Hsp90 Promotes Gastric Cancer Cell Metastasis and Stemness by Regulating the Regional Distribution of Glycolysis-Related Metabolic Enzymes in the Cytoplasm.

Heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression; however, its mechanism of action in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Here, the role of Hsp90 in GC metabolism is the focus of this research. High expression of Hsp90 in GC tissues can interact with glycolysis, collectively affecting prognosis in clinical samples. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that Hsp90 is able to regulate the migration and stemness properties of GC cells. Metabolic phenotype analyses indicate that Hsp90 influences glycolytic metabolism. Mechanistically, Hsp90 interacts with glycolysis-related enzymes, forming multienzyme complexes to enhance glycolysis efficiency and yield. Additionally, Hsp90 binds to cytoskeleton-related proteins, regulating the regional distribution of glycolytic enzymes at the cell margin and lamellar pseudopods. This effect could lead to a local increase in efficient energy supply from glycolysis, further promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. In summary, Hsp90, through its interaction with metabolic enzymes related to glycolysis, forms multi-enzyme complexes and regulates regional distribution of glycolysis by dynamic cytoskeletal adjustments, thereby promoting the migration and stemness of GC cells. These conclusions also support the potential for a combined targeted approach involving Hsp90, glycolysis, and the cytoskeleton in clinical therapy.

Mechanically robust and personalized silk fibroin-magnesium composite scaffolds with water-responsive shape-memory for irregular bone regeneration.

The regeneration of critical-size bone defects, especially those with irregular shapes, remains a clinical challenge. Various biomaterials have been developed to enhance bone regeneration, but the limitations on the shape-adaptive capacity, the complexity of clinical operation, and the unsatisfied osteogenic bioactivity have greatly restricted their clinical application. In this work, we construct a mechanically robust, tailorable and water-responsive shape-memory silk fibroin/magnesium (SF/MgO) composite scaffold, which is able to quickly match irregular defects by simple trimming, thus leading to good interface integration. We demonstrate that the SF/MgO scaffold exhibits excellent mechanical stability and structure retention during the degradative process with the potential for supporting ability in defective areas. This scaffold further promotes the proliferation, adhesion and migration of osteoblasts and the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro. With suitable MgO content, the scaffold exhibits good histocompatibility, low foreign-body reactions (FBRs), significant ectopic mineralisation and angiogenesis. Skull defect experiments on male rats demonstrate that the cell-free SF/MgO scaffold markedly enhances bone regeneration of cranial defects. Taken together, the mechanically robust, personalised and bioactive scaffold with water-responsive shape-memory may be a promising biomaterial for clinical-size and irregular bone defect regeneration.

Anti-ENO1 antibody combined with metformin against tumor resistance: a novel antibody-based platform.

Background: Antibody-based platforms (i.e., ADC) have emerged as one of the most encouraging tools for the cancer resistance caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs) enrichment. Our study might provide a promising therapeutic direction against drug resistance and serve as a potential precursor platform for screening ADC. Methods: The cell migration, invasion, drug resistance, and self-renewal were assessed by the cell invasion and migration assay, wound healing assay, CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and sphere formation assay, respectively. The expression profiles of CSCs (ALDH+ and CD44+) subpopulations were screened by flow cytometry. The western blot and cell immunofluorescence assay were used to evaluate pathway-related protein expression in both anti-ENO1 antibody, MET combined with DPP/CTX-treated CSCs. Results: In the present study, western blot and flow cytometry verified that anti-ENO1 antibody target the CD44+ subpopulation by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway, while metformin might target the ALDH+ subpopulation through activation of the AMPK pathway and thus reverse drug resistance to varying degrees. Subsequently, in vitro investigation indicated that anti-ENO1 antibody, metformin combined with cisplatin/cetuximab could simultaneously target ALDH+ and CD44+ subpopulations. The combination also inhibited the CSCs proliferation, migration, invasion, and sphere formation; which may result in overcoming the drug resistance. Then, molecular mechanism exploration verified that the anti-ENO1 antibody, metformin combined with cisplatin/cetuximab inhibited the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Conclusions: The study preliminarily revealed anti-ENO1 antibody combined with metformin could overcome drug resistance against CSCs by inhibiting the Wnt//ß-catenin pathway and might serve as a potential precursor platform for screening ADC. More importantly, it is reasonably believed that antibody-based drug combination therapy might function as an encouraging tool for oncotherapy.

Construction of ultrasonically treated collagen/silk fibroin composite scaffolds to induce cartilage regeneration.

A novel tissue-specific functional tissue engineering scaffold for cartilage repair should have a three-dimensional structure, good biosafety and biological activity, and should be able to promote cartilage tissue regeneration. This study aimed to determine the effect of ultrasound-treated collagen/silk fibroin (Col/SF) composite scaffolds with good mechanical properties and high biological activity on cartilage repair. The characteristics of the scaffolds with different Col/SF ratios (7:3, 8:2, and 9:1) were determined by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and porosity, water absorption, and compression tests. In vitro evaluations revealed the biocompatibility of the Col/SF scaffolds. Results suggested that the optimal ratio of Col/SF composite scaffolds was 7:3. The Col/SF scaffolds induced adipose-derived stem cells to undergo chondrogenic differentiation under chondrogenic culture conditions. The efficiency of Col/SF scaffolds for cartilage regeneration applications was further evaluated using an in vivo model of full-thickness articular cartilage defects in New Zealand rabbits. The Col/SF scaffolds effectively promoted osteochondral regeneration as evidenced by macroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluation. The study demonstrates that ultrasound-treated Col/SF scaffolds show great potential for repairing cartilage defects.

HSP90, as a functional target antigen of a mAb 11C9, promotes stemness and tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Identification of promising targeted antigens that exhibited cancer-specific expression is a crucial step in the development of novel antibody-targeted therapies. We here aimed to investigate the anti-tumor activity of a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) 11C9 and identify the antibody tractable target in the hepatocellular cancer stem cells (HCSCs). METHODS: The identification of the targeted antigen was conducted using SDS-PAGE, western blot, mass spectrometry, and co-immunoprecipitation. Silence of HSP90 was induced by siRNA interference. Positive cells were sorted by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Double-immunofluorescent (IF) staining and two-color flow cytometry detected the co-expression. Self-renewal, invasion, and drug resistance were assessed by sphere formation, matrigel-coated Transwell assay, and CCK-8 assay, respectively. Tumorigenicity was evaluated in mouse xenograft models. RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis were performed to explore the mechanism of mAb 11C9 and potential targets. RESULTS: MAb 11C9 inhibited invasion and self-renewal abilities of HCC cell lines and reversed the cisplatin resistance. HSP90 (~ 95 kDa) was identified as a targeted antigen of mAb 11C9. Tissue microarrays and online databases revealed that HSP90 was overexpressed in HCC and associated with a poor prognosis. FACS and double-IF staining showed the co-expression of HSP90 and CSCs markers (CD90 and ESA). In vitro and in vivo demonstrated the tumorigenic potentials of HSP90. The inhibition of HSP90 by siRNA interference or 17-AAG inhibitor both decreased the number of invasion, sphere cells, and CD90+ or ESA+ cells, as well as reversed the resistance. Bioinformatics analysis and western blot verified that HSP90 activated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. CONCLUSIONS: The study preliminarily revealed the anti-tumor activity of mAb 11C9. More importantly, we identified HSP90 as a targeted antigen of mAb 11C9, which functions as an oncogene in phenotype shaping, stemness maintenance, and therapeutic resistance by activating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

[Corrigendum] Hsp90 inhibitor 17­AAG inhibits stem cell­like properties and chemoresistance in osteosarcoma cells via the Hedgehog signaling pathway.

Following the publication of the article, a concerned reader drew to the authors' attention that, in Fig. 1B and C on p. 316, two pairs of the data panels showing the results from invasion and migration assay experiments appeared to be overlapping, such that they would have been derived from the same original sources where they were intended to show the results from different experiments; moreover, on p. 1698, the '17­AAG / MG­63' data panels in Fig. 3B and C were also overlapping, albeit the images were presented at a different scale and in a slightly different orientation. After having examined their original data, the authors have realized that these figures were inadvertently assembled incorrectly. The corrected versions of Figs. 1 and 3, now showing the correct data in Fig. 1C (where the errors made in compiling the figure had occurred) and the correct data for the '17­AAG / MG­63' data panel in Fig. 3C, are shown on the next two pages. These corrections do not grossly affect either the results or the conclusions reported in this work. The authors all agree to the publication of this Corrigendum, and are grateful to the Editor of Oncology Reports for granting them the opportunity to correct the errors that were made during the assembly of these figures. Lastly, the authors apologize to the readership for any inconvenience these errors may have caused. [Oncology Reports 44: 313­324, 2020; DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7597].

ERK-estrogen receptor α signaling plays a role in the process of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes protecting against ovariectomy-induced bone loss.

BACKGROUND: Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-Exos) are considered as candidates for osteoporosis (OP) therapy. Estrogen is critical in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. However, the role of estrogen and/or its receptor in BMSC-Exos treatment of OP, as well as its methods of regulation during this process remain unclear. METHODS: BMSCs were cultured and characterized. Ultracentrifugation was performed to collect BMSC-Exos. Transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blotting were used to identify BMSC-Exos. We examined the effects of BMSC-Exos on the proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, mineralization, and cell cycle distribution of MG-63 cells. The protein expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and the phosphorylation of ERK were investigated through western blotting. We determined the effects of BMSC-Exos on the prevention of bone loss in female rats. The female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: the sham group, ovariectomized (OVX) group, and the OVX + BMSC-Exos group. Bilateral ovariectomy was performed in the OVX and OVX + BMSC-Exos groups, while a similar volume of adipose tissue around the ovary was removed in the sham group. The rats in OVX group and OVX + BMSC-Exos group were given PBS or BMSC-Exos after 2 weeks of surgery. Micro-CT scanning and histological staining were used to evaluate the in vivo effects of BMSC-Exos. RESULTS: BMSC-Exos significantly enhanced the proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and the Alizarin red S staining in MG-63 cells. The results of cell cycle distribution demonstrated that BMSC-Exos increased the proportion of cells in the G2 + S phase and decreased the proportion of cells in the G1 phase. Moreover, PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK, inhibited both the activation of ERK and the expression of ERα, which were promoted by administration of BMSC-Exos. Micro-CT scan showed that in the OVX + BMSC-Exos group, bone mineral density, bone volume/tissue volume fraction, trabecular number were significantly upregulated. Additionally, the microstructure of the trabecular bone was preserved in the OVX + BMSC-Exos group compared to that in the OVX group. CONCLUSION: BMSC-Exos showed an osteogenic-promoting effect both in vitro and in vivo, in which ERK-ERα signaling might play an important role.

Restructuring the Interface of Silk-Polycaprolactone Biocomposites Using Rigid-Flexible Agents.

Natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites with excellent mechanical and biological properties have attractive prospects for internal medical devices. However, poor interfacial adhesion between natural silk fiber and the polymer matrix has been a disturbing issue for such applications. Herein, rigid-flexible agents, such as polydopamine (PDA) and epoxy soybean oil (ESO), were introduced to enhance the interfacial adhesion between Antheraea pernyi (Ap) silk and a common medical polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). We compared two strategies of depositing PDA first (Ap-PDA-ESO) and grafting ESO first (Ap-ESO-PDA). The rigid-flexible interfacial agents introduced multiple molecular interactions at the silk-PCL interface. The "Ap-PDA-ESO" strategy exhibited a greater enhancement in interfacial adhesion, and interfacial toughening mechanisms were proposed. This work sheds light on engineering strong and tough silk fiber-based biocomposites for biomedical applications.

Palladin promotes cancer stem cell-like properties in lung cancer by activating Wnt/Β-Catenin signaling.

BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for drug resistance, cancer relapse, and metastasis. Here, we report the first analysis of Palladin expression and its impacts on stem cell-like properties in lung cancer. METHODS: Tissue microarrays were used to investigate Palladin expression and its association with prognosis. Immunofluorescence (IF), flow fluorescence assay, and Western blot were performed to detect Palladin expression in 6 NSCLC cell lines. Cell phenotypes and drug resistance were evaluated. Xenograft models were constructed to confirm the role of Palladin in vivo. RESULTS: By using the tissue microarrays, Palladin was identified to be highly expressed in the cytoplasm, specifically in the cytomembrane of NSCLC, and its high expression is associated with poor prognosis. Palladin is widely expressed and enriched in the sphere cells. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that Palladin promoted stem cell-like properties, including cell viability, invasion, migration, self-renewal abilities, taxol resistance, and tumorigenicity. Western blot revealed that Palladin promoted the accumulation of ß-catenin and activated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Tissue microarrays analysis further confirmed the positive correlation between Palladin and ß-catenin. Wnt/ß-catenin pathway inhibitor blocked the Palladin-induced enhancement of sphere-forming. CONCLUSIONS: Palladin might act as an oncogene by promoting CSCs-like properties and tumorigenicity of NSCLC cells via the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Besides, Palladin was identified to have the potential as a cell surface marker for LCSCs identification. These findings provide a possible target for developing putative agents targeted to LCSCs.

A Cell-Free Silk Fibroin Biomaterial Strategy Promotes In Situ Cartilage Regeneration Via Programmed Releases of Bioactive Molecules.

In situ tissue regeneration using cell-free biofunctional scaffolds has been extensively studied as a promising alternative strategy to promote cartilage repair. In this study, a cartilage-biomimetic silk fibroin (SF)-based scaffold with controlled sequential release of two bioactive molecules is developed. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) is initially loaded onto the SF scaffolds by physical absorption, which are then successively functionalized with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-specific-affinity peptide (E7) via gradient degradation coating of Silk fibroin Methacryloyl (SilMA)/Hyaluronic acid Methacryloyl (HAMA). Such SF-based scaffolds exhibit excellent structural stability and catilage-like mechanical properties, thus providing a desirable 3D microenvironment for cartilage reconstruction. Furthermore, rapid initial release of E7 during the first few days, followed by slow and sustained release of TGF-ß1 for as long as few weeks, synergistically induced the recruitment of BMSCs and chondrogenic differentiation of them in vitro. Finally, in vivo studies indicate that the implantation of the biofunctional scaffold markedly promote in situ cartilage regeneration in a rabbit cartilage defect model. It is believed that this cartilage-biomimetic biofunctional SF-based scaffold with sequential controlled release of E7 and TGF-ß1 may have a promising potential for improved cartilage tissue engineering.

Differential expression and significance of peripheral blood genes in coronary artery heart disease.

Background: The peripheral blood gene expression profile of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been fully resolved. The aim of this study was to further analyze the peripheral blood transcriptome information of CAD patients and to uncover key genes and regulatory mechanisms in the pathogenesis and disease progression of CAD. Methods: The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was applied to screen out differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the peripheral blood of CAD patients, and the DEGs were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The core genes were screened by GO, KEGG, and GSEA, and the gene-gene interaction (GGI) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of DEGs were constructed. The GeneCards database was used to obtain CAD-related genes, and the GEO dataset was used to obtain intersecting genes. The intersecting genes were analyzed for bioenrichment and prediction of potential therapeutic agents, and predictive models were constructed for the intersecting genes. Finally, immune infiltrating cells from the GEO dataset were analyzed. Results: A total of 79 DEGs were screened in the peripheral blood of CAD patients, of which three were autophagy-related genes. Biological enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were associated with metabolic pathways, and vascular smooth muscle contraction and were mainly involved the MAPK signaling pathway, metabolic pathways, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The S100A8, ENTPD1, and MMP9 further screened were screened. A total of 11 CAD crossover genes and 75 potential therapeutic agents were obtained, and the column line graph prediction models constructed for S100A8, HSPB1, F5, MMP9, and PDE9A had good predictive power. There were significant differences in immune cells in CAD patients compared to healthy individuals, especially in T cells regulatory (Tregs) and B cells naïve. Conclusions: The peripheral blood of CAD patients screened by the GEO dataset was significantly different from that of the healthy population, and the DEGs and intersecting genes were involved in numerous key biological processes that may be involved in the development and progression of CAD and could serve as its regulatory sites and therapeutic drug targets.

A Prospective Study Comparing Cancer Detection Rates of Transperineal Prostate Biopsies Performed by Junior Urologists versus a Senior Consultant in a Real-World Setting.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate biopsy (PB) is a typical daily practice method for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to compare the PCa detection rates and peri- and postoperative complications of PB among 3 residents and a consultant. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 343 patients who underwent PB between August 2018 and July 2019 were involved in this study. Residents were systematically trained for 2 weeks by a consultant for performing systematic biopsy (SB) and targeted biopsy (TB). And then, 3 residents and the consultant performed PB independently every quarter due to routine rotation in daily practice. The peri- and postoperative data were collected from a prospectively maintained database (www.pc-follow.cn). The primary outcome and secondary outcome were to compare the PCa detection rates and complications between the residents and consultant, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the residents and consultant in terms of overall PCa detection rates of SB and TB or further stratified by prostate-specific antigen value and prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) scores. We found the consultant had more TB cores (175 cores vs. 86-114 cores, p = 0.043) and shorter procedural time (mean 16 min vs. 19.7-20.1 min, p < 0.001) versus the residents. The complication rate for the consultant was 6.7% and 5%-8.2% for the residents, respectively (p = 0.875). CONCLUSIONS: The residents could get similar PCa detection and complication rates compared with that of the consultant after a 2-week training. However, the residents still need more cases to shorten the time of the biopsy procedure.

MYH9 is crucial for stem cell-like properties in non-small cell lung cancer by activating mTOR signaling.

The fatality rate of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been high due to the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) can promote the progression of various tumors, but its effect on the stem cell-like characteristics of lung cancer cells (LCCs) has not been clarified. Our research found that the stemness characteristics of LCCs were significantly enhanced by the overexpression of MYH9, and the knockout of MYH9 had the opposite effects. The in vivo with inhibitor blebbistatin further confirmed the effect of MYH9 on the stem cell-like behavior of LCCs. Furthermore, western blotting showed that the expression level of CSCs markers (CD44, SOX2, Nanog, CD133, and OCT4) was also regulated by MYH9. Mechanistic studies have shown that MYH9 regulates stem cell-like features of LCCs by regulating the mTOR signaling pathway, which was supported by sphere formation experiments after LCCs were treated with inhibitors Rapamycin and CHIR-99021. Importantly, high expression of MYH9 in lung cancer is positively correlated with poor clinical prognosis and is an independent risk factor for patients with NSCLC.

Analysis of microRNA expression in CD133 positive cancer stem­like cells of human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant tumor of bone occurring in young adults. OS stem cells (OSCs) play an important role in the occurrence, growth, metastasis, drug resistance and recurrence of OS. CD133 is an integral membrane glycoprotein, which has been identified as an OSC marker. However, the mechanisms of metastasis, chemoresistance, and progression in CD133(+) OSCs need to be further explored. In this study, we aim to explore differences in miRNA levels between CD133(+) and CD133(-) cells from the MG-63 cell line. We found 20 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) (16 upregulated and 4 downregulated) in CD133(+) cells compared with CD133(-) cells. Hsa-miR-4485-3p, hsa-miR-4284 and hsa-miR-3656 were the top three upregulated DEmiRNAs, while hsa-miR-487b-3p, hsa-miR-493-5p and hsa-miR-431-5p were the top three downregulated DEmiRNAs. In addition, RT-PCR analysis confirmed that the expression levels of hsa-miR-4284, hsa-miR-4485-3p and hsa-miR-3656 were significantly increased, while the expression levels of hsa-miR-487b-3p, hsa-miR-493-5p, and hsa-miR-431-5p were significantly decreased in CD133(+) cells compared with CD133(-) cells. Moreover, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that predicted or validated target genes for all 20 DEmiRNAs or the selected 6 DEmiRNAs participated in the "PI3K-Akt signaling pathway," "Wnt signaling pathway," "Rap1 signaling pathway," "Cell cycle" and "MAPK signaling pathway". Among the selected six DEmiRNAs, miR-4284 was especially interesting. MiR-4284 knockdown significantly reduced the sphere forming capacity of CD133(+) OS cells. The number of invasive CD133(+) OS cells was markedly decreased after miR-4284 knockdown. In addition, miR-4284 knockdown increased the p-ß-catenin levels in CD133(+) OS cells. In conclusion, RNA-seq analysis revealed DEmiRNAs between CD133(+) and CD133(-) cells. MiRNAs might play significant roles in the function of OSCs and could serve as targets for OS treatment. MiR-4284 prompted the self-renewal and invasion of OSCs. The function of miR-4284 might be associated with the Wnt signaling pathway.

Seasonal Variation and Global Public Interest in the Internet Searches for Osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the seasonal pattern and global public interest in osteoporosis by evaluating search term popularity changes of the disease over a decade. METHODS: We applied Google Trends to retrieve search popularity scores for the term "osteoporosis" between January 01, 2004, and December 31, 2019. Cosinor analyses were conducted to examine the seasonality of osteoporosis, and analysis on osteoporosis-related topics including hot topics and rising-related topics was also performed. RESULTS: The cosinor analyses demonstrated a statistically significant seasonal variation in relative search volume of the "osteoporosis" in the world (p = 0.0083), USA (p < 0.001), UK (p < 0.001), Canada (p < 0.001), Ireland (p < 0.001), Australia (p < 0.001), and New Zealand (p < 0.001), with a peak in the late winter months and trough in the summer months. The peaks in late winter and valley in summer presented an approximately 6-month difference between hemispheres. The top 11 rising topics were denosumab, FRAX, hypocalcaemia, zoledronic acid, ibandronic acid, osteomyelitis, osteopenia, osteoarthritis, bone, calcium, and bone density. CONCLUSIONS: Google search query volumes related to osteoporosis follow strong seasonal patterns with late winter peaks and summer troughs. Further studies aimed at elucidating the possible mechanisms behind seasonality in osteoporosis are needed. Moreover, Internet data including the top rising topics may alert physicians to strengthen the propaganda of osteoporosis timely, so as to further promote the development of public health interventions.

BCAT1 Activates PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway and Contributes to the Angiogenesis and Tumorigenicity of Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Focusing on antiangiogenesis may provide promising choices for treatment of gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to investigate the mechanistic role of BCAT1 in the pathogenesis of GC, particularly in angiogenesis. METHODS: Bioinformatics and clinical samples analysis were used to investigate the expression and potential mechanism of BCAT1 in GC. BGC823 cells with BCAT1 overexpression or silencing were induced by lentiviral transduction. Cell phenotypes and angiogenesis were evaluated. The relevant proteins were quantized by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, or immunofluorescence. Xenograft models were constructed to confirm the role of BCAT1 in vivo. RESULTS: BCAT1 was overexpressed in GC patients and associated with lower survival. BCAT1 expression was correlated with proliferation-, invasion-, or angiogenesis-related markers expression and pathways. Silencing BCAT1 expression suppressed cell viability, colony formation, cycle progression, invasion, and angiogenesis of BGC823 cells, as well as the tumor growth of xenograft models, whereas overexpressing BCAT1 had the opposite results both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and Western blotting demonstrated that BCAT1 activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. The addition of LY294002 reversed the tumor growth induced by BCAT1 overexpression, further verifying this mechanism. CONCLUSION: BCAT1 might act as an oncogene by facilitating proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis through activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This finding could aid the optimization of antiangiogenesis strategies.

The relationship between crosslinking structure and silk fibroin scaffold performance for soft tissue engineering.

Biologically active scaffolds with tunable mechano- and bio-performance remain desirable for soft tissue engineering. Previously, highly elastic and robust silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds were prepared via cryogelation. In order to get more insight into the role of ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) on the structure and properties of SF scaffolds, we investigated the fate of SF scaffolds with different usages of the crosslinking agent in vitro and in vivo. Although SF scaffolds with varied EGDE contents showed similar micro-morphology, increasing EGDE from 1 mmol/g to 5 mmol/g resulted in firstly increased and later decreased content of ß-sheet conformation, and linearly increased tensile modulus and decreased elasticity. The dual-crosslinked SF scaffolds with EGDE up to 5 mmol/g did not show in vitro cytotoxicity for NIH3T3 fibroblasts. In vivo subcutaneous implantation of SF scaffolds with <3 mmol/g EGDE displayed excellent degradation behavior and tissue ingrowth after 28 days of implantation. However, with ≥3 mmol/g EGDE, SF scaffolds exhibited obvious post-implantation foreign body reactions, probably associated with slow degradation due to excess chemical crosslinks and less mechanical compatibility. These results suggest that an appropriate dosage of crosslinking agent was critical to achieve balanced mechanical properties, degradability in vivo and immuno-properties of the SF scaffold platform for soft tissue engineering.

Voltine Ecotypes of the Asian Corn Borer and Their Response to Climate Warming.

In the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), diapause is governed by a multigenetic constitution that responds to daylength and temperature with seasonality. The ACB displays uni- or multivoltinism, depending on its geographic specificity. Hence, warmer temperatures may result in alternation of voltinism in the ACB, which will help in understanding the ecological consequences of climate warming on insects. In the present study, we investigated the voltinism in two natural populations from Harbin (H) and Gongzhuling (G) as well as a laboratory (L) population (established from the H population in 2017) of the ACB, at ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 (aCO2 390 µL/L and eCO2 750 µL/L) and temperature (aT and Et = At + 2 °C). From the diapause response, both the uni- and multivoltine ecotypes were coexisting in the H population. The neonate occurrence date of 50% individuals that induced diapause was ca. 10 days later in the G population than in the H population, but it was about 10 days earlier than in the L population. Comparing to the dates of onset and the peak of diapause induction, the G and L populations were less variable than the H population in response to a short and/or shortening daylength in the field. The univoltine individuals could not be eliminated completely after 19 generations of selection. Diapause incidence decreased with a climate-warming scenario, which was temporally specific and could be overridden by significantly low daily average temperatures. The eCO2 did not directly impact the voltinism. On the basis of voltinism, the H population was sympatric for uni- and multivoltine ecotypes, with multivoltinism being dominant. The univoltinism trait was recessive. Climate warming could significantly override the effect of photoperiod, which was yearly dependent. Warmer temperatures and a decreased latitude (shortened daylength), and their interaction, would drive ACB evolution toward diapause homogeneity for multivoltinism.