LncRNA CCRR Attenuates Postmyocardial Infarction Inflammatory Response by Inhibiting the TLR Signalling Pathway

BACKGROUND

Timely and proper suppression of inflammation can effectively reduce myocardial injury and promote the postmyocardial infarction (post-MI) wound-healing process. We have previously found that cardiac conduction regulatory RNA (CCRR), a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcribed by the gene located on chromosome 9, with abundant expression in the heart, elicits antiarrhythmic effects in heart failure, and this is a continuing study on the role of CCRR in MI.

METHODS

CCRR was overexpressed in CCRR transgenic mice or after injection of adeno-associated virus-9 (AAV-9). MI surgery was performed, and cardiac function was assessed in vivo by echocardiography, followed by histologic analyses. Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR were performed to investigate the effects of CCRR on macrophages, cardiomyocytes, and cardiomyocytes cocultured with macrophages. Through microarray analysis and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) and other related techniques were also employed to study the effects of CCRR on Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4.

RESULTS

We found that CCRR level was significantly decreased with increases in proinflammatory cytokines and activation of the TLR signalling pathway in the heart of the 3-day MI mice. CCRR overexpression downregulated TLR2 and TLR4 in MI and effectively inhibited the inflammatory responses in primary cardiomyocytes and macrophages cultured under hypoxic conditions. Downregulation of CCRR induced excessive inflammatory responses by activating the TLR signalling pathway. CCRR acted by suppressing TLR2 and TLR4 to inhibit the secretion of proinflammatory factors to reduce infarct size, thereby improving cardiac function.

CONCLUSIONS

CCRR protected cardiomyocytes against MI injury by suppressing inflammatory response through targeting the TLR signalling pathway.

Clinical, imaging, and pathological characteristics of congenital infiltrating lipomatosis of the face

Congenital infiltrating lipomatosis of the face (CILF) is a rare congenital disease of the head and neck region. In this study, the cases of 20 patients diagnosed with CILF were reviewed retrospectively to analyse the characteristics of the disease. The symptoms, signs, and clinical progression were investigated. Radiological changes were analysed according to the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. The pathological features of the fatty facial lesions, jaw hyperplasia, and lingual lesions were further identified. All 20 patients demonstrated hemifacial hypertrophy at birth. None had a family history of the disease. Significant radiological features of CILF (prevalence ≥90%) included thickened buccal subcutaneous fat, palatal submucosal fat, and temporal subcutaneous fat, maxillary tuberosity heteroplasia, and fatty infiltration of the masseteric intermuscular space. With regard to the trigeminal nerve, the frontal branch region (CNV1) was rarely affected, while the maxillary (CNV2) and mandibular (CNV3) branch regions showed considerable changes. Pathologically, CILF was observed to be characterized by the infiltration of mature adipose tissue into the adjacent buccal soft tissue, osteal remodelling surrounded by sheets of mature lipocytes and supporting fibrovascular stroma, and lingual hamartoma. In summary, CILF exhibits distinct characteristics that are related to the regions controlled by the maxillary and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve, suggesting that CILF may be associated with early neural development.

M3 subtype of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor inhibits cardiac fibrosis via targeting microRNA-29b/beta-site app cleaving enzyme 1 axis

Background

Previous studies have confirmed that choline exerts anti-fibrotic effect in the heart by activating the M3 subtype of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3 receptor), but the mechanism remains to be clarified. MicroRNA-29b (miR-29b) plays an important role in the fibrotic process and can directly target collagen to resist myocardial fibrosis. This study investigated whether miR-29b is involved in the anti-fibrotic effect of activating M3 receptor.

Methods

Proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts was induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in vitro. The expression of miR-29b in cardiac fibroblasts was detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein levels of collagens I, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and beta-site app cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) were determined by Western blot analysis. Fibroblast-myofibroblast transition was identified by immunofluorescence staining. Proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts as indicated by transwell and scratch assays.

Results

The expression of miR-29b decreased when treated with TGF-β1 (P=0.0389) and increased after choline stimulated (P=0.0001). Overexpression of miR-29b could reverse the high expression of collagen I (P<0.0001), α-SMA (P=0.0007), and CTGF (P=0.0038) induced by TGF-β1, whereas inhibition of miR-29b had a tendency to even further increase the expression of fibrosis markers. Meanwhile, inhibition of miR-29b could reverse the anti-fibrotic effect of choline, increasing the expression of collagen I (P=0.0040), α-SMA (P=0.0001), and CTGF (P=0.0185), and promoting the fibroblast proliferation and migration. Moreover, BACE1 protein level, increased after TGF-β1 treatment (P=0.0037) and reversed by overexpression of miR-29b (P=0.0493). Choline could reduce the increase of BACE1 induced by TGF-β1 (P=0.0264), and 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl-piperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) increased the expression of BACE1 (P=0.0060). Furthermore, overexpression of BACE1 could reverse the protective effect of miR-29b in cardiac fibrosis, increasing the protein level of collagen I (P=0.0404).

Conclusions

The results suggested that M3 receptor activation could exert cardioprotective effects in cardiac fibrosis by mediating miR-29b/BACE1 axis.

Virulence and Molecular characterization reveal sign of sexual genetic recombination of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei in Tibet

Stripe rust of wheat and stripe rust of barley are caused by different formae speciales, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) and P. striiformis f. sp. hordei (Psh), respectively. To understand the relationship between the populations of the two formae speciales, a total of 260 P. striiformis isolates, including 140 from barley and 120 from wheat collected from Linzhi, Tibet, China from 2018 to 2020, were tested on 18 barley and 13 wheat genotypes, and genotyped with 26 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers. As a result, 260 isolates were identified as 83 virulence phenotypes (VPs), 115 of which as 9 VPs and can only infect wheat (wheat population), 111 as 54 VPs and can only infect barley (barley population), and 34 belonged to 20 VPs that can attack both wheat and barley (mixed population). Of 149 multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) that were identified, 92 were from wheat, 56 from barley, and 1 from both wheat and barley. Phenotypic and genotypic diversity was high in the populations from wheat and barley. Low linkage disequilibrium was found in most of sampling sites of both crops, indicating strong signs of sexual reproduction (|¬r(_)d| = 0.022-0.393, P = 0.004-0.847). Whereas, it was not observed in the overall population (wheat and barley sources), and the wheat, barley, and mixed populations, which may be due to complex composition of isolates. Population structure analyses based on phenotyping and SNP-KASP genotypes supported the separations of the two formae speciales. However, MLGs and clusters containing isolates from both wheat and barley indicated obvious indication of sexual genetic recombination between the two formae speciales. The results of the study provided an insight into evolution of Pst and Psh, and showed the importance of management strategy for stripe rust of wheat and barley in regions where both crops are grown.

Hypoxic Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Secrete miR-140-5p and miR-28-3p That Target SPRED1 to Confer Drug Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV) promote drug resistance to bortezomib in multiple myeloma cells. Elucidating the components of BMSC sEV that induce drug resistance in multiple myeloma cells could help identify strategies to overcome resistance. Considering the hypoxic nature of the myeloma microenvironment, we explored the role of hypoxia in regulating BMSC sEV cargo and investigated whether hypoxia-driven sEV miRNAs contribute to the drug resistance in multiple myeloma cells. Hypoxia increased the release of sEVs from BMSCs, and these sEVs more strongly attenuated bortezomib sensitivity in multiple myeloma cells than sEVs from BMSCs under normoxic conditions. RNA sequencing revealed that significantly elevated levels of miR-140-5p and miR-28-3p were enclosed in hypoxic BMSC-derived sEVs. Both miR-140-5p and miR-28-3p conferred bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma cells by synergistically targeting SPRED1, a member of the Sprouty protein family that regulates MAPK activation. SPRED1 inhibition reduced sensitivity to bortezomib in multiple myeloma cells through activating MAPK-related pathways and significantly promoted multiple myeloma bortezomib resistance and tumor growth in a mouse model. These findings shed light on the role of hypoxia-induced miRNAs shuttled in BMSC-derived sEVs to multiple myeloma cells in inducing drug resistance and identify the miR-140-5p/miR-28-3p/SPRED1/MAPK pathway as a potential targetable axis for treating multiple myeloma.

SIGNIFICANCE

Hypoxia induces stromal cells to secrete extracellular vesicles with increased miR-140-5p and miR-28-3p that are transferred to multiple myeloma cells and drive drug resistance by increasing the MAPK signaling.

High hydrostatic pressure participates in atrial fibrosis through the p300/p53/Smad3 pathway

As an independent risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF), hypertension (HTN) can induce atrial fibrosis through cyclic stretch and hydrostatic pressure. The mechanism by which high hydrostatic pressure promotes atrial fibrosis is unclear yet. p300 and p53/Smad3 play important roles in the process of atrial fibrosis. This study investigated whether high hydrostatic pressure promotes atrial fibrosis by activating the p300/p53/Smad3 pathway. Biochemical experiments were used to study the expression of p300/p53/Smad3 pathway in left atrial appendage (LAA) tissues of patients with sinus rhythm (SR), AF, AF + HTN, and C57/BL6 mice, hypertensive C57/BL6 mice and atrial fibroblasts of mice. To investigate the roles of p300 and p53 in the process of atrial fibrosis, p300 and p53 in mice atrial fibroblasts were knocked in or knocked down, respectively. The expression of p300/p53/Smad3 and fibrotic factors was higher in patients with AF and AF + HTN than those with SR only. The expressions of p300/p53/Smad3 and fibrotic factors increased in hypertensive mice. Curcumin (Cur) and knocking down of p300 reversed the expressions of these factors. 40 mmHg hydrostatic pressure/overexpression of p300 upregulated the expressions of p300/p53/Smad3 and fibrotic factors in mice LAA fibroblasts. While Cur or knocking down p300 reversed these changes. Knocking down/overexpression of p53, the expressions of p53/Smad3 and fibrotic factors also decreased/increased, correspondingly. High hydrostatic pressure promotes atrial fibrosis by activating the p300/p53/Smad3 pathway, which further increases the susceptibility to AF.

Diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy accompanied with primary aldosteronism-Case report

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is known to be the most prevalent genetic cardiac condition. However, there have been limited reports on the diagnosis of HCM accompanied by secondary hypertension and the subsequent systematic therapy. In this case report, we present the case of a 65-year-old male patient who presented with recurring chest discomfort during physical activity, along with refractory hypertension. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transthoracic echocardiogram(TTE) revealed the presence of HCM in this individual. Further investigation revealed hypokalemia, elevated aldosterone levels, decreased plasma renin activity, and an aldosterone-to-renin ratio above 30. These findings strongly indicated primary aldosteronism (PA) as an additional condition affecting this patient. Through the utilization of whole exome sequencing, we successfully identified a suspected pathogenic gene TTN as the underlying cause of the patient's condition. The presence of HCM accompanied by secondary hypertension due to PA resulted in significant enlargement of the left ventricle, particularly the ventricular septum. While certain genetic mutations may suggest a potential link to cardiomyopathy development, they cannot definitively establish a direct association between HCM and PA.

Aloe-Emodin Derivative, an Anthraquinone Compound, Attenuates Pyroptosis by Targeting NLRP3 Inflammasome in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is widely recognized as a major contributing factor to the development of heart failure in patients with diabetes. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of traditional herbal medicine for alleviating the symptoms of cardiomyopathy. We have chemically designed and synthesized a novel compound called aloe-emodin derivative (AED), which belongs to the aloe-emodin (AE) family of compounds. AED was formed by covalent binding of monomethyl succinate to the anthraquinone mother nucleus of AE using chemical synthesis techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of AED in treating DCM. We induced type 2 diabetes in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by administering a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injections. The rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, DCM, AED low concentration (50 mg/kg/day), AED high concentration (100 mg/kg/day), AE (100 mg/kg/day), and positive control (glyburide, 2 mg/kg/day) groups. There were eight rats in each group. The rats that attained fasting blood glucose of ˃16.7 mmol/L were considered successful models. We observed significant improvements in cardiac function in the DCM rats with both AED and AE following four weeks of intragastric treatment. However, AED had a more pronounced therapeutic effect on DCM compared to AE. AED exhibited an inhibitory effect on the inflammatory response in the hearts of DCM rats and high-glucose-treated H9C2 cells by suppressing the pyroptosis pathway mediated by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes showed a significant enrichment in the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway compared to the high-glucose group. Furthermore, overexpression of NLRP3 effectively reversed the anti-pyroptosis effects of AED in high-glucose-treated H9C2 cells. This study is the first to demonstrate that AED possesses the ability to inhibit myocardial pyroptosis in DCM. Targeting the pyroptosis pathway mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome could provide a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance our understanding and treatment of DCM.

CDR1as promotes arrhythmias in myocardial infarction via targeting the NAMPT-NAD+ pathway

Cardiac ventricular arrhythmia triggered by acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of sudden cardiac death. We have reported previously that an increased serum level of circular RNA CDR1as is a potential biomarker of AMI. However, the possible role of CDR1as in post-infarct arrhythmia remains unclear. This study in MI mice investigated the effects and underlying mechanism of CDR1as in ventricular arrhythmias associated with MI. We showed that knockdown of CDR1as abbreviated the duration of the abnormally prolonged QRS complex and QTc intervals and decreased susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. Optical mapping demonstrated knockdown of CDR1as also reduced post-infarct arrhythmia by increasing the conduction velocity and decreasing dispersion of repolarization. Mechanistically, CDR1as led to the depletion of NAD+ and caused mitochondrial dysfunction by directly targeting the NAMPT protein and repressing its expression. Moreover, CDR1as aggravated dysregulation of the NaV1.5 and Kir6.2 channels in cardiomyocytes, a change which was alleviated by the replenishment of NAD+. These findings suggest that anti-CDR1as is a potential therapeutic approach for ischemic arrhythmias.

Genomic features of recombinant CHO clones arising from transposon-based and randomized integration

The use of transposase in cell line development (CLD) programs has experienced increased popularity over the past decade. However, few studies have described the mechanism of action and the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of clones derived from transposase. Additionally, how these traits impact long-term bioproduction is unknown. Here, we use chromosome painting, deep sequencing, and ddPCR to characterize the unique fingerprints associated with transposase-derived clones. Transposase reduces the cellular pool of transient vector as early as three days post transfection following transfection and expedites stable pool establishment by up to two weeks. Furthermore, recombinant DNA expression is significantly improved up to ∼3 fold along with a greater balance of antibody heavy and light chain transcripts, resulting in higher titers in transposase generated pools. Transposase derived pools contained an often innumerable number of integration sites, representing a vast increase in integration site diversity over randomly generated pools, which were bottlenecked at 1-3 integration sites per pool. These transposase mediated integrations typically occurred in clean singlets, free of genomic scars such as deletions, inversions, and other modifications associated with legacy transfection methods which exhibited higher copy numbers per integration site. Relative declines in gene expression occur with copy number increase in the randomly generated, but not the transposase derived clones. Furthermore, transposase-derived clones were more likely to exhibit enhanced a long term stability profile, including product quality attributes such as mannose-5. This improved stability may result from circumventing mechanisms associated with the silencing of tandem repeats. Thus, transposase-mediated approaches can provide multifaceted molecular and phenotypic advantages in cell line development when compared to legacy random-integration methods.

Aloe-emodin ameliorated MI-induced cardiac remodeling in mice via inhibiting TGF-β/SMAD signaling via up-regulating SMAD7

BACKGROUND

Aloe-emodin (AE), a natural anthraquinone extract from traditional Chinese medicinal plants, has been certified to protect against acute myocardial ischemia. However, its effect on cardiac remodeling after chronic myocardial infarction (MI) and the possible mechanism remain unclear.

PURPOSE

This study investigated the effect of AE on cardiac remodeling and oxidative damage induced by myocardial infarction (MI) in vitro and explored the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Echocardiography and Masson staining were used to demonstrate myocardial dysfunction and fibrosis. Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining. The expressions of fibrosis-related factors such as type I collagen, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrated that AE treatment significantly improved cardiac function, reduced structural remodeling, and reduced cardiac apoptosis and oxidative stress in mice with myocardial infarction. In vitro, AE could protect neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCM) from angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis, and significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) Ang II-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase. Furthermore, AE treatment significantly reversed the Ang ii-induced upregulation.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our work reveals for the first time that AE activates the TGF-β signaling pathway by up-regulating Smad7 expression, which in turn regulates the expression of fibrosis-related genes, ultimately improving cardiac function, inhibiting the development of cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy in rats with chronic MI.

Enhanced degradation of phthalate esters (PAEs) by biochar-sodium alginate immobilized Rhodococcus sp. KLW-1

In this study, a new strain of bacteria, named Rhodococcus sp. KLW-1, was isolated from farmland soil contaminated by plastic mulch for more than 30 years. To improve the application performance of free bacteria and find more ways to use waste biochar, KLW-1 was immobilized on waste biochar by sodium alginate embedding method to prepare immobilized pellet. Response Surface Method (RSM) predicted that under optimal conditions (3% sodium alginate, 2% biochar and 4% CaCl₂), di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) degradation efficiency of 90.48% can be achieved. Under the adverse environmental conditions of pH 5 and 9, immobilization increased the degradation efficiency of 100 mg/L DEHP by 16.42% and 11.48% respectively, and under the high-stress condition of 500 mg/L DEHP concentration, immobilization increased the degradation efficiency from 71.52% to 91.56%, making the immobilized pellets have strong stability and impact load resistance to environmental stress. In addition, immobilization also enhanced the degradation efficiency of several phthalate esters (PAEs) widely existing in the environment. After four cycles of utilization, the immobilized particles maintained stable degradation efficiency for different PAEs. Therefore, immobilized pellets have great application potential for the remediation of the actual environment.

Baicalin alleviates silica-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting TLR4/NF-?B pathway in rats

Silicosis is an occupational lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust. The disease is characterized by early lung inflammation and late irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. Here we report the effect of Baicalin, a main flavonoid compound from the roots of Chinese herbal medicine Huang Qin on silicosis in a rat model. Results showed Baicalin (50 or 100 mg/kg/day) can mitigate the silica-induced lung inflammation and reduce the harm of alveolar structure and the blue region of collagen fibers in rat lung at 28 days after administration. At the same time, Baicalin also diminished the level of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in lung tissues. The protein expression of collagen I (Col-1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and vimentin were down-regulated while E-cadherin (E-cad) was increased in Baicalin-treated rats. In addition, the Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR4)/ nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway was enabled at 28 days after silica infusion, and the treatment of Baicalin diminished the expression of TLR4 and NF-?B in the lungs of rat with silicosis. These results suggested that Baicalin inhibited the pulmonary inflammatory and fibrosis in a rat model of silicosis, which could be attributed to inhibition of the TLR4/NF-kappaB pathway.

Baicalin alleviates silica-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting TLR4/NF-?B pathway in rats

Silicosis is an occupational lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust. The disease is characterized by early lung inflammation and late irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. Here we report the effect of Baicalin, a main flavonoid compound from the roots of Chinese herbal medicine Huang Qin on silicosis in a rat model. Results showed Baicalin (50 or 100 mg/kg/day) can mitigate the silica-induced lung inflammation and reduce the harm of alveolar structure and the blue region of collagen fibers in rat lung at 28 days after administration. At the same time, Baicalin also diminished the level of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in lung tissues. The protein expression of collagen I (Col-1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and vimentin were down-regulated while E-cadherin (E-cad) was increased in Baicalin-treated rats. In addition, the Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR4)/ nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway was enabled at 28 days after silica infusion, and the treatment of Baicalin diminished the expression of TLR4 and NF-?B in the lungs of rat with silicosis. These results suggested that Baicalin inhibited the pulmonary inflammatory and fibrosis in a rat model of silicosis, which could be attributed to inhibition of the TLR4/NF-kappaB pathway.

Investigation and Improvement of Pushing Dislocation in Ceramsite Sand Three-Dimensional Printing

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is considered to be one of the important technologies for a new manufacturing mode. When ceramsite sand is used as a 3DP material to produce a mold (core), the printed layer is prone to deviation from the original location. In this study, the continuous stacking of the printed part deviation was termed as pushing dislocation, and a physical model was designed to investigate the pushing dislocation mechanism. When the gravity of the printing layer and the pressure of the sand scraper decreased, or when the supporting force increased, the angle of the sand scraper and the maximum friction of the prelaying layer on the printed part will reduce the pushing dislocation. To optimize the quality of the ceramsite sand mold, experiments on the pushing dislocation were conducted by altering the recoater speed, layer thickness, and bottom support condition (with or without bottom supporting plate). The sample dimensions were obtained by a 3D imaging scanner, and the gas evolution and ignition loss were measured. The results revealed that the dimensional difference of samples continuously decreased and the pushing dislocation was gradually reduced as the recoater speed and layer thickness increased. The pushing dislocation of the X-direction sample was more severe compared with that of the Y-direction sample. Increasing the layer thickness is an effective way of reducing the pushing dislocation. The bottom supporting plate can reduce the pushing dislocation, but the effect was insignificant.

Research on Ecological Land Expansion: A Case Study of Haixing County of China

As China’s natural resource governance has turned to high-quality management, establishing reasonable and ecological land-use patterns is an effective means of promoting natural resource utilization and improving the quality of the ecological environment. Therefore, this study used ecological land as the expansion source to construct an ecological land-use pattern with the minimum cumulative resistance model in Haixing County, China, based on regional food security, ecological security, and construction land expansion patterns. This work also involved designing ecological corridors, radiation channels, strategic nodes, and other ecological components. The results demonstrate that (1) the ecological land source is 7976.93 hm2, accounting for 9.19% of the total area. It is mainly distributed in the southeast of the county, mainly in the river system and woodland; (2) the food security situation of Haixing County can be divided into four zones, most of which are agricultural adjustment areas, indicating that the ecological security of cultivated land in this area needs to be improved; (3) the ecological security level of Haixing County is divided into four areas, and the ideal safety zone accounts for the smallest area, indicating that the regional ecological situation is very unstable; (4) construction land expansion zone is divided into four parts. A suitable construction zone occupies the largest area and is mainly distributed around the current construction land; (5) the expansion of the ecological land-use pattern of Haixing County includes four zones, 15 ecological corridors, 12 radiation channels, and 35 strategic nodes, which is conducive to optimal land allocation from an ecological security perspective. This paper puts forward some suggestions for ecological protection and intensive urban development.

Tumour-derived small extracellular vesicles contribute to the tumour progression through reshaping the systemic immune macroenvironment

BACKGROUND

Tumour-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play a crucial role in cancer immunomodulation. In addition to tumour immune microenvironment, the peripheral immune system also contributes significantly to cancer progression and is essential for anticancer immunity. However, a comprehensive definition of which and how peripheral immune lineages are regulated by tumour-derived sEVs during cancer development remains incomplete.

METHODS

In this study, we used mass cytometry with extensive antibody panels to comprehensively construct the systemic immune landscape in response to tumour development and tumour-derived sEVs.

RESULTS

Systemic immunity was dramatically altered by tumour growth and tumour-derived sEVs. Tumour-derived sEVs significantly and extensively affected immune cell population composition as well as intracellular pathways, resulting in an immunosuppressive peripheral and tumour immune microenvironment, characterised by increased myeloid-derived suppressor cells and decreased Ly6C+CD8 T cells. These sEVs largely promoted hematopoietic recovery and accelerate the differentiation towards myeloid-derived suppressor cells. The knockdown of Rab27a reduced sEV secretion from tumour cells and delayed tumour growth and metastasis in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight that tumour-derived sEVs function as a bridge between peripheral immunity regulation and the tumour microenvironment, and contribute to cancer progression through altering the composition and function of the global immune macroenvironment.

Genetic Characteristics and Linkage of Virulence Genes of the Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici TSA-6 Isolate to Yr5 Host Resistance

To understand the inheritance of the TSA-6 Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) isolate that is virulent to Yr5 and was recently detected in China, we analyzed avirulence and virulence of 120 selfed progeny lines from Berberis shensiana. The results showed that the TSA-6 isolate is virulent against the Yr5 resistance gene, and overall progeny lines were categorized into 73 virulence phenotypes (VPs); of these, 72 VPs differed from the isolate TSA-6, and only one VP, including three progeny, was identical to the parental isolate. The analyses indicated that the TSA-6 isolate is homozygous for avirulence at the Yr10, Yr15, and Yr26 resistance loci and virulence at the YrA resistance locus. The TSA-6 isolate is heterozygous for avirulence at the Yr2, Yr3, Yr5, Yr7, and Yr8 resistance loci, which are controlled by a dominant/recessive relationship. The Yr1, Yr6, Yr9, Yr17, Yr27, Yr25, Yr28, Yr29, Yr32, YrTr1, and YrSP resistance loci are governed by two complementary dominant/recessive genes. Avirulence against heterozygous Yr4, Yr43, Yr44, Yr76, and YrExp2 resistance loci is regulated by a dominant and recessive or a dominant and suppressor gene pair. In total, 117 multilocus genotypes were detected at 24 KASP-SNP marker loci among the 120 progenies. Using these marker loci, we constructed a linkage map with a genetic distance interval spanning 624.5 cM. Quantitative trait loci corresponding to phenotypic segregation for virulence at 20 Yr resistance loci in addition to the Yr1 resistance locus were identified. These results facilitate our understanding of Pst virulence evolution and simplify breeding of wheat cultivars with effective resistance to wheat stripe rust.

Direct Evidence Demonstrates that Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Infects Susceptible Barberry to Complete Sexual Cycle in Autumn

Wheat stripe rust is an airborne and destructive disease caused by a heteroecious rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Studies have demonstrated that the rust pathogen accomplishes sexual reproduction on susceptible barberry under natural conditions in spring, whereas Pst infection on barberry is still in blank in other seasons. In late October 2016, aecial production on barberry shrubs were observed in Linzhi, Tibet, China. Therefore, experimental tests were conducted to verify the existence of sexual cycles of Pst in this season. By inoculating 52 aecial clusters from 30 rusted barberry leaves, four Pst samples, T1 to T4, were successfully recovered from the rusted barberry shrubs. Sixty-five single uredinium (SU) isolates were derived from the four Pst samples. Based on virulence tests on the Chinese differential hosts, T1 to T4 samples were unknown races and showed mixed reactions on some differentials. Twenty-one known races and 44 unknown races belonging to five race groups were identified among the 65 SU isolates. Meanwhile, the 65 SU isolates produced 26 various virulence patterns (VPs; called VP1-VP26) on 25 single Yr gene lines and 15 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) at nine simple sequence repeat marker loci. Clustering analysis showed similar lineage among subpopulations and different lineage between subpopulations. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the SU population was produced sexually. This study first reported that Pst infects susceptible barberry to complete sexual reproduction in autumn. The results update the knowledge of disease cycle and management of wheat stripe rust and contribute to the understanding of rust genetic diversity in Tibet.

Comparative transcriptome-wide identification and differential expression of genes and lncRNAs in rice near-isogenic line (KW-Bph36-NIL) in response to BPH feeding

Brown planthopper (BPH) is the most devastating pest of rice in Asia, causing substantial yield losses and has become a challenging task to be controlled under field conditions. Although extensive measures have been taken over the past decades, which resulted in the evolution of new resistant BPH strains. Therefore, besides other possible approaches, equipping host plants with resistant genes is the most effective and environment-friendly technique for BPH control. Here, we systematically analyzed transcriptome changes in the susceptible rice variety Kangwenqingzhan (KW) and the resistant near-isogenic line (NIL) KW-Bph36-NIL, through RNA-seq, depicting the differential expression profiles of mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in rice before and after BPH feeding. We observed a proportion of genes (1.48%) and (2.74%) were altered in KW and NIL, respectively, indicating different responses of rice strains against BPH feeding. Nevertheless, we characterized 384 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DELs) that can be impacted by the two strains by alternatively changing the expression patterns of the respective coding genes, suggesting their certain involvement in response to BPH feeding. In BPH invasion, KW and NIL responded differently by modifying the synthesis, storage, and transformation of intracellular substances, adjusting the nutrient accumulation and utilization inside and outside the cells. In addition, NIL expressed stronger resistance by acutely up-regulating genes and other transcription factors related to stress resistance and plant immunity. Altogether, our study elaborates valuable insights into the genome-wide DEGs and DELs expression profiles of rice under BPH invasion by high throughput sequencing and further suggests that NILs can be utilized in BPH resistance breeding programs in developing high-resistance rice lines.

Himalayan mountains imposing a barrier on gene flow of wheat yellow rust pathogen in the bordering regions of Pakistan and China

The wheat yellow rust pathogen has been shown to be diverse and potentially originated in the Himalayan region. Although Himalayan populations of Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan have been previously compared, little is known about the relative divergence and diversity in Puccinia striiformis populations in the bordering regions of Pakistan and China. To assess the relative diversity and divergence in these regions of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan, Hazara and Azad Jammu Kashmir) and China (Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan), a total of 1245 samples were genotyped using 17 microsatellite SSR markers. A clear divergence was observed between the bordering regions of Pakistan and China (F_ST = 0.28) without any resampling of genetic groups and multilocus genotypes across two sides of the Himalayan mountains. The closest subpopulations across the two countries were Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan (Nei's distance = 0.147), which were close geographically. A very high diversity and recombinant population structure was observed in both populations, though slightly higher in China (Genotypic diversity = 0.970; r¯d = 0.000) than in Pakistan (Genotypic diversity = 0.902; r¯d = 0.065). The distribution of genetic groups and resampling of MLGs revealed more gene flow across Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan regions in China, while between Hazara and Azad-Jammu Kashmir in Pakistan. The lack of gene flow between Pakistan and China populations is due to geographical barriers and a large patch of land without wheat. The information on the relative diversity and divergence in different geographical zones of the pathogen center of diversity and neighboring region should be considered in resistant wheat deployment while considering the invasion potential of the pathogen at regional and global contexts.

Inheritance and Linkage of Virulence Genes of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei (Psh) causing barley stripe rust has only recently been known to be heteroecious, for which reason the inheritance of its virulence has not been analyzed. Herein, we selfed a Psh isolate, XZ-19-972, on Berberis aggregata and obtained 53 progenies. The virulence phenotypes (VPs) for these progenies were identified on 11 barley differentials, and their genotypes were assessed with 22 Kompetitive allele specific PCR-single nucleotide polymorphism (KASP-SNP) markers. In total, 18 VPs were detected among progenies, 17 (VP2-VP18) of which, corresponding to 43 isolates, were different from the parental isolate showing VP1. Of the 53 progenies, 8 exhibited increased virulence and 34 decreased virulence. One progeny, belonging to VP18, showed a different virulence formula but without a virulence increase or decrease. The parental isolate and all progenies were avirulent to yrc6 but virulent to yrc7. The parental isolate was heterozygous in terms of avirulence/virulence to nine barley resistance gene loci. KASP-SNP marker analysis identified 36 multilocus genotypes, based on which a linkage map was constructed, with total genetic distance intervals of 516.07 cM, spanning 16 avirulence or virulence loci. Taken together, our results provide important insights into the inheritance and virulence diversity of Psh.

LncRNA CFAR promotes cardiac fibrosis via the miR-449a-5p/LOXL3/mTOR axis

Cardiac fibrosis is one of the crucial pathological factors in the heart, and various cardiac conditions associated with excessive fibrosis can eventually lead to heart failure. However, the exact molecular mechanism of cardiac fibrosis remains unclear. In the present study, we show that a novel lncRNA that we named cardiac fibrosis-associated regulator (CFAR) is a profibrotic factor in the heart. CFAR was upregulated in cardiac fibrosis and its knockdown attenuated the expression of fibrotic marker genes and the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts, thereby ameliorating cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, CFAR acted as a ceRNA sponge for miR-449a-5p and derepressed the expression of LOXL3, which we experimentally established as a target gene of miR-449a-5p. In contrast to CFAR, miR-449a-5p was found to be significantly downregulated in cardiac fibrosis, and artificial knockdown of miR-449a-5p exacerbated fibrogenesis, whereas overexpression of miR-449a-5p impeded fibrogenesis. Furthermore, we found that LOXL3 mimicked the fibrotic factor TGF-β1 to promote cardiac fibrosis by activating mTOR. Collectively, our study established CFAR as a new profibrotic factor acting through a novel miR-449a-5p/LOXL3/mTOR axis in the heart and therefore might be considered as a potential molecular target for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis and associated heart diseases.

Mapping the single-cell landscape of acral melanoma and analysis of the molecular regulatory network of the tumor microenvironments

Acral melanoma (AM) exhibits a high incidence in Asian patients with melanoma, and it is not well treated with immunotherapy. However, little attention has been paid to the characteristics of the immune microenvironment in AM. Therefore, in this study, we collected clinical samples from Chinese patients with AM and conducted single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze the heterogeneity of its tumor microenvironments (TMEs) and the molecular regulatory network. Our analysis revealed that genes, such as TWIST1, EREG, TNFRSF9, and CTGF could drive the deregulation of various TME components. The molecular interaction relationships between TME cells, such as MIF-CD44 and TNFSF9-TNFRSF9, might be an attractive target for developing novel immunotherapeutic agents.

Acral melanoma is a type of cancer that affects the hands and feet. It tends to form on the palms, soles, and under the nails. It is rare in people of European descent, but in Asian populations it makes up more than half of all melanoma cases. Unlike other types of skin cancer, it does not respond well to immunotherapy, but scientists did not understand why.

Historically, cancer research has focused on the genetics of whole tumors. But cancer is complicated. Malignant cells recruit other cells to help them survive and grow, and to protect them from attacks by the immune system. Together, they create their own ecosystem, called the tumor microenvironment. The exact makeup of the tumor microenvironment differs depending on the type of cancer and on the genetics of the individual. Investigating the cells that ‘support’ the tumor could help to explain how acral melanoma develops and why it does not respond to treatment.

To address these questions, He et al. collected samples from six patients with acral melanoma and examined the genes used by more than 60,000 individual cells. This revealed nine different types of cells in the tumor microenvironment. Most were cancer cells, but there were also immune cells, blood vessel cells, skin cells, and a type of cell that makes connective tissue. He et al. also identified four genes that most likely shape the tumor microenvironment, and two gene pairs that may control some of the interactions between the cells.

Investigating these early findings in more detail could open new treatment avenues for acral melanoma. The number of samples in this study was small, but it provides a starting point for future investigation. With more data, researchers could start to develop treatments that target the unique tumor microenvironment of this type of cancer.

Applying deep learning-based regional feature recognition from macro-scale image to assist energy saving and emission reduction in industrial energy systems

INTRODUCTION

Image recognition technology has immense potential to be applied in industrial energy systems for energy conservation. However, the low recognition accuracy and generalization ability under actual operation conditions limit its commercial application.

OBJECTIVES

To improve the recognition accuracy and generalization ability, a novel image recognition method integrating deep learning and domain knowledge was applied to assist energy saving and emission reduction for industrial energy systems.

METHODS

As a typical industrial scenario, the defrosting control in the refrigeration system was selected as the specific optimization object. By combining deep learning algorithm with domain knowledge, a residual-based convolutional neural network model (RCNN) was proposed specifically for frosty state recognition, which features the residual input and average pooling output. Based on the real-time recognition of frosty levels, a defrosting control optimization method was proposed to initiate and terminate the defrosting operation on demand.

RESULTS

By combining the advanced image recognition technique with specific energy domain knowledge, the proposed RCNN enables both high recognition accuracy and strong generalization ability. The recognition accuracy of RCNN reached 95.06% for the trained objects and 93.67% for non-trained objects while that of only 75.86% for the conventional CNN. By adopting the presented system optimization method assisted by RCNN, the defrosting frequency, accumulated time and energy consumption were 53.8%, 57.02% and 34.5% less than the original control method. Furthermore, the environmental and cost analysis illustrated that the annual reduction in CO₂ emissions is 2145.21 to 3412.84 kg and the payback time was less than 2.5 years which was far below the service life.

CONCLUSION

The technical feasibility and significant energy-saving benefits of deep learning-based image recognition method were demonstrated through the field experiment. Our study shows the great application potential of image recognition technology and promotes carbon neutrality in industrial energy systems.

Countrywide inter-epidemic region migration pattern suggests the role of southwestern population in wheat stripe rust epidemics in China

Understanding countrywide pathogen population structure and inter-epidemic region spread is crucial for deciphering crop potential losses. Wheat stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is a destructive disease that affects worldwide wheat production, widespread in China, representing largest epidemic region globally. This study aimed to understand the population structure and migration route of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici across China based on sampling from 15 provinces representing six epidemic zones, viz., over-summering, over-wintering, eastern, Yun-Gui, Xinjiang and Tibet epidemic regions. High genotypic diversity was recorded in over-summering, Tibet and over-wintering epidemic regions. Epidemic regions partly explain population subdivision with variable divergence (F_ST  = 0.005-0.344). Xinjiang and Tibet epidemic regions were independent epidemic zones with least sharing of genotypes. Among other epidemic zones, i.e. over-summering, over-wintering, eastern and Yun-Gui epidemic zones, re-sampling MLGs, clustering-based structure, DAPC analyses, relative migration and low divergence (F_ST from 0.006 to 0.073) revealed frequent geneflow. Yun-Gui epidemic regions, with a potential for both over-summering and over-wintering, could play an important role in causing epidemics in main wheat-cultivating areas of China. High diversity, recombination signatures and inter-epidemic region migration patterns need to be considered in host-resistant cultivar development in China and neighbouring countries, considering risk of long-distance migration capacity of pathogen.

The Distribution, Seasonal Abundance, and Environmental Factors Contributing to the Presence of the Asian Longhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis, Acari: Ixodidae) in Central Appalachian Virginia

Over the past decade, Haemaphysalis longicornis, the Asian longhorned tick, has undergone a geographic range expansion in the United States, from its historical range in east Asia. This tick has been characterized by its frequent parasitism of livestock, an ability to reproduce through parthenogenesis, and its ability to transmit a variety of vector-borne pathogens to livestock, wildlife, and human hosts in its native geographic range. Thus far in the United States, 17 states have reported H. longicornis populations, including 38 counties in Virginia. These numbers come from presence-absence reports provided to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but little has been reported about this ticks' seasonality in Virginia or its habitat preferences. Our current study detected H. longicornis populations in seven of the nine surveyed counties in Virginia. Haemaphysalis longicornis were observed in multiple habitat types including mixed hardwood forests and pastures, with abundant H. longicornis populations detected at one particular pasture site in Wythe County. This study also attempted to investigate environmental conditions that may be of importance in predicting tick presence likelihood. While sample size limited the scope of these efforts, habitat type and climatic metrics were found to be important indicators of H. longicornis collection success and abundance for both the nymphal and larval life stages. This current study reports useful surveillance data for monitoring these tick populations as they become established in the western half of Virginia and provides insight into their current distribution and maintenance over a large study region.

Gankyrin modulated non-small cell lung cancer progression via glycolysis metabolism in a YAP1-dependent manner

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly malignant and heterogeneous form of lung cancer and involves various oncogene alterations. Glycolysis, an important step in tumor metabolism, is closely related to cancer progression. In this study, we investigated the biological function and mechanism of action of Gankyrin in glycolysis and its association with NSCLC. Analyzed of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas as well as NSCLC specimens and adjacent tissues demonstrated that Gankyrin expression was upregulated in NSCLC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Gankyrin was found to significantly aggravate cancer-related phenotypes, including cell viability, migration, invasion, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), whereas Gankyrin silencing alleviated the malignant phenotype of NSCLC cells. Our results reveal that Gankyrin exerted its function by regulating YAP1 expression and increasing its nuclear translocation. Importantly, YAP1 actuates glycolysis, which involves glucose uptake, lactic acid production, and ATP generation and thus might contribute to the tumorigenic effect of Gankyrin. Furthermore, the Gankyrin-accelerated glycolysis in NSCLC cells was reversed by YAP1 deficiency. Gankyrin knockdown reduced A549 cell tumorigenesis and EMT and decreased YAP1 expression in a subcutaneous xenograft nude mouse model. In conclusion, both Gankyrin and YAP1 play important roles in tumor metabolism, and Gankyrin-targeted inhibition may be a potential anti-cancer therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.

Evaluation of the Potential Risk of the Emerging Yr5-Virulent Races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici to 165 Chinese Wheat Cultivars

In 2017, a new race (TSA-6) of the wheat stripe rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, virulent to resistance gene Yr5, was detected in China. However, whether Chinese wheat cultivars are resistant to the new race was unknown. In this study, two isolates (TSA-6 and TSA-9) with virulence to Yr5 were tested on other wheat Yr gene lines for their avirulence and virulence patterns and used, together with prevalent races CYR32 and CYR34 without the Yr5 virulence, to evaluate 165 major Chinese wheat cultivars for their reactions. Isolates TSA-6 and TSA-9 had similar but different virulence spectra and therefore should be considered two different races. Their avirulence and virulence patterns were remarkably different from that of CYR34 but quite similar to that of CYR32. Of the 165 wheat cultivars, 21 had all-stage resistance to TSA-6, 34 to TSA-9, and 20 to both races. Adult plant resistance (APR) was detected in 35 cultivars to TSA-6 and 27 to TSA-9, but only three cultivars showed APR to both new races. Slow rusting resistance was observed in 24 cultivars to TSA-6 and 33 to TSA-9. Analysis of variance of disease index indicated a significant difference between cultivars but not between the four races. Based on the molecular marker data, a low percentage of wheat cultivars carried Yr5, Yr7, Yr10, Yr15, Yr26, or YrSP. Because TSA-6 and TSA-9 can be a serious threat to wheat production in China, continual monitoring of TSA-6, TSA-9, and other races is needed.

Systematic analyses identify the anti-fibrotic role of lncRNA TP53TG1 in IPF

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) was reported to be a critical regulator of cellular homeostasis, but poorly understood in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here, we systematically identified a crucial lncRNA, p53-induced long non-coding RNA TP53 target 1 (TP53TG1), which was the dysregulated hub gene in IPF regulatory network and one of the top degree genes and down-regulated in IPF-drived fibroblasts. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of TP53TG1 attenuated the increased expression of fibronectin 1 (Fn1), Collagen 1α1, Collagen 3α1, ACTA2 mRNA, Fn1, and Collagen I protein level, excessive fibroblasts proliferation, migration and differentiation induced by TGF-β1 in MRC-5 as well as PMLFs. In vivo assays identified that forced expression of TP53TG1 by adeno-associated virus 5 (AAV5) not only prevented BLM-induced experimental fibrosis but also reversed established lung fibrosis in the murine model. Mechanistically, TP53TG1 was found to bind to amount of tight junction proteins. Importantly, we found that TP53TG1 binds to the Myosin Heavy Chain 9 (MYH9) to inhibit its protein expression and thus the MYH9-mediated activation of fibroblasts. Collectively, we identified the TP53TG1 as a master suppressor of fibroblast activation and IPF, which could be a potential hub for targeting treatment of the disease.

LncRNA LOC105378097 inhibits cardiac mitophagy in natural ageing mice

BACKGROUND

The development of heart ageing is the main cause of chronic disability, disease and death in the elderly. Ample evidence has established a pivotal role for significantly reduced mitophagy in the ageing heart. However, the underlying mechanisms of mitophagy deficiency in ageing heart are little known. The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms of lncRNA LOC105378097 (Senescence-Mitophagy Associated LncRNA, lncR-SMAL) actions on mitophagy in the setting of heart ageing.

METHODS

The expression of lncR-SMAL was measured in serum from different ages of human and heart from different ages of mice through a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effects of lncR-SMAL on heart function of mice were assessed by echocardiography and pressure-volume measurements system. Cardiac senescence was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, flow cytometry and western blot analysis of expression of ageing related markes p53 and p21. Cardiomyocyte mitophagy was assessed by western blot, mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus particles transfection and mito-Keima staining. Interaction between lncR-SMAL and Parkin was validated through molecular docking, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assay. Ubiquitination assay was performed to explore the molecular mechanism of Parkin inhibition. The effects of lncR-SMAL on mitochondrial function were investigated through electron microscopic examination, JC-1 staining and oxygen consumption rates analysis.

RESULTS

The heart-enriched lncR-SMAL reached the expression crest in the serum of human at an age of 60. Exogenously overexpression of lncRNA SMAL deteriorated cardiac function exactly as natural ageing and inhibited the associated cardiomyocytes mitophagy by depressing Parkin protein level. Improved heart ageing and mitophagy caused by Parkin overexpression were reversed by lncR-SMAL in mice. In contrast, the loss of lncR-SMAL in AC16 cells induced the upregulation of Parkin protein and ameliorated mitophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in alleviated cardiac senescence. Besides, we found the interaction between lncR-SMAL and Parkin protein through computational docking analysis, pull-down and RIP assay. This would contribute to the promotive effect of lncR-SMAL on Parkin ubiquitination and decrease Parkin protein stability.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study for the first time demonstrates a heart-enriched lncRNA, SMAL, that inhibits the mitophagy of cardiomyocytes via the downregulation of Parkin protein, which further contributes to heart ageing and cardiac dysfunction in natural ageing mice.

Machine Learning-Based Prediction Method for Tremors Induced by Tacrolimus in the Treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome

Tremors have been reported even with a low dose of tacrolimus in patients with nephrotic syndrome and are responsible for hampering the day-to-day work of young active patients with nephrotic syndrome. This study proposes a neural network model based on seven variables to predict the development of tremors following tacrolimus. The sensitivity and specificity of this algorithm are high. A total of 252 patients were included in this study, out of which 39 (15.5%) experienced tremors, 181 patients (including 32 patients who experienced tremors) were randomly assigned to a training dataset, and the remaining were assigned to an external validation set. We used a recursive feature elimination algorithm to train the training dataset, in turn, through 10-fold cross-validation. The classification performance of the classifer was then used as the evaluation criterion for these subsets to find the subset of optimal features. A neural network was used as a classification algorithm to accurately predict tremors using the subset of optimal features. This model was subsequently tested in the validation dataset. The subset of optimal features contained seven variables (creatinine, D-dimer, total protein, calcium ion, platelet distribution width, serum kalium, and fibrinogen), and the highest accuracy obtained was 0.8288. The neural network model based on these seven variables obtained an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.9726, an accuracy of 0.9345, a sensitivity of 0.9712, and a specificity of 0.7586 in the training set. Meanwhile, the external validation achieved an accuracy of 0.8214, a sensitivity of 0.8378, and a specificity of 0.7000 in the validation dataset. This model was capable of predicting tremors caused by tacrolimus with an excellent degree of accuracy, which can be beneficial in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome patients.

Mettl14 Attenuates Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Regulating Wnt1/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation in RNA is a dynamic and reversible modification regulated by methyltransferases and demethylases, which has been reported to participate in many pathological processes of various diseases, including cardiac disorders. This study was designed to investigate an m6A writer Mettl14 on cardiac ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury and uncover the underlying mechanism. The m6A and Mettl14 protein levels were increased in I/R hearts and neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes upon oxidative stress. Mettl14 knockout (Mettl14^+/−) mice showed pronounced increases in cardiac infarct size and LDH release and aggravation in cardiac dysfunction post-I/R. Conversely, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Mettl14 markedly reduced infarct size and apoptosis and improved cardiac function during I/R injury. Silencing of Mettl14 alone significantly caused a decrease in cell viability and an increase in LDH release and further exacerbated these effects in the presence of H₂O₂, while overexpression of Mettl14 ameliorated cardiomyocyte injury in vitro. Mettl14 resulted in enhanced levels of Wnt1 m6A modification and Wnt1 protein but not its transcript level. Furthermore, Mettl14 overexpression blocked I/R-induced downregulation of Wnt1 and β-catenin proteins, whereas Mettl14^+/− hearts exhibited the opposite results. Knockdown of Wnt1 abrogated Mettl14-mediated upregulation of β-catenin and protection against injury upon H₂O₂. Our study demonstrates that Mettl14 attenuates cardiac I/R injury by activating Wnt/β-catenin in an m6A-dependent manner, providing a novel therapeutic target for ischemic heart disease.

D-Galactose-Induced Accelerated Aging Model on Auditory Cortical Neurons by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Vitro

OBJECTIVES

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is much more prevalent with age, affecting not only peripheral but central auditory system. We have previously established an aging model of peripheral auditory system in vitro using cultured cochlear basilar membrane. However, there is no ideal accelerated aging model on central auditory system in vitro. To establish the aging model, auditory cortical neurons (ACNs) were primary cultured and treated with either vehicle or different doses of D-galactose (D-gal). We studied the effect of D-gal on ACNs by evaluating the hallmarks of aging, including cell proliferation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and neuronal apoptosis. Compared with the control group, cell viability was significantly inhibited in the D-gal-treated group in a dose-dependent manner. The production of reactive oxygen species was strongly increased in the D-gal-treated group. Meanwhile, the level of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, which is a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, was even higher in the D-gal-treated group than that in the control group. Conversely, the levels of ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential were notably decreased in the D-gal-treated group contrast to that in the control group. Furthermore, the number of neuronal apoptosis in the D-gal-treated group, compared with that in the control group, was dramatically increased in a dose-dependent approach. Together, our results demonstrate that ACNs treated with D-gal in vitro display senescence characteristics by regulating oxidative stress and apoptosis, indicating accelerated aging model on ACNs are successfully established. And the model provides a promising approach for exploring underlying mechanisms of the ARHL.

LuHui Derivative, A Novel Compound That Inhibits the Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO), Alleviates the Inflammatory Response and Injury in Hyperlipidemia-Induced Cardiomyopathy

Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for metabolic disorders and cardiovascular injury. The excessive deposition of saturated fatty acids in the heart leads to chronic cardiac inflammation, which in turn causes myocardial damage and systolic dysfunction. However, the effective suppression of cardiac inflammation has emerged as a new strategy to reduce the impact of hyperlipidemia on cardiovascular disease. In this study, we identified a novel monomer, known as LuHui Derivative (LHD), which reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and reduced lipid deposition in cardiomyocytes. In addition, LHD treatment improved cardiac function, reduced hyperlipidemia-induced inflammatory infiltration in cardiomyocytes and suppressed the release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). From a mechanistic perspective, cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), an important cell surface receptor, was identified as a downstream target following the LHD treatment of palmitic acid-induced inflammation in cardiomyocytes. LHD specifically binds the pocket containing the regulatory sites of RNA methylation in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein that is responsible for elevated intracellular m⁶A levels. Moreover, the overexpression of the N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) demethylase FTO markedly increased CD36 expression and suppressed the anti-inflammatory effects of LHD. Conversely, loss-of-function of FTO inhibited palmitic acid-induced cardiac inflammation and altered CD36 expression by diminishing the stability of CD36 mRNA. Overall, our results provide evidence for the crucial role of LHD in fatty acid-induced cardiomyocyte inflammation and present a new strategy for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and its complications.

Ethyl 2-Succinate-Anthraquinone Attenuates Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress via Regulating NLRP3 Signaling Pathway

Aloe-emodin widely possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-infectious properties. This study investigated the effect of ethyl 2-succinate-anthraquinone (Luhui derivative, LHD) on inflammation. In vitro, a THP-1 macrophage inflammation model, made by 100 ng/ml phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and 1 μg/ml LPS for 24 h, was constructed. The LHD group (6.25 μmol/L, 12.5 μmol/L, 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L) had no effect on THP-1 cell activity, and the expression of IL-6 mRNA was down-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner, of which the 25 μmol/L group had the best inhibitory effect. The migration of THP-1 macrophages induced by LPS was decreased by the LHD. Moreover, the LHD suppressed ROS fluorescence expression by inhibiting MDA expression and increasing SOD activity. In vivo, we revealed that the LHD, in different doses (6.25 mg/kg, 12.5 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg), has a protective effect on stress physiological responses by assessing the body temperature of mice. Interestingly, acute lung injury (e.g., the structure of the alveoli disappeared and capillaries in the alveolar wall were dilated and congested) and liver damage (e.g., hepatocyte swelling, neutrophil infiltration, and hepatocyte apoptosis) were obviously improved at the same condition. Furthermore, we initially confirmed that the LHD can down-regulate the expression of NLRP3, IL-1β, and caspase-1 proteins, thereby mediating the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway to produce anti-inflammatory effects. In conclusion, our results indicate that the LHD exerts anti-inflammatory activity via regulating the NLRP3 signaling pathway, inhibition of oxidative stress, and THP-1 macrophage migration.

Predictive value of GRACE score combined with BNP and glycosylated hemoglobin for in-hospital cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention

Purpose

To investigate the value of Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score combined with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in predicting in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

A total of consecutive 675 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to our hospital from June 2019 to June 2020, and finally, 319 patients treated with the percutaneous coronary intervenion (PCI) were enrolled. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization included cardiac death, cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure, recurrent ischemic chest pain and malignant arrhythmia. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of MACE during hospitalization.

Results

Among 319 patients, during hospitalization, 26 patients (8.15%) experienced the MACE. Compared to that of non-MACE group, there were more patients with previous history of heart failure (P&lt;0.001), lower in-admission systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P all&lt;0.05), and higher heart rate, GRACE score, BNP, and HbA1c levels in the MACE group (P all&lt;0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that history of heart failure (OR: 1.498, 95% CI: 1.144–2.249), GRACE score (OR: 1.040, 95% CI: 1.017–1.063), BNP (OR: 1.019, 95% CI: 1.012–1.026) and HbA1C (OR: 1.199, 95% CI: 1.043–1.378) were independent risk factors for MACE in patients with ACS after PCI (P all&lt;0.05). The AUC of GRACE score for predicting MACE in ACS patients after PCI was 0.758, while the AUC of BNP and HbA1C was 0.838 and 0.788, respectively. When GRACE score combined with BNP and HbA1c, the AUC was increased to 0.876, which was significantly higher than the GRACE score alone (Z=4.142, P&lt;0.001).

Conclusion

In this study, we reported for the first time, GRACE score combined with BNP and HbA1c significantly improved the predictive value of in-hospital MACE in ACS patients after PCI compared with traditional GRACE score, which can help clinicians identify high risk patients to improve their prognosis in the clinical practice.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Young and middle-aged talents in the XPCC Science and Technology Project (2020CB012); Key Science and Technology Project of Shihezi (2019ZH09) ROC Curve

Urinary metabolomics analysis of the protective effects of Daming capsule on hyperlipidemia rats using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Hyperlipidemia is recognized as one of the most important risk factors for morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. Daming capsule, a Chinese patent medicine, has shown definitive efficacy in patients with hyperlipidemia. In this study, serum biochemistry and histopathology assessment were used to investigate the lipid-lowering effect of Daming capsule. Furthermore, urinary metabolomics based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was conducted to identify the urinary biomarkers associated with hyperlipidemia and discover the underlying mechanisms of the antihyperlipidemic action of Daming capsule. After 10 weeks of treatment, Daming capsule significantly lowered serum lipid levels and ameliorated hepatic steatosis induced by a high-fat diet. A total of 33 potential biomarkers associated with hyperlipidemia were identified, among which 26 were robustly restored to normal levels after administration of Daming capsule. Pathway analysis revealed that the lipid-lowering effect of Daming capsule is related to the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways including vitamin B and amino acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and pentose phosphate pathway. Notably, the study demonstrates that metabolomics is a powerful tool to elucidate the multitarget mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines, thereby promoting their research and development.

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

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

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

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

The use of PacBio SMRT technology to explore the microbial network and fermentation characteristics of woody silage prepared with exogenous carbohydrate additives

AIMS

To effectively use woody plant resources to prepare silage for ruminants, Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing was applied to study the microbial network and fermentation characteristics of paper mulberry (PM) silage prepared with corn meal (CM) and rice bran (RB) as exogenous additives.

METHODS AND RESULTS

PM is rich in nutrients and contains more than 26% crude protein in dry matter. After ensiling, the microbial diversity and abundance in PM, CM and RB decreased due to the anaerobic environment and acidic conditions. The CM-treated PM silage accelerated the conversion of the dominant microbial community from harmful bacteria to lactic acid bacteria and promoted lactic acid fermentation. When RB was used to treat PM silage, Enterobacter and Clostridium species became the main bacterial community during ensiling, leading to butyric acid fermentation and protein decomposition. Compared with RB, CM increased the amount of fermentation substrates, changed the microbial community structure and affected metabolic pathways (global metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism), which improved the flavour and quality of the PM silage.

CONCLUSIONS

The CM addition of improved the fermentation quality of PM silage, with PM + CM being the ideal combination. The SMRT sequencing technology could accurately obtain specific details of the microbial networks and fermentation characteristics. Our results indicate that PM can be used as a potential high-protein silage in animal production.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

In tropics, the effective use of abundant natural biomass resources such as woody plants to prepare silage for feed preservation can solve the problem of restricting livestock production due to the shortage of feed in the dry season. SMRT sequencing technology was used to accurately analyze the microbial network and fermentation characteristics of woody silage prepared with CM as an exogenous additive to improve the fermentation quality of silage.

Short-chain fatty acids combined with intronic DNA methylation of HIF3A: Potential predictors for diabetic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Hyperglycemia can induce the heart to enter an oxygen-restricted environment, which results in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) affect O₂ consumption and play crucial roles in modulating metabolic and cardiovascular health. The epigenetic regulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 3A (HIF3A) gene is implicated in oxidative metabolism in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Identifying the associations between plasma SCFA levels and intronic DNA methylation of HIF3A may reveal useful predictors or provide insights into the disease processes of DCM.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed plasma SCFA levels, HIF3A expression, and CpG methylation of HIF3A intron 1 in peripheral blood from patients with type 2 diabetes presenting with (n = 92) and without (n = 105) cardiomyopathy.

RESULTS

Plasma butyric acid levels and HIF3A mRNA expression in peripheral blood were decreased in DCM patients, whereas 3 CpGs in HIF3A intron 1 (CpG 6, CpG 7 and CpG 11) were highly methylated in DCM patients. Interestingly, butyric acid levels positively correlated with HIF3A levels, while a negative association was identified between butyric acid levels and the methylation rates of HIF3A intron 1 at CpG 6. Butyric acid levels also correlated with several clinical/echocardiographic factors in DCM patients. Additionally, the combination of plasma butyric acid levels and HIF3A intron 1 methylation at CpG 6 discriminated DCM patients from type2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel associations between plasma butyric acid levels and HIF3A intron 1 methylation at CpG 6 may highlight an underlying mechanism by which the "microbial-myocardial" axis and host-microbe interactions may participate in the pathogenesis of DCM.

Six-Year Change in QT Interval Duration and Risk of Incident Heart Failure - A Secondary Analysis of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

BACKGROUND

Few studies have investigated the association between temporal change in QT interval and incident heart failure (HF). The aim of this study is to examine this association in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.Methods and Results:A secondary analysis was performed for the ARIC study. Overall, 10,274 participants (age 60.0±5.7 years, 45.7% male and 19.5% black) who obtained a 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) at both Visit 1 (1987-1989) and Visit 3 (1993-1995) in the ARIC study were included. QT interval duration was corrected by using Bazett's formula (QTc). The change in corrected QT interval duration (∆QTc) was calculated by subtracting QTc at Visit 3 from Visit 1. The main outcome measure was incident HF. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to assess the association between ∆QTc and incident HF. During a median follow up of 19.5 years, 1,833 cases (17.8%) of incident HF occurred. ∆QTc was positively associated with incident HF (HR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.03, 1.08, per 10 ms increase, P<0.001; HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08, 1.36, T3 vs. T1, P=0.002), after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factor, QTc and QRS duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Temporal increases in QTc are independently associated with increased risk of HF.

The association between RGS4 and choline in cardiac fibrosis

Background

Myocardial fibrosis is caused by the adverse and powerful remodeling of the heart secondary to the death of cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction. Regulators of G protein Signaling (RGS) 4 is involved in cardiac diseases through regulating G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

Methods

Cardiac fibrosis models were established through cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) treatment with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in vitro and mice subjected to myocardial infarction in vivo. The mRNA expression of RGS4, collagen I/III and α-SMA detected by qRT-PCR. Protein level of RGS4, collagen I, CTGF and α-SMA detected by Western blot. The ejection fraction (EF%) and fractional shortening (FS%) of mice were measured by echocardiography. Collagen deposition of mice was tested by Masson staining.

Results

The expression of RGS4 increased in CFs treatment with TGF-β1 and in MI mice. The model of cardiac fibrosis detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. It was demonstrated that inhibition of RGS4 expression improved cardiac fibrosis by transfection with small interfering RNA in CFs and injection with lentivirus shRNA in mice. The protective effect of choline against cardiac fibrosis was counteracted by overexpression of RGS4 in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, choline inhibited the protein level of TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3, p-p38 and p-ERK1/2 in CFs treated with TGF-β1, which were restored by RGS4 overexpression.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that RGS4 promoted cardiac fibrosis and attenuated the anti-cardiac fibrosis of choline. RGS4 may weaken anti-cardiac fibrosis of choline through TGF-β1/Smad and MAPK signaling pathways.

Role of the active cycle of breathing technique combined with phonophoresis for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): study protocol for a preliminary randomized controlled trial

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by coughing, the production of excess sputum, and dyspnea. Patients with excessively thick sputum may have frequent attacks or develop more serious disease. The guidelines recommend airway clearance for patients with excessive sputum who are hospitalized with COPD. The active cycle of breathing technique is the most common non-pharmacological airway clearance technique used by physiotherapists. However, the effectiveness of the technique is not always guaranteed. Active cycle of breathing techniques require the initial dilution of the sputum, usually by inhalation drugs, which may have limited effects. Recent studies have found that phonophoresis decreases inflammation, suggesting the potential of the combined usage of active cycle of breathing techniques and phonophoresis. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of combining active cycle of breathing technique and phonophoresis in treating COPD patients.

Methods and analysis

We propose a single-blind randomized controlled trial using 75 hospitalized patients diagnosed with COPD with excessive sputum production. The patients will be divided into three groups. The intervention group will receive active cycle of breathing techniques combined with phonophoresis. The two comparison groups will be treated with active cycle of breathing techniques and phonophoresis, respectively. The program will be implemented daily for 1 week. The primary outcomes will be changes in sputum viscosity and production, lung function, and pulse oximetry. Secondary outcomes include the assessment of COPD and anxiety, measured by the COPD Assessment Test scale and the Anxiety Inventory for Respiratory Disease, respectively; self-satisfaction; the degree of cooperation; and the length of hospital stay. All outcome measures, with the exception of sputum production and additional secondary outcomes, will be assessed at the commencement of the study and after 1 week’s intervention. Analysis of variance will be used to investigate differences between the groups, and a p-value of less than 0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered statistically significant.

Discussion

This study introduces a combination of active cycle of breathing techniques and phonophoresis to explore the impact of these interventions on patients hospitalized with COPD. If this combined intervention is shown to be effective, it may prove to be a better treatment for patients with COPD.

Trial registration

The trial was registered prospectively on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 24 December 2019.ClinicalTrials.gov ChiCTR1900028506. Registered on December 2019.

Multiple roles of Ca2+ in the interaction of ciprofloxacin with activated sludge: Spectroscopic investigations of extracellular polymeric substances

Calcium ion is an important cation influencing the binding of recalcitrant organic contaminants with activated sludge during wastewater treatment process, but there is still unknown about its role in amphoteric fluoroquinolones binding. Binding experiments show that Ca²⁺ markedly inhibited binding of ciprofloxacin (CIP) onto sludge, causing 7-203 times of CIP release. Multi-spectroscopic examinations indicate that tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like proteins in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were dominant components for CIP binding by static quenching and forming CIP-proteins complexes. Addition of Ca²⁺ into EPS and CIP binding systems induced increase of association constants (from 0.024-0.064 to 0.027-0.084 L/μmol) and binding constants (from 0.002-0.039 to 0.012-0.107) and decrease of binding sites number (from 0.893-2.007 to 0.721-1.386). Functional groups of EPS and secondary structure of proteins were remarkably changed upon reactions with CIP and Ca²⁺. Calcium ion interacted with EPS and CIP binding system in two distinct ways: Ca²⁺ shielded CO in amide I in EPS for CIP binding, whereas strengthened binding between CIP and functional groups including CO in carboxyl groups in extra-microcolony polymers and OH in extra-cellular polymers by forming ternary complexes. Cation competition for CO in amide I is responsible for Ca²⁺ induced CIP release from the sludge. Results suggest the highly potential release of CIP from high saline wastewater and cation-conditioned sludge which needs further monitoring and evaluation.

Aloe-emodin relieves zidovudine-induced injury in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes by regulating the p90rsk/p-bad/bcl-2 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Zidovudine (3'-azido-2',3'-deoxythymidine; AZT) is a first-line drug for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV). However, its application is limited by cardiotoxicity due to cardiomyocyte injury. This study investigated whether Aloe-emodin (AE), an anthraquinone compound, protects against AZT-induced cardiomyocyte toxicity.

METHODS

MTT, JC-1 assays and TUNEL were examined to verify the protective effect of AE against AZT-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Western blotting was performed to explore the anti-apoptotic effect of AE using anti-apoptotic proteins p90rsk, p-bad, and bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic proteins apaf-1, cleaved-caspase-3, and cytochrome c.

RESULTS

We observed a protective effect of AE against cell viability decrease and TUNEL positive cells increase induced by AZT, which was counteracted by BI-D1870. Western blot analysis found that AE significantly inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis by activating p90rsk/p-bad/bcl-2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, BI-D1870 counteracted the anti-apoptotic effect of AE.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these results indicate that AE attenuated AZT-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by activating p90rsk.