Application of high intensity focused ultrasound combined with nanomaterials in anti-tumor therapy

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has demonstrated its safety, efficacy and noninvasiveness in the ablation of solid tumor. However, its further application is limited by its inherent deficiencies, such as postoperative recurrence caused by incomplete ablation and excessive intensity affecting surrounding healthy tissues. Recent research has indicated that the integration of nanomaterials with HIFU exhibits a promising synergistic effect in tumor ablation. The concurrent utilization of nanomaterials with HIFU can help overcome the limitations of HIFU by improving targeting and ablation efficiency, expanding operation area, increasing operation accuracy, enhancing stability and bio-safety during the process. It also provides a platform for multi-therapy and multi-mode imaging guidance. The present review comprehensively expounds upon the synergistic mechanism between nanomaterials and HIFU, summarizes the research progress of nanomaterials as cavitation nuclei and drug carriers in combination with HIFU for tumor ablation. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential for further exploration in the development of novel nanomaterials that enhance the synergistic effect with HIFU on tumor ablation.

Microwave ablation combined with PD-L1 blockade synergistically promotes Cxcl9-mediated antitumor immunity

Although microwave ablation (MWA) is an important curative therapy in colorectal cancer liver metastasis, recurrence still occurs clinically. Our previous studies have shown that the expression of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is upregulated following MWA, suggesting that MWA combined with anti-PD-L1 treatment can serve as a promising clinical therapeutic strategy against cancer. Using MWA-treated preclinical mice models, MWA combined with αPD-L1 treatment decreased tumor growth and prolonged overall survival (OS). Furthermore, through flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, we determined that the MWA plus αPD-L1 therapy significantly suppressed CD8+ T cell exhaustion and enhanced their effector function. A significant increase in γ-interferon (IFN-γ) stimulated transcription factors, specifically Irf8, was observed. This enhancement facilitated the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM1s and TAM2s) through the nuclear factor-κB/JAK-STAT1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, the combination therapy stimulated the production of CXC motif chemokine ligand (CXCL9) by TAM1s and tumor cells, potentially increasing the chemotaxis of CD8 T cells and Th1 cells. Knocking out Cxcl9 in MC38 tumor cells or using CXCL9 blockade enhanced tumor growth of untreated tumors and shortened OS. Taken together, our study showed that blocking the IFN-γ-Cxcl9-CD8+ T axis promoted tumor progression and discovered a potential involvement of IRF8-regulated TAMs in preventing T cell exhaustion. Collectively, we identified that the combination of MWA with anti-PD-L1 treatment holds promise as a therapeutic strategy to rejuvenate the immune response against tumors. This merits further exploration in clinical studies.

Glutathione Depletion-Induced Versatile Nanomedicine for Potentiating the Ferroptosis to Overcome Solid Tumor Radioresistance and Enhance Immunotherapy

A high level of reduced glutathione is a major factor contributing to the radioresistance observed in solid tumors. To address this radioresistance associated with glutathione, a cinnamaldehyde (CA) polymer prodrug, referred to as PDPCA, is fabricated. This prodrug is created by synthesizing a pendent CA prodrug with acetal linkages in a hydrophobic block, forming a self-assembled into a core-shell nanoparticle in aqueous media. Additionally, it encapsulates all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for synchronous delivery, resulting in PDPCA@ATRA. The PDPCA@ATRA nanoparticles accumulate reactive oxygen species through both endogenous and exogenous pathways, enhancing ferroptosis by depleting glutathione. This approach demonstrates efficacy in overcoming tumor radioresistance in vivo and in vitro, promoting the ferroptosis, and enhancing the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response for lung tumors to anti-PD-1 (αPD-1) immunotherapy. Furthermore, this study reveals that PDPCA@ATRA nanoparticles promote ferroptosis through the NRF2-GPX4 signaling pathway, suggesting the potential for further investigation into the combination of radiotherapy and αPD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment.

Exploring the Role of Inulin in Targeting the Gut Microbiota: An Innovative Strategy for Alleviating Colonic Fibrosis Induced By Irradiation

The use of radiation therapy to treat pelvic and abdominal cancers can lead to the development of either acute or chronic radiation enteropathy. Radiation-induced chronic colonic fibrosis is a common gastrointestinal disorder resulting from the above radiation therapy. In this study, we establish the efficacy of inulin supplements in safeguarding against colonic fibrosis caused by irradiation therapy. Studies have demonstrated that inulin supplements enhance the proliferation of bacteria responsible to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and elevate the levels of SCFAs in feces. In a mouse model of chronic radiation enteropathy, the transplantation of gut microbiota and its metabolites from feces of inulin-treated mice were found to reduce colonic fibrosis in validation experiments. Administering inulin-derived metabolites from gut microbiota led to a notable decrease in the expression of genes linked to fibrosis and collagen production in mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line NIH/3T3. In the cell line, inulin-derived metabolites also suppressed the expression of genes linked to the extracellular matrix synthesis pathway. The results indicate a novel and practical approach to safeguarding against chronic radiation-induced colonic fibrosis.

[Incidence of diabetes and influencing factors in HIV-infected individuals after antiretroviral therapy in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture]

Objective: To understand the incidence of diabetes and influencing factors, the trend of FPG change and risk for mortality in HIV-infected individuals after antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture (Dehong). Methods: The HIV/AIDS treatment database was collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in HIV-infected individuals with access to ART in Dehong during 2004-2020.The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the incidence density of diabetes, the influencing factors and risk for mortality in HIV-infected individuals with access to ART, mixed linear effects model was used to analyze the trend of FPG change and predict FPG in those with different glucose metabolic status at baseline survey. Statistical analysis was performed using software SAS 9.4. Results: A total of 8 763 HIV-infected individuals were included, in whom 8 432 (96.2%) had no diabetes, 331 had diabetes. The incidence density of diabetes was 2.31/1 000 person years. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that 30- 59 years old, BMI ≥24.0 kg/m2, Efavirenz (EFV) based initial treatment regimen and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at baseline survey were significantly and positively associated with incidence of diabetes. Mixed effect model revealed that FPG was positively correlated with the duration of ART, age and baseline FPG. Suffering from diabetes was a risk factor for mortality in HIV-infected individuals both at baseline survey and during follow-up. Conclusions: The risk for diabetes increased in HIV-infected individuals who were 30-59 years old, baseline BMI ≥24.0 kg/m2, received EFV based initial treatment, and IFG in HIV-infected individuals after antiretroviral therapy in Dehong, 2004-2020. It is important to pay close attention to their blood glucose, and patients with high blood glucose should receive treatment as early as possible.

Predicting verbal and performance intelligence quotients from multimodal data in individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Despite the importance of understanding how intelligence is ingrained in the function and structure of the brain in some neurological disorders, the alterations of intelligence-associated neurological factors in atypical neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are limited. Therefore, we aimed to explore the relationship between the brain functional and morphological characteristics and the intellectual performance of 139 patients with ADHD. Resting-state functional and T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and intellectual-performance data of the patients were collected. The MRI data were preprocessed to extract four indicators characterizing the participants' brain features: fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, regional homogeneity, and gray and white matter volumes. Then, we used a two-layer feature-selection method with support vector regression models based on three kernel functions to predict the verbal and performance intelligent quotients of the patients, along with ten fold cross-validation to evaluate the models' predictive performance. All models showed good performance; the correlation coefficients between the predicted and observed values for each predictive phenotypic variable were >0.41, with statistical significance. The brain features that could best predict the intellectual performance of the patients were concentrated in the superior and inferior frontal gyrus of the prefrontal areas, the angular gyrus and precuneus of the parietal lobe, the inferior and middle temporal gyrus of the temporal lobe, and part of the cerebellar regions. Thus, the voxel-based brain-feature indicators could adequately predict the intellectual performance of patients with ADHD, providing a foundation for future neuroimaging studies of this disorder.

Contribution of immune cells in synergistic anti-tumor effect of ablation and immunotherapy

Thermal ablation results in the damage of tumor tissue, which leads to localized necrosis and incites a significant inflammatory response, accompanied by the infiltration of numerous immune cells. Nevertheless, depending solely on the singular approach of thermal ablation frequently is difficult in eliciting a robust anti-tumor response. Research suggests that integrating immune modulators into conventional ablation techniques has the potential to enhance the elicited immune response, finally initiating synergistic effect without significantly elevated risk profiles. This article comprehensively analyses the immunological effects resulting from post-ablation alone and its synergy with immunotherapies, and accentuates the heterogeneous alterations noted in immune cells across distinct malignancies. Collectively, the article delves into the theoretical framework and advancements in clinical trials concerning the combined thermal ablation and immunotherapy for treating malignant tumors.

Small extracellular vesicles from irradiated lung epithelial cells promote the activation of fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Alveolar epithelial injury and dysfunction are the risk factors for radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF). However, it is not clear about the relationship between RIPF and the small extracellular vesicles (sEV) secreted by irradiated alveolar epithelial cells. Based on the activation of fibroblasts, this study explored the role of sEV derived from alveolar epithelial cells in RIPF and the potential mechanisms.

METHODS

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and western blotting were used to characterize sEV. Western blotting was used to detect fibrosis-associated proteins. Cell counts and transwell assays were used to evaluate the proliferation and migration ability of fibroblasts. RT-PCR was used to observe the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesized by fibroblasts, miRNA changes in the sEV were determined by second-generation sequencing.

RESULTS

TEM, NTA, and western blotting showed the extracellular vesicles with a double-layer membrane structure of approximately 100 nm in diameter. The sEV derived from irradiated A549, HBEC3-KT, and MLE12 cells upregulated FN1 and alpha-SMA proteins expression in fibroblasts and drove the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition, and the sEV from irradiated mouse bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) affirmed the same results. In addition, the sEV derived from irradiated alveolar epithelial cells significantly increased the migration ability of fibroblasts and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins such as FN1. The results of miRNA sequencing of sEV in BALF of rats with RIPF showed that the metabolic pathway may be important for miRNA to regulate the activation of fibroblasts.

CONCLUSION

The sEV derived from radiated pulmonary epithelial cells promote the activation, migration and extracellular matrix proteins expression of lung fibroblasts; miRNA in sEV may be an important molecular that affects the activation of lung fibroblasts.

[Prevalence of frailty and related factors in middle-aged and elderly people in island and mountainous areas of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province]

Objective: To compare the prevalence of frailty and related factors in middle-aged and elderly people aged ≥45 years in island and mountainous areas of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. Methods: Based on cross-sectional design, stratified cluster sampling and quota sampling methods were adopted. One administrative district was randomly selected from each of six coastal and three inland administrative districts in Taizhou during July to August, representing two different geographical terrains. In the island area (Jiaojiang District), all residents aged ≥45 years were included by cluster sampling. In the mountainous area (Xianju County), participants were selected through quota sampling, with same gender and age distributions. Data about their demographic characteristics, lifestyle and health-related factors were collected through questionnaire surveys and laboratory examinations. The prevalence of frailty was assessed using the Fried frailty phenotype scale. Hierarchical analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to compare the influencing factors of frailty. Results: A total of 1 011 local residents were studied, in whom island and mountainous residents accounted for 48.1% (486/1 011) and 51.9% (525/1 011) respectively; men and women accounted for 45.9% (464/1 011) and 54.1% (547/1 011) respectively. Middle-aged (45-49 years), younger elderly (60-74 years), and older elderly (≥75 years) residents accounted for 38.6% (390/1 011), 44.6% (451/1 011), and 16.8% (170/1 011) respectively. The overall prevalence rate of frailty was 3.6% (36/1 011), the prevalence rate was 3.7% (17/464) in men and 3.5% (19/547) in women. The prevalence rates in age groups 45-59,60-74 years and ≥75 years were 0.3% (1/390), 2.2% (10/451), and 14.7% (25/170), respectively. The prevalence rates of frailty and pre-frailty in island area were 6.0% (29/486) and 39.1% (190/486), respectively, which was higher than those in mountainous area (1.3%, 7/525) and (30.9%, 162/525). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the risk for frailty in island residents was significantly higher than that in mountainous residents (aOR=1.55,95%CI: 1.07-2.25,P=0.019). In island area, older age (60-74 years:aOR=2.52,95%CI: 1.56-4.13; ≥75 years:aOR=11.65,95%CI:5.38-26.70), being women (aOR=1.94,95%CI: 1.20-3.17), suffering from depression (aOR=1.09,95%CI:1.02-1.17) were associated with frailty symptoms. In mountainous area, older age was also associated with an increased risk of frailty symptoms, but the OR value was lower than those in island area (60-74 years: aOR=1.74,95%CI:1.04-2.94;≥75 years: aOR=4.78,95%CI:2.45-9.50). Polydrug use (aOR=2.08,95%CI: 1.14-3.80) and suffering from depression (aOR=1.10,95%CI: 1.02-1.18) had significant positive association with frailty symptoms. Higher education level had significant negative association with frailty symptoms (junior high school: aOR=0.40,95%CI: 0.21-0.75; senior high school and technical secondary school: aOR=0.29,95%CI: 0.15-0.53; college or above:aOR=0.22,95%CI: 0.11-0.42). Conclusions: The prevalence of frailty in middle-aged and elderly community residents was significantly higher in island area than in mountainous area in Taizhou. The frailty-related factors varied with area. The elderly people (≥75 years) and women in island area had higher risk for frailty. Older age and suffering from depression were the independent risk factors for frailty. It is necessary to pay attention to the health risk factors and special environment in island area, and take comprehensive intervention measures to delay the process of debilitation and improve the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people.

NRF2 promotes radiation resistance by cooperating with TOPBP1 to activate the ATR-CHK1 signaling pathway

Background: Radiation resistance is the main limitation of the application of radiotherapy. Ionizing radiation (IR) kills cancer cells mainly by causing DNA damage, particularly double-strand breaks (DSBs). Radioresistant cancer cells have developed the robust capability of DNA damage repair to survive IR. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) has been correlated with radiation resistance. We previously reported a novel function of NRF2 as an ATR activator in response to DSBs. However, little is known about the mechanism that how NRF2 regulates DNA damage repair and radiation resistance. Methods: The TCGA database and tissue microarray were used to analyze the correlation between NRF2 and the prognosis of lung cancer patients. The radioresistant lung cancer cells were constructed, and the role of NRF2 in radiation resistance was explored by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and extraction of chromatin fractions were used to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results: In this study, the TCGA database and clinical lung cancer samples showed that high expression of NRF2 was associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients. We established radioresistant lung cancer cells expressing NRF2 at high levels, which showed increased antioxidant and DNA repair abilities. In addition, we found that NRF2 can be involved in the DNA damage response independently of its antioxidant function. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that NRF2 promoted the phosphorylation of replication protein A 32 (RPA32), and DNA topoisomerase 2-binding protein 1 (TOPBP1) was recruited to DSB sites in an NRF2-dependent manner. Conclusion: This study explored the novel role of NRF2 in promoting radiation resistance by cooperating with RPA32 and TOPBP1 to activate the ATR-CHK1 signaling pathway. In addition, the findings of this study not only provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the radiation resistance of lung cancer cells but also validate NRF2 as a potential target for radiotherapy.

[Sexual health among older adults]

As human life expectancy increases, the population aging crisis is spreading worldwide. Sexual health is integral to the overall health of older adults. The 50-60-year-old age group is in a transitional phase of physiological changes (e.g., women going through menopause) and social changes (e.g., changes in work status and social identity). Individuals aged 60 years and above still have sexual desires. However, there is relatively little research on sexual health in this age group. In this context, this paper delves into topics related to sexual health among those aged 50 years and above, aiming to understand the evolution and influencing factors of sexual health in this population during various stages of aging. This information can be used to formulate relevant policies and promote the overall health of this population.

The association and application of sonodynamic therapy and autophagy in diseases

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a new non-invasive treatment method proposed based on photodynamic therapy (PDT). It has advantages such as high precision, strong tissue penetration, minimal side effects, and good patient compliance. With the maturation of nanomedicine, the application of nanosonosensitizers has further propelled the development of SDT. In recent years, people have developed many new types of sonosensitizers and explored the mechanisms of SDT. Among them, the studies about the relationship between autophagy and SDT have attracted increasing attention. After the SDT, cells usually undergo autophagy as a self-protective mechanism to resist external stimuli and reduce cell damage, which is beneficial for the treatment of atherosclerosis (AS), diabetes, and myocardial infarction but counterproductive in cancer treatment. However, under certain treatment conditions, excessive upregulation of autophagy can also promote cell death, which is beneficial for cancer treatment. This article reviews the latest research progress on the relationship between SDT and autophagy in cancers, AS, diabetes, and myocardial infarction. We also discuss and propose the challenges and prospects in enhancing SDT efficacy by regulating autophagy, with the hope of promoting the development of this promising therapeutic approach.

RMI1 facilitates repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage and maintenance of genomic stability

Ionizing radiation (IR) causes a wide variety of DNA lesions, of which DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) are the most deleterious. Homologous recombination (HR) is a crucial route responsible for repairing DSBs. RecQ-mediated genome instability protein 1 (RMI1) is a member of an evolutionarily conserved Bloom syndrome complex, which prevents and resolves aberrant recombination products during HR, thereby promoting genome stability. However, little is known about the role of RMI1 in regulating the cellular response to IR. This study aimed to understand the cellular functions and molecular mechanisms by which RMI1 maintains genomic stability after IR exposure. Here, we showed IR upregulated the RMI1 protein level and induced RMI1 relocation to the DNA damage sites. We also demonstrated that the loss of RMI1 in cells resulted in enhanced levels of DNA damage, sustained cell cycle arrest, and impaired HR repair after IR, leading to reduced cell viability and elevated genome instability. Taken together, our results highlighted the direct roles of RMI1 in response to DNA damage induced by IR and implied that RMI1 might be a new genome safeguard molecule to radiation-induced damage.

Association of low-dose ionising radiation with site-specific solid cancers: Chinese medical X-ray workers cohort study, 1950-1995

BACKGROUND

The dose-response relationship between cancers and protracted low-dose rate exposure to ionising radiation is still uncertain. This study aims to estimate quantified relationships between low-dose radiation exposures and site-specific solid cancers among Chinese medical X-ray workers.

METHODS

This cohort study included 27 011 individuals who were employed at major hospitals in 24 provinces in China from 1950 to 1980 and had been exposed to X-ray equipment, and a control group of 25 782 physicians who were not exposed to X-ray equipment. Person-years of follow-up were calculated from the year of employment to the date of the first diagnosis of cancer or the end of follow-up, whichever occurred first. All cancers were obtained from medical records during 1950-1995. This study used Poisson regression models to estimate the excess relative risk (ERR) and excess absolute risk (EAR) for incidence of site-specific solid cancers associated with cumulative dose.

RESULTS

1643 solid cancers were developed, the most common being lung, liver and stomach cancer. Among X-ray workers, the average cumulative colon dose was 0.084 Gy. We found a positive relationship between cumulative organ-specific dose and liver (ERR/Gy=1.48; 95% CI 0.40 to 2.83), oesophagus (ERR/Gy=18.1; 95% CI 6.25 to 39.1), thyroid (ERR/Gy=2.96; 95% CI 0.44 to 8.18) and non-melanoma skin cancers (ERR/Gy=7.96; 95% CI 2.13 to 23.12). We found no significant relationship between cumulative organ-specific doses and other cancers. Moreover, the results showed a statistically significant EAR for liver, stomach, breast cancer (female), thyroid and non-melanoma skin cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provided more useful insights into the risks of site-specific cancers from protracted low-dose rate exposure to ionising radiation.

Pectic oligosaccharides ameliorate high-fat diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis in association with modulating gut microbiota in mice

Accumulating evidence has shown that gut microbiota and its metabolites have important significance in the etiology of obesity and related disorders. Prebiotics prevent and alleviate obesity by modulating the gut microbiota. However, how pectin oligosaccharides (POS) derived from pectin degradation affect gut microbiota and obesity remains unclear. To investigate the potential anti-obesity effects of POS, mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks and a POS supplement with drinking water during the last 8 weeks. The outcomes demonstrated that POS supplementation in HFD-fed mice decreased body weight (P < 0.01), improved glucose tolerance (P < 0.001), reduced fat accumulation (P < 0.0001) and hepatic steatosis, protected intestinal barrier, and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. After fecal metagenomic sequencing, the POS corrected the gut microbiota dysbiosis caused by the HFD, as shown by the increased populations of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus taiwanensis, and Bifidobacterium animalis, and decreased populations of Alistipes and Erysipelatoclostridium, which were previously considered harmful bacteria. Notably, the changed gut microbiota was associated with the obesity prevention of POS. These findings demonstrate that POS regulates particular gut microbiota, which is essential owing to its ability to prevent disorders associated with obesity.

In-situ constructing amidoxime groups on metal-free g-C3N4 to enhance chemisorption, light absorption, and carrier separation for efficient photo-assisted uranium(VI) extraction

The development of inexpensive and efficient semiconductor catalysts for photo-assisted uranium extraction from seawater remains a huge challenge. Herein, we have successfully synthesized amidoxime-rich g-C3N4 (AO-C3N4) by simply amidoximing a cyano-rich precursor for photo-assisted uranium extraction from seawater. The amidoxime groups not only served as the U(VI) binding sites for efficient uranium adsorption, but also significantly improved the visible light absorption capacity and carrier separation efficiency via introducing defect energy level, resulting in the excellent photocatalytic activity for AO-C3N4 towards photo-assisted uranium extraction. In the process of photo-assisted uranium extraction, U(VI) was first adsorbed by the amidoxime groups on the AO-C3N4 and then reduced to U(IV), while (UO2)O2·2H2O and (UO2)O2·4H2O were further formed by the oxidation of U(IV) by superoxide radicals (·O2-). Moreover, the generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light endowed AO-C3N4 with outstanding antibacterial properties, preventing the limitation of uranium extraction capacity from marine biofouling.

Simple and Efficient Hydrogen Bond-Assisted Unit Exchange for Constructing Highly Soluble Covalent Organic Frameworks

The majority of COFs synthesized using current methods exist as insoluble powders, which is unfavorable for processing and molding and greatly limits their practical applications. The syntheses of solution-processable or soluble COFs are challenging but hold immense promise and potential. Herein, for the first time, we have developed a simple and high-efficiency solvothermal-treated unit exchange approach to convert insoluble COF powders into smaller, highly soluble COFs via a hydrogen bond-assisted strategy. Due to the enhanced backbone-solvent hydrogen-bonding interactions between COFs and protic solvents and the effect of grain size reduction, the COFs after unit exchange can be easily dissolved in various protic solvents while remaining as insoluble powders in nonprotic solvents. The obtained soluble COFs exhibit remarkable fluorescence quenching upon detection of iodine in aqueous solution, with a detection limit as low as 75 nM, and can be fabricated into membranes for the efficient treatment of iodine-contaminated solutions.

[Analysis on death causes of HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, 1998-2022]

Objective: To understand the incidence and causes of HIV/AIDS death patients in Taizhou from 1998 to 2022. Methods: The data were collected from the AIDS Integrated Prevention and Control Information System of China Information System for Diseases Control and Prevention and Taizhou Chronic Disease Information Management System. By the end of 2022, a total of 5 126 HIV/AIDS patients living in Taizhou for a long time were included, SAS 9.4 was used for Kruskal-Wallis test, χ2 test and trend analysis. Results: From 1998 to 2022, a total of 796 HIV/AIDS patients died, with a fatality rate of 15.53% (796/5 126), in whom 52.26% (416/796) died within one year after confirmation. The proportion of HIV/AIDS patients who died within one year decreased (trend χ2=5.60, P<0.001). For the constituent of death causes, there were 140 (17.59%) deaths of AIDS, 237 (29.77%) deaths of malignant tumors, 99 (12.44%) deaths of cardiovascular disease, 58 (7.29%) deaths caused by injuries, 160 (20.10%) deaths due to other causes, and 102 (12.81%) deaths due to unknown causes. The constituent ratio of deaths of malignant tumor, cardiovascular disease and other causes increased over time (trend χ2=1.92, P=0.028; trend χ2=2.81, P=0.003; trend χ2=2.07, P=0.020). There were differences in the distribution of death causes in HIV/AIDS cases in terms of age, occupation, marital status, ethnic group, educational level and mode of transmission (all P<0.05). The average age of the death cases due to cardiovascular disease was higher than other death cases, the cases who died from AIDS had shorter survival time and the lower initial CD4+T cells after confirmation compared with all other death cases, and the time interval from confirmation to treatment in HIV/AIDS patients with unknown death causes was longer than those of all other death cases (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The constituent ratio of non-AIDS related deaths in HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou was relatively high and showed an upward trend during 1998-2022. It is necessary to further strengthen the early screening, prevention and treatment of chronic non infectious diseases.

The function of human milk oligosaccharides and their substitute oligosaccharides as probiotics in gut inflammation

Gut inflammation seriously affects the healthy life of patients, and has a trend of increasing incidence rate. However, the current methods for treating gut inflammation are limited to surgery and drugs, which can cause irreversible damage to patients, especially infants. As natural oligosaccharides in human breast milk, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) function as probiotics in treating and preventing gut inflammation: improving the abundance of the gut microbiota, increasing the gut barrier function, and reducing the gut inflammatory reaction. Meanwhile, due to the complexity and high cost of their synthesis, people are searching for functional oligosaccharides that can replace HMOs as a food additive in infants milk powder and adjuvant therapy for chronic inflammation. The purpose of this review is to summarize the therapeutic and preventive effects of HMOs and their substitute functional oligosaccharides as probiotics in gut inflammation, and to summarize the prospect of their application in infant breast milk replacement in the future.

Influence of e-waste exposure on DNA damage and DNA methylation in people living near recycling sites

The association between long-term exposure to e-waste and poor health is well established, but how e-waste exposure affects DNA methylation is understudied. In this study, we measured the DNA damage levels and the alternation of DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from a population exposed to e-waste. The concentration of 28 PCB congeners in the blood samples of e-waste recycling workers was elevated than those of the reference group. DNA damage levels were significantly higher than that of samples from the reference group by detecting the SCGE, CA, and CBMN assays. Eventually, we found that the methylation level of 1233 gene loci was changed in the exposure group. Bioinformatic analysis of differential genes revealed that the hypermethylated genes were enriched in cell component movement and regulation of cell function, and hypomethylated genes were involved in the cellular metabolic process. Among the 30 genes we tested, 14 genes showed a negative correlation between methylation level and expression level. Therefore, e-waste exposure potentially increased the levels of DNA damage and alters DNA methylation, which would likely impact human health.

[Association between metabolism-related chronic disease combination and prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in community residents in Shanghai]

Objective: To explore the combination of metabolism-related chronic diseases associated with the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in community residents in Shanghai. Methods: The baseline data of Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank were used to understand the prevalence of five metabolism-related chronic diseases, including obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, gout and diabetes, based on questionnaire survey, physical examination and blood biochemical detection. NAFLD was diagnosed by B-ultrasound detection and questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the association of 31 metabolism-related chronic diseases combinations with the prevalence of NAFLD. Results: The median age (Q1, Q3) of 65 477 subjects was 60 (51, 66) years, and men accounted for 40.6%. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 38.2%, and the prevalence of HAFLD in patients without any of the five metabolism-related chronic diseases was 12.0%. The chronic disease combination with the strongest association with NAFLD was obesity + hypertension + hyperlipidemia + gout + diabetes in the total population (OR=37.94, 95%CI: 31.02-46.41), in women (OR=36.99, 95%CI: 28.78-47.54) and in age group ≥60 years (OR=36.19, 95%CI: 28.25-46.36). The chronic disease combination with the strongest association with NAFLD was obesity + hyperlipidemia + gout + diabetes in men (OR=50.70, 95%CI: 24.62-104.40) and in age group <60 years (OR=49.58, 95%CI: 24.22-101.47). Conclusions: The prevalence of NAFLD in community residents in Shanghai was high. Attention needs to be paid to health of obese people and weight loss should be promoted for them. Community health education should be strengthened for patients complicated with gout, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension and it is necessary to correct abnormal serum uric acid, blood sugar, blood lipids and blood pressure in a timely manner to reduce the risk of NAFLD.

Polysaccharides from Paecilomyces hepiali Prevent Acute Colitis in Association with Modulating Gut Microbiota and Treg/Th17 Immune Balance in Mice

Cordyceps exopolysaccharide (CEP) has shown emerging potential in adjustment of gut microbiota and immune cell function. In this study, a water-soluble CEP with a molecular weight of 58.14 kDa was extracted from the fermentation broth of Paecilomyces hepiali, an endophytic fungus of Cordyceps sinensis. Our results indicated that Paecilomyces hepiali polysaccharide (PHP) showed significantly preventive potential on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, which can prevent colon shortening, reduce intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) destruction, suppress inflammatory cell infiltration, and regulate the balance between regulatory T (Treg) cells and T helper type 17 (Th17) cells. Meanwhile, the disturbed gut microbiota was partially restored after PHP treatment. Further Pearson correlation coefficient analyses exhibited that the alteration of the gut microbiota was significantly related to adjustment of the IEC barrier and Treg/Th17 balance. In conclusion, all findings proposed that purified PHP has the potential to develop into a promising agent for colitis prevention and adjuvant therapy via maintaining intestinal homeostasis of gut microbiota and immune system.

Kremen2 drives the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by preventing SOCS3-mediated degradation of EGFR

BACKGROUND

The transmembrane receptor Kremen2 has been reported to participate in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of gastric cancer. However, the role of Kremen2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the biological function and regulatory mechanism of Kremen2 in NSCLC.

METHODS

The correlation between Kremen2 expression and NSCLC was assessed by analyzing the public database and clinical tissue samples. Colony formation and EdU assays were performed to examine cell proliferation. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to observe cell migration ability. Tumor-bearing nude mice and metastatic tumor models were used to detect the in vivo tumorigenic and metastatic abilities of the NSCLC cells. An immunohistochemical assay was used to detect the expression of proliferation-related proteins in tissues. Western blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence were conducted to elucidate the Kremen2 regulatory mechanisms in NSCLC.

RESULTS

Kremen2 was highly expressed in tumor tissues from NSCLC patients and was positively correlated with a poor patient prognosis. Knockout or knockdown of Kremen2 inhibited cell proliferation and migration ability of NSCLC cells. In vivo knockdown of Kremen2 inhibited the tumorigenicity and number of metastatic nodules of NSCLC cells in nude mice. Mechanistically, Kremen2 interacted with suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) to maintain the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein levels by preventing SOCS3-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of EGFR, which, in turn, promoted activation of the PI3K-AKT and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified Kremen2 as a candidate oncogene in NSCLC and may provide a potential target for NSCLC treatment.

Co-delivery of doxorubicin and hydroxychloroquine via chitosan/alginate nanoparticles for blocking autophagy and enhancing chemotherapy in breast cancer therapy

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women worldwide, and the standard treatment is chemotherapy or radiotherapy after surgery. In order to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, various nanoparticles (NPs) have been discovered and synthesized, which has become a promising treatment for BC. In this study, a co-delivery nanodelivery drug system (Co-NDDS) was designed and synthesized with 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) coated Fe₃O₄ NPs as core encapsulated into chitosan/alginate nanoparticles (CANPs) shell, doxorubicin (DOX) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as loading drugs. Smaller NPs carrying DOX (FeAC-DOX NPs) were loaded into larger NPs containing HCQ (FeAC-DOX@PC-HCQ NPs) by ionic gelation and emulsifying solvent volatilization methods. The physicochemical properties of this Co-NDDS were characterised, followed by in vitro studies of the anticancer effects and mechanisms using two different BC cell lines, MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells. The results indicated that the Co-NDDS showcases exemplary physicochemical qualities and encapsulation capacity, facilitating accurate intracellular release through pH-sensitive attributes. Importantly, NPs can significantly increase the in vitro cytotoxicity of co-administered drugs and effectively inhibit the autophagy level of tumour cells. The Co-NDDS constructed in this study provides a promising strategy for the treatment of BC.

The moonlighting function of glycolytic enzyme enolase-1 promotes choline phospholipid metabolism and tumor cell proliferation

Aberrantly upregulated choline phospholipid metabolism is a novel emerging hallmark of cancer, and choline kinase α (CHKα), a key enzyme for phosphatidylcholine production, is overexpressed in many types of human cancer through undefined mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that the expression levels of the glycolytic enzyme enolase-1 (ENO1) are positively correlated with CHKα expression levels in human glioblastoma specimens and that ENO1 tightly governs CHKα expression via posttranslational regulation. Mechanistically, we reveal that both ENO1 and the ubiquitin E3 ligase TRIM25 are associated with CHKα. Highly expressed ENO1 in tumor cells binds to I199/F200 of CHKα, thereby abrogating the interaction between CHKα and TRIM25. This abrogation leads to the inhibition of TRIM25-mediated polyubiquitylation of CHKα at K195, increased stability of CHKα, enhanced choline metabolism in glioblastoma cells, and accelerated brain tumor growth. In addition, the expression levels of both ENO1 and CHKα are associated with poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. These findings highlight a critical moonlighting function of ENO1 in choline phospholipid metabolism and provide unprecedented insight into the integrated regulation of cancer metabolism by crosstalk between glycolytic and lipidic enzymes.

Monomer Symmetry-Regulated Defect Engineering: In Situ Preparation of Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks for Highly Efficient Capture and Separation of Carbon Dioxide

Developing crystalline porous materials with highly efficient CO₂ selective adsorption capacity is one of the key challenges to carbon capture and storage (CCS). In current studies, much more attention has been paid to the crystalline and porous properties of crystalline porous materials for CCS, while the defects, which are unavoidable and ubiquitous, are relatively neglected. Herein, for the first time, we propose a monomer-symmetry regulation strategy for directional defect release to achieve in situ functionalization of COFs while exposing uniformly distributed defect-aldehyde groups as functionalization sites for selective CO₂ capture. The regulated defective COFs possess high crystallinity, good structural stability, and a large number of organized and functionalized aldehyde sites, which exhibit one of the highest selective separation values of all COF sorbing materials in CO₂/N₂ selective adsorption (128.9 cm³/g at 273 K and 1 bar, selectivity: 45.8 from IAST). This work not only provides a new strategy for defect regulation and in situ functionalization of COFs but also provides a valuable approach in the design and preparation of new adsorbents for CO₂ adsorption and CO₂/N₂ selective separation.

Identification and fine mapping of a new bacterial blight resistance gene, Xa43(t), in Zhangpu wild rice (Oryza rufipogon)

Bacterial blight (BB) is currently considered one of the most serious rice diseases and is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Numerous studies have shown that breeding resistant rice varieties is one of the most effective methods to prevent BB, and it is important to identify and isolate more BB resistance (R) genes from different rice resources. Using a map-based approach, we identified a new QTL/gene, Xa43(t), from ZhangPu wild rice, which was highly resistant to the BB isolate PX099. We performed bulked segregant analysis combined with candidate gene prediction to identify the candidate gene. The Xa43(t) gene was narrowed down to a 29-kb region containing four putative genes. More importantly, the candidate gene Xa43(t) did not affect the main agronomic traits of rice. We also identified a widely applicable molecular marker, namely Inde1-18, which co-segregates with the Xa43(t) gene. The Xa43(t) gene is a new broad-spectrum BB resistance gene without identified alleles and has good application prospects for rice disease resistance breeding.

[Drug clinical comprehensive evaluation of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis]

Objective: To analyze the safety, effectiveness, economics, innovation, suitability and accessibility of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis, and provide evidence-based basis for health policy decision-making and clinical practice. Methods: In July 2022, the system searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed databases (the retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to June 30, 2022), screened the documents that meet the standards, extracted and evaluated the data, and used the "HTA checklist" developed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) to evaluate the HTA report. AMSTAR-2 Scale was used to evaluate the quality of systematic evaluation/Meta analysis. CHEERS Scale was used to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomics research. The included cohort study or case-control study was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The included randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk Bias Assessment Tool (Cochrane RCT) quality evaluation criteria. Comprehensive comparison and analysis based on the characteristics of the data included in the study. Results: A total of 882 related literatures were detected from the initial screening. According to relevant standards, 8 RCT studies were finally selected for analysis. Statistical results showed that basic treatment with tetrandrine could better improve FEV(1) (MD=0.13, 95%CI: 0.06-0.20, P<0.001), FEV(1)/FVC (MD=4.48, 95%CI: 0.61-8.35, P=0.02) and clinical treatment efficiency. Tetrandrine had a low incidence of adverse reactions. The affordability coefficient of tetrandrine tablets was 0.295-0.492. Conclusion: Tetrandrine can improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary ventilation function of pneumoconiosis patients, most of the adverse reactions are mild, and the clinical application is safe.

[Expression and clinical significance of plasma methylated SEPT 9 gene in patients with primary liver cancer]

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of plasma methylated SEPT9 (mSEPT9) gene in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods: 393 cases who visited our hospital from May 2016 to October 2018 were selected. Among them, 75 cases were in the primary liver cancer (PLC) group, 50 cases were in the liver cirrhosis (LC) group, and 268 cases were in the healthy control group (HC). The three groups' positive rates of mSEPT9 expression in the peripheral plasma were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fluorescent probe method. The correlational clinical features of liver cancer were analyzed. At the same time, the electrochemiluminescence detection method was used to compare the AFP positive rate. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square tests or continuity-corrected chi-square tests. Results: 367 cases actually had valid samples. There were 64, 42, and 64 cases in the liver cancer group, cirrhosis group, and healthy control group, respectively. Among them, 34 cases of liver cancer were verified from pathological tissues. The positive rate of plasma mSEPT9 was significantly higher in the liver cancer group than that in the liver cirrhosis and healthy control groups [76.6% (49/64), 35.7% (15/42), and 3.8% (10/261), respectively], and the differences were statistically significant (χ (2) = 176.017, P < 0.001). The sensitivity of plasma mSEPT9 detection (76.6%) was significantly better in liver cancer (76.6%) than that of AFP patients (54.7%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ (2) = 6.788, P < 0.01). Compared with the single detection, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma mSEPT9 combined with AFP were significantly improved (89.7% vs. 96.3%, respectively). Patients with liver cancer aged≥50 years, with clinical stage II or above, and those with pathological signs of moderate to low differentiation had higher levels of plasma mSEPT9 positive expression, and the differences were statistically significant (χ (2) = 6.41, 9.279, 6.332, P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, the survival time of liver cancer patients with positive plasma mSEPT9 expression was significantly shorter than that of those with negative expression (310 ± 26 days vs. 487 ± 59 days, respectively), with statistically significant differences (Log Rank P = 0.039). Conclusion: In China, the positive rate of plasma mSEPT9 detection in liver cancer patients is higher than that of AFP in relation to age, clinical stage, and degree of tissue differentiation; additionally, it has certain survival predictive values. As a result, detecting this gene has important clinical significance and potential clinical application value in the non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis assessment of patients with primary liver cancer.

Dissecting the molecular profiling and tumor immune microenvironment of three subtypes of esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND

Great improvements have been made in the prognosis of esophageal cancer (ESCA) with the application of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, the majority of cases remain resistant to these regimens. Hence there is an urgent need to characterize the subtypes of ESCA with favorable survival outcome and drug responsiveness.

METHODS

We characterized the malignant cells of ESCA and explored their communication with immune cells using the Cellchat algorithm. The ligand-receptor interaction pairs were then used as inputting information to identify the subtypes of ESCA by unsupervised clustering analysis. Further investigation aimed to dissect the different patterns of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), tumor mutation burden, immunotherapy responsiveness and drug sensitivity among the various subtypes of ESCA. A nomogram was also constructed to predict the survival rate of ESCA patients by conducting Cox regression and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Three subtypes were identified based on the ligand-receptor interaction pairs. Patients in cluster 2 showed a longer survival time and less likelihood of response to immunotherapy compared with cluster 1 or 3. Eight hub genes were screened to construct a prognostic signature, which can stratify patients well into high- and low-risk groups with distinct survival outcomes and drug sensitivities. The nomogram showed quite good performance in predicting patient survival rates of 1 and 3 years.

CONCLUSION

This study characterized the molecular profiling and TIME patterns of three subtypes of ESCA. The relative findings will provide emergent insights for the treatment of ESCA.

Construction of IL-1 signalling pathway correlation model in lung adenocarcinoma and association with immune microenvironment prognosis and immunotherapy: Multi-data validation

Numerous studies have confirmed the inextricable link between inflammation and malignancy, which is also involved in developing lung adenocarcinoma, where IL-1 signalling is crucial. However, the predictive role of single gene biomarkers is insufficient, and more accurate prognostic models are needed. We downloaded data related to lung adenocarcinoma patients from the GDC, GEO, TISCH2 and TCGA databases for data analysis, model construction and differential gene expression analysis. The genes of IL-1 signalling-related factors were screened from published papers for subgroup typing and predictive correlation analysis. Five prognostic genes associated with IL-1 signalling were finally identified to construct prognostic prediction models. The K-M curves indicated that the prognostic models had significant predictive efficacy. Further immune infiltration scores showed that IL-1 signalling was mainly associated with enhanced immune cells, drug sensitivity of model genes was analysed using the GDSC database, and correlation of critical memories with cell subpopulation components was observed using single-cell analysis. In conclusion, we propose a predictive model based on IL-1 signalling-related factors, a non-invasive predictive approach for genomic characterisation, in predicting patients' survival outcomes. The therapeutic response has shown satisfactory and effective performance. More interdisciplinary areas combining medicine and electronics will be explored in the future.

EdeepSADPr: an extensive deep-learning architecture for prediction of the in situ crosstalks of serine phosphorylation and ADP-ribosylation

The in situ post-translational modification (PTM) crosstalk refers to the interactions between different types of PTMs that occur on the same residue site of a protein. The crosstalk sites generally have different characteristics from those with the single PTM type. Studies targeting the latter's features have been widely conducted, while studies on the former's characteristics are rare. For example, the characteristics of serine phosphorylation (pS) and serine ADP-ribosylation (SADPr) have been investigated, whereas those of their in situ crosstalks (pSADPr) are unknown. In this study, we collected 3,250 human pSADPr, 7,520 SADPr, 151,227 pS and 80,096 unmodified serine sites and explored the features of the pSADPr sites. We found that the characteristics of pSADPr sites are more similar to those of SADPr compared to pS or unmodified serine sites. Moreover, the crosstalk sites are likely to be phosphorylated by some kinase families (e.g., AGC, CAMK, STE and TKL) rather than others (e.g., CK1 and CMGC). Additionally, we constructed three classifiers to predict pSADPr sites from the pS dataset, the SADPr dataset and the protein sequences separately. We built and evaluated five deep-learning classifiers in ten-fold cross-validation and independent test datasets. We also used the classifiers as base classifiers to develop a few stacking-based ensemble classifiers to improve performance. The best classifiers had the AUC values of 0.700, 0.914 and 0.954 for recognizing pSADPr sites from the SADPr, pS and unmodified serine sites, respectively. The lowest prediction accuracy was achieved by separating pSADPr and SADPr sites, which is consistent with the observation that pSADPr's characteristics are more similar to those of SADPr than the rest. Finally, we developed an online tool for extensively predicting human pSADPr sites based on the CNN_OH classifier, dubbed EdeepSADPr. It is freely available through http://edeepsadpr.bioinfogo.org/. We expect our investigation will promote a comprehensive understanding of crosstalks.

Lactate regulators contribute to tumor microenvironment and predict prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Lactic acid, as a product of glycolysis, increases tumor cell migration and the invasion of tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment. Besides this, lactic acid promotes the expression of programmed death-1 expression (PD-1) in regulatory T cells, which could cause the failure of PD-1 blockade therapy. However, the implications of lactic acid in the tumor microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain largely unclear.

Methods

We performed unsupervised consensus clustering to identify lactic-associated subtypes using expression profile of lactate regulators in LUAD. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with lactic-associated subtypes was used to construct lactate signature (LaSig) using LASSO regression algorithm. Immune infiltration analysis was conducted by ESTIMATER and drug sensitivity was estimated by R package called "pRRophetic". The difference between two groups was calculated using Wilcox rank sum test and correlation analysis was calculated using Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results

In this study, we evaluated DNA methylation and the mutation frequency of lactate regulators and found lactate regulators showed low mutation frequency in the TCGA-LUAD cohort, except TP53. At the RNA level, the expression level of lactate regulators was significantly associated with the immune cell component. In particular, expression of LDHA was positively correlated with CD4 T cell, CD8 T cell, M1 macrophages, and the enrichment score of multiple immune pathways. Two clusters were defined using the gene expression level of lactate regulators, and LDHA was significantly upregulated in cluster 1 with poor overall survival. A lactate signature (LaSig) had a robust performance in predicting the survival rate and immunotherapy response of LUAD patients. Moreover, patients in the high LaSig group may be more likely to benefit from these drugs (Cisplatin, Erlotinib, Gemcitabine, and Vinblastine) than those in the low LaSig group.

Conclusion

In summary, our study explores the role of lactate regulators in guiding the clinical treatment of lung adenocarcinoma and provides additional help to supplement traditional molecular subtypes.

NMN ameliorated radiation induced damage in NRF2-deficient cell and mice via regulating SIRT6 and SIRT7

Risk of cancer often increases with aging, and radiotherapy is an essential component of treatment. As for abdominal and pelvic cancer, radiotherapy always inevitably causes injury to intestines through direct DNA damage or overload of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) has been identified as a key protective factor against ionizing-radiation induced damage through promoting DNA damage repair and antioxidant modulation. However, the level of NRF2 always decreases with aging. Here, we demonstrated that NRF2 deficiency aggravated cellular DNA damage and the intestinal pathological lesion. Overexpression of SIRT6 or SIRT7 could improve cell proliferation and protect against radiation injury in NRF2 knock-out (KO) cells by modulating oxidative-stress and DNA damage repair. Consistently, supplement of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the agonist of sirtuins, increased the level of SIRT6 and SIRT7 in NRF2 KO cells, concomitant with reduced cellular ROS level and ameliorated DNA damage. In vivo, long-term oral administration of NMN attenuated the radiation-induced injury of jejunum, increased the number of intestinal stem cells, and promoted the ability of intestinal proliferation in NRF2-/- mice. Together, our results indicated that SIRT6 and SIRT7 had involved in scavenging ROS and repairing DNA damage, and NMN could be a promising candidate for preventing radiation damage when NRF2 is lacking.

AGuIX nanoparticles enhance ionizing radiation-induced ferroptosis on tumor cells by targeting the NRF2-GPX4 signaling pathway

In the frame of radiotherapy treatment of cancer, radioresistance remains a major issue that still needs solutions to be overcome. To effectively improve the radiosensitivity of tumors and reduce the damage of radiation to neighboring normal tissues, radiosensitizers have been given increasing attention in recent years. As nanoparticles based on the metal element gadolinium, AGuIX nanoparticles have been shown to increase the radiosensitivity of cancers. Although it is a rare nanomaterial that has entered preclinical trials, the unclear biological mechanism hinders its further clinical application. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of AGuIX nanoparticles in the radiosensitization of triple-negative breast cancer. We found that AGuIX nanoparticles increased the level of DNA damage by compromising the homologous recombination repair pathway instead of the non-homologous end joining pathway. Moreover, the results showed that AGuIX nanoparticles induced apoptosis, but the degree of apoptosis ability was very low, which cannot fully explain their strong radiosensitizing effect. Ferroptosis, the other mode of cell death, was also discovered to play a significant role in radiation sensitization, and AGuIX nanoparticles may regulate the anti-ferroptosis system by inhibiting the NRF2-GSH-GPX4 signaling pathway.

[Clinical features and survival analysis in non-M(3) acute myeloid leukemia patients with ASXL1 gene mutation]

Objective: To examine the survival rates and clinical characteristics of people with newly discovered non-M(3) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who carry the ASXL1 gene mutation. Methods: From January 2016 to April 2021, the clinical information of patients with newly diagnosed non-M(3) AML at Shandong University's Qilu Hospital was retrospectively examined, and their clinical characteristics and survival were compared and analyzed. Gene mutation was detected by next-generation sequencing. Results: ① The study included 256 AML patients who were initially diagnosed and had complete data, including 47 cases of ASXL1 gene mutation-positive (ASXL1(+)) patients and 209 cases of ASXL1 gene mutation-negative (ASXL1(-)) patients. All patients were divided into three groups: elderly (≥60 years old, n=92) , middle-aged (45-59 years old, n=92) , and young (≤44 years old, n=72) . ②WBC, and age were higher in patients with ASXL1 mutations compared to ASXL1(-) patients, while complete response after the first round of treatment (CR(1)) was lower (P<0.05) . In the elderly group, WBC and the proportion of aberrant cells in nuclear cells in ASXL1(+) patients were higher than those in ASXL1(-) patients (P<0.05) . In the young group, the WBC of ASXL1(+) patients was higher than that of ASXL1(-) patients (z=-2.314, P=0.021) . ③IDH2 mutation and ASXL1 mutation was related (P=0.018, r=0.34) . In ASXL1(+) patients, the proportion of peripheral blasts in the high VAF group (VAF>40% ) was higher than that in the low VAF group (VAF<20% ) , and the proportion of aberrant nuclear cells was higher in the duplication and replacement mutation patients than in the deletion mutation patients (P<0.05) . ④The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of ASXL1(+) patients were shorter than those of ASXL1(-) patients (median, 10 months vs 20 months, 10 months vs 17 months; P<0.05) . The proportion number of aberrant cells in nuclear cells (≥20% ) , complex karyotypes, and TET2 mutation were all independent risk variables that had an impact on the prognosis of ASXL1(+) patients, according to multivariate analysis (P<0.05) . Conclusion: ASXL1-mutated non-M(3) AML patients have higher WBC in peripheral blood, a higher proportion of aberrant cells in nuclear cells, lower CR(1) rate, and shorter OS and PFS. Additionally, a poor prognosis is linked to higher VAF, duplication, and substitution mutations in the ASXL1 gene, as well as the high proportion of aberrant cells in nuclear cells, complex karyotype, and TET2 mutation.

Identification and exploration of pharmacological pyroptosis-related biomarkers of ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Its etiology is unclear. Much evidence suggests that the death of abnormal intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) leads to intestinal barrier disruption, and the subsequent inflammatory response plays a vital role in UC. Pyroptosis is a form of programmed inflammatory cell death, and the role of pyroptosis in UC etiology remains to be explored. This study identified 10 hub genes in pyroptosis by gene expression profiles obtained from the GSE87466 dataset. Meanwhile, the biomarkers were screened based on gene significance (GS) and module membership (MM) through the Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). The following analysis indicated that hub genes were closely associated with the UC progression and therapeutic drug response. The single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing data from UC patients within the GSE162335 dataset indicated that macrophages were most related to pyroptosis. Finally, the expression of hub genes and response to the therapeutic drug [5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA)] were verified in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. Our study identified IL1B as the critical pyroptosis-related biomarker in UC. The crosstalk between macrophage pyroptosis and IEC pyroptosis may play an essential role in UC, deserving further exploration.

Collagen peptide promotes DSS-induced colitis by disturbing gut microbiota and regulation of macrophage polarization

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease caused by mucosal immune system disorder, which has increased steadily all over the world. Previous studies have shown that collagen peptide (CP) has various beneficial biological activities, it is not clear whether the effect of CP on UC is positive or negative. In this study, 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was used to establish acute colitis in mice. Our results suggested that CP supplementation (200, 400 mg/kg/day) promoted the progression of colitis, increased the expression of inflammatory factors and the infiltration of colonic lamina propria macrophages. Gut microbiota analysis showed the composition changed significantly and inflammation promoted bacteria was after CP treatment. Meanwhile, the effect of CP on macrophage polarization was further determined in Raw264.7 cell line. The results showed that CP treatment could increase the polarization of M1 macrophages and promote the expression of inflammatory factors. In conclusion, our results showed that CP treatment could disrupt the gut microbiota of host, promote macrophage activation and aggravate DSS-induced colitis. This may suggest that patients with intestinal inflammation should not take marine derived CP.

Augmented reality advertising and college students' interest in the extreme sports: Moderating role of innovation resistance and health consciousness

Advertising and promotions are the most utilized types of augmented reality (AR) activations for marketers across all industries. The same is true for the sports industry. This form of augmented reality is meant to bring attention to the organization through a novel technology such as AR. Recently, a lack of interest among students in extreme sports has been attributed to a lack of professional advertising and marketing innovation. This situation requires the attention of researchers, and this study investigates the impact of augmented reality advertising on college students' interest in extreme sports, specifically in China. The article also investigates the moderating role of innovation resistance and health consciousness in the relationship between augmented reality advertising and college students' interest in extreme sports in China. Students actively participating in sports were selected using the purposive sampling technique, and AMOS was used for data analysis. According to the findings, augmented reality advertising positively correlates with interest in extreme sports. The findings also revealed that innovation resistance and health consciousness significantly moderated college students' interest in extreme sports and augmented reality advertising. This research assists regulators in developing regulations to increase interest in extreme sports through augmented reality advertising and innovation adoption.

Gadolinium-based ultra-small nanoparticles augment radiotherapy-induced T-cell response to synergize with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy

Radiotherapy suffers from its high-dose radiation-induced systemic toxicity and radioresistance caused by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Immunotherapy using checkpoint blocking in solid tumors shows limited anticancer efficacy due to insufficient T-cell infiltration and inadequate systemic immune responses. Activation and guiding of irradiation by X-ray (AGuIX) nanoparticles with sizes below 5 nm have entered a phase III clinical trial as efficient radiosensitizers. This study aimed to develop a unique synergistic strategy based on AGuIX-mediated radiotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade to further improve the efficiency for B16 tumor therapy. AGuIX exacerbated radiation-induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis on B16 cells. More importantly, it could efficiently induce the immunogenic cell death of irradiated B16 tumor cells, and consequently trigger the maturation of dendritic cells and activation of systemic T-cell responses. Combining AGuIX-mediated radiotherapy with programmed cell death protein 1 blockade demonstrated excellent synergistic therapeutic effects in both bilateral and metastatic B16 tumor models, as indicated by a significant increase in the infiltration of effector CD8⁺ T cells and effective alleviation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Our findings indicate that the synergy between radiosensitization and immunomodulation provides a new and powerful therapy regimen to achieve durable antitumor T-cell responses, which is promising for cancer treatment.

A fluorescence biosensor based on double-stranded DNA and a cationic conjugated polymer coupled with exonuclease III for acrylamide detection

As a toxic substance on human health produced in food thermal treatment, simple analytical approaches are highly desired for the detection of acrylamide (ACR) in foods. With the aid of exonuclease III (Exo III), a simple fluorescence sensor was proposed based on carboxyfluorescein-labeled double-stranded DNA (FAM-dsDNA) and a cationic conjugated polymer (PFP). Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency between FAM and PFP was changed with and without ACR. When ACR was present, ACR and single-stranded DNA (P1, ssDNA) formed an adduct, allowing free FAM-labeled complementarity strand DNA (P2, FAM-csDNA) to appear in the solution and avoiding the digestion of P2 by Exo III. After the addition of PFP, the interaction of PFP and FAM induced strong FRET. Under optimized conditions, ACR was detected with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 μM. According to this biosensor, a LOD of 1.3 μM in water extract samples was observed with a good recovery rate (95-110 %).

Surface-Plasmon-Mediated Alloying for Monodisperse Au-Ag Alloy Nanoparticles in Liquid

Plasmonic noble-metal nanoparticles with broadly tunable optical properties and catalytically active surfaces offer a unique opportunity for photochemistry. Resonant optical excitation of surface-plasmon generates high-energy hot carriers, which can participate in photochemical reactions. Although the surface-plasmon-driven catalysis on molecules has been extensively studied, surface-plasmon-mediated synthesis of bimetallic nanomaterials is less reported. Herein, we perform a detailed investigation on the formation mechanism and colloidal stability of monodisperse Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles synthesized through irradiating the intermixture of Au nanochains and AgNO₃ solution with a nanosecond pulsed laser. It is revealed that the Ag atoms can be extracted from AgNO₃ solution by surface-plasmon-generated hot electrons and alloy with Au atoms. Particularly, the obtained Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles without any surfactants or ligands exhibit superior stability that is confirmed by experiments as well as DLVO-based theoretical simulation. Our work would provide novel insights into the synthesis of potentially useful bimetallic nanoparticles via surface-plasmon-medicated alloying.

Isomaltulose alleviates acute colitis via modulating gut microbiota and the Treg/Th17 balance in mice

Food-grade isomaltulose exhibits significant modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolites in healthy populations. This study further explored the preventive therapeutic effect and anti-colitis potential of isomaltulose on dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice. Our results suggested that isomaltulose played a significant role in preventing colon shortening, reducing intestinal epithelial destruction and inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration. Meanwhile, the isomaltulose supplement greatly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and restored the balance between T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells. Pathway enrichment analysis for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) also indicated that the anti-inflammatory effect of isomaltulose was closely related to intestinal immunity. Moreover, the disturbed gut microbiota in ulcerative colitis (UC) was partially restored after treatment with isomaltulose. These results suggest that isomaltulose is a promising therapeutic agent for the prevention and adjunctive treatment of UC by maintaining intestinal immune homeostasis and remodeling the gut microbiota.

[Association of skin lesion severity with clinical features of psoriatic arthritis]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between psoriasis severity and clinical features in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: Patients were recruited from the Chinese REgistry of Psoriatic ARthritis (CREPAR) between December 2018 and June 2021, and data were collected including the baseline demographic characteristics, various clinical manifestations (including arthritis, nail disease, comorbidities), laboratory tests[including erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP)], health assessment questionnaire (HAQ). Body surface area (BSA) and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) were selected for the tools of assessment of cutaneous psoriasis. Patients were divided to two groups, including the severe psoriasis group (BSA>10%) and the non-severe psoriasis group (BSA≤10%). Disease assessment included ankylosing spondylitis disease activity score (ASDAS), disease activity score 28 (DAS28) and disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (DAPSA). Results: 1 074 eligible patients with PsA were recruited, and 106 (9.9%) had severe psoriasis. Compared with non-severe psoriasis group, the severe psoriasis group had more peripheral joint involvement (including patients with ever or current peripheral arthritis, 94.3% vs. 85.6%), more polyarticular joint involvement (including patients with current peripheral arthritis, 74.0% vs. 58.2%), more axial joint involvement (51.4% vs. 39.9%), more nail disease (72.6% vs. 61.4%), more frequency of smoking (20.2% vs. 18.7%), and higher proportion of hypertension (23.4% vs. 14.4%). In addition, the severe psoriasis group had higher level of ESR [33(10, 70) mm/1h vs. 20(9, 38) mm/1h] and CRP [18.6(5.0, 60.8) mg/L vs. 7.0(2.4, 18.1) mg/L], higher values of DAS28-ESR (4.5±1.7 vs. 3.7±1.5), DAS28-CRP (4.2±1.5 vs. 3.4±1.4), ASDAS-ESR (3.5±1.4 vs. 2.6±1.2), and ASDAS-CRP(3.4±1.6 vs. 2.5±1.2), higher scores of HAQ [0.6(0.1, 1.0) vs. 0.3(0.0, 0.8)]. Conclusion: Patients with PsA with severe psoriasis bore a heavier disease burden. Therefore, clinicians were supposed to pay more attention to them. In addition to skin lesions, they should also focus on examination of other clinical manifestations, such as joints and nails.

The role of functional oligosaccharides as prebiotics in ulcerative colitis

The incidence rate of ulcerative colitis (UC) has increased significantly over the past decades and it places an increasing burden on health and social systems. The current studies on UC implicate a strong correlation between host gut microbiota immunity and the pathogenesis of UC. Meanwhile, more and more functional oligosaccharides have been reported as prebiotics to alleviate UC, since many of them can be metabolized by gut microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The present review is focused on the structure, sources and specific applications of various functional oligosaccharides related to the prevention and treatment of UC. The available evidence for the usage of functional oligosaccharides in UC treatment are summarized, including fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), chito-oligosaccharides (COS), alginate-oligosaccharides (AOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), stachyose and inulin.

Application of chitosan/alginate nanoparticle in oral drug delivery systems: prospects and challenges

Oral drug delivery systems (ODDSs) have various advantages of simple operation and few side effects. ODDSs are highly desirable for colon-targeted therapy (e.g. ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer), as they improve therapeutic efficiency and reduce systemic toxicity. Chitosan/alginate nanoparticles (CANPs) show strong electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl group of alginates and the amino group of chitosan which leads to shrinkage and gel formation at low pH, thereby protecting the drugs from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and aggressive gastric environment. Meanwhile, CANPs as biocompatible polymer, show intestinal mucosal adhesion, which could extend the retention time of drugs on inflammatory sites. Recently, CANPs have attracted increasing interest as colon-targeted oral drug delivery system for intestinal diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarize the application and treatment of CANPs in intestinal diseases and insulin delivery. And then provide a future perspective of the potential and development direction of CANPs as colon-targeted ODDSs.

[Sensitization characteristics of Juniperus chinensis pollen in Beijing area]

Objective: To investigate the sensitization characteristics of Juniperus chinensis pollen in patients with allergic rhinitis and/or allergic asthma in Beijing area, and to explore the characteristics of Juniper chinensis pollen sensitized population. Methods: Patients with suspected allergic rhinitis and/or asthma from January 2017 to December 2019 in the outpatient department of Allergy Department of Beijing Shijitan Hospital were selected in this study. Skin prick test (SPT) was performed with Juniper chinensis pollen allergen reagent to compare different age and disease allergen distribution, and to observe the sensitization characteristics of its population. All of the analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.4. Results: A total of 8 380 patients were enrolled in the end. The total positive rate of Juniper chinensis pollen SPT reached 49.92% (4 183/8 380). The positive rate of Juniper chinensis pollen SPT was highest in the 10-14 age group, reaching 60.99% (283/464). Compared with other age groups, there was a statistical difference (χ²=266.77, P<0.01). The SPT positive rate of patients aged less than 10 years increased with the increase of age, while the SPT positive rate of patients aged over 40 years decreased with the increase of age. Single Juniper chinensis pollen was less allergenic, accounting for about 25.05% (1 048/4 183), and the patients' age was (35.21±12.39) years. Regardless of single Juniper chinensis pollen or other pollen allergies, allergic rhinitis was the main disease. Among the patients with SPT positive Juniper chinensis pollen combined with other inhaled pollen allergens, willow pollen accounted for the first (74.99%). The positive rate of Juniper chinensis pollen was the highest in patients with single allergic rhinitis, accounting for 52.05% (3 797/7 295), and the rate in patients with single allergic asthma was the lowest, accounting for 17.49% (53/303), with statistically difference (χ²=138.99, P<0.01). Conclusions: Juniper chinensis pollen is highly sensitized in patients with allergic rhinitis and/or allergic asthma in Beijing . The positive rate of SPT is highest among 10-14 age group, most of which showed strong positive reaction, and allergic rhinitis is more common in Juniper chinensis pollen sensitization diseases.

[Correlation between HIV infection, club drug use and anal canal human papillomavirus infection in men who have sex with men in Taizhou]

Objective: To explore the correlation between club drug use and anal canal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Taizhou. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Taizhou. HIV-negative MSM were recruited by convenient sampling in voluntary counseling and testing clinics of Taizhou prefectural CDC from August 2016 to October 2017, and HIV-positive MSM were recruited through the routine follow-up and management by Taizhou prefectural CDC from August 2016 to June 2019. A face-to-face questionnaire interview was conducted to collect the information about the socio-demographic characteristics, sexual orientation, sexual behavior, club drug use and other information of the participants. Anal canal swabs were collected for HPV genotyping. The correlation between club drug use and the prevalence of HPV infection were evaluated with χ² test and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 69 HIV-negative and 345 HIV-infected MSM were included. The prevalence of any type of anal canal HPV infection in HIV-negative MSM (27.5%, 19/69) was lower than that in HIV-positive MSM (66.4%, 229/345) (χ²=36.114,P<0.001). The prevalence of self-reported club drug use in HIV-negative MSM was higher (17.4%, 12/69) than that in HIV-positive MSM (7.0%, 24/345) (χ²=7.886, P=0.005). For HIV-negative MSM, the prevalence of club drug use was higher in MSM who had homosexual group sex (P=0.036); the prevalence of HPV infection was 50.0% (6/12) in club drug users and 22.8% (13/57) in non-club drug users (χ²=3.674, P=0.055). For HIV-positive MSM, the prevalence of HPV infection was 70.8% (17/24) in club drug users and 66.0% (212/321) in non-club drug users (χ²=0.230, P=0.632). Multivariable logistic regression model showed that HPV infection in MSM was positively correlated with HIV infection (OR=5.42, 95%CI: 2.92-10.06), and the association between HPV infection and club drug use (OR=1.66, 95%CI: 0.75-3.71) was not significant. Conclusions: HIV infection was positively correlated with anal canal HPV infection in MSM in Taizhou. Club drug use was positively correlated with high-risk sexual behaviors, while its association with HPV infection needs further study.

Algal polysaccharides and derivatives as potential therapeutics for obesity and related metabolic diseases

The potential and challenges of algal polysaccharides and their derivatives as potential therapeutic agents for obesity and its related metabolic diseases.

Contribution of immune cells to bone metastasis pathogenesis

Bone metastasis is closely related to the survival rate of cancer patients and reduces their quality of life. The bone marrow microenvironment contains a complex immune cell component with a local microenvironment that is conducive to tumor formation and growth. In this unique immune environment, a variety of immune cells, including T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, participate in the process of bone metastasis. In this review, we will introduce the interactions between immune cells and cancer cells in the bone microenvironment, obtain the details of their contributions to the implications of bone metastasis, and discuss immunotherapeutic strategies targeting immune cells in cancer patients with bone metastasis.