Translation role of circRNAs in cancers

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) constitute a class of covalently closed RNA molecules. With the continuous advancement of high‐throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics tools, many circRNAs have been identified in various human tissues and cell lines. Notably, recent studies have indicated that some circRNAs have translational functions. Internal ribosome entry sites and the N6‐methyladenosine modification mediate cap‐independent translation. This review describes these two translation mechanisms and verification methods at the molecular level. Databases (including ORF Finder, Pfam, BLASTp, CircRNADb, CircBase, CircPro, CircCode, IRESite, IRESbase) were used to analyze whether circRNAs have the structural characteristic of translation. CircRNA minigene reporter system containing green fluorescent protein (GFP) confirmed the translation potential of circRNAs. Also, we briefly summarize the roles of proteins/peptides encoded by circRNAs (circFBXW7, circFNDC3B, circLgr4, circPPP1R12A, circMAPK1, circβ‐catenin, circGprc5a, circ‐SHPRH, circPINTexon2, circAKT3) that have been verified thus far in human cancers (triple‐negative breast cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder cancer, glioblastoma). Those findings suggest circRNAs have a great implication in translation of the human genome.

The molecular pathophysiology of depression and the new therapeutics

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent and disabling disorder. Despite the many hypotheses proposed to understand the molecular pathophysiology of depression, it is still unclear. Current treatments for depression are inadequate for many individuals, because of limited effectiveness, delayed efficacy (usually two weeks), and side effects. Consequently, novel drugs with increased speed of action and effectiveness are required. Ketamine has shown to have rapid, reliable, and long-lasting antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant MDD patients and represent a breakthrough therapy for patients with MDD; however, concerns regarding its efficacy, potential misuse, and side effects remain. In this review, we aimed to summarize molecular mechanisms and pharmacological treatments for depression. We focused on the fast antidepressant treatment and clarified the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of ketamine and its metabolites for the MDD treatment, along with a review of the potential pharmacological mechanisms, research challenges, and future clinical prospects.

Exosomal circular RNA hsa_circ_0006220, and hsa_circ_0001666 as biomarkers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor of the digestive system.

OBJECTIVE

Exosomal circular RNA can be used as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

The expression of various differentially expressed circRNAs in pancreatic cancer tissues was analyzed by gene chip, exosome expression was verified by electron microscopy and Western blotting, and the expression of exosomal circRNA in pancreatic cancer cells, tissues, and plasma were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

RESULTS

Compared with healthy controls, hsa_circ_0006220 and hsa_circ_0001666 were highly expressed in exosomes in the plasma of pancreatic cancer patients. The AUC values were 0.7817 for hsa_circ_0006220, 0.8062 for hsa_circ_0001666, and 0.884 for the combined diagnosis. In addition, clinicopathological features revealed that the expression of hsa_circ_0006220 in plasma exosomes from pancreatic cancer patients was associated with CA19-9 levels (p = 0.0001) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0005). The expression of hsa_circ_0001666 was correlated with both tumor size (p = 0.0157) and CA19-9 level (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The high expression of exosomal hsa_circ_0001666 and hsa_circ_0006220 suggests that these can be used as new biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Color-Tunable and Stable Copper Iodide Cluster Scintillators for Efficient X-Ray Imaging

The search for color-tunable, efficient, and robust scintillators plays a vital role in the development of modern X-ray radiography. The radioluminescence tuning of copper iodide cluster scintillators in the entire visible region by bandgap engineering is herein reported. The bandgap engineering benefits from the fact that the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum of copper iodide cluster crystals are contributed by atomic orbitals from the inorganic core and organic ligand components, respectively. In addition to high scintillation performance, the as-prepared crystalline copper iodide cluster solids exhibit remarkable resistance toward both moisture and X-ray irradiation. These features allow copper iodide cluster scintillators to show particular attractiveness for low-dose X-ray radiography with a detection limit of 55  nGy s-1 , a value ≈100 times lower than a standard dosage for X-ray examinations. The results suggest that optimizing both inorganic core and organic ligand for the building blocks of metal halide cluster crystals may provide new opportunities for a new generation of high-performance scintillation materials.

Integrated Gradient Cu Current Collector Enables Bottom-Up Li Growth for Li Metal Anodes: Role of Interfacial Structure

3D Cu current collectors have been demonstrated to improve the cycling stability of Li metal anodes, however, the role of their interfacial structure for Li deposition pattern has not been investigated thoroughly. Herein, a series of 3D integrated gradient Cu-based current collectors are fabricated by the electrochemical growth of CuO nanowire arrays on Cu foil (CuO@Cu), where their interfacial structures can be readily controlled by modulating the dispersities of the nanowire arrays. It is found that the interfacial structures constructed by sparse and dense dispersion of CuO nanowire arrays are both disadvantageous for the nucleation and deposition of Li metal, consequently fast dendrite growth. In contrast, a uniform and appropriate dispersity of CuO nanowire arrays enables stable bottom Li nucleation associated with smooth lateral deposition, affording the ideal bottom-up Li growth pattern. The optimized CuO@Cu-Li electrodes exhibit a highly reversible Li cycling including a coulombic efficiency of up to ≈99% after 150 cycles and a long-term lifespan of over 1200 h. When coupling with LiFePO4 cathode, the coin and pouch full-cells deliver outstanding cycling stability and rate capability. This work provides a new insight to design the gradient Cu current collectors toward high-performance Li metal anodes.

Porous Silicon Nanocarriers with Stimulus-Cleavable Linkers for Effective Cancer Therapy

Porous silicon nanoparticles (pSiNPs) are widely utilized as drug carriers due to their excellent biocompatibility, large surface area, and versatile surface chemistry. However, the dispersion in pore size and biodegradability of pSiNPs arguably have hindered the application of pSiNPs for controlled drug release. Here, a step-changing solution to this problem is described involving the design, synthesis, and application of three different linker-drug conjugates comprising anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and different stimulus-cleavable linkers (SCLs) including the photocleavable linker (ortho-nitrobenzyl), pH-cleavable linker (hydrazone), and enzyme-cleavable linker (β-glucuronide). These SCL-DOX conjugates are covalently attached to the surface of pSiNP via copper (I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC, i.e., click reaction) to afford pSiNP-SCL-DOXs. The mass loading of the covalent conjugation approach for pSiNP-SCL-DOX reaches over 250 µg of DOX per mg of pSiNPs, which is notably twice the mass loading achieved by noncovalent loading. Moreover, the covalent conjugation between SCL-DOX and pSiNPs endows the pSiNPs with excellent stability and highly controlled release behavior. When tested in both in vitro and in vivo tumor models, the pSiNP-SCL-DOXs induces excellent tumor growth inhibition.

Glioblastoma-on-a-chip construction and therapeutic applications

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant type of primary intracranial tumor with a median overall survival of only 14 months, a very poor prognosis and a recurrence rate of 90%. It is difficult to reflect the complex structure and function of the GBM microenvironment in vivo using traditional in vitro models. GBM-on-a-chip platforms can integrate biological or chemical functional units of a tumor into a chip, mimicking in vivo functions of GBM cells. This technology has shown great potential for applications in personalized precision medicine and GBM immunotherapy. In recent years, there have been efforts to construct GBM-on-a-chip models based on microfluidics and bioprinting. A number of research teams have begun to use GBM-on-a-chip models for the investigation of GBM progression mechanisms, drug candidates, and therapeutic approaches. This review first briefly discusses the use of microfluidics and bioprinting technologies for GBM-on-a-chip construction. Second, we classify non-surgical treatments for GBM in pre-clinical research into three categories (chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other therapies) and focus on the use of GBM-on-a-chip in research for each category. Last, we demonstrate that organ-on-a-chip technology in therapeutic field is still in its initial stage and provide future perspectives for research directions in the field.

Targeting pulmonary vascular endothelial cells for the treatment of respiratory diseases

Pulmonary vascular endothelial cells (VECs) are the main damaged cells in the pathogenesis of various respiratory diseases and they mediate the development and regulation of the diseases. Effective intervention targeting pulmonary VECs is of great significance for the treatment of respiratory diseases. A variety of cell markers are expressed on the surface of VECs, some of which can be specifically combined with the drugs or carriers modified by corresponding ligands such as ICAM-1, PECAM-1, and P-selectin, to achieve effective delivery of drugs in lung tissues. In addition, the great endothelial surface area of the pulmonary vessels, the “first pass effect” of venous blood in lung tissues, and the high volume and relatively slow blood perfusion rate of pulmonary capillaries further promote the drug distribution in lung tissues. This review summarizes the representative markers at the onset of respiratory diseases, drug delivery systems designed to target these markers and their therapeutic effects.

Ectopic Endometrial Cell-Derived Exosomal Moesin Induces Eutopic Endometrial Cell Migration, Enhances Angiogenesis and Cytosolic Inflammation in Lesions Contributes to Endometriosis Progression

Background: Endometriosis (EMs) is the most common gynaecological disorder with its etiology and/or pathophysiology remains enigmatic. Recent studies showed that extracellular vesicles (EVs), exosomes in particular, play a critical role in developing various clinical disorders. However, the implication of exosomes in endometriosis progression has not been well elucidated.

Method: The ectopic stromal cellular exosomes (eEVs) were assessed by transwell assay, scratch tests, tube formation assay, western blot, and qRT-PCR analysis. Protein expression profiles of exosomes in endometrial tissue and vaginal discharge collected from patients with EMS and healthy donors were analysed by Mass spectrometry. siRNA interference technology was used to inhibit the expression of exosomal protein for the functional analysis in in-vivo. Finally, in-vitro experiments were performed to validate the results that we observed in EMs mouse model.

Results:In vitro, we discovered that eEVs improved NSC migratory potential by upregulating MMP9 expression and activity. eEVs also aided angiogenesis and elevated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in ovarian epithelial cells, according to our findings. Moesin (MSN) levels in ESC exosomes were substantially greater than in NSC exosomes (1.22e⁸±5.58e⁶ vs. 6.605e⁷±4.574e⁶, LFQ intensity), as shown by protein mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis. In ectopic stromal cells, ERa receptors stimulated the RhoA/Rock-2/MSN pathway. We discovered that downregulating exosomal moesin reduced NSC migration (about 3-fold change) and MMP9 expression (about 2-fold change). On the other hand, Exomsni inhibited angiogenesis and inflammatory cytokine release. In vivo the result of immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence demonstrated that exosomal MSN substantially modified the expression of MM9, VEGFR and p-VEGFR in polyclonal lesions. In addition, we discovered an elevation in the expression of proinflammatory factors in the surrounding tissue.

Conclusion: Exosomal MSN derived from ectopic stromal cells can contribute to endometriosis progression by mediating the construction of a “migration-vascularization-inflammation” loop in the ectopic environment.

BMSCs and Osteoblast-Engineered ECM Synergetically Promotes Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis in an Ectopic Bone Formation Model

Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been extensively used in bone tissue engineering because of their potential to differentiate into multiple cells, secrete paracrine factors, and attenuate immune responses. Biomaterials are essential for the residence and activities of BMSCs after implantation in vivo. Recently, extracellular matrix (ECM) modification with a favorable regenerative microenvironment has been demonstrated to be a promising approach for cellular activities and bone regeneration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of BMSCs combined with cell-engineered ECM scaffolds on osteogenesis and angiogenesis in vivo. The ECM scaffolds were generated by osteoblasts on the small intestinal submucosa (SIS) under treatment with calcium (Ca)-enriched medium and icariin (Ic) after decellularization. In a mouse ectopic bone formation model, the SIS scaffolds were demonstrated to reduce the immune response, and lower the levels of immune cells compared with those in the sham group. Ca/Ic-ECM modification inhibited the degradation of the SIS scaffolds in vivo. The generated Ca/Ic-SIS scaffolds ectopically promoted osteogenesis according to the results of micro-CT and histological staining. Moreover, BMSCs on Ca/Ic-SIS further increased the bone volume percentage (BV/TV) and bone density. Moreover, angiogenesis was also enhanced by the Ca/Ic-SIS scaffolds, resulting in the highest levels of neovascularization according to the data ofCD31 staining. In conclusion, osteoblast-engineered ECM under directional induction is a promising strategy to modify biomaterials for osteogenesis and angiogenesis. BMSCs synergetically improve the properties of ECM constructs, which may contribute to the repair of large bone defects.

Construction of an m6A-related lncRNA pair prognostic signature and prediction of the immune landscape in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Mounting evidence indicates that aberrantly expressed N6‐methylandenosine (m6A) modification regulators and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) influence the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the prognosis of m6A‐related lncRNA (mrlncRNA) in HNSCC has not yet been evaluated.

Methods

We retrieved transcriptome, somatic mutation, and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and established a differently expressed mrlncRNA (DEmrlncRNA) pair signature based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression and multivariate Cox analyses. Each sample's risk score was computed premised on the signature, which accurately classified patients into low‐ and high‐risk group by the cut‐off point. The signature was evaluated from the perspective of survival, clinicopathological characteristics, tumor mutation burden (TMB), immune cell infiltration, efficacy of chemotherapeutics, tumor immune microenvironment, and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)‐related genes.

Results

11 DEmrlncRNA pairs were identified and were used to construct the prediction signature. Kaplan–Meier plotter revealed a worse prognosis in high‐risk patients over low‐risk patients (log rank p < 0.001). According to multivariate Cox regression analysis, the hazard ratio of the risk score and 95% confidence interval of 1.722 and (1.488–1.992) (p < 0.001) were obtained. Furthermore, an increased risk score was associated with aggressive clinicopathological features, specific tumor immune infiltration status, increased expression of ICI‐related genes, higher TMB, and higher chemotherapeutics sensitivity (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This research demonstrated that the signature premised on DEmrlncRNA pairs was an efficient independent prognostic indicator and may provide a rationale for research on immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutics strategies for HNSCC patients.

Pharmacodynamics, Network Pharmacology, and Pharmacokinetics of Chinese Medicine Formula 9002A in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common and serious neurodegenerative disease in the elderly; however, the treatment of AD is still lacking of rational drugs. In this paper, the active constituents and targets of the self-developed Chinese medicine Formula 9002A in the treatment of AD were investigated from three aspects: pharmacodynamics based on cell and animal experiments, network pharmacology analysis, and pharmacokinetic analysis. A total of 124 compounds were screened in Formula 9002A, and four constituents including salidroside, gastrodin, niacinamide, and umbelliferone were screened as potential active components for the treatment of AD by network pharmacology. Among them, salidroside and gastrodin showed higher relevance with AD targets, such as ESR1 and AR. The pharmacokinetic study showed that they could be absorbed and identified in plasma; the half-life and mean residence times of salidroside and gastrodin in plasma were nearly increased 2-fold by the administration of Formula 9002A compared with those by the administration of a monomer, indicating the extended action time of active compounds in vivo. Formula 9002A exerted the efficacy in the treatment of AD mainly by regulating APP, GSK3β, ESR1, and AR targets based on the anti-β-amyloid protein deposition, anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis pathways. Two genes enriched in Alzheimer’s disease pathway, APP and GSK3β, were further validated. The experiments also demonstrated that Formula 9002A could downregulate APP and GSK3β protein expression in the model mice brain and improved their cognitive ability. In summary, Formula 9002A has the characteristics of multiple targets and multiple pathways in the treatment of AD, and salidroside and gastrodin might be the main active constituents, which could provide a foundation for further research and application.

The role of BDNF exon I region methylation in the treatment of depression with sertraline and its clinical diagnostic value

BACKGROUND

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is considered to be one of the best candidate genes for depression. However, whether sertraline treatment affects the methylation level of this gene remains unknown.

METHODS

Fifty-three patients with depression and 51 healthy controls were included in the study. The methylation level of BDNF exon I was determined in blood samples from these subjects. The Hamilton Depression Scale was used to evaluate the depression status of patients. Single nucleotide polymorphism detection was used for genotyping, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of the methylation level of this locus in patients with depression.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the methylation level of BDNF exon I between the control and depression groups. No effect of sertraline monotherapy on BDNF methylation was found in subjects with depression. Moreover, no interaction was found between BDNF genotype and the per cent methylation of BDNF exon I. However, methylation at this site was positively correlated with diurnal variation and retardation scores. Blood homocysteine concentrations were significantly reduced by sertraline treatment. No influence of genotype on serum BDNF concentration was found in subjects with depression. The ROC curve showed that methylation of BDNF exon I may be used to distinguish patients from healthy people, to a certain extent.

CONCLUSION

Methylation of BDNF exon I may be used as a biomarker of depression and may be a therapeutic target for previously untreated depression.

The Varied Frustrated Lewis Pair Reactivity of the Germylene Phosphaketene (CH{(CMe)(2,6-i Pr2 C6 H3 N)}2 )GePCO

The germylene species (CH{(CMe)(2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 N)}2 )GePCO 1 is shown to react with the Lewis acids (E(C6 F5 )3 E=B, Al). Nonetheless, 1 participates in FLP chemistry with electron deficient alkynes or olefins, acting as an intramolecular FLP. In contrast, in the presence of B(C6 F5 )3 and an electron rich alkyne, 1 behaves as Ge-based nucleophile to effect intermolecular FLP addition to the alkyne. This reactivity demonstrates that the reaction pathway is controlled by the nature of the electrophile and nucleophile generated in solution, as revealed by extensive DFT calculations.

Ameliorative effect of bayberry leaves proanthocyanidins on high sugar diet induced Drosophila melanogaster

Bayberry leaves proanthocyanidins (BLPs) were distributed in natural plant food, considered to have the potential for metabolic syndrome. In this study, we raised Drosophila melanogaster on high sugar diet (HSD) from the egg stage to induce hyperglycemia, and the ameliorative effect of BLPs was assessed based on this model. Phenotypical, biochemical, and molecular analyses related to diabetes mellitus pathogenesis were measured. Flies exposed to BLPs were found to suppress the HSD-induced high glucose and high triglycerides levels. Moreover, BLPs showed an inhibitory effect on carbohydrate digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) activity and mRNA expression, exhibiting the potential for carbohydrate digestion retardation. Transcriptional levels of key genes associated with glycolipid metabolism were further evaluated, including dilp, InR, and downstream dAKT-dFOXO-PEPCK, together with E78, SREBP, FAS, and LSD genes, were all downregulated after BLPs-exposure, suggesting the ameliorative effect of BLPs on dysbiosis associated with the insulin signaling pathway. This study provided a new functional compound, which is beneficial to further antidiabetic therapy studies.

Advances in the research of nano delivery systems in ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is the most common type of cerebrovascular disease with high disability rate and mortality. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the homeostasis of the brain's microenvironment and impedes the penetration of 98% of drugs. Therefore, effective treatment requires the better drug transport across membranes and increased drug distribution. Nanoparticles are a good choice for drugs to cross BBB. The main pathways of nano delivery systems through BBB include passive diffusion, adsorption-mediated endocytosis, receptor-mediated transport, carrier-mediated transport, etc. At present, the materials used in brain-targeted delivery can be divided into natural polymer, synthetic polymers, inorganic materials and phospholipid. In this review, we first introduced several ways of nano delivery systems crossing the BBB, and then summarized their applications in ischemic stroke. Based on their potential and challenges in the treatment of ischemic stroke, new ideas and prospects are proposed for designing feasible and effective nano delivery systems.

Novel immune-related signature based on immune cells for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney and is characterized by poor prognosis. We sought to build an immune-related prognostic signature and investigate its relationship with immunotherapy response in ccRCC.

METHODS

Immune-related genes were identified by ssGSEA and WGCNA. The prognostic signature was conducted via univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Kaplan-Meier analysis, PCA, t-SNE, and ROC were used to evaluate the risk model.

RESULTS

A total of 119 immune-related genes associated with prognosis were screened out. Six immune-related genes (CSF1, CD5L, AIM2, TIMP3, IRF6, and HHLA2) were applied to construct a prognostic signature for KIRC. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in high-risk group had a poorer survival outcome than in low-risk group. The 1-, 3- and 5-year AUC of the prognostic signature was 0.754, 0.715, and 0.739, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models demonstrated that the risk signature was an independent prognostic factor for KIRC survival. GSEA analysis suggested that the high-risk group was concentrated on immune-related pathways. The high-risk group with more regulatory T-cell infiltration showed a higher expression of immune negative regulation genes. The risk score had positively relationship with TIDE score and negatively with the response of immunotherapy. The IC50 values of axitinib, sunitinib, sorafenib, and temsirolimus were lower in the high-risk group.

CONCLUSION

Our study defined a robust signature that may be promising for predicting clinical outcomes and immunotherapy and targeted therapy response in ccRCC patients.

Hydraulic constraints determine the distribution of heteromorphic leaves along plant vertical height

As an interesting and important trait of some drought-tolerant species, heteromorphic leaves are distributed differentially along plant vertical heights. However, the underpinning mechanism for the formation of heteromorphic leaves remains unclear. We hypothesize that heteromorphic leaves are caused by the hydraulic constraints possibly due to the compensation of the changes in functional traits in response to water transport capacity or the reduction of ineffective water loss. In this study, differences in water transport capacity, morphological traits, anatomical structures, and cellular water relations among three typical types of heteromorphic leaves (i.e., lanceolate, ovate, and broad-ovate) of Populus euphratica Oliv. (a dominant species of desert riparian forest in Central and West Asia) and their relationships were analyzed in order to explore the forming mechanism of heteromorphic leaves. The results showed that the lanceolate, ovate, and broad-ovate leaves were growing in the lower, intermediate, and higher positions from the ground, respectively. Morphological traits, anatomical structures, cellular water relations, and water transport capacity significantly varied among the three types of heteromorphic leaves (P< 0.01). Drought stress in broad-ovate leaves was significantly higher than that in ovate and lanceolate leaves (P< 0.01). Water transport capacity has significant correlations with morphological traits, anatomical structures, and cellular water relations (R ² ≥ 0.30; P< 0.01). Our results indicated that heteromorphic leaves were used as an important adaptive strategy for P. euphratica to alleviate the increase of hydraulic constraints along vertical heights.

Visfatin aggravates transverse aortic constriction-induced cardiac remodelling by enhancing macrophage-mediated oxidative stress in mice

Previous studies have reported that visfatin can regulate macrophage polarisation, which has been demonstrated to participate in cardiac remodelling. The aims of this study were to investigate whether visfatin participates in transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac remodelling by regulating macrophage polarisation. First, TAC surgery and angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion were used to establish a mouse cardiac remodelling model, visfatin expression was measured, and the results showed that TAC surgery or Ang II infusion increased visfatin expression in the serum and heart in mice, and phenylephrine or hydrogen peroxide promoted the release of visfatin from macrophages in vitro. All these effects were dose-dependently reduced by superoxide dismutase. Second, visfatin was administered to TAC mice to observe the effects of visfatin on cardiac remodelling. We found that visfatin increased the cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes, aggravated cardiac fibrosis, exacerbated cardiac dysfunction, further regulated macrophage polarisation and aggravated oxidative stress in TAC mice. Finally, macrophages were depleted in TAC mice to investigate whether macrophages mediate the regulatory effect of visfatin on cardiac remodelling, and the results showed that the aggravating effects of visfatin on oxidative stress and cardiac remodelling were abrogated. Our study suggests that visfatin enhances cardiac remodelling by promoting macrophage polarisation and enhancing oxidative stress. Visfatin may be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of clinical cardiac remodelling.

Geographic patterns and determinants of antibiotic resistomes in coastal sediments across complex ecological gradients

Coastal areas are highly influenced by terrestrial runoffs and anthropogenic disturbances, commonly leading to ecological gradients from bay, nearshore, to offshore areas. Although the occurrence and distribution of sediment antibiotic resistome are explored in various coastal environments, little information is available regarding geographic patterns and determinants of coastal sediment antibiotic resistomes across ecological gradients at the regional scale. Here, using high-throughput quantitative PCR, we investigated the geographic patterns of 285 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in coastal sediments across a  ~  200  km scale in the East China Sea. Sediment bacterial communities and physicochemical properties were characterized to identify the determinants of sediments antibiotic resistome. Higher richness and abundance of ARGs were detected in the bay samples compared with those in nearshore and offshore samples, and significant negative correlations between the richness and/or abundance of ARGs and the distance to coastline (DTC) were identified, whereas different types of ARGs showed inconsistency in their relationships with DTC. The composition of antibiotic resistome showed significant correlations with nutrition-related variables (including NH4 +-N, NO3 --N, and total phosphorus) and metals/metalloid (including As, Cu, Ni, and Zn), suggesting that terrestrial disturbances largely shape the antibiotic resistome. The Bipartite network showed strong associations between ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and Partial Least Squares Path Modeling further revealed that terrestrial disturbance strength (as indicated by DTC) directly affected abiotic environmental conditions and bacterial community composition, and indirectly affected antibiotic resistome via MGEs. These findings provide insights into regional variability of sediment antibiotic resistome and its shaping path across complex ecological gradients, highlighting terrestrial disturbances as determinative forces in shaping coastal sediment antibiotic resistomes.

Upregulation of hsa_circ_0000977 participates in esophageal squamous cancer progression by sponging miR-874-3p

BACKGROUND

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common clinical malignancies of the digestive system, characterized by high mortality but not evident early symptoms. Molecular markers for diagnostic and outcome prediction are urgently needed. Circular RNAs might play essential roles in the progression of ESCC.

METHODS

Hsa_circ_0000977 was identified using circRNA microarrays and qRT-PCR. The diagnostic value of hsa_circ_0000977 was calculated. We also examined in vitro cell functions in ECA109 and TE12 ESCC cells to determine the effect of hsa_circ_0000977. A dual-luciferase reporter vector validated the binding of hsa_circ_0000977 to miR-874-3p.

RESULTS

The top 10 significantly upregulated circRNAs from microarray assays were hsa_circ_0000977, hsa_circ_0006220, hsa_circ_0043278, hsa_circ_0000691, hsa_circ_0000288, hsa_circ_0000367, hsa_circ_0021647, hsa_circ_0006440, hsa_circRNA_405571 and hsa_circRNA_100790, while the top 10 significantly downregulated circRNAs were hsa_circ_0008389, hsa_circ_0089763, hsa_circ_0089762, hsa_circ_0000102, hsa_circ_0001714, hsa_circ_0089761, hsa_circ_0007326, hsa_circ_0001549, hsa_circ_0005133 and hsa_circRNA_405965. Hsa_circ_0000977 was significantly upregulated in ESCC (p < 0.01) and had diagnostic value in ESCC. The hsa_circ_0000977 expression level was related to the pT stage and numbers of lymph nodes in ESCC patients. Elevated hsa_circ_0000977 promoted cell proliferation, migration and inhibited apoptosis in ESCC cells. Hsa_circ_0000977 might function as a micro-RNA sponge to competitively bind miR-874-3p.

CONCLUSION

Disordered hsa_circ_0000977 expression can promote carcinogenesis in ESCC and might serve as a diagnostic biomarker to evaluate the occurrence and development of esophageal cancer.

Transgenic tobacco plant overexpressing ginkgo dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene GbDFR6 exhibits multiple developmental defects

Dihydroflavonol Q 4-reductase (DFR), a key enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in plants, significantly influences plant survival. However, the roles of DFR in the regulation of plant development are largely unknown. In the present study, phenotypes of transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing the Ginkgo biloba DFR gene, GbDFR6, were investigated. Transgenic tobacco seedlings exhibited relatively low fresh weights, long primary roots, decreased lateral root numbers, and impaired root gravitropic responses when compared to wild-type tobacco plants. Adult transgenic tobacco plants exhibited a considerably high percentage of wrinkled leaves when compared to the wild-type tobacco plants. In addition to the auxin-related phenotypic changes, transgenic tobacco plants exhibited delayed flowering phenotypes under short-day conditions. Gene expression analysis revealed that the delayed flowering in transgenic tobacco plants was caused by the low expression levels of NtFT4. Finally, variations in anthocyanin and flavonoid contents in transgenic tobacco plants were evaluated. The results revealed that the levels of most anthocyanins identified in transgenic tobacco leaves increased. Specifically, cyanidin-3,5-O-diglucoside content increased by 9.8-fold in transgenic tobacco plants when compared to the wild-type tobacco plants. Pelargonidin-3-O-(coumaryl)-glucoside was only detected in transgenic tobacco plants. Regarding flavonoid compounds, one flavonoid compound (epicatechin gallate) was upregulated, whereas seven flavonoid compounds (Tamarixetin-3-O-rutinoside; Sexangularetin-3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside; Kaempferol-3-O-neohesperidoside; Engeletin; 2'-Hydoxy,5-methoxyGenistein-O-rhamnosyl-glucoside; Diosmetin; Hispidulin) were downregulated in both transgenic tobacco leaves and roots. The results indicate novel and multiple roles of GbDFR6 in ginkgo and provide a valuable method to produce a late flowering tobacco variety in tobacco industry.

Enhanced efficiency of melatonin by stepwise-targeting strategy for acute lung injury

Oxidative stress plays a key role in the progress of acute lung injury (ALI), which is an acute, progressive respiratory failure characterized by alveolar capillary injury caused by various external and internal factors other than cardiogenic factors. Pulmonary vascular endothelial cells are the main target cells during ALI, and therefore the mitochondrial targeting antioxidant derivative triphenylphosphine-melatonin (TPP-MLT) was encapsulated in VCAM-1 antibodies-conjugated nanostructured lipid carriers (VCAM@TPP-MLT NLCs) for lung targeting delivery. VCAM@TPP-MLT NLCs could be preferentially internalized by inflammatory endothelial cells in lung tissues, and then the released TPP-MLT from NLCs effectively eliminated the excessive reactive oxide species (ROS) and ameliorated cell apoptosis. Overall, the results suggested that VCAM@TPP-MLT NLCs exhibited remarkable in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effect on ALI, and could be a promising and efficient strategy for the treatment of ALI.

tRNAIni CAT inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) brings a heavy blow to the patient's voice. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a common RNA, the roles of tRNAs in LSCC are largely unknown.

METHODS

The tRNA expression profile in LSCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was measured by a tRNA qRT-PCR array. The expression level of tRNAIni CAT in LSCC tissues and plasmas was detected by qRT-PCR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established. tRNAIni CAT was upregulated by a lentivirus vector in the LSCC cell line. Moreover, tRNAIni CAT was upregulated in LSCC xenograft nude mouse model and the xenografts were used for pathological analysis and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation.

RESULTS

The top 10 upregulated tRNAs were tRNALys CTT -1, tRNALeu TAA , tRNAPhe GAA , tRNALeu CAG , tRNATyr ATA , tRNAMet CAT , tRNATyr GTA -1, tRNAThr CGT , tRNATyr GTA -2, tRNAAla AGC ; and the top 10 downregulated tRNAs were tRNAIni CAT , mt-tRNAGlu TTC , tRNAVal CAC -3, mt-tRNATrp TCA , mt-tRNATyr GTA , mt-tRNALys TTT , mt-tRNAThr TGT , mt-tRNAAsp GTC , mt-tRNAAsn GTT , mt-tRNAPro TGG . tRNAIni CAT was downregulated in LSCC tissues and plasma. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) in LSCC tissues and the plasma of patients with LSCC was 0.717 and 0.808, respectively. tRNAIni CAT inhibited LSCC cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. The in vivo results showed that tRNAIni CAT inhibited the growth of the xenografts and promoted apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to provide tRNA expression profiles for LSCC tissues. tRNAIni CAT may be used as a new biomarker for the early diagnosis of LSCC. tRNAIni CAT inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

A longer Achilles tendon moment arm length is not associated with superior hopping performance

Variability in musculoskeletal and lower leg structure has the potential to influence hopping height. Achilles tendon moment arm length and plantarflexor muscle strength can influence ankle joint torque development and, consequently, hopping performance. While most studies have examined the connection of the Achilles tendon moment arm with hopping performance including the resting length, in this study we attempted to explore how the changes in Achilles tendon moment arm are related to hopping performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test for correlations between foot and lower leg muscle structure parameters (i.e., muscle mass, volume, cross-sectional area and Achilles tendon moment arm length) and hopping height performance in relation to changes in Achilles tendon moment arm length. Eighteen participants (10 males 8 female) performed repetitive bilateral hopping on a force platform while sagittal plane kinematics of the lower leg were recorded. Additionally, maximal isometric plantarflexion was measured. To obtain structural parameters of the lower leg, the right lower leg of each participant was scanned with magnetic resonance imaging. The cross-sectional areas of the Achilles tendon, soleus, lateral and medial gastrocnemius were measured, while muscle volumes, muscle mass, and Achilles tendon moment arm length were calculated. Contrary to our initial assumption, longer Achilles tendon moment arm did not result in superior hopping performance. Interestingly, neither maximal isometric plantarflexion force nor muscle size correlated with repetitive bilateral hopping performance. We can assume that the mechanical characteristics of the tendon and the effective utilization of the stored strain energy in the tendon may play a more important role in repetitive hopping than the structural parameters of the lower leg.