Synthesis of bioactive evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues under ball milling conditions

Mechanochemical reactions achieved by processes such as milling and grinding are promising alternatives to traditional solution-based chemistry. This approach not only eliminates the need for large amounts of solvents, thereby reducing waste generation, but also finds applications in chemical and materials synthesis. The focus of this study is on the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives by ball milling, in particular evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues. These compounds are of interest due to their diverse bioactivities, including potential anticancer properties. The study examines the reactions carried out under ball milling conditions, emphasizing their efficiency in terms of shorter reaction times and reduced environmental impact compared to conventional methods. The ball milling reaction of evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues resulted in yields of 63-78% and 22-61%, respectively. In addition, these compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity, and evodiamine exhibited an IC50 of 0.75 ± 0.04 μg mL-1 against the Ca9-22 cell line. At its core, this research represents a new means to synthesise these compounds, providing a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional approaches.

Protein phosphatase 2A modulation and connection with miRNAs and natural products

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a heterotrimeric holoenzyme (scaffolding, catalytic, and regulatory subunits), regulates dephosphorylation for more than half of serine/threonine phosphosites and exhibits diverse cellular functions. Although several studies on natural products and miRNAs have emphasized their impacts on PP2A regulation, their connections lack systemic organization. Moreover, only part of the PP2A family has been investigated. This review focuses on the PP2A-modulating effects of natural products and miRNAs' interactions with potential PP2A targets in cancer and non-cancer cells. PP2A-modulating natural products and miRNAs were retrieved through a literature search. Utilizing the miRDB database, potential PP2A targets of these PP2A-modulating miRNAs for the whole set (17 members) of the PP2A family were retrieved. Finally, PP2A-modulating natural products and miRNAs were linked via a literature search. This review provides systemic directions for assessing natural products and miRNAs relating to the PP2A-modulating functions in cancer and disease treatments.

Demethoxymurrapanine, an indole-naphthoquinone alkaloid, inhibits the proliferation of oral cancer cells without major side effects on normal cells

Antioral cancer drugs need a greater antiproliferative impact on cancer than on normal cells. Demethoxymurrapanine (DEMU) inhibits proliferation in several cancer cells, but an in-depth investigation was necessary. This study evaluated the proliferation-modulating effects of DEMU, focusing on oral cancer and normal cells. DEMU (0, 2, 3, and 4 μg/mL) at 48 h treatments inhibited the proliferation of oral cancer cells (the cell viability (%) for Ca9-22 cells was 100.0 ± 2.2, 75.4 ± 5.6, 26.0 ± 3.8, and 15.4 ± 1.4, and for CAL 27 cells was 100.0 ± 9.4, 77.2 ± 5.9, 57.4 ± 10.7, and 27.1 ± 1.1) more strongly than that of normal cells (the cell viability (%) for S-G cells was 100.0 ± 6.6, 91.0 ± 4.6, 95.0 ± 2.6, and 95.8 ± 5.5), although this was blocked by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. The presence of oxidative stress was evidenced by the increase of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and the downregulation of the cellular antioxidant glutathione in oral cancer cells, but these changes were minor in normal cells. DEMU also caused greater induction of the subG1 phase, extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis (annexin V and caspases 3, 8, and 9), and DNA damage (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) in oral cancer than in normal cells. N-acetylcysteine attenuated all these DEMU-induced changes. Together, these data demonstrate the preferential antiproliferative function of DEMU in oral cancer cells, with the preferential induction of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage in these cancer cells, and low cytotoxicity toward normal cells.

Chemical Constituents from Soft Coral Clavularia spp. Demonstrate Antiproliferative Effects on Oral Cancer Cells

Five new eudensamane-type sesquiterpene lactones, clasamanes A-E (1-5), three new dolabellane-type diterpenes, clabellanes A-C (6-8), and fifteen known compounds (9-23) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of Taiwanese soft coral Clavularia spp. The structures of all undescribed components (1-8) were determined by analysis of IR, mass, NMR, and UV spectroscopic data. The absolute configuration of new compounds was determined by using circular dichroism and DP4+ calculations. The cytotoxic activities of all isolated marine natural products were evaluated. Compound 7 showed a significant cytotoxic effect against oral cancer cell line (Ca9-22) with an IC50 value of 7.26 ± 0.17 μg/mL.

Connection between Radiation-Regulating Functions of Natural Products and miRNAs Targeting Radiomodulation and Exosome Biogenesis

Exosomes are cell-derived membranous structures primarily involved in the delivery of the payload to the recipient cells, and they play central roles in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment that occasionally generates exosomal miRNA-associated modulation to regulate the therapeutic anticancer function and side effects. Combining radiotherapy and natural products may modulate the radioprotective and radiosensitizing responses of non-cancer and cancer cells, but there is a knowledge gap regarding the connection of this combined treatment with exosomal miRNAs and their downstream targets for radiation and exosome biogenesis. This review focuses on radioprotective natural products in terms of their impacts on exosomal miRNAs to target radiation-modulating and exosome biogenesis (secretion and assembly) genes. Several natural products have individually demonstrated radioprotective and miRNA-modulating effects. However, the impact of natural-product-modulated miRNAs on radiation response and exosome biogenesis remains unclear. In this review, by searching through PubMed/Google Scholar, available reports on potential functions that show radioprotection for non-cancer tissues and radiosensitization for cancer among these natural-product-modulated miRNAs were assessed. Next, by accessing the miRNA database (miRDB), the predicted targets of the radiation- and exosome biogenesis-modulating genes from the Gene Ontology database (MGI) were retrieved bioinformatically based on these miRNAs. Moreover, the target-centric analysis showed that several natural products share the same miRNAs and targets to regulate radiation response and exosome biogenesis. As a result, the miRNA-radiomodulation (radioprotection and radiosensitization)-exosome biogenesis axis in regard to natural-product-mediated radiotherapeutic effects is well organized. This review focuses on natural products and their regulating effects on miRNAs to assess the potential impacts of radiomodulation and exosome biogenesis for both the radiosensitization of cancer cells and the radioprotection of non-cancer cells.

Connection of Cancer Exosomal LncRNAs, Sponging miRNAs, and Exosomal Processing and Their Potential Modulation by Natural Products

Cancerous exosomes contain diverse biomolecules that regulate cancer progression. Modulating exosome biogenesis with clinical drugs has become an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Suppressing exosomal processing (assembly and secretion) may block exosomal function to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the information on natural products that modulate cancer exosomes lacks systemic organization, particularly for exosomal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). There is a gap in the connection between exosomal lncRNAs and exosomal processing. This review introduces the database (LncTarD) to explore the potential of exosomal lncRNAs and their sponging miRNAs. The names of sponging miRNAs were transferred to the database (miRDB) for the target prediction of exosomal processing genes. Moreover, the impacts of lncRNAs, sponging miRNAs, and exosomal processing on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and natural-product-modulating anticancer effects were then retrieved and organized. This review sheds light on the functions of exosomal lncRNAs, sponging miRNAs, and exosomal processing in anticancer processes. It also provides future directions for the application of natural products when regulating cancerous exosomal lncRNAs.

Molecular Physiological Evidence for the Role of Na+-Cl− Co-Transporter in Branchial Na+ Uptake in Freshwater Teleosts

The gills are the major organ for Na+ uptake in teleosts. It was proposed that freshwater (FW) teleosts adopt Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (Nhe3) as the primary transporter for Na+ uptake and Na+-Cl− co-transporter (Ncc) as the backup transporter. However, convincing molecular physiological evidence to support the role of Ncc in branchial Na+ uptake is still lacking due to the limitations of functional assays in the gills. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the role of branchial Ncc in Na+ uptake with an in vivo detection platform (scanning ion-selective electrode technique, SIET) that has been recently established in fish gills. First, we identified that Ncc2-expressing cells in zebrafish gills are a specific subtype of ionocyte (NCC ionocytes) by using single-cell transcriptome analysis and immunofluorescence. After a long-term low-Na+ FW exposure, zebrafish increased branchial Ncc2 expression and the number of NCC ionocytes and enhanced gill Na+ uptake capacity. Pharmacological treatments further suggested that Na+ is indeed taken up by Ncc, in addition to Nhe, in the gills. These findings reveal the uptake roles of both branchial Ncc and Nhe under FW and shed light on osmoregulatory physiology in adult fish.

Investigating the serial psychological processes of workplace COVID-19 infection risk and employees' performance

Drawing on concepts from conservation of resources theory, this study examines the effects of perceived workplace COVID-19 infection risk on employees' in-role (i.e., task), extra-role (i.e., OCBs: organizational citizenship behaviors), and creative performance via three mediators, namely, uncertainty, self-control, and psychological capital (i.e., PsyCap), and the moderation of leaders' safety commitment. Three sets of surveys were collected from 445 employees and 115 supervisors working in various industries during the 2021 COVID-19 (Alpha and Delta variants) outbreak in Taiwan, when vaccinations were not yet readily available. The Bayesian multilevel results reveal that COVID-19 infection risk (Time 1) is negatively associated with creativity (Time 3) as well as supervisor-rated task performance and OCBs (Time 3) via PsyCap. Additionally, the relationship between COVID-19 infection risk and creativity is mediated by the serial psychological processes of uncertainty (Time 2), self-control (Time 2), and PsyCap (Time 3). Furthermore, supervisors' safety commitment marginally moderates the relationships between uncertainty and self-control and between self-control and PsyCap. Conditional indirect results show that the effect of uncertainty on PsyCap via self-control is significant for supervisors with high-level safety commitment, and the effect of self-control on creative performance via PsyCap is significant for supervisors with both high- and low-level safety commitment. In summary, workplace COVID-19 infection risk stimulates a tandem psychological process and impairs employees' work-related performance; PsyCap plays a dominant role in this context. Leaders may prevent similar negative impacts by committing to ensuring workplace security to compensate for employees' resource loss when facing future crises or threats.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04583-4.

Modulation of AKT Pathway-Targeting miRNAs for Cancer Cell Treatment with Natural Products

Many miRNAs are known to target the AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) pathway, which is critical for the regulation of several cell functions in cancer cell development. Many natural products exhibiting anticancer effects have been reported, but their connections to the AKT pathway (AKT and its effectors) and miRNAs have rarely been investigated. This review aimed to demarcate the relationship between miRNAs and the AKT pathway during the regulation of cancer cell functions by natural products. Identifying the connections between miRNAs and the AKT pathway and between miRNAs and natural products made it possible to establish an miRNA/AKT/natural product axis to facilitate a better understanding of their anticancer mechanisms. Moreover, the miRNA database (miRDB) was used to retrieve more AKT pathway-related target candidates for miRNAs. By evaluating the reported facts, the cell functions of these database-generated candidates were connected to natural products. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the natural product/miRNA/AKT pathway in the modulation of cancer cell development.

Modulating Effects of Cancer-Derived Exosomal miRNAs and Exosomal Processing by Natural Products

Cancer-derived exosomes exhibit sophisticated functions, such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration, resistance, and tumor microenvironment changes. Several clinical drugs modulate these exosome functions, but the impacts of natural products are not well understood. Exosome functions are regulated by exosome processing, such as secretion and assembly. The modulation of these exosome-processing genes can exert the anticancer and precancer effects of cancer-derived exosomes. This review focuses on the cancer-derived exosomal miRNAs that regulate exosome processing, acting on the natural-product-modulating cell functions of cancer cells. However, the role of exosomal processing has been overlooked in several studies of exosomal miRNAs and natural products. In this study, utilizing the bioinformatics database (miRDB), the exosome-processing genes of natural-product-modulated exosomal miRNAs were predicted. Consequently, several natural drugs that modulate exosome processing and exosomal miRNAs and regulate cancer cell functions are described here. This review sheds light on and improves our understanding of the modulating effects of exosomal miRNAs and their potential exosomal processing targets on anticancer treatments based on the use of natural products.

Antiproliferation Effects of Marine-Sponge-Derived Methanol Extract of Theonella swinhoei in Oral Cancer Cells In Vitro

The purpose of this study aimed to assess the antiproliferation effects of methanol extract of T. swinhoei (METS) and explore the detailed responses of oral cancer cells compared to normal cells. METS effectively inhibits the cell proliferation of oral cancer cells but does not affect normal cell viability, exhibiting preferential antiproliferation function. METS exerted more subG1 accumulation, apoptosis induction, cellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress, and DNA damage than normal cells, reverted by oxidative stress inhibitor N-acetylcysteine. This METS-caused oxidative stress was validated to attribute to the downregulation of glutathione. METS activated both extrinsic and intrinsic caspases. DNA double-strand breaks (γH2AX) and oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) were stimulated by METS. Therefore, for the first time, this investigation shed light on exploring the functions and responses of preferential antiproliferation of METS in oral cancer cells.

The influence of motivation, self-efficacy, and fear of failure on the career adaptability of vocational school students: Moderated by meaning in life

It is an important issue for vocational school students to have good adaptability for their future life. This study combines career construction theory and self-determination theory to construct a model to explore the relationship between the "motivation," "self-efficacy," "fear of failure," "career adaptability," and "meaning in life" of vocational school students. This study used a secondary data research method and retrieved a total of 2,377 data from vocational school students in Taiwan from the perspective of data exploration using PISA 2018 data, which was validated by the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The following results were obtained: (1) Vocational students were afraid that failure would have a negative impact on their career adaptability. (2) Motivation and Self-efficacy had a positive effect on career adaptability. (3) Motivation positively affected fear of failure. (4) Self-efficacy negatively affected fear of failure. (5) Meaning in life could positively moderate the effect of self-efficacy on fear of failure. (6) However, there was no statistical difference in the moderating effect of meaning in life on the relationship between motivation and fear of failure. First, fear of failure negatively affected career adaptability, while motivation and self-efficacy positively affected career adaptability; compared to the three effects, the negative effect of fear of failure may not be as great as expected. Second, motivation is like a double-edged sword as it improves adaptability, but it also comes with an increased fear of failure. On the contrary, self-efficacy can simultaneously improve the career adaptability of vocational students and reduce their fear of failure. Therefore, the development of self-efficacy should be given priority over motivation in the career adaptability enhancement strategy of vocational students. Finally, the meaning of life can positively moderate the negative influence of self-efficacy on the fear of failure. In other words, for vocational students with a low sense of self-efficacy, perhaps life education can be used instead as a strategy to reduce their fear of failure.

Pathogenic autoantibodies to IFN-γ act through the impedance of receptor assembly and Fc-mediated response

Anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) are a pathogenic factor in late-onset immunodeficiency with disseminated mycobacterial and other opportunistic infections. AIGAs block IFN-γ function, but their effects on IFN-γ signaling are unknown. Using a single-cell capture method, we isolated 19 IFN-γ-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from patients with AIGAs. All displayed high-affinity (KD < 10-9 M) binding to IFN-γ, but only eight neutralized IFN-γ-STAT1 signaling and HLA-DR expression. Signal blockade and binding affinity were correlated and attributed to somatic hypermutations. Cross-competition assays identified three nonoverlapping binding sites (I-III) for AIGAs on IFN-γ. We found that site I mAb neutralized IFN-γ by blocking its binding to IFN-γR1. Site II and III mAbs bound the receptor-bound IFN-γ on the cell surface, abolishing IFN-γR1-IFN-γR2 heterodimerization and preventing downstream signaling. Site III mAbs mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, probably through antibody-IFN-γ complexes on cells. Pathogenic AIGAs underlie mycobacterial infections by the dual blockade of IFN-γ signaling and by eliminating IFN-γ-responsive cells.

How Followership Boosts Creative Performance as Mediated by Work Autonomy and Creative Self-Efficacy in Higher Education Administrative Jobs

Followership is an important but understudied domain. This study adopted a follower-centric perspective to examine the internal process by which followership affects creative performance via work autonomy and creative self-efficacy. The study employed a 3-wave survey of 341 employees of a Taiwanese university to achieve the research purpose. This study showed that effective followership (Time 1) is positively associated with employees' work autonomy (Time 1) and creative self-efficacy (Time 2). Work autonomy and creative self-efficacy mediate the relationship between effective followership and creative performance (Time 3). This study's empirical findings provide an improved way of measuring followership and broaden our understanding of how followership triggers intrinsic motivation to facilitate creative performance.

Brown Algae-Derived Fucoidan Exerts Oxidative Stress-Dependent Antiproliferation on Oral Cancer Cells

Fucoidan is a dietary brown algae-derived fucose-rich polysaccharide. However, the anticancer effects of fucoidan for oral cancer treatment remain unclear, particularly in terms of its preferential antiproliferation ability and oxidative-stress-associated responses. This study first evaluated the effects and mechanisms of the preferential antiproliferation of fucoidan between oral cancer and non-malignant oral cells (S–G). In a 48 h MTS assay, fucoidan showed higher antiproliferation in response to five types of oral cancer cells, but not S–G cells, demonstrating preferential antiproliferation of oral cancer cells. Oral cancer cells (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) showing high sensitivity to fucoidan were selected to explore the antiproliferation mechanism compared to S–G cells. Fucoidan showed subG1 accumulation and an annexin V increase in apoptosis, accompanied by caspase 8, 9, and 3 activations in oral cancer cells, but not in S–G cells. Fucoidan increased reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide levels and decreased cellular glutathione in oral cancer cells compared with S–G cells. These oxidative stress effects were attributed to the downregulation of antioxidant signaling genes (NRF2, TXN, and HMOX1) in oral cancer cells rather than S–G cells. Fucoidan showed DNA damage-inducible effects (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) in oral cancer cells but not in S–G cells. Accordingly, these preferential changes in oral cancer but not in non-malignant cells contribute to the preferential antiproliferation mechanism of fucoidan. Furthermore, these changes were reverted by pretreatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. Therefore, for the first time, this study provides a detailed understanding of the preferential antiproliferation effects and mechanisms of fucoidan in oral cancer cells.

Physiological changes and symptoms associated with short-term exposure to electromagnetic fields: a randomized crossover provocation study

BACKGROUND

The biological association between electromagnetic fields (EMF) and idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to EMF (IEI-EMF) has not been established. To assess the physiological changes and symptoms associated with exposure to EMF, we conducted a randomized crossover provocation study.

METHODS

We recruited 58 individuals with IEI-EMF (IEI-EMF group) and 92 individuals without IEI-EMF (control group). In a controlled environment, all participants received EMF signals mimicking those from mobile phone base stations in a randomized sequence under the blinded condition. During the course, participants reported their symptoms and whether they perceived EMF, and we monitored their physiological parameters, including blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and HR variability.

RESULTS

The IEI-EMF and control groups reported similar frequencies of symptoms during both the provocation and sham sessions. No participant could accurately identify the provocation. In both groups, physiological parameters were similar between the two sessions. The control group, but not the IEI-EMF group, had elevated HR when they perceived EMF exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

No symptoms or changes in physiological parameters were found to be associated with short-term exposure to EMF, and no participant could accurately detect the presence of EMF. Moreover, the participants in the control group, but not those in the IEI-EMF group, had elevated HR when they perceived EMF.

Burmannic Acid Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Oxidative Stress Response of Oral Cancer Cells

Burmannic acid (BURA) is a new apocarotenoid bioactive compound derived from Indonesian cinnamon; however, its anticancer effect has rarely been investigated in oral cancer cells. In this investigation, the consequences of the antiproliferation of oral cancer cells effected by BURA were evaluated. BURA selectively suppressed cell proliferation of oral cancer cells (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) but showed little cytotoxicity to normal oral cells (HGF-1). In terms of mechanism, BURA perturbed cell cycle distribution, upregulated mitochondrial superoxide, induced mitochondrial depolarization, triggered γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine DNA damage, and induced apoptosis and caspase 3/8/9 activation in oral cancer cells. Application of N-acetylcysteine confirmed oxidative stress as the critical factor in promoting antiproliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage in oral cancer cells.

Soft Coral-Derived Dihydrosinularin Exhibits Antiproliferative Effects Associated with Apoptosis and DNA Damage in Oral Cancer Cells

Dihydrosinularin (DHS) is an analog of soft coral-derived sinularin; however, the anticancer effects and mechanisms of DHS have seldom been reported. This investigation examined the antiproliferation ability and mechanisms of DHS on oral cancer cells. In a cell viability assay, DHS showed growth inhibition against several types of oral cancer cell lines (Ca9-22, SCC-9, OECM-1, CAL 27, OC-2, and HSC-3) with no cytotoxic side effects on non-malignant oral cells (HGF-1). Ca9-22 and SCC-9 cell lines showing high susceptibility to DHS were selected to explore the antiproliferation mechanisms of DHS. DHS also causes apoptosis as detected by annexin V, pancaspase, and caspase 3 activation. DHS induces oxidative stress, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MitoMP) depletion. DHS also induced DNA damage by probing γH2AX phosphorylation. Pretreatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can partly counter these DHS-induced changes. We report that the marine natural product DHS can inhibit the cell growth of oral cancer cells. Exploring the mechanisms of this cancer cell growth inhibition, we demonstrate the prominent role DHS plays in oxidative stress.

Nepenthes Ethyl Acetate Extract Provides Oxidative Stress-Dependent Anti-Leukemia Effects

Several kinds of solvents have been applied to Nepenthes extractions exhibiting antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, they were rarely investigated for Nepenthes ethyl acetate extract (EANT), especially leukemia cells. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties and explore the antiproliferation impact and mechanism of EANT in leukemia cells. Five standard assays demonstrated that EANT exhibits antioxidant capability. In the cell line model, EANT dose-responsively inhibited cell viabilities of three leukemia cell lines (HL-60, K-562, and MOLT-4) based on 24 h MTS assays, which were reverted by pretreating oxidative stress and apoptosis inhibitors (N-acetylcysteine and Z-VAD-FMK). Due to similar sensitivities among the three cell lines, leukemia HL-60 cells were chosen for exploring antiproliferation mechanisms. EANT caused subG1 and G1 cumulations, triggered annexin V-detected apoptosis, activated apoptotic caspase 3/7 activity, and induced poly ADP-ribose polymerase expression. Moreover, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial superoxide, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization were generated by EANT, which was reverted by N-acetylcysteine. The antioxidant response to oxidative stress showed that EANT upregulated mRNA expressions for nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), catalase (CAT), thioredoxin (TXN), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) genes. Moreover, these oxidative stresses led to DNA damage (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) and were alleviated by N-acetylcysteine. Taken together, EANT demonstrated oxidative stress-dependent anti-leukemia ability to HL-60 cells associated with apoptosis and DNA damage.

Nepenthes Extract Induces Selective Killing, Necrosis, and Apoptosis in Oral Cancer Cells

Ethyl acetate Nepenthes extract (EANT) from Nepenthes thorellii × (ventricosa × maxima) shows antiproliferation and apoptosis but not necrosis in breast cancer cells, but this has not been investigated in oral cancer cells. In the present study, EANT shows no cytotoxicity to normal oral cells but exhibits selective killing to six oral cancer cell lines. They were suppressed by pretreatment of the antioxidant inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC), demonstrating that EANT-induced cell death was mediated by oxidative stress. Concerning high sensitivity to EANT, Ca9-22 and CAL 27 oral cancer cells were chosen for exploring detailed selective killing mechanisms. EANT triggers a mixture of necrosis and apoptosis as determined by annexin V/7-aminoactinmycin D analysis. Still, they show differential switches from necrosis at a low (10 μg/mL) concentration to apoptosis at high (25 μg/mL) concentration of EANT in oral cancer cells. NAC induces necrosis but suppresses annexin V-detected apoptosis in oral cancer cells. Necrostatin 1 (NEC1), a necroptosis inhibitor, moderately suppresses necrosis but induces apoptosis at 10 μg/mL EANT. In contrast, Z-VAD-FMK, a pancaspase inhibitor, slightly causes necrosis but suppresses apoptosis at 10 μg/mL EANT. Furthermore, the flow cytometry-detected pancaspase activity is dose-responsively increased but is suppressed by NAC and ZVAD, although not for NEC1 in oral cancer cells. EANT causes several oxidative stress events such as reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial superoxide, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. In response to oxidative stresses, the mRNA for antioxidant signaling, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), catalase (CAT), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), and thioredoxin (TXN), are overexpressed in oral cancer cells. Moreover, EANT also triggers DNA damage, as detected by γH2AX and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine adducts. The dependence of oxidative stress is validated by the evidence that NAC pretreatment reverts the changes of cellular and mitochondrial stress and DNA damage. Therefore, EANT exhibits antiproliferation involving an oxidative stress-dependent necrosis/apoptosis switch and DNA damage in oral cancer cells.

Withaferin A Triggers Apoptosis and DNA Damage in Bladder Cancer J82 Cells through Oxidative Stress

Withaferin A (WFA), the Indian ginseng bioactive compound, exhibits an antiproliferation effect on several kinds of cancer, but it was rarely reported in bladder cancer cells. This study aims to assess the anticancer effect and mechanism of WFA in bladder cancer cells. WFA shows antiproliferation to bladder cancer J82 cells based on the finding of the MTS assay. WFA disturbs cell cycle progression associated with subG1 accumulation in J82 cells. Furthermore, WFA triggers apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry assays using annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D and pancaspase detection. Western blotting also supports WFA-induced apoptosis by increasing cleavage of caspases 3, 8, and 9 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase. Mechanistically, WFA triggers oxidative stress-association changes, such as the generation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and diminishment of the mitochondrial membrane potential, in J82 cells. In response to oxidative stresses, mRNA for antioxidant signaling, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), thioredoxin (TXN), glutathione-disulfide reductase (GSR), quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1), are overexpressed in J82 cells. In addition, WFA causes DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damages. Moreover, the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine reverts all tested WFA-modulating effects. In conclusion, WFA possesses anti-bladder cancer effects by inducing antiproliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage in an oxidative stress-dependent manner.

The differences in nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with patients and their family members

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the differences in nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with terminally ill patients and their family members.

METHODS

The participants were randomly recruited from registered staff nurses ≥20 years of age who were responsible for clinical inpatient care in a tertiary hospital in northern Taiwan. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to evaluate nurses' experiences of discussing do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decisions and their willingness to discuss palliative care with terminal patients and their family members. The differences in nurses' experiences regarding DNR and willingness to discuss palliative care with terminally ill patients and their family members were compared using the Chi-square test. Logistic regressions were used to analyze factors associated with nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with patients and their families.

RESULTS

More participants had experienced initiating discussions about DNR with patients' families than with patients (72.2% vs 61.9%, p < 0.001). Unadjusted logistic regression analysis showed that the experiences of actively initiating DNR discussions with patients were a significant factor associated with palliative care discussion with patients (odds ratio [OR] = 2.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-7.79). On the other hand, the experiences of actively initiating DNR discussions with patients and with patients' families were significant factors associated with palliative care discussion with patients' families (OR = 3.84, 95% CI: 1.22-12.06 and OR = 3.60, 95% CI: 1.19-10.90, respectively). After adjusting for covariates, no significant factors were found to be independently associated with nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with patients and their family members.

CONCLUSION

There are significant differences in nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with patients and their family members. Further research is needed to evaluate factors associated with nurses' willingness to discuss palliative care with patients and their families to facilitate these discussions and protect patients' autonomy.

Antimycin A shows selective antiproliferation to oral cancer cells by oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis and DNA damage

The antibiotic antimycin A (AMA) is commonly used as an inhibitor for the electron transport chain but its application in anticancer studies is rare. Recently, the repurposing use of AMA in antiproliferation of several cancer cell types has been reported. However, it is rarely investigated in oral cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to investigate the selective antiproliferation ability of AMA treatment on oral cancer cells. Cell viability, flow cytometry, and western blotting were applied to explore its possible anticancer mechanism in terms of both concentration- and exposure time-effects. AMA shows the higher antiproliferation to two oral cancer CAL 27 and Ca9-22 cell lines than normal oral HGF-1 cell lines. Moreover, AMA induces the production of higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and pan-caspase activation in oral cancer CAL 27 and Ca9-22 cells than in normal oral HGF-1 cells, providing the possible mechanism for its selective antiproliferation effect of AMA. In addition to ROS, AMA induces mitochondrial superoxide (MitoSOX) generation and depletes mitochondrial membrane potential (MitoMP). This further supports the AMA-induced oxidative stress changes in oral cancer CAL 27 and Ca9-22 cells. AMA also shows high expressions of annexin V in CAL 27 and Ca9-22 cells and cleaved forms of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase 9, and caspase 3 in CAL 27 cells, supporting the apoptosis-inducing ability of AMA. Furthermore, AMA induces DNA damage (γH2AX and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-oxodG]) in CAL 27 and Ca9-22 cells. Notably, the AMA-induced selective antiproliferation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage were partly prevented from N-acetylcysteine (NAC) pretreatments. Taken together, AMA selectively kills oral cancer cells in an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism involving apoptosis and DNA damage.

Pomegranate extract inhibits migration and invasion of oral cancer cells by downregulating matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Discovering drug candidates for the modulation of metastasis is of great importance in inhibiting oral cancer malignancy. Although most pomegranate extract applications aim at the antiproliferation of cancer cells, its antimetastatic effects remain unclear, especially for oral cancer cells. The aim of this study is to evaluate the change of two main metastasis characters, migration and invasion of oral cancer cells. Further, we want to explore the molecular mechanisms of action of pomegranate extract (POMx) at low cytotoxic concentration. We found that POMx ranged from 0 to 50 μg/mL showing low cytotoxicity to oral cancer cells. In the case of oral cancer HSC-3 and Ca9-22 cells, POMx inhibits wound healing migration, transwell migration, and matrix gel invasion. Mechanistically, POMx downregulates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activities and expressions as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling. POMx upregulates extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 expression. Addition of ERK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059) significantly recovered the POMx-suppressed transwell migration and MMP-2/-9 activities in HSC-3 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest to further test low cytotoxic concentrations of POMx as a potential antimetastatic therapy against oral cancer cells.

Ets-1 enhances tumor migration through regulation of CCR7 expression

Ets-1 is a prototype of the ETS protein family. Members of the ETS protein family contain a unique ETS domain. Ets-1 is associated with cancer progression and metastasis in many types of cancer. Many studies have shown a link between elevated expression of Ets-1 in cancer biopsies and poor survival. CCR7 is a chemokine that binds to specific ligand CCL21/CCL19. CCR7 expression is associated with tumor metastasis and infiltration into lymph nodes. The objective of this study was to test whether Ets-1 could regulate CCR7 expression and enhance tumor metastasis. Our data showed that CCR7 expression was downregulated in Ets-1-deficient T cells upon T-cell stimulation. Overexpression of Ets-1 increased CCR7 expression in breast cancer cell lines. In contrast, knockdown of Ets-1 reduced CCR7 expression. Ets-1 could directly bind to CCR7 promoter and mediate CCR7 expression in luciferase reporter assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Transactivation activity of Ets-1 was independent of the Pointed domain of Ets-1. Ets-1 could also enhance NF-κB and CBP transactivation of CCR7 promoter. Our results also showed that Ets-1 could modulate cancer cell transmigration by altering CCR7 expression in transwell assay and wound healing assay. Taken together, our data suggest that Ets-1 can enhance CCR7 expression and contribute to tumor cell migration.

[Nursing Care of Older People With Clostridium Difficile Infection]

The global incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased in recent decades. The etiology of CDI includes aging as well as the misuse of antibiotics. This highly infectious disease requires that healthcare workers be vigilant and take isolation precautions, particularly in long-term facilities. CDI contributes to the development of severe diarrhea, which may cause imbalance of electrolytes, malabsorption of nutrients, physical disabilities, and psychosocial impacts in older patients. This article explores the pathophysiology, impacts, treatments (e.g., fecal microbiota transplantation [FMT]), and daily care regimens related to CDI with the goal of helping healthcare workers understand this disease and take action during the early stages of CDI.

Inhibition of Th17 by targeted degradation of HIF1-α

Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) is a tumor suppressor, while hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) promotes tumorigenesis in various type of cancers. Here we report a targeted degradation of HIF-1α mediated by DAPK in T helper 17 (Th17) cells. HIF-1α is a transcription factor critical for Th17 development. We found that DAPK inhibits Th17 differentiation and prevents Th17-mediated autoimmune diseases. DAPK suppresses the expression of RORγt and IL-17, which could be attributed to a specific suppression of HIF-1α. In contrast, Th1 cell differentiation and T-bet expression is not affected by DAPK. We demonstrate that DAPK specifically downregulates HIF-1α in a unique process. While HIF-1α is predominant nuclear localized in many cancer cells, HIF-1α is located in both cytosol and nucleus in T cells. This leads to an interaction between HIF-1α and DAPK in T cell cytoplasm. The simultaneous binding of DAPK to prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) increases the association between HIF-1α and PHD2. Consequently, DAPK enhances the proline hydroxylation and proteasome degradation of HIF-1α in Th17 cells. DAPK-deficiency thus results in excess HIF-1α accumulation, enhanced Th17 generation, and exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Transgenic DAPK expression, in contrast, suppresses Th17 differentiation and prevents EAE generation. The overproduction of Th17 cells and exacerbated EAE development in Dapk−/− mice is fully reversed by knockout of HIF-1α. Our results demonstrate a new process involving DAPK-mediated degradation of cytoplasmic HIF-1α, and suggest that a potential therapy for Th17-associated inflammatory diseases by targeted elevation of DAPK.

Tumour suppressor death-associated protein kinase targets cytoplasmic HIF-1α for Th17 suppression

Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) is a tumour suppressor. Here we show that DAPK also inhibits T helper 17 (Th17) and prevents Th17-mediated pathology in a mouse model of autoimmunity. We demonstrate that DAPK specifically downregulates hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). In contrast to the predominant nuclear localization of HIF-1α in many cell types, HIF-1α is located in both the cytoplasm and nucleus in T cells, allowing for a cytosolic DAPK–HIF-1α interaction. DAPK also binds prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) and increases HIF-1α-PHD2 association. DAPK thereby promotes the proline hydroxylation and proteasome degradation of HIF-1α. Consequently, DAPK deficiency leads to excess HIF-1α accumulation, enhanced IL-17 expression and exacerbated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Additional knockout of HIF-1α restores the normal differentiation of Dapk^−/− Th17 cells and prevents experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development. Our results reveal a mechanism involving DAPK-mediated degradation of cytoplasmic HIF-1α, and suggest that raising DAPK levels could be used for treatment of Th17-associated inflammatory diseases.

HIF-1α is critical for Th17 differentiation. Here the authors show that DAPK (Death-Associated Protein Kinase) inhibits Th17 differentiation and immunopathology in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis by promoting HIF1-α binding to its negative regulator PHD2.

Neural Mechanisms of Inhibitory Response in a Battlefield Scenario: A Simultaneous fMRI-EEG Study

The stop-signal paradigm has been widely adopted as a way to parametrically quantify the response inhibition process. To evaluate inhibitory function in realistic environmental settings, the current study compared stop-signal responses in two different scenarios: one uses simple visual symbols as go and stop signals, and the other translates the typical design into a battlefield scenario (BFS) where a sniper-scope view was the background, a terrorist image was the go signal, a hostage image was the stop signal, and the task instructions were to shoot at terrorists only when hostages were not present but to refrain from shooting if hostages appeared. The BFS created a threatening environment and allowed the evaluation of how participants’ inhibitory control manifest in this realistic stop-signal task. In order to investigate the participants’ brain activities with both high spatial and temporal resolution, simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were acquired. The results demonstrated that both scenarios induced increased activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) and presupplementary motor area (preSMA), which have been linked to response inhibition. Notably, in right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) we found both higher blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) activation and synchronization of theta-alpha activities (4–12 Hz) in the BFS than in the traditional scenario after the stop signal. The higher activation of rTPJ in the BFS may be related to morality judgments or attentional reorienting. These results provided new insights into the complex brain networks involved in inhibitory control within naturalistic environments.

Optimization of Metal Oxides Thickness and Related Organic Electroluminescent Device Performance

In this study, three commercial transition metal oxides such as molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), tungsten trioxide (WO3), and vanadium pent-oxide (V2O5) were employed as hole-injection layer to improve the electrical and optical performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The layer thickness of MoO3, WO3 and V2O5 were respectively varied by 1, 2, 5 and 10 nm inside blue OLED to characterize their effects on device performance. The optimal OLED with a 5 nm MoO3 hole-injection layer performs an enhancement of 12.9% in current efficiency, 17.5% in power efficiency and 9.3% in maximum external quantum efficiency, comparing to that of reference device without hole-injection layer.

Synthesis of fungal glycolipid asperamide B and investigation of its ability to stimulate natural killer T cells

The relationship between mold and asthma has been recognized for decades, but the molecular triggers of asthma generated by molds have not been fully elucidated. A glycolipid generated by Aspergillus species has recently been identified that triggers airway hyperreactivity via natural killer T cell activation. The synthesis of this glycolipid and structural variants designed to allow identification of the features of this glycolipid required for recognition by natural killer T cells is described.

Invariant natural killer T cells recognize a fungal glycosphingolipid that can induce airway hyperreactivity

Aspergillus fumigatusis a saprophytic fungus that is ubiquitous in the environment and commonly associated with allergic sensitization and severe asthma in humans. Although A. fumigatus is recognized by multiple microbial pattern recognition receptors, we identified and synthesized an A. fumigatus glycosphingolipid, asperamide B, that directly activated invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells in vitro in a CD1d-restricted, MyD88- and dectin-1-independent fashion. Moreover, asperamide B, when loaded into CD1d, directly stained, and was sufficient to activate, iNKT cells. In vivo, asperamide B rapidly induced airway hyperreactivity, a cardinal feature of asthma, by activating pulmonary iNKT cells in an IL-33-ST2-dependent fashion. Asperamide B is thus the first fungal glycolipid found to directly activate iNKT cells. These results extend the range of microorganisms that can be directly detected by iNKT cells to the Kingdom of Fungi, and may explain the effectiveness of A. fumigatus in causing severe chronic respiratory diseases in humans.

T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1 deficiency eliminates airway hyperreactivity triggered by the recognition of airway cell death

BACKGROUND

Studies of asthma have been limited by a poor understanding of how nonallergic environmental exposures, such as air pollution and infection, are translated in the lung into inflammation and wheezing.

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to understand the mechanism of nonallergic asthma that leads to airway hyperreactivity (AHR), a cardinal feature of asthma independent of adaptive immunity.

METHOD

We examined mouse models of experimental asthma in which AHR was induced by respiratory syncytial virus infection or ozone exposure using mice deficient in T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1 (TIM1/HAVCR1), an important asthma susceptibility gene.

RESULTS

TIM1(-/-) mice did not have airways disease when infected with RSV or when repeatedly exposed to ozone, a major component of air pollution. On the other hand, the TIM1(-/-) mice had allergen-induced experimental asthma, as previously shown. The RSV- and ozone-induced pathways were blocked by treatment with caspase inhibitors, indicating an absolute requirement for programmed cell death and apoptosis. TIM-1-expressing, but not TIM-1-deficient, natural killer T cells responded to apoptotic airway epithelial cells by secreting cytokines, which mediated the development of AHR.

CONCLUSION

We defined a novel pathway in which TIM-1, a receptor for phosphatidylserine expressed by apoptotic cells, drives the development of asthma by sensing and responding to injured and apoptotic airway epithelial cells.

A novel blood-cell-two-compartment model for transferring a whole blood time activity curve to plasma in rodents

The term input function usually refers to the tracer plasma time activity curve (pTAC), which is necessary for quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) studies. The purpose of this study was to acquire the pTAC by independent component analysis (ICA) estimation from the whole blood time activity curve (wTAC) using a novel method, namely the FDG blood-cell-two-compartment model (BCM). This approach was compared to a number of published models, including linear haematocrit (HCT) correction, non-linear HCT correction and two-exponential correction. The results of this study show that the normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and the error of the area under curve (EAUC) for the BCM estimate of the pTAC were the smallest. Compartmental and graphic analyses were used to estimate the metabolic rate of the FDG (MR(FDG)). The percentage error for the MR(FDG) (PE(MRFDG)) was estimated from the BCM corrected pTAC and this was also the smallest. It is concluded that the BCM is a better choice when transferring wTAC into pTAC for quantification.

Hepatitis D virus RNA editing is inhibited by a GFP fusion protein containing a C-terminally deleted delta antigen

During its life cycle, hepatitis D virus (HDV) produces two forms of delta antigen (HDAg), small delta antigen (SDAg) and large delta antigen (LDAg), which differ in their C-terminal 19 amino acids. Host enzymes termed ADARs (adenosine deaminases that act on double-stranded RNA) are required for LDAg production. These enzymes change the stop codon (UAG) of SDAg to a tryptophan codon (UGG). However, the temporal and spatial regulation of HDV RNA editing is largely unknown. In this study, we constructed three GFP fusion proteins containing different lengths of SDAg and characterized their cellular localization and effects on HDV replication. One of these fusion proteins, designated D(1–88)-GFP, inhibited LDAg but not SDAg production, suggesting that D(1–88)-GFP inhibits HDV RNA editing. Two experiments further supported this supposition: (i) RT-PCR analysis combined with NcoI restriction enzyme digestion revealed that HDV RNA editing was reduced by 42 % in HeLa-D(1–88)-GFP when compared with HeLa cells; and (ii) the ratio of SDAg/LDAg production from the reporter RNAs was reduced in cells co-transfected with ADAR-expressing and reporter plasmids in the presence of D(1–88)-GFP. Double fluorescence microscopy found that D(1–88)-GFP was either associated with SC-35 or was adjacent to PML (premyelocytic leukaemia antigen) at nuclear speckles, but D(1–88)-GFP was not co-localized with ADAR, which was mainly located in the nucleolus. In situ hybridization showing co-localization of HDV RNA with D(1–88)-GFP at nuclear speckles suggested that HDV RNA editing might occur in the nuclear speckles and require other nuclear factor(s), in addition to ADAR.