Sertoli cells require hnRNPC to surport normal spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice

Sertoli cells (SCs) act as highly polarized testicular cells that nutritionally support multiple stages of germ cell development. However, the gene regulation network in SCs for modulating germ cell development has yet to be fully understood. In this study, we report that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins C (hnRNPC) in SCs are essential for germ cell development and male fertility. Conditional knockout of hnRNPC in mouse SCs leads to aberrant SC proliferation, disrupted cytoskeleton of SCs, and compromised blood-testis barrier function, resulting in loss of supportive cell function and, ultimately, defective spermiogenesis in mice. Further RNA-seq analyses revealed these phenotypes are likely caused by the dysregulated genes in hnRNPC-deficient SCs related to cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and apoptotic process. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that hnRNPC plays a critical role in SCs for maintaining the function of SCs and sustaining steady-state spermatogenesis in mice.

[High-quality acceleration of the Chinese national schistosomiasis elimination programme to advance the building of Healthy China]

The goal of achieving elimination of schistosomiasis across all endemic counties in China by 2030 was proposed in the Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan. On June 16, 2023, the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030) was jointly issued by National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and other 10 ministries, which deployed the targets and key tasks of the national schistosomiasis elimination programme in China. This article describes the progress of the national schistosomiasis control programme, analyzes the opportunities to eliminate schistosomiasis, and proposes targeted recommendations to tackle the challenges of schistosomiasis elimination, so as to accelerate the process towards schistosomiasis elimination and facilitate the building of a healthy China.

[Capacity building in schistosomiasis control institutions in China: a cross-sectional study]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the current status of capacity building in schistosomiasis control institutes in schistosomiasis-endemic provinces (municipality, autonomous region) of China.

METHODS

The responsibilities and construction requirements of various schistosomiasis control institutions were surveyed by expert discussions, and field interviews and visits during the period between May and June, 2023, and the questionnaire for capacity maintenance and consolidation in schistosomiasis control institutions was designed. An online questionnaire survey was conducted in county-, municipal-, and provincial-level institutions that undertook schistosomiasis control and surveillance activities through the Wenjuanxing program. The distribution of schistosomiasis control institutions, the status of institutions, departments and staff undertaking schistosomiasis control activities and the translation of scientific researches on schistosomiasis control in China were analyzed. The laboratories accredited by China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) were considered to be capable for testing associated with schistosomiasis control, and the testing capability of schistosomiasis control institutions was analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 486 valid questionnaires were recovered from 486 schistosomiasis control institutions in 12 endemic provinces (municipality, autonomous region) of China, including 12 provincial-level institutions (2.5%), 77 municipal-level institutions (15.8%) and 397 county-level institutions (81.7%). Of all schistosomiasis control institutions, 376 (77.4%) were centers for disease control and prevention or public health centers, 102 (21.0%) were institutions for schistosomiasis, endemic disease and parasitic disease control, and 8 (1.6%) were hospitals, healthcare centers or others. There were 37 713 active employees in the 486 schistosomiasis control institutions, including 5 675 employees related to schistosomiasis control, and the proportions of employees associated with schistosomiasis control among all active employees were 5.9% (231/3 897), 5.5% (566/10 134), and 20.6% (4 878/23 682) in provincial-, municipal-, and county-level institutions, respectively. There were 3 826 full-time employees working in schistosomiasis control activities, with 30.5% (1 166/3 826), 34.6% (1 324) and 34.9% (1 336/3 826) at ages of 40 years and below, 41 to 50 years and over 50 years, and there were 1 571 (41.0%) full-time schistosomiasis control employees with duration of schistosomiasis control activities for over 25 years, and 1 358 (35.5%) employees with junior professional titles and 1 290 with intermediate professional titles (35.5%), while 712 (18.6%) full-time employees working in schistosomiasis control activities had no professional titles. The three core schistosomiasis control activities included snail control (26.3%, 374/1 420), epidemics surveillance and management (25.4%, 361/1 420) and health education (18.8%, 267/1 420) in schistosomiasis control institutions. The Kato-Katz method, miracidium hatching test with nylon gauzes, and indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) were the most commonly used techniques for detection of schistosomiasis, and there were less than 50% laboratories that had capabilities or experimental conditions for performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dipstick dye immunoassay (DDIA), dot immunogold filtration assay (DIG-FA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. During the period from 2018 to 2022, schistosomiasis control institutions had undertaken a total of 211 research projects for schistosomiasis control, with a total funding of 18.596 million RMB, published 619 articles, participated in formulation of 13 schistosomiasis control-related criteria, and applied for 113 schistosomiasis control-related patents, including 101 that were granted, and commercialized 4 scientific research outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of independent specialized schistosomiasis control institutions is low in schistosomiasis control institutions in China, which suffers from problems of unsatisfactory laboratory testing capabilities, aging of staff and a high proportion of low-level professional titles. More investment into and intensified schistosomiasis control activities and improved capability building and talent cultivation in schistosomiasis control institutions are recommended to provide a powerful support for high-quality elimination of schistosomiasis in China.

Correlation between PD-1 and sPD-L1 expression levels in peripheral blood of DLBCL patients and their clinicopathological characteristics

Molecular pathology and clinical characteristics play a crucial role in guiding treatment selection and predicting the prognosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), have emerged as pivotal regulators of immune checkpoints in cancer. The objectives of this study are to investigate the correlation between the expression levels of PD-1 and soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) in the peripheral blood of DLBCL patients, analyze their clinicopathological characteristics, and identify the optimal beneficiary group for PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 36 DLBCL patients before their initial treatment at Shandong Cancer Hospital between December 2018 and July 2019. The expression levels of PD-1 and sPD-L1 were measured using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The clinicopathological characteristics, including age, sex, Ann Arbor stage, International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, response to treatment, etc., were recorded for each patient. The surface expression of PD-1 on peripheral blood T cells was significantly higher in DLBCL patients compared to healthy controls. There was a significant association between elevated PD-1 expression levels and the advanced Ann Arbor stage (P=0.0153) as well as the B group (P=0.0184). Higher sPD-L1 levels were associated with the GCB subtype according to Hans's classification (P=0.0435). The expression levels of PD-1 and sPD-L1 in the peripheral blood of DLBCL patients are significantly correlated with advanced disease stage, B group, and GCB subtype according to Hans's classification. This suggests that the PD-1/PD-L1 axis play a critical role in specific subgroups of DLBCL. Targeting this axis could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the clinical outcomes of DLBCL patients. Further studies are necessary to explore the prognostic implications of PD-1 and sPD-L1 expression levels in DLBCL patients.

[Interpretation of the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030)]

On June 16, 2023, National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of the People's Republic of China, in collaboration with other ministries, formulated and issued the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030). The implementation of this plan provides an important basis for achieving the targets set in the "Healthy China 2030" action plan and the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. This paper describes the background, principles, targets, control strategies, safeguard measures and effectiveness evaluation of the plan, in order to guide the scientific and standardized implementation of actions for schistosomiasis elimination at the grassroots level, and facilitate the progress towards elimination of schistosomiasis in China with a high quality.

Transcriptome analysis of meiotic and post-meiotic spermatogenic cells reveals the potential hub genes of aging on the decline of male fertility

Genetic and epigenetic changes in sperm caused by male aging may be essential factors affecting semen parameters, but the effects and specific molecular mechanisms of aging on male reproduction have not been fully clarified. In this study, to explore the effect of aging on male fertility and seek the potential molecular etiology, we performed high-throughput RNA-sequencing in isolated spermatogenic cells, including pachytene spermatocytes (marked by the completion of chromosome synapsis) and round spermatids (produced by the separation of sister chromatids) from the elderly and the young men. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in round spermatids between the elderly and young showed that they were significantly enriched in gamete generation, spindle assembly, and cilium movement involved in cell motility. In addition, the expression levels of DEGs in round spermatids (post-meiotic cells) were found to be more susceptible to age. Furthermore, ten genes (AURKA, CCNB1, CDC20, CCNB2, KIF2C, KIAA0101, NR5A1, PLK1, PTTG1, RAD51AP1) were identified to be the hub genes involved in the regulation of sperm quality in the elderly through Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network construction and measuring semantic among GO terms and gene products. Our data provide aging-related molecular alterations in meiotic and post-meiotic spermatogenic cells, and the information gained from this study may explain the abnormal aging-related male fertility decline.

[Distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis in China from 2015 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis snails after the criteria for transmission control of schistosomiasis were achieved in China, so as to provide insights into assessment of schistosomiasis transmission risk and formulation of snail control strategies during the elimination phase.

METHODS

O. hupensis survey data in China from 2015 to 2021 were collected from the National Schistosomiasis Pevention and Control Information Management System, and the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were descriptively analyzed.

RESULTS

Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with relatively larger areas with emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats in 2016 and 2021, and relatively higher numbers of counties (districts) where emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were detected in 2016 and 2021. A total of 4 586.30 hm2 of emerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 10 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China (except Fujian and Yunnan Provinces) from 2015 to 2021, with 96.80% in Anhui, Hunan and Hubei provinces, where marshland and lake endemic foci were predominant. A total of 21 023.90 hm2 of reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 12 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China from 2015 to 2021, with 97.67% in six provinces of Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Yunnan and Anhui, where marshland and lake and hilly endemic regions were predominant. Emerging snail habitats were found in 15.08% of all schistosomiasisendemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 78.75% of all emerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of emerging snail habitats found in Lixian County, Hunan Province (645.00 hm2). Reemerging snail habitats were found in 47.67% of all schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 43.29% of all reemerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of reemerging snail habitats found in Weishan Li and Hui Autonomous County of Hunan Province (1 579.70 hm2).

CONCLUSIONS

Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with much larger areas of reemerging snail habitats than emerging snail habitats, and larger numbers of schistosomiasis-endemic provinces and counties (districts) with reemerging snails were found that those of provinces and counties (districts) with emerging snails. Specific snail control interventions are required tailored to the causes of emerging and reemerging snail habitats. Both emergence and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be paid attention to in marshland and lake endemic areas, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province where schistosomiasis had been eliminated, and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be given a high priority in hilly areas. In addition, monitoring of O. hupensis snails should be reinforced in snail-free areas after flooding.

[Molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in hilly regions]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a snail control approach for spraying chemicals with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in complex snail habitats in hilly regions, and to evaluate its molluscicidal effect.

METHODS

The protocol for evaluating the activity of spraying chemical molluscicides with drones against O. hupensis snails was formulated based on expert consultation and literature review. In August 2022, a pretest was conducted in a hillside field environment (12 000 m2) north of Dafengji Village, Dacang Township, Weishan County, Yunnan Province, which was assigned into four groups, of no less than 3 000 m2 in each group. In Group A, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group B, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, while in Group C, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group D, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2. Then, each group was equally divided into six sections according to land area, with Section 1 for baseline surveys and sections 2 to 6 for snail surveys after chemical treatment. Snail surveys were conducted prior to chemical treatment and 1, 3, 5, 7 days post-treatment, and the mortality and corrected mortality of snails, density of living snails and costs of molluscicidal treatment were calculated in each group.

RESULTS

The mortality and corrected mortality of snails were 69.49%, 69.09%, 53.57% and 83.48%, and 68.58%, 68.17%, 52.19% and 82.99% in groups A, B, C and D 14 days post-treatment, and the density of living snails reduced by 58.40%, 63.94%, 68.91% and 83.25% 14 days post-treatment relative to pre-treatment in four groups, respectively. The median concentrations of chemical molluscicides were 37.08, 35.42, 42.50 g/m2 and 56.25 g/m2 in groups A, B, C and D, and the gross costs of chemical treatment were 0.93, 1.50, 0.46 Yuan per m2 and 1.03 Yuan per m2 in groups A, B, C and D, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against O. hupensis snails is superior to manual chemical treatment without environmental cleaning, and chemical treatment with drones and manual chemical treatment show comparable molluscicidal effects following environmental cleaning in hilly regions. The cost of chemical treatment with drones is slightly higher than manual chemical treatment regardless of environmental cleaning. Spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones is recommended in complex settings with difficulty in environmental cleaning to improve the molluscicidal activity and efficiency against O. hupensis snails.

FAM71D is dispensable for spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice

In mammals, the generation of sperm cells capable of fertilization is a highly complex process including spermatogenesis in the testis and maturation in the epididymis. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that FAM71D (Family with sequence similarity 71, member D), which could interact with calmodulin, was highly expressed in human and mouse testis. To investigate the physiological role of FAM71D in spermatogenesis, we next generate Fam71d loss-of-function mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We performed immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR to examine the protein and mRNA expression in testicular cells. We found that FAM71D was predominantly localized in the round and elongated spermatids. And FAM71D KO mice displayed normal development of germ cell and fertility. Furthermore, testicular histology and sperm concentration showed no significant difference between WT and KO mice. These data demonstrate that FAM71D is dispensable for mouse spermatogenesis and male fertility.

[Biomanufacturing of bioactive compounds: current situation, challenges, and future perspectives]

Biomanufacturing uses biological systems, including cells, microorganisms, and enzymes, to produce natural or synthetic molecules with biological activities for use in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture. These bioactive compounds are expected to play important roles in improving the quality of life and prolonging its length. Fortunately, recent advances in synthetic biology and automation technologies have accelerated the development of biomanufacturing, enabling us to create new products and replace conventional methods in a more sustainable manner. As of now, the role of biomanufacturing in the growth and innovation of bioeconomy is steadily increasing, and this techbology becomes a prevalent technology in global markets. To gain a comprehensive understanding of this field, this article presents a retrospective review of Bloomage Biotechnology's Research and Development and briefly reviews the developments of biomanufacturing and offers insights into the futre prospects. In conclusion, biomanufacturing will continue to be an important, environmentally friendly, and sustainable production mode in the ongoing development of bioeconomy.

[Application of gastric plication in the treatment of obesity]

Bariatric surgery, as the most effective approach to treating obesity at present, encompasses a wide array of procedures. However, due to the significant anatomical changes to the gastrointestinal tract caused by most of these procedures, they are associated with certain risks of complications. In the pursuit of minimizing trauma, bariatric surgeons have begun exploring new surgeries in addition to traditional procedures. Gastric plication surgeries encompass various procedures such as gastric fundoplication, gastric greater curvature plication, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, combined gastric fundoplication with gastric greater curvature plication, and combined gastric fundoplication with sleeve gastrectomy, among others. The efficacy and risks of complications associated with these procedures fall between those of medical therapy and sleeve gastrectomy. Gastric fundoplication, functioning as an anti-reflux procedure, can also be integrated into weight loss surgical interventions to effectively address obesity-related gastroesophageal reflux disease in obese patients. Both gastric greater curvature plication and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty yield favorable weight loss outcomes. Beyond the impact of folding procedures on body mass, gastric plication surgeries can also be combined with other techniques. The combination of gastric fundoplication with sleeve gastrectomy or greater curvature plication can reduce body mass and mitigate reflux, while the combination of greater curvature plication with gastric bypass and similar procedures can further enhance weight loss and metabolic improvements.

A retrospective cephalometric study on the craniofacial morphology of adult patients with unoperated submucous cleft palate

This retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed adult patients with unrepaired SMCP, OCP and normal control and performed comprehensive skeletal and soft tissue morphological analyses basing on lateral cephalometric radiographs. One way-ANOVA and rank-sum tests detected potential intergroup differences. 32 subjects with unrepaired SMCP, 42 with unrepaired OCP and 28 noncleft normal controls were enrolled. Both the SMCP and OCP groups were significantly different from the normal controls in sagittal maxillary length, jaw relationship, facial profile angle, nasal base and nasal tip prominence, upper lip position, and lower lip protrusion. S-N-A angle in the control group (82.25 ± 2.74°) was significantly greater than in the SMCP (77.96 ± 4.05°, p<0.001) and OCP (78.55 ± 2.93°, p<0.001) groups. Nasolabial angle in the control group (99.18 ± 8.76°) was significantly greater than in the SMCP (91.75 ± 8.93°, p = 0.002) and OCP (93.69 ± 7.24°, p = 0.020) groups. No significant difference was detected between the SMCP and the OCP group in other measurements except upper facial height. Within the limitations of the study it seems that craniofacial growth is impaired in patients with submucous clefts to the same extent as in patients with a conventional cleft palate.

Cephalometric Soft Tissue Morphology of Adults With Unoperated Submucous Cleft Palate

The aim of this study was to compare craniofacial soft tissue characteristics between subjects with unrepaired submucous cleft palate (SMCP) and noncleft individuals.

This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 27 subjects with unrepaired SMCP (13 male and 14 female subjects; mean age, 21.77 ± 4.09 years) and 30 noncleft controls (14 male and 16 female subjects; mean age, 22.67 ± 4.28 years). The predictor variable was cleft deformity. The outcome variable was cephalometric soft tissue measurements. Other study variables were gender and age. Independent samples t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for intergroup comparison. P value was set at .05.

Significant differences were observed in the facial profile angle, total facial profile angle, soft tissue A-N-B angle, nasal base prominence, upper lip length, lower lip protrusion, and the ratio of upper lip length to mentolabial height between subjects with unoperated SMCP and noncleft controls.

The primary deformity of the cleft palate leads to unsatisfactory facial soft tissue morphology, especially in the middle facial region.

Representation granularity enables time-efficient autonomous exploration in large, complex worlds

We propose a dual-resolution scheme to achieve time-efficient autonomous exploration with one or many robots. The scheme maintains a high-resolution local map of the robot's immediate vicinity and a low-resolution global map of the remaining areas of the environment. We believe that the strength of our approach lies in this low- and high-resolution representation of the environment: The high-resolution local map ensures that the robots observe the entire region in detail, and because the local map is bounded, so is the computation burden to process it. The low-resolution global map directs the robot to explore the broad space and only requires lightweight computation and low bandwidth to communicate among the robots. This paper shows the strength of this approach for both single-robot and multirobot exploration. For multirobot exploration, we also introduce a "pursuit" strategy for sharing information among robots with limited communication. This strategy directs the robots to opportunistically approach each other. We found that the scheme could produce exploration paths with a bounded difference in length compared with the theoretical shortest paths. Empirically, for single-robot exploration, our method produced 80% higher time efficiency with 50% lower computational runtimes than state-of-the-art methods in more than 300 simulation and real-world experiments. For multirobot exploration, our pursuit strategy demonstrated higher exploration time efficiency than conventional strategies in more than 3400 simulation runs with up to 20 robots. Last, we discuss how our method was deployed in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge and demonstrated the fastest and most complete exploration among all teams.

[Progress of schistosomiasis control in People's Republic of China in 2022]

This report presented the endemic status of schistosomiasis and analyzed the data collected from the national schistosomiasis prevention and control system and national schistosomiasis surveillance program in the People's Republic of China in 2022. Among the 12 provinces (municipality and autonomous region) endemic for schistosomiasis, Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region continued to maintain the achievements of schistosomiasis elimination, and Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces maintained the criteria of transmission interruption, while Yunnan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces maintained the criteria of transmission control by the end of 2022. A total of 452 counties (cites, districts) were found to be endemic for schistosomiasis in China in 2022, with 27 434 endemic villages covering 73 424 400 people at risk of infections. Among the 452 endemic counties (cities, districts), 75.89% (343/452), 23.45% (106/452) and 0.66% (3/452) achieved the criteria of elimination, transmission interruption and transmission control of schistosomiasis, respectively. In 2022, 4 317 356 individuals received serological tests for schistosomiasis, and 62 228 were sero-positive. A total of 208 646 individuals received stool examinations for schistosomiasis, with one positive and another two cases positive for urine microscopy, and these three 3 cases were imported schistosomiasis patients from Africa. There were 28 565 cases with advanced schistosomiasis documented in China by the end of 2022. Oncomelania hupensis snail survey was performed in 18 891 endemic villages in China in 2022 and O. hupensis snails were found in 6 917 villages (36.62% of all surveyed villages), with 8 villages identified with emerging snail habitats. Snail survey was performed at an area of 655 703.01 hm² and 183 888.60 hm² snail habitats were found, including 110.58 hm² emerging snail habitats and 844.35 hm² re-emerging snail habitats. There were 477 200 bovines raised in the schistosomiasis endemic areas of China in 2022, and 113 946 bovines received serological examinations for schistosomiasis, with 204 sero-positives detected. Among the 131 715 bovines received stool examinations, no positives were identified. In 2022, there were 19 726 schistosomiasis patients receiving praziquantel chemotherapy, and expanded chemotherapy was performed in 714 465 person-time for humans and 234 737 herd-time for bovines in China. In 2022, snail control with chemical treatment was performed at an area of 119 134.07 hm², and the actual area of chemical treatment was 65 825.27 hm², while environmental improvements were performed at an area of 1 163.96 hm². Data from the national schistosomiasis surveillance program of China showed that the mean prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections was both zero in humans and bovines in 2022, and no S. japonicum infection was detected in O. hupensis snails. These data demonstrated that the endemic status of schistosomiasis continued to decline in China in 2022, with 3 confirmed schistosomiasis patients that had a foreign nationality and all imported from Africa, and the areas of snail habitats remained high. Further improvements in the construction of the schistosomaisis surveillance and forecast system, and reinforcement of O. hupensis survey and control are required to prevent the re-emerging schistosomiasis.

Enhancement of protein translation by CRISPR/dCasRx coupled with SINEB2 repeat of noncoding RNAs

The use of new long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as biotechnological or therapeutic tools is still in its infancy, despite recent efforts to uncover their involvement in various biological processes including mRNA translation. An important question is whether lncRNA functional elements can be used to target translation of mRNAs of interest by incorporating the RNA-targeting CRISPR tools. The CRISPR/dCasRx-SINEB2 technology was developed in this research by coupling the sgRNA of a catalytically inactive Type VI-D Cas13 enzyme (CasRx) to an integrated SINEB2 domain of uchl1 lncRNA that promotes the translation of targeted mRNA. It has been demonstrated to be effective and adaptable in selectively increasing the expression of a variety of exogenous and endogenous proteins with a variety of functions with minimal off-target effects. dCasRx-SINEB2 is currently the sole CRISPR-related technique for translational control of gene expression, and works just as well or even better than the traditional RNAe tool under comparable conditions. Additionally, human cancer cells can be prevented from proliferating and migrating both in vitro and in vivo by dCasRx-SINEB2-targeted mRNA translation of transcripts encoding for antitumor proteins, including PTEN and P53. The present study provides an innovative protein enhancement method that will have several applications in biopharmaceuticals production and cancer research.

Enhanced RNA knockdown efficiency with engineered fusion guide RNAs that function with both CRISPR-CasRx and hammerhead ribozyme

BACKGROUND

CRISPR-Cas13 is a newly emerging RNA knockdown technology that is comparable to RNAi. Among all members of Cas13, CasRx degrades RNA in human cells with high precision and effectiveness. However, it remains unclear whether the efficiency of this technology can be further improved and applied to gene therapy.

RESULTS

In this study, we fuse CasRx crRNA with an antisense ribozyme to construct a synthetic fusion guide RNA that can interact with both CasRx protein and ribozyme and tested the ability of this approach in RNA knockdown and cancer gene therapy. We show that the CasRx-crRNA-ribozyme system (CCRS) is more efficient for RNA knockdown of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs than conventional methods, including CasRx, shRNA, and ribozyme. In particular, CCRS is more effective than wild-type CasRx when targeting multiple transcripts simultaneously. We next use bladder cancer as a model to evaluate the anticancer effects of CCRS targeting multiple genes in vitro and in vivo. CCRS shows a higher anticancer effect than conventional methods, consistent with the gene knockdown results.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, our study demonstrates that CCRS expands the design ideas and RNA knockdown capabilities of Cas13 technology and has the potential to be used in disease treatment.

Screening DNA aptamers that control the DNA cleavage, homology-directed repair, and transcriptional regulation of the CRISPR-(d)Cas9 system

Accurate genome editing based on various molecular tools has always been the focus of gene-editing research and the primary goal for therapeutic application. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 system is a well-established gene-editing method that is preferred due to its simplicity and high efficiency. In this study, a group of single-stranded DNA aptamers with high affinity and high specificity for the Cas9 protein were obtained by the systematic evolution of ligands through the exponential enrichment method. Their binding affinity and possible binding domains to the Cas9 protein were analyzed. In addition, we demonstrated the effectiveness of aptamers in regulating dCas9-modulated gene transcription, in terms of both transcriptional activation and repression. Additionally, the aptamers successfully reduced the off-target effect and improved the efficiency of gene homologous recombination repair mediated by CRISPR-Cas9. The findings suggest a potential method to better control precise gene editing and enrich the diversity of modulating tools for the CRISPR-Cas9 system.

BTG2 suppresses renal cell carcinoma progression through N6-methyladenosine

The biological functions of N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification of mRNA have recently received a great deal of attention. In previous studies, m⁶A methylation modification has been shown to regulate mRNA fate and to be crucial for the progression and development of tumors. BTG2 (B-cell translocation gene 2) is a member of BTG/TOB anti-proliferative protein family. BTG2 could inhibit cell proliferation and migration and regulate the cell cycle progression. In this study, we confirm that BTG2 is frequently down-regulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissues and its low expression is associated with unfavorable prognosis and decreased m⁶A level. Moreover, we found that m⁶A methylation modifies the 5'UTR of BTG2 to promote its mRNA stability by binding to IGF2BP2. It has been shown that CRISPR/dCas13b-METLL3 can specifically increase BTG2 m⁶A modification to significantly increase its m⁶A and expression levels. Then m⁶A hypermethylation in BTG2 mRNA could dramatically inhibit RCC cells proliferation and migration, and induce cells apoptosis. Taken together, our data show that BTG2 functions as a tumor suppressor and is frequently silenced via m⁶A modification in RCC.

[Role and change of the gut microbiota after bariatric surgery]

Gut microbiota have been validated to play a pivotal role in metabolic regulation. As the most effective treatment for obesity and related comorbidities, bariatric surgery has been shown to result in significant alterations to the gut microbiota. Literature have recently suggested temporal and spatial features of alterations to the intestinal bacteria following bariatric surgery, which is possibly attributed to the gut adaptation to the surgical modification on the gastrointestinal tract. More importantly, the gut microbiota have been appreciated as a critical contributor to the metabolic improvements following bariatric surgery. Although not fully elucidated, the underlying mechanisms are associated with the molecular pathways mediating the crosstalk between gut microbiota and host . On the other hand, change of the gut microbiota has been found to be related to the prognosis of patients receiving bariatric surgery. Some studies even point out negative effects of the gut microbiota on certain surgical complications . In this review, we summarize the characteristics of alterations to the gut microbiota following bariatric surgery as well as its relevant impacts to better understand the role of gut microbiota in bariatric surgery.

P-380 Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveales that expression changes of the endometrium in repeated implantation failure are altered by HPV-mediated CXCL chemokine secretion

Study question

What are the mechanisms and molecular expression patterns of reduced endometrial receptivity in repeated implantation failure (RIF) after human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?

Summary answer

The single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies the expression changes of endometrium in RIF via HPV-mediated CXCL chemokines secretion in single-cell resolution.

What is known already

Regardless of the advance of in vitro fertilization (IVF), RIF is still a formidable challenge for couples and physicians in clinical treatment. In infertile couples, a reduction in natural and assisted cumulative pregnancy rate and an increase in miscarriage rate are related to the HPV infection.

Study design, size, duration

Cross-sectional clinical studies with 322 infertile couples undergoing IVF were integrated to demonstrate the associations between HPV infection and reproductive outcomes (pregnancy rate and miscarriage). Descriptive analysis of single-cell transcriptome data of uteruses, and transcriptome profiles of mid-secretory endometrium from 16 healthy fertile women and 38 repeated IVF failure women were analyzed to identify the expression patterns of endometrium in RIF. In vitro assays were used to validate the expression patterns in endometrium.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

322 infertile couples, single-cell transcriptome data of uteruses (human and mouse), and transcriptome profiles of endometrium (16 normal vs. 38 RIF) were used to analyze the association between HPV infection and reduced endometrial receptivity. HPV genes (E1, E2, E4, and E5) were transfected into a human normal endometrial epithelial cell line (hEM3), and immunohistochemistry, Westerns, quantitative PCR were used to validate the changes of CXCL chemokines in the endometrium in vitro.

Main results and the role of chance

Integrated cross-sectional studies demonstrate that HPV+ women exhibit a decreased pregnancy rate (83.09%) as compared with HPV- women (55.17%, P &lt;0.001), and a higher miscarriage rate (62.5% vs. 16.7%, P &lt;0.001) and the relative risk of spontaneous abortion (odd ratio=2.84, P &lt;0.0001) were observed in HPV+ women. Transcriptome profiling analysis identified the enrichment of the processes related to viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, especially in the CXCL chemokine family. Further analysis of single-cell transcriptome demonstrated that the changed expression patterns were associated with endometrial epithelial cells and immune cells, including macrophage dendritic cells, monocytes, and granulocytes. Moreover, in vitro assays validated the HPV-mediated CXCL chemokines secretion, which played the role in recruiting immune cells.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The current findings are based on the single-cell profiling analysis in normal endometrium. In addition, the in vivo response of the HPV infection may differ from the in vitro assay, which should be validated in the HPV infection couples.

Wider implications of the findings

Our study demonstrated the expression changes of endometrium in RIF via HPV-mediated CXCL chemokines secretion, which provided insight into the mechanisms of HPV-induced reduced endometrial receptivity in single-cell resolution.

Trial registration number

not applicable

[Therapeutic mechanism of emodin for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a network pharmacology-based analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of emodin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using a network pharmacology-based method and validate this mechanism in a fibroblast-like synovial cell line.

METHODS

The PubChem, Targetnet, SwissTargetPrediction, Genecards, OMIM, and DisGeNET databases were searched to obtain emodin targets and RA-related genes. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were carried out to analyze the intersection genes. AutoDock4.2.6 software was used to simulate molecular docking between emodin and its candidate targets. In a cultured fibroblast-like synovial cell line (MH7A), the effects of different concentrations of emodin on proliferation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced cells were investigated using CCK-8 assay, cell scratch experiment and flow cytometry; the changes in the expressions of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway proteins were detected using Western blotting, and the mRNA expressions of the hub genes were examined with RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

We identified 32 intersection genes of emodin and RA, and the key targets including CAPS3, ESR1, and MAPK14 involved mainly the NF-κB signaling pathway. Cell scratch experiment and flow cytometry demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect of emodin on MH7A cell proliferation. Treatment with TNF-α significantly increased the cellular expressions of the NF-κB pathway proteins, which were obviously lowered by treatment with 80 μmol/L emodin. The results of RT-qPCR showed that TNF-α treatment obviously up-regulated the expressions of the hub genes COX2 and P38MAPK, and emodin treatment significantly down-regulated the expressions of MAPK and PTGS2 and up-regulated the expression of CASP3.

CONCLUSION

The therapeutic effect of emodin on RA is mediated mainly through regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the NF-κB pathway.

[Prokaryotic expression of a recombinant protein of adeno-associated virus capsid conserved regions and preparation of its polyclonal antibody]

OBJECTIVE

To express and purify the antigenic peptide of adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid conserved regions in prokaryotic cells and prepare its rabbit polyclonal antibody.

METHODS

The DNA sequence encoding the conserved regions of AAV capsid protein was synthesized and cloned into the vector pET30a to obtain the plasmid pET30a-AAV-CR for prokaryotic expression and purification of the conserved peptides. Coomassie blue staining and Western blotting were used to identify the AAV conserved peptides. Japanese big ear white rabbits were immunized with AAV conserved region protein to prepare polyclonal antibody, with the rabbits injected with PBS as the control group. The antibody titer was determined with ELISA, and the performance of the antibody for recognizing capsid protein sequences of AAV1-AAV10 was assessed with Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS

The plasmid pET30a-AAV-CR was successfully constructed, and a recombinant protein with a relative molecular mass of 17000 was obtained. The purified protein induced the production of antibodies against the conserved regions of AAV capsid in rabbits, and the titer of the purified antibodies reached 1:320 000. The antibodies were capable of recognizing a wide range of capsid protein sequences of AAV1-AAV10.

CONCLUSION

We successfully obtained the polyclonal antibodies against AAV capsid conserved region protein from rabbits, which facilitate future studies of AAV vector development and the biological functions of AAV.

Oligomeric Acceptor: A "Two-in-One" Strategy to Bridge Small Molecules and Polymers for Stable Solar Devices

Oligomeric acceptors are expected to combine the advantages of both highly developed small molecular and polymeric acceptors. However, organic solar cells (OSCs) based on oligomers lag far behind due to their slow development and low diversity. Here, three oligomeric acceptors were produced through oligomerization of small molecules. The dimer dBTICγ-EH achieved the best power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 14.48 % in bulk heterojunction devices and possessed a T80 (80 % of the initial PCE) lifetime of 1020 h under illumination, which were far better than that of small molecular and polymeric acceptors. More excitingly, it showed PCEs of 16.06 % in quasi-planar heterojunction (Q-PHJ) devices which is the highest value OSCs using oligomeric acceptors to date. These results suggest that oligomerization of small molecules is a promising strategy to achieve OSCs with optimized performance between the high efficiency and durable stability, and offer oligomeric materials a bright future in commercial applications.

ZNF677 suppresses renal cell carcinoma progression through N6-methyladenosine and transcriptional repression of CDKN3

Background

Studies on biological functions of N6‐methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification in mRNA have sprung up in recent years. Previous studies have reported m⁶A can determine mRNA fate and play a pivotal role in tumour development and progression. The zinc finger protein 677 (ZNF677) belongs to the zinc finger protein family and possesses transcription factor activity by binding sequence‐specific DNA.

Methods

The expression of ZNF677 and its clinicopathological impact were evaluated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. The m⁶A level of ZNF677 was determined by m⁶A methylated RNA immunoprecipitation‐sequencing (MeRIP‐seq) and MeRIP‐qPCR in RCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. RNA immunoprecipitation‐qPCR (RIP‐qPCR) and luciferase assays were performed to identify the targeted effect of IGF2BP2 and YTHDF1 on ZNF677. RCC cells and subcutaneous models uncovered the role of ZNF677 methylated by CRISPR/dCas13b‐METTL3 in tumour growth. ZNF677‐binding sites in the CDKN3 promoter were investigated by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase assays.

Results

ZNF677 is frequently downregulated in RCC tissues and its low expression is associated with unfavourable prognosis and decreased m⁶A modification level. Further, we find the m⁶A‐modified coding sequence (CDS) of ZNF677 positively regulates its translation and mRNA stability via binding with YTHDF1 and IGF2BP2, respectively. Targeted specific methylation of ZNF677 m⁶A by CRISPR/dCas13b‐METLL3 system can significantly increase the m⁶A and expression level of ZNF677, and dramatically inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis of RCC cells. In addition, ZNF677 exerted its tumour suppressor functions in RCC cells through transcriptional repression of CDKN3 via binding to its promoter. In vitro and clinical data confirm the negative roles of ZNF677/CDKN3 in tumour growth and progression of RCC.

Conclusion

ZNF677 functions as a tumour suppressor and is frequently silenced via m⁶A modification in RCC, which may highlight m⁶A methylation‐based approach for RCC diagnosis and therapy.

Epigenetic modifiers identified as regulators of food intake in a unique hypophagic chicken model

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that influences gene transcription; however, the effects of methylation-influencing chemicals on appetite are unknown. We evaluated the effects of single administration of a methyl donor, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM), or methylation inhibitor, 5-Azacytidine (AZA), on immediate and later-age food intake in an anorexic chick model. The doses of intracerebroventricularly-injected SAM were 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 1, and 10 μg, and of AZA were 0 (vehicle), 1, 5, and 25 μg. When injected on day 5 posthatch, there was no effect of SAM on food intake in either fed or fasted chicks, whereas AZA increased food consumption in the fasted state but decreased it in fed chicks. We then performed a single injection (same doses) at hatch and measured food intake on day 5 in response to neuropeptide Y (NPY; 0.2 μg) injection. Irrespective of NPY, chicks injected with 1 μg of SAM ate more than others on day 5. In contrast, chicks injected with AZA (5 and 25 μg doses) consumed less on day 5. In conclusion, we identified DNA methylation-regulating chemicals as regulators of food intake. AZA but not SAM affected food intake in the short-term, feeding state dependently. Later, both chemicals injected on the day of hatch were associated with food intake changes at a later age, suggesting that feeding pathways might be altered through changes in methylation.

Ultrasensitive Label-Free Detection of Protein-Membrane Interaction Exemplified by Toxin-Liposome Insertion

Measuring the high-affinity binding of proteins to liposome membranes remains a challenge. Here, we show an ultrasensitive and direct detection of protein binding to liposome membranes using high throughput second harmonic scattering (SHS). Perfringolysin O (PFO), a pore-forming toxin, with a highly membrane selective insertion into cholesterol-rich membranes is used. PFO inserts only into liposomes with a cholesterol concentration >30%. Twenty mole-percent cholesterol results in neither SHS-signal deviation nor pore formation as seen by cryo-electron microscopy of PFO and liposomes. PFO inserts into cholesterol-rich membranes of large unilamellar vesicles in an aqueous solution with K_d = (1.5 ± 0.2) × 10^-12 M. Our results demonstrate a promising approach to probe protein-membrane interactions below sub-picomolar concentrations in a label-free and noninvasive manner on 3D systems. More importantly, the volume of protein sample is ultrasmall (<10 μL). These findings enable the detection of low-abundance proteins and their interaction with membranes.

[Progress on clinical trials of common gastrointestinal cancer drugs in China from 2012 to 2021]

Objective: Systematically summarize the research progress of clinical trials of gastric cancer oncology drugs and the overview of marketed drugs in China from 2012 to 2021, providing data and decision-making evidence for relevant departments. Methods: Based on the registration database of the drug clinical trial registration and information disclosure platform of Food and Drug Administration of China and the data query system of domestic and imported drugs, the information on gastric cancer drug clinical trials, investigational drugs and marketed drugs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2021 was analyzed, and the differences between Chinese and foreign enterprises in terms of trial scope, trial phase, treatment lines and drug type, effect and mechanism studies were compared. Results: A total of 114 drug clinical trials related to gastric tumor were registered in China from 2012 to 2021, accounting for 3.7% (114/3 041) of all anticancer drug clinical trials in the same period, the registration number showed a significant growth rate after 2016 and reached its peak with 32 trials in 2020. Among them, 85 (74.6%, 85/114) trials were initiated by Chinese pharmaceutical enterprise. Compared with foreign pharmaceutical enterprise, Chinese pharmaceutical enterprise had higher rates of phase I trials (35.3% vs 6.9%, P=0.001), but the rate of international multicenter trials (11.9% vs 67.9%, P<0.001) was relatively low. There were 76 different drugs involved in relevant clinical trials, of which 65 (85.5%) were targeted drugs. For targeted drugs, HER2 is the most common one (14 types), followed by PD-1 and multi-target VEGER. In the past ten years, 3 of 4 marketed drugs for gastric cancer treatment were domestic and included in the national medical insurance directory. Conclusions: From 2012 to 2021, China has made some progress in drug research and development for gastric carcinoma. However, compared with the serious disease burden, it is still insufficient. Targeted strengthening of research and development of investment in many aspects of gastric cancer drugs, such as new target discovery, matured target excavating, combination drug development and early line therapy promotion, is the key work in the future, especially for domestic companies.

CRISPR signal conductor 2.0 for redirecting cellular information flow

A key challenge in designing intelligent artificial gene circuits is generating flexible connections between arbitrary components and directly coupling them with endogenous signaling pathways. The CRISPR signal conductor based on conditionally inducible artificial transcriptional regulators can link classic cellular protein signals with targeted gene expression, but there are still problems with multiple signal processing and gene delivery. With the discovery and characterization of new Cas systems and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) functional motifs, and because of the compatibility of guide RNA with noncoding RNA elements at multiple sites, it is increasingly possible to solve these problems. In this study, we developed CRISPR signal conductor version 2.0 by integrating various lncRNA functional motifs into different parts of the crRNA in the CRISPR-dCasΦ system. This system can directly regulate the expression of target genes by recruiting cellular endogenous transcription factors and efficiently sense a variety of protein signals that are not detected by a classical synthetic system. The new system solved the problems of background leakage and insensitive signaling responses and enabled the construction of logic gates with as many as six input signals, which can be used to specifically target cancer cells. By rewiring endogenous signaling networks, we further demonstrated the effectiveness and biosafety of this system for in vivo cancer gene therapy.

Large Culprit Plaque and More Intracranial Plaques Are Associated with Recurrent Stroke: A Case-Control Study Using Vessel Wall Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intracranial atherosclerotic plaque features are potential factors associated with recurrent stroke, but previous studies only focused on a single lesion, and few studies investigated them with perfusion impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association among whole-brain plaque features, perfusion deficit, and stroke recurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerosis were retrospectively collected and categorized into first-time and recurrent-stroke groups. Patients underwent high-resolution vessel wall imaging and DSC-PWI. Intracranial plaque number, culprit plaque features (such as plaque volume/burden, degree of stenosis, enhancement ratio), and perfusion deficit variables were recorded. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors associated with recurrent stroke.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-five patients (mean age, 59 [SD, 12] years; 115 men) were included. Compared with the first-time stroke group (n = 100), the recurrent-stroke group (n = 75) had a larger culprit volume (P = .006) and showed more intracranial plaques (P < .001) and more enhanced plaques (P = .003). After we adjusted for other factors, culprit plaque volume (OR, 1.16 per 10-mm³ increase; 95% CI, 1.03-1.30; P = .015) and total plaque number (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.13-1.52; P < .001) were independently associated with recurrent stroke. Combining these factors increased the area under the curve to 0.71.

CONCLUSIONS

Large culprit plaque and more intracranial plaques were independently associated with recurrent stroke. Performing whole-brain vessel wall imaging may help identify patients with a higher risk of recurrent stroke.

Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) through infant feeding and early care practices: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Perinatal practices such as breast-feeding, kangaroo mother care, rooming-in, and delayed cord clamping have varied by institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this systematic review was to examine the success of different practices in preventing viral transmission between SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers and their infants.

METHODS

Electronic searches were performed in the Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Studies involving pregnant or breastfeeding patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR were included. Infants tested within 48 hours of birth who had two tests before hospital discharge were included. Infants older than one week with a single test were also included.

RESULTS

Twenty eight studies were included. In the aggregated data, among 190 breastfeeding infants, 22 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (11.5%), while 4 of 152 (2.63%) among bottle-fed (Fisher's exact test p = 0.0006). The positivity rates for roomed in infants (20/103, 19.4%) were significantly higher than those isolated (5/300, 1.67%) (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in positivity rate among infants who received kangaroo care (25%vs 9%, p = 0.2170), or delayed cord clamping (3.62%vs 0.9%, p = 0.1116).

CONCLUSIONS

Lack of robust studies involving large patient population does not allow meaningful conclusions from this systematic review. Aggregated data showed increased positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2 among infants who were breast fed and roomed-in. There were no differences in SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates in infants received skin to skin care or delayed cord clamping.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Defines the Regulation of Spermatogenesis by Sertoli-Cell Androgen Signaling

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is essential for maintaining spermatogenesis and male fertility. However, the molecular mechanisms by which AR acts between male germ cells and somatic cells during spermatogenesis have not begun to be revealed until recently. With the advances obtained from the use of transgenic mice lacking AR in Sertoli cells (SCARKO) and single-cell transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA-seq), the cell specific targets of AR action as well as the genes and signaling pathways that are regulated by AR are being identified. In this study, we collected scRNA-seq data from wild-type (WT) and SCARKO mice testes at p20 and identified four somatic cell populations and two male germ cell populations. Further analysis identified that the distribution of Sertoli cells was completely different and uncovered the cellular heterogeneity and transcriptional changes between WT and SCARKO Sertoli cells. In addition, several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SCARKO Sertoli cells, many of which have been previously implicated in cell cycle, apoptosis and male infertility, have also been identified. Together, our research explores a novel perspective on the changes in the transcription level of various cell types between WT and SCARKO mice testes, providing new insights for the investigations of the molecular and cellular processes regulated by AR signaling in Sertoli cells.

Transcriptome-Wide Map of N6-Methyladenosine Methylome Profiling in Human Bladder Cancer

N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) is the most widespread internal RNA modification in several species. In spite of latest advances in researching the biological roles of m⁶A, its function in the development and progression of bladder cancer remains unclear. In this study, we used MeRIPty -55-seq and RNA-seq methods to obtain a comprehensive transcriptome-wide m⁶A profiling and gene expression pattern in bladder cancer and paired normal adjacent tissues. Our findings showed that there were 2,331 hypomethylated and 3,819 hypermethylated mRNAs, 32 hypomethylated and 105 hypermethylated lncRNAs, and 15 hypomethylated and 238 hypermethylated circRNAs in bladder cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, m⁶A is most often harbored in the coding sequence (CDS), with some near the start and stop codons between two groups. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that differentially methylated mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs were mostly enriched in transcriptional misregulation in cancer and TNF signaling pathway. We also found that different m⁶A methylation levels of gene might regulate its expression. In summary, our results for the first time provide an m⁶A landscape of human bladder cancer, which expand the understanding of m⁶A modifications and uncover the regulation of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs through m⁶A modification in bladder cancer.

AXDND1, a novel testis-enriched gene, is required for spermiogenesis and male fertility

Spermiogenesis is a complex process depending on the sophisticated coordination of a myriad of testis-enriched gene regulations. The regulatory pathways that coordinate this process are not well understood, and we demonstrate here that AXDND1, as a novel testis-enriched gene is essential for spermiogenesis and male fertility. AXDND1 is exclusively expressed in the round and elongating spermatids in humans and mice. We identified two potentially deleterious mutations of AXDND1 unique to non‐obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients through selected exonic sequencing. Importantly, Axdnd1 knockout males are sterile with reduced testis size caused by increased germ cell apoptosis and sloughing, exhibiting phenotypes consistent with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Axdnd1 mutated late spermatids showed head deformation, outer doublet microtubules deficiency in the axoneme, and loss of corresponding accessory structures, including outer dense fiber (ODF) and mitochondria sheath. These phenotypes were probably due to the perturbed behavior of the manchette, a dynamic structure where AXDND1 was localized. Our findings establish AXDND1 as a novel testis-enrich gene essential for spermiogenesis and male fertility probably by regulating the manchette dynamics, spermatid head shaping, sperm flagellum assembly.

Plasma ST6GAL1 regulates IgG sialylation to control IgA nephropathy progression

Background:

Our previous study revealed that plasma levels of a-2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1) were increased in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). ST6GAL1 catalyzes terminal sialylation of IgG to shift the antibody effector function to the anti-inflammatory pattern. However, the role of plasma ST6GAL1 in the progression of IgAN and underlying mechanisms are still unknown.

Methods:

A total of 180 IgAN patients were included. The kidney outcomes were defined as the eGFR decline or proteinuria remission. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were either stimulated with purified sialylated IgG (SA-IgG) or with non-sialylated IgG (NSA-IgG) from IgAN patients to detect the levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in supernatant.

Results:

Compared with the lower ST6GAL1 (reference), the risk of eGFR decline decreased for the higher ST6GAL1 group after adjustment for baseline eGFR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and proteinuria. The results showed that patients with higher ST6GAL1 levels had a higher rate of proteinuria remission. ST6GAL1, expressed as a continuous variable, was a protective factor for eGFR decline and proteinuria remission. An in vitro study showed that the administration of recombinant ST6GAL1 (rST6GAL1) decreased the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in PBMCs. Furthermore, the administration of rST6GAL1 resulted in the enrichment of SA-IgG in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, as compared to control, purified SA-IgG-treated PBMCs showed a significant decrease in the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α.

Conclusion:

Our study indicated that elevated ST6GAL1 was associated with a slower progression of IgAN, which may play a protective effect by increasing IgG sialylation to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines in PBMCs.

Lack of miR-379/miR-544 Cluster Resists High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Prevents Hepatic Triglyceride Accumulation in Mice

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects obesity-associated metabolic syndrome, which exhibits hepatic steatosis, insulin insensitivity and glucose intolerance. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for the metabolic homeostasis of liver tissues. Many hepatic miRNAs located in the miR-379/miR-544 cluster were significantly increased in leptin-receptor-deficient type 2 mice (db/db), a mouse model of diabetes. However, the function of the miR-379/miR-544 cluster in the process of hepatic steatosis remains unclear. Here, we report that the novel function of miR-379/miR-544 cluster in regulating obesity-mediated metabolic dysfunction. Genetical mutation of miR-379/miR-544 cluster in mice displayed resistance to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity with moderate hepatic steatosis and hypertriglyceridemia. In vitro studies revealed that silencing of miR-379 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells ameliorated palmitic acid-induced elevation of cellular triglycerides, and overexpression of miR-379 had the opposite effect. Moreover, Igf1r (Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor) and Dlk1 (Delta-like homolog 1) were directly targeted by miR-379 and miR-329, respectively, and elevated in the livers of the miR-379/miR-544 cluster knockout mice fed on HFD. Further transcriptome analyses revealed that the hepatic gene expressions are dysregulated in miR-379/miR-544 knockout mice fed with HFD. Collectively, our findings identify the miR-379/miR-544 cluster as integral components of a regulatory circuit that functions under conditions of metabolic stress to control hepatic steatosis. Thus, this miRNA cluster provides potential targets for pharmacologic intervention in obesity and NAFLD.

Daratumumab provides a survival benefit in relapsed and refractory Multiple Myeloma, independent of baseline clinical characteristics: A meta-analysis

Daratumumab was approved in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM) who previously received proteasome inhibitors or immunomodulatory drugs. However, the efficacy and safety of the addition of daratumumab in subpopulations of patients with relapsed or refractory MM is still unknown. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (inception to September 2020). All phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which were conducted in patients with relapsed or refractory MM and compared the efficacy or safety with the addition of daratumumab versus control were adopted. Three studies including 1497 patients met our criteria. The addition of daratumumab increased the rates of overall response (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.15-1.28, p < .001), complete response or better (RR 2.43, 95% CI 2.00-2.96, p < .001), very good partial response or better (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.48-1.80, p < .001) compared with those with control. No clear evidence of heterogeneity was found in comparisons of progression-free survival obtained from subsets of studies grouped by the age of participant, ISS disease stage, type of measurable MM, the level of baseline renal function, cytogenetic profile. The results showed progression-free survival benefit was consistent between the treatment groups regarding previous clinical therapy information. Patients receiving daratumumab had higher risks of lymphopenia and infusion-related reactions of any grade and grade 3 or 4. In conclusions, this study provides a clear proof of beneficial effects of daratumumab-based therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory MM with an acceptable safety profile. The progression-free survival benefit was consistent regardless of patient's baseline characteristics or previous therapy agents.

Toxicity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs): A review

Gold nanoparticles are a kind of nanomaterials that have received great interest in field of biomedicine due to their electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical and optical properties. With these great potentials came the consequence of their interaction with biological tissues and molecules which presents the possibility of toxicity. This paper aims to consolidate and bring forward the studies performed that evaluate the toxicological aspect of AuNPs which were categorized into in vivo and in vitro studies. Both indicate to some extent oxidative damage to tissues and cell lines used in vivo and in vitro respectively with the liver, spleen and kidney most affected. The outcome of these review showed small controversy but however, the primary toxicity and its extent is collectively determined by the characteristics, preparations and physicochemical properties of the NPs. Some studies have shown that AuNPs are not toxic, though many other studies contradict this statement. In order to have a holistic inference, more studies are required that will focus on characterization of NPs and changes of physical properties before and after treatment with biological media. So also, they should incorporate controlled experiment which includes supernatant control Since most studies dwell on citrate or CTAB-capped AuNPs, there is the need to evaluate the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of functionalized AuNPs with their surface composition which in turn affects their toxicity. Functionalizing the NPs surface with more peculiar ligands would however help regulate and detoxify the uptake of these NPs.

End-Group Modifications with Bromine and Methyl in Nonfullerene Acceptors: The Effect of Isomerism

The development of isomeric molecules has been widely exploited in molecular structures associated with organic solar cells (OSC) and is an effective pathway to finely tune the photoelectric properties and device performance. The molecular properties of nonfullerene acceptors and the morphology of blend films can be effectively controlled by manipulating isomeric substituent positions on benzene-fused end-capping groups (EG) in acceptors. Here, three isomeric EGs were designed and synthesized which simultaneously possess an electron-withdrawing bromine and an electron-donating methyl substituent. By linking three isomeric EGs, (Br,Me), (Br,Me)-1, and (Br,Me)-2 each with the BTP-CHO core, three isomeric small-molecule acceptors (SMA) were obtained. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PM6:BTP-(Br,Me)-1-based OSCs is 13.43%, is much higher than that of PM6:BTP-(Br,Me)- (11.92%) and PM6:BTP-(Br,Me)-2- (11.08%) based devices. Our results show that isomeric EGs can provide strategies to tune the absorption spectra of SMAs, intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and electron mobility of organic semiconductor device, and ultimately increase the performance of nonfullerene acceptors.