Modeling Rett Syndrome Using TALEN-Edited MECP2 Mutant Cynomolgus Monkeys.

Gene-editing technologies have made it feasible to create nonhuman primate models for human genetic disorders. Here, we report detailed genotypes and phenotypes of TALEN-edited MECP2 mutant cynomolgus monkeys serving as a model for a neurodevelopmental disorder, Rett syndrome (RTT), which is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the human MECP2 gene. Male mutant monkeys were embryonic lethal, reiterating that RTT is a disease of females. Through a battery of behavioral analyses, including primate-unique eye-tracking tests, in combination with brain imaging via MRI, we found a series of physiological, behavioral, and structural abnormalities resembling clinical manifestations of RTT. Moreover, blood transcriptome profiling revealed that mutant monkeys resembled RTT patients in immune gene dysregulation. Taken together, the stark similarity in phenotype and/or endophenotype between monkeys and patients suggested that gene-edited RTT founder monkeys would be of value for disease mechanistic studies as well as development of potential therapeutic interventions for RTT.

pH/H2O2 Cascade-Responsive Nanoparticles of Lipid-Like Prodrugs through Dynamic-Covalent and Coordination Interactions for Chemotherapy.

Traditional lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) suffer from low drug loading capacity (DLC), weak stability, and lack of responsiveness. Conventional approaches to address these issues involve the synthesis of lipid-prodrug by incorporating responsive covalent linkers. However, such approaches often result in suboptimal sensitivity for drug release and undermine therapeutic effectiveness. Herein, the study reports a fundamentally different concept for designing lipid-like prodrugs through boron-nitrogen (B-N) coordination and dynamic covalent interaction. The 5-fluorouracil-based lipid-like prodrugs, featuring a borate ester consisting of a glycerophosphoryl choline head and a boronic acid-modified 5Fu/dodecanamine complex tail, are used to prepare pH/H2O2 cascade-responsive LNPs (5Fu-LNPs). The 5Fu-LNPs exhibit enhanced DLC and stability in a neutral physiological environment due to the B-N coordination and enhanced hydrophobicity. In tumors, acidic pH triggers the dissociation of B-N coordination to release prodrugs, which further responds to low H2O2 concentrations to release drugs, showcasing a potent pH/H2O2-cascade-responsive property. Importantly, 5Fu-LNPs demonstrate greater antitumor efficiency and lower toxicity compared to the commercial 5Fu. These results highlight 5Fu-LNPs as a safer and more effective alternative to chemotherapy. This work presents a unique LNP fabrication strategy that can overcome the limitations of conventional LNPs and broaden the range of intelligent nanomaterial preparation techniques.

Joint and interactive associations of body mass index and genetic factors with cardiovascular disease: a prospective study in UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Both body mass index (BMI) and genetic factors independently contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is unclear whether genetic risk modifies the association between BMI and the risk of incident CVD. This study aimed to investigate whether BMI categories and genetic risk jointly and interactively contribute to incident CVD events, including hypertension (HTN), atrial fibrillation (AF), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and heart failure (HF). METHODS: A total of 496,851 participants from the UK Biobank with one or more new-onset CVD events were included in the analyses. BMI was categorized as normal weight (< 25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m2), and obesity (≥ 30.0 kg/m2). Genetic risk for each outcome was defined as low (lowest tertile), intermediate (second tertile), and high (highest tertile) using polygenic risk score. The joint associations of BMI categories and genetic risk with incident CVD were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Additionally, additive interactions were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 496,851 participants, 270,726 (54.5%) were female, with a mean (SD) age was 56.5 (8.1) years. Over a median follow-up (IQR) of 12.4 (11.5-13.1) years, 102,131 (22.9%) participants developed HTN, 26,301 (5.4%) developed AF, 32,222 (6.9%) developed CHD, 10,684 (2.2%) developed stroke, and 13,304 (2.7%) developed HF. Compared with the normal weight with low genetic risk, the obesity with high genetic risk had the highest risk of CVD: HTN (HR: 3.96; 95%CI: 3.84-4.09), AF (HR: 3.60; 95%CI: 3.38-3.83), CHD (HR: 2.76; 95%CI: 2.61-2.91), stroke (HR: 1.44; 95%CI: 1.31-1.57), and HF (HR: 2.47; 95%CI: 2.27-2.69). There were significant additive interactions between BMI categories and genetic risk for HTN, AF, and CHD, with relative excess risk of 0.53 (95%CI: 0.43-0.62), 0.67 (95%CI: 0.51-0.83), and 0.37 (95%CI: 0.25-0.49), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BMI and genetic factors jointly and interactively contribute to incident CVD, especially among participants with high genetic risk. These findings have public health implications for identifying populations more likely to have cardiovascular benefit from weight loss interventions.

Associations of ambient air pollution and lifestyle with the risk of NAFLD: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both ambient air pollution and lifestyle factors contribute to the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but previous studies usually focused on single-factor associations. We aimed to assess the joint associations of ambient air pollution and lifestyle with the NAFLD risk and investigate whether lifestyle modifies the association of air pollution with NAFLD risk. METHODS: A total of 417,025 participants from the UK Biobank were included in this study. Annual average concentrations of NO2, NOx, PM2.5, PM10, and PM2.5-10 were estimated. A composite lifestyle score was determined based on physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking status, dietary patterns, sedentary time, and sleep duration. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), as well as the population attributable fraction (PAF). Potential additive interactions of air pollution with lifestyle were also examined by the relative excess risk due to the interaction (RERI) and the attributable proportion due to the interaction (AP). RESULTS: 4752 (1.14%) incident NAFLD events were recorded. Long-term exposure to air pollutants and an unhealthy lifestyle were significantly associated with the increased risk of incident NAFLD. Lifestyle was the primary factor of incident NAFLD, with a PAF of 37.18% (95% CI: 29.67%, 44.69%). In addition, a significant additive interaction between air pollution and lifestyle for NAFLD risk was observed (RERI: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.09-0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and poor lifestyle were jointly associated with a higher risk of NAFLD.

A Fine Analysis of Zn Species Structure and Distribution in Zn/ZSM-5 Catalysts by Linear Combination Fitting Analysis of XANES Spectra.

Investigating the distribution of different Zn species on Zn-containing zeolite catalysts is crucial for identifying the active sites and establishing the relationship between the catalyst's structure and its activity in the process of ethylene aromatization. By utilizing X-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) of various reference samples, this study employed linear combination fitting (LCF) analysis on XANES spectra of real samples to accurately measure the changes in the distribution of Zn species in Zn-containing HZSM-5 zeolites under different Zn sources and loadings. The results showed that ZnOH+, ZnO clusters, and ZnO crystalline structures coexist in Zn/HZSM-5 catalysts prepared through physical mixing and incipient wet impregnation methods. A similar trend was observed for catalysts prepared using different methods, with an increase in Zn content resulting in a decrease in the proportion of ZnOH+ and a significant increase in the amount of larger ZnO crystals. Furthermore, ZnO clusters were confined within the zeolite pores. The findings of this study established a direct correlation between the amount of ZnOH+ determined through LCF analysis and both the rate of hydrogen production and the rate of aromatics formation, providing strong evidence for the catalytic role of ZnOH+ as an active center for dehydrogenation, which plays a key role in promoting the formation of aromatics. The method of LCF analysis on XANES spectra allows for the determination of the local structure of Zn species, facilitating a more precise analysis based on the distribution of these species. This method not only provides detailed information about the Zn species but also enhances the accuracy of the overall analysis.

Haplotype-resolved genome of a heterozygous wild peach reveals the PdaWRKY4-PdaCYP716A1 module mediates resistance to aphids by regulating betulin biosynthesis.

Wild species of domesticated crops provide valuable genetic resources for resistance breeding. Prunus davidiana, a wild relative of peach with high heterozygosity and diverse stress tolerance, exhibits high resistance against aphids. However, the highly heterozygous genome of P. davidiana makes determining the underlying factors influencing resistance traits challenging. Here, we present the 501.7 Mb haplotype-resolved genome assembly of P. davidiana. Genomic comparisons of the two haplotypes revealed 18,152 structural variations, 2,699 Pda_hap1-specific and 2,702 Pda_hap2-specific genes, and 1,118 allele-specific expressed genes. Genome composition indicated 4.1% of the P. davidiana genome was non-peach origin, out of which 94.5% was derived from almond. Based on the haplotype genome, the aphid resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL) was mapped at the end of Pda03. From the aphid resistance QTL, PdaWRKY4 was identified as the major dominant gene, with a 9-bp deletion in its promoter of the resistant phenotype. Specifically, PdaWRKY4 regulates aphid resistance by promoting PdaCYP716A1-mediated anti-aphid metabolite betulin biosynthesis. Moreover, we employed a genome design to develop a breeding workflow for rapidly and precisely producing aphid-resistant peaches. In conclusion, this study identifies a novel aphid resistance gene and provides insights into genome design for the development of resistant fruit cultivars.

Tumor Susceptibility Gene 101 (TSG101) Contributes to Virion Formation of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus via Interaction with the Nucleocapsid (N) Protein along with the Early Secretory Pathway.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has caused huge economic losses to global swine industry. As an intracellular obligate pathogen, PRRSV exploits host cellular machinery to establish infection. The endocytic sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) system has been shown to participate in different life cycle stages of multiple viruses. In the present study, a systematic small interference RNA screening assay identified that certain ESCRT components contributed to PRRSV infection. Among them, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101) was demonstrated to be important for PRRSV infection by knockdown and overexpression assays. TSG101 was further revealed to be involved in virion formation rather than viral attachment, internalization, RNA replication and nucleocapsid (N) protein translation within the first round of PRRSV life cycle. In detail, TSG101 was determined to specially interact with PRRSV N protein and take effect on its subcellular localization along with the early secretory pathway. Taken together, these results provide evidence that TSG101 is a proviral cellular factor for PRRSV assembly, which will be a promising target to interfere with the viral infection. IMPORTANCE PRRSV infection results in a serious swine disease affecting pig farming in the world. However, efficient prevention and control of PRRSV is hindered by its complicated infection process. Until now, our understanding of PRRSV assembly during infection is especially limited. Here, we identified that TSG101, an ESCRT-I subunit, facilitated virion formation of PRRSV via interaction with the viral N protein along with the early secretory pathway. Our work actually expands the knowledge of PRRSV infection and provides a novel therapeutic target for prevention and control of the virus.

A Hypoxia Molecular Signature-Based Prognostic Model for Endometrial Cancer Patients.

Endometrial cancer has the highest incidence of uterine corpus cancer, the sixth most typical cancer in women until 2020. High recurrence rate and frequent adverse events were reported in either standard chemotherapy or combined therapy. Hence, developing precise diagnostic and prognostic approaches for endometrial cancer was on demand. Four hypoxia-related genes were screened for the EC prognostic model by the univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analysis from the TCGA dataset. QT-PCR and functional annotation analysis were performed. Associations between predicted risk and immunotherapy and chemotherapy responses were investigated by evaluating expressions of immune checkpoint inhibitors, infiltrated immune cells, m6a regulators, and drug sensitivity. The ROC curve and calibration plot indicated a fair predictability of our prognostic nomogram model. NR3C1 amplification, along with IL-6 and SRPX suppressions, were detected in tumor. High stromal score and enriched infiltrated aDCs and B cells in the high-risk group supported the hypothesis of immune-deserted tumor. Hypoxia-related molecular subtypes of EC were then identified via the gene signature. Cluster 2 patients showed a significant sensitivity to Vinblastine. In summary, our hypoxia signature model accurately predicted the survival outcome of EC patients and assessed translational and transcriptional dysregulations to explore targets for precise medical treatment.

A comprehensive prognostic and immune analysis of enhancer RNA identifies IGFBP7-AS1 as a novel prognostic biomarker in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been implicated in a hand of studies that supported an involvement and co-operation in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC). Enhancer RNAs (eRNA), a functional subtype of lncRNA, have a key role throughout the genome to guide protein production, thus potentially associated with diseases. METHODS: In this study, we mainly applied the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset to systematically discover crucial eRNAs involving UCEC. For the key eRNAs in UCEC, we employed RT-qPCR to compare eRNA expression levels in tumor tissues and paired normal adjacent tissues from UCEC patients for validation. Furthermore, the relationships between the key eRNAs and immune activities were measured from several aspects, including the analysis for tumor microenvironment, immune infiltration cells, immune check point genes, tumor mutation burden, and microsatellite instability, as well as m6A related genes. Finally, the key eRNAs were verified by a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis. RESULTS: IGFBP7 Antisense RNA 1 (IGFBP7-AS1) was identified as the key eRNA for its expression patterns of low levels in tumor tissues and favorable prognostic value in UCEC correlated with its target gene IGFBP7. In RT-qPCR analysis, IGFBP7-AS1 and IGFBP7 had down-regulated expression in tumor tissues, which was consistent with previous analysis. Moreover, IGFBP7-AS1 was found closely related with immune response in relevant immune analyses. Besides, IGFBP7-AS1 and its target gene IGFBP7 correlated with a multi-omics pan-cancer analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, we suggested that IGFBP7-AS1 played a key role in impacting on clinical outcomes of UCEC patients for its possible influence on immune activity.

Development of a p72 trimer-based colloidal gold strip for detection of antibodies against African swine fever virus.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a highly contagious and often lethal swine viral disease, and leads to tremendous economic losses to the swine industry. Unfortunately, there are no vaccines and effective antiviral agents available to prevent and control ASFV outbreaks. Therefore, it is necessary to develop simple and rapid strategies to monitor ASFV-infected pigs to restrain its spread. In the current study, ASFV capsid protein p72 was expressed along with its chaperone pB602L to form trimers in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. The p72 trimers were subsequently labeled with colloidal gold to develop a immunochromatographic strip. The strip showed high specificity to ASFV-positive serum and no cross-reactivity to other swine virus positive sera. Importantly, the strip showed a higher sensitivity of detecting ASFV antibodies in both positive standard serum and clinical serum samples than a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Taken together, these results demonstrate the strip as a reliable diagnostic tool against ASFV infection, which will be appropriate for application in prevention and control of ASFV. KEY POINTS : • ASFV p72 trimers were successfully generated. • A colloidal gold strip was developed based on ASFV p72 trimers. • The strip is appropriate for detecting ASFV antibodies in the field.

RAI14 Promotes Melanoma Progression by Regulating the FBXO32/c-MYC Pathway.

Melanoma originates from the malignant transformation of melanocytes. Compared with other skin cancers, melanoma has a higher fatality rate. The 5-year survival rate of patients with early-stage primary melanoma through surgical resection can reach more than 90%. However, the 5-year survival rate of patients with metastatic melanoma is only 25%. Therefore, accurate assessment of melanoma progression is critical. Previous studies have found that Retinoic Acid Induced 14(RAI14) is critical in tumorigenesis. However, the biological function of RAI14 for the development of melanoma is unclear. In this study, RAI14 is highly expressed in melanoma and correlated with prognosis. The expression of RAI14 can affect the proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma cells. F-Box Protein 32(FBXO32) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of c-MYC. We found that RAI14 affects the transcriptional expression of FBXO32 and regulates the stability of c-MYC. These results suggest that RAI14 play an important role in the growth of melanoma and is expected to be a therapeutic target for melanoma.

Functional Characterization of the Cystine-Rich-Receptor-like Kinases (CRKs) and Their Expression Response to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Abiotic Stresses in Brassica napus.

Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are transmembrane proteins that bind to the calcium ion to regulate stress-signaling and plant development-related pathways, as indicated by several pieces of evidence. However, the CRK gene family hasn't been inadequately examined in Brassica napus. In our study, 27 members of the CRK gene family were identified in Brassica napus, which are categorized into three phylogenetic groups and display synteny relationship to the Arabidopsis thaliana orthologs. All the CRK genes contain highly conserved N-terminal PKINASE domain; however, the distribution of motifs and gene structure were variable conserved. The functional divergence analysis between BnaCRK groups indicates a shift in evolutionary rate after duplication events, demonstrating that BnaCRKs might direct a specific function. RNA-Seq datasets and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) exhibit the complex expression profile of the BnaCRKs in plant tissues under multiple stresses. Nevertheless, BnaA06CRK6-1 and BnaA08CRK8 from group B were perceived to play a predominant role in the Brassica napus stress signaling pathway in response to drought, salinity, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infection. Insights gained from this study improve our knowledge about the Brassica napus CRK gene family and provide a basis for enhancing the quality of rapeseed.

Plant Disease Resistance-Related Signaling Pathways: Recent Progress and Future Prospects.

Plant-pathogen interactions induce a signal transmission series that stimulates the plant's host defense system against pathogens and this, in turn, leads to disease resistance responses. Plant innate immunity mainly includes two lines of the defense system, called pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). There is extensive signal exchange and recognition in the process of triggering the plant immune signaling network. Plant messenger signaling molecules, such as calcium ions, reactive oxygen species, and nitric oxide, and plant hormone signaling molecules, such as salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene, play key roles in inducing plant defense responses. In addition, heterotrimeric G proteins, the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play important roles in regulating disease resistance and the defense signal transduction network. This paper summarizes the status and progress in plant disease resistance and disease resistance signal transduction pathway research in recent years; discusses the complexities of, and interactions among, defense signal pathways; and forecasts future research prospects to provide new ideas for the prevention and control of plant diseases.

Biomimetic Nanozymes Based on Coassembly of Amino Acid and Hemin for Catalytic Oxidation and Sensing of Biomolecules.

Nanoassemblies based on self-assembly of biological building blocks are promising in mimicking the nanostructures, properties, and functionalities of natural enzymes. However, it remains a challenge to design of biomimetic nanozymes with tunable nanostructures and enhanced catalytic activities starting from simple biomolecules. Herein, the construction of nanoassemblies through coassembly of an amphiphilic amino acid and hemin is reported. The nanostructures and morphologies of the resulting nanoassemblies are readily controlled by tuning the molar ratio between the amino acid and hemin, thus leading to tailored peroxidase-mimicking activities of the nanoassemblies. Importantly, the optimized nanoassemblies exhibit a remarkable catalytic efficiency that is comparable to the natural counterpart when considering molecular mass along with good robustness in multiple catalytic cycles. The nanoassemblies are effectively integrated as biomimetic nanozymes in a sensing system for catalytic detection of glucose. Therefore, this work demonstrates that nanozymes with advanced catalytic capabilities can be constructed by self-assembly of minimalist biological building blocks and may thus promote the rational design and catalytic applications of biomimetic nanozymes.

Precise targeting of miR-141/200c cluster in chondrocytes attenuates osteoarthritis development.

OBJECTIVES: Despite preclinical studies involving miRNA therapeutics conducted in osteoarthritis (OA) over the years, none of these miRNAs have yet translated to clinical applications, owing largely to the lack of efficient intra-articular (IA) delivery systems. Here, we investigated therapeutic efficacy of the chondrocyte-specific aptamer-decorated PEGylated polyamidoamine nanoparticles (NPs)-based miRNAs delivery for OA. METHODS: The role of miR-141/200c cluster during skeletal and OA development was examined by miR-141/200cflox/flox mice and Col2a1-CreERT2; miR-141/200cflox/flox mice. Histological analysis was performed in mouse joints and human cartilage specimens. Chondrocyte-specific aptamer-decorated NPs was designed, and its penetration, stability and safety were evaluated. OA progression was assessed by micro-CT analysis, X-ray and Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores after destabilising the medial meniscus surgery with miR-141/200c manipulation by NPs IA injection. Mass spectrometry analysis, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the interaction between aptamer and receptor. RESULTS: Increased retention of NPs inside joint space is observed. The NPs are freely and deeply penetrant to mice and human cartilage, and unexpectedly persist in chondrocytes for at least 5 weeks. OA chondrocytes microenviroment improves endo/lysosomal escape of microRNAs (miRNAs). Therapeutically, IA injection of miR-141/200c inhibitors provides strong chondroprotection, whereas ectopic expression of miR-141/200c exacerbates OA. Mechanistically, miR-141/200c promotes OA by targeting SIRT1, which acetylates histone in the promoters of interleukin 6 (IL-6), thereby activating IL-6/STAT3 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that this nanocarrier can optimise the transport kinetics of miR-141/200c into chondrocytes, fostering miRNA-specific disease-modifying OA drugs development.

CPEB1 enhances erastin-induced ferroptosis in gastric cancer cells by suppressing twist1 expression.

The induction of ferroptosis is considered a new strategy for cancer treatment. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 1 (CPEB1) is a post-transcriptional regulatory factor, whose low expression has been reported to link to the enhanced metastasis and angiogenesis of gastric cancer (GC). In this study, to explore the role of CPEB1 in ferroptosis, GC cells with overexpressed or silenced CPEB1 expression were treated with erastin, a classic ferroptosis inducer. The results showed that erastin dose-dependently decreased the viability of four GC cell lines (AGS, SNU-1, Hs-746 T, and HGC-27), suggesting that ferroptosis could be triggered in these GC cells. Interestingly, HGC-27 cells overexpressing CPEB1 were more sensitive to erastin, generated more lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and their glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) expression and GSH content were reduced. Contrarily, CPEB1-silenced AGS cells were more resistant to erastin. Mechanically, we demonstrated that CPEB1 overexpression reduced the expression of twist1, an inhibitor of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), thereby activating the ATF4/ChaC Glutathione Specific Gamma-Glutamylcyclotransferase 1 (CHAC1) pathway (CHAC1, a molecule known to induce GSH degradation). Furthermore, re-expression of twist1 in GC cells impaired the effects of CPEB1 overexpression in presence of erastin. Additionally, similar to the in vitro results, the growth-inhibiting effects of erastin on GC xenografted tumors were also augmented by CPEB1 overexpression in vivo. Collectively, we demonstrate that CPEB1 facilitates erastin-induced ferroptosis by inhibiting twist1.

Labor force transfer, vegetation restoration and ecosystem service in the Qilian Mountains.

Forest ecosystem conservation practice frequently sacrifices human livelihood, since there exists a structural conflict between both aspects in the degraded forest ecosystem. To reconcile the conflict has been widely viewed as a core issue, in which the payment of ecosystem service (PES) may play a critical role in solving this issue. In order to better understand the practical effectiveness of PES and explore the solution to reconcile the contradiction between conservation and livelihood, we investigated the decadal changes in the Sloping Land Conversion Program as a PES strategy in the Qilian Mountains, a degraded forest ecosystem of northwest China, and its effects on natural and social systems across the 10-year implementation period (2001-2011). The regional NDVI of study site was promoted from 46.24% to 61.28%, showing that vegetation cover had a massive increase during the whole implementation period. Also, the PES strategy had impelled more labor forces as migrant workers into the non-agricultural industries or urban areas. The migration dynamics in three industries demonstrated that the population of primary industry followed a gradually declining trend, and its percentage in total population was lowered from 33.44% to 19.82%. According to our household survey, local farmers reduced the economic investment in agriculture, and this enabled more labor forces to be released from agricultural industry. Interestingly, the attitudes towards the PES program for local inhabitants were gradually shifted from negative at initial stage to acceptable at middle stage, and finally to positive at late stage, as a consequence of PES application. In such case, the PES-led vegetation restoration strategy has been effectively implemented, which can reconcile the contradiction between conservation and livelihood, and ultimately achieve a win-win consequence. Our study provided a successful practical paradigm of coupled human and natural system (CHANS) in forest ecosystem restoration.

Gentianella acuta prevents acute myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol in rats via inhibition of galectin-3/TLR4/MyD88/NF-кB inflammatory signalling.

Gentianella acuta (G. acuta), as a folk medicine, was used to treat heart disease by the Ewenki people in Inner Mongolia. However, the effect of G. acuta on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not clear. To explore the mechanisms of G. acuta on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced AMI, rats were administered G. acuta for 28 days, then injected intraperitoneally with ISO (85 mg/kg) on days 29 and 30. An electrocardiogram helped to evaluate the myocardial injury. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were evaluated, and haematoxylin eosin, Masson's trichrome staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining were used to detect myocardial histological changes. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure serum tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin (IL)-6. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was used to analyse serum galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to examine relevant molecular events. The results revealed that pre-treatment with G. acuta decreased the elevation in the ST segment; reduced serum LDH, CK and AST levels; alleviated cardiac structure disorder; and reduced inflammatory infiltration, abnormal collagen deposition and cardiomyocyte apoptosis that were induced by ISO. Furthermore, pre-treatment with G. acuta inhibited serum Gal-3 levels and Gal-3 expression in heart tissue, and also impeded TLR4/MyD88/NF-кB signalling activation, which ultimately prevented the expression of inflammatory cytokines. The study indicated that pre-treatment with G. acuta protects against ISO-induced AMI, and the protective role may be related to inhibiting Gal-3/TLR4/MyD88/NF-кB inflammatory signalling.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells suppress osteoclastogenesis and bone erosion in collagen-induced arthritis.

Osteoclasts are responsible for bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs) can inhibit experimental collagen-induced arthritis model. This study aims to determine whether ADSCs also suppresses osteoclastogenesis and bone erosion in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Osteoclasts were induced from bone marrow-derived CD11b+ cells with receptor activator of nuclear factor-κ B ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) stimulation and assessed with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. For human cells, osteoclasts were produced from human CD14+ cells. ADSCs were generated and added to cultures with different ratios with CD11b+ cells. Transwell and antibody blockade experiments were performed to define the mechanism of action. NF-κB and RANKL expression were determined by Western blotting and RT-qPCR. About 2 × 106 ADSCs or fibroblast cells were adoptively transferred to DBA1/J mice on day 14 after immunization with type II collagen/complete Freund's adjuvant (CII/CFA) while the onset and severity of the CIA were monitored. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells but not fibroblast cells completely suppressed osteoclastogenesis in vitro for human and mice. ADSCs injected after immunization and before of onset of CIA significantly suppressed disease development. Treatment with ADSCs dramatically decreased the levels of NF-κB p65/p50 in osteoclasts in vitro and P65/50 and RANKL expression by synovial tissues in vivo. We have demonstrated that ADSCs can inhibit RANKL-induced osteoclasts genesis via CD39 signals. Our findings also suggest that ADSCs can inhibit osteoclasts genesis without the involvement of regulatory T cells. ADSCs might represent a promising strategy for stem cell-based therapies for RA. Thus, manipulation of ADSCs may have therapeutic effects on RA and other bone erosion-related diseases.

Clinical efficacy and safety of bone cement combined with radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of spinal metastases.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of bone cement combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of spinal metastases. METHODS: The medical records of patients with spinal metastatic tumor admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on different surgical methods, the patients were divided into groups A (treated with RFA combined with bone cement) and B (treated with bone cement only). Group A included 35 patients with 47 segments of diseased vertebral bodies. Group B consisted of 52 patients with 78 vertebral segments. Pain, quality of life score, vertebra height, bone cement leakage, postoperative tumor recurrence, and complications were assessed 3 days and 1 and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: All the patients had smooth operation without paraplegia, spinal cord injury, and perioperative death. Visual analogue scales (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores of the two groups significantly improved 3 days and 1 month after surgery compared with those before surgery (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). Six months after surgery, the VAS and ODI scores of patients in group A were lower than those in group B, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The postoperative vertebral body height of the two groups significantly increased compared with that before surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). Postoperative bone cement permeability in group A was 6.4%, and postoperative tumor recurrence rate was 11.4%. The permeability of bone cement in group B was 20.5%, and the tumor recurrence rate was 30.8%. The bone cement permeability and tumor recurrence rate in group A were lower than those in group B, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bone cement combined with RFA for the treatment of spinal metastases can achieve good efficacy, desirable analgesic effect, low incidence of complications, small surgical trauma, and high safety. The proposed method has the value of clinical popularization and application.