular and cellular crosstalk between cancer and immune system, and identified the predictive biomarkers of response after the treatment. In conclusion, MA242 is a potent and selective MDM2 and NFAT1 dual inhibitor with distinct mechanisms of action compared to the existing inhibitors. Our data suggest that the dual targeting oncogene and inflammation is a promising strategy for the treatment of human cancer. (Supported by NIH R01CA214019 and a UH DDI Seed Grant.)

Citation Format: Wei Wang, Sayantap Datta, Sadanandan E. Velu, Ming Luo, Ruiwen Zhang. Targeting oncogene and inflammation for cancer therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2786.

Inhibiting Cyclin B1-treated Pontine Infarction by Suppressing Proliferation of SPP1+ Microglia

Pontine infarction is the major subtype of brainstem stroke causing severe neurological deficits. The pathophysiology and treatment of pontine infarction was rarely studied. A rat model of acute pontine infarction was established via injection of endothelin-1 in the pons. Single-cell RNA sequencing was applied to detect the cellular response in pontine infarction. Based on this finding, a potential treatment for pontine infarction targeting microglia was verified. Occlusion of penetrating artery caused by endothelin-1 led to pontine infarction. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a subtype of activated microglia, SPP1+ microglia, which were different from M1-like or M2-like depolarization. SPP1+ microglia interacted with oligodendrocytes and contributed to the demyelination of nerve tracts. Cyclin B1 regulated the proliferation of SPP1+ microglia. Cucurbitacin E, a cyclin B1 inhibitor, reduced the proliferation of SPP1+ microglia around the injured myelin sheath and alleviated the demyelination. Moreover, cucurbitacin E treatment decreased the ischemic infarction volume and neurological deficits after pontine infarction. SPP1+ microglia contributed to axonal demyelination in the pontine infarction, and inhibition of SPP1+ microglia provided neuroprotection for pontine infarction.

Ultrasmall Enzyme-Powered Janus Nanomotor Working in Blood Circulation System

Injectable chemically powered nanomotors may revolutionize biomedical technologies, but to date, it is a challenge for them to move autonomously in the blood circulation system and they are too large in size to break through the biological barriers therein. Herein, we report a general scalable colloidal chemistry synthesis approach for the fabrication of ultrasmall urease-powered Janus nanomotors (UPJNMs) that have a size (100-30 nm) meeting the requirement to break through the biological barriers in the blood circulation system and can efficiently move in body fluids with only endogenous urea as fuel. In our protocol, the two hemispheroid surfaces of eccentric Au-polystyrene nanoparticles are stepwise grafted with poly(ethylene glycol) brushes and ureases via selective etching and chemical coupling, respectively, forming the UPJNMs. The UPJNMs have lasting powerful mobility with ionic tolerance and positive chemotaxis, while they are able to be dispersed steadily and self-propelled in real body fluids, as well as demonstrate good biosafety and a long circulation time in the blood circulation system of mice. Thus, the as-prepared UPJNMs are promising as an active theranostics nanosystem for future biomedical applications.