STEAP3 Affects Ferroptosis and Progression of Renal Cell Carcinoma Through the p53/xCT Pathway.

Renal cell carcinoma is particularly sensitive to ferroptosis, an iron-dependent non-apoptotic form of cell death. This mechanism does not require activation of caspase or the participation of other apoptotic effector molecules (such as BAX or BAK), nor is it accompanied by the morphological characteristics or biochemical processes of apoptosis. The STEAP3 gene was found because it promotes tumor apoptosis in prostate cancer, but its role in renal cell carcinoma has not been studied in depth. Through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we found that the expression of the STEAP3 gene was upregulated in renal cell carcinoma tissue samples and cell lines, and it was found to be highly expressed in renal cell carcinoma tissue through immunohistochemistry. This upregulation is related to poor survival and prognosis of patients. We used erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, found that renal cell carcinoma became more susceptible to ferroptosis after knocking down STEAP3. The results indicate that renal cell carcinoma cell lines with knocked down STEAP3 expression are more sensitive to ferroptosis, and this effect occurs through the p53/xCT pathway. In summary, our research helps to identify new biomarkers and provides new targets for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

Loss of the virulence plasmid by Shigella sonnei promotes its interactions with CD207 and CD209 receptors.

Introduction. Shigella sonnei, the cause of bacillary dysentery, belongs to Gram-negative enteropathogenic bacteria. S. sonnei contains a 210 kb virulence plasmid that encodes an O-antigen gene cluster of LPSs. However, this virulence plasmid is frequently lost during replication. It is well-documented that after losing the O-antigen and becoming rough strains, the Gram-negative bacteria may express an LPS core on its surface. Previous studies have suggested that by using the LPS core, Gram-negative bacteria can interact with several C-type lectin receptors that are expressed on antigen-presenting cells (APCs).Hypothesis/Gap Statement. S. sonnei by losing the virulence plasmid may hijack APCs via the interactions of LPS-CD209/CD207.Aim. This study aimed to investigate if the S. sonnei rough strain, by losing the virulence plasmid, interacted with APCs that express C-type lectins of human CD207, human CD209a and mouse CD209b.Methodology. SDS-PAGE silver staining was used to examine the O-antigen expression of S. sonnei WT and its rough strain. Invasion assays and inhibition assays were used to examine the ability of S. sonnei WT and its rough strain to invade APCs and investigate whether CD209 and CD207 are receptors for phagocytosis of rough S. sonnei. Animal assays were used to observe the dissemination of S. sonnei.Results. S. sonnei did not express O-antigens after losing the virulence plasmid. The S. sonnei rough strain invades with APCs, including human dendritic cells (DCs) and mouse macrophages. CD209 and CD207 are receptors for phagocytosis of rough S. sonnei. Expression of the O-antigen reduces the ability of the S. sonnei rough strain to be disseminated to mesenteric lymph nodes and spleens.Conclusion. This work demonstrated that S. sonnei rough strains - by losing the virulence plasmid - invaded APCs through interactions with CD209 and CD207 receptors.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Exploits CD209 Receptors for Promoting Host Dissemination and Infection.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-negative enteropathogen and causes gastrointestinal infections. It disseminates from gut to mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), spleen, and liver of infected humans and animals. Although the molecular mechanisms for dissemination and infection are unclear, many Gram-negative enteropathogens presumably invade the small intestine via Peyer's patches to initiate dissemination. In this study, we demonstrate that Y. pseudotuberculosis utilizes its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core to interact with CD209 receptors, leading to invasion of human dendritic cells (DCs) and murine macrophages. These Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interactions result in bacterial dissemination to MLNs, spleens, and livers of both wild-type and Peyer's patch-deficient mice. The blocking of the Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interactions by expression of O-antigen and with oligosaccharides reduces infectivity. Based on the well-documented studies in which HIV-CD209 interaction leads to viral dissemination, we therefore propose an infection route for Y. pseudotuberculosis where this pathogen, after penetrating the intestinal mucosal membrane, hijacks the Y. pseudotuberculosis-CD209 interaction antigen-presenting cells to reach their target destinations, MLNs, spleens, and livers.

[Study on breeding and pollination characteristics of Gleditsia sinensis].

To study the breeding system and pollination characteristics of Gleditsia sinensis, we observed the development of flower development and the processing of pollination, and determined the pollen viability and stigma acceptability by TTC and benzidine-hydrogen peroxide method and detected its breeding system using OCI value, P/O ratio and artificial pollination.The results showed that: ①G. sinensis are racemes, divided into bisexual inflorescences (only a small amount of inactive pollen) and male inflorescences (occasionally a few bisexual flowers), flowers hermaphrodite. ②Male flowers had the strongest pollen activity 4 h after flowering; the stigma receptivity of bisexual was the highest at 1 h after flowering, and pollination was the best in this time. ③The pollen tube had a few elongation when the bisexual flower is half-opened. The number of pollen tube and length significantly increased when blooming. The flower reaches the ovary and even enters the ovule to complete the fertilization. ④When the OCI=4 and P/O=11 684, it means that the breeding system was facultative, outcrossing, and requiring pollinators based on the results of the bagging experiment.There was parthenogenesis. ⑤The characteristics of saponin pollination were wind pollination and insect vector pollination, and pollinators were initially identified as Apis mellifera ligustica. All these results provides a theoretical and technical foundation for the new germplasm of G. sinensis.