Force-Loaded Cementocytes Regulate Osteoclastogenesis via S1P/S1PR1/Rac1 Axis

Orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption (OIIRR) is the major iatrogenic complication of orthodontic treatment, seriously endangering tooth longevity and impairing masticatory function. Osteoclasts are thought to be the primary effector cells that initiate the pathological process of OIIRR; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for OIIRR remain unclear. Our previous studies revealed that cementocytes, the major mechanically responsive cells in cementum, respond to compressive stress to activate and influence osteoclasts locally. For this study, we hypothesized that the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling pathway, a key mechanotransduction pathway in cementocytes, may regulate osteoclasts under the different magnitudes of either physiologic compressive stress that causes tooth movement or pathologic stress that causes OIIRR. Here, we show a biphasic effect of higher compression force stimulating the synthesis and secretion of S1P, whereas lower compression force reduced signaling in IDG-CM6 cementocytes. Using conditioned media from force-loaded cementocytes, we verified the cell-to-cell communication between cementocytes and osteoclasts and show that selective knockdown of S1PR1 and Rac1 plays a role in cementocyte-driven osteoclastogenesis via the S1P/S1PR1/Rac1 axis. Most importantly, the use of inhibitors of this axis reduced or prevented the pathological process of OIIRR. The intercellular communication mechanisms between cementocytes and osteoclasts may serve as a promising therapeutic target for OIIRR.

A Recyclable Standalone Microporous Layer with Interpenetrating Network for Sustainable Fuel Cells

The commercialization of fuel cells inevitably brings recycling problems. Therefore, achieving high recyclability of fuel cells is particularly important for their sustainable development. In this work, a recyclable standalone microporous layer (standalone MPL) with interpenetrating network that can significantly enhance the recyclability and sustainability of fuel cells is prepared. The interpenetrating network enables the standalone MPL to have high strength (17.7 MPa), gas permeability (1.55 × 10-13  m2 ), and fuel-cell performance (peak power density 1.35 W cm-2 ), providing the basic guarantee for its application in high-performance and highly recyclable fuel cells. Additionally, the standalone MPL is highly adaptable to various gas-diffusion backings (GDBs), providing high possibility to select highly recyclable GDBs. Outstandingly, anode standalone MPLs and GDBs can be easily detached from the spent membrane electrode assembly (MEA). This not only saves >90 vol% solvent in the recovery of the catalyst-coated membrane (CCM), but also extends the service life of the GDBs and the anode standalone MPL at least 138 times (2 760 000 h assuming 20 000 h of CCM) comparing to CCM. Therefore, the standalone MPL significantly enhances the recyclability and sustainability of fuel cells and is promising to be an indispensable component in the next-generation fuel cells.

Specific human leukocyte antigen class I genotypes predict prognosis in resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Patients with resected pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) often experience short-term relapse and dismal survival, suggesting an urgent need to develop predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers for these populations. Given the potential associations of the human leukocyte antigen class I ( HLA -I) genotype with oncogenic mutational profile and immunotherapy efficacy, we aimed to assess whether differential HLA -I genotype could predict the postoperative outcomes in resected PAAD patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HLA -I ( A , B , and C ) genotyping and somatic variants of 608 Chinese PAAD patients were determined by targeted next-generation sequencing of matched blood cells and tumor tissues. HLA - A / B alleles were classified with the available definition of 12 supertypes. The Kaplan-Meier curves of disease-free survival (DFS) and multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses were performed to determine the survival difference in 226 selected patients with radical resection. Early-stage (I-II) patients constituted the majority (82%, 185/226) and some stage I-II individuals with high-quality tumor samples were analyzed by RNA-sequencing to examine immunophenotypes.

RESULTS

Patients with HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - had significantly shorter DFS (median, 239 vs. 410 days; hazard ratio=1.65, P =0.0189) than patients without this genotype. Notably, stage I-II patients carrying HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - had sharply shorter DFS than those without HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - (median, 237 vs. 427 days; hazard ratio=1.85, P =0.007). Multivariate analysis revealed that HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - was associated with significantly inferior DFS ( P =0.014) in stage I-II patients but not in stage III patients. Mechanistically, HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - patients were associated with a high rate of KRAS G12D and TP53 mutations, lower HLA-A expression, and less inflamed T-cell infiltration.

CONCLUSION

The current results suggest that a specific combination of germline HLA-A02/B62/B44 supertype, HLA-A02 + B62 + B44 - , was a potential predictor for DFS in early-stage PAAD patients after surgery.

Multiscale Architectured Nafion Membrane Derived from Lotus Leaf for Fuel Cell Applications

Hierarchically patterned proton-exchange membranes (PEMs) have the potential to significantly increase the specific surface area, thus improving the catalyst utilization rate and performance of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, we are inspired by the unique hierarchical structure of the lotus leaf and proposed a simple three-step strategy to prepare a multiscale structured PEM. Using the multilevel structure of the natural lotus leaf as the original template, and after structural imprinting, hot-pressing, and plasma-etching steps, we successfully constructed a multiscale structured PEM with a microscale pillar-like structure and a nanoscale needle-like structure. When applied in a fuel cell, the multiscale structured PEM resulted in a 1.96-fold increase in discharge performance and a significant improvement in mass transfer compared to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with a flat PEM. The multiscale structured PEM has the combined advantage of a nanoscale and a microscale structure, benefiting from the markedly reduced thickness, increased surface area, and improved water management inherited from the multiscale structured lotus leaf's superhydrophobic characteristic. Using a lotus leaf as a multilevel structure template avoids the complex and time-consuming preparation process required by commonly used multilevel structure templates. Moreover, the remarkable architecture of biological materials can inspire novel and innovative applications in many fields through nature's wisdom.

Targeting KRASG12V mutations with HLA class II-restricted TCR for the immunotherapy in solid tumors

KRAS mutation is a significant driving factor of tumor, and KRAS^G12V mutation has the highest incidence in solid tumors such as pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer. Thus, KRAS^G12V neoantigen-specific TCR-engineered T cells could be a promising cancer treatment approach for pancreatic cancer. Previous studies had reported that KRAS^G12V-reactive TCRs originated from patients' TILs could recognized KRAS^G12V neoantigen presented by specific HLA subtypes and remove tumor persistently in vitro and in vivo. However, TCR drugs are different from antibody drugs in that they are HLA-restricted. The different ethnic distribution of HLA greatly limits the applicability of TCR drugs in Chinese population. In this study, we have identified a KRAS^G12V-specific TCR which recognized classII MHC from a colorectal cancer patient. Interestingly, we observed that KRAS^G12V-specific TCR-engineered CD4⁺ T cells, not CD8⁺ T cells, demonstrated significant efficacy in vitro and in xenograft mouse model, exhibiting stable expression and targeting specificity of TCR when co-cultured with APCs presenting KRAS^G12V peptides. TCR-engineered CD4⁺ T cells were co-cultured with APCs loaded with neoantigen, and then HLA subtypes were identified by the secretion of IFN-γ. Collectively, our data suggest that TCR-engineered CD4⁺ T cells can be used to target KRAS^G12V mutation presented by HLA-DPB1*03:01 and DPB1*14:01, which provide a high population coverage and are more suitable for the clinical transformation for Chinese, and mediate tumor killing effect like CD8⁺ T cells. This TCR hold promise for precision therapy in immunotherapy of solid tumors as an attractive candidate.

Surface Modification of Liquid Metal with p-Aniline Derivatives toward Bioapplications: Biosensing as an Example

It is a long-lasting research topic to avoid the formation of oxidation layers on gallium-based liquid metals. This study has developed a simple general method for modification of the eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) surface with p-aniline derivatives to introduce a monolayer of organic molecules with versatile functional groups. The binding affinity of carboxylic acid groups, amine groups, or thiol groups with EGaIn is in the order SH > NH₂ > COOH. For the first time, it is evidenced that both NH₂ and SH groups can coexist on the EGaIn nanoparticle surface with the binding affinities of 30 and 70%, respectively. The formation of these organic molecules on the EGaIn surface antioxidizes and thus stabilizes the EGaIn nanoparticles, while increasing the conductivity of EGaIn significantly. The resulting EGaIn nanoparticles have very good distribution in both ethanol and aqueous solutions and rich surface chemistry, making them suitable for the following attachment of biomolecules such as aptamers, antibodies, or enzymes for biomedical applications. As an example, the EGaIn surface is successfully modified with p-aminobenzoic acid followed by the attachment of an insulin aptamer, which can be used for the electrochemical detection of insulin with the lowest detectable concentration limit of 1 pM. This study reveals the modification of EGaIn nanoparticles with p-aniline derivatives with versatile functional groups to antioxidize EGaIn in a biological environment, opening a door for gallium-based liquid metals toward biomedical applications.

[Dynamic analysis of tuberculosis specific mononuclear cells in peripheral blood of HIV patients with tuberculosis]

Objective: To evaluate the response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) combined with active tuberculosis (TB) to TB-specific antigen stimulation. Methods: From January to December, 2018, individuals infected with both HIV and TB (HIV/TB group) were taken as the study subjects. Individuals infected with HIV alone (HIV group), individuals infected with TB alone (TB group) and healthy people (Health control group, HC group) were taken as the control groups. PBMCs were isolated and stimulated with purified protein derivative of bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG-PPD). The expression of surface molecules in T cells (CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺) and monocytes (CD14⁺) and the percentages of Interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were detected by cell surface molecular staining, direct intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry (CD3^- lymphocytes were mainly B lymphocytes and NK cells). Analysis of non-parametric data was used to compare the data between the two groups, and paired t-test was used to compare the data before and after PPD stimulation in each group. Results: Before PPD stimulation, the percentage of IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ cells in the peripheral blood of HIV/TB group(mean 0.52%) was significantly lower than that in TB group(mean 0.94%, P=0.010). The TNF-α⁺cell percentages in CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, or CD14⁺ cells in the HIV/TB group(mean 19.2%) were significantly lower than those in the HIV group(mean 31.9%, P=0.002). The percentage of TNF-α secreted by monocytes in the HIV group was significantly lower than that in the HC group. The percentages of IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ and IFN-γ⁺ CD3^- cells in the peripheral blood of the TB group (mean 0.94%) were significantly higher than thoset in the HC group(mean 0.51%, P=0.020), while the percentages of TNF-α⁺ cells in each subsets of PBMCs were significantly lower than those in the HC group. After PPD stimulation, the percentage of IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ cells in the HIV/TB group was significantly lower than that in the TB group(P=0.008), and the change was more marked than that before stimulation. The percentage of IFN-γ⁺ CD8⁺ cells in the HIV group(mean 0.20%) was lower than that in the HC group (mean 0.52%, P=0.044). The percentage of IFN-γ⁺ CD3^- in the TB group was significantly higher than in the HC group. There were no significant differences in TNF-α⁺ cell percentages in the 3 groups compared with the control group after PPD stimulation. The percentages of IFN-γ⁺ CD4⁺ cells in the HC and the TB groups were significantly increased after PPD stimulation in each group (P=0.002, P=0.001, respectively). However, there were no significant differences of IFN-γ⁺ CD4⁺ cell percentages in the HIV/TB group and the HIV group. The percentages of TNF-α production by monocytes were significantly increased after PPD stimulation in all groups. Conclusions: Chronic Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection reduced the ability of PBMCs to produce TNF-α. For patients with TB infection, the production of TNF-α was reduced when combined with HIV infection. The capacity of CD8⁺ and CD3^- lymphocytes to produce IFN-γ was increased in TB patients, while the capacity of CD8⁺ T cells to produce IFN-γ was decreased with co-infection of HIV. Infection of HIV weakened the immune response to MTB infection, which made the clinical diagnosis and treatment of TB more difficult.

Serum lipase on postoperative day one is a strong predictor of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A retrospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Increased postoperative serum amylase has been recently reported to be associated with increased postoperative morbidity, but studies on postoperative serum lipase are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of postoperative serum lipase in predicting clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHOD

A retrospective analysis was performed on 212 patients who underwent PD from September 2018 and March 2021, focusing on the association between postoperative day (POD) 1 serum lipase and CR-POPF.

RESULTS

Overall, 108 (50.9%) patients had elevated serum lipase levels (>68 U/L) on POD 1. Patients with elevated serum lipase exhibited a significantly higher incidence of CR-POPF (37.0% vs. 6.7%, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed improved diagnostic accuracy for POD 1 serum lipase compared with POD 1 serum amylase in predicting CR-POPF (AUC: 0.801 vs. 0.745, p = 0.029). Elevated serum lipase on POD 1 and elevated serum CRP on POD 3 were identified as independent predictors of CR-POPF. A simple early postoperative model, consisting of POD 1 serum lipase levels and POD 3 serum CRP levels, showed good discrimination (AUC 0.76, 95% CI 0.69-0.83) to identify the onset of CR-POPF.

CONCLUSION

Serum lipase on POD 1 outperformed serum amylase on POD 1 in predicting CR-POPF after PD. The combination of POD 1 serum lipase and POD 3 serum CRP provides a reliable predicting model for CR-POPF.

Postoperative hyperprogression disease of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after curative resection: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Prognosis for patients recurred rapidly after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was extremely poor. We proposed the concept of postoperative hyper-progression disease (PO-HPD) to define recurrence within 2 months after surgery, explored the role of surgery for postoperative HPD patients and determined the predictive preoperative risk factors and genomic features of PO-HPD.

METHODS

976 patients undergoing curative resection of PDAC were enrolled. Survival data of 1733 stage IV patients from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was also collected. Patients relapsed were grouped into 3 groups regarding of the recurrence time (within 2 months were PO-HPD, within 2 to 12 months were early recurrence (ER) and within > 12 months were late recurrence (LR)). Risk factors for PO-HPD were explored with logistic regression models. Genomic features of 113 patients were investigated using next-generation sequencing-based gene panel testing.

RESULTS

718 of 976 cases relapsed, 101were PO-HPD, 418 were ER and 199 were LR. Total survival of PO-HPD was 12.5 months, shorter than that of ER (16.7 months) and LR (35.1 months), and verged on that of stage IV patients (10.6 months). Preoperative risk factors for PO-HPD included red blood cell count < 3.94*10^12/L, CA19-9 ≥ 288.6 U/mL, CA125 ≥ 22.3 U/mL and tumor size≥3.45 cm. Mutations of CEBPA, ATR and JAK1 were only identified in PO-HPD and they owned lower level of CN gain compared to others.

CONCLUSIONS

Prognosis of PO-HPD was extremely poor and the role of surgery for PO-HPD should be prudently assessed.

LncRNA-PACERR induces pro-tumour macrophages via interacting with miR-671-3p and m6A-reader IGF2BP2 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

LncRNA-PACERR plays critical role in the polarization of tissue-associated macrophages (TAMs). In this study, we found the function and molecular mechanism of PACERR in TAMs to regulate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression.

METHODS

We used qPCR to analyse the expression of PACERR in TAMs and M1-tissue-resident macrophages (M1-NTRMs) which were isolated from 46 PDAC tissues. The function of PACERR on macrophages polarization and PDAC proliferation, migration and invasion were confirmed through in vivo and in vitro assays. The molecular mechanism of PACERR was discussed via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), RNA pull-down, ChIP-qPCR, RIP-qPCR and luciferase assays.

RESULTS

LncRNA-PACERR was high expression in TAMs and associated with poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Our finding validated that LncRNA-PACERR increased the number of M2-polarized cells and facilized cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, LncRNA-PACERR activate KLF12/p-AKT/c-myc pathway by binding to miR-671-3p. And LncRNA-PACERR which bound to IGF2BP2 acts as an m6A-dependent manner to enhance the stability of KLF12 and c-myc in cytoplasm. In addition, the promoter of LncRNA-PACERR was a target of KLF12 and LncRNA-PACERR recruited EP300 to increase the acetylation of histone by interacting with KLF12 in nucleus.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that LncRNA-PACERR functions as key regulator of TAMs in PDAC microenvironment and revealed the novel mechanisms in cytoplasm and in nucleus.

Identification of copy number variation-driven molecular subtypes informative for prognosis and treatment in pancreatic adenocarcinoma of a Chinese cohort

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the most lethal carcinomas, and the current histopathological classifications are of limited use in clinical decision-making. There is an unmet need to identify new biomarkers for prognosis-informative molecular subtyping and ultimately for precision medicine.

METHODS

We profiled genomic alterations for 608 PAAD patients in a Chinese cohort, including somatic mutations, pathogenic germline variants and copy number variations (CNV). Using the CNV information, we performed unsupervised consensus clustering of these patients, differential CNV analysis and functional/pathway enrichment analysis. Cox regression was conducted for progression-free survival analysis, the elastic net algorithm used for prognostic model construction, and rank-based gene set enrichment analysis for exploring tumor microenvironments.

FINDINGS

Our data did not support prognostic value of point mutations in either highly mutated genes (such as KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A and SMAD4) or homologous recombination repair genes. Instead, associated with worse prognosis were amplified genes involved in DNA repair and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) related signalings. Motivated by this observation, we categorized patients into four molecular subtypes (namely repair-deficient, proliferation-active, repair-proficient and repair-enhanced) that differed in prognosis, and also constructed a prognostic model that can stratify patients with low or high risk of relapse. Finally, we analyzed publicly available datasets, not only reinforcing the prognostic value of our identified genes in DNA repair and RTK related signalings, but also identifying tumor microenvironment correlates with prognostic risks.

INTERPRETATION

Together with the evidence from genomic footprint analysis, we suggest that repair-deficient and proliferation-active subtypes are better suited for DNA damage therapies, while immunotherapy is highly recommended for repair-proficient and repair-enhanced subtypes. Our results represent a significant step in molecular subtyping, diagnosis and management for PAAD patients.

FUNDING

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 81470894, 81502695, 81672325, 81871906, 82073326, 82103482 and 32170663), the Shanghai Sailing Program (grant number 20YF1426900), and the Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning (awarded to H.F.).

A Customized Microfluidic Paper-Based Platform for Colorimetric Immunosensing: Demonstrated via hCG Assay for Pregnancy Test

Over the past decades, paper-based lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) have been extensively developed for rapid, facile, and low-cost detection of a wide array of target analytes in a point-of-care manner. Conventional home pregnancy tests are the most significant example of LFAs, which detect elevated concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in body fluids to identify early pregnancy. In this work, we have upgraded these platforms to a higher version by developing a customized microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD), as the new generation of paper-based point-of-care platforms, for colorimetric immunosensing. This will offer a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative platform for paper-based immunosensing, eliminating the need for nitrocellulose (NC) membrane as the substrate material. The performance of the developed platform is demonstrated by detection of hCG (as a model case) in urine samples and subsequently indicating positive or negative pregnancy. A dual-functional silane-based composite was used to treat filter paper in order to enhance the colorimetric signal intensity in the detection zones of μPADs. In addition, microfluidic pathways were designed in a manner to provide the desired regulated fluid flow, generating sufficient incubation time (delays) at the designated detection zones, and consequently enhancing the obtained signal intensity. The presented approaches allow to overcome the existing limitations of μPADs in immunosensing and will broaden their applicability to a wider range of assays. Although, the application of the developed hCG μPAD assay is mainly in qualitative (i.e., positive or negative) detection of pregnancy, the semi-quantitative measurement of hCG was also investigated, indicating the viability of this assay for sensitive detection of the target hCG analyte within the related physiological range (i.e., 10-500 ng/mL) with a LOD value down to 10 ng/mL.

Positive feedback between lncRNA FLVCR1-AS1 and KLF10 may inhibit pancreatic cancer progression via the PTEN/AKT pathway

BACKGROUND

FLVCR1-AS1 is a key regulator of cancer progression. However, the biological functions and underlying molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer (PC) remain unknown.

METHODS

FLVCR1-AS1 expression levels in 77 PC tissues and matched non-tumor tissues were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the role of FLVCR1-AS1 in PC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration was verified via functional in vitro and in vivo experiments. Further, the potential competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network between FLVCR1-AS1 and KLF10, as well as FLVCR1-AS1 transcription levels, were investigated.

RESULTS

FLVCR1-AS1 expression was low in both PC tissues and PC cell lines, and FLVCR1-AS1 downregulation was associated with a worse prognosis in patients with PC. Functional experiments demonstrated that FLVCR1-AS1 overexpression significantly suppressed PC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and migration both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that FLVCR1-AS1 acts as a ceRNA to sequester miR-513c-5p or miR-514b-5p from the sponging KLF10 mRNA, thereby relieving their suppressive effects on KLF10 expression. Additionally, FLVCR1-AS1 was shown to be a direct transcriptional target of KLF10.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research suggests that FLVCR1-AS1 plays a tumor-suppressive role in PC by inhibiting proliferation, cell cycle, and migration through a positive feedback loop with KLF10, thereby providing a novel therapeutic strategy for PC treatment.

CD8 cell counting in whole blood by a paper-based time-resolved fluorescence lateral flow immunoassay

The number of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes (CD8 cells) in peripheral blood can directly reflect the immune status of the body and is widely used for auxiliary diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of diseases. There is an urgent need to develop a simple CD8 cell-counting platform to meet clinical needs. Our group designed a paper-based cell-counting method based on a blocking competition strategy. In addition, we developed a time-resolved fluorescence-blocking competitive lateral flow immunoassay (TRF-BCLFIA) for point-of-care CD8 cell counting that functions by measuring europium nanoparticle (EuNP)-labeled CD8 antibody probes that are not captured by CD8 cells, and we indirectly calculated the concentration of CD8 cells in samples. Within 30 min, four operation steps can provide an accurate CD8 cell count for a 75-μL whole-blood sample, and this approach can be implemented on a handheld device. The TRF-BCLFIA reliably quantified CD8 cells in whole-blood samples, in which the assay exhibited a linear correlation (R² = 0.989) readout for CD8 cell concentrations ranging from 137 to 821 cells/μL. To validate this approach, our newly developed CD8 cell-counting tool was used to assess 33 tumor patient blood samples. The results showed a high consistency with a flow cytometry-based absolute count. This analysis approach is a promising alternative for the costly standard flow cytometry-based tools for CD8 cell counting in tumor patients in community clinics, small hospitals, and low medical resource regions. This technology would deliver simple diagnostics to patients anywhere in the world, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.

Roles of the Notch Signaling Pathway in Ovarian Functioning

The Notch signaling pathway regulates cell invasion, adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation via cell-to-cell interactions and plays important physiological roles in the ovary. This review summarizes current knowledge about the Notch signaling pathway in relation to ovarian functions and reveals the potential underlying mechanisms. We conducted an in-depth review of relevant literature to determine the current status of research into the Notch signaling pathway in relation to ovarian functioning and reveal potential underlying mechanisms. The activation of different Notch receptors promotes the formation of primordial follicles and proliferation of granulosa cells and inhibits steroid secretion. Abnormal regulation of the Notch signaling pathway or direct mutations might lead to over-activation or under-activation of the receptors, resulting in Notch upregulation or downregulation. It can also disrupt the normal physiological functions of the ovary. The lncRNA HOTAIR and growth hormones improved premature ovarian failure (POF) and promoted follicle maturation in a mouse model of POF by upregulating Notch1 expression. They also stimulated the Notch1 signaling pathway, increased the level of plasma estradiol, and decreased the level of plasma follicle-stimulating hormone. Thus, Notch1 could serve as a novel therapeutic target for POF. Several studies have reported multiple roles of Notch in regulating female primordial follicle formation and follicle maturation. Direct mutations in Notch-related molecules or abnormal gene regulation in the signaling pathway can lead to ovarian dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

Hsp60 expression and localization in different tissues and testis development of male cattle (cattle-yak and yak)

BACKGROUND

Heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) play important roles in protecting testicular development and production of sperms. This study was conducted to investigate Hsp60 gene expression and localization in testicular development to ascertain its influence on infertility and in different tissues of the male cattle-yak and yak. A total of 54 cattle (24 cattle-yak and 30 yak) were examined.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hsp60 mRNA of cattle-yak was cloned first and amino acid variations were found leading to differences at protein spatial structure compare with the yak. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that Hsp60 mRNAs expression were different in cattle-yak and yak.

RESULTS

The results showed disparity in Hsp60 expression among different tissues and in different developmental stages of the testis. High Hsp60 expression was observed in juvenile and adult testicles. Moreover, Hsp60 expression in cattle-yak was significantly higher than yak (p < 0.01). The location of Hsp60 in tissue and testis was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF). The results demonstrated that Hsp60 proteins located in epithelial cells, spermatocytes, sperm cells and mesenchymal cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The Hsp60 proteins are expressed in different tissues, and the highest expression level was observed in the testis of the cattle-yak, which suggests that infertility of cattle-yak have some correlation with up-regulation of Hsp60.

Forensic analysis of soman exposure using characteristic fragment ions from protein adducts

The verification of exposure to nerve agents is a serious challenge, especially in cases of soman (GD) poisoning. Protein adducts are reliable biomarkers, that provide forensic information and evidence during incidents of terrorism or sporadic poisoning. Mass spectrometry, coupled with a proteomics approach, was established for the forensic analysis of GD-based protein adducts. The fragmentation pathways of GD-based protein adducts were investigated for the first time using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Three abundant natural loss product ions, [M+2H-54]²⁺ (loss of two carbon cations), [M+2H-72]²⁺ (loss of tert-butyl and methyl moieties), and [M+2H-84]²⁺ (loss of the pinacolyl moieties), were observed in each of the GD-labeled adducts, and the product ions were independent of protein structure and exposure route. A unique mechanism for the formation of product ions involving GD-protein adducts is proposed here. These findings support the development of a simple and precise forensic analysis technique to rapidly verify GD poisoning using these three GD-related product ions.

A Novel c-MET-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated death in the United States and has a 5-year survival rate of <4%. Although much effort has been invested in the research and development of pancreatic cancer drugs over the past 30 years, due to the lack of effective targetable carcinogenic drivers, no new targeted therapies that can improve patient prognosis have been approved for clinical use. SHR-A1403 is a new c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) antibody-drug conjugate that can be used for the targeted treatment of PDAC with high c-MET expression. This study reports for the first time the application prospects of SHR-A1403 in preclinical models of PDAC. SHR-A1403 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These changes were caused by inhibition of intracellular cholesterol biosynthesis by SHR-A1403. Therefore, targeting c-MET through SHR-A1403 showed strong preclinical anti-tumour efficacy in pancreatic cancer. Our work suggests the potential application of c-MET-targeted antibody-drug conjugate treatment for PDAC in clinical practise.

EuNPs-mAb fluorescent probe based immunochromatographic strip for rapid and sensitive detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), induced by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and high mortality in neonatal piglets, resulting in significant economic losses in the pig industries. In this study, an immunochromatographic assay (ICA) based on a EuNPs-mAb fluorescent probe was developed and optimized for rapid detection of PEDV. The limit of detection (LOD) of the ICA was 0.218 μg/mL (2.725 × 10³ TCID₅₀/mL) and its linear detection range was 0.03125-8 μg/mL (3.91 × 10²-10⁵ TCID₅₀/mL). The ICA was also validated for the detection of PEDV in swine stool samples. 60 swine stool samples from southern China were analyzed by the ICA and RT-PCR, and the results showed that the coincidence rate of the ICA to RT-PCR was 86.67%, which was significantly higher than that of AuNPs based ICA. The ICA is sensitive and specific and can achieve on-site rapid detection of swine stool samples. Therefore, the ICA has a great potential for PED diagnosis and prevention.

Azimuthal Anisotropy of Heavy-Flavor Decay Electrons in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Angular correlations between heavy-flavor decay electrons and charged particles at midrapidity (|η|<0.8) are measured in p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The analysis is carried out for the 0%-20% (high) and 60%-100% (low) multiplicity ranges. The jet contribution in the correlation distribution from high-multiplicity events is removed by subtracting the distribution from low-multiplicity events. An azimuthal modulation remains after removing the jet contribution, similar to previous observations in two-particle angular correlation measurements for light-flavor hadrons. A Fourier decomposition of the modulation results in a positive second-order coefficient (v_{2}) for heavy-flavor decay electrons in the transverse momentum interval 1.5<p_{T}<4  GeV/c in high-multiplicity events, with a significance larger than 5σ. The results are compared with those of charged particles at midrapidity and those of inclusive muons at forward rapidity. The v_{2} measurement of open heavy-flavor particles at midrapidity in small collision systems could provide crucial information to help interpret the anisotropies observed in such systems.

The prognostic significance of macroscopic serosal change in subserosal invasion (stage T3) gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

For patients with gastric cancer intraoperative macroscopic serosal change is not always consistent with pathological T stage. We investigated whether macroscopic serosal change is associated with unfavourable prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

We reviewed 856 patients with stage T3 gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy in our institution. All patients were classified as serosa negative and serosa positive according to the macroscopic serosal change during the operation. The prognostic difference between two groups was compared and clinicopathologic features were analysed.

RESULTS

The percentage of macroscopic serosal change accounted for 55.7% of all patients. Compared with normal serosal surface, the patients with macroscopic serosal change had larger tumour size, more extensive stomach involvement and more advanced stage N. The prognosis of stage T3 with macroscopic serosal change was significantly poorer than that of those with normal serosal surface, especially for those with stages T3N0 and T3N1. Multivariate analysis identified macroscopic serosal change as an independent factor associated with unfavourable prognosis of stage T3 cancer.

CONCLUSION

Although the depth of tumour invasion mainly depends on pathological evaluation after surgery, the prognostic significance of intraoperative macroscopic serosal change should not be ignored for those patients with subserosal invasion.

Accuracy of Nodal Positivity in Inadequate Lymphadenectomy in Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Population Study Using the US SEER Database

Objectives: The optimal number of the examined lymph nodes (ELNs) in pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has been widely studied. However, the accuracy of nodal positivity for the patients with inadequate lymphadenectomy is still unclear. The purpose of our study was to determine the accuracy of the number of positive nodes reported for patients with 1-3 positive nodes and the probability that 4 or more nodes could be positive along with tumor size and number of nodes examined. Methods: We obtained data on patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma diagnosed during 2004-2013 from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. An mathematical model based on Hypergeometric Distribution and Bayes' Theorem was used to estimate the accuracy. Results: Among the 9,945 patients, 55.6% underwent inadequate lymphadenectomy. Of them, 1,842, 6,049, and 2,054 had T1, T2, and T3 stage disease, respectively. The accuracy of the number of observed positive nodes increased as the number of ELNs increased and the tumor size decreased. To rule out the possibility of N2 stage (4 and more positive nodes), there should be at least 13 ELNs for the patients with 1 observed positive lymph node and 14 for the patients with 2. Conclusion: Inadequate lymphadenectomy could result in underestimation of the N stage, and this would have adverse impact on recurrence, efficacy of postoperative treatment, and even overall survival. This model combined with the observed positive lymph nodes, the number of ELNs, and tumor size could provide a more accurate determination of nodal positivity of these patients.

D-Meson Azimuthal Anisotropy in Midcentral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=5.02 TeV

The azimuthal anisotropy coefficient v_{2} of prompt D^{0}, D^{+}, D^{*+}, and D_{s}^{+} mesons was measured in midcentral (30%-50% centrality class) Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed via their hadronic decays at midrapidity, |y|<0.8, in the transverse momentum interval 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. The measured D-meson v_{2} has similar values as that of charged pions. The D_{s}^{+} v_{2}, measured for the first time, is found to be compatible with that of nonstrange D mesons. The measurements are compared with theoretical calculations of charm-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium and have the potential to constrain medium parameters.

The Half-Life of Thymidine Kinase 1 in Serum Measured by ECL Dot Blot: A Potential Marker for Monitoring the Response to Surgery of Patients with Gastric Cancer

Thymidine kinase 1 in serum (STK1) of patients with gastric cancer was determined by two methods: ECL dot blot and radioactivity assay. Both measurements showed significantly different values for preoperative STK1 and healthy STK1 (p=0.012 for ECL dot blot and p=0.003 for the radioactivity assay). The preliminary results of ECL dot blot STK1 measurement showed that in tumor-free subjects the level of the enzyme was significantly reduced to 52.7% 35 days after surgery (n=8, p=0.0106). The decrease in STK1 levels in the tumor-free subjects paralleled the decline of the half-life of the STK1 enzyme. In patients with distant metastases (n=6) the enzyme level had increased to 173% 35 days postoperatively. By contrast, with the radioactivity assay no significant differences in thymidine kinase activity for 0-day-postoperative patients and 35-day-postoperative tumor-free patients was found (p=0.329). The activity decreased to 80% in 35-day-postoperative patients with metastatic disease. We suggest that the value of the half-life of STK1 measured by ECL dot blot can be used as a potential marker for monitoring the response to surgery in patients with gastric or other cancers one month after surgery.

Systematic toxicity investigation of graphene oxide: evaluation of assay selection, cell type, exposure period and flake size

Understanding the toxicity of nanomaterials is essential for the safe and sustainable development of new applications. This is particularly true for a nanomaterial as widely used as graphene oxide (GO), which is utilized as films for electronics, membranes for filtration, drug carriers and more. Despite this, the current literature presents conflicting results on the overall toxicity of GO. Here, the cytotoxicity of three sizes of commercially available GO was investigated on six cell lines, as values of NOAEL/LOAEL. The effectiveness of four viability assays was also evaluated. The overall toxicity of GO greatly varied between cell lines; the suspension cells showed a greater response to the GO treatment compared to the adherent cell lines. Time dependent cytotoxicity was also cell line dependent, with only one cell line demonstrating obvious dependence. The six cell lines were also tested to evaluate their response to varying GO flake sizes: the suspension/phagocytic cells showed little variation in viability, while a difference was observed for the adherent/non-phagocytic cell lines. By systematically studying the effect of dose, GO size and treatment time for the six cell lines by using commercially available GO samples, we eliminate many of the variables which may result in the conflicting reports on the cytotoxicity of GO in the literature.

J/ψ Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We report a precise measurement of the J/ψ elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The J/ψ mesons are reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.9) in the dielectron decay channel and at forward rapidity (2.5<y<4.0) in the dimuon channel, both down to zero transverse momentum. At forward rapidity, the elliptic flow v_{2} of the J/ψ is studied as a function of the transverse momentum and centrality. A positive v_{2} is observed in the transverse momentum range 2<p_{T}<8  GeV/c in the three centrality classes studied and confirms with higher statistics our earlier results at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV in semicentral collisions. At midrapidity, the J/ψ  v_{2} is investigated as a function of the transverse momentum in semicentral collisions and found to be in agreement with the measurements at forward rapidity. These results are compared to transport model calculations. The comparison supports the idea that at low p_{T} the elliptic flow of the J/ψ originates from the thermalization of charm quarks in the deconfined medium but suggests that additional mechanisms might be missing in the models.

Lithium enhances alveolar bone formation during orthodontic retention in rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of lithium on alveolar bone formation during orthodontic retention in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After 2 weeks of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), 42 8-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two orthodontic retention groups: one without (control) and the other with LiCl treatment (LiCl group). Samples were collected on days 0, 3, 7 and 14 during the retention period. We evaluated the bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) ratio and new bone formation in the region of interests (ie, the root, the periodontal ligament and the adjacent alveolar bone around the distal buccal surface of the distal root of the maxillary first molar). We performed quantitative analyses, including histology, histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry to identify Runx2 and Osterix expression.

RESULTS

The density of trabecular bone, the quantity of osteoblasts and the expression of osteogenic markers, Runx2 and Osterix, were significantly higher in the LiCl group than in the control group during the orthodontic retention period.

CONCLUSION

LiCl enhances alveolar bone formation during orthodontic retention in rats.

Fabrication of HA/PEI-functionalized carbon dots for tumor targeting, intracellular imaging and gene delivery

Carbon quantum dots (CDs) as emerging carbon nano-materials have attracted tremendous attention in biomedical fields due to unique properties.

Association and meta-analysis of HLA and non-obstructive azoospermia in the Han Chinese population

The exact aetiology and pathogenesis of most non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) are still unknown. The previous two genomewide association studies (GWASs) have identified three different loci within the HLA region for NOA in the Han Chinese population, including rs3129878, rs498422 and rs7194. To further validate the risk of three GWAS-linked loci for NOA, we conducted a case-control study of these three risk loci in an independent Han Chinese male population, with 603 NOA patients and 610 controls. Furthermore, we also performed a meta-analysis of five studies on these three NOA-risk loci. The case-control study strongly suggested a significant association between loci rs3129878, rs498422 and rs7194 and NOA (P = 6.75 × 10^-21 (OR = 2.2586), P = 0.0060 (OR = 1.4013) and P = 0.0128 (OR = 1.2626) respectively). Our meta-analyses also supported the susceptibility of these three risk loci to NOA (P < 0.01). The risk variants within the HLA region potentially have a strong effect on males at risk of NOA, and may serve as diagnostic markers for male infertility. However, considering genetic difference between different populations, future validating studies in larger independent samples and animal experiments are suggested.

Post-mortem findings in a patient with avian influenza A (H5N6) virus infection

Avian influenza A (H5N6) has been found to infect humans, and has resulted in ten cases with six deaths in China since 2014. Here, we describe the systematic post-mortem pathology of a patient fatally infected with H5N6 virus and evaluate the associated pathogenesis compared with H1N1 pdm09 fatal cases. The most prominent histopathological features were diffuse alveolar damage and pulmonary vasculitis in the lungs of the patient. The virus disseminated to extrapulmonary organs, including the brain. Compared with H1N1 pdm09 fatal infection, H5N6 infection induced a more exacerbated immune response involving overt pulmonary inflammation, which led to alveolar damage and respiratory failure.

Dietary Features and Blood Pressure among 18-88-Year-Old Residents in an Island Population in China

OBJECTIVES

Dietary recommendations to reduce blood pressure (BP) have been widely disseminated and residents who live on islands have unique dietary characteristics. Here, we identified associations between dietary intake and BP levels among island residents in China.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The Changhai islands, which is an important island county in China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 876 residents, 18-88 years old, of Changhai county.

MEASUREMENTS

Dietary intake and BP measurements were assessed using standardized questionnaires and protocols, respectively. Dietary intake was compared across BP categories and linear regression analyses were performed between dietary intake and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

RESULTS

Participants previously diagnosed with hypertension consumed less salt than those with undiagnosed high BP (p < 0.01). After exclusion of participants previously diagnosed with hypertension, salt and meat consumption were positively and linearly associated with both SBP (p < 0.01 and < 0.001, respectively) and DBP (p = 0.03 and < 0.01, respectively), whereas consumption of marine products was inversely associated with SBP (p = 0.047). Mixed edible oil and edible oil consumption were associated with SBP (p < 0.01) and DBP (p = 0.021), respectively. In the multiple linear regression model, meat intake was positively associated with both SBP and DBP (β = 0.139, p < 0.001; β = 0.066, p = 0.047, respectively), whereas consumption of marine products was inversely associated with SBP (β = -0.102, p <0.001), while mixed edible oil was associated with SBP (β = 0.062, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Adherence to nutritional recommendations can be improved among hypertensive patients, even those aware of their conditions. In the general island population, eating habits regarding salt, meat, edible oil consumption, and use of mixed edible oil increased the risk of hypertension onset, whereas marine products were found to decrease this risk.

Targeting HDAC with a novel inhibitor effectively reverses paclitaxel resistance in non-small cell lung cancer via multiple mechanisms

Chemotherapy paclitaxel yields significant reductions in tumor burden in the majority of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, acquired resistance limits its clinical use. Here we demonstrated that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) was activated in paclitaxel-resistant NSCLC cells, and its activation promoted proliferation and tumorigenesis of paclitaxel-resistant NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. By contrast, knockdown of HDAC1, a primary isoform of HDAC, sensitized resistant cells to paclitaxel in vitro. Furthermore, we observed that overexpression of HDAC1 was associated with the downregulation of p21, a known HDAC target, in advanced NSCLC patients with paclitaxel treatment, and predicted chemotherapy resistance and bad outcome. In addition, we also identified a novel HDACs inhibitor, SNOH-3, which inhibited HDAC expression and activity, induced cell apoptosis, and suppressed cell migration, invasion and angiogenesis. Notably, co-treatment with SNOH-3 and paclitaxel overcome paclitaxel resistance through inhibiting HDAC activity, leading to the induction of apoptosis and suppression of angiogenesis in vitro and in preclinical model. In summary, our data demonstrate a role of HDAC in paclitaxel-resistant NSCLC and provide a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome paclitaxel-acquired resistance.

Evaluation of drug-mediated arrhythmic changes in spontaneous beating cardiomyocytes by AFM

An AFM-based approach to investigate compound-induced ion channel effects in cardiomyocytes for pre-screening drug development.

Hyaluronic acid functionalized nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for targeted specific bioimaging

Schematic illustration of the preparation of HA-CQDs (A) and the following bioimaging application (B).

Wnt Signaling and Its Contribution to Craniofacial Tissue Homeostasis

A new field of dental medicine seeks to exploit nature's solution for repairing damaged tissues, through the process of regeneration. Most adult mammalian tissues have limited regenerative capacities, but in lower vertebrates, the molecular machinery for regeneration is an elemental part of their genetic makeup. Accumulating data suggest that the molecular pathways responsible for the regenerative capacity of teleosts, amphibians, and reptiles have fallen into disuse in mammals but that they can be "jumpstarted" by the selective activation of key molecules. The Wnt family of secreted proteins constitutes one such critical pathway: Wnt proteins rank among the most potent and ubiquitous stem cell self-renewing factors, with tremendous potential for promoting human tissue regeneration. Wnt reporter and lineage-tracing strains of mice have been employed to create molecular maps of Wnt responsiveness in the craniofacial tissues, and these patterns of Wnt signaling colocalize with stem/progenitor populations in the rodent incisor apex, the dental pulp, the alveolar bone, the periodontal ligament, the cementum, and oral mucosa. The importance of Wnt signaling in both the maintenance and healing of these craniofacial tissues is summarized, and the therapeutic potential of Wnt-based strategies to accelerate healing through activation of endogenous stem cells is highlighted.