Suppression of lysosome metabolism-meditated GARP/TGF-β1 complexes specifically depletes regulatory T cells to inhibit breast cancer metastasis

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) prevent autoimmunity and contribute to cancer progression. They exert contact-dependent inhibition of immune cells through the production of active transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). However, the absence of a specific surface marker makes inhibiting the production of active TGF-β1 to specifically deplete human Tregs but not other cell types a challenge. TGF-β1 in an inactive form binds to Tregs membrane protein Glycoprotein A Repetitions Predominant (GARP) and then activates it via an unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrated that tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3 interacting protein 3 (TRAF3IP3) in the Treg lysosome is involved in this activation mechanism. Using a novel naphthalenelactam-platinum-based anticancer drug (NPt), we developed a new synergistic effect by suppressing ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 9 (ABCB9) and TRAF3IP3-mediated divergent lysosomal metabolic programs in tumors and human Tregs to block the production of active GARP/TGF-β1 for remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Mechanistically, NPt is stored in Treg lysosome to inhibit TRAF3IP3-meditated GARP/TGF-β1 complex activation to specifically deplete Tregs. In addition, by promoting the expression of ABCB9 in lysosome membrane, NPt inhibits SARA/p-SMAD2/3 through CHRD-induced TGF-β1 signaling pathway. In addition to expose a previously undefined divergent lysosomal metabolic program-meditated GARP/TGF-β1 complex blockade by exploring the inherent metabolic plasticity, NPt may serve as a therapeutic tool to boost unrecognized Treg-based immune responses to infection or cancer via a mechanism distinct from traditional platinum drugs and currently available immune-modulatory antibodies.

Dye-sensitized rare-earth-doped nanoprobe for simultaneously enhanced NIR-II imaging and precise treatment of bacterial infection

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for causing life-threatening infections that result in high morbidity and mortality rates. The development of advanced imaging and therapeutic methods for in vivo diagnosis and treatment of MRSA infections remains challenging. Here, we develop a hybrid nanoplatform based on rare-earth-doped nanoparticles (RENPs) sensitized by a moiety-engineered near-infrared (NIR) TPEO-820 dye and with a ZIF-8 layer that incorporates CysNO, a photochemically triggered nitric oxide donor. We then use the hybrid for both NIR-II bioimaging and photoactivatable treatment of MRSA-infected wounds. We show that the NIR dye sensitization leads to an 8.5-fold enhancement of the downshifting emission and facilitates deep-tissue NIR-II imaging of bacterial infections. Moreover, the sensitization strategy enhances the UV emission of RENPs by two orders of magnitude, leading to the efficiently controllable release of nitric oxide for effective disinfection of MRSA in vitro and in vivo. The hybrid nanoplatform thus offers promising opportunities for simultaneous localization and controllable treatment of MRSA. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Early detection and treatment of MRSA infections are crucial for reducing public health risks. It is a significant challenge that develops sensitive in vivo diagnosis and complete elimination of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Herein, a nanoplatform has been developed for photoactivatable therapy of MRSA infections and deep tissue NIR-II imaging. This platform utilizes lanthanide-doped rare earth nanoparticles (RENPs) that are sensitized by a moiety-engineered near-infrared (NIR) dye TPEO-820. The TPEO-820 sensitized RENPs exhibit 5 times increase in the release of NO concentration for MRSA treatment compared to unsensitized RENPs, enabling precise therapy of MRSA infection both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the platform demonstrates NIR-II luminescence in vivo, allowing for sensitive imaging in deep tissue for MRSA infection.

Responsive Regulation of Energy Transfer in Lanthanide-Doped Nanomaterials Dispersed in Chiral Nematic Structure

The responsive control of energy transfer (ET) plays a key role in the broad applications of lanthanide-doped nanomaterials. Photonic crystals (PCs) are excellent materials for ET regulation. Among the numerous materials that can be used to fabricate PCs, chiral nematic liquid crystals are highly attractive due to their good photoelectric responsiveness and biocompatibility. Here, the mechanisms of ET and the photonic effect of chiral nematic structures on ET are introduced; the regulation methods of chiral nematic structures and the resulting changes in ET of lanthanide-doped nanomaterials are highlighted; and the challenges and promising opportunities for ET in chiral nematic structures are discussed.

Lysosome blockade induces divergent metabolic programs in macrophages and tumours for cancer immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Platinum-drugs based chemotherapy in clinic increases the potency of tumor cells to produce M2 macrophages, thus leading to poor anti-metastatic activity and immunosuppression. Lysosome metabolism is critical for cancer cell migration and invasion, but how it promotes antitumor immunity in tumours and macrophages is poorly understood and the underlying mechanisms are elusive. The present study aimed to explore a synergistic strategy to dismantle the immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumours and metallodrugs discovery by using the herent metabolic plasticity.

METHODS

Naphplatin was prepared by coordinating an active alkaline moiety to cisplatin, which can regulate the lysosomal functions. Colorectal carcinoma cells were selected to perform the in vivo biological assays. Blood, tumour and spleen tissues were collected and analyzed by flow cytometry to further explore the relationship between anti-tumour activity and immune cells. Transformations of bone marrow derived macrophage (BMDM) and M2-BMDM to the M1 phenotype was confirmed after treatment with naphplatin. The key mechanisms of lysosome-mediated mucolipin-1(Mcoln1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in M2 macrophage polarization have been unveiled. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to further explore the key mechanism underlying high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1)-mediated Cathepsin L(CTSL)-lysosome function blockade.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that naphplatin induces divergent lysosomal metabolic programs and reprograms macrophages in tumor cells to terminate the vicious tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs)-MDSCs-Treg triangle. Mechanistically, macrophages treated with naphplatin cause lysosome metabolic activation by triggering Ca2+ release via Mcoln1, which induces the activation of p38 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and finally results in polarizing M2 macrophages. In contrast, HMGB1-mediated lysosome metabolic blockade in cancer cells is strongly linked to antitumor effects by promoting cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals the crucial strategies of macrophage-based metallodrugs discovery that are able to treat both immunologically "hot" and "cold" cancers. Different from traditional platinum-based antitumour drugs by inhibition of DNAs, we also deliver a strong antitumour strategy by targeting lysosome to induce divergent metabolic programs in macrophages and tumours for cancer immunotherapy.

In vitro evaluation of a hybrid drug delivery nanosystem for fibrosis prevention in cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes

Background: Implantation of insulin-secreting cells has been trialed as a treatment for Type 1 diabetes mellitus; however, the host immunogenic response limits their effectiveness. Methodology: The authors developed a core-shell nanostructure of upconversion nanoparticle-mesoporous silica for controlled local delivery of an immunomodulatory agent, MCC950, using near-infrared light and validated it in in vitro models of fibrosis. Results: The individual components of the nanosystem did not affect the proliferation of insulin-secreting cells, unlike fibroblast proliferation (p < 0.01). The nanosystem is effective at releasing MCC950 and preventing fibroblast differentiation (p < 0.01), inflammation (IL-6 expression; p < 0.05) and monocyte adhesion (p < 0.01). Conclusion: This MCC950-loaded nanomedicine system could be used in the future together with insulin-secreting cell implants to increase their longevity as a curative treatment for Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Design, synthesis and antitumor activity of 5-trifluoromethylpyrimidine derivatives as EGFR inhibitors

A new series of 5-trifluoromethylpyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesised as EGFR inhibitors. Three tumour cells A549, MCF-7, PC-3 and EGFR kinase were employed to evaluate their biological activities. The results were shown that most of the target compounds existed excellent antitumor activities. In particular, the IC₅₀ values of compound 9u (E)-3-((2-((4-(3-(3-fluorophenyl)acrylamido)phenyl)amino)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)-N-methylthiophene-2-carboxamide against A549, MCF-7, PC-3 cells and EGFR kinase reached to 0.35 μM, 3.24 μM, 5.12 μM, and 0.091 μM, respectively. Additionally, further researches revealed that compound 9u could induce early apoptosis of A549 cells and arrest the cells in G2/M phase. Taken together, these findings indicated that compound 9u was potential for developing as antitumor reagent.

Power-Dependent Optimal Concentrations of Tm3+ and Yb3+ in Upconversion Nanoparticles

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have enabled a broad range of emerging nanophotonics and biophotonics applications. Here, we provide a quantitative guide to the optimum concentrations of Yb3+ sensitizer and Tm3+ emitter ions, highly dependent on the excitation power densities. To achieve this, we fabricate the inert-core@active-shell@inert-shell architecture to sandwich the same volume of the optically active section. Our results show that highly doped UCNPs enable an approximately 18-fold enhancement in brightness over that of conventional ones. Increasing the Tm3+ concentration improves the brightness by 6 times and increases the NIR/blue ratio by 11 times, while the increase of Yb3+ concentration enhances the brightness by 3 times and only slightly affects the NIR/blue ratio. Moreover, the optimal doping concentration of Tm3+ varies from 2% to 16%, which is highly dependent on the excitation power density ranging from 102 to 107 W/cm2. This work provides a guideline for designing bright UCNPs under different excitation conditions.

The Topical Hemostatic Materials for Coagulopathy

Medical sciences have witnessed significant progresses in hemostatic materials which have saved lives by supporting natural hemostatic ability. However, for the treatment of coagulopathy, where natural hemostatic ability is dysfunctional,...

Stratified Disk Microrobots with Dynamic Maneuverability and Proton-Activatable Luminescence for in Vivo Imaging

Microrobots can expand our abilities to access remote, confined, and enclosed spaces. Their potential applications inside our body are obvious, e.g., to diagnose diseases, deliver medicine, and monitor treatment efficacy. However, critical requirements exist in relation to their operations in gastrointestinal environments, including resistance to strong gastric acid, responsivity to a narrow proton variation window, and locomotion in confined cavities with hierarchical terrains. Here, we report a proton-activatable microrobot to enable real-time, repeated, and site-selective pH sensing and monitoring in physiological relevant environments. This is achieved by stratifying a hydrogel disk to combine a range of functional nanomaterials, including proton-responsive molecular switches, upconversion nanoparticles, and near-infrared (NIR) emitters. By leveraging the 3D magnetic gradient fields and the anisotropic composition, the microrobot can be steered to locomote as a gyrating "Euler's disk", i.e., aslant relative to the surface and along its low-friction outer circumference, exhibiting a high motility of up to 60 body lengths/s. The enhanced magnetomotility can boost the pH-sensing kinetics by 2-fold. The fluorescence of the molecular switch can respond to pH variations with over 600-fold enhancement when the pH decreases from 8 to 1, and the integration of upconversion nanoparticles further allows both the efficient sensitization of NIR light through deep tissue and energy transfer to activate the pH probes. Moreover, the embedded down-shifting NIR emitters provide sufficient contrast for imaging of a single microrobot inside a live mouse. This work suggests great potential in developing multifunctional microrobots to perform generic site-selective tasks in vivo.

Enhancing Hybrid Upconversion Nanosystems via Synergistic Effects of Moiety Engineered NIR Dyes

Hybrid upconversion nanosystems have been reported to improve the low absorption efficiency of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). However, the low quantum yield and poor photostability of NIR dyes pose challenges for practical uses. Here, we introduce a bulky moiety, 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (TPEO), to enhance its quantum yield by suppressing the bond rotation and improve the stability by deactivating the photoinduced oxidization. Compared with the conventional IR806, the formed NIR dye, TPEO-Cy, has been characterized to deliver three times higher quantum yield and seven times better photostability. Moreover, we take advantage of the strong affinity of sulfonate chains on the TPEO-Cy to bind to the surface of UCNPs. Taking together the synergistic effect, we have achieved a 242-fold upconversion emission enhancement over the benchmark of IR806-sensitized system and an ∼800 000-fold increase than the bare UCNPs. Our design of the NIR dyes suggests a new scope to search for more efficient upconversion nanohybrids.

Synthesis and preliminary structure-activity relationship study of 3-methylquinazolinone derivatives as EGFR inhibitors with enhanced antiproliferative activities against tumour cells

In this paper, a set of 3-methylquniazolinone derivatives were designed, synthesised, and studied the preliminary structure-activity relationship for antiproliferative activities. All target compounds performed significantly inhibitory effects against wild type epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFRwt-TK) and tumour cells (A431, A549, MCF-7, and NCI-H1975). In particular, compound 4d 3-fluoro-N-(4-((3-methyl-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-yl)methoxy)phenyl)benzamide showed higher antiproliferative activities against all tumour cells than Gefitinib (IC50 of 3.48, 2.55, 0.87 and 6.42 μM, respectively). Furthermore, compound 4d could induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells and arrest in G2/M phase at the tested concentration. Molecular docking and ADMET studies showed that compound 4d could closely form many hydrogen bonds with EGFRwt-TK. Therefore, compound 4d is potential to develop as novel anti-cancer drug.

An Amine-Borane System Featuring Room-Temperature Dehydrogenation and Regeneration

Amine-borane complexes have been extensively studied as hydrogen storage materials. Herein, we report a new amine-borane system featuring a reversible dehydrogenation and regeneration at room temperature. In addition to high purity H₂ , the reaction between ethylenediamine bisborane (EDAB) and ethylenediamine (ED) leads to unique boron-carbon-nitrogen 5-membered rings in the dehydrogenation product where one boron is tricoordinated by three nitrogen atoms. Owing to the unique cyclic structure, the dehydrogenation product can be efficiently converted back to EDAB by NaBH₄ and H₂ O at room temperature. This finding could lead to the discovery of new amine boranes with potential usage as hydrogen storage materials.

Triplet Fusion Upconversion with Oxygen Resistance in Aqueous Media

Triplet fusion upconversion (also called triplet-triplet annihilation, TTA) arouses much attention due to its potential in the fields of biological imaging, optogenetics, and light harvesting. However, oxygen quenching remains a challenge ahead, restricting its applications in aqueous media. Previous efforts to realize aqueous TTA with oxygen resistance have been focused on core-shell structures and self-assembly, but tedious processes and complicated chemical modification are required. Here, we report a direct and efficient strategy to realize aqueous TTA by controlling the ionic equilibrium of the TTA dyad. We find that the ionized organic dyad in physiological buffers and electrolyte-based media shows a natural aerotolerance without any complicated structure engineering. In particular, the upconversion intensity of this aqueous TTA in Tris buffer under an air-saturated condition is more than twice that under the deaerated condition. We further demonstrate the TTA system for potential applications in pH and temperature sensing with reversible and sensitive performance. We anticipate this facile approach will inspire the development of practical aqueous TTA and broad applications in biological science.

CRISPR-based gene editing enables FOXP3 gene repair in IPEX patient cells

The prototypical genetic autoimmune disease is immune dysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked (IPEX) syndrome, a severe pediatric disease with limited treatment options. IPEX syndrome is caused by mutations in the forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) gene, which plays a critical role in immune regulation. As a monogenic disease, IPEX is an ideal candidate for a therapeutic approach in which autologous hematopoietic stem and progenitor (HSPC) cells or T cells are gene edited ex vivo and reinfused. Here, we describe a CRISPR-based gene correction permitting regulated expression of FOXP3 protein. We demonstrate that gene editing preserves HSPC differentiation potential, and that edited regulatory and effector T cells maintain their in vitro phenotype and function. Additionally, we show that this strategy is suitable for IPEX patient cells with diverse mutations. These results demonstrate the feasibility of gene correction, which will be instrumental for the development of therapeutic approaches for other genetic autoimmune diseases.

Association of Melanophilin (MLPH) gene polymorphism with coat colour in Rex rabbits

Rex rabbit, with multiple phenotypes and colourful fur, is an interesting model for assessing the effect of coat colour gene mutations on characteristic pigmentation phenotype. Based on previous study, the <em>melanophilin</em> (<em>MLPH</em>) gene is a positional candidate gene related coat colour dilution. The fur colours are a lighter shade, e.g. grey instead of black. We sequenced 1689 base pairs of the <em>MLPH</em> gene in Chinchilla and black Rex rabbit. A total of 13 polymorphisms were identified, including seven missense mutations. The rabbit <em>MLPH</em> gene has a very high GC content and the protein shows 64.87% identity to the orthologous human protein (lack of homologous amino acids encoded by human MLPH exon 9). Hardy-Weinberg test showed that, except for the g.606C&gt;A single nucleotid polymorphism (SNP), all other SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Haplotype analysis revealed that the seven missense mutation SNPs of two strains of Rex rabbits formed 10 haplotypes, but there were only seven major types of haplotypes (haplotype frequency <em>P</em>&gt;0.05). The major haplotypes of the Chinchilla and black Rex rabbits were H1/H2/H3/H4/H5 and H1/H2/H3/H6/H8, respectively. The special haplotypes of Chinchilla Rex rabbit (H4, H5, H7) were consistently associated with the Chinchilla phenotype. This study provides evidence that different coat colour formation may be caused by one or more mutations within <em>MLPH</em> gene in several Rex rabbit strains. The data on polymorphisms that are associated with the Chinchilla phenotype facilitate the breeding of rabbits with defined coat colours.

Effects of europium spectral probe interchange in Ln-dyads with cyclen and phen moieties

Antenna-lanthanide energy transfer is investigated via a bimetallic complex with one silent and one probe lanthanide ion, when their positions are interchanged in the complex.

A stoichiometric terbium-europium dyad molecular thermometer: energy transfer properties

The optical thermometer has shown great promise for use in the fields of aeronautical engineering, environmental monitoring and medical diagnosis. Self-referencing lanthanide thermo-probes distinguish themselves because of their accuracy, calibration, photostability, and temporal dimension of signal. However, the use of conventional lanthanide-doped materials is limited by their poor reproducibility, random distance between energy transfer pairs and interference by energy migration, thereby restricting their utility. Herein, a strategy for synthesizing hetero-dinuclear complexes that comprise chemically similar lanthanides is introduced in which a pair of thermosensitive dinuclear complexes, cycTb-phEu and cycEu-phTb, were synthesized. Their structures were geometrically optimized with an internuclear distance of approximately 10.6Å. The sensitive linear temperature-dependent luminescent intensity ratios of europium and terbium emission over a wide temperature range (50-298K and 10-200K, respectively) and their temporal dimension responses indicate that both dinuclear complexes can act as excellent self-referencing thermometers. The energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Eu³⁺ is thermally activated, with the most important pathway involving the ⁷F₁ Eu³⁺ J-multiplet at room temperature. The energy transfer from the antenna to Eu³⁺ was simulated, and it was found that the most important ligand contributions to the rate come from transfers to the Eu³⁺ upper states rather than direct ligand-metal transfer to ⁵D₁ or ⁵D₀. As the first molecular-based thermometer with clear validation of the metal ratio and a fixed distance between the metal pairs, these dinuclear complexes can be used as new materials for temperature sensing and can provide a new platform for understanding the energy transfer between lanthanide ions.

Effect of a lytic bacteriophage on rabbits experimentally infected with pathogenic Escherichia coli

Pathogenic <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>E. coli</em>) is severely threatening the rabbit industry in China, and the concern over antibiotic-resistant bacteria has given rise to an urgent need for antibiotic alternatives. In this study, a member (ZRP1) of the <em>Myoviridae</em> family was isolated from rabbit faeces using a strain of rabbit atypical enteropathogenic <em>E. coli</em> (ZR1) as host. The one-step growth curve indicated that the latent period was around 25 to 30 min and the burst size was 144±31 plaque-forming unit/cell. The rate of phage-resistant mutation was 7×10^–5±4×10^–5. When the bacteriophage input at the multiplicity of infection (MOI) was 0.1, 1 or 10, the growth of host <em>E. coli</em> in broth was inhibited for 5 h. A single intravenous injection of ZRP1 at MOI 0.1, 1 or 10 significantly prolonged the survival time of rabbits which simultaneously received a lethal dose of ZR1.

A luminescent lanthanide approach towards direct visualization of primary cilia in living cells

A simple and direct imaging tool (HGEu001) for primary cilia based on long-lived europium luminescence is firstly presented.

Early discoid lupus erythematosus protects against renal disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: longitudinal data from a large Latin American cohort

Objectives

The objective of this study was to examine whether early discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) would be a protective factor for further lupus nephritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

We studied SLE patients from GLADEL, an inception longitudinal cohort from nine Latin American countries. The main predictor was DLE onset, which was defined as physician-documented DLE at SLE diagnosis. The outcome was time from the diagnosis of SLE to new lupus nephritis. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted to examine the association of DLE onset with time to lupus nephritis.

Results

Among 845 GLADEL patients, 204 (24.1%) developed lupus nephritis after SLE diagnosis. Of them, 10 (4.9%) had DLE onset, compared to 83 (12.9%) in the group of 641 patients that remained free of lupus nephritis (hazard ratio 0.39; P = 0.0033). The cumulative proportion of lupus nephritis at 1 and 5 years since SLE diagnosis was 6% and 14%, respectively, in the DLE onset group, compared to 14% and 29% in those without DLE ( P = 0.0023). DLE onset was independently associated with a lower risk of lupus nephritis, after controlling for sociodemographic factors and disease severity at diagnosis (hazard ratio 0.38; 95% confidence interval 0.20–0.71).

Conclusions

Our data indicate that DLE onset reduces the risk of further lupus nephritis in patients with SLE, independently of other factors such as age, ethnicity, disease activity, and organ damage. These findings have relevant prognosis implications for SLE patients and their clinicians. Further studies are warranted to unravel the biological and environmental pathways associated with the protective role of DLE against renal disease in patients with SLE.

Validity of a self-administered version of the brief index of lupus damage in a predominantly African American systemic lupus erythematosus cohort

OBJECTIVE

To assess the reliability and criterion and construct validity of the self-administered Brief Index of Lupus Damage (SA-BILD), a patient-reported measure of organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

The validity of the SA-BILD was assessed using data from the Georgians Organized Against Lupus (GOAL) survey. GOAL is a longitudinal cohort of SLE patients predominantly derived from the Georgia Lupus Registry, a population-based registry established in Atlanta, Georgia. In total, 711 participants with documented SLE completed the SA-BILD. To test reliability, the SA-BILD was readministered to 32 patients. Criterion validity was examined in 150 respondents for whom the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) was also completed. Construct validity was assessed among 711 GOAL participants by dividing the SA-BILD scores into quartiles and examining the association with demographics, health status, and health care utilization.

RESULTS

The test-retest correlation score was 0.93 (P < 0.0001), the item-by-item agreement with the SDI was >80% for most SA-BILD items, and the Spearman's rho correlation coefficient for the SDI and SA-BILD was moderately high (ρ = 0.59, P < 0.0001). SA-BILD scores showed significant associations in the expected directions with age, disease duration, disease activity, overall health, comorbidity index, and physician visits.

CONCLUSION

The SA-BILD was reliable and had very good or good criterion validity compared with the SDI when tested in a predominantly African American cohort of US SLE patients. Associations of SA-BILD scores with sociodemographics and health status were consistent with previous studies. These findings support the use of the SA-BILD as a valid measure of patient-reported damage in SLE.

Short leukocyte telomere length predicts poor prognosis and indicates altered immune functions in colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies indicate that the leukocyte telomere length is associated with the risk of cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the prognostic value of leukocyte telomere length in CRC patients has not been investigated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Relative telomere length (RTL) of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) from 571 CRC patients receiving surgical resection was measured using a polymerase chain reaction-based method. The Cox proportional hazards ratio model and the Kaplan-Meier curve were used to estimate the association between RTL and the clinical outcome of CRC patients in the training set (90 patients) and the testing set (86 patients). Finally, an independent cohort of 395 patients was used as an external validation set. The immunophenotype of PBLs and the plasma concentration of several immune-related cytokines were determined by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with shorter RTL had significantly poorer overall survival and relapse-free survival than those with longer RTL in the training, testing and validation sets. Furthermore, leukocyte RTL and Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage exhibited a significant joint effect in the prognosis prediction of combined CRC patients, indicating that patients with both short RTL and advanced stages had the worst prognosis, when compared with other subgroups. In addition, patients with short RTL showed the higher percentage of CD4(+) T cell and the lower percentage of B cell in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as the lower concentration of plasma transforming growth factor-β1, suggesting a possibility that the immune functions changed with RTL alteration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study for the first time demonstrates that leukocyte RTL is an independent prognostic marker complementing TNM stage and associated with the immune functions in CRC patients.

Synthesis of highly substituted 4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidines via a one-pot three-component condensation reaction

A one-pot three-component reaction, involving condensation of 2-aminopyridines, aldehydes, and ketones/aldehydes under trifluoromethanesulfonic acid catalysis, provides rapid access to highly substituted novel 4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidines.

[Analysis of circulating lung cancer cells in the peripheral blood in patients with lung cancer by flow cytometry]

BACKGROUND

To analyze circulating lung cancer cells in the peripheral blood in patients with lung cancer by flow cytometry (FCM).

METHODS

The monocyte fraction in peripheral blood was isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation. The cells obtained were labeled with antibodies against CD45, cytokeratin (CK) and antigen (2F7/S5A). The CD45(-) CK(+) 2F7/S5A(+) cells were analyzed by FCM.

RESULTS

Fifty cases out of 165 patients with lung cancer (30.30%) were found to have cancer cells in the peripheral blood. Positive rate in non-small cell lung cancer was 30.67%(45/150) and that in small cell lung cancer was 33.33%(5/15) respectively. Meanwhile, there was distinct correlation between detective rate of cancer cells in the peripheral blood and pathological stage(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Examination of lung cancer presented in the peripheral blood by FCM might be helpful for staging and finding metastatic potential of lung cancer.

Benefits of a self-management program in low-income African-American women with systemic lupus erythematosus: results of a pilot test

Minorities with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at high risk of poor disease outcomes and may face challenges in effectively self-managing multiple health problems. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is an evidence-based intervention that improves the health of people with chronic illnesses. Although the CDSMP is offered by organizations throughout the United States and many countries around the world, it has not been tested among SLE patients. We pilot tested the benefits of the CDSMP in low-income African American patients with SLE. CDSMP workshops were delivered to 49 African American women with SLE who received medical care at a public lupus clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, US. We compared pre-post CDSMP changes (from baseline to 4 months after the start of the intervention) in health status, self-efficacy and self-management behaviors using self-reported measures. Additionally, we assessed health care utilization changes using electronic administrative records in the 6-month periods before and after the intervention. We observed significant improvements post-intervention in the SF-36 physical health component summary (mean change = 2.4, p = 0.032); self-efficacy (mean change = 0.5, p = 0.035); and several self-management behaviors: cognitive symptoms management (mean change = 0.3, p = 0.036); communication with physicians (mean change = 0.4, p = 0.01); and treatment adherence (mean change = 0.4, p = 0.01). The median number of outpatient visits decreased from 3 to 1 (p < .0001). The CDSMP is a promising intervention for low-income African Americans with SLE. It is an inexpensive program with growing availability around the world that should be further evaluated as a resource to improve patient-centered outcomes and decrease health service utilization among SLE patients.

Relationship between cellular apoptosis and the expression of p75 neurotrophin receptor and tyrosine kinase A receptor in tissue surrounding haematoma in intracerebral haemorrhage

Cellular apoptosis and the expression of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) and tyrosine kinase A receptor (TrkA) were investigated in the tissues surrounding haematoma in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage. Specimens of tissue from near the haematoma (haemorrhagic samples) and tissue from a distant site (control samples) were collected from 14 patients with basal ganglia haemorrhage undergoing surgical intervention. Cellular apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling (TUNEL), and p75(NTR) and TrkA location, protein and gene expression were studied using immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The percentage of apoptotic cells and expression of p75(NTR), but not of TrkA, were significantly higher in the haemorrhagic samples than in the control samples. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells and the percentage of p75(NTR)-positive cells. These results suggest that the p75(NTR)-dependent signal transduction pathway plays an important role in apoptosis after intracerebral haemorrhage.

Association between epidermal growth factor +61 G/A polymorphism and glioma risk in a Chinese Han population

The association between the +61 G/A polymorphism of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene and glioma risk remains controversial and unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the EGF +61 G/A polymorphism and glioma risk in a Chinese Han population. Peripheral blood samples were extracted from 160 glioma patients and 320 control subjects. Genotyping was performed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Glioma patients had a significantly higher frequency of the AA genotype (odds ratio [OR] 1.93, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.08, 3.44) than control subjects and the frequency of the AA genotype was significantly higher in glioblastoma patients than in patients with other gliomas (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.05, 4.57). Patients with grade IV gliomas had a significantly higher frequency of the AA genotype (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.08, 4.71) than patients with lower grade gliomas. This study demonstrated that the EGF +61 AA genotype is associated with an increased risk of glioma in a Chinese Han population.

Protein Mechanics: A New Frontier in Biomechanics

Proteins play essential roles in all aspects of cellular processes, such as biosynthesis, division, growth, motility, metabolism, signaling, and transmission of genetic information. Proteins, however, could deform under mechanical forces, thus altering their biological functions. Here we present protein deformation as a possible molecular basis for mechanosensing and mechanotransduction, elucidate the important features of protein mechanics including protein deformation mode and dynamics, illustrate how protein deformation could alter biological function, and describe the important roles of protein deformation in force-sensing, force transducing and mechanochemical coupling in cells. The experimental and modeling challenges in protein mechanics are discussed.

Peierls transition in sodium under high pressure: a first-principles study

We have used first-principles calculations to investigate the electronic structure of the new oP8 phase of sodium which was experimentally reported recently (Gregoryanz et al 2008 Science 320 1054). Our results show the transition from I-43d to oP8 structure, which happens at room temperature, can also happen at 0 K. The I-43d structure will change to the oP8 structure at about 155 GPa and 0 K, rather than the CsIV structure at 190 GPa and 0 K, as the previous studies (Neaton et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 2830) predicted. It is also found that the oP8 structure forms a new nonequilateral triangle Na(3) structure and mainly distributes charge accumulation in the voids of the structure, rather than within the Na(3) triangles. Electronic density of states analysis shows that the oP8 structure opens a deeper pseudogap close to the Fermi level through symmetry breaking of the structure compared with that of the I-43d structure. Together with its unusual charge density distribution, it is found that the Peierls mechanism works for the transition to the oP8 structure. Differing from previous results about the Peierls mechanism of light alkali metals, the unit which produces a one-dimensional charge density wave is the Na(3) cluster instead of the pairing mechanism.

Functionalization and peptide-based delivery of magnetic nanoparticles as an intracellular MRI contrast agent

We report the development of functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with a PEG-modified, phospholipid micelle coating, and their delivery into living cells. The size of the coated particles, as determined by dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy, was found to be between 12 and 14 nm. The PEG-phospholipid coating resulted in high water solubility and stability, and the functional groups of modified PEG allowed for bioconjugation of various moieties, including a fluorescent dye and the Tat peptide. Efficient delivery of the functionalized nanoparticles into living cells was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy, relaxation time measurements, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This demonstrates the feasibility of using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with uniform (approximately 10 nm) sizes as an MRI contrast agent for intracellular molecular imaging in deep tissue. These micelle-coated iron oxide nanoparticles offer a versatile platform for conjugation of a variety of moieties, and their small size confers advantages for intracellular molecular imaging with minimal perturbation.

Cell and molecular mechanics of biological materials

Living cells can sense mechanical forces and convert them into biological responses. Similarly, biological and biochemical signals are known to influence the abilities of cells to sense, generate and bear mechanical forces. Studies into the mechanics of single cells, subcellular components and biological molecules have rapidly evolved during the past decade with significant implications for biotechnology and human health. This progress has been facilitated by new capabilities for measuring forces and displacements with piconewton and nanometre resolutions, respectively, and by improvements in bio-imaging. Details of mechanical, chemical and biological interactions in cells remain elusive. However, the mechanical deformation of proteins and nucleic acids may provide key insights for understanding the changes in cellular structure, response and function under force, and offer new opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. This review discusses some basic features of the deformation of single cells and biomolecules, and examines opportunities for further research.

Interactions between landscape changes and host communities can regulate Echinococcus multilocularis transmission

An area close to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau region and subject to intensive deforestation contains a large focus of human alveolar echinococcosis while sporadic human cases occur in the Doubs region of eastern France. The current review analyses and compares epidemiological and ecological results obtained in both regions. Analysis of rodent species assemblages within quantified rural landscapes in central China and eastern France shows a significant association between host species for the pathogenic helminth Echinococcus multilocularis, with prevalences of human alveolar echinococcosis and with land area under shrubland or grassland. This suggests that at the regional scale landscape can affect human disease distribution through interaction with small mammal communities and their population dynamics. Lidicker's ROMPA hypothesis helps to explain this association and provides a novel explanation of how landscape changes may result in increased risk of a rodent-borne zoonotic disease.

Cell mechanics: mechanical response, cell adhesion, and molecular deformation

As the basic unit of life, the cell is a biologically complex system, the understanding of which requires a combination of various approaches including biomechanics. With recent progress in cell and molecular biology, the field of cell mechanics has grown rapidly over the last few years. This review synthesizes some of these recent developments to foster new concepts and approaches, and it emphasizes molecular-level understanding. The focuses are on the common themes and interconnections in three related areas: (a) the responses of cells to mechanical forces, (b) the mechanics and kinetics of cell adhesion, and (c) the deformation of biomolecules. Specific examples are also given to illustrate the quantitative modeling used in analyzing biological processes and physiological functions.

Two new species of Heligmoptera Nadtochiy, 1977 (Nematoda: Trichostrongylina: Heligmosomoidea) from myospalacine rodents in China (Gansu), with a redefinition of the genus

Two species, Heligmoptera giraudouxi n. sp. and H. querei n. sp., are described. These are co-parasites of the small intestine of Myospalax fontanierii in China (Gansu). H. giraudouxi is closely related to the only existing species of the genus, H. myospalaxi (Nadtochiy, 1970), a parasite of Myospalax psilurus in the Primor'e Region of Russia. It is distinguished by the pattern of the left lateral lobe. H. querei differs from the two other species by possessing a long dorsal ray and from H. giraudouxi by the length of the left ala. From a phylogenetic point of view, these three species may form a small clade, adapted to Myospalax spp., derived from related forms in Insectivora, this capture resulting in the appearance of monodelphy.

[The relationship between smoking and p53 and Ki-ras gene mutations in sputum cells of patients with lung cancer]

BACKGROUND

To study the relationship between gene's mutation in sputum cells and smoking consumption of patients with lung cancer.

METHODS

Sputum dispose liquid was added into 0.5ml sputum, DNA was extracted twicely with saturated phenol-chloroform and ethanol precipitate; p53 and K-ras gene mutations were detected by using SSCP-PCR and RFLP-PCR methods.

RESULTS

Seventy-one of 110 patients with lung cancer were heavy smokers (index of smoking≥400), 55 of 71(77.5%) patients with heavy smoking were detected with gene alterations of p53 or K-ras (P<0.05). Average indexes of smoking in the patients with p53 or K-ras were 861 and 630 respectively, whereas those in non-smokers were 284 and 554 (Chi-square=36.56,P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Detection of oncogene alterations in sputum is a simple method to practice. Oncogene alteration in smoking patients with lung cancer is higher, especially in heavy smokers, than those with no smoking. The results show that heavy smoking is one of the causes in oncogene mutations of bronchus and further investigation is necessary.

[Detection of telomerase activity in the blood of patients with lung cancer]

BACKGROUND

To study the telomerase activity in blood cancer cells by TRAP for monitoring tumor metastasis in blood.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with lung cancer surgically treated and 35 patients before chemotherapy were determined for telomerase activity of cancer cells in the blood by TRAP, and 30 patients with non-tumor diseases as control.

RESULTS

In the operative group,13 patients(52%) showed telomerase activity in pulmonary artery blood during operation, which was much higher than that of peripheral blood before operation (24%,P<0.05). Telomerase positive rate was significantly higher in stage III to IV (64%) than that in stage I to II (30%,P<0.05).In the peripheral blood of patients with non-tumor diseases, telomerase was negative.

CONCLUSIONS

Telomerase activity may be an indicator for detecting lung cancer cells in peripheral blood as well as tumor metastasis and relapse.