The transcription factor MYB156 controls the polar stiffening of guard cell walls in poplar.

The mechanical properties of guard cells have major effects on stomatal functioning. Reinforced stiffness in the stomatal polar regions was recently proposed to play an important role in stomatal function, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we used genetic and biochemical approaches in poplar (Populus spp.) to show that the transcription factor MYB156 controls pectic homogalacturonan-based polar stiffening through the downregulation of the gene encoding pectin methylesterase 6 (PME6). Loss of MYB156 increased the polar stiffness of stomata, thereby enhancing stomatal dynamics and response speed to various stimuli. In contrast, overexpression of MYB156 resulted in decreased polar stiffness and impaired stomatal dynamics, accompanied by smaller leaves. Polar stiffening functions in guard cell dynamics in response to changing environmental conditions by maintaining normal stomatal morphology during stomatal movement. Our study revealed the structure-function relationship of the cell wall of guard cells in stomatal dynamics, providing an important means for improving the stomatal performance and drought tolerance of plants.

GEN1 as a risk factor for human congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are prevalent birth defects. Although pathogenic CAKUT genes are known, they are insufficient to reveal the causes for all patients. Our previous studies indicated GEN1 as a pathogenic gene of CAKUT in mice, and this study further investigated the correlation between GEN1 and human CAKUT. METHODS: In this study, DNA from 910 individuals with CAKUT was collected; 26 GEN1 rare variants were identified, and two GEN1 (missense) variants in a non-CAKUT group were found. Mainly due to the stability results of the predicted mutant on the website, in vitro, 10 variants (eight CAKUT, two non-CAKUT) were selected to verify mutant protein stability. In addition, mainly based on the division of the mutation site located in the functional region of the GEN1 protein, 8 variants (six CAKUT, two non-CAKUT) were selected to verify enzymatic hydrolysis, and the splice variant GEN1 (c.1071 + 3(IVS10) A > G) was selected to verify shear ability. Based on the results of in vitro experiments and higher frequency, three sites with the most significant functional change were selected to build mouse models. RESULTS: Protein stability changed in six variants in the CAKUT group. Based on electrophoretic mobility shift assay of eight variants (six CAKUT, two non-CAKUT), the enzymatic hydrolysis and DNA-binding abilities of mutant proteins were impaired in the CAKUT group. The most serious functional damage was observed in the Gen1 variant that produced a truncated protein. A mini-gene splicing assay showed that the variant GEN1 (c.1071 + 3(IVS10) A > G) in the CAKUT group significantly affected splicing function. An abnormal exon10 was detected in the mini-gene splicing assay. Point-mutant mouse strains were constructed (Gen1: c.1068 + 3 A > G, p.R400X, and p.T105R) based on the variant frequency in the CAKUT group and functional impairment in vitro study and CAKUT phenotypes were replicated in each. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings indicated GEN1 as a risk factor for human CAKUT.

Gestational diabetes mellitus induces congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in mice by altering RET/MAPK/ERK pathway.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) presents a substantial population health concern. Previous studies have revealed that GDM can ultimately influence nephron endowment. In this study, we established a GDM mouse model to investigate the embryological alterations and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) affected by GDM. Our study highlights that GDM could contribute to the manifestation of CAKUT, with prevalent phenotypes characterized by isolated hydronephrosis and duplex kidney complicated with hydronephrosis in mice. Ectopic ureteric buds (UBs) and extended length of common nephric ducts (CNDs) were noted in the metanephric development stage. The expression of Ret and downstream p-ERK activity were enhanced in UBs, which indicated the alteration of RET/MAPK/ERK pathway may be one of the mechanisms contributing to the increased occurrence of CAKUT associated with GDM.

Formation and Fluorescent Mechanism of Multiple Color Emissive Carbon Dots from o-Phenylenediamine.

Carbon dots (CDs) have received considerable attention in many application areas owing to their unique optical properties and potential applications; however, the fluorescent mechanism is an obstacle to their applications. Herein, three-color emissive CDs are prepared from single o-phenylenediamine (oPD) by regulating the ratio of ethanol and dimethylformamide (DMF). Fluorescent mechanism of these CDs is proposed as molecular state fluorescence. Reaction intermediates are identified using liquid chromatrography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. 1H-Benzo[d]imidazole (BI), 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP), and 5,14-dihydroquinoxalino[2,3-b] phenazine (DHQP) are proposed to be the fluorophores of blue, green, and red emissive CDs by comparing their optical properties. As per the LC-MS and 1H-NMR analysis, DHQP with red emission tends to form from DAP and oPD in pure ethanol. By adding DMF, BI formation is enhanced and DHQP formation is suppressed. The prepared CDs exhibit green emission with DAP. When the DMF amount is >50%, BI formation is considerably promoted, resulting in DAP formation being suppressed. BI with blue emission then turns into the fluorophore of CDs. This result provides us an improved understanding of the fluorescent mechanism of oPD-based CDs, which guides us in designing the structure and optical properties of CDs.

Inhibition of MAPK/ERK pathway activation rescues congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in Robo2PB/+ Gen1PB/+ mice.

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) have been attributed to genetic and environmental factors. However, monogenic and copy number variations cannot sufficiently explain the cause of the majority of CAKUT cases. Multiple genes through various modes of inheritance may lead to CAKUT pathogenesis. We previously showed that Robo2 and Gen1 coregulated the germination of ureteral buds (UB), significantly increasing CAKUT incidence. Furthermore, MAPK/ERK pathway activation is the central mechanism of these two genes. Thus, we explored the effect of the MAPK/ERK inhibitor U0126 in the CAKUT phenotype in Robo2PB/+Gen1PB/+ mice. Intraperitoneal injection of U0126 during pregnancy prevented the development of the CAKUT phenotype in Robo2PB/+Gen1PB/+ mice. Additionally, a single dose of 30 mg/kg U0126 on day 10.5 embryos (E10.5) was most effective for reducing CAKUT incidence and ectopic UB outgrowth in Robo2PB/+Gen1PB/+ mice. Furthermore, embryonic kidney mesenchymal levels of p-ERK were significantly decreased on day E11.5 after U0126 treatment, along with decreased cell proliferation index PHH3 and ETV5 expression. Collectively, Gen1 and Robo2 exacerbated the CAKUT phenotype in Robo2PB/+Gen1PB/+ mice through the MAPK/ERK pathway, increasing proliferation and ectopic UB outgrowth.

The Formation Process and Mechanism of Carbon Dots Prepared from Aromatic Compounds as Precursors: A Review.

Fluorescent carbon dots are a novel type of nanomaterial. Due to their excellent optical properties, they have extensive application prospects in many fields. Studying the formation process and fluorescence mechanism of CDs will assist scientists in understanding the synthesis of CDs and guide more profound applications. Due to their conjugated structures, aromatic compounds have been continuously used to synthesize CDs, with emissions ranging from blue to NIR. There is a lack of a systematic summary of the formation process and fluorescence mechanism of aromatic precursors to form CDs. In this review, the formation process of CDs is first categorized into three main classes according to the precursor types of aromatic compounds: amines, phenols, and polycyclics. And then, the fluorescence mechanism of CDs synthesized from aromatic compounds is summarized. The challenges and prospects are proposed in the last section.

Disruption of Gen1 causes ectopic budding and kidney hypoplasia in mice.

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a family of often-concurrent diseases with various anatomical spectra. Null-mutant Gen1 mice frequently develop multiple urinary phenotypes, most commonly duplex kidneys, and are ideal subjects for research on ectopic budding in CAKUT development. The upper and lower kidney poles of the Gen1PB/PB mouse were examined by histology, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. The newborn Gen1PB/PB mouse lower poles were significantly more hypoplastic than the corresponding upper poles, with significantly fewer glomeruli. On embryonic day 14.5, immediately before first urine formation, the upper pole kidney was already larger than the lower pole kidney. In vivo and in vitro, embryonic kidney upper poles had more ureteric buds than lower poles. Gen1PB/PB embryos exhibited ectopic ureteric buds, usually near the original budding site, occasionally far away, or, rarely, derived from the primary budding site. Therefore, ectopia of the ureteric buds is the core of CAKUT formation. Further studies will be needed to investigate the regulatory roles of these genes in initial ureteric budding and subsequent ontogenesis during metanephros development.

Plasma Fluorescent Oxidation Products and Bone Mineral Density Among Male Veterans: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In vitro and vivo studies indicate that oxidative stress contributes to bone loss. Fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) are novel biomarkers of oxidative stress; they reflect global oxidative damage of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and DNA. However, whether FlOPs are associated with bone mineral density (BMD) is still unclear. In the present study, we examined the association between FlOPs and BMD among male veterans. This cross-sectional study was conducted among participants recruited from the Department of Medical Examination, The Second Hospital of Jilin University in Jilin, China. We identified male veterans who were at least 50 y old between June and October of 2019. Plasma FlOPs were measured with a fluorescent microplate reader (excitation/emission wavelength: 320/420 nm). BMD were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The association between FlOPs and BMD was tested by multivariable linear regression models. A total of 164 male veterans were enrolled in the study, the average age was 56.6 y. After adjusting for covariates, veterans who had FlOP levels in the highest tertile had a statistically significant lower femoral neck (ß = -0.044; p = 0.007) and total hip BMD (ß = -0.045; p = 0.020) as compared to those with FlOP levels in the lowest tertile. Similar results were found when FlOPs were treated as a continuous variable (per 1-SD increase, ß = -0.014 and p = 0.033 for femoral neck BMD; ß = -0.016 and p = 0.047 for total hip BMD). Higher FlOP levels were associated with lower BMD among male veterans.

Ligand Architecture Perturbation Influences the Reactivity of Nonheme Iron(V)-Oxo Tetraamido Macrocyclic Ligand Complexes: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Iron(V)-oxo complexes bearing negatively charged tetraamido macrocyclic ligands (TAMLs) have provided excellent opportunities to investigate the chemical properties and the mechanisms of oxidation reactions of mononuclear nonheme iron(V)-oxo intermediates. Herein, we report the differences in chemical properties and reactivities of two iron(V)-oxo TAML complexes differing by modification on the "Head" part of the TAML framework; one has a phenyl group at the "Head" part (1), whereas the other has four methyl groups replacing the phenyl ring (2). The reactivities of 1 and 2 in both C-H bond activation reactions, such as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) of 1,4-cyclohexadiene, and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactions, such as the oxidation of thioanisole and its derivatives, were compared experimentally. Under identical reaction conditions, 1 showed much greater reactivity than 2, such as a 102-fold decrease in HAT and a 105-fold decrease in OAT by replacing the phenyl group (i.e., 1) with four methyl groups (i.e., 2). Then, density functional theory calculations were performed to rationalize the reactivity differences between 1 and 2. Computations reproduced the experimental findings well and revealed that the replacement of the phenyl group in 1 with four methyl groups in 2 not only increased the steric hindrance but also enlarged the energy gap between the electron-donating orbital and the electron-accepting orbital. These two factors, steric hindrance and the orbital energy gap, resulted in differences in the reduction potentials of 1 and 2 and their reactivities in oxidation reactions.

Association between lipid biomarkers and osteoporosis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are 2 major public health problems. Osteoporosis and CVDs may be linked but the association between lipid profile and osteoporosis is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) with osteoporosis. METHODS: Using inpatients' and outpatients' electronic medical records (EMR) and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) database stored at The Second Hospital of Jilin University, we included 481 individuals with complete and valid lipid and bone mineral density (BMD) data in 2017. Serum samples were used to measure TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG. Femoral neck and total hip BMD were measured by DXA; osteoporosis was defined as femoral neck or total hip T-score ≤ -2.5. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the associations of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG with osteoporosis. RESULTS: The mean age for included individuals was 62.7 years (SD = 8.6 years); 60.1 % of them were female. Each standard deviation (SD) increase in TC (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.48; 95 % Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.06-2.07) and TG (OR: 1.67; 95 % CI: 1.16-2.39) were associated with increased risk of osteoporosis; LDL-C and HDL-C levels were not associated with osteoporosis. Age, sex and body mass index (BMI) did not interact with the relationships of TC and TG with osteoporosis (all P > 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Higher TC and TG levels were associated with greater risk of osteoporosis in this cross-sectional study.

Enhanced Redox Reactivity of a Nonheme Iron(V)-Oxo Complex Binding Proton.

Acid effects on the chemical properties of metal-oxygen intermediates have attracted much attention recently, such as the enhanced reactivity of high-valent metal(IV)-oxo species by binding proton(s) or Lewis acidic metal ion(s) in redox reactions. Herein, we report for the first time the proton effects of an iron(V)-oxo complex bearing a negatively charged tetraamido macrocyclic ligand (TAML) in oxygen atom transfer (OAT) and electron-transfer (ET) reactions. First, we synthesized and characterized a mononuclear nonheme Fe(V)-oxo TAML complex (1) and its protonated iron(V)-oxo complexes binding two and three protons, which are denoted as 2 and 3, respectively. The protons were found to bind to the TAML ligand of the Fe(V)-oxo species based on spectroscopic characterization, such as resonance Raman, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements, along with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The two-protons binding constant of 1 to produce 2 and the third protonation constant of 2 to produce 3 were determined to be 8.0(7) × 108 M-2 and 10(1) M-1, respectively. The reactivities of the proton-bound iron(V)-oxo complexes were investigated in OAT and ET reactions, showing a dramatic increase in the rate of sulfoxidation of thioanisole derivatives, such as 107 times increase in reactivity when the oxidation of p-CN-thioanisole by 1 was performed in the presence of HOTf (i.e., 200 mM). The one-electron reduction potential of 2 (Ered vs SCE = 0.97 V) was significantly shifted to the positive direction, compared to that of 1 (Ered vs SCE = 0.33 V). Upon further addition of a proton to a solution of 2, a more positive shift of the Ered value was observed with a slope of 47 mV/log([HOTf]). The sulfoxidation of thioanisole derivatives by 2 was shown to proceed via ET from thioanisoles to 2 or direct OAT from 2 to thioanisoles, depending on the ET driving force.

Suggested amendment of TI-RADS classification of thyroid nodules by shear wave elastography.

BACKGROUND: The application of the ultrasound elastography and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) classification further expands the scope of ultrasound differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. PURPOSE: To investigate the value of the quantitative parameter of ultrasonic shear waves in optimizing the TI-RADS classification of thyroid nodules. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 168 thyroid nodules, initially classified using TI-RADS and scanned by shear wave elastography (SWE), were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration and histology following surgery. RESULTS: The benign rate of TI-RADS 3 nodules was 76.5%, while the benign rate of TI-RADS 4a nodules was 71.7%. Furthermore, the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4b nodules was 69.7%, while the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4c nodules was 85.7%. In differentiating benign from malignant nodules, the combination of TI-RADS classification and Emean had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Using an Emean value of 42.25 kpa as the cut-off point, the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4a nodules decreased from 28.3% to 23.5%, while the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4b nodules increased from 69.7% to 79.4%. Compared to conventional ultrasound alone, the sensitivity, negative predictive value, and AUC of conventional ultrasound combined with SWE in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules significantly improved (P=0.012, 0.029, 0.001). CONCLUSION: The SWE technique can be used to further determine the benign and malignant nature of TI-RADS 4 lesions, providing further reference for the choice of clinical treatment. The TI-RADS classification system corrected by SWE is more significant in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Metabolomic analysis revealed the role of DNA methylation in the balance of arachidonic acid metabolism and endothelial activation.

Arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism plays an important role in vascular homeostasis. We reported that DNA hypomethylation of EPHX2 induced a pro-inflammatory response in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). However, the change in the whole AA metabolism by DNA methylation is still unknown. Using a metabolomic approach, we investigated the effect of DNA methylation on the balance of AA metabolism and the underlying mechanism. ECs were treated with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA), and AA metabolic profiles were analyzed. Levels of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2), metabolites in the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway, were significantly increased by 5-AZA treatment in ECs resulting from the induction of PGD2 synthase (PTGDS) and thromboxane A synthase 1 (TBXAS1) expression by DNA hypomethylation. This phenomenon was also observed in liver and kidney cell lines, indicating a universal mechanism. Pathophysiologically, homocysteine, known to cause DNA demethylation, induced a similar pattern of the change of AA metabolism. Furthermore, 5-AZA activated ECs, as evidenced by the upregulation of adhesion molecules. Indomethacin, a COX inhibitor, reversed the effects of 5-AZA on the levels of PGD2 and TXB2, EC activation and monocyte adhesion. In vivo, the plasma levels of PGD2 and TXB2 and the expression of In vivo PTGDS and TBXAS1 as well as adhesion molecules were increased in the aorta of the mice injected with 5-AZA. In conclusion, using a metabolomic approach, our study uncovered that DNA demethylation increased AA metabolites PGD2 and TXB2 by upregulating the expression of the corresponding enzymes, which might contribute to the DNA hypomethylation-induced endothelial activation.

Endothelial ATP-binding cassette G1 in mouse endothelium protects against hemodynamic-induced atherosclerosis.

Activated vascular endothelium inflammation under persistent hyperlipidemia is the initial step of atherogenesis. ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) is a crucial factor maintaining sterol and lipid homeostasis by transporting cholesterol efflux to high-density lipoprotein. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of ABCG1 in endothelial inflammation activation during early-stage atherogenesis in mice and the underlying mechanisms. Endothelial cell (EC)-specific ABCG1 transgenic (EC-ABCG1-Tg) mice were generated and cross-bred with low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr(-/-)) mice. After a 4-week Western-type diet, the mice were sacrificed for assessing atherosclerosis. Human umbilical vein ECs were treated with different flows, and ABCG1 was adenovirally overexpressed to investigate the mechanism in vitro. Compared with Ldlr(-/-) mouse aortas, EC-ABCG1-Tg/Ldlr(-/-) aortas showed decreased early-stage lesions. Furthermore, the lesion area in the EC-ABCG1-Tg/Ldlr(-/-) mouse aortic arch but not thoracic aorta was significantly reduced, which suggests a protective role of ABCG1 under atheroprone flow. In vitro, overexpression of ABCG1 attenuated EC activation caused by oscillatory shear stress. Overexpression of ABCG1 blunted cholesterol-activated ECs in vitro. In exploring the mechanisms of ABCG1 attenuating endothelial inflammation, we found that ABCG1 inhibited oscillatory flow-activated nuclear factor kappa B and NLRP3 inflammasome in ECs. ABCG1 may play a protective role in early-stage atherosclerosis by reducing endothelial activation induced by oscillatory shear stress via suppressing the inflammatory response.

Raman spectroscopy-based microfluidic platforms: A promising tool for detection of foodborne pathogens in food products.

Rapid and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens in food products is paramount for ensuring food safety and public health. In the ongoing effort to tackle this issue, detection methods are continually researched and upgraded to achieve rapidity, sensitivity, portability, and cost-effectiveness. This review addresses the critical need for improved technique by focusing on Raman spectroscopy-based microfluidic platforms, which have shown potential in revolutionizing the field of foodborne pathogen analysis offering point-of-care diagnosis and multiplex detection. The key problem lies in the persistent threat of compromised food quality and public health due to inadequate pathogen detection. The review elucidates the various trapping strategies employed in a microfluidic platform, including optical trapping, electrical trapping, mechanical trapping, and acoustic trapping for the capture of microbial cells. Subsequently, the review delves into the key aspects of the application of microbial detection in food products, highlighting recent advances and challenges in the field. The integrated technique allows point-of-care application assessment, which is an attractive quality for in-line and real-time detection of foodborne pathogens. However, the application of the technique in food products is limited and requires further research to combat the complexity of the food matrix, reduced costs of production, and ensure real-time use for diverse pathogens. Ultimately, this review aims to propel advancements in microbial detection, thus promoting enhanced food safety through state-of-the-art technologies.

The Role of Interferon-Induced Proteins with Tetratricopeptide Repeats 1 and 2 in Sepsis-Induced Acute Liver Injury.

Background: Sepsis refers to a life-threatening organ dysfunction which can be resulted from the infection-induced dysregulated host response. A large number of inflammatory cytokines are released to act on the liver, making the liver one of the common target organs for the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in patients with sepsis. Sepsis-induced acute liver injury (SALI) can aggravate systemic disease. As a result, it is of great clinical significance to comprehend the molecular biological mechanism of SALI and to identify the markers for evaluating SALI. Interferon-induced proteins with tetratricopeptide repeats 1 and 2 (IFIT1, IFIT2) have been recognized as the anti-inflammatory factors that are widely expressed in various organs. The present study was aimed at clarifying the roles of IFIT1 and IFIT2 in the development of SALI. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was employed. Summary statistics datas were obtained from GWAS for inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], IFIT2, and sepsis as well as liver injury. Independent SNPs were selected as instrumental variables (IVs). Inverse variance weighted (IVW) in the MR analysis was adopted as the primary method for estimating the causal associations of inflammatory factors and IFIT2 with two diseases, and the associations of inflammatory factors with IFIT2. Additionally, weighted median method, MR-Egger and sensitivity analyses were applied in assessing the robustness of the results and ensure the result reliability. Subsequently, 119 healthy volunteers, 116 patients with sepsis and 116 SALI patients were recruited. The ELISA method was employed to quantify the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. Additionally, qRT-PCR was conducted to measure the expression of IFIT1 and IFIT2. Furthermore, the correlations of IFIT1 and IFIT2 with inflammatory factors, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were explored. Results: As shown by the MR analysis, the genetically predisposed sepsis was significantly associated with the risk of IL-1ß, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.069 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.015-1.127, p = 0.0119), and negatively associated with the risk of IL-6, with an OR of 0.880 (95% CI: 0.792-0.979, p= 0.0184). Meanwhile, there were positive causal effects of IL-6 (OR = 1.269, 95% CI: 1.032-1.561, p= 0.0238), IL-1ß (OR = 1.106, 95% CI: 1.010-1.211, p = 0.0299) and IFIT2 (OR = 1.191, 95% CI: 1.045-1.359, p = 0.0090) on liver injury. Additionally, there was a positive causal effect of IFIT2 (OR = 1.164, 95% CI: 1.035-1.309, p= 0.0110) on IL-1ß. Upon sensitivity analyses, there was weak evidence of such effects, indicating that the findings of this study were robust and reliable. Our results revealed the elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in the blood samples of sepsis and SALI patients (p < 0.0001). Conversely, IFIT1 and IFIT2 demonstrated the significantly decreased levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SALI patients (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the expression levels of IFIT1 and IFIT2 were both negatively correlated with ALT activity (r = -0.3426, p = 0.0002; r = -0.3069, p = 0.0008) and AST activity (r = -0.2483, p = 0.0072; r = -0.3261, p = 0.0004), respectively. Moreover, the expression of IFIT1 and IFIT2 was both negatively related to the levels of TNF-α (r = -0.5027, p < 0.0001; r = -0.4218, p < 0.0001), IL-1ß (r = -0.3349, p = 0.0002; r = -0.4070, p < 0.0001) and IL-6 (r = -0.2734, p = 0.0030; r = -0.3536, p < 0.0001), respectively. Conclusion: IFIT1 and IFIT2 can serve as the diagnostic markers for sepsis-related liver injury, and IFIT1 and IFIT2 may participate in the pathological process of sepsis-related liver injury by regulating inflammation and liver function.

Dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules.

Stimuli-responsive theranostic agents represent a class of molecules that integrate therapeutic and diagnostic functions, offering the capability to respond to disease-associated biomarkers. Dual-stimuli responsive agents, particularly those based on small molecules, have shown considerable promise for precise imaging-guided therapeutic applications. In this Highlight, we summarize the progress of dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules, for diagnostic and therapeutic studies in biological systems. The Highlight focuses on comparing different responsive groups and chemical structures of these dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents towards different biomarkers. The potential future directions of the agents for further applications in biological systems are also discussed.

Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species scavenging and inflammatory regulation by renal-targeted bio-inspired rhodium nanozymes for acute kidney injury theranostics.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) results from the rapid deterioration of renal function, which is mainly treated by transplantation and dialysis, and has a high mortality rate. Inflammation induced by excess reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS) plays a crucial role in AKI. Although small molecule antioxidants have been utilized to alleviate AKI, low bioavailability and side-effect of these drugs tremendously limit their clinical use. Hence, we successfully construct ultra-small (2-4 nm) rhodium nanoparticles modified with l-serine (denoted as Rh-Ser). Our results show that Rh-Ser with multiple enzyme-mimicking activities, allows remove various RONS to protect damaged kidney cells. Additionally, the ultrasmall size of Rh-Ser is conducive to enrichment in the renal tubules, and the modification of l-serine enables Rh-Ser to bind to kidney injury molecule-1, which is highly expressed on the surface of damaged renal cells, thereby targeting the damaged kidney and increasing the retention time. Moreover, Rh-Ser allows the production of oxygen at the inflammatory site, thus further improving hypoxia and inhibiting pro-inflammatory macrophages to relieve inflammation, and increasing the survival rate of AKI mice from 0 to 80%, which exhibits a better therapeutic effect than that of small molecule drug. Photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging can effectively monitor and evaluate the enrichment and therapeutic effect of Rh-Ser. Our study provides a promising strategy for the targeted treatment of AKI via RONS scavenging and inflammatory regulation.

Brain glycogen: A key to revealing the pathology of mental diseases.

Brain glycogen, which is distinct from muscle glycogen and liver glycogen, has become a crucial node linking metabolism, epigenetics, and autophagy. Recent studies have suggested that brain glycogen governs multiple neurobehavioral processes, such as memory formation and consolidation. However, the changes in brain glycogen levels in mental diseases and the associations of these changes with the disease prognosis are unknown. Here, we review the psychological functions of brain glycogen and the different characteristics of astrocytic glycogen and neuronal glycogen. In addition, we summarize the alterations in brain glycogen levels in depression, schizophrenia and sleep disorders, highlighting that brain glycogen functions as an important metabolite responsible for the development of mental diseases. In summary, brain glycogen is a key to understanding the pathology of mental diseases and deserves more attention in future research.