Respiration of 13C-labeled substrates added to soil in the field and subsequent 16S rRNA gene analysis of 13C-labeled soil DNA

Our goal was to develop a field soil biodegradation assay using (13)C-labeled compounds and identify the active microorganisms by analyzing 16S rRNA genes in soil-derived (13)C-labeled DNA. Our biodegradation approach sought to minimize microbiological artifacts caused by physical and/or nutritional disturbance of soil associated with sampling and laboratory incubation. The new field-based assay involved the release of (13)C-labeled compounds (glucose, phenol, caffeine, and naphthalene) to soil plots, installation of open-bottom glass chambers that covered the soil, and analysis of samples of headspace gases for (13)CO(2) respiration by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). We verified that the GC/MS procedure was capable of assessing respiration of the four substrates added (50 ppm) to 5 g of soil in sealed laboratory incubations. Next, we determined background levels of (13)CO(2) emitted from naturally occurring soil organic matter to chambers inserted into our field soil test plots. We found that the conservative tracer, SF(6), that was injected into the headspace rapidly diffused out of the soil chamber and thus would be of little value for computing the efficiency of retaining respired (13)CO(2). Field respiration assays using all four compounds were completed. Background respiration from soil organic matter interfered with the documentation of in situ respiration of the slowly metabolized (caffeine) and sparingly soluble (naphthalene) compounds. Nonetheless, transient peaks of (13)CO(2) released in excess of background were found in glucose- and phenol-treated soil within 8 h. Cesium-chloride separation of (13)C-labeled soil DNA was followed by PCR amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from microbial populations involved with (13)C-substrate metabolism. A total of 29 full sequences revealed that active populations included relatives of Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Massilia, Flavobacterium, and Pedobacter spp. for glucose; Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas, and Alcaligenes spp. for phenol; Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Variovorax spp. for naphthalene; and Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas, and Pantoea spp. for caffeine.

Fidelity of RNA polymerase II transcription controlled by elongation factor TFIIS

Fidelity of DNA and protein synthesis is regulated by a proofreading mechanism but function of a similar mechanism during RNA synthesis has not been demonstrated. Analysis of transcriptional fidelity and its control has been hampered by the necessity to employ complex DNA templates requiring either a promoter and initiation factors or 3'-extended templates. To circumvent this difficulty, we have created an RNA-DNA dumbbell template that can be recognized as a template-primer and extended by RNA polymerase II. By employing this system, we demonstrate that RNA polymerase II can misincorporate a nucleotide and carry out template-dependent elongation at the mispaired end. The transcripts containing misincorporated residues can be cleaved by the very slow 3'-->5' ribonuclease activity of the RNA polymerase II, but enhancement of this activity by the elongation factor TFIIS generates RNA with a high degree of fidelity. This enhanced preferential cleavage of misincorporated transcripts suggests an important role for TFIIS in maintaining transcriptional fidelity.

Structure of a new nucleic-acid-binding motif in eukaryotic transcriptional elongation factor TFIIS

Transcriptional elongation involves dynamic interactions among RNA polymerase and single-stranded and double-stranded nucleic acids in the ternary complex. In prokaryotes its regulation provides an important mechanism of genetic control. Analogous eukaryotic mechanisms are not well understood, but may control expression of proto-oncogenes and viruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1 (ref. 8). The highly conserved eukaryotic transcriptional elongation factor TFIIS enables RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) to read though pause or termination sites, nucleosomes and sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins. Two distinct domains of human TFIIS, which bind RNAPII and nucleic acids, regulate read-through and possibly nascent transcript cleavage. Here we describe the three-dimensional NMR structure of a Cys4 nucleic-acid-binding domain from human TFIIS. Unlike previously characterized zinc modules, which contain an alpha-helix, this structure consists of a three-stranded beta-sheet. Analogous Cys4 structural motifs may occur in other proteins involved in DNA or RNA transactions, including RNAPII itself. This new structure, designated the Zn ribbon, extends the repertoire of Zn-mediated peptide architectures and highlights the growing recognition of the beta-sheet as a motif of nucleic-acid recognition.

The transcription factor TFIIS zinc ribbon dipeptide Asp-Glu is critical for stimulation of elongation and RNA cleavage by RNA polymerase II

The eukaryotic transcription factor TFIIS enhances elongation and nascent transcript cleavage activities of RNA polymerase II in a stalled elongation complex. By site-directed mutagenesis, we have demonstrated that invariant residues Asp-261 and Glu-262 of the nucleic acid-binding TFIIS Zn ribbon are critical for stimulation of both elongation and RNA cleavage activities of RNA polymerase II. Substitution of either of these residues inactivates both TFIIS functions, suggesting a related role in both activities. These acidic residues may participate in phosphoryl transfer reactions by a two-metal-ion mechanism in a manner analogous to Klenow fragment. The RNA polymerase II itself may contain a Zn ribbon, in as much as the polymerase's 15-kDa subunit contains a sequence that aligns well with the TFIIS Zn ribbon sequence, including a similarly placed pair of acidic residues.

Charge-Spin Correlation in van der Waals Antiferromagnet NiPS_{3}

Strong charge-spin coupling is found in a layered transition-metal trichalcogenide NiPS_{3}, a van der Waals antiferromagnet, from studies of the electronic structure using several experimental and theoretical tools: spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray absorption, photoemission spectroscopy, and density functional calculations. NiPS_{3} displays an anomalous shift in the optical spectral weight at the magnetic ordering temperature, reflecting strong coupling between the electronic and magnetic structures. X-ray absorption, photoemission, and optical spectra support a self-doped ground state in NiPS_{3}. Our work demonstrates that layered transition-metal trichalcogenide magnets are useful candidates for the study of correlated-electron physics in two-dimensional magnetic materials.

Low-temperature synthesis of graphene on nickel foil by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) was employed to synthesize high quality centimeter scale graphene film at low temperatures. Monolayer graphene was obtained by varying the gas mixing ratio of hydrogen and methane to 80:1. Using advantages of MPCVD, the synthesis temperature was decreased from 750 °C down to 450 °C. Optical microscopy and Raman mapping images exhibited that a large area monolayer graphene was synthesized regardless of the temperatures. Since the overall transparency of 89% and low sheet resistances ranging from 590 to 1855 Ω∕sq of graphene films were achieved at considerably low synthesis temperatures, MPCVD can be adopted in manufacturing future large-area electronic devices based on graphene film.

Vascular Injury Induces Posttranscriptional Regulation of the Id3 Gene

Abstract —The molecular mechanisms that regulate the proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the vasculature in response to injury are poorly understood. Members of the inhibitor of DNA binding (Id) class of helix-loop-helix transcription factors are known to regulate the growth of a variety of cell types; however, the expression of the various Id genes in SMCs and in vascular lesions has not been examined. In the present study, the yeast 2-hybrid system was used to clone Id genes from a cultured rat aortic SMC library. By use of ubiquitous E proteins as bait, Id3 and a novel isoform of Id3 (Id3a) were cloned. Id3a is the product of alternative splicing of the Id3 gene, resulting in inclusion of a 115-bp “coding intron,” which encodes a unique 29–amino acid carboxyl terminus for the Id3a protein. Unlike Id3, Id3a mRNA was not detected in the normal rat carotid artery. However, after balloon injury, Id3a was abundantly expressed throughout the neointimal layer. In addition, mRNA of the human homologue of Id3a (Id3L) was detected in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of these Id3 isoforms in cultured rat aortic SMCs revealed that infection of SMCs with an adenovirus overexpressing Id3a (in contrast to Id3) resulted in a significant decrease in cell number versus AdLacZ-infected cells. DNA fragmentation analysis suggested that this decrease in SMC viability was due to increased apoptotic activity in cells infected with adenovirus overexpressing Id3a. These results provide evidence that alternative splicing of the Id3 gene may represent an important mechanism by which neointimal SMC growth is attenuated during vascular lesion formation.

CR-39 track detector for multi-MeV ion spectroscopy

We present the characteristics of track formation on the front and rear surfaces of CR-39 produced by laser-driven protons and carbon ions. A methodological approach, based on bulk etch length, is proposed to uniquely characterize the particle tracks in CR-39, enabling comparative description of the track characteristics in different experiments. The response of CR-39 to ions is studied based on the energy dependent growth rate of the track diameter to understand the intrinsic particle stopping process within the material. A large non-uniformity in the track diameter is observed for CR-39 with thickness matching with the stopping range of particles. Simulation and experimental results show the imprint of longitudinal range straggling for energetic protons. Moreover, by exploiting the energy dependence of the track diameter, the energy resolution (δE/E) of CR-39 for few MeV protons and Carbon ion is found to be about 3%.

Nanoassemblies of Self-Immolative Boronate-Bridged Retinoic Acid Dimeric Prodrug as a Clot-Targeted Self-Deliverable Antithrombotic Nanomedicine

All trans-retinoic acid (atRA) has potent anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activity, but its clinical translation as an antithrombotic drug has been hampered by its low therapeutic efficacy. Here, we describe a facile and elegant strategy that converts atRA into systemically injectable antithrombotic nanoparticles. The strategy involves the dimerization of two atRA molecules using a self-immolative boronate linker that is cleaved specifically by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to release anti-inflammatory hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA), followed by dimerization-induced self-assembly to generate colloidally stable nanoparticles. The boronated atRA dimeric prodrug (BRDP) could form injectable nanoparticles in the presence of fucoidan that serves as an emulsifier and a targeting ligand to P-selectin overexpressed on the damaged endothelium. In response to H₂O₂, fucoidan-decorated BRDP (f-BRDP) nanoassemblies dissociate to release both atRA and HBA, while scavenging H₂O₂. In a mouse model of ferric chloride (FeCl₃)-induced carotid arterial thrombosis, f-BRDP nanoassemblies target the thrombosed vessel and significantly inhibit thrombus formation. The results demonstrate that dimerization of atRA molecules via a boronate linker enables the formation of stable nanoassemblies with several benefits: high drug loading, drug self-delivery, on-demand multiple antithrombotic actions, and simple fabrication of nanoparticles. Overall, this strategy provides a promising expedient and practical route for the development of translational self-deliverable antithrombotic nanomedicine.

Characterization of the gene encoding the human transcriptional elongation factor TFIIS

The transcriptional elongation factor TFIIS causes stimulation of RNA polymerase II elongation and readthrough of some of the elongation blocks. We present cloning and sequence characterization of the human TFIIS gene and a pseudogene. The intron-less organization of both of these genes indicates that previously identified cDNAs which suggested the presence of an intron were the products of cloning artifacts. The gene is organized in an uninterrupted ORF which codes for 301 amino acids, whereas the pseudogene lacks an ORF able to code for a full-length protein. The potential promoter for the gene has two putative GC-box-type consensus sequences, two CCAAT-box consensus sequences, and is bounded by a human Alu sequence. Two potential transcriptional termination signal sequences downstream from the consensus polyadenylation signal are proposed.

Preferential interaction of the mRNA proofreading factor TFIIS zinc ribbon with rU.dA base pairs correlates with its function

The transcriptional factor TFIIS helps overcome elongation barriers and enhances proofreading by RNA polymerase II. These TFIIS functions may be modulated by the TFIIS zinc ribbon domain through interactions with nucleic acids in the elongation complex. Within this zinc ribbon domain, the dipeptide sequences Asp261-Glu262 and Arg276-Trp277 have been shown to be critical for its function by mutant analysis. The sequence Asp261-Glu262 has been suggested to participate in metal binding within the RNA polymerase II active site. We now show that the sequence Arg276-Trp277 interacts with nucleic acids through a combination of electrostatic and stacking interactions. The interaction of the indole side chain of the tryptophan residue with nucleic acid bases is demonstrated by a characteristic and reversible decrease in the zinc ribbon fluorescence intensity as a function of oligonucleotide concentration. These interactions are salt sensitive (maximum interaction at 200 mM and no interaction at 500 mM NaCl), suggesting that the tryptophan stacking with nucleic acid base accompanies electrostatic contacts. The oligonucleotide-zinc ribbon interactions exhibit small but significant base preferences, as shown by the dependence of Keq on base composition, with decreasing Keq in the order U > T > A > C >> G. Within the variety of homopolymeric single- and double-stranded deoxy- and ribooligonucleotides, the oligonucleotide rU12-18.dA20 exhibited a 2-6-fold binding preference relative to other oligonucleotides. This preferential binding of the zinc ribbon to sequences composed of rU.dA base pairs, which are generally associated with elongation blocks, may help in overcoming elongation barriers. Since the mRNA proofreading and enhancement of elongation involve cleavage of ribonucleotide of the mismatched pair and the weakly paired rU.dA nucleotides, but not the stably paired rC.dG nucleotides, we propose that the Arg276-Trp277 sequence in the TFIIS zinc ribbon may serve as a scanner connected to the transcript cleavage apparatus for weakly paired or mismatched nucleotides by employing indole ring stacking with the bases as a criterion of determining their subsequent removal. The striking similarity in preference for mismatched and weakly paired nucleotides for binding and for excision suggests a functional relationship between binding and cleavage reactions.

H2O2-Activatable Antioxidant Polymeric Prodrug Nanoparticles for the Prevention of Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is an inevitable complication in various clinical settings including kidney transplantation and major vascular surgeries. Renal IR injury is a major risk factor for acute kidney injury, which still remains a major clinical challenge without effective therapy. The main cause of renal IR injury is the massive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) that initiate inflammatory signaling pathways, leading to renal cell death. In this study, we developed fucoidan-coated polymeric prodrug (Fu-PVU73) nanoparticles as renal IR-targeting nanotherapeutics that can rapidly eliminate H₂O₂ and exert anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. Fu-PVU73 nanoparticles were composed of H₂O₂-activatable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polymeric prodrug (PVU73) that incorporated H₂O₂-responsive peroxalate linkages, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), and vanillyl alcohol (VA) in its backbone. Fu-PVU73 nanoparticles rapidly scavenged H₂O₂ and released UDCA and VA during H₂O₂-triggered degradation. In the study of renal IR injury mouse models, Fu-PVU73 nanoparticles preferentially accumulated in the IR injury-induced kidney and markedly protected the kidney from IR injury by suppressing the generation of ROS and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. We anticipate that Fu-PVU73 nanoparticles have tremendous therapeutic potential for not only renal IR injury but also various ROS-associated inflammatory diseases.

Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO-Virgo Observing Run

We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO-Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10^{-15}. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.

Netropsin specifically enhances RNA polymerase II termination at terminator sites in vitro

We describe an in vitro system that emulates the specific and efficient transcriptional termination associated with the human gastrin gene terminator in vivo. The system involves a dC-tailed DNA template containing the gastrin gene terminator sequence, purified RNA polymerase II, and purified elongation factor TFIIS. In this system, the basal level of termination by RNA polymerase II at the gastrin gene terminator is specifically enhanced by netropsin, an (A + T)-rich minor groove-binding peptide. This enhanced termination is maintained even with TFIIS, which normally suppresses termination at this site. In vitro termination is terminator sequence-specific. Mutant sequences that reduce or abolish termination in vivo show corresponding reductions in activity in the in vitro system. This in vitro emulation of in vivo activities of wild-type and mutant terminators strongly suggests that netropsin and a putative termination factor may share some aspects of their biochemical mechanisms. The general applicability of this system to the study of RNA polymerase II elongation and termination is suggested by the enhancement of termination seen at both the gastrin and human histone H3.3 gene terminators.

Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO-Virgo Observing Run

We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO-Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10^{-15}. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.

Evolution of weighted scale-free networks in empirical data

Weighted scale-free networks exhibit two types of degree-strength relationship: linear and nonlinear relationships between them. To understand the mechanism underlying such empirical relationships, theoretical evolution models for weighted scale-free networks have been introduced for each case. However, those models have not yet been tested with empirical data. In this study, we collect temporal records of several online bulletin board systems and a movie actor network. We measure the growth rates of degree and strength of each vertex and weight of each edge within the framework of preferential attachment (PA). We also measure the probability of creating new edges between unconnected pairs of vertices. Then, based on the measured rates, linear and nonlinear growth models are constructed. We find that indeed the dynamics of creating new edges and adding weight to existing edges in a nonlocal manner is essential to reproduce the nonlinear degree-strength relationship. We also find that the degree-driven PA rule is more appropriate to real systems rather than the strength-driven one used for the linear model.

Clot-Targeted Antithrombotic Liposomal Nanomedicine Containing High Content of H2O2-Activatable Hybrid Prodrugs

Liposomes have been extensively explored as drug carriers, but their clinical translation has been hampered by their low drug-loading content and premature leakage of drug payloads. It was reasoned that vesicle-forming prodrugs could be incorporated into the lipid bilayer at a high molar fraction and therefore serve as a therapeutic agent as well as a structural component in liposomal nanomedicine. Boronated retinoic acid (BORA) was developed as a prodrug, which can self-assemble with common lipids to form liposomes at a high molar fraction (40%) and release all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) simultaneously, in response to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Here, we report fucoidan-coated BORA-incorporated liposomes (f-BORALP) as clot-targeted antithrombotic liposomal nanomedicine with H2O2-triggered multiple therapeutic actions. In the mouse model of carotid arterial thrombosis, f-BORALP preferentially accumulated in the injured blood vessel and significantly suppressed thrombus formation, demonstrating their potential as targeted antithrombotic nanomedicine. This study also provides valuable insight into the development of vesicle-forming and self-immolative prodrugs to exploit the benefits of liposomal drug delivery.

Abstract P3-01-03: The Predictive Value of Serum Serum Her-2/neu for Response to Anthracycline-Based and Trastuzumab-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy of Advanced Primary Breast Cancer

Background:There excists little information about a possible influence of serum Her-2/neu on response to chemotherapy. We aimed that the assessment of serum Her-2/neu in pretreatment serum sample can be useful in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: All breast cancers were tested by immunohistochemical stain and FISH for Her-2/neu before treatment. Serum Her-2/neu was twice measured by Chemiluminescence immunoassay (ADVIA centaur®TMsystem) before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and before operation. The cutoff value was 10.2 mg/ml according to previous study. Pathologic complete response (pCR) was considered as no residual tumor or remnant ductal carcinoma in situ, partial response (PR) was less than 50% decrease in maximal diameter in pathologic tumor size.The measurements for the change of serum Her-2/neu were defined as pretreatment Her-2/neu — preoperation Her-2/neu. We compared the change of serum Her-2/neu between 1) before prechemotherapy and after chemotherapy 2) pathologic complete response and partial response 3) trastuzumab (H) group and anthracyline (A) group. Results: Serum Her-2/neu was decreased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Mean of serum Her-2/neu in prechemotherapy was 15.4±9.0 ng/mL, that of postchemotherapy was 10.5± 2.0 ng/mL (p= 0.04). Pathologic response was correlated with the change of serum Her-2/neu (PR: 6.1 ng/ml vs. pCR: 42.0 ng/ml, p= 0.014). Serum Her-2/neu of trastuzumab group was more decreased than of anthracyline group (H=12.9 ± 14.5 ng/mL ; A= 2.2 ± 1.2 ng/mL; p=0.024). In trastuzumab group, pCR was boreline significantly correlated with change of serum Her-2/neu (PR: 0.8 ± 0.84 ng/ml vs. pCR: 21.1 ± 13.2 ng/ml, p= 0.08). Conclusions: Prechemotherapy serum Her-2/neu was to be a significant predictor of pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Serum Her-2/neu levels during treatment were associated with pathologic response in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, particularly, in trastuzumab-based regimen. Serum Her-2/neu levels may serve to monitoring neoadjuvant therapy in Her-2/neu overexpressed breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-01-03.

Effect of the pump beam profile and wavefront on the amplified signal wavefront in optical parametric amplifiers

We present a theoretical and experimental analysis of the signal phase introduced by the pump-beam wavefront and spatial profile during optical parametric amplification (OPA) process. The theory predicts the appearance of an additional wavefront in the amplified signal beam that is proportional to the spatial derivative of the pump-beam wavefront. The effect of the pump-beam profile on the signal-beam wavefront is also investigated. Our experiments tested these theoretical predictions by comparing the wavefront of the signal beam before and after amplification in a multi-joule broadband OPA. The measured signal wavefront was shown to have the expected dependence on the pump-beam profile and wavefront. These results can be considered when designing petawatt-scale ultrabroadband optical parametric chirped-pulse-amplification systems.

Green tea consumption, abdominal obesity as related factors of lacunar infarction in Korean women

OBJECTIVES

Our purpose was to evaluate interaction of green tea consumption and abdominal obesity as related factors for lacunar infarction in Korean women.

DESIGN

A hospital-based, incident case-control study.

SETTINGS

The Prevention and Managements of Stroke in Women study.

PARTICIPANTS

Cases (n=233) of first incident lacunar infarction were enrolled and matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=204).

MEASUREMENTS

The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by well trained research assistants to assess demographic, medical, lifestyle, marital status, religions status, green tea consumptions, family history of stroke, smoking status, alcohol consumption, meat and vegetable intake frequency, and past history of hypertension. Biochemical analysis, fasting blood specimens for lipid, glucose, and cholesterol level were acquired.

RESULTS

Compared with the non green tea consumer and obese women group, only the green tea consumption and non obese women group had a protective effect of lacunar infarction when adjusted for age, and age plus diet factors (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09, 0.59; OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08, 0.56 respectively), but lost their significance after adjustment for age, diet factors, vascular risk factors and full model included atherogenic index factors (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.09 to 1.01; OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.12, 1.89 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The interaction of green tea consumption and non obesity have reduced risk of lacunar infarction, but not after adjustment for age, diet factors, vascular risk factors and atherogenic index. Also individually green tea consumption and abdominal obesity have failed to find an independent relationship with lacunar infarction after adjustment by all risk factors. Green tea consumption and green tea consumption with non obese group seemed to have a protective effect for lacunar infarction. In the results of our study, these results still remain controversial, and then we need further and larger study to get at the root of real causal effect of both relationships.

Self-deliverable and self-immolative prodrug nanoassemblies as tumor targeted nanomedicine with triple cooperative anticancer actions

Stimulus-responsive self-assembling prodrug-based nanomedicine has emerged as a novel paradigm in controlled drug delivery. All-trans retinoic acid (RA), one of vitamin A metabolites, induces apoptotic cancer cell death, but its clinical applications are limited by weak anticancer efficacy. To fully maximize the therapeutic potential of RA, we exploited the unique chemistry of arylboronic acid which undergoes hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-triggered degradation to release quinone methide (QM) that alkylates glutathione (GSH) to disrupt redox homeostasis and is also converted into hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) to suppress the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Here, we report that boronated retinoic acid prodrug (RABA) can be formulated into self-deliverable nanoassemblies which release both RA and QM in a H2O2-triggered self-immolative manner to exert cooperative anticancer activities. RABA nanoassemblies exert anticancer effects by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis, eliciting immunogenic cell death (ICD) and suppressing angiogenic VEGF expression. The excellent anticancer efficacy of RABA nanoassemblies can be explained by benefits of self-assembling prodrug-based drug self-delivery and cooperative anticancer actions. The design strategy of RABA would provide a new insight into the rational design of self-deliverable and self-immolative boronated prodrug nanoassemblies for targeted cancer therapy.