Multifaceted roles of lymphatic and blood endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A comprehensive review

The tumor microenvironment is a complex network of cells, extracellular matrix, and signaling molecules that plays a critical role in tumor progression and metastasis. Lymphatic and blood vessels are major routes for solid tumor metastasis and essential parts of tumor drainage conduits. However, recent studies have shown that lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and blood endothelial cells (BECs) also play multifaceted roles in the tumor microenvironment beyond their structural functions, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This comprehensive review summarizes the diverse roles played by LECs and BECs in HCC, including their involvement in angiogenesis, immune modulation, lymphangiogenesis, and metastasis. By providing a detailed account of the complex interplay between LECs, BECs, and tumor cells, this review aims to shed light on future research directions regarding the immune regulatory function of LECs and potential therapeutic targets for HCC.

Identification and characterization of circRNAs in maize seedlings under deficient nitrogen

Here, deep sequencing results of the maize transcriptome in leaves and roots were compared under high-nitrogen (HN) and low-nitrogen (LN) conditions to identify differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed non-coding RNA with widely regulatory potency that has been identified in animals and plants. However, the understanding of circRNAs involved in responsive nitrogen deficiency remains to be elucidated. A total of 24 and 22 DECs were obtained from the leaves and roots, respectively. Ten circRNAs were validated by divergent and convergent primers, and 6 DECs showed the same expression tendency validated by reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR. Integrating the identified differentially expressed miRNAs, 34 circRNAs could act as miRNA decoys, which might play important roles in multiple biological processes, including organonitrogen compound biosynthesis and regulation of the metabolic process. A total of 51 circRNA-parent genes located in the genome-wide association study identified loci were assessed between HN and LN conditions and were associated with root growth and development. In summary, our results provide valuable information regarding further study of maize circRNAs under nitrogen deficiency and provide new insights into screening of candidate genes as well as the improvement of maize regarding nitrogen deficiency resistance. CircRNA-miRNA-mRNA co-expression networks were constructed to explore the circRNAs that participated in biological development and nitrogen metabolism.

Preparation of core-shell Ag@CeO2 nanocomposite by LSPR photothermal induced interface reaction

The core-shell structure of Ag@CeO2 was prepared by a novel and facile method, which was based on the photothermal effect of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Nanoparticles (NPs) of Ag were dispersed in a solution containing citric acid, ethylene glycol and cerium nitrate, then under irradiation, Ag NPs generated heat from LSPR and the heat-induced polymerization reaction in the interface between Ag and the sol resulted in cerium gel formation only on the surface of the Ag NPs. After calcination, Ag@CeO2 was successfully obtained, then Ag@CeO2/SiO2 was prepared by loading Ag@CeO2 on SiO2. The resultant catalyst exhibited favorable activity and stability for CO oxidation. The preparation method proposed here should be extendable to other composites with metallic cores and oxide shells in which the metallic nanoparticle possesses LSPR properties.