Simultaneous SERS Sensing of Cysteine and Homocysteine in Blood Based on the CBT-Cys Click Reaction: Toward Precisive Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

At present, there is a lack of sufficiently specific laboratory diagnostic indicators for schizophrenia. Serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been found to be related to schizophrenia. Cysteine (Cys) is a demethylation product in the metabolism of Hcy, and they always coexist with highly similar structures in vivo. There are few reports on the use of Cys as a diagnostic biomarker for schizophrenia in collaboration with Hcy, mainly because the rapid, economical, accurate, and high-throughput simultaneous detection of Cys and Hcy in serum is highly challenging. Herein, a click reaction-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor was developed for simultaneous and selective detection of Cys and Hcy. Through the efficient and specific CBT-Cys click reaction between the probe containing cyan benzothiazole and Cys/Hcy, the tiny methylene difference between the molecular structures of Cys and Hcy was converted into the difference between the ring skeletons of the corresponding products that could be identified by plasmonic silver nanoparticle enhanced molecular fingerprint spectroscopy to realize discriminative detection. Furthermore, the SERS sensor was successfully applied to the detection in related patient serum samples, and it was found that the combined analysis of Cys and Hcy can improve the diagnostic accuracy of schizophrenia compared to a single indicator.

Raman encoding for security labels: a review

Owing to its excellent multiplexing ability, high stability, and molecular fingerprint characteristics, Raman encoding has been widely used in security labels for medical safety, jewelry identification and food supervision. Various growing demands have promoted the anti-counterfeiting mode of security labels based on Raman encoding from the classic one that relies on specific patterns to the more secure one that depends on random patterns. As impressive progress has been made in Raman encoding for security labels in recent years, this review attempts to comprehensively cover security labels based on Raman encoding, from label preparation to image verification. For the labels with different anti-counterfeiting modes, the different basic elements they need are summarized, and the role of Raman encoding in different modes is introduced. In addition, security labels based on Raman encoding still have some drawbacks. Therefore, suggestions on how to improve its anti-counterfeiting performance are also discussed, as well as future challenges and prospects.

"Dramatic Growth" of Microbial Aerosols for Visualization and Accurate Counting of Bioaerosols

While the global COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, microbial aerosol detection has become of high concern. Timely, accurate, and highly sensitive monitoring of microbial aerosols in indoor air is the basis for effective prevention and control of infectious diseases. At present, no commercial equipment or reliable technology can simultaneously control the detection time and limit at 6 h and 102 CFU/mL, respectively. Based on the "safety size range" of particulate matter in the air, we propose a new method of microbial dilation detection, which enables the pathogen to grow rapidly and dramatically into a polymeric microsphere, larger in size than the coexisting aerosol particles. "Like a crane standing among chickens", the microorganism can be easily visualized and counted. Different from routine chemical and biological sensing technologies, this method can achieve absolute counting of microbial particles, and the simple principles can be developed into devices for different life scenarios.

A cooling-driven self-adaptive and removable hydrogel coupled with combined chemo-photothermal sterilization for promoting infected wound healing

Hydrogel dressings that can fit irregular wounds, promote wound healing, and detach from wounds without damage represent the development trend of modern medical dressings. Herein, a novel composite hydrogel with excellent wound shape matching and painless removability via a gel-sol phase transition is constructed through dynamic borate ester bonds between phenylboronic acid-grafted F127 (PF127) and polydopamine-coated reduced graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles (rGO@PDA/Ag NPs). After contact with the skin tissues, the administered liquid-like sols gradually transform into solid-like gels, robustly adhering to the wound. The hydrogel dressings containing near-infrared (NIR)-responsive rGO@PDA and in situ formed Ag NPs can generate localized heat and gradually release Ag⁺ to realize safe, effective, and durable photothermal-chemical combined sterilization. In addition, catechol-rich PDA endows the hydrogel dressings with good antioxidant activity and adhesiveness. In vivo study results indicate that the hydrogel dressings can significantly accelerate full-thickness skin infected wound healing by eliminating bacteria, promoting collagen deposition and angiogenesis, as well as reducing inflammation. Collectively, the thermoreversible rGO@PDA/Ag-PF127 hydrogel dressings with an improved self-adapting ability, superior antimicrobial activity, and tunable adhesion appear to be a promising candidate for the treatment of infected wounds.

Cancer survival: left truncation and comparison of results from hospital-based cancer registry and population-based cancer registry

Background

Cancer survival is an important indicator for evaluating cancer prognosis and cancer care outcomes. The incidence dates used in calculating survival differ between population-based registries and hospital-based registries. Studies examining the effects of the left truncation of incidence dates and delayed reporting on survival estimates are scarce in real-world applications.

Methods

Cancer cases hospitalized at Nantong Tumor Hospital during the years 2002-2017 were traced with their records registered in the Qidong Cancer Registry. Survival was calculated using the life table method for cancer patients with the first visit dates recorded in the hospital-based cancer registry (HBR) as the diagnosis date (OSH), those with the registered dates of population-based cancer (PBR) registered as the incidence date (OSP), and those with corrected dates when the delayed report dates were calibrated (OSC).

Results

Among 2,636 cases, 1,307 had incidence dates registered in PBR prior to the diagnosis dates of the first hospitalization registered in HBR, while 667 cases with incidence dates registered in PBR were later than the diagnosis dates registered in HBR. The 5-year OSH, OSP, and OSC were 36.1%, 37.4%, and 39.0%, respectively. The "lost" proportion of 5-year survival due to the left truncation for HBR data was estimated to be between 3.5% and 7.4%, and the "delayed-report" proportion of 5-year survival for PBR data was found to be 4.1%.

Conclusion

Left truncation of survival in HBR cases was demonstrated. The pseudo-left truncation in PBR should be reduced by controlling delayed reporting and maximizing completeness. Our study provides practical references and suggestions for evaluating the survival of cancer patients with HBR and PBR.

Blood-Glucose-Depleting Hydrogel Dressing as an Activatable Photothermal/Chemodynamic Antibacterial Agent for Healing Diabetic Wounds

Poorly healing and nonhealing diabetic wounds are challenging to treat as the rapid growth of bacteria due to the high local glucose content can lead to persistent inflammation and poor angiogenesis. Herein, a smart hydrogel dressing composed of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine/ferrous ion/Pluronic F-127/glucose oxidase (TMB/Fe²⁺/PF127/GOx) is designed and demonstrated to consume blood glucose while accelerating wound healing by generating antibacterial agents in situ. The loaded GOx degrades blood glucose to provide hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and gluconic acid to support the Fe²⁺-based Fenton reaction, and the generated hydroxyl radical (·OH) facilitates the oxidation of TMB. The color change from colorless to green caused by the oxidation of TMB in the blood glucose range between 1 and 10 mM can be monitored visually. Simultaneously, this process induced chemodynamic therapy (CDT) by the specific generation of hydroxyl radical (·OH) for killing bacteria. Moreover, the oxidized TMB shows strong absorption in the near infrared (NIR) region so that NIR light can be converted into heat efficiently for photothermal therapy (PTT). As a result, nearly 100% of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli are killed by synergistic PTT/CDT, and the infected skin wounds undergo complete repair along with downregulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metallopeptidase-2 (MMP-2). Different from traditional wound dressings that can give rise to secondary injury, the excellent thermosensitive properties arising from the sol/gel phase transition render the hydrogel dressing materials injectable, self-reparable, and removable on demand. The multifunctional hydrogel with hypoglycemic, chemodynamic, photothermal, antibacterial, and on-demand thermosensitive properties has immense potential in the treatment of diabetic wounds.

Silent Raman imaging of highly effective anti-bacterial activity synchronous with biofilm breakage using poly(4-cyanostyrene)@silver@polylysine nanocomposites

Biofilms are known to be a great challenge for their anti-bacterial activity as they obstruct drug action for deeper and more thorough bacteria-killing effects. Therefore, developing highly effective antibacterial agents to destroy biofilms and eradicate bacteria is of great significance. Herein, a new type of nanocomposites (denoted as poly(4-cyanostyrene)@silver@polylysine) is proposed, in which polylysine (PLL) could rapidly capture the biofilms and exhibit excellent antibacterial efficacy together with decorated silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) through the charge effect and Ag⁺ release. Notably, nearly 100% antibacterial rates against Gram-positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus, S. aureus) and Gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli, E. coli) were achieved. More importantly, poly(4-cyanostyrene) with biological silent Raman imaging capacity is able to illustrate the relationship between antibacterial efficiency and biofilm breakage. In short, such novel nanocomposites can improve the bioavailability of each component and display tremendous potential in antibacterial applications.

Engineering a SERS Sensing Nanoplatform with Self-Sterilization for Undifferentiated and Rapid Detection of Bacteria

The development of a convenient, sensitive, rapid and self-sterilizing biosensor for microbial detection is important for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases. Herein, we designed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing nanoplatform based on a capture-enrichment-enhancement strategy to detect bacteria. The gold-Azo@silver-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (Au-Azo@Ag-CTAB) SERS nanotags were obtained by optimizing the synthesis process conditions. The results showed that the modification of CTAB enabled the nanotags to bind to different bacteria electrostatically. This SERS sensing nanoplatform was demonstrated to be fast (15 min), accurate and sensitive (limit of detection (LOD): 300 and 400 CFU/mL for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively). Of note, the excellent endogenous antibacterial activity of CTAB allowed the complete inactivation of bacteria after the assay process, thus effectively avoiding secondary contamination.

Raman inks based on triple-bond-containing polymeric nanoparticles for security

Developing security inks with spectral outputs/multiple colors, which have unique identification characteristics, is of great importance in enhancing the anti-counterfeiting strength of ink anti-counterfeiting technology. Herein, a print-driven triple-bond coding mode is proposed for the first time. Two kinds of triple-bond-containing polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) with Raman shifts at 2227 and 2241 cm^-1 have been designed into printable ink, and the decimal coding output can be easily obtained by reasonably adjusting the proportions of the two polymeric NPs. Single Raman scattering inks can be used as invisible inks to print monochromatic patterns and words that the decoder can read out. According to the two-dimensional pixels of the graphics decoder, invisible colorful graphics can be printed with mixed inks under different polymer proportions. More interestingly, three-dimensional invisible patterns with stronger anti-counterfeiting strength can also be obtained in the double-layer anti-counterfeiting patterns with different proportions of ink by the spatial complementary coding mode. It is predicted that more security inks associated with triple-bond Raman signals will spur the application of the anti-counterfeiting field.

Recent advances in plasmonic Prussian blue-based SERS nanotags for biological application

The reliability and reproducibility of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology is still a great challenge in bio-related analysis. Prussian blue (PB)-based SERS tags have attracted increasing interest for improving these deficiencies due to its unique Raman band (near 2156 cm-1) in the Raman-silent region, providing zero-background bio-Raman labels without interference from endogenous biomolecules. Moreover, the stable PB shell consisting of multiple layers of CN- reporters ensure a stable and strong Raman signal output, avoiding the desorption of the Raman reporter from the plasmonic region by the competitive adsorption of the analyte. More importantly, they possess outstanding multiplexing potential in biological analysis owing to the adjustable Raman shift with unique narrow spectral widths. Despite more attention having been attracted to the structure and preparation of PB-based SERS tags for their better biological applications over the past five years, there is still a great challenge for SERS suitable for applications in the actual environment. The biological applications of PB-based SERS tags are comprehensively recounted in this minireview, mainly focusing on quantification analysis, multiple-spectral analysis and cell-imaging joint phototherapy. The prospects of PB-based SERS tags in clinical diagnosis and treatment are also discussed. This review aims to draw attention to the importance of SERS tags and provide a reference for the design and application of PB-based SERS tags in future bio-applications.

Rational synthesis of Three-Layered plasmonic nanocomposites of copper Sulfide/Gold/Zinc-Doped Prussian blue analogues for improved photothermal disinfection and wound healing

Bacteria-infected wounds have imposed serious challenges in human health whereas the abuse of antibiotics makes bacteria drug-resistant and becoming more and more difficult to deal with. Herein, we developed a drug-free three-layered photothermal bactericide from inside to outside consisting of copper sulfide (CuS), gold (Au) and zinc-doped Prussian blue analogues (ZnPBA) (named as CuS@Au@ZnPBA). The CuS@Au@ZnPBA was demonstrated to possess remarkably-improved photothermal property and excellent biosafety. Local heat generated by CuS@Au@ZnPBA under the irradiation of 808 nm laser enables efficient bacteria ablation in vitro and in a mouse model of cutaneous wound infection. Meanwhile, the released zinc ions (Zn²⁺) could upregulate the genes involved in collagen deposition to accelerate wound healing. Overall, the finely-designed nanocomposites can serve as a promising kind of antibacterial alternative to current antibiotic therapies against bacterial wound infections.

Liver Cancer Survival: A Real World Observation of 45 Years with 32,556 Cases

Background and Aims

To explore the long-term trend of liver cancer survival, based on the real-world data (RWD) in the past 45 years from a population-based cancer registry, in Qidong, China.

Methods

A number of 32,556 patients with liver cancer were registered during the period of 1972 to 2016. Mixed methods by active and passive follow-up were performed. Life table method was employed for survival analysis by SPSS22 software. Wilcoxon (Gehan) statistics was considered as a significant test. Relative survival was calculated by using SURV software, and its annual percent change (APC) was estimated by the Joinpoint Regression Program.

Results

The overall observed survival (OS) rates of 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year rates from the data series were 18.51%, 6.28%, 4.03%, and 2.84%, and their relative survival (RS) rates were 18.88%, 6.95%, 4.96%, and 4.49%, respectively. For 24,338 male cases, the 5-year OS and RS rates were 5.93% and 6.54%, and for 8218 female cases, 7.34% and 8.15%, respectively, with P values less than 0.01. Survival rates of liver cancer from three 15-year periods of 1972-1986, 1987-2001, and 2002-2016 have increased significantly, with 5-year OS rates of 2.02%, 4.40%, and 10.76%, 5-year RS rates of 2.18%, 4.83%, and 12.18%; 10-year OS and RS rates of 0.95%, 3.00%, and 7.02%, vs 1.13%, 3.65%, and 8.96%, respectively, showing a very significant upward trend (P<0.01). There are significant differences among age groups (P<0.01): those aged 55-64 demonstrated the best OS and RS rates of 5-year, being 8.44% and 9.09%, respectively.

Conclusion

There are significant gender and age differences in the survival rate of liver cancer in Qidong. RWD indicates the relative lower survival rate of liver cancer in this area, but great improvement has been achieved over the past decades.

Precise Encoding of Triple-Bond Raman Scattering of Single Polymer Nanoparticles for Multiplexed Imaging Application

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy in combination with innovative tagging strategies offers great potential as a universal high-throughput biomedical imaging tool. Here, we report rationally tailored small molecular monomers containing triple-bond units with large Raman scattering cross-sections, which can be polymerized at the nanoscale for enhancement of SRS contrast with smaller but brighter optical nanotags with artificial fingerprint output. From this, a class of triple-bond rich polymer nanoparticles (NPs) was engineered by regulating the relative dosages of three chemically different triple-bond monomers in co-polymerization. The bonding strategy allowed for 15 spectrally distinguishable triple-bond combinations. These accurately structured nano molecular aggregates, rather than long-chain macromolecules, could establish a universal method for generating small-sized biological SRS imaging tags with high sensitivity for high-throughput multi-color biomedical imaging.

Fine synthesis of Prussian-blue analogue coated gold nanoparticles (Au@PBA NPs) for sorting specific cancer cell subtypes

Multiplex surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of markers without background in tumor biosystems has its superiority over other optical methods. Herein, we reported a strategy of quantitative discrimination of two breast cancer cell subtypes. Based on our previous studies, two kinds of Prussian blue analogue coated gold nanoparticles (Au@PBA NPs) were designed and synthesized by the replacement of Fe²⁺ with Pb²⁺ or Cu²⁺. Therefore, two distinct SERS emissions of C≡N bonds at 2122 cm^-1 and 2176 cm^-1 have been acquired. When modified with aptamers of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which are both expressed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines but in different levels, the SERS nanoprobes simultaneously identified the relative expression of these biomarkers on the cell surface, providing a good example for ratiometric detection in biosystems without any interference. Each surface marker of tumor cells corresponds to a single SERS emission. Thus, each subtype could be described in a molecular profiling way through duplex C≡N bonds-based SERS emission, which is more advanced than traditional flow cytometry method.

On-site and quantitative SERS detection of trace 1, 2, 3-benzotriazole in transformer oil with colloidal lignin particles-based green pretreatment reagents

Since 1, 2, 3-Benzotriazole (BTA) is one of the most commonly used metal passivators in transformer oil, on-site and quantitative detection of BTA plays a significant role in fast evaluation of the performance of the insulating oil. Herein, we proposed a cycle-growth synthetic protocol for yielding two-dimensional (2D) plane-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with tunable optical property and controllable interparticle distance, and an extraction material, so called colloidal lignin particles (CLPs), for the fast separation of BTA from oil matrix. After BTA from transformer oil were adsorbed by hydrophilic CLPs, highly reproducible SERS signal of BTA can be obtained by dropping on the substrate. The characteristic Raman shift at 1386 cm^-1 of BTA has been selected to establish a good linearity between its relative intensity and concentration in the range of 1-300 mg/L, and the detection limit for BTA was down to 0.12 mg/L. Moreover, the time consumption for the whole detection process of real sample including sample pretreatment and SERS measurements was less than 30 min. It is highly expected that the combination of CLPs with SERS can accomplish the on-site detection of trace BTA in transformer oil.

The small silver nanoparticle-assisted homogeneous sensing of thiocyanate ions with an ultra-wide window based on surface-enhanced Raman-extinction spectroscopy

For the first time, we present an original sensing strategy with an ultra-wide detection window from 17 nM to 20 mM to detect SCN- ions. Initially, we investigated the clustering and optical properties of noble metal sol nanoparticles (NPs) due to the competitive interaction of thiocyanate ions (SCN-) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) under weak acidic conditions, and found that different dimensions and scales of nanoclusters containing the alkyne-embedded Au@Ag NPs and relatively small Ag NPs could be achieved by the mediation of CTAB through electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interaction, in which SCN- could be covalently bonded with the silver surface of NPs to form a compact molecular layer (-Ag-S-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N), and CTAB could only occupy remaining sites. In this process, we found that SCN- always runs counter to CTAB and tends to dissolve nanoclusters, so that they occupy the exposed surface of NPs in nanoclusters rather than the binding sites of one another. Remarkably, when the concentration of SCN- initially increased, two highly recognizable SERS emissions, which were assigned to alkyne reporter molecules (2208 cm-1) and C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N of SCN- (2110 cm-1), respectively, were rapidly detected, and their ratios (I2110/I2208) increased linearly proportional to the concentration of SCN- over a range of 17 nM to 172 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 nM. With the further increase of SCN-, small Ag NPs started to desorb from the surface of individual Au@Ag NPs and dissociated in the solution but did not contribute to SERS signals. Instead, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of pure silver NPs at 385 nm increased gradually in the range from 0.5 to 20 mM with an LOD of 0.2 mM. Of particular significance, this simple sensor in conjunction with surface-enhanced Raman-extinction spectroscopy can be used for the rapid detection of extensive samples with an ultra-wide detection window, such as body fluids (saliva, urine, and serum) and food (milk powder and brassica vegetables), which is far superior to that of ion chromatography (IC).

Liver cancer mortality over six decades in an epidemic area: what we have learned

Background and aims:

Liver cancer is one of the most dominant malignant tumors in the world. The trends of liver cancer mortality over the past six decades have been tracked in the epidemic region of Qidong, China. Using epidemiological tools, we explore the dynamic changes in age-standardized rates to characterize important aspects of liver cancer etiology and prevention.

Methods

Mortality data of liver cancer in Qidong from 1958 to 1971 (death retrospective survey) and from 1972 to 2017 (cancer registration) were tabulated for the crude rate (CR), and age-standardized rate and age-birth cohorts. The average annual percentage change was calculated by the Joinpoint Regression Program.

Results

The natural death rate during 1958–2017 decreased from 9‰ to 5.4‰ and then increased to 8‰ as the population aged; cancer mortality rates rose continuously from 57/10⁵ to 240/10⁵. Liver cancer mortality increased from 20/10⁵ to 80/10⁵, and then dropped to less than 52/10⁵ in 2017. Liver cancer deaths in 1972–2017 accounted for 30.53% of all cancers, with a CR of 60.48/10⁵, age-standardized rate China (ASRC) of 34.78/10⁵, and ASRW (world) of 45.71/10⁵. Other key features were the CR for males and females of 91.86/10⁵ and 29.92/10⁵, respectively, with a sex ratio of 3.07:1. Period analysis showed that the ASRs for mortality of the age groups under 54 years old had a significant decreasing trend. Importantly, birth cohort analysis showed that the mortality rate of liver cancer in 40–44, 35–39, 30–34, 25–29, 20–24, 15–19 years cohort decreased considerably, but the rates in 70–74, and 75+ increased.

Conclusions

The crude mortality rate of liver cancer in Qidong has experienced trends from lower to higher levels, and from continued increase at a high plateau to most recently a gradual decline, and a change greatest in younger people. Many years of comprehensive prevention and intervention measures have influenced the decline of the liver cancer epidemic in this area. The reduction of intake levels of aflatoxin might be one of the most significant factors as evidenced by the dramatic decline of exposure biomarkers in this population during the past three decades.

Nucleic Acid Hybridization-Based Noise Suppression for Ultraselective Multiplexed Amplification of Mutant Variants

The analysis of mutant nucleic acid (NA) variants can provide crucial clinical and biological insights for many diseases. Yet, existing analysis techniques are generally constrained by nonspecific "noise" signals from excessive wildtype background sequences, especially under rapid isothermal multiplexed target amplification conditions. Herein, the molecular hybridization chemistry between NA bases is manipulated to suppress noise signals and achieve ultraselective multiplexed detection of cancer gene fusion NA variants. Firstly, modified locked NA (LNA) bases are rationally introduced into oligonucleotide sequences as designed "locker probes" for high affinity hybridization to wildtype sequences, leading to enrichment of mutant variants for multiplexed isothermal amplification. Secondly, locker probes are coupled with a customized "proximity-programmed" (SERS) readout which allows precise control of hybridization-based plasmonic signaling to specifically detect multiple target amplicons within a single reaction. Moreover, the use of triple bond Raman reporters endows NA noise signal-free quantification in the Raman silent region (≈1800-2600 cm^-1 ). With this dual molecular hybridization-based strategy, ultraselective multiplexed detection of gene fusion NA variants in cancer cellular models is actualized with successful noise suppression of native wildtype sequences. The distinct benefits of isothermal NA amplification and SERS multiplexing ability are simultaneously harnessed.

A laser metallurgy route for the batch preparation of mm-scale 3D silver/graphite heteronanoclusters in air

We report a batch preparation of mm-scale 3D Ag hetero-nanoclusters which exhibit an excellent surface plasmon resonance ability via facile laser metallurgy. Under laser irradiation, the porous AgI-based coordination network crystals were instantly converted into 3D graphite-encapsulated Ag hetero-nanoclusters with uniform sizes and gaps in several seconds. The obtained hetero-nanoclusters exhibited superior 3D confocal laser energy utilization compared with the other 0D, 1D and 2D SERS substrates, solving the bottleneck caused by laser focusing deviation in the SERS active depth. The mass-produced SERS devices were ultra-sensitive for the detection of life and industrial organic pollutants in terms of low detection and enriched capacity.

Monodispersed plasmonic Prussian blue nanoparticles for zero-background SERS/MRI-guided phototherapy

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided phototherapy are new breakthroughs in cancer therapeutics due to their complementary advantages, such as enhanced imaging spatial resolution and depth. Herein, we synthesized monodispersed Prussian blue-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (Au@PB NPs), in which the plasmonic gold core plus coordination polymer of cyanide (C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N) and iron ions coincidently become a superexcellent contrast agent for both MRI and zero-background SERS imaging. PB, as a signal source for MR and SERS, can be easily assembled onto single Au NPs, of which iron ions possess high relaxation efficiency for in vivo MRI, e.g., the longitudinal and transversal relaxation efficiency values are 0.86 mM-1 s-1 (r1) and 5.42 mM-1 s-1 (r2), respectively. Furthermore, with the help of the plasmonic enhancement of the gold core, the C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N groups exhibit a specific, strong, and stable (3S) SERS emission in the Raman-silent region (1800-2800 cm-1), allowing accurate in vivo imaging at the single or even subcellular level. More importantly, PB has remarkable absorption properties in the near infrared region, and can be used as a photosensitizer for photothermal (PT) and photodynamic (PD) therapy simultaneously. Hence, the ideal integration of a plasmonic Au core and PB shell into a single monodispersed MR-guided NP, with zero-background SERS signals, is an important candidate for both tumor navigation and in situ PT/PD treatment guided by SERS/MR dual-mode imaging.

Splicing Nanoparticles-Based "Click" SERS Could Aid Multiplex Liquid Biopsy and Accurate Cellular Imaging

Here, a completely new readout technique, so-called "Click" SERS, has been developed based on Raman scattered light splice derived from nanoparticle (NP) assemblies. The single and narrow (1-2 nm) emission originating from triple bond-containing reporters undergoes dynamic combinatorial output, by means of controllable splice of SERS-active NPs analogous to small molecule units in click chemistry. Entirely different to conventional "sole code related to sole target" readout protocol, the intuitional, predictable and uniquely identifiable "Click" SERS is relies on the number rather than the intensity of combinatorial emissions. By this technique, 10-plex synchronous biomarkers detection under a single scan, and accurate cellular imaging under double exposure have been achieved. "Click" SERS demonstrated multiple single band Raman scattering could be an authentic optical analysis method in biomedicine.

Rational synthesis of hollow cubic CuS@Spiky Au core–shell nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal and SERS effects

The unique “tip spots” can simultaneously enhance SERS and the photothermal effect, facilitating label-free SERS intracellular imaging during cell apoptosis.

Rapid and Reliable Detection of Alkaline Phosphatase by a Hot Spots Amplification Strategy Based on Well-Controlled Assembly on Single Nanoparticle

The first appeal of clinical assay is always accurate and rapid. For alkaline phosphatase (ALP) monitoring in medical treatment, a rapid, reliable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) test kit is designed based on a "hot spots" amplification strategy. Consisting of alkyne-tagged Au nanoparticles (NPs), Ag⁺, and enzyme substrate, the packaged test kit can achieve one-step clinical assay of ALP in human serum within several minutes, while the operation is simple as it directly inputs the sample into the test kit. Here, Ag⁺ ions are adsorbed onto the surface of Au core due to electrostatic interaction between Ag⁺ and the negatively charged donor surface, then enzymatic biocatalysis of ALP triggers the reduction of Ag⁺ and subsequently silver growth occurs on every Au core surface in a controllable manner, forming "hot spots" between the Au core and Ag shell, in which the SERS signal of alkyne Raman reporters would be highly amplified. Meanwhile, ALP mediates a redox reaction of Ag⁺ as well as the dynamic silver coating process so the increase of SERS intensity is well-controlled and can be recognized with increasing amounts of the targets. Instead of conventional NP aggregation, this leads to a more reproducible result. In particular, the distinct Raman emission from our self-synthesized alkyne reporter is narrow and stable with zero background in the Raman silent region, suffering no optical fluctuation from biosystem inputs and the detection results are therefore reliable with a limit of detection of 0.01 U/L (2.3 pg/mL). Along with ultrahigh stability, this SERS test kit therefore is an important point-of-care candidate for a reliable, efficacious, and highly sensitive detection method for ALP, which potentially decreases the need for time-consuming clinical trials.

Photochemical Synthesis of Shape-Controlled Nanostructured Gold on Zinc Oxide Nanorods as Photocatalytically Renewable Sensors

Biosensors always suffer from passivation that prevents their reutilization. To address this issue, photocatalytically renewable sensors composed of semiconductor photocatalysts and sensing materials have emerged recently. In this work, we developed a robust and versatile method to construct different kinds of renewable biosensors consisting of ZnO nanorods and nanostructured Au. Via a facile and efficient photochemical reduction, various nanostructured Au was obtained successfully on ZnO nanorods. As-prepared sensors concurrently possess excellent sensing capability and desirable photocatalytic cleaning performance. Experimental results demonstrate that dendritic Au/ZnO composite has the strongest surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement, and dense Au nanoparticles (NPs)/ZnO composite has the highest electrochemical activity, which was successfully used for electrochemical detection of NO release from cells. Furthermore, both of the SERS and electrochemical sensors can be regenerated efficiently for renewable applications via photodegrading adsorbed probe molecules and biomolecules. Our strategy provides an efficient and versatile method to construct various kinds of highly sensitive renewable sensors and might expand the application of the photocatalytically renewable sensor in the biosensing area.

HSPA12B regulates SSeCKS-mediated astrocyte inflammatory activation in neuroinflammation

Reactive astrocytosis has been considered either beneficial or detrimental effection in neuroinflammatory disease. HSPA12B, a new member belongs to the 70-kDa family of heat shock proteins (HSP70) which could modulate inflammatory response, also shows an connection with the astrocyte activation. Recently, it was reported that Src-Suppressed-C Kinase Substrate (SSeCKS) was detected in heat shock protein A12B (HSPA12B) interacting proteins using a yeast 2-hybrid system. SSeCKS, a major Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) response protein, has been involved in regulating astrocyte activation via production of proinflammatory factor in CNS inflammation. In this study, we found HSPA12B might regulate the expression and activity of SSeCKS to promote astrocyte inflammatory activation and release of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α and IL-1β in spinal cord primary astroglial cultures exposed to LPS treatment. The promoting mechanism of interaction between HSPA12B and SSeCKS on LPS-induced astrocyte activation was mediated via the activation of JNK and p38 signaling pathways but not ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway. HSPA12B binded to SSeCKS via its both N terminus consisted of amino acids 1-330 and C terminus consisted of amino acids 1278-1596. And, in vivo, we confirmed the interaction between HSPA12B and SSeCKS of astrocyte activation in the pathogenesis of EAE. The regulatory mechanisms of HSPA12B-SSeCKS interaction may possibly be the key therapeutic strategy of neuroinflammatory disease.

CRMP1 Interacted with Spy1 During the Collapse of Growth Cones Induced by Sema3A and Acted on Regeneration After Sciatic Nerve Crush

CRMP1, a member of the collapsin response mediator protein family (CRMPs), was reported to regulate axon outgrowth in Sema3A signaling pathways via interactions with its co-receptor protein neuropilin-1 and plexin-As through the Fyn-cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) cascade and the sequential phosphorylation of CRMP1 by lycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β). Using yeast two-hybrid, we identified a new molecule, Speedy A1 (Spy1), a member of the Speedy/RINGO family, with an interaction with CRMP1. Besides, for the first time, we observed the association of CRMP1 with actin. Based on this, we wondered the association of them and their function in Sema3A-induced growth cones collapse and regeneration process after SNC. During our study, we constructed overexpression plasmid and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to question the relationship of CRMP1/Spy1 and CRMP1/actin. We observed the interactions of CRMP1/Spy1 and CRMP1/actin. Besides, we found that Spy1 could affect CRMP1 phosphorylation actived by CDK5 and that enhanced CRMP1 phosphorylation might disturb the combination of CRMP1 and actin, which would contribute to abnormal of Sema3A-induced growth cones collapse and finally lead to influent regeneration process after rat sciatic nerve crush. Through rat walk footprint test, we also observed the variance during regeneration progress, respectively. We speculated that CRMP1 interacted with Spy1 which would disturb the association of CRMP1 with actin and was involved in the collapse of growth cones induced by Sema3A and regeneration after sciatic nerve crush.

Foxo3a expression is a prognostic marker in breast cancer

The forkhead box transcription factor Foxo3a has been implicated to play a critical role in various cancers by suppressing tumor growth. Recent studies have identified Foxo3a as a key regulator of Estrogen Receptor-α (ERα). In the present study, we examined the expression of Foxo3a, and investigated its clinical significance and correlation with ER and prognostic role in patients with breast cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on tumors from 70 breast cancer patients. Interpretable Foxo3a expression was analyzed along with major clinicopathologic variables, and a comparison was made with corresponding 5-year clinical follow-up data. Foxo3a protein expression correlated with ER positivity (P<0.001), histologic grade (1, 2) (P = 0.002), axillary lymph node negativity (P<0.001) and TNM stage (1, 2) (P<0.001). Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the study population showed that a high expression level of Foxo3a was significantly correlated with long-term survival (P<0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, Foxo3a expression was identified as a favorable independent prognostic factor in overall survival (P = 0.038). In conclusion, our results indicated that Foxo3a expression is a favorable prognostic marker in breast cancer. In addition, Foxo3a staining could potentially be used in patient stratification in conjunction with other prognostic markers.

Expression of FOXJ1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with patients' prognosis and tumor cell proliferation

FOXJ1 is a member of the forkhead box (FOX) family of transcription factors. Recent studies suggested that FOXJ1 may function as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. To investigate the potential roles of FOXJ1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), expression of FOXJ1 was first examined in eight paired frozen HCC and adjacent noncancerous liver tissues by Western blot, and we found that FOXJ1 was upregulated in HCC specimens. In addition, immunohistochemistry was performed to confirm our results in 108 HCC samples. Moreover, we also evaluated its relation with clinicopathological variables and the prognostic significance. The data showed that high expression of FOXJ1 was associated with histological grade (P < 0.001), and FOXJ1 was positively correlated with proliferation marker Ki-67 (P < 0.01). Univariate analysis suggested that FOXJ1 expression was associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor grade (P < 0.0001), metastasis (P = 0.0451), tumor size (P = 0.0459), FOXJ1 (P = 0.0011), and Ki-67 (P = 0.0006) were independent prognostic markers for HCC. Furthermore, we noted that there existed the change of the level of FOXJ1 subcellular localization during cell-cycle transition in HepG2 cells by immunofluorescence and cell fractionation. Besides, we employed FOXJ1 overexpression/knockdown approaches to investigate the effects of FOXJ1 on HCC cell proliferation and cell-cycle distribution and found that overexpression of FOXJ1 can promote tumor cell proliferation and cell-cycle transition. Our results suggested that FOXJ1 was overexpressed in HCCs and associated with histological grade and poor prognosis. Overexpression of FOXJ1 was also involved in tumor cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression in HCC cell lines.

Expression of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I in a surgically-induced rat model of knee osteoarthritic synovitis

BACKGROUND

There are few reports of a biological role for glycosyltransferases in the infiltration of osteoarthritic synovitis. The aim of this research was to investigate the expression and cellular location of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I (β-1,4-GalT-I) in a surgically-induced rat model of knee osteoarthritis (OA), and explore the role of β-1,4-GalT-I in the pathogenesis of OA.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: OA group, sham group and normal group. The model of OA was established in the right knees of rats by anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) with partial medial meniscectomy. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) obtained from normal rat synovial tissue were cultured. The expression of β-1,4-GalT-I mRNA in the synovial tissue, articular cartilage and FLSs treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assayed by real-time PCR. Western-blotting and immunohistochemisty were used to observe the expression of β-1,4-GalT-I at the protein level. Double immunofluorescent staining was used to define the location of the β-1,4-GalT-I with macrophage-like synoviocytes, FLSs, neutrophils, and TNF-α in the OA synovium. The alteration of TNF-α in FLSs which were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and β-1,4-GalT-I-Ab were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

The mRNA and protein expression of β-1,4-GalT-I increased in synovial tissue of the OA group compared with the normal and sham groups at two and four weeks after the surgery, however, no significant difference appeared in the articular cartilage. Immunohistochemistry also indicated that the β-1,4-GalT-I expression in OA synovium at four weeks after surgery increased sharply compared with the control group. β-1,4-GalT-I co-localized with macrophage-like synoviocytes, FLSs, neutrophils and TNF-α in rat OA synovitis. Moreover, in vitro β-1,4-GalT-I mRNA in FLSs was affected in a dose- and time-dependent manner in response to TNF-α stimulation. ELISA revealed that the expression of TNF-α was attenuated in FLSs in vitro when treated with anti β-1,4-GalT-I antibody.

CONCLUSION

β-1,4-GalT-I may play an important role in the inflammation process of rat OA synovial tissue which would provide the foundation for further researching into the concrete mechanism of β-1,4-GalT-I in OA synovitis.

A longitudinal Raman microspectroscopic study of osteoporosis induced by spinal cord injury

INTRODUCTION

A longitudinal study was established to investigate bone compositional information in spinal cord injury (SCI) rat model.

METHODS

Raman spectroscopy was applied to detect the distal femur and humeri of SCI, sham-operated (SO), and age-matched control (CON) male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at first, second, third, and fifth weeks after surgery. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc multiple comparison tests were used to analyze the longitudinal data of mineral to matrix ratio and carbonate substitution.

RESULTS

Relative mineral decrease was found in SCI group by more than 20% in femur and approximately 12% in humeri compared with CON group. No significant changes in carbonate substitution were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe bone loss in the early stage of SCI was confirmed by a continuous decrease of the mineral to collagen matrix ratio. The decrease in the humeri suggested hormone level variations might participate in the etiology of SCI-induced osteoporosis.

[Expression variation and significance of Skp2 and p27(kip1) during the proliferation of Jurkat cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression variation and significance of Skp2 and p27(kip1) during the proliferation of lymphoma cell line Jurkat cells.

METHODS

The binding of p27(kip1) and Skp2 in Jurkat cells were detected by immunoprecipitation. Jurkat cells were treated with serum starvation and release synchronization. The expression variation and subcellular localization of p27(kip1) and Skp2 were detected by subcellular fractionation, Western blot and double immunofluorescence labelling.

RESULTS

The results of immunoprecipitation suggested that p27(kip1) and Skp2 could bind each other in Jurkat cells. During the proliferation of Jurkat cells, the protein expression of p27(kip1) decreased and intranuclear p27(kip1) decreased significantly, while the Skp2 protein increased and cytoplasmic Skp2 increased significantly.

CONCLUSION

During the proliferation of Jurkat cells, the increased cytoplasmic synthesis of Skp2 may speed up p27(kip1) degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, then intranuclear p27(kip1) decreases significantly, leading to an increased cell cycling activity.

Experimental and density functional theory and ab initio Hartree-Fock study on the vibrational spectra of 2-(4-fluorobenzylideneamino)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid

2-(4-Fluorobenzylideneamino)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid (4-FT) was synthesized through the reaction of 4-fluorobenzaldehyde and l-tyrosine in refluxing EtOH. The structure of 4-FT was verified by measuring 1H NMR, FTIR and Raman. The ground-state geometries were optimized at B3LYP/6-31G**, B3LYP/6-31G*, HF/6-31G** and HF/6-31G* levels without symmetry constrains. The vibrational wavenumbers of 4-FT were calculated at same levels. The scaled spectra using B3LYP methods, which are in a good agreement with the measured spectra, are superior to those calculated using HF methods.

[Inhibitory effect of arsenic trioxide on proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 and the mechanism]

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) is a new drug used to treat solid tumors. However, the mechanism is still unclear. This study was to investigate the effects of As(2)O(3) on the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC-7721, and to explore the mechanisms.

METHODS

When treated with 0-8 micromol/L As(2)O(3) for 96 h, the survival rate of SMMC-7721 cells was determined by WST-8 assay. When treated with 2 micromol/L As(2)O(3) for 72 h, the expression of P27(kip1) and c-Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 (JAB1) in SMMC-7721 cells were detected at different time points by Western blot, the subcellular localization of P27(kip1) and JAB1 was detected by subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescent staining.

RESULTS

As(2)O(3) significantly inhibited the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells. The 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of As(2)O(3) to SMMC-7721 cells was (1.81+/-0.41) micromol/L at 96 h. When SMMC-7721 cells were treated with 2 mumol/L As(2)O(3) for 12 h, the expression of JAB1 was down-regulated and that of P27kip1 was up-regulated. Furthermore, P27(kip1) and JAB1 proteins were translocated from the cytoplasm into nuclei when cells were exposed to 2 micromol/L As(2)O(3) for 12 h and 24 h, respectively. The nuclear accumulation of both proteins was also observed under fluorescence microscope after treatment of 2 micromol/L As(2)O(3).

CONCLUSION

As(2)O(3) attenuates JAB1 expression, thereby disturbs the location and expression of P27(kip1), and may participate in regulating the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells through interfering with the function of P27(kip1).

Altered gene expression of NIDD in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord of rats with neuropathic or inflammatory pain

Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthases are key players in synaptic plasticity events in spinal cord (SC), which underlies the chronic pain states. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating the activity of nitric oxide synthases in nociceptive systems. The present study was aimed at the determination of the gene expression of nNOS-interacting DHHC domain-containing protein with dendritic mRNA (NIDD), a recently identified protein regulating nNOS enzyme activity, in rat SC and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and studying its regulation in states of nociceptive hypersensitivity in a rat model of neuropathic or inflammatory pain. It was found that NIDD mRNA was predominantly expressed in nociceptive primary neurons and in neurons of the spinal dorsal horn (DH) and the number of NIDD-positive neurons in the corresponding DRG or SC increased significantly following induction of chronic hyperalgesia. Meanwhile, remarkable changes of nNOS were detected under such pain conditions. Our data suggest a potential role for NIDD in the maintenance of thermal pain hypersensitivity possibly via regulating the nNOS activity.

[Expression and relationship of p27(kip1) and its related molecules Jab1 and CRM1 during proliferation of lymphoma cells U937]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression and relationship of p27(kip1) and its related molecules Jab1 and CRM1 during proliferation of lymphoma cells U937.

METHODS

U937 cells were treated with serum starvation and release, and the effects of these treatments on the cell growth was tested with cell number counting. The expression and localization of p27(kip1), Jab1 and CRM1 in U937 cells were detected by Western blot, double immunolabelling and laser scanning confocal microscopy.

RESULTS

The growth of U937 cells was blocked by serum starvation. The total protein of p27(kip1) was increased while Ser10-phosphorylated p27(kip1) -related molecules Jab1 and CRM1 were decreased. Meanwhile, the location of p27(kip1) was changed from cytoplasm into nuclei. After serum release, the location of p27(kip1) expression reappeared in the cytoplasm again.

CONCLUSION

During the proliferation process of lymphoma U937 cells, Jab1 and CRM1 may influence the location and expression of p27kip1, and may participate in regulation of growth of NHL cells.

Changes of Src-suppressed C kinase substrate expression in cytokine induced reactive C6 glioma cells

OBJECTIVE

To investigate effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on the Src-suppressed C kinase substrate (SSeCKS) in C6 glioma cells.

METHODS

Cultured C6 glioma cells were randomly divided into two groups. In time-dependent group, cells were cultured with TNF-alpha (2 ng/mL) for 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 or 24 h, respectively; in dose-dependent group, cells were cultured with TNF-alpha (0 ng/mL, 0.02 ng/mL, 0.2 ng/mL, or 2 ng/mL) for 6 h. The expression of SSeCKS was detected by Realtime PCR and Western blot analysis, and immunocytochemistry was used to investigate SSeCKS's subcellular localization.

RESULTS

TNF-alpha induced rapid phosphorylations of protein kinase C (PKC) substrates in C6 glioma cells, and upregulated SSeCKS expression in a time and concentration dependent manner. Immunocytochemistry suggested that SSeCKS was localized in the cyroplasm and the leading end of podosomal extensions in control groups, while TNF-alpha induced translocation of SSeCKS perinuclear. This effect could be partly reversed by PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220.

CONCLUSION

TNF-alpha activates PKC and upregulates SSeCKS expression in C6 glioma cells. These effects are associated with PKC activity, suggesting that SSeCKS plays a role in response to glia activation in PKC mediated pathway.

Dynamic changes of p27(kip1) and Skp2 expression in injured rat sciatic nerve

S phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), an F-box protein, is required for the ubiquitination and consequent degradation of p27(kip1). Previous reports have showed that p27(kip1 )played important roles in cell cycle regulation and neurogenesis in the developing central nervous system. But the distribution and function of p27(kip1 )and Skp2 in nervous system lesion and regeneration remains unclear. In this study, we observed that they were expressed mainly in both Schwann cells and axons in adult rat sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve crush and transection resulted in a significant up-regulation of Skp2 and a down-regulation of p27(kip1). By immunochemistry, we found that in the distal stumps of transected nerve from the end to the edge, the appearance of Skp2 in the edge is coincided with the decrease in p27(kip1) levels. Changes of them were inversely correlated. Results obtained by coimmunoprecipitation and double labeling further showed their interaction in the regenerating process. Thus, these results indicate that p27(kip1 )and Skp2 likely play an important role in peripheral nerve injury and regeneration.

[Expression of NET-1 gene and protein in hepatocellular carcinoma and related tissues]

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

NET-1 is a new tumor-related gene. So far, its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) hasn't been reported. This study was to screen and compare the expression of NET-1 among fetal liver tissue, adult normal liver tissue, HCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues; explore its expression feature in HCC.

METHODS

The expression of NET-1 mRNA in 3 specimens of fetal liver tissue, 4 specimens of adult liver tissue, 4 specimens of test HCC tissue, and 28 specimens of HCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression level of NET-1 gene was analyzed by Four-Star image analysis software. NET-1 gene polyclonal antibody was generated by gene biological engineering, and its expression in human hepatic cancer cell line SMMC-7721 was observed under laser confocal microscope. The expression of NET-1 protein in the 28 specimens of HCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

NET-1 mRNA was expressed in all of the 4 specimens of test HCC tissue, but didn't express in normal adult and fetal liver tissues; the positive rates of NET-1 mRNA were 85.71% (24/28) in both HCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues. The mRNA level of NET-1 was significantly higher in HCC than in adjacent noncancerous tissues (0.65 vs. 0.47, P<0.05). Observed under confocal microscope, NET-1 antibody was expressed in cytoplasm of SMMC-7721 cells. The positive rate of NET-1 protein was significantly higher in HCC than in adjacent noncancerous tissues (96.43% vs. 71.43%, P<0.05). In both HCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues, the positive rate of NET-1 mRNA was positively correlated to that of NET-1 protein (r=0.48, P<0.05; r=0.40, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

NET-1 gene expression might be an early event in HCC development, and may have specific value in HCC diagnosis.