Restoration of CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cell function by TIGIT blockade in inactive carrier and immune tolerant patients of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection, which can be divided into immune-tolerant (IT), immune-active (IA), inactive carrier (IC) phases, and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENEG), can induce liver cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CD3+CD56+ NKT-like cells play an important role in antiviral immune response. However, the mechanism of NKT-like cells to mediate immune tolerance remains largely elusive. In this study, we observed circulating NKT-like cells from IC and IT CHB patients were phenotypically and functionally impaired, manifested by increased expression of inhibitory receptor TIGIT and decreased capacity of secreting antiviral cytokines. Besides, TIGIT+ NKT-like cells of IC and IT CHB patients expressed lower levels of cytotoxic cytokines than the TIGIT- subset. Furthermore, increased expression of CD155, the ligand of TIGIT, on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) was detected in IC and IT CHB patients. Importantly, the co-culture of NKT-like cells and pDCs showed that NKT-like cells restored their antiviral ability after TIGIT blockade upon HBV peptide stimulation in IC and IT CHB patients. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the TIGIT pathway may mediate immune tolerance in IT CHB patients and lead to functional impairment in IC patients, indicating that TIGIT may be a potential therapeutic checkpoint for immunotherapy of CHB patients.

Identification of circadian rhythm-related gene classification patterns and immune infiltration analysis in heart failure based on machine learning.

Background: Circadian rhythms play a key role in the failing heart, but the exact molecular mechanisms linking changes in the expression of circadian rhythm-related genes to heart failure (HF) remain unclear. Methods: By intersecting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and HF samples in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database with circadian rhythm-related genes (CRGs), differentially expressed circadian rhythm-related genes (DE-CRGs) were obtained. Machine learning algorithms were used to screen for feature genes, and diagnostic models were constructed based on these feature genes. Subsequently, consensus clustering algorithms and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithms were used for clustering analysis of HF samples. On this basis, immune infiltration analysis was used to score the immune infiltration status between HF and normal samples as well as among different subclusters. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) evaluated the biological functional differences among subclusters. Results: 13 CRGs showed differential expression between HF patients and normal samples. Nine feature genes were obtained through cross-referencing results from four distinct machine learning algorithms. Multivariate LASSO regression and external dataset validation were performed to select five key genes with diagnostic value, including NAMPT, SERPINA3, MAPK10, NPPA, and SLC2A1. Moreover, consensus clustering analysis could divide HF patients into two distinct clusters, which exhibited different biological functions and immune characteristics. Additionally, two subgroups were distinguished using the NMF algorithm based on circadian rhythm associated differentially expressed genes. Studies on immune infiltration showed marked variances in levels of immune infiltration between these subgroups. Subgroup A had higher immune scores and more widespread immune infiltration. Finally, the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) method was utilized to discern the modules that had the closest association with the two observed subgroups, and hub genes were pinpointed via protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. GRIN2A, DLG1, ERBB4, LRRC7, and NRG1 were circadian rhythm-related hub genes closely associated with HF. Conclusion: This study provides valuable references for further elucidating the pathogenesis of HF and offers beneficial insights for targeting circadian rhythm mechanisms to regulate immune responses and energy metabolism in HF treatment. Five genes identified by us as diagnostic features could be potential targets for therapy for HF.

Identification of Shared Signature Genes and Immune Microenvironment Subtypes for Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease Based on Machine Learning.

Background: A complex interrelationship exists between Heart Failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to clarify the molecular mechanisms of the organ-to-organ interplay between heart failure and CKD, as well as to identify extremely sensitive and specific biomarkers. Methods: Differentially expressed tandem genes were identified from HF and CKD microarray datasets and enrichment analyses of tandem perturbation genes were performed to determine their biological functions. Machine learning algorithms are utilized to identify diagnostic biomarkers and evaluate the model by ROC curves. RT-PCR was employed to validate the accuracy of diagnostic biomarkers. Molecular subtypes were identified based on tandem gene expression profiling, and immune cell infiltration of different subtypes was examined. Finally, the ssGSEA score was used to build the ImmuneScore model and to assess the differentiation between subtypes using ROC curves. Results: Thirty-three crosstalk genes were associated with inflammatory, immune and metabolism-related signaling pathways. The machine-learning algorithm identified 5 hub genes (PHLDA1, ATP1A1, IFIT2, HLTF, and MPP3) as the optimal shared diagnostic biomarkers. The expression levels of tandem genes were negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction and glomerular filtration rate. The CIBERSORT results indicated the presence of severe immune dysregulation in patients with HF and CKD, which was further validated at the single-cell level. Consensus clustering classified HF and CKD patients into immune and metabolic subtypes. Twelve immune genes associated with immune subtypes were screened based on WGCNA analysis, and an ImmuneScore model was constructed for high and low risk. The model accurately predicted different molecular subtypes of HF or CKD. Conclusion: Five crosstalk genes may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing HF and CKD and are involved in disease progression. Metabolite disorders causing activation of a large number of immune cells explain the common pathogenesis of HF and CKD.

Synergistic chemo-photo anticancer therapy by using reversible Diels-Alder dynamic covalent bond mediated polyprodrug amphiphiles and immunoactivation investigation.

Highly efficient endocytosis and multi-approach integrated therapeutic tactics are important factors in oncotherapy. With the aid of thermally reversible furan-maleimide dynamic covalent bonds and the "polyprodrug amphiphiles" concept, thermo- and reduction-responsive PEG(-COOH)Fu/MI(-SS-)CPT copolymers were fabricated by the Diels-Alder (D-A) coupling of hydrophilic Fu(-COOH)-PEG and hydrophobic MI(-SS-)-CPT building blocks. The copolymers could self-assemble to form composite nanoparticles with a photothermal conversion reagent (IR780) and maintain excellent stability. In the in vitro simulated environments, the composite nanoparticles could detach Fu(-COOH)-PEG chains by a retro-D-A reaction upon near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation and reduce the size to facilitate endocytosis. Once in the intracellular environment, glutathione (GSH) could trigger a cascade reaction to release active CPT drugs to achieve chemotherapy, which could be further promoted by NIR light induced photothermal therapy. The in vivo mouse tumor model experiments demonstrated that these nanoparticles had an excellent therapeutic effect on solid tumors and inhibited their recurrence. Not only that, the synergistic chemical and optical therapy induced body immune response was also systematically evaluated; the maturation of dendritic cells, the proliferation of T cells, the increase of high mobility group box protein 1, and the decrease of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells confirmed that such synergistic therapy could effectively provide immune protection to the body. We believe such in situ generation of small-sized therapeutic units brought by a dynamically reversible D-A reaction could expand the pathway to design next generation drug delivery systems possessing superior design philosophy and excellent practice effects compared to currently available ones.

Mononuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells expansion is associated with progression of liver failure in patients with acute decompensation of cirrhosis.

Patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis have different clinical courses. Immune dysfunction affects disease outcomes. The profile of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), polymorphonuclear- (PMN-MDSCs) and mononuclear- (M-MDSCs) subsets in AD and their associations with different clinical courses are still unclear. This study included 36 healthy controls (HC), 20 patients with compensated cirrhosis (CC) and 107 patients with AD. Based on the condition at enrollment and 90 days of follow-up, the patients with AD were divided into AD-acute-on-chronic liver failure (AD-ACLF), stable decompensated cirrhosis (SDC), unstable decompensated cirrhosis (UDC) and pre-acute-on-chronic liver failure (Pre-ACLF) groups. The percentages of MDSCs, PMN-MDSCs, and M-MDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with AD were significantly higher than those in HC and CC. Lactate levels, Child-Pugh score, and MDSCs were risk factors for the occurrence of AD. A positive correlation exists between MDSCs and indices of systemic inflammation and liver failure. In the AD cohort, the percentages of M-MDSCs in the Pre-ACLF and AD-ACLF groups were significantly higher than those in the UDC and SDC groups. The percentages of MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs in the AD groups increased; however, the difference was not statistically significant. MDSCs and M-MDSCs positively correlated with the incidence of liver failure. Sex, alcoholic etiology, bacterial infection, and M-MDSCs were independent risk factors for liver failure in patients with AD. Our data indicate that M-MDSCs expansion, rather than PMN-MDSCs expansion, might predict poor prognosis in patients with AD. Reducing the suppressive activity and number of MDSCs and M-MDSCs are promising strategies for immunotherapy in patients with AD.

Attenuation of Sepsis-Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Exogenous H2S via Inhibition of Ferroptosis.

Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) results in significant morbidity and mortality, and ferroptosis may play a role in its pathogenesis. Our aim was to examine the effect of exogenous H2S (GYY4137) on ferroptosis and AKI in in vivo and in vitro models of sepsis and explore the possible mechanism involved. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in male C57BL/6 mice, which were randomly divided into the sham, CLP, and CLP + GYY4137 group. The indicators of SA-AKI were most prominent at 24 h after CLP, and analysis of the protein expression of ferroptosis indicators showed that ferroptosis was also exacerbated at 24 h after CLP. Moreover, the level of the endogenous H2S synthase CSE (Cystathionine-γ-lyase) and endogenous H2S significantly decreased after CLP. Treatment with GYY4137 reversed or attenuated all these changes. In the in vitro experiments, LPS was used to simulate SA-AKI in mouse renal glomerular endothelial cells (MRGECs). Measurement of ferroptosis-related markers and products of mitochondrial oxidative stress showed that GYY4137 could attenuate ferroptosis and regulate mitochondrial oxidative stress. These findings imply that GYY4137 alleviates SA-AKI by inhibiting ferroptosis triggered by excessive mitochondrial oxidative stress. Thus, GYY4137 may be an effective drug for the clinical treatment of SA-AKI.

A nomogram for predicting postoperative overall survival of patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma: A SEER-based study.

Background: Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer. Our study aimed to construct and validate a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) for postoperative LSCC patients. Methods: A total of 8,078 patients eligible for recruitment between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Study outcomes were 1-, 2- and 3-year OS. Analyses performed included univariate and multivariate Cox regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve construction, calibration plotting, decision curve analysis (DCA) and Kaplan-Meier survival plotting. Results: Seven variables were selected to establish our predictive nomogram. Areas under the ROC curves were 0.658, 0.651 and 0.647 for the training cohort and 0.673, 0.667 and 0.658 for the validation cohort at 1-, 2- and 3-year time-points, respectively. Calibration curves confirmed satisfactory consistencies between nomogram-predicted and observed survival probabilities, while DCA confirmed significant clinical usefulness of our model. For risk stratification, patients were divided into three risk groups with significant differences in OS on Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Here, we designed and validated a prognostic nomogram for OS in postoperative LSCC patients. Application of our model in the clinical setting may assist clinicians in evaluating patient prognosis and providing highly individualized therapy.

G protein-coupled receptor 35 attenuates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by reprogramming cholesterol homeostasis in hepatocytes.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Fat accumulation "sensitizes" the liver to insult and leads to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) is involved in metabolic stresses, but its role in NAFLD is unknown. We report that hepatocyte GPR35 mitigates NASH by regulating hepatic cholesterol homeostasis. Specifically, we found that GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes protected against high-fat/cholesterol/fructose (HFCF) diet-induced steatohepatitis, whereas loss of GPR35 had the opposite effect. Administration of the GPR35 agonist kynurenic acid (Kyna) suppressed HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis in mice. Kyna/GPR35 induced expression of StAR-related lipid transfer protein 4 (STARD4) through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, ultimately resulting in hepatic cholesterol esterification and bile acid synthesis (BAS). The overexpression of STARD4 increased the expression of the BAS rate-limiting enzymes cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 (CYP7A1) and CYP8B1, promoting the conversion of cholesterol to bile acid. The protective effect induced by GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes disappeared in hepatocyte STARD4-knockdown mice. STARD4 overexpression in hepatocytes reversed the aggravation of HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis caused by the loss of GPR35 expression in hepatocytes in mice. Our findings indicate that the GPR35-STARD4 axis is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD.

Localization and density of tertiary lymphoid structures associate with molecular subtype and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) have been proposed to assess the prognosis of patients with cancer. Here, we investigated the prognostic value and relevant mechanisms of TLSs in colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM). METHODS: 603 patients with CRCLM treated by surgical resection from three cancer centers were included. The TLSs were categorized according to their anatomic subregions and quantified, and a TLS scoring system was established for intratumor region (T score) and peritumor region (P score). Differences in relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between groups were determined. Multiplex immunohistochemical staining (mIHC) was used to determine the cellular composition of TLSs in 40 CRCLM patients. RESULTS: T score positively correlated with superior prognosis, while P score negatively associated with poor survival (all p<0.05). Meanwhile, T score was positively associated with specific mutation subtype of KRAS. Furthermore, TLSs enrichment gene expression was significantly associated with survival and transcriptomic subtypes of CRCLM. Subsequently, mIHC showed that the densities of Treg cells, M2 macrophages and Tfh cells were significantly higher in intratumor TLSs than in peritumor TLSs (p=0.029, p=0.047 and p=0.041, respectively), and the frequencies of Treg cells and M2 macrophages were positively correlated with P score, while the frequencies of Tfh cells were positively associated with T scores in intratumor TLSs (all p<0.05). Next, based on the distribution and abundance of TLSs, an Immune Score combining T score and P score was established which categorized CRCLM patients into four immune classes with different prognosis (all p<0.05). Among them, patients with higher immune class have more favorable prognoses. The C-index of Immune Class for RFS and OS was higher than Clinical Risk Score statistically. These results were also confirmed by the other two validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution and abundance of TLSs is significantly associated with RFS and OS of CRCLM patients, and a novel immune class was proposed for predicting the prognosis of CRCLM patients.

A2AR limits IL-15-induced generation of CD39+ NK cells with high cytotoxicity.

CD39-mediated inhibition of natural killer (NK) cell activity has been demonstrated, but the characteristics of CD39+ NK cells in humans are not known. We investigated the characteristics of human circulating CD39+ NK cells. In healthy donors, the proportion of circulating CD39+ NK cells in total NK cells was relatively low compared with that of CD39- NK cells. Nonetheless, a higher proportion of CD39+ NK cells expressed CD107a. Similarly, a higher proportion of CD39+ NK cells expressed CD107a in patients with hepatitis B virus or patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Stimulation with NK-sensitive K562 cells or interleukin (IL)-12/IL-18 activated CD39+ NK cells to express higher levels of CD107a, IFN-γ and TNF-α, relative to CD39- NK cells. Importantly, IL-15 induced the generation of CD39+ NK cells. In contrast, A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR) ligation suppressed the generation of CD39+ NK cells by inhibiting IL-15 signaling. These data for the first time demonstrated that A2AR counteracts IL-15-induced generation of human CD39+ NK cells, which have a stronger cytotoxicity than CD39- NK cells. IL-15-induced human CD39+ NK cells might be better choice for immunotherapy based on adoptive transfer of NK cells.

Epigallocatechin Gallate Attenuates Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity by Suppressing Apoptosis and Ferroptosis.

Gentamicin (GEN) is a kind of aminoglycoside antibiotic with the adverse effect of nephrotoxicity. Currently, no effective measures against the nephrotoxicity have been approved. In the present study, epigallocatechin gallate (EG), a useful ingredient in green tea, was used to attenuate its nephrotoxicity. EG was shown to largely attenuate the renal damage and the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the decrease of glutathione (GSH) in GEN-injected rats. In NRK-52E cells, GEN increased the cellular ROS in the early treatment phase and ROS remained continuously high from 1.5 H to 24 H. Moreover, EG alleviated the increase of ROS and MDA and the decrease of GSH caused by GEN. Furthermore, EG activated the protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). After the treatment of GEN, the protein level of cleaved-caspase-3, the flow cytometry analysis and the JC-1 staining, the protein levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and SLC7A11, were greatly changed, indicating the occurrence of both apoptosis and ferroptosis, whereas EG can reduce these changes. However, when Nrf2 was knocked down by siRNA, the above protective effects of EG were weakened. In summary, EG attenuated GEN-induced nephrotoxicity by suppressing apoptosis and ferroptosis.

Kynurenic acid ameliorates NLRP3 inflammasome activation by blocking calcium mobilization via GPR35.

The inflammasome has been linked to diverse inflammatory and metabolic diseases, and tight control of inflammasome activation is necessary to avoid excessive inflammation. Kynurenic acid (KA) is a tryptophan metabolite in the kynurenine pathway. However, the roles and mechanisms of the regulation of inflammasome activation by KA have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we found that KA suppressed caspase-1 activation and IL-1ß production in macrophages by specifically inhibiting canonical and noncanonical activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Mechanistically, KA reduced calcium mobilization through G-protein receptor 35 (GPR35), resulting in reduced mitochondrial damage and decreased mtROS production, thus blocking NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation. Importantly, KA prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammation, monosodium urate-induced peritoneal inflammation, and high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorder. Thus, KA ameliorated inflammation and metabolic disorders by blocking calcium mobilization-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation via GPR35. Our data reveal a novel mechanism for KA in the modulation of inflammasome activation and suggest that GPR35 might be a promising target for improving NLRP3 inflammasome-associated diseases by regulating calcium mobilization.

Increased ILT2 expression contributes to dysfunction of CD56dimCD16+NK cells in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in the control of human viral infections but their activity is significantly impaired in patients infected with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The mechanism that contributes to NK cell dysfunction in CHB needs further elucidation. In this study, we analyzed the expression and function of the novel inhibitory receptor immunoglobulin-like transcript-2 (ILT2) on NK cells from 131 CHB patients and 36 healthy controls. We observed that ILT2 expression on circulating CD56dimCD16+NK cells was increased in immune-tolerant, immune-active and HBeAg-negative hepatitis patients compared with inactive carriers and controls. The frequency of ILT2+CD56dimNK cells was positively correlated with serum viral load in immune-tolerant patients. The percentage of ILT2+CD56dimNK cells decreased along with HBV load in CHB patients who received antiviral therapy. Functional analysis showed that ILT2+CD56dimNK cells in CHB patients had significantly reduced degranulation and IFN-γ production. Upregulation of ILT2 was associated with high levels of apoptosis in CD56dimCD16+NK cells from CHB patients. ILT2 blockade was shown to increase the cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production of CD56dimNK cells in some CHB patients. Finally, ILT2 was found to be moderately upregulated by TGF-ß1, which was increased in immune-tolerant, immune-active and HBeAg-negative hepatitis patients. Our results show that chronic HBV infection increases the levels of the inhibitory receptor ILT2 on CD56dimNK cells and inhibits their functions, providing a new mechanism of NK-cell disability in CHB patients.

Protective effect of inhibiting necroptosis on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Necroptosis is defined as a novel programmed cell necrosis that is mediated by receptor interacting serine-threonine protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) and other related signals. Necrosis, apoptosis and inflammation are commonly considered as the leading mechanism in acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by gentamicin (GEN), which is a useful antibiotic for treating the infection of Gram-negative bacterial. However, the necroptosis in the pathogenesis of GEN-induced AKI is unknown. In this study, to investigate the process and function of necroptosis in GEN-induced AKI, NRK-52E and HK-2 cells and SD rats were used as the models. The necroptosis-related proteins, including RIPK1, RIPK3, mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) and phosphorylated MLKL (p-MLKL), were all increasing time-dependently when GEN was continuously given. By using the RIPK1 inhibitor necrostatin-1 (NEC-1) and RIPK3 inhibitor (CPD42), the GEN-induced toxicity of tubular cells was alleviated. Moreover, it was validated that GEN-induced cell apoptosis and inflammation were attenuated after treating with NEC-1 or CPD42, both in vivo and in vitro. When MLKL was knocked down by siRNA, NEC-1 and CPD42 can not further protect the damage of tubular cells by GEN. Although the using of pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD significantly decreased GEN-induced apoptosis, it enhanced necroptosis and slightly promoted the decreased cell viability in GEN-treated cells, with the protective effects weaker than NEC-1 or CPD42. Finally, in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests and bacteriostatic ring studies showed that NEC-1 did not interfere with the antibiotic effects of GEN. Thus, suppressing necroptosis can serve as a promising strategy for the prevention of GEN-induced nephrotoxicity.

Abnormal expression of CD96 on natural killer cell in peripheral blood of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Natural killer (NK) cells are regarded as the host's first line of defense against viral infection. Moreover, the involvement of NK cells in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been documented. However, the specific mechanism and biological changes of NK cells in COPD development have not been determined. In this study, we extracted NK cells from the peripheral blood of 18 COPD patients who were recovering from an acute exacerbation and 45 healthy donors (HDs), then we labeled NK cells with different antibodies and analyzed with flow cytometry. The data showed that the frequencies of total NK cells in the peripheral blood of COPD patients were lower compared with HDs. Moreover, the inhibitory receptors on NK cells expressed higher levels and the expression of activating receptors were generally low. Importantly, both the expression levels of CD96 in NK cells and the frequencies of CD96+ NK cells were significantly upregulated in COPD patients. These findings suggest that surface receptor CD96 from NK cells may be a risk factor in the evolution of COPD.

Abnormal expression and clinical significance of surface receptors on natural killer cells in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Natural killer (NK) cells typically function as frontline lymphocytes against cancer although little is known about their engagement in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study compared the performance and activity of NK cells and their subsets in the peripheral blood of NSCLC sufferers and healthy participants. In total, 67 healthy controls (40 males; 59.7%) and 56 patients with NSCLC (35 males; 62.5%) were included (mean age, 66.6 years). Flow cytometry identified NK cells and their subpopulations in external blood, and the total number, proportion, activity, surface activating, and inhibitory receptor expression levels were determined. Results showed that NK cell surface receptors CD107a, IFN-γ, and TNF-α activity were markedly reduced in lung cancer patients compared to healthy controls. The number and ratio of NK cells within the lymphocyte population were decreased in patients. The concentration of the inhibitory receptors TIGIT, TIM-3, CD96, PD-1, and Siglec-7 were increased in patients, whereas the expression level of the activating receptor NKP30 was decreased. Moreover, the expression levels of IFN-γ, TIGIT, CD96, PD-1, and TIM-3 were correlated with the clinical phase of NSCLC. These findings suggest that surface receptors from NK cells are likely to be involved in the evolution of NSCLC.

Hepatocyte-specific deletion of cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes 1 exacerbates alcohol-induced liver injury by activating stress kinases.

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) encompasses a wide range of pathologies from simple steatosis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is a global health problem. Currently, there are no effective pharmacological treatments for ALD. We have previously demonstrated that aging exacerbates the pathogenesis of ALD, but the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes 1 protein (CREG1) is a recently identified small glycoprotein that has been implicated in aging process by promoting cellular senescence and activating stress kinases. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the role of aging associated CREG1 in ALD pathogenesis and CREG1 as a potential therapeutic target. Hepatic and serum CREG1 protein levels were elevated in ALD patients. Elevation of hepatic CREG1 protein and mRNA was also observed in a mouse model of Gao-binge alcohol feeding. Genetic deletion of the Creg1 gene in hepatocytes (Creg1∆hep ) markedly exacerbated ethanol-induced liver injury, apoptosis, steatosis and inflammation. Compared to wild-type mice, Creg1∆hep mice had increased phosphorylation of hepatic stress kinases such as apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 but not TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) after alcohol feeding. In vitro, ethanol treatment elevated the phosphorylation of ASK1, JNK, and p38 in mouse hepatocyte AML-12 cells. This elevation was further enhanced by CREG1 knockdown but alleviated by CREG1 overexpression. Last, treatment with an ASK1 inhibitor abolished ethanol-induced liver injury and upregulated hepatic lipogenesis, proinflammatory genes and stress kinases in Creg1∆hep mice. Taken together, our data suggest that CREG1 protects against alcoholic liver injury and inflammation by inhibiting the ASK1-JNK/p38 stress kinase pathway and that CREG1 is a potential therapeutic target for ALD.

Highly flexible hydrogel dressing with efficient antibacterial, antioxidative, and wound healing performances.

Bacterial induced wound infection is very common in real life, but the abuse of antibiotics means that is poses a potential threat to human health. The development of non-antibiotic type antibacterial materials appears to be of importance. Herein, a microenvironment-responsive and biodegradable hydrogel complex, consisting of an acid-degradable antibacterial hydrogel and a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-responsive polymer/gold hybrid film with photothermal conversion ability was constructed based on polyethylenimine (PEI), polyethylene glycol (PEG), hexachlorocyclic triphosphonitrile (HCCP), and gold nanoparticles. The resultant hydrogel showed excellent adhesion to various surfaces, whether in air or underwater. However, a simple glycerine and water (v/v = 1/1) mixed solution could rapidly promote the detachment of the hydrogel from skin automatically, without any external force and no residue was left, exhibiting a manmade controllable flexible feature. Moreover, the in vitro antibacterial performance against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), as well as wound healing investigations conducted in living mice confirmed that these hydrogels possessed excellent antibacterial, antioxidative, and wound healing abilities. We believe this proof of concept could create a novel pathway for the design and construction of highly efficient hydrogel dressings using readily available polymeric materials and that the resulting dressing have potential for clinical applications.

Hepatic NCoR1 deletion exacerbates alcohol-induced liver injury in mice by promoting CCL2-mediated monocyte-derived macrophage infiltration.

Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) is a corepressor of the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription that has important functions in metabolism and inflammation, but little is known about its role in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). In this study, we developed mice with hepatocyte-specific NCoR1 knockout (NCoR1Hep-/-) using the albumin-Cre/LoxP system and investigated the role of NCoR1 in the pathogenesis of ALD and the underlying mechanisms. The traditional alcohol feeding model and NIAAA model of ALD were both established in wild-type and NCoR1Hep-/- mice. We showed that after ALD was established, NCoR1Hep-/- mice had worse liver injury but less steatosis than wild-type mice. We demonstrated that hepatocyte-specific loss of NCoR1 attenuated liver steatosis by promoting fatty acid oxidation by upregulating BMAL1 (a circadian clock component that has been reported to promote peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα)-mediated fatty ß-oxidation by upregulating de novo lipid synthesis). On the other hand, hepatocyte-specific loss of NCoR1 exacerbated alcohol-induced liver inflammation and oxidative stress by recruiting monocyte-derived macrophages via C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2). In the mouse hepatocyte line AML12, NCoR1 knockdown significantly increased ethanol-induced CCL2 release. These results suggest that hepatocyte NCoR1 plays distinct roles in controlling liver inflammation and steatosis, which provides new insights into the development of treatments for steatohepatitis induced by chronic alcohol consumption.