Primary cilia abnormalities participate in the occurrence of spontaneous abortion through TGF-ß/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Spontaneous abortion is the most common complication in early pregnancy, the exact etiology of most cases cannot be determined. Emerging studies suggest that mutations in ciliary genes may be associated with progression of pregnancy loss. However, the involvement of primary cilia on spontaneous abortion and the underlying molecular mechanisms remains poorly understood. We observed the number and length of primary cilia were significantly decreased in decidua of spontaneous abortion in human and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced abortion mice model, accompanied with increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The length of primary cilia in human endometrial stromal cell (hESC) was significantly shortened after TNF-α treatment. Knocking down intraflagellar transport 88 (IFT88), involved in cilia formation and maintenance, promoted the expression of TNF-α. There was a reverse regulatory relationship between cilia shortening and TNF-α expression. Further research found that shortened cilia impair decidualization in hESC through transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß/SMAD2/3 signaling. Primary cilia were impaired in decidua tissue of spontaneous abortion, which might be mainly caused by inflammatory injury. Primary cilia abnormalities resulted in dysregulation of TGF-ß/SMAD2/3 signaling transduction and decidualization impairment, which led to spontaneous abortion.

The immune checkpoint TIGIT/CD155 promotes the exhaustion of CD8 + T cells in TNBC through glucose metabolic reprogramming mediated by PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

OBJECTIVE: The CD155/TIGIT axis has attracted considerable interest as an emerging immune checkpoint with potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Our research focused on investigating the role of CD155/TIGIT checkpoints in the progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: We evaluated CD155 and TIGIT expression in TNBC tissues using both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene expression profiling. Our experiments, both in vivo and in vitro, provided evidence that inhibiting the CD155/TIGIT pathway reinstates the ability of CD8 + T cells to generate cytokines. To assess the impact of CD155/TIGIT signaling blockade, we utilized Glucose Assay Kits and Lactate Assay Kits to measure alterations in glucose and lactate levels within CD8 + T cells. We employed western blotting (WB) to investigate alterations in glycolytic-related proteins within the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways following the inhibition of CD155/TIGIT signaling. RESULTS: CD155 exhibits heightened expression within TNBC tissues and exhibits a negative correlation with the extent of infiltrating CD8 + T cells. Furthermore, patients with TNBC demonstrate elevated levels of TIGIT expression. Our findings indicate that the interaction between CD155 and TIGIT disrupts the glucose metabolism of CD8 + T cells by suppressing the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, ultimately leading to the reduced production of cytokines by CD8 + T cells. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have conclusively demonstrated that the inhibition of CD155/TIGIT interaction reinstates the capacity of CD8 + T cells to generate cytokines. Moreover, in vivo administration of the blocking antibody against TIGIT not only inhibits tumor growth but also augments the functionality of CD8 + T lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our research findings strongly suggest that CD155/TIGIT represents a promising therapeutic target for treating TNBC.

Simultaneous identification of three emergent stimulant laxative adulterants in slimming foods using only one antibody.

Stimulant laxatives were recently found to be abused in slimming foods, resulting in harmful effects on consumers. To ensure the safety of relative products, sensitive yet multiplex immunoassays are crucial in rapid screening of stimulant laxatives. However, there are few immunoassays for these substances, and even less for broad-specific recognition. Thus, in this work, four theoretically promising haptens of emerging stimulant laxative bisacodyl were rationally designed using molecular modeling and synthesized to immune animals, whose feasibility was confirmed by the obtained broad-specific antibody. Based on this unique antibody, a highly sensitive multiplex competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) was established with low limits of detection for bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, and BHPM (0.23, 13.68, and 0.11 ng/mL). In spiked sample recovery test and real sample detection, this ciELISA exhibited acceptable consistency with the validation method, demonstrating high accuracy and applicability of our method. This reliable multiplex ciELISA proceeds the rapid screening of stimulant laxatives in slimming foods.

Recent advance of ATP citrate lyase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and related diseases.

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY), a strategic metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the glycolytic to lipidic metabolism, has gained increasing attention as an attractive therapeutic target for hyperlipidemia, cancers and other human diseases. Despite of continual research efforts, targeting ACLY has been very challenging. In this field, most reported ACLY inhibitors are "substrate-like" analogues, which occupied with the same active pockets. Besides, some ACLY inhibitors have been disclosed through biochemical screening or high throughput virtual screening. In this review, we briefly summarized the cancer-related functions and the recent advance of ACLY inhibitors with a particular focus on the SAR studies and their modes of action. We hope to provide a timely and updated overview of ACLY and the discovery of new ACLY inhibitors.

Bi2WO6/TiO2-based visible light-driven photoelectrochemical enzyme biosensor for glucose measurement.

Nowadays, the frequent occurrence of food adulteration makes glucose detection particularly important in food safety and quality management. The quality and taste of honey are closely related to the glucose content. However, due to the drawbacks of expensive equipment, complex operating procedures, and time-consuming processes, the application scope of traditional glucose detection methods is limited. Hence, this study developed a photoelectric chemical (PEC) sensor, which is composed of a photoactive material of bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) and glucose oxidase (GOD), for simple and rapid detection of glucose. Notably, the composites' absorption prominently increased in the visible light region, and the photo-generated electron-hole pairs were efficiently separated by virtue of the unique nanostructure system, thus playing a crucial role in facilitating PEC activity. In the presence of dissolved oxygen, the photocurrent intensity was enhanced by H2O2 generated from glucose under electro-oxidation specifically catalyzed by GOD fixed on the modified electrode. When the working potential was 0.3 V, the changes of photocurrent response indicated that the PEC enzyme biosensor provides a low detection limit (3.8 µM), and a wide linear range (0.008-8 mM). This method has better selectivity in honey samples and broad application prospects in clinical diagnosis for future.

Polyacetylene Isomers Isolated from Bidens pilosa L. Suppress the Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inhibiting Wnt/ß-Catenin and Hippo/YAP Signaling Pathways.

(E)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (1) and (Z)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (2) are isomeric natural polyacetylenes isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Bidens pilosa L. This study first revealed the excellent anti-metastasis potential of these two polyacetylenes on human gastric cancer HGC-27 cells and the distinctive molecular mechanisms underlying their activities. Polyacetylenes 1 and 2 significantly inhibited the migration, invasion, and adhesion of HGC-27 cells at their non-toxic concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. The results of a further mechanism investigation showed that polyacetylene 1 inhibited the expressions of Vimentin, Snail, ß-catenin, GSK3ß, MST1, YAP, YAP/TAZ, and their phosphorylation, and upregulated the expression of E-cadherin and p-LATS1. In addition, the expressions of various downstream metastasis-related proteins, such as MMP2/7/9/14, c-Myc, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MAPK, p-MAPK, Sox2, Cox2, and Cyr61, were also suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggested that polyacetylene 1 exhibited its anti-metastasis activities on HGC-27 cells through the reversal of the EMT process and the suppression of the Wnt/ß-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways.

Pattern recognition receptor-initiated innate immune responses in mouse prostatic epithelial cells‡.

Three major pathogenic states of the prostate, including benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, and prostatitis, are related to the local inflammation. However, the mechanisms underlying the initiation of prostate inflammation remain largely unknown. Given that the innate immune responses of the tissue-specific cells to microbial infection or autoantigens contribute to local inflammation, this study focused on pattern recognition receptor (PRR)-initiated innate immune responses in mouse prostatic epithelial cells (PECs). Primary mouse PECs abundantly expressed Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), TLR4, TLR5, melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), and IFN-inducible protein 16 (p204 in mouse). These PRRs can be activated by their respective ligands: lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and flagellin of Gram-negative bacteria for TLR4 and TLR5, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) for TLR3 and MDA5, and herpes simplex virus DNA analog (HSV60) for p204. LPS and flagellin predominantly induced the expression of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA), interleukin 6 (IL6), chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1), and C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10). Poly(I:C) and HSV60 predominantly induced the expression of type 1 interferons (IFNA and IFNB) and antiviral proteins: Mx GTPase 1, 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1, and IFN-stimulated gene 15. The replication of mumps virus in PECs was inhibited by type 1 IFN signaling. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying innate immune response in the prostate.

Low-magnitude vibration induces osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via miR-378a-3p/Grb2 pathway to promote bone formation in a rat model of age-related bone loss.

The dysfunction of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in osteogenic differentiation is one of the main causes of age-related bone loss. Our previous studies have shown that low-magnitude vibration (LMV) induces the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs derived from ovariectomized osteoporotic rats. To investigate whether LMV promotes osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and its underlying mechanisms in aged rats, 20-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 20) were randomly divided into LMV group (rats were vibrated at 0.3 g and 90 Hz for 30 minutes, once daily, 5 days a week until 12 weeks for subsequent analysis, n = 10), static group (rats were placed in the box on the vibration platform without vibration, n = 10); 6-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were used as control (young group, n = 10). The bone mineral density and bone strength of aged rats were significantly decreased compared with the young rats. Furthermore, the primary BMSCs isolated and cultured from the aged rats with the whole-bone marrow differential pasting method showed a decreased ability in osteogenic differentiation compared with that from the young rats. Then the differentially expressed miRNAs between the aged and young rat-derived BMSCs were screened by high-throughput sequencing and verified by qRT-PCR, and we found that miR-378a-3p was significantly downregulated in the aged rat-derived BMSCs compared with the young rat-derived BMSCs. By transfecting miRNA mimics and inhibitors, miR-378a-3p was confirmed to promote the expression levels of osteogenic genes (Runx2, ALP, Col I, and OCN) and ALP activity of the aged rat-derived BMSCs. Meanwhile, the expression levels of osteogenic genes and miR-378a-3p of aged rat-derived BMSCs were significantly upregulated by LMV (cells were vibrated at 0.3 g and 90 Hz for 30 minutes a day, until 5 days for subsequent analysis), while the LMV-induced osteogenic gene expression levels of aged rat-derived BMSCs were suppressed by miR-378a-3p inhibitors. Furthermore, the inhibition of growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) by miR-378a-3p and Grb2-siRNA promoted the LMV-induced osteogenic differentiation of aged rat-derived BMSCs. Additionally, LMV was found to promote bone mineral density and bone strength of aged rats in vivo, as well as upregulating the expression level of miR-378a-3p and downregulating the expression level of Grb2 of BMSCs from aged rats. These results suggest that LMV induces osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs through miR-378a-3p/Grb2 pathway to improve bone mineral density and mechanical properties in a rat model of age-related bone loss.

Effect of cadmium on the sorption of tylosin by polystyrene microplastics.

Microplastics are widespread in the environment and might transport readily by ocean currents, wind and atmospheric deposition. Simultaneously, antibiotics and heavy metals could often be detected in the environment. They are both positively charged, it is necessary to clarify the interactions of these pollutants with microplastics when they were coexist. In this study, the most commonly used polystyrene (PS) was selected as a representative microplastic. This study investigated the effect of Cd(II) on the sorption of TYL by PS in different coexistence systems. The results showed that: in the composite system, when TYL and Cd(II) coexist, the presence of Cd(II) could inhibit the sorption of TYL by PS, and the inhibitory effect increases with the increase of the concentration of Cd(II), indicating that competitive sorption dominates the sorption. When PS adsorbed Cd(II) first and then adsorbed TYL, the presence of Cd(II) was conducive to the sorption of TYL, and the sorption strengthened with the increase of Cd(II) concentration, indicating that the complexation between TYL and Cd(II) enhanced the sorption of TYL. In addition, initial pH values and ionic strength were essential in the sorption process. Therefore, this study could provide an important basis for evaluating the environmental behavior and ecological risk of microplastics in the process of compound pollution.

Mumps virus infection disrupts blood-testis barrier through the induction of TNF-α in Sertoli cells.

Mumps virus (MuV) has high tropism to the testis and may lead to male infertility. Sertoli cells are the major targets of MuV infection. However, the mechanisms by which MuV infection impairs male fertility and Sertoli cell function remain unclear. The present study elucidated the effect of MuV infection on the blood-testis barrier (BTB). The transepithelial electrical resistance of MuV-infected mouse Sertoli cells was monitored, and the expression of major proteins of the BTB was examined. We demonstrated that MuV infection disrupted the BTB by reducing the levels of occludin and zonula occludens 1. Sertoli cells derived from Tlr2-/- and Tnfa-/- mice were analyzed for mediating MuV-induced impairment. TLR2-mediated TNF-α production by Sertoli cells in response to MuV infection impaired BTB integrity. MuV-impaired BTB was not observed in Tlr2-/- and Tnfa-/- Sertoli cells. Moreover, an inhibitor of TNF-α, pomalidomide, prevents the disruption of BTB in response to MuV infection. FITC-labeled biotin tracing assay confirmed that BTB permeability and spermatogenesis were transiently impaired by MuV infection in vivo. These findings suggest that the disruption of the BTB could be one of the mechanisms underlying MuV-impaired male fertility, in which TNF-α could play a critical role.-Wu, H., Jiang, X., Gao, Y., Liu, W., Wang, F., Gong, M., Chen, R., Yu, X., Zhang, W., Gao, B., Song, C., Han, D. Mumps virus infection disrupts blood-testis barrier through the induction of TNF-α in Sertoli cells.

Polyketide Derivatives from Mangrove Derived Endophytic Fungus Pseudopestalotiopsis theae.

Chemical investigation of secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus Pseudopestalotiopsis theae led to the isolation of eighteen new polyketide derivatives, pestalotheols I-Q (1-9) and cytosporins O-W (15-23), together with eight known analogs (10-14 and 24-26). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR data, as well as by comparison with literature data. Modified Mosher's method was applied to determine the absolute configuration of some compounds. Compound 23 showed significant cytotoxicity against the mouse lymphoma cell line L5178Y with an IC50 value of 3.0 µM. Furthermore, compounds 22 and 23 showed moderate antibacterial activity against drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC BAA-1605) in combination with sublethal colistin concentrations.

[Low-magnitude vibration promotes osteogenesis of osteoblasts in ovariectomized osteoporotic rats via the estrogen receptor α].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of low-magnitude vibration on osteogenesis of osteoblasts in ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis via estrogen receptor α(ERα). The mRNA expression of osteogenic markers were examined with qRT-PCR, based on which the optimal vibration parameter for promoting osteogenesis was determined (45 Hz × 0.9 g, g = 9.8 m/s2). Then we loaded the optimal vibration parameter on the osteoblasts of ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis. The protein expression of osteogenic markers and ERα were detected with Western blot; the distribution of ERα was examined with immunofluorescence technique. Finally, through inhibiting the expression of ERα with estrogen receptor inhibitor ICI182780, the protein and mRNA expression of osteogenic markers were examined. First, the results showed that low-magnitude vibration could promote the expression of osteogenic markers and ERα in osteoblasts of ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis (P < 0.05), and make ERα transfer to the nucleus. On the other hand, the results also showed that after inhibiting the expression of ERα in osteoblasts of ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis, the protein and mRNA expression of osteogenic marker were decreased (P < 0.05). In our study, low-magnitude vibration played an important role in the osteogenesis of osteoblasts in ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis through increasing the expression and causing translocation of ERα. Furthermore, it provides a theoretical basis for the application of low-magnitude vibration in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Pattern recognition receptor-mediated innate immune responses in seminal vesicle epithelial cell and their impacts on cellular function†.

The seminal vesicles can be infected by microorganisms, thereby resulting in vesiculitis and impairment in male fertility. Innate immune responses in seminal vesicles cells to microbial infections, which facilitate vesiculitis, have yet to be investigated. The present study aims to elucidate pattern recognition receptor-mediated innate immune responses in seminal vesicles epithelial cells. Various pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptor 3, Toll-like receptor 4, cytosolic ribonucleic acid, and deoxyribonucleic acid sensors, are abundantly expressed in seminal vesicles epithelial cells. These pattern recognition receptors can recognize their respective ligands, thus activating nuclear factor kappa B and interferon regulatory factor 3. The pattern recognition receptor signaling induces expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnfa) and interleukin 6 (Il6), chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (Mcp1) and C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (Cxcl10), and type 1 interferons Ifna and Ifnb. Moreover, pattern recognition receptor-mediated innate immune responses up-regulated the expression of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase and cyclooxygenase 2, but they down-regulated semenogelin-1 expression. These results provide novel insights into the mechanism underlying vesiculitis and its impact on the functions of the seminal vesicles.

Role of autophagy in inhibiting the proliferation of A549 cells by type III interferon.

Interferons (IFNs) have anti-viral and anti-tumour effects. Type III interferon, as a member of the recently discovered interferon family, has been proved to inhibit tumour proliferation and promote the apoptosis of various tumour cells. However, whether type III IFN could inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer was not clear. In this study, we found that interferon λ (IFN λ) could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and induce autophagy and apoptosis of A549 cells. IFN λ could promote the expression of autophagy gene Beclin1 and interfere the expression of autophagy gene Beclin1 with small interfering RNA, thus inhibiting the effect of type III interferon on anti-proliferation and promoting apoptosis of lung cancer cell. These results suggested that IFN λ could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells by activating autophagy pathway, and IFN λ might be one of the potential therapeutic drugs for lung cancer.

[Screening of the Optimum Medium for Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of three different cell culture mediums, DMEM-LG, α-MEM and DMEM/F12, on the growth of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vitro, and so that to screen out the most suitable medium for in vitro culturing the rat BMSCs. METHODS: BMSCS were isolated from the femur and tibia of SD rats by whole bone marrow differential adherence method. The isolated cells were then cultured with three culture mediums, DMEM-LG, α-MEM and DMEM/F12. The rat BMSCs morphology, adhesion, proliferation, the time of passage and the number the colony at day 14 in three mediums respectively were observed with inverted phase contrast microscopy and compared. Flow cytometry was used to identify and observe the effects of different mediums on the surface antigen expression of rats BMSCs. RESULTS: Compared with the other two groups of media, BMSCs cultured in DMEM-LG had shorter colony formation time, shorter first passage time, more clone formation (14±2) and showed uniform morphology and the highest attachment efficiency (47.0±2.8)%. Meanwhile, BMSCs cultured with DMEM-LG entered logarithmic growth phase after only 4 days of culturing and showed the highest average specific growth rate and the largest average number of propagations per unit time. The total number of cells reached about (2.2-2.7)×105 mL-1 within three days. The cells cultured with 3 mediums were all identified as rat BMSCs, and the expression of surface antigen in BMSCs was not significantly affected by different media. CONCLUSION: DMEM-LG is more suitable for proliferation of rat BMSCs in vitro.

Germacrane-Type Sesquiterpenoids with Antiproliferative Activities from Eupatorium chinense.

Ten new germacrane-type sesquiterpenoids (1-10) were isolated from a whole plant extract of Eupatorium chinense. The structures were elucidated by analysis of their NMR and MS data as well as by comparison with literature values. The absolute configuration of eupachinsin A (1) was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compounds 3 and 4 exhibited cytotoxicity against a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231), with IC50 values of 0.8 and 3.4 µM, respectively. In addition, compounds 3-5 showed cytotoxicity against the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2), with IC50 values ranging from 3.6 to 7.6 µM.

Application of multiplex methylated-specific PCR with capillary electrophoresis to explore prognostic value of TSGs hypermethylation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor that severely threatens human health. To date, early detection for HCC patients is particularly significant due to their poor survival rates even after liver resection. METHODS: Therefore, an efficient and sensitive detection method for monitoring liver cancer, multiplex methylation-specific PCR (MSP) coupled with capillary electrophoresis, is developed. RESULTS: Simulations demonstrated that the methylation status of RASSF1A, p16, SFRP1, and ELF could be detected even when DNA equaled or exceeded 12.5 ng simultaneously. Also, its accuracy for methylation detection outweighed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (87.5%) and agarose electrophoresis (84.3%), reaching 92.1%. Subsequently, we implemented multiplex MSP with capillary electrophoresis to investigate methylation status of the four tumor suppressor genes in tissue specimens and explore the prognostic value for HCC patients. As the data suggested, multivariate cox regression analysis revealed that the recurrence-free survival of 46 patients was greatly associated with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) and p16 methylation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that the predictive range of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) combined with p16 hypermethylation was more sensitive than that of either PVTT or p16 hypermethylation alone with regard to disease recurrence in patients with HCC, which could be testified as a valuable biomarker in Clinical application. CONCLUSION: Multiplex MSP coupled with capillary electrophoresis has an excellent prospect of clinical application for monitoring early liver cancer and screening valuable biomarkers for prognosis of HCC patients.

[BORIS Regulates SOCS3 Expression Through Epigenetic Mechanisms in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the regulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression bythe brother of the regulator of the imprinted site (BORIS) in hepatocellular carcinoma cell. METHODS: The expression of SOCS3 mRNA in HCC cell lines was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of SOCS3 protein in knockdown and overexpression BORIS of HCC cell lines was tested by Western blot. The SOCS3 gene promoter methylation statusin the knockdown and overexpression BORIS of hepatocarcinoma cell lines was detected by using methylation specific PCR (MSP-PCR) method.The potential BORIS binding site of SOCS3promoter region was found by UCSC database analysis.The enrichment of BORIS in SOCS3 promoter region in endogenous high expression BORIS of HCC cells was evaluated by using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR (ChIP-qPCR).The SOCS3 promoter region histone methylation status in the knockdown and overexpression BORIS of HCC was detected by ChIP-qPCR. RESULTS: The expression of SOCS3 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma cells was higher and SOCS3 protein expression was down-regulated or up-regulated in the knockdown or overexpression of BORIS mRNA hepatocarcinoma cells,so BORIS has a positive regulatory effect on SOCS3 protein expression in hepatocarcinoma cells. MSP-PCR experiments showed that the SOCS3 promoter in SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells was unmethylated and knockdown of BORIS did not change the methylation status; the SOCS3 promoter region of Huh7 cells was methylated; after overexpression of BORIS,the SOCS3 promoter region was changed to an unmethylated state; the SOCS3 promoter was unmethylated in HCCLM3,overexpression of BORIS did not alter the methylation status. The ChIP-qPCR assay demonstrated that BORIS specifically binds to the SOCS3 promoter region in HCC cells with high expression of BORIS. Histone methylation assay indicated that knockdown of BORIS reduced BORIS enrichment in the SOCS3 promoter region, with decreasing H3K4 me2 and increasing H3K27 me3 in the region of histone,whereas the overexpress BORIS in HCC cells showed the opposite situation. CONCLUSION: BORIS plays a role of epigenetic regulationon SOCS3 gene promoter methylation and histone methylation,modulating the expression of SOCS3,and then involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Solution-Processable High-Purity Semiconducting SWCNTs for Large-Area Fabrication of High-Performance Thin-Film Transistors.

For the large-area fabrication of thin-film transistors (TFTs), a new conjugated polymer poly[9-(1-octylonoyl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl] is developed to harvest ultrahigh-purity semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. Combined with spectral and nanodevice characterization, the purity is estimated up to 99.9%. High density and uniform network formed by dip-coating process is liable to fabricate high-performance TFTs on a wafer-scale and the as-fabricated TFTs exhibit a high degree of uniformity.

Cytotoxic effects of tebufenozide in vitro bioassays.

Tebufenozide is considered an environmentally friendly pesticide due to its specificity on target insects, but the effects on human are well studied. Studies on the toxicity of tebufenozide at molecular and cellular level is poorly understood. The present study reveals non-selective cytotoxic effects of tebufenozide, and the apoptotic mechanism induced by tebufenozide on HeLa and Tn5B1-4 cells. We demonstrate that the viability of HeLa and Tn5B1-4 cells is inhibited by tebufenozide in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Intracellular biochemical assays showed that tebufenozide-induced apoptosis of two cell lines concurrent with a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase reactive oxygen species generation, the release of cytochrome-c into the cytosol and a marked activation of caspase-3. These results indicate that a mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic pathway contributes to tebufenozide induced apoptosis in HeLa and Tn5B1-4 cells and suggests potential threats to ecosystems and human health.