A novel peptide MIB1-223aa encoded by exosomal circMIB1 from cancer-associated fibroblasts drives triple-negative breast cancer metastasis and stemness via stabilizing MIB1 to activate Notch signaling

INTRODUCTION

Emerging evidence has indicated that the complex interactions between tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer cells play a pivotal role in driving tumor initiation and metastasis. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), major cell components in the TME, exert significant effects on malignant behaviors of various cancers. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer with a high metastatic potential and poorer prognosis. However, the underlying mechanism by which CAFs promote TNBC development has not been sufficiently studied.

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to elucidate how CAFs promote TNBC aggressiveness by delivering protein-coding circMIB1 to activate MIB1/DLL4/Notch pathway, and provide a potential clinical biomarker for TNBC management.

METHODS

The oncogenic exosomal circMIB1 with protein-coding potential was identified through high-throughput RNA sequencing and ribosome nascent-chain complex sequencing (RNC-seq). The enrichment of circMIB1 in CAFs was confirmed using in situ hybridization (ISH) and qRT-PCR. The protein-coding capacity of circMIB1 was validated based on the polysome profiling, and luciferase assays. Functional roles of circMIB1 were explored using in vitro and in vivo models, while the underlying mechanism was dissected via co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and western blotting.

RESULTS

CAF-secreted exosomal circMIB1 promoted TNBC metastasis and stemness by translating a functional peptide, MIB1-223aa. Mechanistically, MIB1-223aa competitively bound to the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF213, which blocked the RNF213-mediated K48-linked ubiquitination and degradation of MIB1. Moreover, the stabilized MIB1 enhanced the Notch signaling via a ubiquitination-dependent activation of the ligand DLL4, thereby driving TNBC malignancy. Clinically, high expression of circMIB1 or MIB1-223aa in TNBC tissues was correlated with poor clinical prognosis, as evidenced by reduced overall survival, shortened disease-free survival, and elevated lymphatic metastasis rates.

CONCLUSION

This study provides the first evidence of exosome-transmitted protein-coding circRNAs in CAF-TNBC crosstalk, offering novel insights into the TME-driven metastasis and providing promising biomarker for TNBC management.

Near-Infrared Afterglow Imaging-Guided Surgical Resection and Synergistic Photodynamic-Chemo Therapy of Breast Cancer

The recurrence rate of cancer following surgical procedures is markedly affected by the degree of tumor removal. During the operation, tumor-targeted imaging is of crucial significance as it assists surgeons in attaining the most comprehensive tumor excision. Herein, a theranostic platform (CDSP NPs) is developed through the assembly of carbon dots (CDs) with paclitaxel prodrugs. CDSP NPs can be utilized for near-infrared (NIR) afterglow imaging-guided precise removal of breast cancer, featuring a long lifetime (>2 h), deep tissue penetration (>13 mm), and a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, 103.9), thereby effectively preventing cancer recurrence. Additionally, the combined treatment of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy substantially enhances tumor regression, demonstrating the tremendous potential of CDSP NPs for synergistic cancer treatment. This study proposes a straightforward but efficient model to build a nanoplatform integrating diagnosis and treatment, which is utilized for image-guided surgical navigation and effective tumor treatment.

Poly(sodium lipoate) Particles with Nitroimidazole Modification for Disulfide Stress-Mediated Antitumor Metastasis

Disulfidptosis, a form of programmed cell death triggered by disulfide stress, holds promise for antimetastatic strategies by promoting cytoskeletal collapse, while no relevant applied study was reported. Herein, we develop a disulfide stress inducer for antitumor metastasis by nitroimidazole-grafted poly(sodium lipoate) nanoparticles (NI@PSL). Upon thiol-mediated cellular uptake, NI@PSL degraded into dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) and exposed grafted nitroimidazole (NI) in response to glutathione (GSH). DHLA formed aberrant disulfide bonds with cytoskeletal cysteine thiols. NI moieties were reduced to aminoimidazole by hypoxia-activated nitroreductase, resulting in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) depletion. This redox imbalance prevented the reduction of intercytoskeletal disulfide bonds, leading to irreversible cytoskeletal collapse and subsequent metastasis inhibition. In vitro assays demonstrated that NI@PSL decreased the migration and invasion rates of highly metastatic B16F10 cells to 12.8 and 7.0%, respectively. In the B16F10 tumor-bearing mice model, NI@PSL nearly eliminated lung and liver metastatic foci. These results provide a strong basis for using disulfide stress to combat tumor metastasis.

Reconfiguration/Immobilization "Dual-Free" Self-Powered Multiplex Photoelectrochemical Strategy for Dual Magnetic Bead-Mediated Dimension Differentiate Type Complex Sample Assay

Despite significant advances in single-interface multiplex photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors, their potential in high-throughput complex sample analysis is still limited by time-consuming immobilization and cumbersome surface reconfiguration procedures. Particularly for the rapidly growing demand for point-of-care testing, there is an urgent need to explore fast, low-consumption, and sustainable multisignal differentiation approaches ready for implantation into a portable sensor. Herein, a dual magnetic bead-mediated reconfiguration/immobilization "dual-free" strategy is proposed for self-powered PEC sensing of multiple targets on a single electrode. The dual magnetic bead-mediated dimension-differentiated system is formed by two size-differentiated magnetic beads (MBs) and methylene blue-loaded liposomes (MLLs). A large MB is involved in obtaining the MLL signal label via magnetic separation, which modulates the electron transfer mechanism and generates a detection signal. After physically controlled release, the small MB (second signal label) magnetically anchors at the electrode interface to produce another detection signal. By circumventing chemical immobilization and interface reconfiguration, the "dual-free" strategy realizes the rapid, low-cost, sequential, and nondestructive detection of coexisting antibiotics (kanamycin and tobramycin). To further reduce the dimensions and power consumption of the sensing device, a self-powered dual-photoelectrode system is established and instrumented. The reconfiguration/immobilization "dual-free" self-powered sensor eliminates cross-interference, preserves electrode integrity, and avoids external power requirements, thereby pioneering a universal approach for developing miniaturized PEC sensors with great promise for point-of-care testing.

Point-of-care analysis for foodborne pathogens in food samples based on a fully enclosed microfluidic chip cartridge

Foodborne pathogens endanger public health and rapid, sensitive, and accurate detection of them is vital. Portable, highly integrated detection devices have great application prospects in the screening and analysis of foodborne pathogens. In this study, a fully automated detection device based on a fully enclosed microfluidic chip cartridge was successfully designed. This device integrates multiple functions, including nucleic acid extraction, reagent preparation, LAMP reaction, and signal detection. By simply adding a sample, it can simultaneously detect four types of foodborne pathogens, making it advantageous for the analysis of complex samples and improving detection accuracy. Additionally, freeze-dried reagents are integrated into the fully enclosed microfluidic chip cartridge, which allows the reagents to be transported and stored at room temperature, greatly reducing the cost of detection. It has been successfully applied in actual samples contaminated with multiple foodborne pathogens and has excellent stability. The entire detection process can be completed in 45 minutes, with a sensitivity of approximately 500 CFU mL-1. Therefore, the automated microfluidic device would be adequate for point-of-care testing (POCT) with high simplicity and high speed, providing an advanced genetic analysis microsystem for foodborne pathogen detection.

Cell membrane nanoparticles in cancer therapy: From basic structure to surface functionalization

Cell membrane nanoparticles (CNPs) have recently garnered significant attention as effective drug-delivery vehicles. Beyond their simple function of encapsulating cargo within a lipid bilayer structure, the cell membrane is a complex entity derived from biological materials, presenting a variety of surface proteins and glycans. Notable features that enhance their effectiveness as delivery vehicles include the inhibition of protein corona formation in the plasma and the suppression of macrophage phagocytosis, both of which contribute to prolonged blood circulation. Furthermore, CNPs exhibit homotypic targeting effects toward their cells of origin, resulting in reduced side effects, and because they are not xenobiotics, the likelihood of nonspecific immune activation is also minimized. This review focuses on various applications of CNPs in cancer therapeutic studies, examining their structural evolution and surface engineering developments. We introduce studies that leverage the inherent functionality of cell membranes and recent research in functional CNPs synthesized through genetic or chemical engineering methods. Through this review, we aim to trace the progression of CNP research, explore potential directions for their use in biomedical applications, and assess the prospects for clinical trials.

10Boron-doped carbon nanoparticles as delivery platforms for boron neutron capture therapy and photothermal therapy

The current clinical application of the boron drug boronophenylalanine (BPA) in BNCT faces various issues owing to its low boron loading (approximately 5%), which limits its therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the development of boron drugs with higher boron contents is essential. Enhancing the boron content in boron drug materials is the focus of this study. Two-dimensional (2D) boron nitride-doped nano graphene (BNNG) with a high boron content of 24.97% ± 1.14% w/w was synthesized via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The size of BNNG was controlled through gradient density centrifugation. Subsequently, a strategy was proposed that leveraged a boron-nitrogen co-doping process to enhance the boron content. The resulting BN nanosheets that were grown on graphene oxide (GO) exhibited an onion-like structure. To serve as a multifunctional delivery platform, 10B-enriched BNNG was dispersed in an aqueous solution through π-π interactions with pyrene methanol polyethylene glycol carboxylate (PPEG) to form BNNG@PPEG, thus becoming water-dispersible. The synthesized multifunctional BNNG@PPEG material satisfied the requirements for BNCT, chemotherapy, and PTT with a high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 40.552%). Under 1 W cm-2 laser irradiation, BNNG@PPEG generated a temperature of 55 °C, and the cell survival rate significantly decreased to 36.2% ± 3.5%. Meanwhile, the thermal property of BNNG-DOX@PPEG facilitated the controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX). Under neutron irradiation, the BNNG@PPEG complex exhibited significant antitumor activity, and the cell survival rate significantly decreased to 34.82% ± 6.1%.

Dual-Mode Photoelectrochemical/ColoriMetric Biosensor with a Broad Linear Range for the Sensitive Detection of Enrofloxacin in Aquatic Products

In this study, an integrated dual-mode biosensor combining photoelectrochemical (PEC) and colorimetric (CL) methods was proposed to broaden the linear detection range of enrofloxacin (ENR), thus enabling sensitive detection of ENR in aquatic products. Compared to traditional PEC/CL dual-mode biosensors that rely on the same sensitizer for both PEC and CL signals, this biosensor expanded the linear range and enhanced sensitivity by separating the sensitizer of PEC and the signal label of CL. Specifically, the PEC detection platform employed a Z-type heterojunction of iron indium sulfide (FeIn2S4) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) to significantly improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency for the sensitivity of PEC detection. Furthermore, based on an entropy-driven catalytic nucleic acid circuit (ETSD) strategy mediated by aptamers, ENR was converted into a mass of output DNA. Subsequently, the output DNA triggered a strand displacement reaction mediated by a palindrome-catalyzed DNA assembly (NEPA) to form a three-dimensional gold nanoparticle-DNA nanocomposite for the adsorption of methylene blue (3D Au-DNA NC-MB). The resulting 3D Au-DNA NC-MB biomolecular nanocarrier was then used in PEC detection for trace ENR with a linear detection range of 10-5-102 ng·mL-1. Concurrently, the unadsorbed MB solution was used in CL detection for a high level of ENR with a linear detection range from 10-1 to 104 ng·mL-1. Finally, the method was successfully applied to detect ENR in aquatic products with higher sensitivity and a wider linear range than most reported detection methods, which is anticipated for use in food safety and environmental surveillance.

Natural anti-cancer products: insights from herbal medicine

Herbal medicine exhibits a broad spectrum of potent anti-cancer properties, including the enhancement of tumor immune responses, reversal of multidrug resistance, regulation of autophagy and ferroptosis, as well as anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-metastatic effects. This review systematically explores recent advances (primarily documented since 2019) in research on key anti-cancer compounds derived from herbal medicine, such as apigenin, artemisinin, berberine, curcumin, emodin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), ginsenosides, icariin, resveratrol, silibinin, triptolide, and ursolic acid (UA). These studies were sourced from scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and Clinical Trials. The review focuses on the significant role that these natural products play in modern oncology, exploring their efficacy, mechanisms of action, and the challenges and prospects of integrating them into conventional cancer therapies. Furthermore, it highlights cutting-edge approaches in cancer research, such as the utilization of gut microbiota, omics technologies, synthetic derivatives, and advanced drug delivery systems (DDS). This review underscores the potential of these natural products to advance the development of novel anti-cancer treatments and support contemporary medicine. Additionally, recent multi-omics findings reveal how these compounds reshape transcriptional and metabolic networks, further broadening their therapeutic scope. Many natural products exhibit synergy with first-line chemotherapies or targeted therapies, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing side effects. Advanced nano-formulations and antibody-drug conjugates have also substantially improved their bioavailability, making them promising candidates for future translational research.

Enhanced chemotherapy in thyroid carcinoma: A MnO2-silica nanoreactor activated by H2O2/GSH for hypoxia relief

Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent endocrine cancer that threats to the health of human being seriously, and characterized with resistance to various therapeutic modalities. The therapeutic efficacy of oxygen-dependent chemotherapy is hindered by hypoxia within tumor tissue heavily. Therefore, the supply of oxygen in situ is an effective strategy to improve the chemotherapeutic outcomes. The emergence of nanomedicine open an novel gate for tumor treatment, however, there is still lack of nanoplatforms for sufficient oxygen supply to improve the chemotherapeutic efficiency. In this study, MnO2 nanoenzyme was decorated onto glutathione (GSH)-sensitive mesoporous silica, and an intelligent nanoreactor was subsequently constructed by loading saikosaponin-d (SSD) into the mesopore channels and modified with folic acid. Upon targeted delivery to thyroid tumor cells, the Mn2+ hydrolyzed from nanoreactor facilitated the decomposition of endogenous H2O2 in the tumor, alleviating the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Simultaneously, the tetrasulfide bonds of silica were cleaved by cytoplasmic L-GSH, releasing the loaded cargoes. Consequently, a remarkably enhanced chemotherapeutic effect of SSD was achieved both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism underlying the tumor cell-killing effect was attributed to the generation of copious amounts of O2via disrupting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway via transcriptome sequencing. The outstanding biocompatibility of the H2O2/GSH dual-sensitive Mn-based nanoreactor offered an exceptional chemotherapeutic effect against malignant tumors.

Dual Z-scheme In2S3/Bi2S3/ZnS heterojunction with broad-spectrum response as a photoactive material for ultrasensitive detection of environmental Pollutant tetracycline

Herein, a novel dual Z-scheme heterojunction In2S3/Bi2S3/ZnS (IBZS) with core-shell structure was prepared to establish a photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of tetracycline (TC) referred to environmental pollution. Compared with the traditional single Z-scheme heterojunction with low PEC response, the dual Z-scheme heterojunction exhibited a strong PEC response due to its broad-spectrum response and highly efficient carrier migration. Furthermore, a redesigned target-triggered entropy-driven DNA reaction (TEDR) was implemented to mitigate spontaneous transient strand dissociation (breathing effect) in DNA duplexes, thereby effectively suppressing nonspecific background noise and enhancing the detection sensitivity of the biosensor. Hence, the PEC biosensor achieved an ultrasensitive detection of TC from 1.0 fM to 10 nM with a detection limit of 0.54 fM, which was far beyond the current TC detection methods. This strategy provided a new avenue for designing high-performance PEC photoactive materials, which was expected to be used to analyze antibiotics in environmental pollution monitoring and food quality control.

GUIDE: a prospective cohort study for blood-based early detection of gastrointestinal cancers using targeted DNA methylation and fragmentomics sequencing

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most prevalent and lethal malignancies worldwide. Early, non-invasive detection is essential for timely intervention and improved survival. To address this clinical need, we developed GutSeer, a blood-based assay combining DNA methylation and fragmentomics for multi-GI cancer detection.

METHODS

Genome-wide methylome profiling identified 1,656 markers specific to five major GI cancers and their tissue origins. Based on these findings, we designed GutSeer, a targeted bisulfite sequencing panel, which was trained and validated using plasma samples from 1,057 cancer patients and 1,415 non-cancer controls. The locked model was blindly tested in an independent cohort of 846 participants, encompassing both inpatient and outpatient settings across five hospitals.

RESULTS

In the validation cohort, GutSeer achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.950 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.937-0.962] for cancer detection, with 82.8% sensitivity (95% CI: 79.5-86.0) and 95.8% specificity (95% CI: 94.3-97.2). It detected 92.2% of colorectal, 75.5% of esophageal, 65.3% of gastric, 92.9% of liver, and 88.6% of pancreatic cancers. The independent test cohort included 198 early-stage cancers (stage I/II, 66.4%) and 63 advanced precancerous lesions. GutSeer maintained robust performance, with 81.5% sensitivity (95% CI: 77.1-85.9) for GI cancers and 94.4% specificity (95% CI: 92.4-96.5). It also demonstrated the ability to detect advanced precancerous lesions in the colorectum, esophagus, and stomach as a single, non-invasive blood test.

CONCLUSIONS

By integrating DNA methylation and fragmentomics into a compact panel, GutSeer outperformed genome-wide sequencing in both accuracy and clinical applicability. Its high sensitivity for early-stage GI cancers and practicality as a non-invasive assay highlights its potential to revolutionize early cancer detection and improve patient outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05431621.

A two-step machine learning approach for predictive maintenance and anomaly detection in environmental sensor systems

Environmental sensor systems are essential for monitoring infrastructure and environmental quality but are prone to unreliability caused by sensor faults and environmental anomalies. Using Environmental Sensor Telemetry Data, this study introduces a novel methodology that combines unsupervised and supervised machine learning approaches to detect anomalies and predict sensor failures. The dataset consisted of sensor readings such as temperature, humidity, CO, LPG, and smoke, with no class labels available. This research is novel in seamlessly blending unsupervised anomaly detection using Isolation Forest to create labels for data points that were previously unlabeled. Finally, these generated labels were used to train the supervised learning models such as Random Forest, Neural Network (MLP Classifier), and AdaBoost to predict anomalies in new sensor data as soon as it gets recorded. The models confirmed the proposed framework's accuracy, whereas Random Forest 99.93 %, Neural Network 99.05 %, and AdaBoost 98.04 % validated the effectiveness of the suggested framework. Such an approach addresses a critical gap, transforming raw, unlabeled IoT sensor data into actionable insights for predictive maintenance. This methodology provides a scalable and robust real-time anomaly detection and sensor fault prediction methodology that greatly enhances the reliability of the environmental monitoring systems and advances the intelligent infrastructure management.•Combines Isolation Forest for anomaly labeling and supervised models for anomaly prediction.•Scalable and adaptable for diverse IoT applications for environmental monitoring.•Provides actionable insights through anomaly visualization, revealing patterns in sensor performance.

Advanced cortisol detection: A cMWCNTs-enhanced MB@Zr-MOF ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor

A ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor was developed for ultra-sensitive detection of cortisol using aptamer (Apt) as recognition element, methylene blue (MB) as signal probe, and zirconium metal-organic framework (Zr-MOF) as carrier loaded with abundant MB for signal amplification. The carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs)-modified Au electrode showed excellent electrochemical performance to immobilize complementary DNA (cDNA) for hybridizing with MB@Zr-MOF-Apt via amide bonds. In the presence of cortisol, it would compete with cDNA for binding the Apt, resulting in the detachment of MB@Zr-MOF-Apt complex from the electrode surface, and the electrochemical signal of MB was decreased, while that of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- was basically unchanged. The ratio of the electrochemical signals of [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- to MB was proportional to the cortisol concentration. Due to the greatly enhanced conductivity of the cMWCNTs-decorated Au electrode and the largely improved EC signals of Zr-MOF encapsulated MB probes, this ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor offered high sensitivity with an ultra-low detection limit of 0.0046 nM and a wide linearity of 0.01-1000 nM, as well as satisfactory accuracy with recoveries of 93.79-106.76 % in artificial sweat samples, providing a potential strategy for the detection of more trace hormones in different clinical samples by simply replacing the corresponding aptamers.

CORO1C Regulates the Malignant Biological Behavior of Ovarian Cancer Cells and Modulates the mRNA Expression Profile through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a frequently occurring gynecological tumor, and its global incidence has recently increased. Coronin-like actin-binding protein 1C (CORO1C) is known to activate the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) pathway and promote tumor progression. However, its role in OC remains unclear. This study investigated the role of CORO1C in OC malignancy. In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to examine AKT and CORO1C mRNA expression in clinical OC tissues and cells. Immunohistochemical analysis and western blotting were used to examine protein expression in OC tissues and cells, respectively. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), scratch wound-healing, and Transwell assays were performed to examine cell proliferation and migration. RNA-Seq was used to validate the relationship between AKT and CORO1C expression. The results showed that CORO1C was highly expressed in clinical OC tissues and SKOV3 cells, correlating with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage. Furthermore, CORO1C knockout inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SKOV3 cells; altered the gene expression patterns in these cells; and was closely associated with the PI3K/AKT pathway. Western blotting confirmed that CORO1C knockout reduced the levels of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT. Additionally, CORO1C knockout increased phosphatase and tensin homologs deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) protein expression, whereas CORO1C overexpression decreased it. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that high CORO1C levels in OC are associated with greater metastasis and worse prognosis. CORO1C negatively regulates PTEN expression, activates the PI3K/AKT pathway, and promotes OC cell malignancy In patients with OC, CORO1C may function as an effective therapeutic and predictive biomarker.

Highly efficient NIR-II photothermal therapy amplified ROS oxide breast tumor therapy by mesoporous gallium-enriched platinum nanomedicine

Rational design and exploitation of nanomaterials with superior treatment properties for suitable indications is a way out to relieve cost constraint of therapy and solve the unsatisfactory efficacy for cancer patients. In this work, in order solve the current bottleneck problems of photothermal therapy (PTT) with longer light excitation as well as synergistic eactive oxygen species (ROS) storm mediating via mental element catalyst without toxic side effects. We have proposed a one-step method to produce mesoporous PtGa bimetallic composition with surface modification of PEG2000 (PtGaP) for the first time. Specifically, it can effectively concentrate at tumor tissues via the mesoporous nanostructure. Owing to the strong absorption in NIR-II region (1000-1700 nm) from Pt and Fenton-like catalyst of Ga, the ROS storm is efficaciously mediated. Remarkably, under safer NIR-II (1064 nm) laser irradiation, both in vitro and in vivo studies confirm that our bimetallic mesoporous nanomedicine effectively prevents tumor growth through synergistic PTT and oxidative therapy (OXT). Given its high bio-safety performance, we can conclude that the PtGaP has strong biocompatibility and holds great prospect in clinic translation.

Polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine and their nano-formulated delivery systems for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has evolved into a new generation strategy in the field of anti-tumor treatment. Polysaccharides derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are gaining recognition as powerful immunomodulators in cancer therapy, noted for their multi-target and multi-pathway actions. Owing to their beneficial properties such as water solubility, biocompatibility, and chemical structure modifiability, TCM polysaccharides can also serve as carriers for hydrophobic drugs in the development of innovative drug delivery systems, enhancing synergistic antitumor effects. In this article, we summarize the diverse mechanisms of immunoregulation by TCM polysaccharides in tumor therapy. The applications of these polysaccharides as both active ingredients and drug carriers within nanodelivery systems for cancer immunotherapy are also introduced. Additionally, extensive research on TCM polysaccharides in clinical settings has been collected. Furthermore, discussions are presented on the development prospects and challenges faced by these polysaccharides in the field of tumor immunotherapy. Our goal is to improve researchers' comprehension of TCM polysaccharides in cancer immunotherapy, providing promising strategies to optimize cancer treatment and benefit diverse patient populations.

Hypoxia-responsive theranostic nanoplatform with intensified chemo-photothermal/photodynamic ternary therapy and fluorescence tracing in colorectal cancer ablation

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is an emerging cancer therapeutic modality displaying the great potential to clinical patients. However, the conventional PTT is suffering from restrictions of heat resistance of tumor cells (e.g. the overexpression of heat shock proteins, HSPs) and adverse effects to normal cells. To break the shackles, herein, a hypoxia-responsive theranostic nanoplatform (GA/BN LIP) was designed for achieving synergistic chemotherapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT) through overcoming heat-shock response, while enabling fluorescence tracing. The GA/BN LIP consisted of a hypoxia-responsive liposomal material (DSPE-AZO-PEG) as the shell, surface-functionalized with cRGD peptides targeted binding to integrin αVβ3 receptor expressed in tumors. The GA/BN LIP co-delivered gambogic acid (GA) as HSP90 inhibitor and hypoxia-responsive photosensitizer Bcy-NO2. After GA/BN LIP entering tumor cells by integrin αVβ3 receptor-mediated endocytosis, drugs were specifically released in response to hypoxic conditions due to lysis of liposomes. GA not only directly killed tumor cells to realize chemotherapy, but also sensitized tumor cells to PTT by downregulating HSP90 protein expression, meantime Bcy-NO2 targeted mitochondria for combined PTT and PDT. Intriguingly, the reduction of Bcy-NO2 by nitroreductase (NTR) resulted in the restoration of fluorescence, achieving real-time monitoring of the theranostic process in live cells. In conclusion, this theranostic system, designed to target the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, utilized a sensitization mechanism to enhance the synergistic effects of chemo/PTT/PDT therapy, resulting in improved antitumor efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo studies.

Strategies for neoantigen screening and immunogenicity validation in cancer immunotherapy (Review)

Cancer immunotherapy stimulates and enhances antitumor immune responses to eliminate cancer cells. Neoantigens, which originate from specific mutations within tumor cells, are key targets in cancer immunotherapy. Neoantigens manifest as abnormal peptide fragments or protein segments that are uniquely expressed in tumor cells, making them highly immunogenic. As a result, they activate the immune system, particularly T cell‑mediated immune responses, effectively identifying and eliminating tumor cells. Certain tumor‑associated antigens that are abnormally expressed in normal host proteins in cancer cells are promising targets for immunotherapy. Neoantigens derived from mutated proteins in cancer cells offer true cancer specificity and are often highly immunogenic. Furthermore, most neoantigens are unique to each patient, highlighting the need for personalized treatment strategies. The precise identification and screening of neoantigens are key for improving treatment efficacy and developing individualized therapeutic plans. The neoantigen prediction process involves somatic mutation identification, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, peptide processing and peptide‑HLA binding prediction. The present review summarizes the major current methods used for neoantigen screening, available computational tools and the advantages and limitations of various techniques. Additionally, the present review aimed to summarize experimental strategies for validating the immunogenicity of the predicted neoantigens, which will determine whether these neoantigens can effectively trigger immune responses, as well as challenges encountered during neoantigen screening, providing relevant recommendations for the optimization of neoantigen‑based immunotherapy.

Comparative analysis of hepatectomy for HCC with PVTT: Insights from a 30-year single-center experience: Hepatectomy for HCC with PVTT

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is frequent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although hepatectomy is the primary treatment for HCC, no consensus exists on its role in PVTT between Eastern and Western clinicians. This study aims to assess the efficacy of hepatectomy in HCC patients with PVTT by analyzing perioperative outcomes and prognosis.

METHODS

This retrospective, single-center study reviewed HCC patient data from Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong (1989-2020). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to match patients with and without PVTT undergoing hepatectomy, comparing perioperative and survival outcomes between groups.

RESULTS

Among 3981 HCC patients, 1842 had PVTT and were not operated (not-operated group), while 2139 underwent hepatectomy. Of the operated patients, 156 had PVTT (PVTT group) and 1983 did not (no-PVTT group). Median overall survival (mOS) in the not-operated group was 2.7 months, compared to 13.0 months in the PVTT group. After 1:3 PSM, the no-PVTT group (n = 468) had longer mOS (47.0 vs. 13.0 months, p < 0.001) and disease-free survival (10.6 vs. 4.2 months, p < 0.001). The PVTT group had longer operative times (449 vs. 390 min, p < 0.001), higher complication rates (37.8 % vs. 28.2 %, p = 0.024), and closer surgical margins (0.6 vs. 1.0 cm, p = 0.036), but similar hospital mortality (p = 0.898). mOS for low-AFP (<17400 ng/ml) and high-AFP (≥17400 ng/ml) patients was 16.2 vs. 8.2 months, respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Aggressive treatment of PVTT is necessary. For certain PVTT patients, hepatectomy may be potentially effective, with acceptable perioperative safety and seemingly no technical barriers.

Tunable ion-release biodegradable nanoparticles enhanced pyroptosis for tumor immunotherapy

Pyroptosis is an effective strategy for inducing inflammatory responses in 'cold' tumors, boosting the efficacy of immunotherapy. Although biodegradable inorganic nanoparticles (BINPs) show great potential in pyroptosis by releasing ions to break intracellular homeostasis, the limited intracellular ion release efficiency restricts pyroptosis level and subsequent immune activation. Herein, by heterovalent substitution strategy, a series of Na3ZrF7:x%Yb3+ (NZF:x%Yb, x = 0, 9, and 18) BINPs with tunable intracellular ion release efficiency are synthesized for enhanced pyroptosis and tumor immunotherapy. Specifically, the size of NZF:x%Yb3+ gradually decrease with increasing Yb3+ -doped and smaller NZF:x%Yb presents a higher degradation rate and cellular uptake ability, enabling improved intracellular ion release efficiency. This leads to drastic intracellular homeostasis stress and abundant ROS generation, thereby provoking enhanced caspase-1-related pyroptosis. Antitumor experiments in triple-negative breast cancer model confirm that the ultra-small NZF:x%Yb (NZF:18%Yb) with the highest intracellular ion release efficiency shown the most effective antitumor ability, and significant inhibition of distal tumor. This study reveals precise control over the size of NZF:x%Yb is especially vital to achieving pyroptosis-induced immunotherapy, which offers a new perspective for the design of BINPs.

Multiplex analysis of ovarian cancer patients using glycan microarray

Investigation of tumor-associated glycan antigens (TAGs) could be helpful for the development of sensitive cancer diagnostics and novel therapies. Glycan microarrays are effective methods for analyzing glycans and anti-glycan antibodies, which are immobilized arrays of oligo- or poly-saccharides on different substrates, making them a promising class of oncological biomarkers. Blood serum samples from patients (n = 203) with ovarian cancer (OvaCan) and healthy volunteers were analyzed using a glycan microarray containing 63 immobilized glycans to determine changes in anti-glycan IgG and IgM antibody profiles in OvaCan. Levels of anti-glycan IgG and IgM antibodies in OvaCan statistically differed from levels in healthy donors: the most prominent statistically significant difference for anti-glycan IgG antibodies was found for 6-O-su-Lec (AUC = 0.657, Se = 48.0 %, and Sp = 73.3 %). The AUC values for certain glycans investigated in diagnosing OvaCan indicated a fingerprint consisting of IgM antibodies to specific glycans, and the most specific anti-glycan IgM antibodies were Ley (AUC = 0.625, Se = 98.0 % and Sp = 45.0 %). The potential of these serological biomarkers to distinguish between OvaCan and other malignancies is still an unresolved issue that requires more large-scale studies to confirm and validate the use of these biomarkers in the diagnosis of different types of cancer.

The advancement of biosensor design and construction utilizing biomolecular motors

Biomolecular motors have been extensively studied as efficient molecular machines in detection systems owing to their unique signal conversion mechanisms and high energy conversion efficiencies. The application of these motors in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms is particularly promising. Through reasonable design and optimization, biomolecular motors can enable precise and efficient detection, enhancing clinical diagnostics. This paper reviews recent advances in detection systems utilizing various biomolecular motors, including kinesin, dynein, myosin, DNA polymerase, FoF1-ATPase, and flagellar motors. Detection mechanisms involving these motors are also introduced. Furthermore, the review covers recent progress in detecting antigens, antibodies, bacteria, and small molecules using biomolecular motors. Finally, the challenges and future prospects of biomolecular motor-based detection systems for pathogenic microorganisms are discussed, highlighting their potential as rapid and efficient tools for applications in food safety and medicine.

Smartphone-enabled medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring for rural Africa

Africa has made significant progress in healthcare metrics over the past two decades. However, providing access and quality of healthcare to people living in rural regions remains a challenge. In this respect, so-called mobile health (mHealth) and smartphone-enabled diagnostics methods could be of great use in providing services, both necessary and novel, to rural populations. This review provides a basic background for understanding various concepts behind smartphone-enabled methods and summarizes existing examples in the fields of medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. The aim is to engage young African students to contribute to the field but also to provide decision makers with ideas on low-cost solutions for rural healthcare.

Study of immunosenescence in the occurrence and immunotherapy of gastrointestinal malignancies

In human beings heterogenous, pervasive and lethal malignancies of different parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract viz., tumours of the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum, represent gastrointestinal malignancies. Primary treatment modality for gastric cancer includes chemotherapy, surgical interventions, radiotherapy, monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors of angiogenesis. However, there is a need to improve upon the existing treatment modality due to associated adverse events and the development of resistance towards treatment. Additionally, age has been found to contribute to increasing the incidence of tumours due to immunosenescence-associated immunosuppression. Immunosenescence is the natural process of ageing, wherein immune cells as well as organs begin to deteriorate resulting in a dysfunctional or malfunctioning immune system. Accretion of senescent cells in immunosenescence results in the creation of a persistent inflammatory environment or inflammaging, marked with elevated expression of pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokines and chemokines. Perturbation in the T-cell pools and persistent stimulation by the antigens facilitate premature senility of the immune cells, and senile immune cells exacerbate inflammaging conditions and the inefficiency of the immune system to identify the tumour antigen. Collectively, these conditions contribute positively towards tumour generation, growth and eventually proliferation. Thus, activating the immune cells to distinguish the tumour cells from normal cells and invade them seems to be a logical strategy for the treatment of cancer. Consequently, various approaches to immunotherapy, viz., programmed death ligand-1 (PD-1) inhibitors, Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors etc are being extensively evaluated for their efficiency in gastric cancer. In fact, PD-1 inhibitors have been sanctioned as late late-line therapy modality for gastric cancer. The present review will focus on deciphering the link between the immune system and gastric cancer, and the alterations in the immune system that incur during the development of gastrointestinal malignancies. Also, the mechanism of evasion by tumour cells and immune checkpoints involved along with different approaches of immunotherapy being evaluated in different clinical trials will be discussed.

Recent advances in stimuli-responsive hyaluronic acid-based nanodelivery systems for cancer treatment: A review

Cancer is a worldwide public health problem that poses a serious threat to human health. Drug therapy, as the mainstay of cancer treatment, relies on carriers for the in vivo delivery of chemotherapeutic or nucleic acid-based drugs. Traditional drug delivery carriers have shortcomings, however, including a lack of targeting, uncontrollable release of drugs, and low stability, potentially leading to toxic side effects and reducing their antitumor efficacy. Advances in nanotechnology and biomedicine have furthered the development of stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems, which can be used to realize the accumulation and on-demand release of drugs and reduce the required drug dosage and toxicity. Hyaluronic acid (HA), as a natural anionic polysaccharide with excellent biocompatibility, an easily modified structure, and the ability to target cancer cells, is a US Food and Drug Administration-approved biomaterial that is ideal for the construction of stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems. Herein, we review HA-based stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems including various HA-modified structures. We summarize the feasibility and effectiveness of these systems in cancer therapy according to their roles as endogenous- (pH, redox, enzyme, and hypoxia) or exogenous- (light, temperature, ultrasound, and magnetism) stimuli-responsive systems. We also discuss the problems and challenges in the development of HA-based stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems and the perspectives for future development. This review highlights the great potential of HA-based stimuli-responsive nanodelivery systems for use in precision cancer treatment and controlled drug release.

Multifunctional dopamine-modified conjugated polymer nanoparticles for ultrasensitive immunoassays

The development of simple and ultrasensitive immunoassays is critical for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The efficient integration of amplification strategies with highly sensitive detection probes plays a key role in boosting the ultrasensitive immunoassays. In this paper, we report a multifunctional and integrated dopamine-modified conjugated polymer nanoparticle (DA-CPN) probe prepared by a one-step nanoprecipitation method for ultrasensitive immunoassay. The multifunctional DA-CPNs fully integrate the unique properties of dopamine and fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles, while possessing three key capabilities. 1, DA-CPNs can be rapidly deposited onto adjacent proteins catalysed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labelled in the detection antibody in a sandwich immunoassay. 2, DA-CPNs undergo self-polymerization simultaneously, resulting in the assembly of large numbers of CPNs and thereby amplifying the detection signal. 3, CPNs possess excellent fluorescence brightness and strong photobleaching resistance, further enhancing the sensitivity of fluorescence immunoassays while simplifying the experimental procedure. Using carcinoma embryonic antigen (CEA) as a model, the proposed method demonstrated a wide linear range spanning five orders of magnitude and an exceptional sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.39 fg/mL. Therefore, this study based on DA-CPNs provides a versatile and highly promising platform for the ultrasensitive immunoassays and in vitro diagnosis of diseases.

Leveraging the Immunological Impacts of Irreversible Electroporation as a New Frontier for Cancer Therapy

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a nonthermally mediated tissue ablation modality that makes use of short pulsed electric fields to destroy cancerous lesions in situ. In the past two decades, IRE has established itself not only as an effective means to ablate small, unresectable tumor masses but also as a tool particularly qualified to modulate the tumor microenvironment in a way that dismantles pathways of cancer immunosuppression and permits the development of a systemic antitumor immune response. However, despite its immune-stimulating tendencies, for most cancers conventional IRE alone is insufficient to establish an immune response robust enough to fully eliminate disseminated disease and prevent recurrence. Here, we describe the current understanding of the histological and immunological effects of IRE, as well as recent efforts to optimize IRE parameters and develop rational combination therapies to increase the efficacy of the resulting immune response.

Bimetallic lanthanide metal-organic framework supported ratiometric molecularly imprinted fluorescence sensor: An innovation for selective and visual detection of dimethyl phthalate

Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is a prototypical member of the phthalic acid ester class of plasticizers that may remain in food, posing a considerable risk to both food safety and human health. An innovative ratiometric fluorescence sensor (MIPs@BL-MOF) was constructed by incorporating bimetallic lanthanide terbium/europium metal-organic framework (BL-MOF) into molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the rapid selective and visual detection of DMP. In this work, BL-MOF prepared by the 'post-mixing' strategy was intelligently incorporated in the MIPs layer, giving the sensor the ability of rapid mass transfer, efficient binding, excellent anti-interference, and high selectivity. Based on the photoelectron transfer mechanism, high-affinity detection of DMP was realized by MIPs@BL-MOF with a good linear fitting (R2 = 0.9944) and theoretical detection limit of 3.29 nmol L-1 in the range of 1.0 × 10-8-1.0 × 10-3 mol L-1. More importantly, a portable visual sensing platform integrated by the MIPs@BL-MOF sensor and smartphone was successfully applied to DMP detection. Accordingly, the MIPs@BL-MOF-based ratiometric fluorescence sensing platform with desirable specificity, sensitivity, and portability holds great potential for the rapid and visual detection of plasticizers for ensuring environmental and food safety.

Disparity landscapes of viral-induced structural variations in HCC: Mechanistic characterization and functional implications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

HCC is the most common type of primary liver cancer and is a common malignancy worldwide. About half of all new liver cancers worldwide each year occur in China, including Hong Kong, due to a high prevalence of HBV infection. HBV DNA integrates into the human genome, disrupting the endogenous tumor suppressors/regulatory genes or enhancing the activity of proto-oncogenes. It would be useful to examine the different NGS-based databases to provide a more unbiased and comprehensive survey of HBV integration.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

We aimed to take advantage of publicly available data sets of different regional cohorts to determine the disparity landscapes of integration events among sample cohorts, tissue types, chromosomal positions, individual host, and viral genes, as well as genic locations. By comparing HCC tumors with non tumorous livers, the landscape of HBV integration was delineated in gene-independent and gene-dependent manners. Moreover, we performed mechanistic investigations on how HBV-TERT integration led to TERT activation and derived a score to predict patients' prognostication according to their clonal disparity landscape of HBV integration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study uncovered the different levels of clonal enrichment of HBV integration and identified mechanistic insights and prognostic biomarkers. This strengthens our understanding of HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis.

Exploration of the optimal retention method in vivo for stem cell therapy: Low-intensity ultrasound preconditioning

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are pluripotent and self-renewing, exerting a crucial role in the domain of regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, BMSCs encounter challenges such as low cell viability and inadequate homing during transplantation, thereby restricting their therapeutic efficacy. Hence, current research is concentrated on identifying optimal retention approaches following BMSCs transplantation to enhance its effectiveness. Low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) has been verified as an efficacious method to enhance the performance of BMSCs. We established a skin trauma model and assessed the therapeutic effect of LIUS-preconditioned BMSCs. The results demonstrated that pretreatment with LIUS could expedite wound healing and effectively diminish scar formation post-transplantation by promoting proliferation capacity, reinforcing anti-apoptotic attributes, improving homing ability, and significantly enhancing the transplantation effect of BMSCs. These discoveries imply that LIUS might constitute a promising strategy for attaining optimal retention after stem cell transplantation in regenerative medicine and wound repair therapy.

Computational studies for the development of extracellular vesicle-based biosensors

Cancer affects millions of people, and early detection and efficient treatment are two strong levers to hurdle this disease. Recent studies on exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, have deliberately shown the potential to function as a biomarker or treatment tool, thereby attracting the attention of researchers who work on developing biosensors. Due to the ability of computational methods to predict of the behavior of biomolecules, the combination of experimental and computational methods would enhance the analytical performance of the biosensor, including sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity, even detecting such vesicles from bodily fluids. In this regard, the role of computational methods such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and density functional theory is overviewed in the development of biosensors. This review highlights the investigations and studies that have been reported using these methods to design exosome-based biosensors. This review concludes with the role of the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method in the investigation of chemical processes of biomolecular systems and the deficiencies in using this approach to develop exosome-based biosensors. In addition, the artificial intelligence theory is explained briefly to show its importance in the study of these biosensors.

Investigation into recent advanced strategies of reactive oxygen species-mediated therapy based on Prussian blue: Conceptualization and prospect

Prussian blue (PB) has garnered considerable scholarly interest in the field of biomedical research owing to its notably high biocompatibility, formidable multi-enzyme mimetic capabilities, and established clinical safety profile. These properties in combination with its reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity have facilitated significant progress in disease diagnosis and therapy for various ROS-mediated pathologies, where overproduced ROS exacerbates disease symptoms. Additionally, the underlying ROS-associated mechanisms are disease-specific. Hence, we systematically examined the role of ROS and its basic underlying mechanisms in representative disease categories and comprehensively reviewed the effect of PB-based materials in effectively alleviating pathological states. Furthermore, we present a thorough synthesis of disease-specific design methodologies and prospective directions for PB as a potent ROS-scavenging biotherapeutic material with emphasis on its applications in neurological, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and other pathological states. Through this review, we aim to accelerate the progress of research on disease treatment using PB-based integrated therapeutic system.

Targeting drug cocktail hydrogel platform for inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis

The combination therapy could overcome the limitation of monotherapy to inhibit tumor recurrence and metastasis, but is usually constrained by complex fabrication processes. Here, a tunable hydrogel platform was developed using different silk nanocarriers, which independently achieve flexible functional optimization of various drugs. Silk nanorods (SNR) were modified with cRGDfK peptides to achieve targeting ability to tumor vessels and then loaded with hydrophobic vascular inhibitor Combretastatin A4 (CA4). The loading of CA4 and the targeted modification could be tuned to enhance the destruction of tumor vessels. Both hydrophilic doxorubicin (DOX) and hydrophobic paclitaxel (PTX) were co-loaded on silk nanofibers (SNF) to form injectable hydrogels with optimized combination chemotherapy. The drug-laden SNR and SNF were blended directly to form injectable hydrogels without the compromise of drug biological activity. Both the targeting modification of SNR and the optimized co-delivery of DOX and PTX improved the therapeutic efficiency in vitro and in vivo. The long-term inhibition of tumor recurrence and metastasis was achieved through the injectable silk nanocarriers, which are superior to previous combination chemotherapy systems of DOX and PTX. The gradual modular fabrication process and simple physical blending endowed the systems with high flexibility and tunability, suggesting a suitable platform for designing a drug cocktail system.

Acute Leukemia Diagnosis Through AI-Enhanced Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy of Peripheral Blood Smears

Acute leukemia, a highly perilous cancer, is diagnosed using invasive procedures like bone marrow aspirate and biopsy (BMA/BMB). This study investigated the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a non-invasive, reagent-free diagnostic alternative with high sensitivity and specificity. The spectral peak patterns of peripheral blood smears (PBS) from clinically healthy individuals (n = 50) BMA/BMB-confirmed acute leukemia patients (n = 50) were examined in the 1800-850 cm-1 range. Six trained models were used to assess the diagnostic performance, focusing on accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), F1 score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The study shows significantly lower absorbance peaks in leukemia cases compared to healthy controls across various spectral regions: 1637.82, 1528.63, 1448.29, and 1388.54 cm-1, 1302.02, and 1240.21 cm-1, and 1163.99 cm-1. These differences indicate decreased concentrations or distinct molecular configurations of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates in cases. Conversely, they exhibited elevated absorbance peaks at 1032.14 and 894.11 cm-1 regions, suggesting potential disparities in amino acid, DNA, fatty acid, and saccharide residues compared to healthy controls. Of the six trained models, the SVM model demonstrated remarkable diagnostic performance, achieving an accuracy of 83%, a PPV of 80%, an NPV of 86%, an F1 score of 82.47%, and an AUC of 90.76%. This study demonstrates the potential of AI-enhanced FT-IR spectroscopy as a valuable adjunct diagnostic tool for acute leukemia. By offering a less invasive and faster alternative to BMA/BMB, this approach can potentially enhance leukemia diagnosis and improve patient outcomes, particularly in pediatric and geriatric cases.

The epigenetic basis of hepatocellular carcinoma - mechanisms and potential directions for biomarkers and therapeutics

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth leading cancer worldwide and has complex pathogenesis due to its heterogeneity, along with poor prognoses. Diagnosis is often late as current screening methods have limited sensitivity for early HCC. Moreover, current treatment regimens for intermediate-to-advanced HCC have high resistance rates, no robust predictive biomarkers, and limited survival benefits. A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of HCC may enhance tumor characterization and targeting of key carcinogenic signatures. The epigenetic landscape of HCC includes complex hallmarks of 1) global DNA hypomethylation of oncogenes and hypermethylation of tumor suppressors; 2) histone modifications, altering chromatin accessibility to upregulate oncogene expression, and/or suppress tumor suppressor gene expression; 3) genome-wide rearrangement of chromatin loops facilitating distal enhancer-promoter oncogenic interactions; and 4) RNA regulation via translational repression by microRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA modifications. Additionally, it is useful to consider etiology-specific epigenetic aberrancies, especially in viral hepatitis and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which are the main risk factors of HCC. This article comprehensively explores the epigenetic signatures in HCC, highlighting their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Additionally, we examine how etiology-specific epigenetic patterns and the integration of epigenetic therapies with immunotherapy could advance personalized HCC treatment strategies.

Photothermal composites for in-situ trace oil detection on ultra-clean surfaces

Oil is widely used as a lubricant in many industries. However, in the final product, oil is often considered a contaminant. In various production processes, such as semiconductor manufacturing, precision machining, and optical device fabrication, ultra-clean surfaces are crucial. Oil residues on these surfaces can adversely affect product performance and quality. Detecting and controlling oil residues enables enhancing product reliability and consistency. Previous lipid detection studies necessitate complex pre-processing, large instruments, or specialized manipulation and data reading capabilities. Existing methods for trace oil detection still cannot achieve on-site real-time monitoring. This study presents a photothermal conversion-based platform for trace oil adsorption and detection. Using polyester fiber membranes as the substrate, a composite material of chitosan and MXene was modified to remove trace oil on ultra-clean surfaces. Due to their inherent thermal conductivity and ability to trap heat inside, the oil molecules intensify the material's temperature rise under near-infrared excitation at 808 nm. By connecting a thermal imaging module to a smartphone, real-time detection of trace oil can be achieved.

Application of multi-variable calibration model of electrochemical sensor in high-accuracy long-term monitoring of cadmium ions

BACKGROUND

As the issue of heavy metal pollution has become increasingly prominent, the electrochemical detection of trace heavy metal ions in the marine environment has emerged as a significant and commonly utilized method. The detection of heavy metal ions has been a gradual replacement of traditional methods with electrochemical detection. However, the temperature and pH of seawater vary with time and location, leading to biases in the detection results of conventional ion-selective membrane sensors that only focus on the relationship between concentration and voltage.

RESULTS

This paper treats an experimental and modeling study to predict the electrochemical performance of ion-selective membrane sensors under varying temperatures and pH. By investigating the relationship between the working electrode response potential, pH, temperature, and cadmium ion concentration, a multivariate self-calibration model including pH, T, and the logarithm of cadmium ion concentration as independent variables was constructed. The determination coefficient R2 of the model was 0.9997, indicating a good fit. Automatic correction of electrochemical sensor minimizes the impact of temperature and pH, ensuring accurate readings of cadmium ion concentration during long-term monitoring. In addition, the recovery rates of Cd(II) concentration measurements were 113 % (coexisting with Na(I)) and 121 % (coexisting with Cu(II)), indicating good resistance to interference. Accuracy tests showed recovery rates ranging from 98 % to 121 %, demonstrating the good accuracy.

SIGNIFICANCE

Therefore, the ion-selective membrane sensors can reduce the interference of temperature and pH on the measurement of heavy metal ion concentrations through the multivariate self-calibration model. This study provides a reliable detection method for addressing the issue of heavy metal pollution in water bodies and has a broad application prospect.

Targeting lipid metabolism via nanomedicine: A prospective strategy for cancer therapy

Lipid metabolism has been increasingly recognized to play an influencing role in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic drug resistance. Targeting lipid metabolic reprogramming represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Despite their structural complexity and poor targeting efficacy, lipid-metabolizing drugs, either used alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents, have been employed in clinical practice. The advent of nanotechnology offers new approaches to enhancing therapeutic effects, includingthe targeted delivery and integration of lipid metabolic reprogramming with chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and immunotherapy. The integrated nanoformulation, nanomedicine, could significantly advance the field of lipid metabolism therapy. In this review, we will briefly introduce the concept of cancer lipid metabolism reprogramming, then elaborate the latest advances in engineered nanomedicine for targeting lipid metabolism during cancer treatment, and finally provide our insights into future perspectives of nanomedicine for interference with lipid metabolism in the tumor microenvironment.

Electrochemical biosensor based on composite of gold nanoparticle/reduced-graphene oxide/graphitic carbon nitride and a caprolactone polymer for highly sensitive detection of CEA

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a broad-spectrum biomarker, and its accurate detection and analysis is important for early clinical diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to develop a highly sensitive and selective sandwich-type immunosensor based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for the accurate detection of CEA. A novel composite material, gold nanoparticle/reduced-graphene oxide/graphitic carbon nitride (AuNPs/rGO/g-C3N4), was synthesized with excellent electrical conductivity and a large specific surface area to immobilize biological probes. And ab1-CEA-ab2 formed a sandwich structure of 'antibody-antigen-antibody', which ensured the high selectivity of the biosensor. Furthermore, the introduction of caprolactone polymer (DMPA-PCL) significantly amplifies the impedance signal and improves the sensitivity of the analytical method. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry were used to characterise the prepared AuNPs/rGO/g-C3N4 and DMPA-PCL. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor showed good analytical performance for the detection of CEA with a linear range of 100 fg mL-1-100 ng mL-1 and a detection limit of 83.2 fg mL-1. And the sandwich-type immunosensor showed good selectivity and stability for the recognition of CEA in real samples.

A novel method to determine background concentrations and spatial distributions of heavy metals in soil at large scale using machine learning coupled with remote sensing-terrain attributes

Soil heavy metals are among the most hazardous materials in the environment. Their harmful effects can extend to surrounding systems (air, plants, water), and given the appropriate conditions may ultimately have negative effects on human health. Thus, preventing pollution and protecting pristine soils and preindustrial areas from human activities that lead to the concentration of heavy metals (HMs) is a priority. Here, a novel methodology was proposed to establish background concentrations of eight soil HMs, cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), and digitally map their spatial distributions in an area (i.e., harrats region) that has not yet been impacted by industrial activity. The proposed methodology combined measurements of the target HMs and fifty-two environmental covariates (ECOVs) derived from 2017 to 2021 Landsat 8/9 OLI and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)-derived terrain attributes. Random forest and stepwise multiple linear regression models were further used to digitally map the studied HMs. The methodology is important for any future environmental pollution/monitoring studies in the area and can be applied in other similar environments. Machine learning algorithms show great ability to use available environmental variables and investigate the relationships between the factors influencing HMs accumulation under a given soil environment. The proposed methodology was effective for describing HMs spatial variability in the environments investigated. •The proposed method is a novel way to predict soil HMs and their spatial distribution over large areas.•Remote sensing/digital elevation models (DEMs)-derived ECOVs are useful for predicting and digitally mapping soil HMs, thus important for future environmental monitoring studies.•Explainable algorithms (i.e., RF and SMLR) are able to utilize ECOVs for HMs prediction and to establish background concentrations over large areas.Therefore, the combination of machine learning and RS/DEMs-based ECOVs is crucial to overcome the disadvantages of HMs determination via conventional methods.

Advancing Protein-Coding RNA Engineering: From Structural Refinement to Biomedical Implementation

Messenger RNA (mRNA), emerging as a revolutionary therapeutic tool, has shown remarkable potential in diverse fields such as vaccine development, tumor immunotherapy, gene therapy, and protein replacement therapy, attributed to its high programmability and safety. However, traditional engineered mRNA therapeutics encounter obstacles like short half-lives and limited protein expression, which impede their extensive application in the biomedical domain. In recent years, with the progress of RNA modification technologies and the advent of novel RNA techniques, including mRNA, self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and branched RNA (brRNA), researchers have achieved substantial breakthroughs in enhancing RNA stability, prolonging protein expression, and reducing immunogenicity. This article comprehensively reviews the structure, function, optimization strategies, and biomedical applications of these protein-coding RNAs.

Unveiling the dynamic drivers: phase separation's pivotal role in stem cell biology and therapeutic potential

Phase separation is fundamental for cellular organization and function, profoundly impacting a range of biological processes from gene expression to cellular signaling pathways, pivotal in stem cell biology. This review explores the primary types of phase separation and their mechanisms, emphasizing how phase separation is integral to maintaining cellular integrity and its significant implications for disease progression. It elaborates on current insights into how phase separation influences stem cell biology, discussing the challenges in translating these insights into practical applications. These challenges stem from the complex dynamics of phase separation, the need for advanced imaging techniques, and the necessity for real-time, in situ analysis within living systems. Addressing these challenges through innovative methodologies and gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular interactions that govern phase separation in stem cells are essential for developing precise, targeted therapies. Ultimately, advancing our understanding of phase separation could transform stem cell-based therapeutic approaches, opening up novel strategies for disease treatment and advancements in regenerative medicine.

Cuproptosis: mechanisms and nanotherapeutic strategies in cancer and beyond

Cuproptosis, a novel form of copper (Cu)-dependent programmed cell death, is induced by directly binding Cu species to lipoylated components of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Since its discovery in 2022, cuproptosis has been closely linked to the field of materials science, offering a biological basis and bright prospects for the use of Cu-based nanomaterials in various disease treatments. Owing to the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, Cu delivery nanosystems can specifically increase Cu levels at disease sites, inducing cuproptosis to achieve disease treatment while minimizing the undesirable release of Cu in normal tissues. This innovative nanomaterial-mediated cuproptosis, termed as "nanocuproptosis", positions at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, pharmaceutical science, and clinical medicine. This review aims to comprehensively summarize and discuss recent advancements in cuproptosis across various diseases, with a particular focus on cancer. It delves into the biochemical basis of nanomaterial-mediated cuproptosis, the rational design for cuproptosis inducers, strategies for enhancing therapeutic specificity, and cuproptosis-centric synergistic cancer therapeutics. Beyond oncology, this review also explores the expanded applications of cuproptosis, such as antibacterial, wound healing, and bone tissue engineering, highlighting its great potential to open innovative therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, the clinical potential of cuproptosis is assessed from basic, preclinical to clinical research. Finally, this review addresses current challenges, proposes potential solutions, and discusses the future prospects of this burgeoning field, highlighting cuproptosis nanomedicine as a highly promising alternative to current clinical therapeutics.

Unraveling Multiregional Neural Patterns during Consciousness Transition Using Flexible Microelectrode Arrays Integrated with Neuropixels Chips

Consciousness transitions, including awakening from anesthesia or falling asleep, involve complex neural dynamics across multiple brain regions. Understanding these transitions requires simultaneous and stable monitoring of large-scale neural activity in freely moving animals. Here, a flexible microelectrode array system (FlexiPixels probe) is demonstrated that integrates a multishank flexible microelectrode array with Neuropixels chips. This lightweight FlexiPixels probe enables stable and long-term neural signal recording across multiple brain regions in freely moving rats and tracking of neuronal activities during consciousness transitions from anesthesia to wakefulness and subsequent sleep states. Distinct state-dependent firing patterns emerge across different brain regions and neuronal types. CA1 neurons show similar activity during wakefulness and sleep, while DG neurons exhibit unique anesthesia sensitivity. These findings demonstrate FlexiPixels' capabilities for stable multiregion neural recording in freely moving animals and potential to unravel region-specific signatures in consciousness studies.

Multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging of zebularine in liver fibrosis treatment and calcineurin/NFAT3 mechanism

BACKGROUND

Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is key to liver fibrosis. Targeting DNA methylation shows promise. Zebularine, a methylation inhibitor, may suppress HSC activation via the calcineurin (CaN)/NFAT3 pathway. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive tool for evaluating liver fibrosis evaluation tool, but multiparametric MRI for zebularine’s effects in liver fibrosis mouse models has not been studied.

AIM

To clarify the anti-fibrosis mechanism and MRI-evaluated efficacy of zebularine.

METHODS

In vitro, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-stimulated human HSCs (LX-2) were treated with zebularine. α-smooth muscle actin, fibrotic and anti-fibrotic gene levels, and regulator of calcineurin1 (RCAN1) regulation were measured. In vivo, carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis in mice was treated with zebularine, and fibrosis was evaluated using various biochemical, histopathological, and MRI methods.

RESULTS

Zebularine upregulated RCAN1.4 protein (P < 0.01) and inhibited the CaN/NFAT3 pathway (P < 0.05). In HSCs, TGF-β1 reduced anti-fibrotic gene massage RNA (mRNA) and increased fibrotic mRNA (P < 0.05), whereas zebularine had the opposite effects (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). CCl₄-treated mice exhibited increases in various fibrosis-related indices, all of which were reversed by zebularine treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Zebularine may reduce LX-2 activation and extracellular matrix deposition via RCAN1.4 and CaN/NFAT3 pathways. Multiparametric MRI can assess its efficacy, suggesting zebularine’s potential as a liver fibrosis treatment.

A Bimetallic Nanozyme Synergistic Effect-Driven Enzyme Cascade Nanoreactor for Instant Immunoassay

This study presents a colorimetric sensor for cancer screening utilizing the bifunctional enzyme activity of NiCo Prussian blue analogue (PBA), a PBA material. By introducing oxygen vacancies and employing a dual-metal doping strategy, NiCo PBA overcomes the limitations in catalytic activity observed in single-metal-doped materials (such as Ni PBA and Co PBA), significantly enhancing both peroxidase-like (POD) and catalase-like (CAT) activities. Compared to single-metal-doped Ni PBA and Co PBA, NiCo PBA exhibited a 30.08-fold increase in POD activity and a 4.83-fold increase in CAT activity, demonstrating higher sensitivity in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection. By integrating NiCo PBA with a cascade catalytic reaction principle, we developed a highly efficient and sensitive CEA detection method. NiCo PBA was utilized as a catalytic material in this method. Under the action of glucose oxidase, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was catalyzed by NiCo PBA, and oxygen was generated. Furthermore, a blue flocculent substance was produced when NiCo PBA was reacted with a chromogenic substrate. Through mutual verification by these two methods, the quantitative determination of CEA in serum samples was achieved. The experimental results demonstrated that the POD-like activity detection range was 0.2-50 ng mL-1, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.061 ng mL-1, while the CAT-like activity detection range was 0.1-20 ng mL-1, with an LOD of 0.028 ng mL-1. The sensitivity of this method was substantially increased compared to monometallic materials. Furthermore, this strategy possesses good scalability and can be adapted for the detection of various analytes by replacing different recognition units, providing an efficient detection platform for early cancer screening.

In Vitro Evaluation of Antibacterial Properties of NIR-Light Responsive Alginate Hydrogels Embedding Polydopamine Nanoparticles

Bacterial infections are one of the most serious health problems worldwide and represent a significant threat to humans. In this article, we designed an injectable alginate-based hydrogel embedding polydopamine nanoparticles (nPDA) and applied it as a (nano)phototherapeutic agent and nanocarrier for photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal (PTT) therapies with the perspective of treating bacterial infections and overcoming microbial resistance. For this purpose, nPDA were functionalized with Chlorin e6 as a photosensitizer and embedded in an alginate hydrogel to apply the PDT treatment. The photothermal properties of nPDA were exploited for the "on demand" local release of antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin (for Gram-negative bacteria) and Rifampicin (for Gram-positive bacteria) to address respectively Escherichia coli and Staphylococcuss aureus as these antimicrobial-resistant pathogens are commonly found in bacterial infections. In vitro experiments have shown that PDT and PTT treatments were both highly efficient for the treatment of S. aureus, leading to the complete eradication of this bacterium. On the contrary, PDT was less effective for treating E. coli, while PTT revealed an excellent antibacterial activity toward this pathogen.

Lattice Substitution Induced Fast Charge Transport in Integrated and Flexible Organic Photoelectrochemical Transistors for Portable Sensing

Timely and on-site biochemical monitoring is highly desired in healthcare systems and smart cities. However, known sensor technologies struggle to combine technologically relevant metrics of portability, sensitivity, and reliability due to their difficulties in integrating multiple functions (e.g., target recognition, signal amplification) into a single sensing platform. Here, an integrated and portable sensing device (named IP-OPECT) that combines photoelectrochemical sensor-gated organic electrochemical transistor units and hydrogel electrolyte designs is presented to address these challenges, enabling sensitive and on-site biochemical detection. Theoretical calculations reveal that elemental lattice substitution in the photoelectrode not only suppresses the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs but also improves electron transfer kinetics, ultimately enhancing the optoelectronic properties. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate its use in detecting varying concentrations of ochratoxin A (OTA) from contaminated commercial coffee samples, achieving an accuracy of over 96.7%. Additionally, the intrinsically flexible hydrogel electrolyte covering the electrode surface ensures long-term operation of devices, with stable photocurrent signals under different bending angles (0-180°) and over 1000 bending cycles. These results further underscore the sensory capabilities and portability of as-prepared IP-OPECT sensing devices for OTA detection as well as other biochemicals requiring real-time and on-site monitoring within the IoT ecosystem.