LncRNA MIR31HG fosters stemness malignant features of non-small cell lung cancer via H3K4me1- and H3K27Ace-mediated GLI2 expression

Non-coding RNAs are responsible for oncogenesis and the development of stemness features, including multidrug resistance and metastasis, in various cancers. Expression of lncRNA MIR31HG in lung cancer tissues and peripheral sera of lung cancer patients were remarkably higher than that of healthy individuals and indicated a poor prognosis. Functional analysis showed that MIR31HG fosters stemness-associated malignant features of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that MIR31HG modulated GLI2 expression via WDR5/MLL3/P300 complex-mediated H3K4me and H3K27Ace modification. In vivo MIR31HG repression with an antisense oligonucleotide attenuated tumor growth and distal organ metastasis, whereas MIR31HG promotion remarkably encouraged cellular invasion in lung and liver tissues. Our data suggested that MIR31HG is a potential diagnostic indicator and druggable therapeutic target to facilitate multiple strategic treatments for lung cancer patients.

[Mechanism of noise induced hidden hearing loss based on proteomics]

Objective: To explore the mechanism of noise-induced hidden hearing loss by proteomics. Methods: In October 2022, 64 SPF male C57BL/6J mice were divided into control group and noise exposure group with 32 mice in each group according to random sampling method. The noise exposure group was exposed to 100 dB sound pressure level, 2000-16000 Hz broadband noise for 2 h, and the mouse hidden hearing loss model was established. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was used to test the change of hearing threshold of mice on the 7th day after noise exposure, the damage of basal membrane hair cells was observed by immunofluorescence, and the differentially expressed proteins in the inner ear of mice in each group were identified and analyzed by 4D-Label-free quantitative proteomics, and verified by Western blotting. The results were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t test. Results: On the 7th day after noise exposure, there was no significant difference in hearing threshold between the control group and the noise exposure group at click and 8000 Hz acoustic stimulation (P>0.05) . The hearing threshold in the noise exposure group was significantly higher than that in the control group under 16000 Hz acoustic stimulation (P<0.05) . Confocal immunofluorescence showed that the basal membrane hair cells of cochlear tissue in noise exposure group were arranged neatly, but the relative expression of C-terminal binding protein 2 antibody of presynaptic membrane in middle gyrus and basal gyrus was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05) . GO enrichment analysis showed that the functions of differentially expressed proteins were mainly concentrated in membrane potential regulation, ligand-gated channel activity, and ligand-gated ion channel activity. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed proteins were significantly enriched in phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, etc. Western blotting showed that the expression of inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate receptor 3 (Itpr3) was increased and the expression of solute carrier family 38 member 2 (Slc38a2) was decreased in the noise exposure group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Through proteomic analysis, screening and verification of the differential expression proteins Itpr3 and Slc38a2 in the constructed mouse noise-induced hidden hearing loss model, the glutaminergic synaptic related pathways represented by Itpr3 and Slc38a2 may be involved in the occurrence of hidden hearing loss.

Polymicrobial Infection Induces Adipose Tissue Dysfunction via Gingival Extracellular Vesicles

Recent studies have indicated that periodontitis promotes metabolic dysregulation and insulin resistance by affecting the function of white adipose tissue (WAT). However, the mechanisms linking periodontitis to adipose tissue dysfunction still need to be explored. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) deliver messages to distal sites and regulate their function. Also, recent studies have shown that periodontitis changes the composition of EVs in body fluids and that EVs might be one of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between periodontitis and insulin resistance. Herein, we explored the impact of polymicrobial oral infection with periodontal pathogens on the function of WAT and the role of gingival EVs (gEVs) in the process. Mice were subjected to oral inoculation with 109 Porphyromonas gingivalis and 108 Fusobacterium nucleatum every other day for 14 wk. This prolonged bacterial infection induced WAT dysfunction, characterized by reduced levels of AKT phosphorylation, adiponectin, leptin, and genes associated with adipogenesis and lipogenesis. We successfully isolated gEVs with satisfactory yield and purity. The RNA sequencing results showed that the differentially expressed microRNAs in the gEVs of mice with polymicrobial oral infection were involved in insulin signaling and adipose tissue function. Notably, our in vitro experiments and RNA sequencing results revealed the functional similarities between gEVs and plasma-derived EVs. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection with gEVs derived from mice with oral infection induced the dysfunction of WAT in healthy mice. Overall, our findings provide evidence for the influence of polymicrobial oral infection on WAT function and propose gEVs as a novel pathway through which periodontal infection may exert its effects on WAT.

[Effect of high flow nasal catheter oxygen to prevent hypoxemia in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography surgery in aged]

Objective: To explore the effect of high-flow nasal catheter oxygen inhalation in preventing hypoxemia during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) surgery in elderly patients. Methods: From September 2021 to September 2022, 116 elderly patients (aged ≥ 70 years) who underwent elective ERCP in the Northern Theater General Hospital were prospectively selected, then divided into general nasal catheter oxygen inhalation group [group C, 31 males and 27 females, aged (79.8±6.4) years] and high-flow nasal catheter oxygen inhalation group [group H, 33 males and 25 females, aged (81.4±6.7) years], with 58 patients in each group. All patients were monitored for anesthesia by target-controlled infusion of propofol and remifentanil. The main outcome index was the incidence of intraoperative subclinical hypoxemia (90% ≤ SpO2 < 95%, duration >5 s), hypoxemia (75% < SpO2 < 90%, 5 s < duration ≤ 60 s) and severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 75% or SpO2 < 90%, duration > 60 s). Secondary observation measures were SpO2 from T0 to T5 (T0, before anesthesia induction; T1, immediately after anesthesia induction; T2, endoscopic introduction; T3, duodenal papula intubation; T4, endoscopic withdrawal; T5, postoperative awakening), the arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2) and pH at T0, 15 min after the induction and T5. Results: The incidence of intraoperative subclinical hypoxemia in group C and group H was 12.0% (7/58) and 3.4% (2/58) respectively, which showed no significant statistical difference (P=0.165) from each other. The incidence of intraoperative hypoxemia in group H was 8.6% (5/58), which was significantly lower than 31.0% (18/58) of group C (P=0.003). Neither group had intraoperative severe hypoxemia. SpO2 of group H were (98.2±0.9)%, (98.2±0.9)%, (97.8±1.7)% and (97.7±1.7)% at T1, T2, T3, T4, which were higher than (96.8±2.1)%, (96.4±3.0)%, (96.1±2.9)% and (96.4±3.4)% in group C (all P<0.05). PaO2 at 15 min after induction in group H was (240.5±46.7) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), which was higher than that of group C (170.6±33.4) mmHg (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in pH and PaCO2 between the two groups of patients at each timepoint. Conclusion: High flow nasal catheter oxygen can effectively reduce the incidence of hypoxemia in ERCP in elderly patients.

High-Flux Neutron Generator Based on Laser-Driven Collisionless Shock Acceleration

A novel compact high-flux neutron generator with a pitcher-catcher configuration based on laser-driven collisionless shock acceleration (CSA) is proposed and experimentally verified. Different from those that previously relied on target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA), CSA in nature favors not only acceleration of deuterons (instead of hydrogen contaminants) but also increasing of the number of deuterons in the high-energy range, therefore having great advantages for production of high-flux neutron source. The proof-of-principle experiment has observed a typical CSA plateau feature from 2 to 6 MeV in deuteron energy spectrum and measured a forward neutron flux with yield 6.6×10^{7}  n/sr from the LiF catcher target, an order of magnitude higher than the compared TNSA case, where the laser intensity is 10^{19}  W/cm^{2}. Self-consistent simulations have reproduced the experimental results and predicted that a high-flux forward neutron source with yield up to 5×10^{10}  n/sr can be obtained when laser intensity increases to 10^{21}  W/cm^{2} under the same laser energy.

N6-methyladenine-mediated aberrant activation of the lncRNA SOX2OT-GLI1 loop promotes non-small-cell lung cancer stemness

Despite the advent of precision medicine and immunotherapy, mortality due to lung cancer remains high. The sonic hedgehog (SHH) cascade and its key terminal factor, glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1), play a pivotal role in the stemness and drug resistance of lung cancer. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of non-canonical aberrant GLI1 upregulation. The SHH cascade was upregulated in stem spheres and chemo-resistant lung cancer cells and was accountable for drug resistance against multiple chemotherapy regimens. GLI1 and the long non-coding RNA SOX2OT were positively regulated, and the GLI1-SOX2OT loop mediated the proliferation of parental and stem-like lung cancer cells. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that SOX2OT facilitated METTL3/14/IGF2BP2-mediated m6A modification and stabilization of the GLI1 mRNA. Additionally, SOX2OT upregulated METTL3/14/IGF2BP2 by sponging miR-186-5p. Functional analysis corroborated that GLI1 acted as a downstream target of METTL3/14/IGF2BP2, and GLI1 silencing could block the oncogenicity of lung cancer stem-like cells. Pharmacological inhibition of the loop remarkably inhibited the oncogenesis of lung cancer cells in vivo. Compared with paired adjacent normal tissues, lung cancer specimens exhibited consistently upregulated GLI1/SOX2OT/METTL3/14/IGF2BP2. The m6A-modified GLI1-SOX2OT loop may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic predictor for lung cancer therapy and diagnosis in the clinic.

[Clinical and genetic characteristics of 9 rare cases with coexistence of dual genetic diagnoses]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of pediatric patients with dual genetic diagnoses (DGD). Methods: Clinical and genetic data of pediatric patients with DGD from January 2021 to February 2022 in Peking University First Hospital were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among the 9 children, 6 were boys and 3 were girls. The age of last visit or follow-up was 5.0 (2.7,6.8) years. The main clinical manifestations included motor retardation, mental retardation, multiple malformations, and skeletal deformity. Cases 1-4 were all all boys, showed myopathic gait, poor running and jumping, and significantly increased level of serum creatine kinase. Disease-causing variations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene were confirmed by genetic testing. The 4 children were diagnosed with DMD or Becker muscular dystrophy combined with a second genetic disease, including hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, and cerebral cavernous malformations type 3, respectively. Cases 5-9 were clinically and genetically diagnosed as COL9A1 gene-related multiple epiphyseal dysplasia type 6 combined with NF1 gene-related neurofibromatosis type 1, COL6A3 gene-related Bethlem myopathy with WNT1 gene-related osteogenesis imperfecta type XV, Turner syndrome (45, X0/46, XX chimera) with TH gene-related Segawa syndrome, Chromosome 22q11.2 microduplication syndrome with DYNC1H1 gene-related autosomal dominant lower extremity-predominant spinal muscular atrophy-1, and ANKRD11 gene-related KBG syndrome combined with IRF2BPL gene-related neurodevelopmental disorder with regression, abnormal movement, language loss and epilepsy. DMD was the most common, and there were 6 autosomal dominant diseases caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variations. Conclusions: Pediatric patients with coexistence of double genetic diagnoses show complex phenotypes. When the clinical manifestations and progression are not fully consistent with the diagnosed rare genetic disease, a second rare genetic disease should be considered, and autosomal dominant diseases caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variation should be paid attention to. Trio-based whole-exome sequencing combining a variety of molecular genetic tests would be helpful for precise diagnosis.

[Preliminary observation on the differential expression of metformin in preventing noise-induced hearing loss in inner ear protein group of rats]

Objective: To study the protective effects of metformin on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and its differential protein omics expression profile. Methods: In January 2021, 39 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, noise exposure group and metformin+noise exposure group, with 13 rats in each group. Rats in the noise exposure group and metformin+noise exposure group were continuously exposed to octave noise with sound pressure level of 120 dB (A) and center frequency of 8 kHz for 4 h. Rats in the metformin+noise exposure group were treated with 200 mg/kg/d metformin 3 d before noise exposure for a total of 7 d. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was used to test the changes of hearing thresholds before noise exposure and 1, 4, 7 d after noise exposure in the right ear of rats in each group. Tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics was used to identify and analyze the differentially expressed protein in the inner ear of rats in each group, and it was verified by immunofluorescence staining with frozen sections. Results: The click-ABR thresholds of right ear in the noise exposure group and metformin+noise exposure group were significantly higher than those in the control group 1, 4, 7 d after noise exposure (P<0.05) . The click-ABR threshold of right ear in the metformin+noise exposure group were significantly lower than that in the noise exposure group (P<0.05) . Compared with the noise exposure group, 1035 up-regulated proteins and 1145 down-regulated proteins were differentially expressed in the metformin+noise exposure group. GO enrichment analysis showed that the significantly differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in binding, molecular function regulation, signal transduction, and other functions. Enrichment analysis of KEGG pathway revealed that the pathways for significant enrichment of differentially expressed proteins included phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, focal adhesion, diabetic cardiomyopathy, mitogen, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that compared with the noise exposure group, the fluorescence intensity of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) in the metformin+noise exposure group was increased, and the fluorescence intensity of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (eIF4EBP1) was decreased. Conclusion: Noise exposure can lead to an increase in rat hearing threshold, and metformin can improve noise-induced hearing threshold abnormalities through multiple pathways and biological processes.

Reversing tumor multidrug resistance with a catalytically active covalent organic framework

We report here a catalytically active nano covalent organic framework [COF(Fe)] with high drug loading capacity for reversing tumor multidrug resistance (MDR). The Fe catalytic sites in COF(Fe) could convert intracellular overexpressed H₂O₂ into highly reactive ˙OH to induce oxidation stress and down-regulate MDR protein. Therefore, COF(Fe) could enhance the intracellular drug accumulation to overcome MDR, which was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo.

Covalent Organic Framework-Derived Carbonous Nanoprobes for Cancer Cell Imaging

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising materials for biomedical applications, but their functions remain to be explored and the potential toxicity concerns should be resolved. Herein, it is presented that carbonization significantly enhances the fluorescence quenching efficiency and aqueous stability of nanoscale COFs. The probes prepared by physisorbing dye-labeled nucleic acid recognition sequences onto the carbonized COF nanoparticles (termed C-COF) were employed for cell imaging, which could effectively light up biomarkers (survivin and TK1 mRNA) in living cells. The C-COF has enhanced photothermal conversion capacity, indicating that the probes are also promising candidates for photothermal therapy. The potential toxicity concern from the aromatic rigid building units of COFs was detoured by carbonization. Overall, carbonization is a promising strategy for developing biocompatible and multifunctional COF-derived nanoprobes for biomedical applications. This work may inspire more versatile COF-derived nanoprobes for bioanalysis and nanomedicine.

Ultrathin functionalized covalent organic framework nanosheets for tumor-targeted photodynamic therapy

We developed a modification-facilitated exfoliation strategy for the one-step preparation of ultrathin 2D functionalized covalent organic framework nanosheets (COF NSs). Hyaluronic acid-functionalized ultrathin porphyrin COF NSs (about 5-8 nm) with enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation effect were readily prepared for tumor-targeted photodynamic therapy.

ATP-triggered mitochondrial cascade reactions for cancer therapy with nanoscale zeolitic imidazole framework-90

Goals: Chemotherapy, the most conventional modality for cancer therapy, usually brings serious side effects because of the low cancer-therapeutic specificity and bioavailability. It is of great significance for cancer treatment to develop new effective strategies to regulate biochemical reactions in organelles, enhance the specificity of chemotherapeutic drugs and reduce their side effects.

Methods: We report herein a zeolitic imidazole framework-90 (ZIF-90) based nanoplatform, which was used to initiate a series of mitochondrial cascade reactions using ATP as a molecular switch for cancer therapy. The thioketal linked camptothecin (camptothecin prodrug, TK-CPT) and 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME) were encapsulated into the pores of ZIF-90 nanoparticles using a simple one-pot method, and the nanoplatform was finally coated with a layer of homologous cell membrane.

Results: Mitochondrial ATP can efficiently degrade ZIF-90 and then release the loaded 2-ME and CPT prodrugs. 2-ME can inhibit the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), which induces the up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in situ. The thioketal linkers in CPT prodrug can respond to ROS, thereby achieving subsequent release of parent CPT drug. This cascade of reactions can lead to prolonged high oxidative stress and cause continuous cancer cell apoptosis, due to the increased ROS level and the liberation of CPT.

Conclusion: We constructed an ATP-triggered strategy using nanoscale ZIF-90 to initiate mitochondrial cascade reactions for cancer therapy. The ZIF-90 based nanoplatform exhibited low cytotoxicity, good mitochondria-targeting ability, and excellent therapeutic effect. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the growth of tumor can be efficiently inhibited in a mouse model. This ATP-triggered strategy to induce mitochondrial biochemical reactions offers more possibilities for developing organelle-targeted therapeutic platforms.

A dual-catalytic nanoreactor for synergistic chemodynamic-starvation therapy toward tumor metastasis suppression

Tumor metastasis is extremely deadly for cancer patients and developing effective treatments for deep metastatic tumors remains a major challenge. In this study, we demonstrated a dual-catalytic nanoreactor for tumor metastasis suppression by synergistic Fenton reaction activated chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and glucose oxidase (GOx) initiated starvation therapy. GOx on the surface of hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles can catalyze the decomposition of intratumoral glucose to generate gluconic acid and H2O2, while Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a Fenton reaction catalyst can in situ catalyze H2O2 to produce highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (˙OH). The oxygen-carrying perfluorohexane (PFC) in the hole of the hollow structures can alleviate the hypoxic environment and promote dual-catalytic reactions. After being disguised by the cancer cell membrane, the delivery efficiency and biological safety of the nanoreactor were effectively improved. The nanoreactor can realize sequential glucose depletion and ˙OH aggregation, which effectively suppress tumor metastasis with negligible side effects.

FKBP51 acts as a biomarker of early metastasis and is related to carmustine sensitivity in human glioma cells

OBJECTIVE

Given that FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) is upregulated in multiple cancers, we designed the present study to characterize its role as well as underlying regulatory mechanisms in glioma in the presence and absence of the chemotherapeutic carmustine (BCNU).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Through lentiviral overexpression and shRNA knockdown of FKBP51, we examined the effects on BT325 glioma cell proliferation, migration and invasion using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assay.

RESULTS

The upregulation of FKBP51 resulted in significantly decreased BT325 cell proliferation and cell viability, cell cycle arrest, reduced BCNU chemosensitivity and AKT pathway inactivation. However, FKBP51-overexpressed BT325 cells showed enhanced migration and invasion, which was supported by corresponding increase in phosphorylated IKKα (p-IKKα), MMP-2, and MMP-9 levels, as well as increased NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. By contrast, FKBP51-suppressed BT325 cells showed excessive proliferation and BCNU resistance due to increased p-AKT activation and attenuated migration and invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that the effects of FKBP51 on BT325 glioma cell proliferation, migration, invasion and BCNU chemosensitization are modulated via the AKT and NF-κB pathways. Furthermore, our findings suggest the potential of FKBP51 as a prognostic glioma biomarker and an indicator of patient response to chemotherapy.

Laser vibrational excitation of radicals to prevent crystallinity degradation caused by boron doping in diamond

Pursuing high-level doping without deteriorating crystallinity is prohibitively difficult but scientifically crucial to unleashing the hidden power of materials. This study demonstrates an effective route for maintaining lattice integrity during the combustion chemical vapor deposition of highly conductive boron-doped diamonds (BDDs) through laser vibrational excitation of a growth-critical radical, boron dihydride (BH₂). The improved diamond crystallinity is attributed to a laser-enabled, thermal nonequilibrium suppression of the relative abundance of boron hydrides (BH), whose excessive presence induces boron segregation and disturbs the crystallization. The BDDs show a boron concentration of 4.3 × 10²¹ cm^-3, a film resistivity of 28.1 milliohm·cm, and hole mobility of 55.6 cm² V^-1 s^-1, outperforming a commercial BDD. The highly conductive and crystalline BDDs exhibit enhanced efficiency in sensing glucose, confirming the advantages of laser excitation in producing high-performance BDD sensors. Regaining crystallinity with laser excitation in doping process could remove the long-standing bottlenecks in semiconductor industry.

A cancer cell membrane-camouflaged nanoreactor for enhanced radiotherapy against cancer metastasis

We report a cancer cell membrane-camouflaged nanoreactor based on a GOx decorated TiO₂@MnO₂ core-shell structure for enhanced radiotherapy against cancer metastasis. The nanoreactor could specifically target tumor tissues, catalytically oxidize glucose to generate H₂O₂, and generate abundant ROS under X-ray irradiation.

Inhibition of NLRP3 Protects Human Lens Epithelial Cells against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis by NF-κB Signaling

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS

To explore whether NLRP3 is involved in the development of cataract and to study the effect of NLRP3 on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced injury in human lens epithelial cells.

METHODS

Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis model was constructed by treating HLEB3 cells with 50 µM H2O2 at different times (6 h, 12 h) and was confirmed by flow cytometry and Western blot. HLEB3 were divided into NC, NC+H2O2, shNLRP3, and shNLRP3+H2O2 groups. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were employed to detect mRNA and protein expressions, DCFH-DA to measure reactive oxygen species production, and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining to determine cell apoptosis.

RESULTS

NLRP3 expression significantly increased in H2O2-induced HLEB3 cells. shRNA interference of NLRP3 inflammasome protects HLEB3 cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by decreasing the expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax and increasing Bcl-2 expression. shNLRP3 was able to effectively suppress H2O2-induced apoptosis via inhibition of NF-κB signaling.

CONCLUSION

NLRP3 might be involved in the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells. The inhibition of NLRP3 obviously attenuated H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury of human lens epithelial cells via NF-κB signaling.

A cancer cell membrane-encapsulated MnO2 nanoreactor for combined photodynamic-starvation therapy

We demonstrate a MnO₂-based nanoreactor to achieve continuous oxygen generation and efficient conversion from glucose to singlet oxygen for combined photodynamic-starvation therapy.

[Effects of ethylbenzene on cell injury and mitochondrial membrane potential of CPCs]

Objective: To investigate the effects of ethylbenzene on growth morphology、proliferation ability and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of cochlear progenitor cells (CPCs) , and to lay a foundation for the mechanism of hearing loss induced by ethylbenzene. Methods: We can use the fluorescence microscopy to identify the original CPCs isolated from the newborn rats, and followed by the addition of different concentrations of ethylbenzene (0, 15, 30, 45 μmol/L) for 24 hours. The morphological changes of cell injury were observed by inverted optical microscope. The proliferation ability of cells was detected by MTT colorimetry, and the change of MMP was detected by fluorescent probe JC-1. Results: The results of CPCs identification showed the expression of Myosin VIIa and Epsin positive; The results observed by inverted optical microscope showed all groups of CPCs morphological changes compared with the control group; MTT results showed that the decreased significantly proliferation ability of CPCs groups compared with the control group and a dose effect relationship with statistically significant difference (P<0.05) ; JC-1 test results showed the decreased significantly mitochondrial membrane potential in the treated group compared with the control group, and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Ethylbenzene may cause damage to CPCs, inhibition of cell proliferation and decrease of MMP in rats.

[Construction of cochlear progenitor cells with recombinant short-hairpin RNA lentiviral vector inhibiting the expression of the β-catenin gene]

Objective: To construct a recombinant short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentiviral vector targeting the β-catenin gene in cochlear precursor cells (CPCs) in mice, and to investigate its inhibitory effect. Methods: PCR was used for the multiplication of the β-catenin gene, and shRNA oligo was designed based on the β-catenin gene to construct an interference vector. Gateway Technology was used to construct shRNA lentiviral vector which carried the β-catenin gene, and then 293FT cells were transfected with the constructed lentiviral vector and helper plasmids pLV/helper-SL3, pLV/helper-SL4, and pLV/helper-SL5. The virus supernatant was collected to obtain viral particles, and then mouse CPCs were transiently infected with the recombinant lentivirus with four different concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 μl) . The shRNA control group was established. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of shRNA β-catenin lentiviral vector on β-catenin. Results: The recombinant shRNA β-catenin lentiviral vector was successfully constructed, and the virus titers of shβ-catenin and shβ-catenin-control were 5.05×10(7) and 4.34×10(7), respectively. The results of in vitro experiments showed that in CPCs transfected with four different concentrations of recombinant lentivirus, the content of β-catenin protein gradually decreased with the increase in concentration, and there was a significant difference between groups (P<0.05) ; the CPCs transfected with shβ-catenin had significantly lower mRNA expression of β-catenin than those in the shβ-catenin-control group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The constructed lentiviral vector targeting the β-catenin gene has a high infection efficiency, and the successful construction of lentiviral vectors provides a technical support for analyzing the role of β-catenin in the differentiation of CPCs into auditory hair cells.

Clinical Value of Hybrid TOF-PET/MR Imaging-Based Multiparametric Imaging in Localizing Seizure Focus in Patients with MRI-Negative Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy. Early surgical treatment is superior to prolonged medical therapy in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. Successful surgical operations depend on the correct localization of the epileptogenic zone. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of hybrid TOF-PET/MR imaging-based multiparametric imaging in localizing the epileptogenic zone in patients with MR imaging-negative for temporal lobe epilepsy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty patients with MR imaging-negative temporal lobe epilepsy who underwent preoperative evaluation and 10 healthy controls were scanned using PET/MR imaging with simultaneous acquisition of PET and arterial spin-labeling. On the basis of the standardized uptake value and cerebral blood flow, receiver operating characteristic analysis and a logistic regression model were used to evaluate the predictive value for the localization. Statistical analyses were performed using statistical parametric mapping. The values of the standardized uptake value and cerebral blood flow, as well as the asymmetries of metabolism and perfusion, were compared between the 2 groups. Histopathologic findings were used as the criterion standard.

RESULTS

Complete concordance was noted in lateralization and localization among the PET, arterial spin-labeling, and histopathologic findings in 12/20 patients based on visual assessment. Concordance with histopathologic findings was also obtained for the remaining 8 patients based on the complementary PET and arterial spin-labeling information. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of PET, arterial spin-labeling, and combined PET and arterial spin-labeling were 100% and 81.8%, 83.3% and 54.5%, and 100% and 90.9%, respectively. When we compared the metabolic abnormalities in patients with those in healthy controls, hypometabolism was detected in the middle temporal gyrus (P < .001). Metabolism and perfusion asymmetries were also located in the temporal lobe (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

PET/MR imaging-based multiparametric imaging involving arterial spin-labeling may increase the clinical value of localizing the epileptogenic zone by providing concordant and complementary information in patients with MR imaging-negative temporal lobe epilepsy.

[Resting-state functional MRI studies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with various levels of cognitive impairment]

Objective: To characterize the brain functional changes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with various levels of cognitive impairment as measured by resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI). Methods: From September 2013 to March 2017, a total of 55 patients diagnosed with ALS in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study, and all participants underwent neuropsychological assessments and diffusion tensor imaging scans. According to their cognitive performance, ALS patients were further subclassified into ALS with normal cognition (ALS-Cn, n=27), those with cognitive impairment (ALS-Ci, n=17) and ALS-FTD (n=11). Comparisons of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) value and regional homogeneity (ReHo) value were conducted among the 4 subgroups. Results: The fALFF showed significant differences in bilateral frontal lobe, left temporal lobe and cingulate gyrus, (P<0.001, uncorrected) and the ReHo showed significant differences in left frontal lobe, right temporal lobe and left cingulate gyrus (P<0.001, FDR corrected). The differences mainly stemmed from that patients with ALS-FTD showed decreased fALFF and ReHo in these areas when compared to the other three groups, especially in relation to HCs, mainly locating in left prefrontal lobe and anterior cingulate cortex. The whole-brain comparisons of fALFF and ReHo between ALS-Ci, ALS-Cn and HCs revealed no significant difference (P<0.001, uncorrected). Conclusion: Hypoactivities are detected in extramotor areas in patients with ALS-FTD. RS-fMRI is helpful in investigating the pathophysiologic mechanism of cognitive impairment in ALS.

Experimental Evidence of Kinetic Effects in Indirect-Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion Hohlraums

We present the first experimental evidence supported by simulations of kinetic effects launched in the interpenetration layer between the laser-driven hohlraum plasma bubbles and the corona plasma of the compressed pellet at the Shenguang-III prototype laser facility. Solid plastic capsules were coated with carbon-deuterium layers; as the implosion neutron yield is quenched, DD fusion yield from the corona plasma provides a direct measure of the kinetic effects inside the hohlraum. An anomalous large energy spread of the DD neutron signal (∼282  keV) and anomalous scaling of the neutron yield with the thickness of the carbon-deuterium layers cannot be explained by the hydrodynamic mechanisms. Instead, these results can be attributed to kinetic shocks that arise in the hohlraum-wall-ablator interpenetration region, which result in efficient acceleration of the deuterons (∼28.8  J, 0.45% of the total input laser energy). These studies provide novel insight into the interactions and dynamics of a vacuum hohlraum and near-vacuum hohlraum.

Abstract P1-09-07: Breast cancer initiating cells express functional ROR1, which can be targeted by cirmtuzumab to potentially mitigate the risk of relapse after therapy

Although initially responsive to chemotherapy, patients with advanced breast cancer often relapse, generally with incurable metastatic disease. This may be due to a subpopulation of tumor cells, called cancer-initiating cells, or cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are relatively resistant to chemotherapy and have self-renewing and tumor-initiating capacities. Prior studies in our laboratory found that CSCs may express ROR1, an onco-embryonic, tyrosine-kinase-like orphan receptor, which we found could bind Wnt5a to activate non-canonical Wnt-signaling (Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 111:17266, 2014). Interrogation of the transcriptomes of breast-cancer cells obtained from patients before and after paclitaxel therapy revealed that chemotherapy treatment enhanced cancer-cell expression of ROR1, along with genes induced by activation of Rho-GTPases (e.g. RhoA, cdc42, and Rac1). We found that primary breast-cancer patient-derived xenografts with high-level expression of ROR1 were enriched for cells that had activated Rho-GTPases and stem-cell-like gene-expression signatures. Furthermore, we found that treatment of breast cancer cell lines with Wnt5a induced ROR1-dependent activation of Rho-GTPases andAKT and induced high-level protein expression of BMI1, also known as polycomb group RING finger protein 4 (PCGF4) or RING finger protein 51 (RNF51); Wnt5a also enhanced the capacity of breast cancer cell lines to form spheroids. All these effects could be inhibited by cirmtuzumab, a humanized high-affinity anti-ROR1 mAb, which can block Wnt5a signaling. We find that ROR1-positive breast cancer cells have a greater capacity to form spheroids or engraft immune-deficient mice than did ROR1-negative cancer cells isolated from the same PDX tumor. Treatment of immune-deficient mice bearing breast-cancer PDX with paclitaxel reduced tumor volumes but enhanced expression of ROR1 and other CSC markers, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1). Moreover, the breast cancer cells surviving such paclitaxel treatment had increased activation of Rho-GTPases and AKT, and increased expression of BMI1, relative to that of breast cancer cells obtained from the same primary tumor prior to therapy. On the other hand, treatment of such mice with cirmtuzumab also reduced breast cancer PDX tumor volumes, but the remaining cells had reduced expression of ROR1 and CSC markers and had impaired capacity to re-engraft immune-deficient mice. Finally, therapy with cirmtuzumab and paclitaxel was more effective in eradicating breast-cancer PDX than treatment with either agent alone. Collectively, these findings support use of cirmtuzumab in combination with conventional anti-cancer drugs to improve the outcome of patients with advanced breast cancer.

Citation Format: Zhang S, Zhang H, Ghia EM, Liu G, Tripple V, Xu S, Cui B, Widhopf G, Yu J, Schwab R, Messer K, Parker BA, Kipps TJ. Breast cancer initiating cells express functional ROR1, which can be targeted by cirmtuzumab to potentially mitigate the risk of relapse after therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-09-07.

Validation of EORTC QLQ-OES18 for Chinese patients with esophageal cancer

The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability, validity, and acceptability of the Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-OES18 in patients with esophageal cancer. The questionnaire was translated according to the guideline of the EORTC. One hundred and forty-nine patients with esophageal cancer from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital completed the Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) and the simplified Chinese EORTC QLQ-C30/OES18 scales during July 2013 to January 2014. The results were statistically analyzed by Cronbach's α coefficient, Spearman correlation test with multiple strengthen analysis, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. The internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient) of all four scales (dysphagia, eating, reflux, and pain) was 0.689-0.822, which were satisfactory or near satisfactory. The absolute values of correlation of each scale between EORTC QLQ-OES18 and EORTC QLQ-C30 were 0.002-0.750 while there was no significant difference between groups divided by KPS scores. We confirmed the Chinese version of EORTC QLQ-OES18 appears to be a reliable, valid, and acceptable instrument for measuring the health-related quality of life of patients with esophageal cancer in mainland China.

Immune complexes induce TNF-α and BAFF production from U937 cells by HMGB1 and RAGE

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effects of immune complexes (ICs) on tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and B cell-activating factor (BAFF) production from U937 cells and further explored the mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

U937 cells were incubated with necrosis supernatant or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera alone, or their combination. The expression of TNF-α and BAFF was determined by Real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High mobility group box protein 1(HMGB1) A-box was produced by gene recombination. HMGB1 A-box and anti-receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) antibody were adopted in the blocking experiments. The importance of DNA for cytokine induction was investigated by DNase treatment.

RESULTS

The combination of necrosis supernatant and SLE sera induced the expression of TNF-α and BAFF significantly increased compared to necrosis supernatant or SLE sera alone. Recombinant HMGB1 A-box protein was purified, and TNF-α and BAFF production, which were induced by this combination, was blocked via HMGB1 A-box and anti-RAGE antibody. Moreover, we found that DNA component is important for the immunostimulatory activity of this combination.

CONCLUSIONS

ICs containing DNA can promote TNF-α and BAFF production in U937 cells, and this process can be mediated by HMGB1 and RAGE. One possible mechanism of increasing BAFF production in SLE is proposed in this study whereby B cell activation, antibody production and ICs stimulated monocytes may create a vicious cycle that leads to B cell hyperactivity, which can be of importance for SLE etiopathogenesis.

Cirmtuzumab inhibits Wnt5a-induced Rac1 activation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with ibrutinib

Signaling via the B cell receptor (BCR) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This is underscored by the clinical effectiveness of ibrutinib, an inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) that can block BCR-signaling. However, ibrutinib cannot induce complete responses (CR) or durable remissions without continued therapy, suggesting alternative pathways also contribute to CLL growth/survival that are independent of BCR-signaling. ROR1 is a receptor for Wnt5a, which can promote activation of Rac1 to enhance CLL-cell proliferation and survival. In this study, we found that CLL cells of patients treated with ibrutinib had activated Rac1. Moreover, Wnt5a could induce Rac1 activation and enhance proliferation of CLL cells treated with ibrutinib at concentrations that were effective in completely inhibiting BTK and BCR-signaling. Wnt5a-induced Rac1 activation could be blocked by cirmtuzumab (UC-961), an anti-ROR1 mAb. We found that treatment with cirmtuzumab and ibrutinib was significantly more effective than treatment with either agent alone in clearing leukemia cells in vivo. This study indicates that cirmtuzumab may enhance the activity of ibrutinib in the treatment of patients with CLL or other ROR1⁺ B-cell malignancies.

Technical note: The effect of carcass deboning technique on the meat quality of cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the suspended carcass deboning technique on the meat attributes of electrically stimulated cattle ( = 10). A carcass deboning technique that removes the main bones without breakdown of the entire carcass was applied to suspended sides soon after slaughter. After 3 d of aging at 4°C, the shear force of the rectus femoris, longissimus lumborum, and supraspinatus muscles of the suspended carcass deboning technique was reduced by 27%, 29%, and 23% ( < 0.05), respectively. The carcass deboning technique increased the sarcomere length by 14%, 10%, and 16% ( < 0.05), and the myofibril fragmentation index was increased by 10%, 5%, and 13% ( < 0.05), respectively, for the same 3 muscles. There was no difference in the pH, color, or cooking loss between the treatment and the control ( > 0.05). The carcass deboning technique could be a viable approach to improve beef tenderness with a relatively short aging duration.

The metabolic responses of HepG2 cells to the exposure of mycotoxin deoxynivalenol

As the number of reported deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination incidents increased steadily over the past decades, there has been a widespread interest in understanding the cellular mechanisms of the toxicological effects of DON using in vitro systems and omics technologies. The present investigation was conducted to understand the metabolomic changes in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) exposed to 10 μM DON for short term (4 h) and long term (12 h) periods, using a non-targeted metabolomics approach. Our results revealed a remarkable metabolic shift from short term to long term exposure to DON in HepG2 cells. Our metabolomics data also confirmed the role of DON induced oxidative stress in DON toxicity. Coupled with pattern recognition and pathway analysis, effects of DON on redox homeostasis, energy balance, lipid metabolism, and potential toxicological mechanisms were discussed, which would facilitate further studies on the risk assessment of the dietary mycotoxin DON.

The potential protective role of hepatitis B virus infection in pristane-induced lupus in mice

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection plays a role in the regulation of autoimmunity for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHOD

A total of 21 female BALB/c mice and 21 female HBV transgenic BALB/c mice aged two months were randomly divided into four groups: BALB/c mice, HBV(Tg) mice, pristane-injected BALB/c mice, and pristane-injected HBV(Tg) mice. BALB/c mice and HBV(Tg) mice were given an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml normal saline, and the mice in the other two groups were given an intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml pristane. ANA and anti-dsDNA levels in serum were detected by indirect immunofluorescence. Interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-17, and TNF-α were measured by Luminex technology. The serum BAFF level was measured using an Elisa kit. Twenty-four weeks after pristane administration, kidneys were removed, dissected, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and periodic-acid Schiff.

RESULT

At six months after injecting, the ANA titers in pristane-injected HBV(Tg) mice were significantly lower than pristane-injected BALB/c mice. IL-17, TNF-α, and BAFF levels were significantly higher in pristane-injected BALB/c mice than BALB/c mice and pristane-injected HBV(Tg) mice. IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6 levels were much higher in pristane-injected HBV(Tg) mice than pristane-injected BALB/c mice. In pristane-injected HBV(Tg) mice and HBV(Tg) mice, fewer glomerulonephritis changes were found in the kidneys.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that the incidence of SLE was much lower in HBV(Tg) mice, and that HBV infection helped the SLE mice survive high levels of inflammatory cytokines and severe renal damage. All these findings demonstrated the protective role of HBV in SLE patients via the immunoregulatory networks of the cytokines.

Intrinsic Two-Dimensional Organic Topological Insulators in Metal-Dicyanoanthracene Lattices

We predict theoretical existence of intrinsic two-dimensional organic topological insulator (OTI) states in Cu-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) lattice, a system that has also been grown experimentally on Cu substrate, based on first-principle density functional theory calculations. The pz-orbital Kagome bands having a Dirac point lying exactly at the Fermi level are found in the freestanding Cu-DCA lattice. The tight-binding model analysis, the calculated Chern numbers, and the semi-infinite Dirac edge states within the spin-orbit coupling gaps all confirm its intrinsic topological properties. The intrinsic TI states are found to originate from a proper number of electrons filling of the hybridized bands from Cu atomic and DCA molecular orbitals based on which similar lattices containing noble metal atoms (Au and Cu) and those molecules with two CN groups (DCA and cyanogens) are all predicted to be intrinsic OTIs.

Self-medication practices with antibiotics among Chinese university students

OBJECTIVES

Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is a serious global health problem. We sought to investigate SMA behaviors and risk factors among Chinese university students, and further explore the association between SMA practices and adverse drug events (ADEs).

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted at Jiangsu University (JSU) in eastern China in July 2011 using a pretested questionnaire.

RESULTS

Out of 2608 website visitors, 1086 participated in the survey (response rate: 41.6%), 426 respondents were excluded for not being a JSU student or repeat participation, 660 (2.2% of JSU students) were included in analysis, and 316 students (47.9%) had a lifetime history of SMA. Among self-treated students, 43.5% believed that antibiotic was suitable for viral infections, 65.9% had more than one SMA episode in the previous year, 73.5% self-medicated with at least two different antibiotics, 57.1% and 64.4% changed antibiotic dosage and antibiotics during the course, respectively. Female gender, older age, and prior knowledge of antibiotics (PKA) were identified as independent risk factors of SMA. There was no difference between students with and without PKA regarding SMA frequency, use of polyantibiotics, and switching antibiotic dosage or antibiotics. ADEs happened to 13.3% of self-medicated students. Frequent change of dosage and simultaneous use of the same antibiotic with different names were independent risk practices associated with an ADE.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings substantiate high SMA prevalence among Chinese university students. Older age and PKA are independent SMA risk factors common to Chinese university students and female gender is exclusive SMA risk factor for JSU students. Poor SMA practices are associated with ADEs. Strict regulations on antibiotic sales and public education reinforced by further health care reform are recommended.

Tilt engineering of exchange coupling at G-type SrMnO3/(La,Sr)MnO3 interfaces

With the recent realization of hybrid improper ferroelectricity and room-temperature multiferroic by tilt engineering, "functional" octahedral tilting has become a novel concept in multifunctional perovskite oxides, showing great potential for property manipulation and device design. However, the control of magnetism by octahedral tilting has remained a challenging issue. Here a qualitative and quantitative tilt engineering of exchange coupling, one of the magnetic properties, is demonstrated at compensated G-type antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic (SrMnO3/La2/3Sr1/3MnO3) interfaces. According to interfacial Hamiltonian, exchange bias (EB) in this system originates from an in-plane antiphase rotation (a(-)) in G-type antiferromagnetic layer. Based on first-principles calculation, tilt patterns in SrMnO3 are artificially designed in experiment with different epitaxial strain and a much stronger EB is attained in the tensile heterostructure than the compressive counterpart. By controlling the magnitude of octahedral tilting, the manipulation of exchange coupling is even performed in a quantitative manner, as expected in the theoretical estimation. This work realized the combination of tilt engineering and exchange coupling, which might be significant for the development of multifunctional materials and antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Unconventional resistive switching behavior in ferroelectric tunnel junctions

An unconventional resistive switching behavior is observed in ferroelectric tunnel junctions, which builds a bridge between ferroelectric tunnel junctions and resistive random access memory devices.

Metal-carbonyl organometallic polymers, PFpP, as resists for high-resolution positive and negative electron beam lithography

Metal-carbonyl organometallic polymers, PFpP, can function as high-resolution resists for electron beam lithography.

Strain engineering induced interfacial self-assembly and intrinsic exchange bias in a manganite perovskite film

The control of complex oxide heterostructures at atomic level generates a rich spectrum of exotic properties and unexpected states at the interface between two separately prepared materials. The frustration of magnetization and conductivity of manganite perovskite at surface/interface which is inimical to their device applications, could also flourish in tailored functionalities in return. Here we prove that the exchange bias (EB) effect can unexpectedly emerge in a (La,Sr)MnO₃ (LSMO) “single” film when large compressive stress imposed through a lattice mismatched substrate. The intrinsic EB behavior is directly demonstrated to be originating from the exchange coupling between ferromagnetic LSMO and an unprecedented LaSrMnO₄-based spin glass, formed under a large interfacial strain and subsequent self-assembly. The present results not only provide a strategy for producing a new class of delicately functional interface by strain engineering, but also shed promising light on fabricating the EB part of spintronic devices in a single step.

Tuning the entanglement between orbital reconstruction and charge transfer at a film surface

The interplay between orbital, charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom is at the core of correlated oxides. This is extensively studied at the interface of heterostructures constituted of two-layer or multilayer oxide films. Here, we demonstrate the interactions between orbital reconstruction and charge transfer in the surface regime of ultrathin (La,Sr)MnO₃, which is a model system of correlated oxides. The interactions are manipulated in a quantitative manner by surface symmetry-breaking and epitaxial strain, both tensile and compressive. The established charge transfer, accompanied by the formation of oxygen vacancies, provides a conceptually novel vision for the long-term problem of manganites—the severe surface/interface magnetization and conductivity deterioration. The oxygen vacancies are then purposefully tuned by cooling oxygen pressure, markedly improving the performances of differently strained films. Our findings offer a broad opportunity to tailor and benefit from the entanglements between orbit, charge, spin, and lattice at the surface of oxide films.