ITGB5 facilitates gastric cancer metastasis by promoting TGFBR2 endosomal recycling

TGFBR2, a key regulator of the TGFβ signaling pathway, plays a crucial role in gastric cancer (GC) metastasis through its endosomal recycling process. Despite its importance, the mechanisms governing this process remain unclear. Here, we identify integrin β5 (ITGB5) as a critical mediator that promotes TGFBR2 endosomal recycling. Our study reveals elevated expression of ITGB5 in GC, particularly in metastatic cases, correlating with poor patient outcomes. Knockdown of ITGB5 impairs GC cell metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, ITGB5 facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition mediated by TGFβ signaling, thereby enhancing GC metastasis. Acting as a scaffold, ITGB5 interacts with TGFBR2 and SNX17, facilitating SNX17-mediated endosomal recycling of TGFBR2 and preventing lysosomal degradation, thereby maintaining its surface distribution on tumor cells. Notably, TGFβ signaling directly upregulates ITGB5 expression, establishing a positive feedback loop that exacerbates GC metastasis. Our findings shed light on the role of ITGB5 in promoting GC metastasis through SNX17-mediated endosomal recycling of TGFBR2, providing insights for the development of targeted cancer therapies.

Combined inhibition of surface CD51 and γ-secretase-mediated CD51 cleavage improves therapeutic efficacy in experimental metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Integrin αv (ITGAV, CD51) is regarded as a key component in multiple stages of tumor progression. However, the clinical failure of cilengitide, a specific inhibitor targeting surface CD51, suggests the importance of yet-unknown mechanisms by which CD51 promotes tumor progression.

METHODS

In this study, we used several hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and murine hepatoma cell lines. To investigate the role of CD51 on HCC progression, we used a 3D invasion assay and in vivo bioluminescence imaging. We used periostin-knockout transgenic mice to uncover the role of the tumor microenvironment on CD51 cleavage. Moreover, we used several clinically relevant HCC models, including patient-derived organoids and patient-derived xenografts, to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of cilengitide in combination with the γ-secretase inhibitor LY3039478.

RESULTS

We found that CD51 could undergo transmembrane cleavage by γ-secretase to produce a functional intracellular domain (CD51-ICD). The cleaved CD51-ICD facilitated HCC invasion and metastasis by promoting the transcription of oxidative phosphorylation-related genes. Furthermore, we identified cancer-associated fibroblast-derived periostin as the major driver of CD51 cleavage. Lastly, we showed that cilengitide-based therapy led to a dramatic therapeutic effect when supplemented with LY3039478 in both patient-derived organoid and xenograft models.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, we revealed previously unrecognized mechanisms by which CD51 is involved in HCC progression and uncovered the underlying cause of cilengitide treatment failure, as well as providing evidence supporting the translational prospects of combined CD51-targeted therapy in the clinic.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

Integrin αv (CD51) is a widely recognized pro-tumoral molecule that plays a crucial role in various stages of tumor progression, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, despite early promising results, cilengitide, a specific antagonist of CD51, failed in a phase III clinical trial. This prompted further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of CD51's effects. This study reveals that the γ-secretase complex directly cleaves CD51 to produce an intracellular domain (CD51-ICD), which functions as a pro-tumoral transcriptional regulator and can bypass the inhibitory effects of cilengitide by entering the nucleus. Furthermore, the localization of CD51 in the nucleus is significantly associated with the prognosis of patients with HCC. These findings provide a theoretical basis for re-evaluating cilengitide in clinical settings and highlight the importance of identifying a more precise patient subpopulation for future clinical trials targeting CD51.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Esophageal Atresia - Performance and Consequences

BACKGROUND

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations is considered favorable. Esophageal atresia (EA) is prenatally detected in 10-40% of patients. The aims of our study were to assess factors influencing the prenatal detection rate and to study the outcome in EA patients with and without prenatal diagnosis.

METHOD

We included 136 patients in two time periods, group 1 (1996-2002, n = 68) and group 2 (2014-2020, n = 68). We registered clinical variables; prenatal signs, perinatal and postnatal outcome from the electronic patient record.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients (18%) had a prenatal diagnosis of EA, significantly more during 2014-2020 (28%), than during 1996-2002 (9%). Patients with EA type A or B and with associated anomalies had increased likelihood of prenatal diagnosis, odds ratio (OR) 9.00 (1.99-40.69) and 3.53 (1.24-10.06), respectively. Among the 25 patients with prenatal diagnosis all had polyhydramnios and 16 had small/absent stomach. Prenatally diagnosed patients arrived significantly earlier at the surgical unit (median 2 h (2 h-1 days) vs 21 h (2 h-1275 days)), had more delayed primary anastomosis (OR 8.80 (2.68-28.92)) and anastomotic stricture (OR 3.11 (1.20-8.04)), longer length of stay (median 62 days (11-212 days) vs 20 days (2-270 days)) and longer time on ventilator (median 5 days (1-25 days) vs 1.5 days (0.5-33 days)) compared to patients without prenatal diagnosis. In multivariate analysis prenatal diagnosis predicts length of stay.

CONCLUSION

Prenatally diagnosed EA patients have more; type A and B malformations, associated anomalies and neonatal morbidity. Consequences of the assumed benefits of prenatal diagnosis; opportunity of early arrival to surgical care and prenatal counselling, must be further studied.

Dexmedetomidine alleviates pulmonary fibrosis through the ADORA2B-Mediated MAPK signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronically progressive fibrotic pulmonary disease characterized by an uncertain etiology, a poor prognosis, and a paucity of efficacious treatment options. Dexmedetomidine (Dex), an anesthetic-sparing alpha-2 adrenoceptor (α2AR) agonist, plays a crucial role in organ injury and fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms of IPF remain unknown.

METHODS

In our study, the role of Dex in murine pulmonary fibrosis models was determined by Dex injection intraperitoneally in vivo. Fibroblast activation and myofibroblast differentiation were assessed after Dex treatment in vitro. The activation of MAPK pathway and the expression of Adenosine A2B receptor (ADORA2B) were examined in lung myofibroblasts. Moreover, the role of ADORA2B in Dex suppressing myofibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis was determined using the ADORA2B agonist BAY60-6583.

RESULTS

The results revealed that Dex could inhibit Bleo-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. In vitro studies revealed that Dex suppressed TGF-β-mediated MAPK pathway activation and myofibroblast differentiation. Furthermore, Dex inhibits myofibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis via downregulating ADORA2B expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest Dex as a potential therapeutic agent for pulmonary fibrosis. Dex may alleviate lung fibrosis and myofibroblast differentiation through the ADORA2B-mediated MAPK signaling pathway.

The association between mammographic density and breast cancer molecular subtypes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the whether high mammographic density (MD) is differentially associated with all subtypes of breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched systematically in October 2022 to include all studies that investigated the association between MD and breast cancer subtype. Aggregate data of 17,193 breast cancer cases from 23 studies were selected, including five cohort/case-control and 18 case-only studies. The relative risk (RR) of MD were combined using random/fixed effects models for case-control studies, and for case-only studies, relative risk ratios (RRRs) were a combination of luminal A, luminal B, and HER2-positive versus triple-negative tumours.

RESULTS

Women in the highest density category in case-control/cohort studies had a 2.24-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53, 3.28), 1.81-fold (95% CI 1.15, 2.85), 1.44-fold (95% CI 1.14, 1.81), and 1.59-fold (95% CI 0.89, 2.85) higher risk of triple-negative, HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) positive, luminal A, and luminal B breast cancer compared to women in the lowest density category. RRRs for breast tumours being luminal A, luminal B, and HER-2 positive versus triple-negative in case-only studies were 1.62 (95% CI 1.14, 2.31), 1.81 (95% CI 1.22, 2.71) and 2.58 (95% CI 1.63, 4.08), respectively, for BIRADS 4 versus BIRADS 1.

CONCLUSION

The evidence indicates MD is a potent risk factor for the majority of breast cancer subtypes to different degrees. Increased MD is more strongly linked to HER-2-positive cancers compared to other breast cancer subtypes. The application of MD as a subtype-specific risk marker may facilitate the creation of personalised risk prediction models and screening procedures.

Neutrophil-Related Gene Expression Signatures in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Implications for Disease Characteristic and Identification of Diagnostic Hub Genes

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease with unclear etiology and a poor prognosis. Although the involvement of neutrophils in IPF pathogenesis has been suggested, the exact nature of this relationship remains unclear.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) using immune infiltration analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and consensus cluster analysis. Neutrophil-related genes and hub genes related to neutrophils were identified and differentially expressed between IPF patients and healthy controls. We also validated the expression differences of hub genes in a bleomycin-induced mice model.

Results

Immune infiltration analysis revealed a significantly decreased percentage of neutrophils in the lung tissue of IPF patients compared with healthy controls (P<0.001) in both the train and validation sets. Neutrophil-related genes in IPF were identified by WGCNA, and functional enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway and correlated with lung disease, consistent with DEGs between IPF and healthy controls. Eight hub genes related to neutrophils were identified, including MMP16, ARG1, IL1R2, PROK2, MS4A2, PIR, and ZNF436. Consensus cluster analysis revealed a low neutrophil-infiltrating cluster that was correlated with IPF (P<0.001), and a principal component analysis-generated score could distinguish IPF patients from healthy controls, with an area under the curve of 0.930 in the train set and 0.768 in the validation set. We also constructed a diagnostic model using hub genes related to neutrophils, which showed a reliable diagnostic value with an area under the curve of 0.955 in the train set and 0.995 in the validation set.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence of a low neutrophil-infiltrating characteristic in the IPF microenvironment and identify hub genes related to neutrophils that may serve as diagnostic biomarkers for the disease.

Identification of diagnostic hub genes related to neutrophils and infiltrating immune cell alterations in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background

There is still a lack of specific indicators to diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). And the role of immune responses in IPF is elusive. In this study, we aimed to identify hub genes for diagnosing IPF and to explore the immune microenvironment in IPF.

Methods

We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between IPF and control lung samples using the GEO database. Combining LASSO regression and SVM-RFE machine learning algorithms, we identified hub genes. Their differential expression were further validated in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model mice and a meta-GEO cohort consisting of five merged GEO datasets. Then, we used the hub genes to construct a diagnostic model. All GEO datasets met the inclusion criteria, and verification methods, including ROC curve analysis, calibration curve (CC) analysis, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC) analysis, were performed to validate the reliability of the model. Through the Cell Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts algorithm (CIBERSORT), we analyzed the correlations between infiltrating immune cells and hub genes and the changes in diverse infiltrating immune cells in IPF.

Results

A total of 412 DEGs were identified between IPF and healthy control samples, of which 283 were upregulated and 129 were downregulated. Through machine learning, three hub genes (ASPN, SFRP2, SLCO4A1) were screened. We confirmed their differential expression using pulmonary fibrosis model mice evaluated by qPCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence staining and analysis of the meta-GEO cohort. There was a strong correlation between the expression of the three hub genes and neutrophils. Then, we constructed a diagnostic model for diagnosing IPF. The areas under the curve were 1.000 and 0.962 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The analysis of other external validation cohorts, as well as the CC analysis, DCA, and CIC analysis, also demonstrated strong agreement. There was also a significant correlation between IPF and infiltrating immune cells. The frequencies of most infiltrating immune cells involved in activating adaptive immune responses were increased in IPF, and a majority of innate immune cells showed reduced frequencies.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that three hub genes (ASPN, SFRP2, SLCO4A1) were associated with neutrophils, and the model constructed with these genes showed good diagnostic value in IPF. There was a significant correlation between IPF and infiltrating immune cells, indicating the potential role of immune regulation in the pathological process of IPF.

Improvement in Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture rates by bedside inoculation and incubation at a clinic for sexually transmitted infections

BACKGROUND

Culture of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is essential for surveillance of complete antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. In 2014, the culture success rate of N. gonorrhoeae from samples taken at the clinic for sexually transmitted infections (STI clinic), Oslo University Hospital, Norway, was only 20%. The present study aimed to improve gonococcal culture rates using bedside inoculation of patient samples on gonococcal agar plates and incubation at the STI clinic.

METHODS

This prospective quality improvement study was conducted by the STI clinic and the Department of Microbiology at Oslo University Hospital from May 2016 - October 2017. When culture of N. gonorrhoeae was clinically indicated, we introduced a parallel 'bedside culture' at the STI clinic and compared results with the standard culture at the microbiology department. Samples were taken from urethra, anorectum, pharynx and cervix. Culture rates were compared across symptomatic and asymptomatic anatomical sites.

RESULTS

From 596 gonococcal-positive PCR samples, bedside culture had a significantly higher success rate of 57% compared to 41% with standard culture (p < 0.05). Overall, culture rate from symptomatic sites was 91% v. 45% from asymptomatic sites. The culture rates from different anatomical sites were as follows: urethra 93%, anorectum 64%, pharynx 28% and cervix 70%. Bedside culture significantly (p < 0.05) improved the culture rates for symptomatic urethral and asymptomatic pharyngeal samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Where feasible, bedside inoculation on gonococcal agar plates and incubation of samples from patients with gonorrhoea is recommended. This will improve the culture diagnostics and provide additional gonococcal isolates for antimicrobial resistance surveillance.

DACT2 protects against pulmonary fibrosis via suppressing glycolysis in lung myofibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive fibrotic lung disease with poor prognosis and few treatment options. Dapper homolog 2 (DACT2), a member of the DACT gene family, plays crucial roles in tissue development and injury. However, its functions and molecular mechanisms in IPF remain largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the role of DACT2 in the development of pulmonary fibrosis and the therapeutic potential of targeting DACT2 related signaling pathways.

METHODS

In our study, adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6)-mediated DACT2 overexpression was assessed in several mice models of experimental pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. The role of DACT2 in lung myofibroblast differentiation was determined by DACT2 overexpression in vitro. The glucose uptake, extracellular acidification rate, intracellular adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) level and lactate levels of myofibroblasts were detected after DACT2 overexpression. The LDHA degradation rate and colocalization with lysosomes were monitored as well.

RESULTS

Intratracheal administration of AAV6-mediated DACT2 overexpression apparently attenuated pulmonary fibrosis in experimental pulmonary fibrosis models. In vitro experiments revealed that DACT2 inhibited TGF-β-induced myofibroblast differentiation by promoting lysosome-mediated LDHA degradation and thus suppressing glycolysis in myofibroblasts.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our findings support for DACT2 as a novel pharmacological target for pulmonary fibrosis treatments.

Phenotypic screen identifies the natural product silymarin as a novel anti-inflammatory analgesic

Sensory neuron hyperexcitability is a critical driver of pathological pain and can result from axon damage, inflammation, or neuronal stress. G-protein coupled receptor signaling can induce pain amplification by modulating the activation of Trp-family ionotropic receptors and voltage-gated ion channels. Here, we sought to use calcium imaging to identify novel inhibitors of the intracellular pathways that mediate sensory neuron sensitization and lead to hyperexcitability. We identified a novel stimulus cocktail, consisting of the SSTR2 agonist L-054,264 and the S1PR3 agonist CYM5541, that elicits calcium responses in mouse primary sensory neurons in vitro as well as pain and thermal hypersensitivity in mice in vivo. We screened a library of 906 bioactive compounds and identified 24 hits that reduced calcium flux elicited by L-054,264/CYM5541. Among these hits, silymarin, a natural product derived from milk thistle, strongly reduced activation by the stimulation cocktail, as well as by a distinct inflammatory cocktail containing bradykinin and prostaglandin E2. Silymarin had no effect on sensory neuron excitability at baseline, but reduced calcium flux via Orai channels and downstream mediators of phospholipase C signaling. In vivo, silymarin pretreatment blocked development of adjuvant-mediated thermal hypersensitivity, indicating potential use as an anti-inflammatory analgesic.

Advances in physiological mechanisms of selenium to improve heavy metal stress tolerance in plants

Selenium (Se) is a metalloid mineral nutrient for human and animal health. Plants are the main foodstuff source of the Se intake of humans. For plants, the addition of an appropriate amount of Se could promotes growth and development, and improves the tolerance to environmental stress, especially stress from some of heavy metals (HM) stress, such as cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). This paper mainly reviews and summarizes the physiological mechanism of Se in enhancing HM stress tolerance in plants. The antagonistic effect of Se on HM is a comprehensive effect that includes many physiological mechanisms. Se can promote the removal of excessive reactive oxygen species and reduce the oxidative damage of plant cells under HM elements stress. Se participates in the regulation of the transportation and distribution of HM ions in plants, and alleviates the damage caused by of HM stress. Moreover, Se combine with HM elements to form Se-HM complexes and promote the production of phytochelatins (PCs), thereby reducing the accumulation of HM ions in plants. Overall, Se plays an important role in plant response to HM stress, but current studies mainly focus on physiological mechanism, and further in-depth study on the molecular mechanism is essential to confirm the participation of Se in plant response to environmental stress. This review helps to comprehensively understand the physiological mechanism of Se in plant tolerance against to HM stress of plants, and provides important theoretical support for the practical application of Se in environmental remediation and agricultural development.

Nestin-dependent mitochondria-ER contacts define stem Leydig cell differentiation to attenuate male reproductive ageing

Male reproductive system ageing is closely associated with deficiency in testosterone production due to loss of functional Leydig cells, which are differentiated from stem Leydig cells (SLCs). However, the relationship between SLC differentiation and ageing remains unknown. In addition, active lipid metabolism during SLC differentiation in the reproductive system requires transportation and processing of substrates among multiple organelles, e.g., mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), highlighting the importance of interorganelle contact. Here, we show that SLC differentiation potential declines with disordered intracellular homeostasis during SLC senescence. Mechanistically, loss of the intermediate filament Nestin results in lower differentiation capacity by separating mitochondria-ER contacts (MERCs) during SLC senescence. Furthermore, pharmacological intervention by melatonin restores Nestin-dependent MERCs, reverses SLC differentiation capacity and alleviates male reproductive system ageing. These findings not only explain SLC senescence from a cytoskeleton-dependent MERCs regulation mechanism, but also suggest a promising therapy targeting SLC differentiation for age-related reproductive system diseases.

The regulatory mechanisms contributing to male reproductive ageing are unknown. Here, the authors show that Nestin-dependent mito-ER contacts (MERCs) regulate stem Leydig cell (SLC) senescence and provide insights into SLCs-targeting therapies.

[Mapping Regulatory Elements within 5' and 3' UTRs of SIGLEC15 with a Use of Reporter System]

Siglec-15 is an immune suppressor with broad upregulation on various cancer types and has emerged as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. However, it remains unclear how SIGLEC15 expression is controlled in normal or cancer cells. In this work, we utilized reporter assays to evaluate the impact of the 5' UTR and the 3' UTR of SIGLEC15 mRNA on gene expression. We found that the 3' UTR dramatically reduced reporter protein production, whereas the 5' UTR showed modest inhibitory effect. Quantification of steady-state mRNA revealed the good coupling of protein amount and mRNA abundance that was associated with the 3' UTR. In contrast, the 5' UTR had little effect on mRNA abundance compared with the empty control. By measuring mRNA half-life, we showed that the 3' UTR markedly promoted mRNA degradation. Testing shortened 3' UTR fragments demonstrated five out of the six having notable inhibitory effect, with the one spanning 993-1317 had the most robust activity. More interestingly, the 993-1317 region contains a predicted 43-nt stem-loop structure that showed apparent inhibitory activity in four cell lines tested. These results suggested that the 3' UTR inhibited reporter gene expression by accelerating mRNA decay possibly via multiple cis-regulatory elements, but the 5' UTR repressed gene expression by inhibiting translation. Thus, our findings provided a clue to the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of SIGLEC15 expression.

Mesenchymal stromal cells attenuate alveolar type 2 cells senescence through regulating NAMPT-mediated NAD metabolism

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive deadly fibrotic lung disease with high prevalence and mortality worldwide. The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in pulmonary fibrosis may be attributed to the strong paracrine, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis and immunoregulatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSCs in IPF, especially in terms of alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells senescence, are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of MSCs in NAD metabolism and senescence of AT2 cells in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

MSCs were isolated from human bone marrow. The protective effects of MSCs injection in pulmonary fibrosis were assessed via bleomycin mouse models. The senescence of AT2 cells co-cultured with MSCs was evaluated by SA-β-galactosidase assay, immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting. NAD+ level and NAMPT expression in AT2 cells affected by MSCs were determined in vitro and in vivo. FK866 and NAMPT shRNA vectors were used to determine the role of NAMPT in MSCs inhibiting AT2 cells senescence.

Results

We proved that MSCs attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Senescence of AT2 cells was alleviated in MSCs-treated pulmonary fibrosis mice and when co-cultured with MSCs in vitro. Mechanistic studies showed that NAD+ and NAMPT levels were rescued in AT2 cells co-cultured with MSCs and MSCs could suppress AT2 cells senescence mainly via suppressing lysosome-mediated NAMPT degradation.

Conclusions

MSCs attenuate AT2 cells senescence by upregulating NAMPT expression and NAD+ levels, thus exerting protective effects in pulmonary fibrosis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-021-02688-w.

Asporin Promotes TGF-β-induced Lung Myofibroblast Differentiation by Facilitating Rab11-dependent Recycling of TβRI

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive fibrotic lung disease with high mortality and morbidity. Asporin (ASPN), a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family, plays crucial roles in tissue injury and regeneration. However, the precise pathophysiological role of ASPN and its molecular mechanisms in IPF remain unknown. We sought to investigate the role of ASPN during the development of pulmonary fibrosis and the therapeutic potential of targeting ASPN-related signaling pathways. In our study, three microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out by bioinformatic analysis. Hub genes were selected from the protein-protein interaction network. ASPN was examined in lung tissues from pulmonary fibrosis mouse models and the role of ASPN in TGF-β/Smad signaling was determined by transfection with ASPN shRNA vectors in vitro. Biotinylation assays were conducted to measure plasma membrane TβRI and TβRI recycling after ASPN knockdown. The results showed ASPN expression was increased in the lungs of pulmonary fibrosis mouse models, and ASPN was primarily localized in α-SMA+ myofibroblasts. In vitro experiments proved that ASPN knockdown inhibited TGF-β/Smad signaling and myofibroblast differentiation by regulating the stability of TβRI. Further molecular mechanisms revealed that ASPN knockdown inhibited TGF-β/Smad signaling by suppressing recycling of TβRI to the cell surface in a Rab11-dependent manner and facilitated lysosome-mediated degradation of TβRI. In conclusion, our findings provide important evidence for the use of ASPN as a novel pharmacological target for treating pulmonary fibrosis.

Nestin promotes pulmonary fibrosis via facilitating recycling of TGF-β receptor I

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that is characterised by aberrant proliferation of activated myofibroblasts and pathological remodelling of the extracellular matrix. Previous studies have revealed that the intermediate filament protein nestin plays key roles in tissue regeneration and wound healing in different organs. Whether nestin plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of IPF needs to be clarified.

Methods

Nestin expression in lung tissues from bleomycin-treated mice and IPF patients was determined. Transfection with nestin short hairpin RNA vectors in vitro that regulated transcription growth factor (TGF)-β/Smad signalling was conducted. Biotinylation assays to observe plasma membrane TβRI, TβRI endocytosis and TβRI recycling after nestin knockdown were performed. Adeno-associated virus serotype (AAV)6-mediated nestin knockdown was assessed in vivo.

Results

We found that nestin expression was increased in a murine pulmonary fibrosis model and IPF patients, and that the upregulated protein primarily localised in lung α-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts. Mechanistically, we determined that nestin knockdown inhibited TGF-β signalling by suppressing recycling of TβRI to the cell surface and that Rab11 was required for the ability of nestin to promote TβRI recycling. In vivo, we found that intratracheal administration of AAV6-mediated nestin knockdown significantly alleviated pulmonary fibrosis in multiple experimental mice models.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal a pro-fibrotic function of nestin partially through facilitating Rab11-dependent recycling of TβRI and shed new light on pulmonary fibrosis treatment.

Nestin regulates the vesicular trafficking system by promoting Rab11-dependent recycling of TβRI and thereby contributes to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Precise targeting of nestin may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for IPF.https://bit.ly/3zO75c3

The PKM2 activator TEPP-46 attenuates MCD feeding-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by inhibiting the activation of Kupffer cells

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of the PKM2 small molecule agonist TEPP-46 on the development of methionine choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, C57BL/6 mice were fed an MCD diet for 15 days to establish a NASH model. The protein expression levels of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), PKM1, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and NLRP3 in liver Kupffer cells (KCs) were measured by Western blotting. Immunofluorescence analysis was used to analyze the nuclear translocation of PKM2 in KCs, and the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in mouse serum and the cell polarization indexes were determined. The MCD diet-fed mice were injected with 30 mg/kg of TEPP-46 intraperitoneally every 5 days. After 15 days, the liver tissue and peripheral blood were collected for analysis.

RESULTS

We found the NASH model was successfully established after the mice were fed an MCD diet for 15 days. MCD feeding promoted the expression of the PKM2 monomer/dimer and inhibited the expression of the PKM2 tetramer in KCs. Immunofluorescence analysis further confirmed that MCD feeding inhibited the nuclear translocation of PKM2. Besides, MCD feeding promoted the expression of HIF-1α and NLRP3 in KCs, promoted M1 KCs polarization and inhibited M2 KCs polarization. Intraperitoneal injection 30 mg/kg of TEPP-46 significantly inhibited the development of MCD diet-induced NASH, alleviated the pathological changes in the liver, improved liver function, promoted the expression of the PKM2 tetramer in KCs, and inhibited the expression of HIF-1α and NLRP3.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that TEPP-46, a small molecule agonist of PKM2, may inhibit the nuclear translocation of PKM2 and the activation of KCs by promoting the expression of PKM2 tetramers in KCs, thus inhibiting the development of MCD diet-induced NASH in mice.

A high-content platform for physiological profiling and unbiased classification of individual neurons

High-throughput physiological assays lose single-cell resolution, precluding subtype-specific analyses of activation mechanism and drug effects. We demonstrate APPOINT (automated physiological phenotyping of individual neuronal types), a physiological assay platform combining calcium imaging, robotic liquid handling, and automated analysis to generate physiological activation profiles of single neurons at large scale. Using unbiased techniques, we quantify responses to sequential stimuli, enabling subgroup identification by physiology and probing of distinct mechanisms of neuronal activation within subgroups. Using APPOINT, we quantify primary sensory neuron activation by metabotropic receptor agonists and identify potential contributors to pain signaling. We expand the role of neuroimmune interactions by showing that human serum directly activates sensory neurons, elucidating a new potential pain mechanism. Finally, we apply APPOINT to develop a high-throughput, all-optical approach for quantification of activation threshold and pharmacologically validate contributions of ion channel families to optical activation.

Evaluating Inoculation Methods to Infect Sugar Beet with Fusarium oxysporum f. betae and F. secorum

Minnesota and North Dakota combined contain 55% of the sugar beet production area in the United States, contributing to 49% of the nation's sugar beet production in 2018. Fusarium diseases caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. betae and F. secorum on sugar beet can cause significant reduction in both root yield and sucrose concentration and purity. The objective of this research was to identify an alternative artificial inoculation method to induce Fusarium diseases on sugar beet leaves and roots caused by both Fusarium spp. in greenhouse conditions to better aid in research efforts. We tested four inoculation methods, including barley to seed, barley to root, drenching, and cutting. and compared them with the conventional root-dipping inoculation method. The inoculation method of placing Fusarium-colonized barley seed close to sugar beet seed (barley to seed) caused levels of symptom severities on both leaves and roots similar to the root-dipping method. Because the traditional root-dipping method involves a laborious transplant process, use of infected barley seed as inoculum may serve as an alternative method in the evaluation of host resistance and pathogen virulence among Fusarium diseases by Fusarium spp. on sugar beet at the seed or seedling stage.

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Myocardial Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition in a Rat Dilated Cardiomyopathy Model

BACKGROUND

Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HuMSCs) have been shown to suppress cardiac fibrosis; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Recent studies have shown that endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) plays a crucial part in myocardial fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the suppressive role of HuMSCs in cardiac fibrosis and related mechanisms in a rat dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) model.

METHODS

Male Lewis rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Rats without any treatment served as a negative control group, while the DCM rats, which were generated by immunization with porcine myosin, were divided into 2 groups: a HuMSC group, in which HuMSCs (1 × 10⁶ cells/rat) were injected intravenously, and a vehicle group, in which rats were injected with volume-matched solution containing no HuMSCs. Histologic and immunofluorescent measurements were used to evaluate the effects of HuMSCs on cardiac fibrosis and EndMT.

RESULTS

We observed a significant increase in myocardial fibrosis, and elevated EndMT in rats of the vehicle group were observed compared with those in the negative control group along with the increased activity of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 signaling. Treatment with HuMSCs repressed the increase in myocardial fibrosis and EndMT observed in DCM rats, which correlated with decreased activity of TGF-β1/ERK1/2 signaling.

CONCLUSION

The HuMSCs attenuated cardiac fibrosis at least partly through the inhibition of TGF-β/ERK-induced EndMT.

Targeted homing of CCR2-overexpressing mesenchymal stromal cells to ischemic brain enhances post-stroke recovery partially through PRDX4-mediated blood-brain barrier preservation

Rationale: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are emerging as a novel therapeutic strategy for the acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the poor targeted migration and low engraftment in ischemic lesions restrict their treatment efficacy. The ischemic brain lesions express a specific chemokine profile, while cultured MSCs lack the set of corresponding receptors. Thus, we hypothesize that overexpression of certain chemokine receptor might help in MSCs homing and improve therapeutic efficacy. Methods: Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of ischemic stroke, we identified that CCL2 is one of the most highly expressed chemokines in the ipsilateral hemisphere. Then, we genetically transduced the corresponding receptor, CCR2 to the MSCs and quantified the cell retention of MSC^CCR2 compared to the MSC^dtomato control. Results: MSC^CCR2 exhibited significantly enhanced migration to the ischemic lesions and improved the neurological outcomes. Brain edema and blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage levels were also found to be much lower in the MSC^CCR2-treated rats than the MSC^dtomato group. Moreover, this BBB protection led to reduced inflammation infiltration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Similar results were also confirmed using the in vitro BBB model. Furthermore, genome-wide RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that peroxiredoxin4 (PRDX4) was highly expressed in MSCs, which mainly contributed to their antioxidant impacts on MCAO rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated endothelium. Conclusion: Taken together, this study suggests that overexpression of CCR2 on MSCs enhances their targeted migration to the ischemic hemisphere and improves the therapeutic outcomes, which is attributed to the PRDX4-mediated BBB preservation.

Differential expression profile of hepatic circular RNAs in chronic hepatitis B

CircRNAs exert gene regulatory effects by sequestering target microRNAs (miRNAs) and play a vital role in the onset and development of disease. Until recently, little has been known about the expression, regulation and biological function of circRNAs in both health and chronic hepatitis B (CHB).To identify hepatic circRNAs associated with CHB, we performed RNA sequencing using liver biopsies from untreated CHB patients and controls. We then established a bioinformatics pipeline for identification of CHB-associated circRNAs and in silico analysis of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathways. We used quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm these results. The profiles of hepatic circRNA expression were significantly different in CHB compared with controls, with a total of 99 dysregulated circRNAs identified to be correlated with CHB. Computational analysis of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathways revealed a large number of miRNAs (665), which were putatively targeted by the differentially expressed hepatic circRNAs. Interestingly, four of the predicted CHB-related circRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathways were found to be involved in the pathogenesis of HBV infection and progression of HBV-associated liver disease. Among these pathways, regression analysis of gene expression revealed a strong positive correlation between hsa_circ_0000650 and TGFβ2 and a negative correlation between hsa_circ_0000650 and miR-6873-3p, which hinted that hsa_circ_0000650 interacted with TGFβ2 mediated by miR-6873-3p. This study firstly demonstrates that patients with CHB present different profiles of hepatic circRNAs and circRNA/miRNA interactions. Thus, circRNAs have promise as novel mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of CHB.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: Development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients with hepatitis e antigen seroconversion

Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is considered to have significantly favourable clinical outcomes for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, inconsistent study results suggest that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still occurs in patients with HBeAg seroconversion. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence of HCC in patients with CHB after HBeAg seroconversion. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase databases were searched through January 2017. The incidence of HCC in CHB patients after HBeAg seroconversion was pooled using a random-effects model or fix-effects model. Sixteen studies were finally included, involving 4910 patients with HBeAg seroconversion. The overall pooled proportion suggested that 3.33% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.28%-4.58%) of patients with CHB develop HCC despite HBeAg seroconversion. In patients with HBeAg seroconversion without cirrhosis, the pooled proportion of HCC development was 0.94% (95% CI: 0.15%-2.4%). Moreover, patients with cirrhosis, active hepatitis, or aged greater than 40 years at the time of HBeAg seroconversion were at significantly higher risk for HCC development. HBeAg seroconversion was significantly associated with a reduced risk of HCC compared with persistently positive HBeAg (RR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35-0.97, P = .04). Despite the reduced risk with HBeAg seroconversion, HCC can still occur in a proportion of patients with CHB after HBeAg seroconversion. Long-term monitoring is needed for patients with established cirrhosis, active hepatitis or those older than 40 years at the time of HBeAg seroconversion.

Joint reconstruction of rest/stress myocardial perfusion SPECT

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using rest/stress single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) allows non-invasive assessment of reversible cardiac perfusion defects. Conventionally, reversible defects are identified using a difference image, called reversible map, obtained by subtracting the stress image from the rest image after registration and normalization of the two images. The identification of reversible defects using the conventional subtraction method is however limited by noise. We propose to jointly reconstruct rest and stress projection data to directly obtain the reversible map in a single reconstruction framework to improve the detectability of reversible defects. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we performed phantom studies to mimic reversible defects with different levels of severity and doses. As compared to the conventional subtraction method, the joint method yielded reversible maps with much lower noise and improved defect detectability. At a normal clinical dose level, the joint method improved the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of defect contrast in reversible maps from 13.2 to 66.4, 9.7 to 35.0, 6.1 to 13.2, and 3.1 to 6.5, for defect to normal myocardium concentration ratios of 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively. The SNRs obtained using the joint method were improved from 6.1 to 13.2, 3.9 to 9.4, 3.0 to 8.0, and 2.1 to 7.1, for 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of the normal clinical dose as compared to the conventional subtraction method. To access clinical feasibility, we applied the joint method to a rest/stress SPECT MPI patient study. The joint method yielded a reversible map with much lower noise, translating into a much higher defect detectability as compared to the conventional subtraction method. Our results indicate that the joint method has the potential to improve radiologists' performance for assessing defects in rest/stress SPECT MPI. In addition, the joint method can be used to reduce dose or imaging time.

Tim-3 exacerbates kidney ischaemia/reperfusion injury through the TLR-4/NF-κB signalling pathway and an NLR-C4 inflammasome activation

T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, has been shown to play a crucial role in host adaptive immunity and tolerance. However, its role in kidney ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanism of Tim-3 signalling after kidney IRI. In an established murine model of kidney IRI, we found that Tim-3 expression is enhanced on monocytes/macrophages. Anti-Tim-3 antibody RMT3-23 ameliorates biochemical and histological kidney injury, reduces apoptosis and decreases macrophage infiltration and cytokine production in ischaemic kidneys. Cell culture experiments also demonstrated that the role of Tim-3 in IRI-induced macrophage activation leads to the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition, Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 and Nod-like receptor (NLR) family CARD domain-containing protein 4 (NLR-C4) expression were enhanced after kidney IRI and decreased significantly by RMT3-23. Tim-3 not only promotes TLR-mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation and cytokine and chemokine release, but also participates in NLR-C4 inflammasome activation. Taken together, our data confirm that Tim-3 signalling enhances injury after kidney IRI and demonstrated that Tim-3 is involved in regulating TLR-4/NF-κB signalling and NLR-C4 inflammasome activation, which provide evidence that Tim-3 signalling is critical for kidney IRI and may provide a new means to ameliorate kidney tissue immune responses in the clinics.

Abstract P2-08-03: An essential role of GRB7 in promoting the growth of therapy resistant HER-2 positive human breast cancer cells in culture and animal models

Background- GRB7 gene encodes a multi-domain signal transduction molecule and is part of the core of the HER-2 amplicon. GRB7 is commonly co-amplified and over-expressed with HER-2 in human breast cancer. Earlier studies found a functional role of GRB7 in breast cancer. The role of GRB7 in HER-2 positive human breast cancer resistant to HER-2 targeted therapy remains unexplored however.

Materials and Methods- HCC-1954, 21MT1 and JimT1 are human HER-2 positive breast cancer cell lines that are resistant to trastuzumab and lapatinib treatment. Transient knock down of GRB7 protein expression was achieved with siRNA transfection and stable knock down with lentiviral vector mediated shRNA over-expression. Cell lines transfected with non-targeting siRNA or shRNA serve as negative controls. Knock down of GRB7 protein expression is verified by Western blotting. The growth of human breast cancer cell lines after GRB7 knock down in vitro is measured with the CellTiter Glo assay as well as the Incucyte live cell imaging. Activation status of specific signaling pathways was examined with phospho-specific antibody by immune-blotting and immune-precipitation. To assess the growth promoting function of GRB7 in human breast cancer cell lines in vivo, polyclonal HCC-1954, 21MT1 and JimT1 cells, with GRB7 knock down or their corresponding negative control, were orthotopically injected into the mammary fat pads of female immune-deficient NSG mice. The growth rates of these tumors, measured serially with caliper, and final tumor weights were compared between GRB7 knock down and the negative control. The proliferation rate and apoptosis of these tumors were studied with ki-67 staining and Tunel assay.The effects of GRB7 knock down on signaling were investigated with a proteome profiler receptor tyrosine kinase kit (R&D). The role of signaling molecules differentially activated in the growth of breast cancer cells by GRB7 knock down was examined utilizing siRNA mediated knock down, and antibody and small molecule inhibitors.

Results- GRB7 knock down decreased the growth of HCC-1954, 21MT1 and JimT1 cells in vitro and the growth of tumor xenograft these cells formed in animal models. When assayed by ki67 staining and Tunel assay, the mechanism of reduced tumor xenograft growth appeared to be distinct. Reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis were seen in 21MT1 cells, while reduced proliferation was seen in HCC-1954 cells and increased apoptosis in JimT1 cells. Protein profiling found that tyrosine phosphorylation of candidate signaling molecules was reduced with GRB7 knock down in JimT1 cells. Immuno-blotting and immuno-precipitation experiments were performed to evaluate these effects in other cell lines. The effect of targeting these molecules in breast cancer cell growth by siRNA and inhibitors is being examined.

Discussion- GRB7 has essential growth promoting function in therapy resistant HER-2 positive human breast cancer cells. GRB7 knock down has pleiotropic effects on signaling in various cellular contexts. The potential of targeting GRB7 signaling in treating therapy resistant HER-2 positive breast cancer merits further study.

Citation Format: Luoh S-W, Wagoner W, Lai X, Hu Z, Chin K, Ramsey B. An essential role of GRB7 in promoting the growth of therapy resistant HER-2 positive human breast cancer cells in culture and animal models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-03.

Characterization and transplantation of enteric neural crest cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is recognized as a second brain because of its complexity and its largely autonomic control of bowel function. Recent progress in studying the interactions between the ENS and the central nervous system (CNS) has implicated alterations of the gut/brain axis as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other human CNS disorders, whereas the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown because of the lack of good model systems. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the ability to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into cells of all three germ layers, thus making iPSCs an ideal source of cells for disease modelling and cell therapy. Here, hiPSCs were induced to differentiate into neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) efficiently. When co-cultured with smooth muscle layers of ganglionic gut tissue, the NCSCs differentiated into different subtypes of mature enteric-like neurons expressing nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or calretinin with typical electrophysiological characteristics of functional neurons. Furthermore, when they were transplanted into aneural or aganglionic chick, mouse or human gut tissues in ovo, in vitro or in vivo, hiPSC-derived NCSCs showed extensive migration and neural differentiation capacity, generating neurons and glial cells that expressed phenotypic markers characteristic of the enteric nervous system. Our results indicate that enteric NCSCs derived from hiPSCs supply a powerful tool for studying the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders and brain/gut dysfunction and represent a potentially ideal cell source for enteric neural transplantation treatments.

A protective role for FADD dominant negative (FADD-DN) mutant in trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB)-induced murine contact hypersensitivity reactions

BACKGROUND

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) is a classic adaptor protein in apoptosis. Increasing evidence has shown that FADD is also implicated in T-cell development, activation and proliferation. The role of FADD in inflammatory disorders remains largely unexplored.

AIM

To assess the role of FADD in inflammatory disorders.

METHODS

We established an experimental model of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) by using 2,4,6-trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB) on transgenic mice expressing a dominant negative mutant of FADD (FADD-DN), RESULTS: CHS responses were clearly attenuated in FADD-DN mice compared with control mice. In the retroauricular lymph nodes, the ratio of CD8+ T cells was also decreased.

CONCLUSION

FADD-DN appears to play a protective role in TNCB-induced CHS reactions.

[Association between behavioral problems and gastrointestinal disorders among children with autism spectrum disorder]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between gastrointestinal disorders (GID) and core symptoms or behavioral problems among the children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) . Method: Totally 328 children with ASD and 202 normal controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from August 2013 to October 2016. The information about the gastrointestinal disorders, behavioral and emotional problems was collected by using questionnaires. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were used to assess the core symptoms of the children with ASD. Neurodevelopmental status was evaluated with Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS). These variables were analyzed by using student's t-test and chi-square test. Result: The prevalence of GID was significantly higher in the children with ASD than in the normally developing children (49.4% (162/328) vs.25.7% (52/202), χ(2)=29.039, P=0.000), especially the symptoms of constipation (33.2% (109/328) vs. 13.9% (28/202)), diarrhea (9.5%(31/328) vs. 1.5% (3/202)), nausea and vomiting (9.5% (31/328) vs. 3.5% (7/202)), and foul defecation (16.5% (54/328) vs. 5.0% (10/202)) (all P<0.05). Among the ASD children, the prevalence of GID was similar between male and female (46.7% (133/285) vs. 46.5%(20/43), χ(2)=0.006, P=0.938), as well as among all age groups (χ(2)=1.907, P=0.862). There was no significant difference in scores of GDS in the ASD children with or without GID (all P>0.05). Compared with ASD children without GID (n=166), the ASD children with GID (n=162) got higher scores in the "Body and Object Use" of ABC scale ( (16.4±9.3) vs. (12.3±6.7) scores, t=2.258, P=0.028), and had more emotional problems (63.6% (103/162) vs. 49.4% (82/166), χ(2)=6.707, P=0.010). Moreover, the score of behavior problems questionnaire was higher in the ASD children with GID ( (35.3±16.8) vs. (16.1±13.6) scores, t=5.748, P=0.000). Conclusion: Children with ASD have higher risk of GID than the normal developing children. While the stereotyped behaviors, problem behaviors and emotional problems are severer in the ASD children with GID. Hence, it is important to provide comprehensive treatment and management for these groups of children.

Study of response of Swiss Webster mice to light subunit of mushroom tyrosinase

The light subunit of mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, tyrosinase (LSMT), has been identified as an extrinsic component of the enzyme. Its function is unknown, but it can cross an epithelial cell layer, which suggests that it can be absorbed by the intestine. A similar capability has been demonstrated for the HA-33 component of the progenitor toxin from Clostridium botulinum, which is the closest structural homolog of LSMT. Unlike HA-33, LSMT appears to be non-immunogenic as shown by preliminary tests in Swiss Webster mice. We investigated the immunogenicity and histopathology of LSMT in mice to determine its safety in vivo. LSMT did not evoke generation of antibodies after prolonged periods of intraperitoneal administration. Histopathological observations confirmed the absence of responses in organs after twelve weekly administrations of LSMT. We found that LSMT is not toxic and is less immunogenic than the C. botulinum HA-33 protein, which supports further research and development for pharmaceutical application.

NOVEL GENETIC FINDINGS IN A CHINESE FAMILY WITH EARLY-ONSET FEMALE-RELATED TYPE 2 DIABETES

No inheritance of early-onset female-related type 2 diabetes was reported within Chinese families. In this study, we aim to describe the inheritance pattern of type 2 diabetes in a 3-generation family and identify the gene responsible for type 2 diabetes. Genome-wide multipoint parametric linkage analysis revealed a maximum multipoint logarithm of odds (lod) score of 2.1 for a locus being associated with type 2 diabetes in this family on chromosome 20p11.2-12 between 23.5~30.8cM. Type 2 diabetes may be transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait with a high female-related penetrance in this family. Here we describe the first genetic locus for type 2 diabetes at chromosome 20p11.2-12. This region contains 8 known or predicted genes (PLCB1, PLCB4, LAMP5, PAK7, ANKEF1, SNAP25, SLX4IP, and JAG1). Gene SNAP25 which linked to energy or glucose homeostasis associated phenotypes may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes in this family.

Edible bird's nest enhances antioxidant capacity and increases lifespan in Drosophila Melanogaster

In this study, we aims to investigate the effects of edible bird's nest (EBN) on anti-aging efficacy. In order to investigate lifespan and mortality rate of flies, we treated flies with various doses of EBN. Besides, fecundity, water content and food are determined and heat-stress test is conducted after flies treating with different medium. Effects of EBN on total antioxidant activity (T-AOC), super-oxide dismutase activity (SOD), catalase activity (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined in drosophila melanogaster. Results indicated that flies in EBN treated group illustrated significantly lower mortality rates and longer median and maximum lifespan compared to control group (P<0.05). The fecundity in EBN-treated group was increased compared to control group. SOD levels and CAT activity were significantly increased, and MDA levels decreased in EBN-treated group compared to control group (P<0.01). In conclusion, EBN can extend lifespan, decrease mortality rate and increase survival rate in heat-stress test, and which can also promote SOD and CAT activity and reduce MDA levels. EBN is able to delay drosophila melanogaster aging, attributing to the increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and decreasing content of lipid peroxidation products in drosophila melanogaster.

The influence of solution environment on the nucleation kinetics and crystallisability of para-aminobenzoic acid

The influence of solvent on the solution thermodynamics, nucleation-kinetics and crystal growth of alpha para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) crystallising from supersaturated solutions, is examined through analysis of the metastable zone width.

Towards an understanding of the nucleation of alpha-para amino benzoic acid from ethanolic solutions: a multi-scale approach

The molecular assembly and subsequent nucleation of para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) from ethanolic solutions is probed using a multi-scale and multi-technique approach. This is applied by examining and interrelating information regarding the molecular, solution-state, cluster, solid-state and surface structures to understand why the alpha form of PABA is crystallised in preference to its low temperature beta form. Calculations suggest that conformational changes within the solute molecule play little or no role in directing the nucleation of either the alpha or beta crystal forms. Combined ab initio and molecular dynamics calculations of the stability of small clusters in solution suggests that the hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid dimers, present in the alpha structure, are the most stable in solution and play a major role in the self-assembly and polymorphic expression of the alpha form in ethanol in preference to the beta form. These calculations are in good agreement with X-ray small-angle scattering analysis which reveals the presence of PABA clusters in ethanol which are consistent with the size and shape of a carboxylic acid dimer. SAXS studies also reveal the presence of larger cluster structures in a size range 10-40 nm which appear to grow, perhaps reflecting a change in the balance between monomers and dimers within the solution during the nucleation process. The results of crystallisation-kinetics experiments indicate an instantaneous nucleation mechanism where the number of instantaneously nucleated crystallites is calculated to be 1360-660 nuclei per ml and the subsequent growth is found to be only rate limited by diffusion of the growth unit to the crystallite surface. A linear dependence of growth rate with respect to supersaturation is observed for the (0 1 -1) capping face, which is associated with strong π-π stacking interactions. This is consistent with a solid-on-solid mechanism associated with surface roughened growth and concomitant poor lattice-perfection. Conversely, the side (1 0 -1) surface has a growth mechanism consistent with a 2D nucleation birth and spread mechanism. Hence, these mechanisms result in very fast growth along the b-axis and the needle-like morphology that is observed for alpha-PABA.