Association between systemic inflammatory markers and all-cause mortality in patients with stroke: A prospective study using data from the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are novel inflammatory biomarkers used to determine various disease prognoses. However, the effects of these systemic inflammatory markers on all-cause mortality in patients with stroke remain unclear. METHODS: We used data from the UK Biobank for this prospective analysis. Overall, 6,020 eligible individuals were included. Over a median follow-up of 13.4 years, 1,233 participants died. We examined the effects of systemic inflammatory markers on all-cause mortality using random survival forest (RSF) and Cox proportional hazards models. Covariate adjustments in the Cox model, selected by RSF, included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), Townsend deprivation index, smoking status, alcohol intake frequency, sleep duration, diabetes, and malignant neoplasms. RESULTS: In the marginal effect plots and restricted cubic spline analysis for systemic inflammatory markers, LMR exhibited a linear negative correlation, NLR showed a linear positive correlation, and SII and PLR demonstrated a U-shaped association. After covariates were adjusted, the all-cause mortality risk increased by 14 % for LMR <4 (hazards ratio [HR]: 1.14, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.29; p= 0.03), by 26 % for NLR ≥2 (HR: 1.26; 95 % CI: 1.11-1.43; p < 0.001),by 26 % for PLR ≥175 (HR: 1.26; 95 % CI: 1.07-1.47; p < 0.001), and by 31 % for SII ≥526 (HR: 1.31; 95 % CI, 1.16-1.47; p= 0.014). In addition, sensitivity analyses, excluding participants who had been followed-up for <2 years and those with malignant neoplasms, yielded results consistent with those of previous research. CONCLUSION: SII, NLR, PLR, and LMR significantly correlate with all-cause mortality in stroke patients. Thresholds established by the RSF model could potentially refine prognostic decision-making in stroke care.

Early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Analysis of levels, health risk and binding abilities to transport proteins.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can pass through the placenta and adversely affect fetal development. However, there is a lack of comparison of legacy and emerging PFAS levels among different biosamples in pregnant women and their offspring. This study, based on the Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort, analyzed the concentrations of 16 PFAS in the maternal serum, cord serum, and breast milk samples from 1,076 mother-child pairs. The placental and breastfeeding transfer efficiencies of PFAS were determined in maternal-cord and maternal-milk pairs, respectively. The binding affinities of PFAS to five transporters were simulated using molecular docking. The results suggested that PFAS were frequently detected in different biosamples. The median concentration of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the highest at 8.85 ng/mL, followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at 7.13 ng/mL and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate at 5.59 ng/mL in maternal serum. The median concentrations of PFOA were highest in cord serum (4.23 ng/mL) and breast milk (1.08 ng/mL). PFAS demonstrated higher placental than breastfeeding transfer efficiencies. The transfer efficiencies and the binding affinities of most PFAS to proteins exhibited alkyl chain length-dependent patterns. Furthermore, we comprehensively assessed the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of PFAS in breastfeeding infants of different age groups and used the hazard quotient (HQ) to characterize the potential health risk. EDIs decreased with infant age, and PFOS had higher HQs than PFOA. These findings highlight the significance of considering PFAS exposure, transfer mechanism, and health risks resulting from breast milk intake in early life.

Toxicological effects, absorption and biodegradation of bisphenols with different functional groups in Chromochloris zofingiensis.

Bisphenols (BPs) are recognized as endocrine disrupting compounds and have garnered increasing attention due to their widespread utilization. However, the varying biological toxicities and underlying mechanisms of BPs with different functional groups remain unknown. In the present study, the toxic effects of four BPs (BPA, BPS, BPAF, and TBBPA) on a photosynthetic microalgae Chromochloris zofingiensis were compared. Results showed that halogen-containing BPs exhibited higher cellular uptake, leading to more severe oxidative stress, lower photosynthetic efficiency, and greater accumulation of starch and lipids. Specifically, TBBPA with bromine groups showed a greater toxicity than BPAF with fluorine groups, possibly due to the incomplete debromination in C. zofingiensis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that halogen-containing BPs triggered greater number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and only 64 common DEGs were found among different BPs, indicating that the effects of BPs with different functional groups varied greatly. Genes involved in endocytosis, peroxisomes, and endoplasmic reticulum protein processing pathways were mostly upregulated across different BPs, while photosynthesis-related genes showed varied expression, possibly due to their distinct functional groups. Additionally, SIN3A, ZFP36L, CHMP, and ATF2 emerged as potential key regulatory genes. Overall, this study thoroughly explained how functional groups impact the toxicity and biodegradation of BPs in C. zofingiensis.

DAB2 + macrophages support FAP + fibroblasts in shaping tumor barrier and inducing poor clinical outcomes in liver cancer.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the key components of the immune barrier in liver cancer. Therefore, gaining a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity and intercellular communication of CAFs holds utmost importance in boosting immunotherapy effectiveness and improving clinical outcomes. Methods: A comprehensive analysis by combing single-cell, bulk, and spatial transcriptome profiling with multiplexed immunofluorescence was conducted to unravel the complexities of CAFs in liver cancer. Results: Through an integrated approach involving 235 liver cancer scRNA-seq samples encompassing over 1.2 million cells, we found that CAFs were particularly increased in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). FAP + fibroblasts were identified as the dominant subtype of CAFs, and which were mainly involved in extracellular matrix organization and angiogenesis. These CAFs were enriched in the tumor boundary of HCC, but diffusely scattered within ICC. The DAB2 + and SPP1 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) reinforce the function of FAP + CAFs through signals such as TGF-ß, PDGF, and ADM. Notably, the interaction between DAB2 + TAMs and FAP + CAFs promoted the formation of immune barrier and correlated with poorer patient survival, non-response to immunotherapy in HCC. High FAP and DAB2 immunohistochemical scores predicted shorter survival and higher serum AFP concentration in a local clinical cohort of 90 HCC patients. Furthermore, this communication pattern might be applicable to other solid malignancies as well. Conclusions: The interaction between DAB2 + TAMs and FAP + CAFs appears crucial in shaping the immune barrier. Strategies aimed at disrupting this communication or inhibiting the functions of FAP + CAFs could potentially enhance immunotherapy effectiveness and improve clinical outcomes.

PDCD4 interacting with PIK3CB and CTSZ promotes the apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells.

The role of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) in multiple myeloma (MM) development remains unknown. Here, we investigated its role and action mechanism in MM. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that patients with MM and high PDCD4 expression had higher overall survival than those with low PDCD4 expression. PDCD4 expression promoted MM cell apoptosis and inhibited their viability in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis showed that PDCD4 is bound to the 5' UTR of the apoptosis-related genes PIK3CB, Cathepsin Z (CTSZ), and X-chromosome-linked apoptosis inhibitor (XIAP). PDCD4 knockdown reduced the cell apoptosis rate, which was rescued by adding PIK3CB, CTSZ, or XIAP inhibitors. Dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) activity of the 5' UTRs of PIK3CB and CTSZ. An RNA pull-down assay confirmed binding of the 5' UTR of PIK3CB and CTSZ to PDCD4, identifying the specific binding fragments. PDCD4 is expected to promote MM cell apoptosis by binding to the IRES domain in the 5' UTR of PIK3CB and CTSZ and inhibiting their translation. Our findings suggest that PDCD4 plays an important role in MM development by regulating the expression of PIK3CB, CTSZ, and XIAP, and highlight new potential molecular targets for MM treatment.

In vivo detection of the epimer metabolites of sweroside via ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with DNPH derivatization.

The metabolites of sweroside were first investigated in vivo with ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) in combination with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatization. In addition, the mass detection sensitivity of the major metabolites, epinaucledal and naucledal, via UPLC-TOF-MS was significantly enhanced, and the epimer metabolites were distinctly discovered from plasma following gavage of sweroside in rats. The plasma concentration of epinaucledal and naucledal was quantified via UPLC-TOF-MS in negative mode using erythrocentaurin as the internal standard. The maximum mean plasma concentrations of naucledal and epinaucledal were 75.36 ± 20.10 and 43.52 ± 15.60 ng/ml within 2 h, respectively, following gavage of sweroside at 20 mg/kg. Moreover, the area under the concentration-time curve of naucledal was three times that of epinaucledal. The metabolic process of conversion of sweroside to epinaucledal and naucledal was deduced, and the pharmacological effects of epinaucledal and naucledal will clarify the clinical efficacy of sweroside.

Deletion of the Mitochondrial Membrane Protein Fam210b Is Associated with the Development of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been increasingly recognized as a trigger for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent bioinformatics studies have suggested Fam210b as a significant candidate for the classification and therapeutic targeting of SLE. To experimentally prove the role of Fam210b in SLE, we constructed Fam210b knockout (Fam210b-/-) mice using the CRISPR-Cas9 method. We found that approximately 15.68% of Fam210b-/- mice spontaneously developed lupus-like autoimmunity, which was characterized by skin ulcerations, splenomegaly, and an increase in anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) IgG antibodies and anti-nuclear antibodies(ANA). Single-cell sequencing showed that Fam210b was mainly expressed in erythroid cells. Critically, the knockout of Fam210b resulted in abnormal erythrocyte differentiation and development in the spleens of mice. Concurrently, the spleens exhibited an increased number of CD71+ erythroid cells, along with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the erythrocytes. The co-culture of CD71+ erythroid cells and lymphocytes resulted in lymphocyte activation and promoted dsDNA and IgG production. In summary, Fam210b knockout leads to a low probability of lupus-like symptoms in mice through the overproduction of ROS in CD71+ erythroid cells. Thus, Fam210b reduction may serve as a novel key marker that triggers the development of SLE.

Human C15orf39 Inhibits Inflammatory Response via PRMT2 in Human Microglial HMC3 Cell Line.

Microglia-mediated inflammatory response is one key cause of many central nervous system diseases, like Alzheimer's disease. We hypothesized that a novel C15orf39 (MAPK1 substrate) plays a critical role in the microglial inflammatory response. To confirm this hypothesis, we used lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-induced human microglia HMC3 cells as a representative indicator of the microglial in vitro inflammatory response. We found that C15orf39 was down-regulated when interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) expression increased in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated HMC3 cells. Once C15orf39 was overexpressed, IL-6 and TNFα expression were reduced in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated HMC3 cells. In contrast, C15orf39 knockdown promoted IL-6 and TNFα expression in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated HMC3 cells. These results suggest that C15orf39 is a suppressive factor in the microglial inflammatory response. Mechanistically, C15orf39 interacts with the cytoplasmic protein arginine methyltransferase 2 (PRMT2). Thus, we termed C15orf39 a PRMT2 interaction protein (PRMT2 IP). Furthermore, the interaction of C15orf39 and PRMT2 suppressed the activation of NF-κB signaling via the PRMT2-IκBα signaling axis, which then led to a reduction in transcription of the inflammatory factors IL6 and TNF-α. Under inflammatory conditions, NF-κBp65 was found to be activated and to suppress C15orf39 promoter activation, after which it canceled the suppressive effect of the C15orf39-PRMT2-IκBα signaling axis on IL-6 and TNFα transcriptional expression. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that in a steady condition, the interaction of C15orf39 and PRMT2 stabilizes IκBα to inhibit IL-6 and TNFα expression by suppressing NF-κB signaling, which reversely suppresses C15orf39 transcription to enhance IL-6 and TNFα expression in the microglial inflammatory condition. Our study provides a clue as to the role of C15orf39 in microglia-mediated inflammation, suggesting the potential therapeutic efficacy of C15orf39 in some central nervous system diseases.

Crosstalk of non-apoptotic RCD panel in hepatocellular carcinoma reveals the prognostic and therapeutic optimization.

Non-apoptotic regulated cell death (RCD) of tumor cells profoundly affects tumor progression and plays critical roles in determining response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Prognosis-distinctive HCC subtypes were identified by consensus cluster analysis based on the expressions of 507 non-apoptotic RCD genes obtained from databases and literature. Meanwhile, a set of bioinformatic tools was integrated to analyze the differences of the tumor immune microenvironment infiltration, genetic mutation, copy number variation, and epigenetics alternations within two subtypes. Finally, a non-apoptotic RCDRS signature was constructed and its reliability was evaluated in HCC patients' tissues. The high-RCDRS HCC subgroup showed a significantly lower overall survival and less sensitivity to ICIs compared to low-RCDRS subgroup, but higher sensitivity to cisplatin, paclitaxel, and sorafenib. Overall, we established an RCDRS panel consisting of four non-apoptotic RCD genes, which might be a promising predictor for evaluating HCC prognosis, guiding therapeutic decision-making, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Lipoproteins and metabolites in diagnosing and predicting Alzheimer's disease using machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that poses a substantial economic burden. The Random forest algorithm is effective in predicting AD; however, the key factors influencing AD onset remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze the key lipoprotein and metabolite factors influencing AD onset using machine-learning methods. It provides new insights for researchers and medical personnel to understand AD and provides a reference for the early diagnosis, treatment, and early prevention of AD. METHODS: A total of 603 participants, including controls and patients with AD with complete lipoprotein and metabolite data from the Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database between 2005 and 2016, were enrolled. Random forest, Lasso regression, and CatBoost algorithms were employed to rank and filter 213 lipoprotein and metabolite variables. Variables with consistently high importance rankings from any two methods were incorporated into the models. Finally, the variables selected from the three methods, with the participants' age, sex, and marital status, were used to construct a random forest predictive model. RESULTS: Fourteen lipoprotein and metabolite variables were screened using the three methods, and 17 variables were included in the AD prediction model based on age, sex, and marital status of the participants. The optimal random forest modeling was constructed with "mtry" set to 3 and "ntree" set to 300. The model exhibited an accuracy of 71.01%, a sensitivity of 79.59%, a specificity of 65.28%, and an AUC (95%CI) of 0.724 (0.645-0.804). When Mean Decrease Accuracy and Gini were used to rank the proteins, age, phospholipids to total lipids ratio in intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL_PL_PCT), and creatinine were among the top five variables. CONCLUSIONS: Age, IDL_PL_PCT, and creatinine levels play crucial roles in AD onset. Regular monitoring of lipoproteins and their metabolites in older individuals is significant for early AD diagnosis and prevention.

Screening of key immune-related gene in Parkinson's disease based on WGCNA and machine learning. / 基于WGCNAå’Œæœºå™¨å­¦ä¹ ç­›é€‰å¸•é‡‘æ£®ç— å ç–«ç›¸å ³å ³é”®åŸºå› .

OBJECTIVES: Abnormal immune system activation and inflammation are crucial in causing Parkinson's disease. However, we still don't fully understand how certain immune-related genes contribute to the disease's development and progression. This study aims to screen key immune-related gene in Parkinson's disease based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning. METHODS: This study downloaded the gene chip data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and used WGCNA to screen out important gene modules related to Parkinson's disease. Genes from important modules were exported and a Venn diagram of important Parkinson's disease-related genes and immune-related genes was drawn to screen out immune related genes of Parkinson's disease. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to analyze the the functions of immune-related genes and signaling pathways involved. Immune cell infiltration analysis was performed using the CIBERSORT package of R language. Using bioinformatics method and 3 machine learning methods [least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM)], the immune-related genes of Parkinson's disease were further screened. A Venn diagram of differentially expressed genes screened using the 4 methods was drawn with the intersection gene being hub nodes (hub) gene. The downstream proteins of the Parkinson's disease hub gene was identified through the STRING database and a protein-protein interaction network diagram was drawn. RESULTS: A total of 218 immune genes related to Parkinson's disease were identified, including 45 upregulated genes and 50 downregulated genes. Enrichment analysis showed that the 218 genes were mainly enriched in immune system response to foreign substances and viral infection pathways. The results of immune infiltration analysis showed that the infiltration percentages of CD4+ T cells, NK cells, CD8+ T cells, and B cells were higher in the samples of Parkinson's disease patients, while resting NK cells and resting CD4+ T cells were significantly infiltrated in the samples of Parkinson's disease patients. ANK1 was screened out as the hub gene. The analysis of the protein-protein interaction network showed that the ANK1 translated and expressed 11 proteins which mainly participated in functions such as signal transduction, iron homeostasis regulation, and immune system activation. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies the Parkinson's disease immune-related key gene ANK1 via WGCNA and machine learning methods, suggesting its potential as a candidate therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease.

Biodegradable pyroptosis inducer with multienzyme-mimic activity kicks up reactive oxygen species storm for sensitizing immunotherapy.

Triggering pyroptosis is a major new weathervane for activating tumor immune response. However, biodegradable pyroptosis inducers for the safe and efficient treatment of tumors are still scarce. Herein, a novel tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive activation nanoneedle for pyroptosis induction, copper-tannic acid (CuTA), was synthesized and combined with the sonosensitizer Chlorin e6 (Ce6) to form a pyroptosis amplifier (CuTA-Ce6) for dual activation and amplification of pyroptosis by exogenous ultrasound (US) and TME. It was demonstrated that Ce6-triggered sonodynamic therapy (SDT) further enhanced the cellular pyroptosis caused by CuTA, activating the body to develop a powerful anti-tumor immune response. Concretely, CuTA nanoneedles with quadruple mimetic enzyme activity could be activated to an "active" state in the TME, destroying the antioxidant defense system of the tumor cells through self-destructive degradation, breaking the "immunosilent" TME, and thus realizing the pyroptosis-mediated immunotherapy with fewer systemic side effects. Considering the outstanding oxygen-producing capacity of CuTA and the distinctive advantages of US, the sonosensitizer Ce6 was attached to CuTA via an amide reaction, which further amplified the pyroptosis and sensitized pyroptosis-induced immunotherapy with the two-pronged strategy of CuTA enzyme-catalyzed cascade and US-driven SDT pathway to generate a "reactive oxygen species (ROS) storm". Conclusively, this work provided a representative paradigm for achieving safe, reliable and efficient pyroptosis, which was further enhanced by SDT for more robust immunotherapy.

Mendelian randomization study on causal association of FAM210B with drug-induced lupus.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the complexity of drug-induced lupus (DIL) pathogenesis, more susceptibility factors need to be discovered. FAM210B is a new mitochondrial protein whose function has not been fully elucidated. This study will explore whether there is a correlation between FAM210B and the risk of DIL. METHODS: At first, we extracted three FAM210B genetic variants from the GTEx database (n = 948), and extracted their corresponding genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics from DIL (101 DIL cases and 218691 controls). Then, we performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the causal association of the expression of FAM210B with DIL using inverse-variance weighted (IVW), the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO test. RESULTS: We successfully extracted three FAM210B single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs116032784, rs34361943 and rs33923703) from the GTEx_Analysis_v8_eQTL data that can reduce FAM210B expression. The results of the MR analysis showed that genetically reduced expression of FAM210B was significantly associated with increased risk of DIL in European ancestry based on the IVW method (ß = 1.037, p = 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 2.821, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.495-5.322). CONCLUSION: MR analysis showed a causal relationship between FAM210B expression and the risk of DIL disease. Our results suggested that FAM210B may be a marker that can mark susceptibility of DIL in the future. It provides evidence for the study of DIL, but its specific mechanism of action in DIL needs to be further studied. Key Points •This is the first MR analysis to examine the association between FAM210B and DIL. •The findings of this study suggested that reduced FAM210B expression is associated with the increased risk of DIL. •FAM210B may be a marker that can mark susceptibility of DIL in the future.

Association between Homologous Recombination Repair Defect Status and Long-Term Prognosis of Early HER2-Low Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: As a newly identified subtype of HER2-negative tumors associated with a less favorable prognosis, it remains crucial to evaluate potential prognostic and predictive factors, particularly non-invasive biomarkers, for individuals with human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) low early-stage breast cancer (EBC). Multiple investigations have highlighted that HER2-negative patients with EBC exhibiting high homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) scores display lower rates of pathological complete response (PCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Nevertheless, no study to date has explored the correlation between HRD and the long-term prognosis in HER2-low patients with EBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study focuses on primary EBC sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset (TCGA). It reveals the gene mutation landscape in EBC with low HER2 expression and elucidates the tumor immune landscape across different HRD states. Utilizing bioinformatics analysis and Cox proportional models, along with the Kaplan-Meier method, the study assesses the correlation between HRD status and disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free interval (DFI), and progression-free interval (PFI). Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential variations in the association between HRD and prognosis. RESULTS: In the patients with HER2-low breast cancer, patients with homologous recombination related genes (HRRGs) defects had an HRD score about twice that of those without related genes mutations, and were at higher risk of acquiring ARID1A, ATM, and BRCA2 mutations. We also found that most immune cell abundances were significantly higher in EBC tumors with high HRD than in EBC tumors with low HRD or HRD-medium, particularly plasma B-cell abundance, CD8 T-cell abundance, and M1 macrophages. In addition, these tumors with HRD-high also appear to have significantly higher tumor immune scores and lower interstitial scores. Then, we analyzed the relationship between different HRD status and prognosis. There was statistical significance (P = .036 and P = .046, respectively) in DSS and PFI between the HRD-low and HRD-high groups, and patients with HRD-high EBC showed relatively poor survival outcomes. A medium HRD score (hazard ratio, HR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.04-4.41, P = .038) was a significant risk factor for PFI. Hormone receptor positivity is an important factor in obtaining medium-high HRD score and poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: Higher HRD scores were associated with poorer PFI outcomes, particularly in people with HR+/HER2-low. Varied HRD states exhibited distinctions in HRRGs and the tumor immune landscape. These insights have the potential to assist clinicians in promptly identifying high-risk groups and tailoring personalized treatments for patients with HER2-low EBC, aiming to enhance long-term outcomes.

Toxicological effects and mechanisms of lithium on growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant system in the freshwater microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis.

The growing prevalence of lithium (Li) batteries has drawn public attention to Li as an emerging pollutant. The present study investigates the toxicity of Li+ on Chromochloris zofingiensis, examining physiological, biochemical and omics aspects. Results reveal hormesis effects of Li+ on C. zofingiensis growth. At Li+ concentrations below 5 mg L-1, Li+ can enhance chlorophyll content, mitochondrial activity, and antioxidant capacity, leading to increased dry cell weight and cell number. Conversely, when it exceeded 10 mg L-1, Li+ can reduce chlorophyll content, induce oxidative stress, and disrupt chloroplast and mitochondria structure and function, ultimately impeding cell growth. In addition, under 50 mg L-1 Li+ stress, microalgae optimize absorbed light energy use (increasing Fv/Fm and E TR ) and respond to stress by up-regulating genes in starch and lipid biosynthesis pathways, promoting the accumulation of storage components. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicates that peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase, GTPase and L-ascorbate oxidase might be the key regulators in response to Li+ stress. This research marks the toxic effects and molecular mechanisms of Li+ on freshwater microalga, which would improve our understanding of Li's toxicology and contributing to the establishment of Li pollution standards.

Next-Generation Preclinical Functional Testing Models in Cancer Precision Medicine: CTC-Derived Organoids.

Basic and clinical cancer research requires tumor models that consistently recapitulate the characteristics of prima tumors. As ex vivo 3D cultures of patient tumor cells, patient-derived tumor organoids possess the biological properties of primary tumors and are therefore excellent preclinical models for cancer research. Patient-derived organoids can be established using primary tumor tissues, peripheral blood, pleural fluid, ascites, and other samples containing tumor cells. Circulating tumor cells acquired by non-invasive sampling feature dynamic circulation and high heterogeneity. Circulating tumor cell-derived organoids are prospective tools for the dynamic monitoring of tumor mutation evolution profiles because they reflect the heterogeneity of the original tumors to a certain extent. This review discusses the advantages and applications of patient-derived organoids. Meanwhile, this work highlights the biological functions of circulating tumor cells, the latest advancement in research of circulating tumor cell-derived organoids, and potential application and challenges of this technology.

Sex-specific effects of organophosphate ester exposure on child growth trajectories in the first two years.

The connections between urinary organophosphate ester (OPE) metabolites and child growth have been identified in prior research, but there is currently a dearth of epidemiological evidence regarding the sex-specific impact of OPEs on child growth trajectories. This study enrolled 804 maternal-child pairs, and five OPE congeners were quantified in maternal serum during pregnancy. In this study, the impact of prenatal OPE exposure on child growth trajectories was assessed using linear mixed-effect models and a group-based trajectory model (GBTM), with consideration given to sex-specific effects. Fetuses were frequently exposed to OPEs in utero, and tris(2-butoxyethel) phosphate (TBEP) exhibited the highest concentration levels in maternal serum. Among male children, an increase of 2.72 ng/g lipid in TBEP concentration was associated with a 0.11-unit increase in head circumference-for-age z-score (HCAZ), and the effect was mainly concentrated at 1 and 2 months of age. Among female children, an increase of 2.72 ng/g lipid in tris(2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl) ethyl) phosphate (TDCPP) concentration was associated with a 0.15-unit increase in length-for-age z-score (LAZ) and a 0.14-unit increase in weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), and the effects were mainly concentrated at 9 months of age. For HCAZ trajectories, higher prenatal TBEP exposure was associated with higher odds for the fast growth group in male children. For the LAZ and WAZ trajectories, higher prenatal TDCPP exposure was associated with higher odds for the fast growth group in female children. The trajectory analysis approach provided insight into the complex associations between OPE exposure and child growth.

Multiomics implicate gut microbiota in low cypermethrin (CP) exposure induced multiorgan toxicological effects in pubertal male rats.

Cypermethrin (CP), widely used as a broad-spectrum pesticide, has raised concerns over its frequent presence in the environment and potential health risks. The present study focused on incorporating the gut-organ axis theory to reinterpret the toxicological effects and mechanisms following CP exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1 mg/kg/d and 0.5 mg/kg/d) in pubertal male rats. The results showed alterations in histopathological and organosomatic indices in the liver, brain, and epididymis. Through multiomics network analysis, it was found that Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae may contribute to the alteration in serum L-carnitine and trigonelline, leading to hepatic lipid accumulation following CP exposure. Additionally, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Porphyromonadaceae were associated with CP-induced glutamatergic hypofunction and overproduction of TNF-α, potentially contributing to the brain neurotoxicity. Overall, the study provides important insights into the potential mechanisms underlying CP-induced toxicity and highlights the need for continued research to fully understand the implications for CP-induced health risks. The incorporation of the gut-organ axis theory in the study provides a promising avenue for future research into the potential interactions between gut microbiota and organ toxicity, and the potential for targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental toxins.

The potential crosstalk between tumor and plasma cells and its association with clinical outcome and immunotherapy response in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although immunotherapy is effective in improving the clinical outcomes of patients with bladder cancer (BC), it is only effective in a small percentage of patients. Intercellular crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment strongly influences patient response to immunotherapy, while the crosstalk patterns of plasma cells (PCs) as endogenous antibody-producing cells remain unknown. Here, we aimed to explore the heterogeneity of PCs and their potential crosstalk patterns with BC tumor cells. METHODS: Crosstalk patterns between PCs and tumor cells were revealed by performing integrated bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and spatial transcriptome data analysis. A risk model was constructed based on ligand/receptor to quantify crosstalk patterns by stepwise regression Cox analysis. RESULTS: Based on cell infiltration scores inferred from bulk RNA-seq data (n = 728), we found that high infiltration of PCs was associated with better overall survival (OS) and response to immunotherapy in BC. Further single-cell transcriptome analysis (n = 8; 41,894 filtered cells) identified two dominant types of PCs, IgG1 and IgA1 PCs. Signal transduction from tumor cells of specific states (stress-like and hypoxia-like tumor cells) to PCs, for example, via the LAMB3/CD44 and ANGPTL4/SDC1 ligand/receptor pairs, was validated by spatial transcriptome analysis and associated with poorer OS as well as nonresponse to immunotherapy. More importantly, a ligand/receptor pair-based risk model was constructed and showed excellent performance in predicting patient survival and immunotherapy response. CONCLUSIONS: PCs are an important component of the tumor microenvironment, and their crosstalk with tumor cells influences clinical outcomes and response to immunotherapies in BC patients.

Process-based dynamic identification indicators of soybean chilling damage and analysis of the corresponding spatiotemporal characteristics in Northeast China.

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the main soybean-producing areas among the northern-latitude regions. Climate warming leads to frequent extreme disasters, and the threat of chilling damage to soybean production in NEC cannot be ignored. The study aimed to construct a dynamic disaster identification index based on the static evaluation of soybean after the disaster, taking into account the process of soybean chilling damage and using the historical disaster records to realize the dynamic prediction and analysis before the disaster. Taking soybean in NEC as the research object, chilling damage indicators of soybeans in NEC were constructed by dividing the mature regions, using daily temperature anomaly and negative temperature anomaly day data with the comprehensive consideration of the chilling damage intensity, duration, and temperature recovery. The results showed that the comprehensive indicators determined by the cumulative value of temperature anomaly-the cumulative days of negative temperature anomaly had better applicability in NEC than the single factor indicator. The indicator results were basically consistent with the historical disaster records, and the accuracy rate of the indicator verification reached 90.9%. Based on the analysis of the constructed indicators, the frequency of delayed chilling damage in NEC showed a fluctuating downward trend from 1961 to 2020. The station ratio of delayed chilling damage in NEC showed a fluctuating downward trend, with the most obvious downward trend occurring for severe damage, followed by moderate damage, and the least obvious trend observed for light damage. The scope of chilling damage gradually narrowed, with the frequency increasing from southeast to northwest. The high-risk areas of chilling damage were concentrated mainly in the northern part of Heilongjiang Province and the East Four Leagues. The risk of chilling damage in most areas of Jilin Province and Liaoning Province was relatively low. The study results provide basic support for the risk research of soybean chilling damage and for ensuring disaster monitoring and early warnings, and the risk assessment based on the chilling damage process has positive significance for adjusting agricultural structure and improving the distribution of soybean varieties.