Research Advances in Stem Cell Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common clinical condition that mainly affects men aged over 40 years. Various causes contribute to the progression of ED, including pelvic nerve injury, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, age, Peyronie's disease, smoking, and psychological disorders. Current treatments for ED are limited to symptom relief and do not address the root cause. Stem cells, with their powerful ability to proliferate and differentiate, are a promising approach for the treatment of male ED and are gradually gaining widespread attention. Current uses for treating ED have been studied primarily in experimental animals, with most studies observing improvements in erectile quality as well as improvements in erectile tissue. However, research on stem cell therapy for human ED is still limited. This article summarizes the recent literature on basic stem cell research on ED, including cavernous nerve injury, aging, diabetes, and sclerosing penile disease, and describes mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of various stem cell therapies in experimental animals. Stem cells are also believed to interact with host tissue in a paracrine manner, and improved function can be supported through both implantation and paracrine factors. To date, stem cells have shown some preliminary promising results in animal and human models of ED.

Spatial Confinement of Co Nanoparticles in N-Doped Carbon Nanorods for Wastewater Purification via CaSO3 Activation

Spatial confinement of organic pollutants and reactive oxygen species (e.g., SO4•- and •OH) with ultrashort lifetime inside the scale of chemical theoretical diffusion could provide a greatly promising strategy to overcome the limitation of mass transfer in the heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation process. Herein, we first reported spatial confinement of cobalt nanoparticles in N-doped carbon nanorods (Co-NCNRs), by encapsulating Co nanoparticles into N-doped carbon nanorods, in activating CaSO3 for antibiotic degradation. Compared to Na2SO3 and NaHSO3, CaSO3 could slowly and persistently discharge SO32- due to its low solubility, thus avoiding the depletion of the generated SO3•- and •OH under the high concentration of sulfite ions. Fully physical characterizations confirmed that the 3D hydrogel was mostly transformed into the nanorod structure of Co-NCNRs at 550 °C. Co atoms were successfully nanoconfined into N-doped carbon nanorods, which contributes to mass transfer and prevents the agglomeration of Co nanoparticles, thus enhancing its catalytic activity and stability in activating CaSO3 for water decontamination. The catalytic performance, kinetic research, influences of inorganic anions, pH, and degradation mechanism of chlortetracycline degradation catalyzed by the Co-NCNRs/CaSO3 system have been studied in detail. This work not only proposed a facile method for synthesis of nanoconfined catalyst but also provided an excellent Co-NCNRs/CaSO3 system for wastewater treatment.

Effects of Secondary Metabolites of Rice on Brown Planthopper and Its Symbionts

The brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (BPH) is a main rice pest in China and many other Asian countries. In the control of BPH, the application of insect-resistant rice has proven to be quite effective. Secondary metabolites are essential weapons in plants' defense against phytophagous insects. Studies have found that differences in the content of secondary metabolites play a crucial role in determining whether rice exhibits resistance or susceptibility to BPH. Simultaneously, symbionts are essential to the BPH. Nevertheless, there is limited research on the impact of secondary metabolites on the symbionts within BPH. Therefore, investigating the influence of secondary metabolites on both BPH and their symbionts is significant for the control of BPH. In this experiment, newly emerged female adults of BPH were fed artificial diets containing 10 different secondary metabolites. The results indicated that methyl jasmonate had inhibitory effects on the survival rate, weight gain, and reproductive capacity of BPH. Using qPCR methods, it was discovered that the number of symbiotic fungi (Ascomycetes symbionts) within BPH significantly decreased under methyl jasmonate stress. In conclusion, this experiment has preliminarily revealed the inhibitory effects of methyl jasmonate on BPH and its symbionts, demonstrating its potential for controlling BPH.

Using waste to treat waste: facile synthesis of hollow carbon nanospheres from lignin for water decontamination

Lignin, the most abundant natural material, is considered as a low-value commercial biomass waste from paper mills and wineries. In an effort to turn biomass waste into a highly valuable material, herein, a new-type of hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNs) is designed and synthesized by pyrolysis of biomass dealkali lignin, as an efficient nanocatalyst for the elimination of antibiotics in complex water matrices. Detailed characterization shows that HCNs possess a hollow nanosphere structure, with abundant graphitic C/N and surface N and O-containing functional groups favorable for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation. Among them, HCN-500 provides the maximum degradation rate (95.0%) and mineralization efficiency (74.4%) surpassing those of most metal-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in the elimination of oxytetracycline (OTC). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS) were employed to reveal the possible degradation pathway of OTC elimination. In addition, the HCN-500/PDS system is also successfully applied to real antibiotics removal in complex water matrices (e.g. river water and tap water), with excellent catalytic performances.

Using Multistage Energy Barrier of Heterojunctions in Improving Cr(VI) Detection

Detecting heavy metals in seawater is challenging due to the high salinity and complex composition, which cause strong interference. To address this issue, we propose using a multistage energy barrier as an electrochemical driver to generate electrochemical responses that can resist interference. The Ni-based heterojunction foams with different types of barriers were fabricated to detect Cr(VI), and the effects of the energy barriers on the electrochemical response were studied. The single-stage barrier can effectively drive the electrochemical response, and the multistage barrier is even more powerful in improving sensing performance. A prototype Ni/NiO/CeO2/Au/PANI foam with multistage barriers achieved a high sensitivity and recovery rate (93.63-104.79%) in detecting seawater while resisting interference. The use of multistage barriers as a driver to resist electrochemical interference is a promising approach.

Comprehensive genomic analysis of puerarin in inhibiting bladder urothelial carcinoma cell proliferation and migration

BACKGROUND

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) ranks second in the incidence of urogenital system tumors, and the treatment of BUC needs to be improved. Puerarin, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been shown to have various effects such as anti-cancer effects, the promotion of angiogenesis, and anti-inflammation. This study investigates the effects of puerarin on BUC and its molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

Through GeneChip experiments, we obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analyzed these DEGs using the Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA®), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) pathway enrichment analyses. The Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assay was used to verify the inhibitory effect of puerarin on the proliferation of BUC T24 cells. String combined with Cytoscape® was used to create the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network, and the MCC algorithm in cytoHubba plugin was used to screen key genes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA®) was used to verify the correlation between key genes and cell proliferation.

RESULTS

A total of 1617 DEGs were obtained by GeneChip. Based on the DEGs, the IPA® and pathway enrichment analysis showed they were mainly enriched in cancer cell proliferation and migration. CCK8 experiments proved that puerarin inhibited the proliferation of BUC T24 cells, and its IC50 at 48 hours was 218µmol/L. Through PPI and related algorithms, 7 key genes were obtained: ITGA1, LAMA3, LAMB3, LAMA4, PAK2, DMD, and UTRN. GSEA showed that these key genes were highly correlated with BUC cell proliferation. Survival curves showed that ITGA1 upregulation was associated with poor prognosis of BUC patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the potential antitumor activity of puerarin in BUC. To the best of our knowledge, bioinformatics investigation suggests that puerarin demonstrates anticancer mechanisms via the upregulation of ITGA1, LAMA3 and 4, LAMB3, PAK2, DMD, and UTRN, all of which are involved in the proliferation and migration of bladder urothelial cancer cells.

Novel potential urinary biomarkers for effective diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of high-grade bladder cancer

Background

High-grade bladder cancer (HGBC) has a higher malignant potential, recurrence and progression rate compared to low-grade phenotype. Its early symptoms are often vague, making non-invasive diagnosis using urinary biomarkers a promising approach.

Methods

The gene expression data from urine samples of patients with HGBC was extracted from the GSE68020 dataset. The clinical information and gene expression data in tumor tissues of HGBC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Multivariate Cox analysis was used to predict the optimal risk model. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed via the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database and visualized using Cytoscape. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated in the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) online platform. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was also visualized using Cytoscape. The expression levels of specific genes were assessed through quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, co-expressed genes and potential biological functions related to specific genes were explored based on the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database.

Results

A total of 560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when comparing the urine sediment samples from HGBC patients with the benign ones. Using these urinary DEGs and the clinical information of HGBC patients, we developed an optimal risk model consisting of eight genes to predict the patient outcome. By integrating the node degree values in the PPI network with the expression changes in both urine and tissue samples, eighteen hub genes were selected out. Among them, DKC1 and SNRPG had the most prominent comprehensive values, and EFTUD2, LOR and EBNA1BP2 were relevant to a worse OS in bladder cancer patients. The ceRNA network of hub genes indicated that DKC1 may be directly regulated by miR-150 in HGBC. The upregulation of both SNRPG and DKC1 were detected in HGBC cells, which were also observed in various tumor tissues and malignant cell lines, displaying high correlations with other hub genes.

Conclusions

Our study may provide theoretical basis for the development of effective non-invasive detection and treatment strategies, and further research is necessary to explore the clinical applications of these findings.

A comparative study of pilomatricoma and epidermoid cyst with ultrasound

AIM

To explore and compare the ultrasonic (US) features of pilomatricoma (PM) and epidermoid cyst (EC) in the differential diagnosis and improve the accuracy of US diagnosis of PM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and nine patients who underwent US examination before surgery with a histopathological diagnosis of PM or EC after surgery were analysed retrospectively. The patients were categorised into the training and validation sets according to the inspection times. Univariate analysis was undertaken on the US and clinical features of PM and statistically significant variables (p<0.05) were included in the multivariate logistic regression model to establish a diagnostic model.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that the multivariate logistic regression model for PM was statistically significant (p<0.001). The risk factors included posterior echo attenuation and hypoechoic halos (odds ratio [OR] = 9.277, 10.254) and the protective factors included age, diameter thickness, and posterior echo enhancement (OR=0.936, 0.302, 0.156). The performance of the diagnostic model was tested using the training set (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.974, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.955-0.994) and the validation set (AUC = 0.967, 95% CI = 0.926-1.000), which demonstrated good discriminant ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy for PM was higher than that for EC when the nodule is characterised by posterior echo attenuation, hypoechoic halos, smaller thickness, and younger age. The US diagnostic model developed may be used to guide the diagnosis of PM.

Establishment of a Rapid Detection Method for Yeast-like Symbionts in Brown Planthopper Based on Droplet Digital PCR Technology

The brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (BPH) is a typical monophagous sucking rice pest. Over the course of their evolution, BPH and its symbionts have established an interdependent and mutually beneficial relationship, with the symbionts being important to the growth, development, reproduction, and variation in virulence of BPH. Yeast-like symbionts (YLS), harbored in the abdomen fat body cells of BPH, are vital to the growth and reproduction of the host. In recent research, the symbionts in BPH have mainly been detected using blood cell counting, PCR, real-time quantitative PCR, and other methods. These methods are vulnerable to external interference, cumbersome, time consuming and laborious. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) does not need a standard curve, can achieve absolute quantification, does not rely on Cq values, and is more useful for analyzing copy number variation, gene mutations, and relative gene expression. A rapid detection method for the YLS of BPH based on ddPCR was established and optimized in this study. The results showed that the method's limits of detection for the two species of YLS (Ascomycetes symbionts and Pichia guilliermondii) were 1.3 copies/μL and 1.2 copies/μL, respectively. The coefficient of variation of the sample repetition was less than 5%; therefore, the ddPCR method established in this study had good sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability. It can be used to detect the YLS of BPH rapidly and accurately.

Integrated single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling reveals higher intratumour heterogeneity and epithelial-fibroblast interactions in recurrent bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Recurrent bladder cancer is the most common type of urinary tract malignancy; nevertheless, the mechanistic basis for its recurrence is uncertain. Innovative technologies such as single-cell transcriptomics and spatial transcriptomics (ST) offer new avenues for studying recurrent tumour progression at the single-cell level while preserving spatial data.

METHOD

This study integrated single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing and ST profiling to examine the tumour microenvironment (TME) of six bladder cancer tissues (three from primary tumours and three from recurrent tumours).

FINDINGS

scRNA data-based ST deconvolution analysis revealed a much higher tumour heterogeneity along with TME in recurrent tumours than in primary tumours. High-resolution ST analysis further identified that while the overall natural killer/T cell and malignant cell count or the ratio of total cells was similar or even lower in the recurrent tumours, a higher interaction between epithelial and immune cells was detected. Moreover, the analysis of spatial communication reveals a marked increase in activity between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and malignant cells, as well as other immune cells in recurrent tumours.

INTERPRETATION

We observed an enhanced interplay between CAFs and malignant cells in bladder recurrent tumours. These findings were first observed at the spatial level.

Integrative multi-omics analysis depicts the methylome and hydroxymethylome in recurrent bladder cancers and identifies biomarkers for predicting PD-L1 expression

BACKGROUND

Urinary bladder cancer (UBC) is a common malignancy of the urinary tract; however, the mechanism underlying its high recurrence and responses to immunotherapy remains unclear, making clinical outcome predictions difficult. Epigenetic alterations, especially DNA methylation, play important roles in bladder cancer development and are increasingly being investigated as biomarkers for diagnostic or prognostic predictions. However, little is known about hydroxymethylation since previous studies based on bisulfite-sequencing approaches could not differentiate between 5mC and 5hmC signals, resulting in entangled methylation results.

METHODS

Tissue samples of bladder cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC), partial cystectomy (PC), or transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) were collected. We utilized a multi-omics approach to analyze both primary and recurrent bladder cancer samples. By integrating various techniques including RNA sequencing, oxidative reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing (oxRRBS), reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), and whole exome sequencing, a comprehensive analysis of the genome, transcriptome, methylome, and hydroxymethylome landscape of these cancers was possible.

RESULTS

By whole exome sequencing, we identified driver mutations involved in the development of UBC, including those in FGFR3, KDMTA, and KDMT2C. However, few of these driver mutations were associated with the down-regulation of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) or recurrence in UBC. By integrating RRBS and oxRRBS data, we identified fatty acid oxidation-related genes significantly enriched in 5hmC-associated transcription alterations in recurrent bladder cancers. We also observed a series of 5mC hypo differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the gene body of NFATC1, which is highly involved in T-cell immune responses in bladder cancer samples with high expression of PD-L1. Since 5mC and 5hmC alternations are globally anti-correlated, RRBS-seq-based markers that combine the 5mC and 5hmC signals, attenuate cancer-related signals, and therefore, are not optimal as clinical biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

By multi-omics profiling of UBC samples, we showed that epigenetic alternations are more involved compared to genetic mutations in the PD-L1 regulation and recurrence of UBC. As proof of principle, we demonstrated that the combined measurement of 5mC and 5hmC levels by the bisulfite-based method compromises the prediction accuracy of epigenetic biomarkers.

[Efficiency and safety of microsurgical cluster ligation of the spermatic vein]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect and safety of microscopic varicocele cluster ligation (MVCL).

METHODS

We selected 28 patients undergoing bilateral microscopic spermatic vein ligation in Xuzhou Central Hospital from July 2021 to June 2022. Using the computerized randomization method, we performed MVCL or microscopic varicocele ligation (MVL) for the right or the left spermatic cord, respectively. We recorded the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, the numbers of the spermatic veins ligated and the arteries and lymphatic vessels preserved in each surgical side. A surgeon unaware of the surgical approach on the operative side collected the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores, nodular foreign body sensation, relief of scrotal cramps, complications, and long-term recurrence from the patients.

RESULTS

Compared with the MVL group, the MVCL group showed significantly shorter time for spermatic vein ligation (［56.21±13.96］ vs ［31.43±10.13］ min, P<0.01), lower VAS scores on the 1st postoperative day (P <0.05) and a lower incidence of intra-scrotal nodular foreign body sensation in the 1st postoperative month (P <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the intraoperative blood loss, numbers of spermatic veins ligated and arteries and lymphatic vessels preserved, VAS scores at 3 and 7 postoperative days, incidence of complications and long-term recurrence between the two groups (P >0.05).

CONCLUSION

MVCL is superior to MVL in reducing the time of spermatic vein ligation and improving the efficiency, efficacy and safety of the procedure, and therefore worthy of clinical promotion.

Tumor cell plasticity in targeted therapy-induced resistance: mechanisms and new strategies

Despite the success of targeted therapies in cancer treatment, therapy-induced resistance remains a major obstacle to a complete cure. Tumor cells evade treatments and relapse via phenotypic switching driven by intrinsic or induced cell plasticity. Several reversible mechanisms have been proposed to circumvent tumor cell plasticity, including epigenetic modifications, regulation of transcription factors, activation or suppression of key signaling pathways, as well as modification of the tumor environment. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, tumor cell and cancer stem cell formation also serve as roads towards tumor cell plasticity. Corresponding treatment strategies have recently been developed that either target plasticity-related mechanisms or employ combination treatments. In this review, we delineate the formation of tumor cell plasticity and its manipulation of tumor evasion from targeted therapy. We discuss the non-genetic mechanisms of targeted drug-induced tumor cell plasticity in various types of tumors and provide insights into the contribution of tumor cell plasticity to acquired drug resistance. New therapeutic strategies such as inhibition or reversal of tumor cell plasticity are also presented. We also discuss the multitude of clinical trials that are ongoing worldwide with the intention of improving clinical outcomes. These advances provide a direction for developing novel therapeutic strategies and combination therapy regimens that target tumor cell plasticity.

Proteomic analysis of milk fat globule membranes from small-sized milk fat globules and their function in promoting lipid droplet fusion in bovine mammary epithelial cells

In mammary epithelial cells, milk fat is synthesized as lipid droplets and secreted in the form of globules. Milk fat globules (MFGs) are covered by a lipid-protein membrane known as the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). We randomly divided 12 Holstein cows into control and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) groups. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the CLA group was fed the basal diet + CLA (15 g per kg DM) for 10 days. Cow performance, milk composition, and MFG size were measured daily. On day 10, we extracted MFGM proteins (n = 3) and identified them via quantitative proteomic analysis. We investigated the effects of the MFGM proteins from control and CLA-treated milk on the lipid droplet formation in MAC-T cells. Compared with the control group, the CLA group had reduced milk fat content (3.39 g/100 mL vs. 2.45 g/100 mL) and MFG size parameters (D_[4,3] of 3.85 μm vs. 3.37 μm; D_[3,2] of 3.24 μm vs. 2.83 μm). The specific surface area (SSA) increased in the CLA group. A total of 361 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the CLA group by iTRAQ quantitative proteomic analysis. Among these proteins, 100 were upregulated and 251 were downregulated (p < 0.05). In MAC-T cells, CLA-MFGM proteins increased the diameter of the lipid droplets to 1.32 μm. CLA-MFGM proteins decreased the proportion of the small lipid droplets (15.33% vs. 47.78%) and increased the proportion of the large lipid droplets (25.04% vs. 11.65%). CLA-MFGM proteins promoted lipid droplet fusion. Therefore, MFGM proteins play an important role in the regulation of the lipid droplet size.

Advances in physical diagnosis and treatment of male erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common male sexual dysfunction by far and the prevalence is increasing year after year. As technology advances, a wide range of physical diagnosis tools and therapeutic approaches have been developed for ED. At present, typical diagnostic devices include erection basic parameter measuring instrument, erection hardness quantitative analysis system, hemodynamic testing equipment, nocturnal erection measuring instrument, nerve conduction testing equipment, etc. At present, the most commonly used treatment for ED is pharmacological therapy represented by phosphodiesterase five inhibitors (PDE5i). As a first-line drug in clinical, PDE5i has outstanding clinical effects, but there are still some problems that deserve the attention of researchers, such as cost issues and some side effects, like visual disturbances, indigestion, myalgia, and back pain, as well as some non-response rates. Some patients have to consider alternative treatments. Moreover, the efficacy in some angiogenic EDs (diabetes and cardiovascular disease) has not met expectations, so there is still a need to continuously develop new methods that can improve hemodynamics. While drug have now been shown to be effective in treating ED, they only control symptoms and do not restore function in most cases. The increasing prevalence of ED also makes us more motivated to find safer, more effective, and simpler treatments. The exploration of relevant mechanisms can also serve as a springboard for the development of more clinically meaningful physiotherapy approaches. Therefore, people are currently devoted to studying the effects of physical therapy and physical therapy combined with drug therapy on ED. We reviewed the diagnosis of ED and related physical therapy methods, and explored the pathogenesis of ED. In our opinion, these treatment methods could help many ED patients recover fully or partially from ED within the next few decades.

Chronic liver diseases and erectile dysfunction

Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) are characterized by progressive necrosis of hepatocytes, which leads to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and ultimately liver dysfunction. The statistics of 2020 shows that the number of patients with CLDs, including chronic hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis, may exceed 447 million in China. The liver is a crucial organ for the metabolism of various substances, including sex hormones and lipids. CLDs frequently result in abnormalities in the metabolism of sex hormones, glucose, and lipids, as well as mental and psychological illnesses, all of which are significant risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED). It has been reported that the prevalence of ED in male patients with CLDs ranges from 24.6 to 85.0%. According to a survey of Caucasians, liver transplantation may improve the erectile function of CLDs patients with ED. This finding supports the link between CLDs and ED. In addition, ED is often a precursor to a variety of chronic diseases. Given this correlation and the significant prevalence of CLDs, it is important to evaluate the epidemiology, risk factors, etiology, and treatment outcomes of ED in male patients with CLDs, expecting to attract widespread attention.

[Transurethral plasma resection of the prostate for acute urinary retention in patients with advanced prostate cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the safety of transurethral plasma resection of the prostate (TuPkRP) in the treatment of advanced PCa (APC)-related acute urinary retention (AUR) with that in the treatment of BPH-related AUR and investigate the oncologic characteristics of the PCa patient after TuPkRP.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we first compared the baseline data between the patients with APC-related AUR (group A, n = 32) and those with BPH-related AUR (group B, n = 45) as well as their surgical parameters, such as the operation time, pre- and post-operative hemoglobin levels, IPSS at 3 months after TuPkRP and length of postoperative hospital stay. Then, we observed possible TuPkRP-induced tumor progression by comparing the oncologic parameters, such as the PSA level and ECT-manifested bone metastasis, between the APC-AUR patients treated by androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) + TuPkRP and those treated by ADT only (group C, n = 24).

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data between the APC-AUR and BPH-AUR patients (P > 0.05). The operation time and postoperative hospital stay were significantly longer in the APC-AUR than in the BPH-AUR group (P < 0.05), but the decreases in the hemoglobin level and IPSS at 3 months after operation showed no significant differences between the two groups of patients (P > 0.05). Besides, no statistically significant differences were observed in the oncologic parameters between the APC-AUR patients treated by ADT + TuPkRP and those by ADT only (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The safety of TuPkRP was not significantly lower and the rates of postoperative complications and adverse events were not significantly higher in the patients with APC-related AUR than in those with BPH-related AUR. And this surgical strategy did not significantly improve the progression of APC.

Prediction of the Prognosis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma by Cuproptosis-Related lncRNA Signals Based on Machine Learning and Construction of ceRNA Network

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma's (ccRCC) occurrence and development are strongly linked to the metabolic reprogramming of tumors, and thus far, neither its prognosis nor treatment has achieved satisfying clinical outcomes.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, respectively, provided us with information on the RNA expression of ccRCC patients and their clinical data. Cuproptosis-related genes (CRGS) were discovered in recent massive research. With the help of log-rank testing and univariate Cox analysis, the prognostic significance of CRGS was examined. Different cuproptosis subtypes were identified using consensus clustering analysis, and GSVA was used to further investigate the likely signaling pathways between various subtypes. Univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), random forest (RF), and multivariate stepwise Cox regression analysis were used to build prognostic models. After that, the models were verified by means of the C index, Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The association between prognostic models and the tumor immune microenvironment as well as the relationship between prognostic models and immunotherapy were next examined using ssGSEA and TIDE analysis. Four online prediction websites-Mircode, MiRDB, MiRTarBase, and TargetScan-were used to build a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network.

Results

By consensus clustering, two subgroups of cuproptosis were identified that represented distinct prognostic and immunological microenvironments.

Conclusion

A prognostic risk model with 13 CR-lncRNAs was developed. The immune microenvironment and responsiveness to immunotherapy are substantially connected with the model, which may reliably predict the prognosis of patients with ccRCC.

Research progress of therapeutic effects and drug resistance of immunotherapy based on PD-1/PD-L1 blockade

The binding of programmed death-1 (PD-1) on the surface of T cells and PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells can prevent the immune-killing effect of T cells on tumor cells and promote the immune escape of tumor cells. Therefore, immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1/PD-L1 is a reliable tumor therapy with remarkable efficacy. However, the main challenges of this therapy are low response rate and acquired resistance, so that the outcomes of this therapy are usually unsatisfactory. This review begins with the description of biological structure of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint and its role in a variety of cells. Subsequently, the therapeutic effects of immune checkpoint blockers (PD-1 / PD-L1 inhibitors) in various tumors were introduced and analyzed, and the reasons affecting the function of PD-1/PD-L1 were systematically analyzed. Then, we focused on analyzing, sorting out and introducing the possible underlying mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade including abnormal expression of PD-1/PD-L1 and some factors, immune-related pathways, tumor immune microenvironment, and T cell dysfunction and others. Finally, promising therapeutic strategies to sensitize the resistant patients with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade treatment were described. This review is aimed at providing guidance for the treatment of various tumors, and highlighting the drug resistance mechanisms to offer directions for future tumor treatment and improvement of patient prognosis.

Efficient Delivery of P3H4 siRNA and Chlorin e6 by cRGDfK-Installed Polyarginine Nanoparticles for Tumor-Targeting Therapy of Bladder Cancer

Purpose: Prolyl 3-hydroxylase family member 4 (P3H4) is a potent prognostic oncogene in bladder cancer (BC), and the inhibition of P3H4 suppresses BC tumor growth. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of P3H4 inhibition for BC tumor therapy via tumor-targeting nanoparticles. Methods and results: A linear polyarginine peptide (R9) was synthesized, azide-modified, and then assembled with cyclic pentapeptide cRGDfK. Chlorin e6 (ce6)-conjugated CH3-R9-RGD nanoparticles were prepared for the delivery of siP3H4 into T24 cells in vitro and BC tumors in vivo. Dynamic light scattering analysis identified that the optimum CH3-R9-RGD@siP3H4 molar ratio was 30/1. CH3-R9-RGD@ce6/siP3H4 nanocomposites decreased P3H4 expression and cell proliferation and promoted reactive oxygen species production, apoptosis, and calreticulin exposure in T24 cells in vitro. In vivo experiments showed that CH3-R9-RGD@ce6/siP3H4 nanocomposites caused pathological changes, suppressed BC tumor growth, promoted caspase 3 expression, and enhanced calreticulin exposure in tumor cells. Conclusions: The tumor-targeting CH3-R9-RGD nanocomposites encapsulating siP3H4 and ce6 might be an alternative therapeutic strategy or intravesical instillation chemotherapy for BC.

Identification and analysis of microRNA editing events in recurrent bladder cancer based on RNA sequencing: MicroRNA editing level is a potential novel biomarker

Background: With the continued advancement of RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing), microRNA (miRNA) editing events have been demonstrated to play an important role in different malignancies. However, there is yet no description of the miRNA editing events in recurrent bladder cancer.

Objective: To identify and compare miRNA editing events in primary and recurrent bladder cancer, as well as to investigate the potential molecular mechanism and its impact on patient prognosis.

Methods: We examined the mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes of 12 recurrent bladder cancer cases and 13 primary bladder cancer cases. The differentially expressed mRNA sequences were analyzed. Furthermore, we identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in recurrent bladder cancer. The Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analyses on DEGs and gene set enrichment analysis were performed. The consensus molecular subtype (CMS) classification of bladder cancer was identified using the Consensus MIBC package in R (4.1.0); miRNA sequences were then further subjected to differentially expressed analysis and pathway enrichment analysis. MiRNA editing events were identified using miRge3.0. miRDB and TargetScanHuman were used to predict the downstream targets of specific differentially edited or expressed miRNAs. The expression levels of miR-154-5p and ADAR were validated by RT-qPCR. Finally, survival and co-expression studies were performed on the TCGA-BLCA cohort.

Results: First, the mRNA expression levels in recurrent bladder cancer changed significantly, supporting progression via related molecular signal pathways. Second, significantly altered miRNAs in recurrent bladder cancer were identified, with miR-154-5p showing the highest level of editing in recurrent bladder cancer and may up-regulate the expression levels of downstream targets HS3ST3A1, AQP9, MYLK, and RAB23. The survival analysis results of TCGA data revealed that highly expressed HS3ST3A1 and RAB23 exhibited poor prognosis. In addition, miR-154 editing events were found to be significant to CMS classification.

Conclusion: MiRNA editing in recurrent bladder cancer was detected and linked with poor patient prognosis, providing a reference for further uncovering the intricate molecular mechanism in recurrent bladder cancer. Therefore, inhibiting A-to-I editing of miRNA may be a viable target for bladder cancer treatment, allowing current treatment choices to be expanded and individualized.

Microbiota dysbiosis in primary Sjögren's syndrome and the ameliorative effect of hydroxychloroquine

The human microbiome plays an important role in autoimmune diseases. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the microbiota in individuals with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Here, we perform 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of fecal, oral, and vaginal samples from a cohort of 133 individuals with pSS, 56 with non-pSS, and 40 healthy control (HC) individuals. Dysbiosis in the gut, oral, and vaginal microbiome is evident in patients with pSS, and oral samples demonstrate the greatest extent of microbial variation. Multiple key indicator bacteria and clinical characteristics are identified across different body sites, implying that microbial dysbiosis has important roles in the pathogenesis of pSS. Furthermore, we observe pSS-like dysbiosis in individuals with pre-clinical pSS or non-pSS-related disease, revealing that microbial shifts could appear prior to pSS. After hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment, microbial dysbiosis in individuals with pSS is partially resolved, although the microbiota composition remain disordered. These results contribute to the overall understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and pSS.

Transcriptomic data exploration of consensus genes and molecular mechanisms between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung adenocarcinoma

Most current research has focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) alone; however, it is important to understand the complex mechanism of COPD progression to LUAD. This study is the first to explore the unique and jointly molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of COPD and LUAD across several datasets based on a variety of analysis methods. We used weighted correlation network analysis to search hub genes in two datasets from public databases: GSE10072 and GSE76925. We explored the unique and jointly molecular mechanistic signatures of the two diseases in pathogenesis through enrichment analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and therapeutic targets analysis. Finally, the results were confirmed using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Fifteen hub genes were identified: GPI, EZH2, EFNA4, CFB, ENO1, SH3PXD2B, SELL, CORIN, MAD2L1, CENPF, TOP2A, ASPM, IGFBP2, CDKN2A, and ELF3. For the first time, SELL, CORIN, GPI, and EFNA4 were found to play a role in the etiology of COPD and LUAD. The LUAD genes identified were primarily involved in the cell cycle and DNA replication processes; COPD genes we found were related to ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, ribosome, and T/B-cell receptor signaling pathways. The tumor microenvironment of LUAD pathogenesis was influenced by CD4 + T cells, type 1 regulatory T cells, and T helper 1 cells. T follicular helper cells, natural killer T cells, and B cells all impact the immunological inflammation in COPD. The results of drug targets analysis suggest that cisplatin and tretinoin, as well as bortezomib and metformin may be potential targeted therapy for patients with COPD combined LUAD. These signatures may be provided a new direction for developing early interventions and treatments to improve the prognosis of COPD and LUAD.

Seminal plasma extracellular vesicles tRF-Val-AAC-010 can serve as a predictive factor of successful microdissection testicular sperm extraction in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of biomarkers for distinguishing non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients with successful sperm retrieval (Sp+) from those with failed sperm retrieval (Sp-). This study aimed to determine the potential of extracellular vesicles tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) as a novel non-invasive biomarker for successful sperm retrieval by microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE).

METHODS

The study included 18 patients with NOA with successful sperm retrieval (Sp+) and 23 patients with NOA with failed sperm retrieval (Sp-), 15 obstructive azoospermia (OA) patients, 5 idiopathic oligospermia (IO) patients, and 12 healthy people. Seminal plasma extracellular vesicles tsRNA levels were used in a two-stage case-control study (screened by tsRNA sequencing on Illumina NextSeq instrument and validated by qRT-PCR). The bioinformatic analysis was performed to determine the role of tsRNA in the pathogenesis of non-obstructive azoospermia.

RESULTS

Two tsRNAs (tRF-Val-AAC-010: AUC = 0.96, specificity = 80%, sensitivity = 95%; tRF-Pro-AGG-003: AUC = 0.96, specificity = 87%, sensitivity = 95%) were found to have high predictive accuracy for distinguishing the origin of azoospermia. In addition, the extracellular vesicles tRF-Val-AAC-010 resulted in high predictive ability (AUC = 0.89, sensitivity = 72%, specificity = 91%, P < 0.0001) in predicting the presence of sperm in non-obstructive azoospermia undergoing mTESE. Finally, bioinformatic analysis revealed that tRF-Val-AAC-010 were involved in spermatogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified that the extracellular vesicles tRF-Val-AAC-010 and tRF-Pro-AGG-003 are biomarkers for the diagnosis of non-obstructive azoospermia, and that tRF-Val-AAC-010 as a potential non-invasive biomarker for predicting the presence of sperm in non-obstructive azoospermia testicular tissue.

Dual-Modulated Heterojunctions for Anti-Interference Sensing of Heavy Metals in Seawater

Trace analyte detection in a complex environment such as in seawater is usually challenging for classic redox-based electrochemical sensors since the matrix effect of high salinity and various interfering species with similar redox properties can generate false positive/negative signals, thus impacting the sensitivity and specificity of the sensors. In this work, unlike redox-based approaches, we propose a novel sensing mode that relies on dual-modulated interfacial energy barriers of heterojunctions. By constructing the hierarchical structure of Ni/TiO₂/porous-reduced graphene oxide/chitosan (CS), we introduce interfacial energy barriers of Schottky junctions into the electrochemical sensors for Cu²⁺. Most importantly, we found that two factors, light and the electrostatic interactions between the heterojunctions and Cu²⁺, can be coupled to regulate the height of the interfacial energy barrier and at last exponentially magnify the sensing signals in response to Cu²⁺. Since the electrostatic interaction is inert to redox, the proposed sensor is robust against most interfering species even in seawater. Illumination further enhances its sensitivity by 6.23 times and endows it a limit of detection of 0.22 nM. Such a dual-modulated sensing mode is also valid in other heterojunctions such as in the p-n junctions of Ni/NiO/MoS₂/CS, demonstrating its potential in more universal applications.

ERH Interacts With EIF2α and Regulates the EIF2α/ATF4/CHOP Pathway in Bladder Cancer Cells

Background

There is a lack of research on the molecular interaction of the enhancers of rudimentary homolog (ERH) in bladder cancer (BC) cells. This study aimed to determine the interacting proteins of ERH in human T24 cells.

Methods

First, the ERH gene was overexpressed in human T24 cells. Coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) and shotgun mass spectrometry (MS) analyses were performed to obtain a list of proteins that interact with ERH. Subsequently, bioinformatic analyses with Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein–protein interaction (PPI) studies were performed to analyze the ERH-interactive protein list (ERH-IPL). Then, we selected one of the interacting proteins, EIF2α for verification. An immunofluorescence colocalization assay was performed to validate the co-expression of the selected protein, and the binding sites of the two proteins were predicted by ZDOCK technology. Finally, PCR analysis on the downstream molecules of the interacting protein was performed for verification.

Results

ERH protein was successfully overexpressed in human T24 cells. We obtained a list of 205 proteins that might directly or indirectly interact with the ERH protein by mass spectrometric analysis. The bioinformatic analysis showed that ERH-interacting proteins were related to “ribonucleoprotein complex”, “ATPase activity”, “nuclear speck”, and “translation factor activity, RNA binding”. We further identified one of the key genes, EIF2S1, and confirmed that the corresponding protein EIF2α is co-expressed and may bind with ERH in human T24 cells. The mRNA levels of molecules ATF4 and CHOP were found to be upregulated by ERH.

Conclusion

ERH protein affects “ribonucleoprotein complex”, “ATPase activity”, “nuclear speck”, and “translation factor activity, RNA binding”. The ERH protein can interact with EIF2α and regulate the EIF2α-ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway in human T24 cells.

ERH Gene and Its Role in Cancer Cells

Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. Studies on oncogenes and tumor-targeted therapies have become an important part of cancer treatment development. In this review, we summarize and systematically introduce the gene enhancer of rudimentary homolog (ERH), which encodes a highly conserved small molecule protein. ERH mainly exists as a protein partner in human cells. It is involved in pyrimidine metabolism and protein complexes, acts as a transcriptional repressor, and participates in cell cycle regulation. Moreover, it is involved in DNA damage repair, mRNA splicing, the process of microRNA hairpins as well as erythroid differentiation. There are many related studies on the role of ERH in cancer cells; however, there are none on tumor-targeted therapeutic drugs or related therapies based on the expression of ERH. This study will provide possible directions for oncologists to further their research studies in this field.

Rice Defense against Brown Planthopper Partially by Suppressing the Expression of Transferrin Family Genes of Brown Planthopper

Transferrins are multifunctional proteins, but their role in the interaction of rice and brown planthopper (BPH) remains unclear. In this study, the full-length cDNA of transferrin genes NlTsf1, NlTsf2, and NlTsf3 was cloned. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the expressions of NlTsf1 and NlTsf3 were significantly suppressed in BPH reared on the resistant rice R1 by 68.0 and 86.7%, respectively, compared with that on the susceptible S9. The survival rate decreased to 3.3% for dsNlTsf3-treated nymphs, to 58.9% for dsNlTsf1, and to 56.7% for dsNlTsf2 on day 11. RNAi of NlTsf3 against females largely reduced the number of eggs by 99.4%, and it decreased by 48.6% for dsNlTsf1 but did not significantly decrease for dsNlTsf2. Collectively, NlTsf1, NlTsf2, and NlTsf3 are essential for the survival and fecundity of BPH and are differentially involved in the interaction between rice and BPH. Therefore, NlTsf1 and NlTsf3 may be used as targets to control BPH.

Targeting HNRNPU to overcome cisplatin resistance in bladder cancer

Purpose

The overall response of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) remains unsatisfactory due to the complex pathological subtypes, genomic difference, and drug resistance. The genes that associated with cisplatin resistance remain unclear. Herein, we aimed to identify the cisplatin resistance associated genes in BUC.

Experimental design

The cytotoxicity of cisplatin was evaluated in six bladder cancer cell lines to compare their responses to cisplatin. The T24 cancer cells exhibited the lowest sensitivity to cisplatin and was therefore selected to explore the mechanisms of drug resistance. We performed genome-wide CRISPR screening in T24 cancer cells in vitro, and identified that the gene heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (HNRNPU) was the top candidate gene related to cisplatin resistance. Epigenetic and transcriptional profiles of HNRNPU-depleted cells after cisplatin treatment were analyzed to investigate the relationship between HNRNPU and cisplatin resistance. In vivo experiments were also performed to demonstrate the function of HNRNPU depletion in cisplatin sensitivity.

Results

Significant correlation was found between HNRNPU expression level and sensitivity to cisplatin in bladder cancer cell lines. In the high HNRNPU expressing T24 cancer cells, knockout of HNRNPU inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. In addition, loss of HNRNPU promoted apoptosis and S-phase arrest in the T24 cells treated with cisplatin. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) demonstrated that HNRNPU expression was significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues. High HNRNPU level was negatively correlated with patient survival. Transcriptomic profiling analysis showed that knockout of HNRNPU enhanced cisplatin sensitivity by regulating DNA damage repair genes. Furthermore, it was found that HNRNPU regulates chemosensitivity by affecting the expression of neurofibromin 1 (NF1).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that HNRNPU expression is associated with cisplatin sensitivity in bladder urothelial carcinoma cells. Inhibition of HNRNPU could be a potential therapy for cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-022-01517-9.

Assessment of Sexual Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Thulium Laser Prostate Surgery for Management of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Thulium laser (Tm:YAG) prostate surgery is a safe and effective procedure with low morbidity and comparable clinical outcomes to those of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). However, the sexual function outcomes (erectile and ejaculatory function) have been scarcely studied.

Aim

We aimed to assess the impact of Tm:YAG prostate surgery on sexual outcomes (erectile and ejaculatory function) and compare them with those patients undergoing TURP.

Material and Methods

We searched digital databases like PUBMED, SCOPUS, CENTRAL and EMBASE using relevant keywords to identify comparative studies on TURP and non-comparative studies on Tm:YAG prostate surgery that assessed sexual outcomes. We performed qualitative and quantitative analyses with the extracted data. We carried out a meta-analysis to compare postoperative International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) scores and incidences of retrograde ejaculation (RE) in patients undergoing either Tm:YAG or TURP. The pre-operative and post-operative IIEF-5 scores were pooled to estimate overall scores.

Results

We included 5 comparative and 8 non-comparative studies in this review. We found the postoperative IIEF-5 score improvements to be significantly higher in the Tm:YAG prostate surgery group than in the TURP group with a significant mean difference (MD) of 0.45 (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.72; P = .001). We found no significant associations between the procedures. The pooled OR for the association of RE was estimated at 0.90 (95% CI, 0.50 to 1.60; P = .71; I² = 0%).

Conclusion

Tm:YAG prostate surgery improves erectile function more than TURP, according to our findings. Tm:YAG prostate aided surgery also outperforms TURP in terms of preserving sexual function following surgery.However, We found similar or no difference in incidence of RE between Tm:YAG prostate surgery and TURP.

Bibo L, Hao L, Pang K, et al. Assessment of Sexual Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Thulium Laser Prostate Surgery for Management of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sex Med 2022;10:100483.

RNAi-mediated silencing of the autophagy-related gene NlATG3 inhibits survival and fecundity of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

BACKGROUND

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is a serious insect pest of rice. Autophagy and its related gene ATG3 play multiple roles in insects. However, information about the functions of ATG3 in BPH (NlATG3) is unavailable, and its potential as a target for pest control remains unclear.

RESULTS

RT-qPCR results showed a relatively low expression of NlATG3 in 1st-4th-instar nymphs, which increased through 9-day-old adults. The expression of NlATG3 increased continuously in 1-day-old through 5-day-old eggs, whereas it decreased thereafter. The mRNA level of NlATG3 was markedly higher in the ovary (1.16) and head (1.00) compared to the rest body parts of BPH adults. Injecting nymphs with dsNlATG3 at doses from 62.5 to 250 ng per insect had strong lethal effect upon them. For the 5th-instar nymphs, all individuals died within 5 days after receiving the dsNlATG3, and importantly, no individual successfully molted. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the new cuticle of nymphs injected with dsNlATG3 became loose and curved, which is clearly different from that of the control. Correspondingly, the obvious vesicles in epidermal cells disappeared after dsNlATG3-treatment. RNAi of NlATG3 significantly reduced the total number of eggs laid per female as well as the eggs' hatchability, especially in the dsNlATG3♀ × dsGFP♂ group, whose total number of eggs laid per female largely decreased by 80.4%, and whose eggs' hatchability was significantly reduced from 95.7% to zero, when compared with the control (dsGFP♀ × dsGFP♂).

CONCLUSION

NlATG3 is a promising target for developing RNAi-based insect management strategies. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characteristic dysbiosis in gout and the impact of a uric acid-lowering treatment, febuxostat on the gut microbiota

Gut dysbiosis is suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of gout. The aim of our study was to identify the characteristic dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in gout patients and the impact of a commonly used uric acid-lowering treatment, febuxostat on gut microbiota in gout. 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and metagenomic shotgun sequencing was performed on fecal DNA isolated from 38 untreated gout patients, 38 gout patients treated with febuxostat, and 26 healthy controls. A restriction of gut microbiota biodiversity was detected in the untreated gout patients, and the alteration was partly restored by febuxostat. Biochemical metabolic indexes involved in liver and kidney metabolism were significantly associated with the gut microbiota composition in gout patients. Functional analysis revealed that the gut microbiome of gout patients had an enriched function on carbohydrate metabolism but a lower potential for purine metabolism, which was comparatively enhanced in the febuxostat treated gout patients. A classification microbial model obtained a high mean area under the curve up to 0.973. Therefore, gut dysbiosis characterizings gout could potentially serve as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for gout and may be a promising target of future preventive interventions.

Role of NRP1 in Bladder Cancer Pathogenesis and Progression

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BC) is a fatal invasive malignancy and the most common malignancy of the urinary system. In the current study, we investigated the function and mechanisms of Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), the co-receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor, in BC pathogenesis and progression. The expression of NRP1 was evaluated using data extracted from GEO and HPA databases and examined in BC cell lines. The effect on proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion of BC cells were validated after NRP1 knockdown. After identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by NRP1 silencing, GO/KEGG and IPA^® bioinformatics analyses were performed and specific predicted pathways and targets were confirmed in vitro. Additionally, the co-expressed genes and ceRNA network were predicted using data downloaded from CCLE and TCGA databases, respectively. High expression of NRP1 was observed in BC tissues and cells. NRP1 knockdown promoted apoptosis and suppressed proliferation, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion of BC cells. Additionally, after NRP1 silencing the activity of MAPK signaling and molecular mechanisms of cancer pathways were predicted by KEGG and IPA^® pathway analysis and validated using western blot in BC cells. NRP1 knockdown also affected various biological functions, including antiviral response, immune response, cell cycle, proliferation and migration of cells, and neovascularisation. Furthermore, the main upstream molecule of the DEGs induced by NRP1 knockdown may be NUPR1, and NRP1 was also the downstream target of NUPR1 and essential for regulation of FOXP3 expression to activate neovascularisation. DCBLD2 was positively regulated by NRP1, and PPAR signaling was significantly associated with low NRP1 expression. We also found that NRP1 was a predicted target of miR-204, miR-143, miR-145, and miR-195 in BC development. Our data provide evidence for the biological function and molecular aetiology of NRP1 in BC and for the first time demonstrated an association between NRP1 and NUPR1, FOXP3, and DCBLD2. Specifically, downregulation of NRP1 contributes to BC progression, which is associated with activation of MAPK signaling and molecular mechanisms involved in cancer pathways. Therefore, NRP1 may serve as a target for new therapeutic strategies to treat BC and other cancers.

Next-Generation Sequencing Reveals the Progression of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (causing the disease COVID-19) has caused a highly transmissible and ongoing pandemic worldwide. Due to its rapid development, next-generation sequencing plays vital roles in many aspects. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the origin and human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 based on NGS analysis. The ACE2 expression levels in various human tissues and relevant cells were compared to provide insights into the mechanism of SAS-CoV-2 infection. Gut microbiota dysbiosis observed by metagenome sequencing and the immunogenetics of COVID-19 patients according to single-cell sequencing analysis were also highlighted. Overall, the application of these sequencing techniques could be meaningful for finding novel intermediate SARS-CoV-2 hosts to block interspecies transmission. This information will further benefit SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic development and new therapeutic target discovery. The extensive application of NGS will provide powerful support for our fight against future public health emergencies.

A network pharmacology perspective for deciphering potential mechanisms of action of Solanum nigrum L. in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Solanum nigrum L. decoction has been used as a folklore medicine in China to prevent the postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer (BC). However, there are no previous pharmacological studies on the protective mechanisms of this activity of the plant. Thus, this study aimed to perform a systematic analysis and to predict the potential action mechanisms underlying S. nigrum activity in BC based on network pharmacology.

METHODS

Based on network pharmacology, the active ingredients of S. nigrum and the corresponding targets were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicines for Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform database, and BC-related genes were screened using GeneCards and the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database. In addition, ingredient-target (I-T) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using STRING and Cytoscape, Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted, and then the pathways directly related to BC were integrated manually to reveal the pharmacological mechanism underlying S. nigrum-medicated therapeutic effects in BC.

RESULTS

Seven active herbal ingredients from 39 components of S. nigrum were identified, which shared 77 common target genes related to BC. I-T network analysis revealed that quercetin was associated with all targets and that NCOA2 was targeted by four ingredients. Besides, interleukin 6 had the highest degree value in the PPI network, indicating a hub role. A subsequent gene enrichment analysis yielded 86 significant GO terms and 89 significant pathways, implying that S. nigrum had therapeutic benefits in BC through multi-pathway effects, including the HIF-1, TNF, P53, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, apoptosis and bladder cancer pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

S. nigrum may mediate pharmacological effects in BC through multi-target and various signaling pathways. Further validation is required experimentally. Network pharmacology approach provides a predicative novel strategy to reveal the holistic mechanism of action of herbs.

Nano-selenium Supplementation Increases Selenoprotein (Sel) Gene Expression Profiles and Milk Selenium Concentration in Lactating Dairy Cows

Supplementation with selenium is common for dairy cows, but the importance of selenium source is not clear. This study aimed to compare nano-selenium (Nano-Se) and sodium selenite supplements for dairy cows on lactation performance, milk Se levels and selenoprotein (Sel) gene expression. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows were randomly divided into two groups: a control group fed a basal diet plus 0.30 mg Se/kg of DM as sodium selenite or Nano-Se for 30 days. Dry matter intake, milk yield and composition were not affected by dietary Se source (P > 0.05); however, the milk total Se levels and milk glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were higher with Nano-Se supplementation than sodium selenite (P < 0.05). At the end of the experiment, Nano-Se supplementation significantly increased plasma Se levels and GSH-Px activity, compared with the sodium selenite supplement. The mRNA expression levels of glutathione peroxidase 1, 2 and 4; thioredoxin reductase 2 and 3; and selenoproteins W, T, K and F were markedly upregulated (P < 0.05) in the mammary gland of the Nano-Se group. Thus, the source of selenium plays an important role in the antioxidant status and in particular the Sel gene expression in the mammary glands of dairy cows, both being stimulated by nano sources.

Motion-flow-guided recurrent network for respiratory signal estimation of x-ray angiographic image sequences

Motion compensation can eliminate inconsistencies of respiratory movement during image acquisitions for precise vascular reconstruction in the clinical diagnosis of vascular disease from x-ray angiographic image sequences. In x-ray-based vascular interventional therapy, motion modeling can simulate the process of organ deformation driven by motion signals to display a dynamic organ on angiograms without contrast agent injection. Automatic respiratory signal estimation from x-ray angiographic image sequences is essential for motion compensation and modeling. The effects of respiratory motion, cardiac impulses, and tremors on structures in the chest and abdomen bring difficulty in extracting accurate respiratory signals individually. In this study, an end-to-end deep learning framework based on a motion-flow-guided recurrent network is proposed to address the aforementioned problem. The proposed method utilizes a convolutional neural network to learn the spatial features of every single frame, and a recurrent neural network to learn the temporal features of the entire sequence. The combination of the two networks can effectively analyze the image sequence to realize respiratory signal estimation. In addition, the motion-flow between consecutive frames is introduced to provide a dynamic constraint of spatial features, which enables the recurrent network to learn better temporal features from dynamic spatial features than from static spatial features. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach on designed datasets which contain coronary and hepatic angiographic sequences with diaphragm structures, and coronary angiographic sequences without diaphragm structures. Our method improves over state-of-the-art manifold-learning-based methods by 85.7%, 81.5% and 75.3% in respiratory signal accuracy metric on these datasets. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively estimate respiratory signals from multiple motion patterns.

MAP30 Inhibits Bladder Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion In Vitro Through Suppressing Akt Pathway and the Epithelial/Mesenchymal Transition Process

The antitumor activity of Momordica anti-human immunodeficiency virus protein of 30 kDa (MAP30) has been proved. However, the role of MAP30 on tumor metastasis has not yet been identified. For this purpose, we investigated this effect and underlying mechanism of MAP30 in bladder cancer (BC). Here, we reported that MAP30 significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and clone formation of 5637 and T24 cells in vitro by promoting apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. We also found MAP30 inhibited cell migration and invasion by suppressing the epithelial/mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Moreover, the Affymetrix GeneChip assay revealed that MAP30 significantly changed gene expression profile in T24 cells, especially the genes in cell cycle regulation pathways. After the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, we predicted that NUPR1 was the most important upstream regulator. Subsequently, we verified that the AKT and EMT signaling pathways were inhibited by MAP30 treatment in T24 cells. In conclusion, MAP30 treatment inhibited the progression of human BC, especially cell migration and invasion through suppressing AKT pathways.

Application of ultrasound-guided seminal vesicle radiography combining CT three-dimensional reconstruction technique in transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy

For the treatment of ejaculatory duct obstruction, transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy (TSV) is the most common method, but the success rate is much lower than studies that have reported. So we developed a new ultrasound-guided seminal vesicle radiography (UGSVR) combining CT three-dimensional reconstruction (CT-TR) technique to improve the success rate of TSV. Between June 2018 and November 2019, 32 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: experimental group (UGSvR combining CT-TR) and control group (standard evaluation). Baseline information, including age, smoking history and body mass index (BMI), was compared preoperatively. Surgical parameters included success rates (SR), surgical time (ST), catheter days (CD), length of hospital stays (HS) and complications were compared between groups. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all p > .05). There were no significant differences in the CD, HS and complications between the two groups (all p > .05), but the differences in ST and SR were statistically significant (p < .05). In conclusion, this new technique of UGSvR combining CT-TR was achieving a satisfactory increase in the success rate of TSV, while not increasing the incidence of complications, compared to normal evaluation before TSV operation.

Resveratrol inhibits hypertrophic scars formation by activating autophagy via the miR-4654/Rheb axis

Hypertrophic scars (HSs) are a type of pathological scar which are induced by surgery, burn injuries or trauma during the healing process. Due to the high recurrence rates and strong invasive properties, HSs have become a major clinical issue. Resveratrol has been identified as a potential agent to suppress scar formation; however, the underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol on HS-derived fibroblasts (HSFBs) in vitro. MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell viability following the resveratrol treatment. Western blot and RT-qPCR analysis was used to identify the expression levels and the relationship among autophagic markers, miR-4654 and resveratrol treatment. Finally, GFP-LC3 stable HSFBs cells were generated to further assess the effect of resveratrol. The results revealed that resveratrol significantly induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner and induced autophagy by downregulating the expression levels of Rheb in HSFBs. Notably, microRNA-4654 (miR-4654) was significantly decreased in the HSFBs and re-upregulated by resveratrol treatment dose-dependently. Through the bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay, miR-4654 was identified to directly target Rheb. Transfection studies showed that miR-4654 negative correlated with Rheb expression, suggesting that the autophagic process may be altered by the miR-4654/Rheb axis under the control of resveratrol. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that resveratrol may promote autophagy by upregulating miR-4654, which in turn may suppress Rheb expression via directly binding to the 3′-untranslated region of Rheb. These findings provided a novel insight into the development of potential therapeutic targets for HSs.

Antitumor mechanism of MAP30 in bladder cancer T24 cells, and its potential toxic effects in mice

To investigate the antitumor mechanism of MAP30 in human bladder cell line (T24) and its potential toxic effects in mice.  In this study, the biological behavior of MAP30's influence on bladder cell was investigated to reveal the antitumor mechanism and role of MAP30 in bladder cancer. MAP30 gene sequence optimized by gene synthesis codon was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a to produce a large amount of target protein in Escherichia coli. The protein product was obtained after purification. Membrane hydration method was used to prepare MAP30 liposome in order to enhance its membrane permeability. The effects of MAP30 on the viability, apoptosis and migration of T24 cell were assessed using 3"‘(4,5"‘dimethyl"‘thiazol"‘2"‘yl)"‘2,5"‘diphenyl"‘2H"‘tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometric and TUNEL assays, respectively. Mice were transfected with bladder cancer cells for 48 h. The expressions of apoptotic and non-apoptotic proteins were determined using Western blotting. Changes in tumor volume and occurrence of metastasis were assessed using luciferase assay. After 7 days, liver and kidney were excised for histological examination. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced glutathione (GSH), and activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined in serum or homogenate using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The yield of MAP30 after purification was significantly increased. The results of MTT assay showed that MAP30 significantly and concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation and migration of T24 cells (p < 0.05). The prepared liposomes had uniform hydrated particle size of 132.6 nm, with encapsulation efficiency of 78 %. The inhibitory effect of MAP30 liposome on T24 cells was significantly higher than that of MAP30, and MAP30 significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells (p < 0.05). Western blotting showed that MAP30 significantly promoted the expression of caspase 3 (p < 0.05), but did not significantly affect the expressions of bcl-2 and bax (p > 0.05). It also significantly down-regulated the expressions of NF-kB, JNK and MMP2 (p < 0.05). Tumor formation was significantly inhibited, and tumor volume reduced in bladder cancer-bearing mice after treatment with MAP30 (p < 0.05). Histological examination showed that MAP30 induced mild histological changes in the liver and kidney of mice, and significantly increased the level of MDA at day 1 (p < 0.05). It also significantly and time-dependently increased ROS, but reduced GSH levels and activities of catalase and GPx (p < 0.05). However, MAP30 had no significant effect on DNA (p > 0.05). The apoptotic effect of MAP30 in T24 cells is mediated via activation of caspase-3 signaling pathway. The protein produces mild histological changes in the liver and kidney of mice, but has no significant effect on DNA.

Antitumor mechanism of MAP30 in bladder cancer T24 cells, and its potential toxic effects in mice

To investigate the antitumor mechanism of MAP30 in human bladder cell line (T24) and its potential toxic effects in mice.  In this study, the biological behavior of MAP30's influence on bladder cell was investigated to reveal the antitumor mechanism and role of MAP30 in bladder cancer. MAP30 gene sequence optimized by gene synthesis codon was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a to produce a large amount of target protein in Escherichia coli. The protein product was obtained after purification. Membrane hydration method was used to prepare MAP30 liposome in order to enhance its membrane permeability. The effects of MAP30 on the viability, apoptosis and migration of T24 cell were assessed using 3‑(4,5‑dimethyl‑thiazol‑2‑yl)‑2,5‑diphenyl‑2H‑tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometric and TUNEL assays, respectively. Mice were transfected with bladder cancer cells for 48 h. The expressions of apoptotic and non-apoptotic proteins were determined using Western blotting. Changes in tumor volume and occurrence of metastasis were assessed using luciferase assay. After 7 days, liver and kidney were excised for histological examination. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced glutathione (GSH), and activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined in serum or homogenate using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The yield of MAP30 after purification was significantly increased. The results of MTT assay showed that MAP30 significantly and concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation and migration of T24 cells (p &lt; 0.05). The prepared liposomes had uniform hydrated particle size of 132.6 nm, with encapsulation efficiency of 78 %. The inhibitory effect of MAP30 liposome on T24 cells was significantly higher than that of MAP30, and MAP30 significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells (p &lt; 0.05). Western blotting showed that MAP30 significantly promoted the expression of caspase 3 (p &lt; 0.05), but did not significantly affect the expressions of bcl-2 and bax (p &gt; 0.05). It also significantly down-regulated the expressions of NF-kB, JNK and MMP2 (p &lt; 0.05). Tumor formation was significantly inhibited, and tumor volume reduced in bladder cancer-bearing mice after treatment with MAP30 (p &lt; 0.05). Histological examination showed that MAP30 induced mild histological changes in the liver and kidney of mice, and significantly increased the level of MDA at day 1 (p &lt; 0.05). It also significantly and time-dependently increased ROS, but reduced GSH levels and activities of catalase and GPx (p &lt; 0.05). However, MAP30 had no significant effect on DNA (p &gt; 0.05). The apoptotic effect of MAP30 in T24 cells is mediated via activation of caspase-3 signaling pathway. The protein produces mild histological changes in the liver and kidney of mice, but has no significant effect on DNA.

Evaluation of Two Ureter Sealing Methods During Radical Nephroureterectomy

PURPOSE

To investigate the safety of electrocoagulation and thulium laser (Tm-laser) sealing methods of distal ureter resection during radical nephroureterectomy (NFU) in a porcine model.

METHODS

9 pigs were used in the study: 6 were used to measure the bursting pressure (BP) and 3 were used to measure the highest pressure during NFU. Twelve ureters were to measure BP after being sealed by electrocoagulation or Tm-laser (n = 6, each). Six experimental NFUs were performed in 3 pigs to measure the intraluminal pressure of all procedures.

RESULTS

The mean BP in the electrocoagulation group (104.3 ± 25.0 cmH2O) was similar to that of the Tm-laser group (74.8 ± 23.3 cmH2O, P > .05). The peak intraluminal pressure (35.9 ± 7.6 cmH2O) during NFU was significantly lower than the BP (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of the sealing was confirmed using both electrocoagulation and Tm-laser during NFU.

Comprehensive gene expression analysis after ERH gene knockdown in human bladder cancer T24 cell lines

INTRODUCTION

In this article, we utilized Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA®) bioinformatics analysis software and Metascape® bioinformatics analysis website tools to analyse the possible mechanism of ERH affecting tumourigenesis (proliferation and apoptosis) in bladder cancer (BC) T24 cells.

METHODS

The ERH gene was knocked down, and BC T24 cells were divided into ERH normal and knockdown groups. Affymetrix® gene expression microarrays were performed to obtain a differentially expressed gene list (DEGL) between the 2 groups. IPA® data analyses contain five modules: disease and function analysis, upstream analysis, regulator effects analysis, canonical pathway analysis and molecular network analysis. The results of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were analysed by Metascape®.

RESULTS

The results of the gene expression profiling chip and the DEGL showed that 344 genes were upregulated and 254 genes were downregulated. The IPA® and Metascape® pathway analyses showed that the ERH gene may affect proliferation and apoptosis by affecting the apoptosis, cell cycle, Toll-like receptor (TLR), NF-κB or TGF-beta signalling pathways. Upstream analysis determined that the ERH gene may regulate TNF and NK-κB in the BC T24 cell lines. The ERH gene may be involved in the "cell death and survival" molecular network in BC T24 cells. ERH may be a regulator of KITLG through TNF.

CONCLUSIONS

The ERH gene may affect apoptosis through the TLR, NF-κB, TNF or TGF-beta signalling pathways in BC T24 cells, and may be a regulator of KITLG to ultimately activate the growth of malignant tumours.