HPV integration generates a cellular super-enhancer which functions as ecDNA to regulate genome-wide transcription.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) integration is a critical step in cervical cancer development; however, the oncogenic mechanism at the genome-wide transcriptional level is still poorly understood. In this study, we employed integrative analysis on multi-omics data of six HPV-positive and three HPV-negative cell lines. Through HPV integration detection, super-enhancer (SE) identification, SE-associated gene expression and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) investigation, we aimed to explore the genome-wide transcriptional influence of HPV integration. We identified seven high-ranking cellular SEs generated by HPV integration in total (the HPV breakpoint-induced cellular SEs, BP-cSEs), leading to intra-chromosomal and inter-chromosomal regulation of chromosomal genes. The pathway analysis revealed that the dysregulated chromosomal genes were correlated to cancer-related pathways. Importantly, we demonstrated that BP-cSEs existed in the HPV-human hybrid ecDNAs, explaining the above transcriptional alterations. Our results suggest that HPV integration generates cellular SEs that function as ecDNA to regulate unconstrained transcription, expanding the tumorigenic mechanism of HPV integration and providing insights for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Assisted reproductive technology and physical activity among Chinese pregnant women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy: A cross-sectional study.

Currently, the number of pregnant women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and using assisted reproductive technology (ART) is increasing. The present study aims to explore the relationship between ART and physical activity in Chinese pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a regional teaching hospital in Guangzhou, China, between July 2022 and March 2023. Three hundred fifty-five pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy completed the Chinese version of the Pregnant Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ), the Pregnancy Physical Activity Knowledge Scale, the Pregnancy Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale, the Pregnancy Physical Activity Social Support Scale, and a sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics data sheet. Compared to women who conceived naturally, women who used ART were more likely to be 35 years or older, unemployed, primigravidae, and to have intentionally planned their pregnancies. Women who used ART had significantly lower levels of physical activity and self-efficacy compared to their counterparts who conceived naturally. Over half (55.6%) of women who used ART reported being physically inactive, and those with lower self-efficacy, as well as the unemployed, were significantly more likely to be inactive. Physical inactivity is a critical clinical issue among women who use ART, especially in the context of GDM risk. Future research should develop and test physical activity programs, including enhancing physical activity self-efficacy for women who use ART. Patient or public contribution: In this study, survey questionnaires were completed by participants among Chinese pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy.

Inhibitory Effect of Hernandezine on the Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes 830000 deaths every year and is becoming the third malignant tumor worldwide. One of the primary reasons is the lack of effective drugs. Hernandezine (HER), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid of Thalictrum simplex, has been confirmed to have antitumor activity. But there are few reports about its effect on HCC and the underlying mechanisms still remain unclear. Therefore, the antitumor effects and mechanisms of HER on HCC were evaluated in HepG2 and Hep3B cells. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that HER significantly induced G0/G1 phase arrest, inhibited the proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in liver cancer cell lines. In the mechanisms, the antitumor effects of HER on liver cancer cells were mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) pathway and reactive oxygen species (ROS), simultaneously. In one way, HER inhibited the activities of PI3K-AKT pathway, which interrupt the dimer formation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and cyclin D1 (CCND1) and result to G0/G1 phase arrest. In another way, after HER treatment, ROS accumulated in liver cancer cells and caused mitochondria injury which further influenced the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and eventually resulted to HepG2 and Hep3B cell apoptosis. In addition, HER showed a tumor restrain function in HepG2 and Hep3B bearing nude mice. Overall, these findings indicated that HER is a promising antitumor drug, which may provide a new direction for clinical HCC treatment.

Erratum: MicroRNA-125b Down-Regulation Mediates Endometrial Cancer Invasion by Targeting ERBB2.

The Figure 2 and Figure 4C were incorrectly published in the article titled MicroRNA-125b down-regulation mediates endometrial cancer invasion by targeting ERBB2. Chao Shang, Yan-ming Lu, Li-rong Meng, Med Sci Monit 2012; 18(4): BR149-155. 10.12659/MSM.882617. The correct Figures are as follows.

In Silico and In Vitro Anti-Helicobacter Pylori Effects of Combinations of Phytochemicals and Antibiotics.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a WHO class 1 carcinogenic factor of gastric adenocarcinoma. In the past decades, many studies have demonstrated the increasing trend of antibiotic resistance and pointed out the necessity of new effective treatment. This study was aimed at identifying phytochemicals that can inhibit H. pylori and possibly serve as adjuvant treatments. Here, in silico molecular docking and drug-like properties analyses were performed to identify potential inhibitors of urease, shikimate kinase and aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase. These three enzymes are targets of the treatment of H. pylori. Susceptibility and synergistic testing were performed on the selected phytochemicals and the positive control antibiotic, amoxicillin. The in-silico study revealed that oroxindin, rosmarinic acid and verbascoside are inhibitors of urease, shikimate kinase and aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, respectively, in which, oroxindin has the highest potency against H. pylori, indicated by a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 50 µg/mL. A combination of oroxindin and amoxicillin demonstrated additive effects against H. pylori, as indicated by a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) value of 0.75. This study identified phytochemicals that deserve further investigation for the development of adjuvant therapeutic agents to current antibiotics against H. pylori.

Clinical characteristics and quality of life of older adults with cognitive impairment in Macao.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the characteristics of older adults with cognitive impairment in Macao. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and the quality of life (QOL) of older adults living in the community and nursing homes. METHODS: A consecutive sample of 413 subjects (199 from the community; 214 from nursing homes) was recruited and interviewed using standardized instruments. Cognition was measured with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and QOL with the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument. RESULTS: Altogether 87 subjects (21.0%) had cognitive impairment. On multivariate analyses, advanced age (P < 0.001, OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.03-1.1) and depressive symptoms (P = 0.03, OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 0.005-1.1) were positively associated with cognitive impairment. Married marital status (P = 0.01, OR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.1-0.7) and higher education level (P < 0.001, OR = 0.1, 95%CI: 0.06-0.3) were negatively associated with cognitive impairment. After the confounders were controlled for, cognitive impairment was significantly associated with the lower psychological (F (11,412) = 6.3, P = 0.01) and social relationship domains of QOL (F (11,412) = 4.0, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Cognitive impairment was found to be common in community-dwelling and nursing home resident older adults in Macao. Given cognitive impairment's negative impact on QOL, appropriate strategies should be implemented to improve access to treatment in this population.

Long non-coding RNA tumor suppressor candidate 7 advances chemotherapy sensitivity of endometrial carcinoma through targeted silencing of miR-23b.

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the female genital tract worldwide. TUSC7 (tumor suppressor candidate 7) is an antisense long non-coding RNA and is downregulated and acts as a potential tumor suppressor in several malignant tumors. In this study, the low expression of TUSC7 was confirmed in endometrial carcinoma tissues and was associated with high pathological stages of endometrial carcinoma, which revealed that TUSC7 might be involved in tumorigenesis and progression of endometrial carcinoma. Moreover, the expression of TUSC7 in endometrial carcinoma tissues and cell lines resistant to CDDP and Taxol was lower than that in sensitive endometrial carcinoma tissues and cell lines, which indicated that the TUSC7 expression level was positively correlated with the response of endometrial carcinoma patients to chemotherapy with CDDP and Taxol. TUSC7 upregulation inhibited proliferation, blocked cells at G1 phase, and advanced apoptosis and chemotherapy sensitivity to CDDP and Taxol in HEC1A/CR cell line. Furthermore, miR-23b was upregulated in endometrial carcinoma and negatively correlated with the expression of TUSC7. RNA pull-down assay indicated that TUSC7 could specifically silence the expression of miR-23b in HEC1A/CR cell line; miR-23b was a target gene of TUSC7. MiR-23b upregulation mostly reversed the TUSC7-induced regulatory effects on HEC1A/CR cell line. In summary, long non-coding RNA TUSC7 was underexpressed in endometrial carcinoma, especially in endometrial carcinoma chemotherapy-resistant tissues and cell lines and acted as a potential tumor suppressor gene to inhibit cell growth as well as advance the chemotherapy sensitivity through targeted silencing of miR-23b, which might provide a new therapeutic target to endometrial carcinoma.

Quality of life and clinical correlates in older adults living in the community and in nursing homes in Macao.

AIM: There have been no previous studies of quality of life (QOL) in older adults in Macao. This study aimed to examine QOL in relation to the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adults aged ≥50 years in Macao. METHODS: A sample of 451 subjects (203 living in the community, 248 living in nursing homes) was interviewed using standardized instruments. Basic sociodemographic and clinical data including QOL were collected. RESULT: There were no significant differences between the community and nursing home groups in any of the QOL domains. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that poor physical QOL was significantly predicted by severe depressive symptoms, insomnia, major medical conditions, unmarried status, and lower education ( F 11,438 = 26.2, P < 0.001), which accounted for 38.2% of the variance. Poor psychological QOL was significantly predicted by severe depressive symptoms and lower educational level ( F 11,438 = 24.3, P < 0.001), which accounted for 36.4% of the variance. Poor social QOL was significantly predicted by severe depressive symptoms, male gender, and unmarried status ( F 11,438 = 5.6, P < 0.001), which accounted for 12.5% of the variance. Poor environment QOL was significantly predicted by lower educational level, severe depressive symptoms, and younger age ( F 11,438 = 6.6, P < 0.001), which accounted for 12.1% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Older Macanese adults had poorer scores on physical and social QOL domains than the general Hong Kong Chinese population. Their QOL was more strongly related to severe depressive symptoms, major medical conditions, and insomnia.

Targeted Silencing of S100A8 Gene by miR-24 to Increase Chemotherapy Sensitivity of Endometrial Carcinoma Cells to Paclitaxel.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine whether miR-24 can regulate malignant proliferation and chemotherapy sensitivity of EC cells by targeted silencing of the S100 Calcium Binding Protein A8 (S100A8) gene. MATERIAL AND METHODS The expression of miR-24 in EC tissues was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation ability and chemotherapy sensitivity were analyzed by MTT assay. Bioinformatics software was used to predict some potential target genes of miR-24. Luciferase activity assay was used to verify the relationship between target genes and miR-24. S100A8 protein expression was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS The low expression of miR-24 in EC tissues compared with normal control tissues suggests miR-24 might play a role in tumorigenesis of EC. EC HEC-1A cells were transfected with miR-24 agonist (agomiR-24) to up-regulate the expression of miR-24. Up-regulation of miR-24 inhibited the cell proliferation and advanced the chemotherapy sensitivity to paclitaxel in HEC-1A cells significantly. We used several types of bioinformatic software to predict that miR-24 could specifically combine with the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the S100A8 gene, and this prediction was verified by Western blot and luciferase activities assay. The regulation effects of miR-24 enhancement on cell proliferation and chemotherapy sensitivity were largely reversed by S100A8 up-regulation. CONCLUSIONS miR-24 acts as a tumor-suppressing gene to inhibit malignant proliferation and advance chemotherapy sensitivity to paclitaxel in EC by targeted silencing of the S100A8 gene.

A Cas12a ortholog with distinct TTNA PAM enables sensitive detection of HPV16/18.

CRISPR-associated (Cas) nucleases are multifunctional tools for gene editing. Cas12a possesses several advantages, including the requirement of a single guide RNA and high fidelity of gene editing. Here, we tested three Cas12a orthologs from human gut samples and identified a LtCas12a that utilizes a TTNA protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) distinct from the canonical TTTV PAM but with equivalent cleavage ability and specificity. These features significantly broadened the targeting scope of Cas12a family. Furthermore, we developed a sensitive, accurate, and rapid human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 gene detection platform based on LtCas12a DNA endonuclease-targeted CRISPR trans reporter (DETECTR) and lateral flow assay (LFA). LtCas12a showed comparable sensitivity to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and no cross-reaction with 13 other high-risk HPV genotypes in detecting the HPV16/18 L1 gene. Taken together, LtCas12a can broaden the applications of the CRISPR-Cas12a family and serve as a promising next-generation tool for therapeutic application and molecular diagnosis.

EGFR- and AKT-mediated reduction in PTEN expression contributes to tyrphostin resistance and is reversed by mTOR inhibition in endometrial cancer cells.

Loss or mutation of the PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) gene is associated with resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. However, the mechanism underlying remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to explore whether sensitivity to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is affected by PTEN status in endometrial cancer cells. PTEN siRNA and the PTEN gene were transfected into HEC-1A and Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells using lentiviral vectors. Cells were treated under various concentrations of RG14620 and rapamycin, which are EGFR and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, respectively. The IC(50) of RG16420 was determined by using the MTT method. Cell apoptosis and the cell cycle were studied, and activation of EGFR, AKT, and p70S6 were detected by Western blot analysis. Loss of PTEN promoted cell proliferation and led to significant increases in the levels of EGFR, phospho-EGFR, AKT, phospho-AKT, and phospho-mTOR proteins. Ishikawa and HEC-1A(PTENkd) cells that displayed loss and inactivation of PTEN function were resistant to RG14620. HEC-1A and Ishikawa(PTEN) cells with intact PTEN were sensitive to RG14620. The combination of two inhibitors was more effective than both monotherapies, particularly in carcinoma cells with PTEN dysfunction. Decreased phospho-EGFR protein expression was observed in all cell lines that were sensitive to RG14620. Decreased phospho-AKT and phospho-p70S6 protein expression was observed in PTEN-intact cells that were sensitive to RG14620. PTEN loss results in resistance to EGFR TKI, which was reversed by PTEN reintroduction or mTOR inhibitor treatment. The combined treatment of EGFR TKI and the mTOR inhibitor provided a synergistic effect by promoting cell death in PTEN-deficient and PTEN-intact endometrial cancer cells, particularly in PTEN-deficient carcinoma cells with up-regulated EGFR activation.

MicroRNA-125b down-regulation mediates endometrial cancer invasion by targeting ERBB2.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding nucleotides that regulate mRNA stability and protein expression by imperfect base pairing with the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of target mRNAs. Many miRNAs have been documented to be aberrantly expressed in human cancers, but the role of miRNAs in endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-125b on EEC development and to explore its molecular mechanism in EEC carcinogenesis. MATERIAL/METHODS: Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to evaluate the expression level of miRNA-125b in EEC and normal endometrium (NE) samples. The invasion ability of miR-125b in EEC HEC1B cells was analyzed by Transwell assay after pre-miR-125b or anti-miR-125b transfection. For the invasion mechanism analysis of miR-125b on HEC1B cells, miRBase, TargetScan, miRanda and PicTar were used to predict the possible target gene of miR-125b. Luciferase activities assay, cotransfection and Western blot were used to reveal that the predicted target genes of miR-125b were direct and specific. RNA interference technology was used to confirm that the invasion inhibition of miR-125b was directly induced by ERBB2. RESULTS: Our study showed that miR-125b was down-regulated in human EEC specimens compared to that in NC specimens. Over-expression of miR-125b in HEC1B cells inhibited EEC invasion and this inhibitory effect on HEC1B cells could be restored by miR-125b knock down. Mechanism analysis revealed that ERBB2 was a direct and specific target of miR-125b. The inhibitory effect on EEC cell invasion was mediated by miR-125b inhibition of the translation of a proto-oncogene, ERBB2. CONCLUSIONS: Aberrantly expressed miR-125b contributes to HEC1B cells invasion partly through directly down-regulating ERBB2 protein expression in EEC. This miRNA signature offers a novel potential therapeutic strategy for EEC.

Research Progress on Hydrogel-Elastomer Adhesion.

Hydrophilic hydrogels exhibit good mechanical properties and biocompatibility, whereas hydrophobic elastomers show excellent stability, mechanical firmness, and waterproofing in various environments. Hydrogel-elastomer hybrid material devices show varied application prospects in the field of bioelectronics. In this paper, the research progress in hydrogel-elastomer adhesion in recent years, including the hydrogel-elastomer adhesion mechanism, adhesion method, and applications in the bioelectronics field, is reviewed. Finally, the research status of adhesion between hydrogels and elastomers is presented.

Extraction of antibacterial peptides against Helicobacter pylori from bovine milk casein.

Introduction: More than half of the world's population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which may cause gastritis, peptic ulcer and even gastric cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that H. pylori infection is a class I carcinogen and hence eradication of it is highly important. Bovine milk contains caseins, which can be digested by various enzymes in the human stomach to produce antibacterial peptides. Material and methods: This study used in vitro methods to extract anti-H. pylori peptides from caseins by the gastric protease pepsin under environments with similar pH values to those found in the human stomach. The molecular weights and sequences of the peptides were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and MS/MS Ion Search, respectively. Antibacterial activity tests were performed to calculate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) of the extracts. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the major products of bovine milk casein digestion by pepsin are casecidin 17 and ß-casein 207-224. The extracts produced promising anti-H. pylori effects with the lowest MIC90 found at pH values of 1.5 and 2.0. Conclusions: This study identified the anti-H. pylori effects of casecidin 17 and ß-casein 207-224, which may help in developing therapeutic agents to modulate the effect of antibiotics on H. pylori infections.

Secondhand smoking exposure and quality of life among pregnant and postnatal women: a network approach.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke, its correlates and its association with quality of life (QOL) among pregnant and postnatal Chinese women. DESIGN: This was a multicentre, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Participants were consecutively recruited from eight tertiary hospitals located in eight municipalities or provinces in China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1140 women were invited to join this study and 992 (87.02%) completed all measures. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME: Measures women's secondhand smoking behaviour (frequency and location of exposure to secondhand smoking), and their QOL measured by the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 211 women (21.3%, 95% CI 18.7% to 23.8%) had been exposed to secondhand smoking. Exposure to secondhand smoking was most common in public areas (56.4%), and residential homes (20.5%), while workplaces had the lowest rate of exposure (13.7%). Women with physical comorbidities were more likely to report secondhand smoking exposure, while older women, women living in urban areas, those with college or higher education level, and women in their second trimester were less likely to report exposure to secondhand smoking. Network analysis revealed that there were six significant links between secondhand smoke and QOL items. The strongest negative edge was the connection between secondhand smoke and QOL9 ('physical environment health', edge weight=-0.060), while the strongest positive edge was the connection between secondhand smoke and QOL3 ('pain and discomfort', edge weight=0.037). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoking is becoming lower among pregnant and postnatal women in China compared with findings reported in previous studies. Legal legislation should be maintained and promptly enforced to establish smoke-free environments in both public and private urban/rural areas for protection of pregnant and postnatal women, especially those who are physically vulnerable and less educated.

KCC1 gene advances cell invasion ability by regulating ERK signaling pathway in endometrial cancer HEC-1B cell line.

INTRODUCTION: Human potassium chloride cotransporter-1 (KCC1) gene is expressed in endometrial cancer and related to metastasis of endometrial cancer. However, whether KCC1 contributes to invasion and metastasis of endometrial cancer has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study is to research the alternation effect of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on the expression of KCC1 in endometrial cancer HEC-1B cells and to explore the mechanism of how KCC1 regulates the invasion ability of HEC-1B cells through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. METHODS: First, the inhibitive effect of RNA interference to KCC1 was detected by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was used to measure expression changes of KCC1 after exposure to IGF-I in the HEC-1B cells. The change in quantity of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and cell invasion ability also were measured. After RNA interference and treatment with U0126, the quantity of p-ERK1/2 and the cell invasion ability were measured again. RESULTS: After the application of IGF-I on the HEC-1B cells, the expression of KCC1 and p-ERK1/2 increased dramatically, and the cell invasion ability advanced. RNA interference could inhibit the expression of KCC1, and the quantity of p-ERK1/2 and the cell invasion ability decreased even under the effect of IGF-I. Furthermore, after treatment with U0126, the cell invasion ability no longer advanced even under the effect of IGF-I either. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin-like growth factors I can induce the upregulation of KCC1 gene, and KCC1 gene participates in the invasion ability of HEC-1B cells through the ERK signaling pathway.

[Mir-29c-3p targeting TUG1 affects migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells by regulating CAPN7 expression].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism by which long non-coding RNA TUG1 affects bladder cancer cell migration and invasion. METHODS: The expressions of TUG1 and miR-29c-3p were examined by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) in 10 bladder cancer tissues and 5 bladder cancer cell lines. Trans-well assay was used to detect the changes in migration and invasion abilities of bladder cancer T24 cells after TUG1 knockdown using RNA interference technique, and the alteration in the expression of CAPN7 was also detected. The expression of CAPN7 was examined in T24 cells overexpressing mir-29c-3p by Western blotting, and luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the targeting of miR-29c-3p to TUG1 and CAPN7. The effects of CAPN7 overexpression and sh-TUG1 on the migration and invasion of T24 cells were investigated. RESULTS: The expression of TUG1 was up-regulated and mir-29c-3p was down-regulated significantly in bladder cancer tissue with a negative correlation between their expressions. TUG1 knockdown significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of T24 cells (P < 0.01). Overexpression of mir-29c-3p in T24 cells obviously down-regulated the expression of CAPN7 protein, whose expression was positively correlated with TUG1 expression (r=0.4081, P=0.0139). The results of luciferase reporter assay confirmed both TUG1 and CAPN7 as the targets of mir-29c-3p. CAPN7 overexpression could partially reverse the tumor suppressing effect of sh-TUG1 in T24 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Mir-29c-3p targeting TUG1 affects the migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells by regulating the expression of CAPN7.

Photocatalytic behavior of biochar-modified carbon nitride with enriched visible-light reactivity.

Ultra-thin layered structures and modified bandgaps are two efficient strategies to increase the photocatalytic performance of various materials for the semiconductor industry. In the present study, we combined both strategies in one material to form carbon-doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nano-layered structures by the method of melamine thermal condensation, in the presence of different mass ratios of biochar. The characterization showed that the composite with the best ratio retained the g-C3N4 polymeric framework and the bond with g-C3N4. The biochar was established via π-π stacking interactions and ether bond bridges. The π-conjugated electron systems provided from biochar can elevate charge separation efficiency. The ultra-thin structure also curtailed the distance of photogenerated electrons migrating to the surface and enlarge specific surface area of materials. The presence of carbon narrowed the bandgap and increased light absorption at a wider range of wavelengths of g-C3N4. The biochar/melamine ratio of 1:15 presented the best performance, 2.8 and 5 times faster than g-C3N4 degradating Rhodamine and Methyl Orange, respectively. Moreover, the catalyst presented a good stability for 4 cycles. In addition to that, biochar from waste biomass can be considered a sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient option to modify g-C3N4-based photocatalysts.

lncRNA TUG1 Promotes Cisplatin Resistance by Regulating CCND2 via Epigenetically Silencing miR-194-5p in Bladder Cancer.

Taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) has been involved in tumorigenesis of several human cancers, but its precise biological role in bladder cancer remains largely elusive. In this study, we found that TUG1 was upregulated in bladder cancer and the expression of TUG1 was positively and negatively correlated with CCND2 and miR-194-5p, respectively. MiR-194-5p expression was frequently decreased through promoter hypermethylation, while it was epigenetically increased following cisplatin and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-DC) treatment. Furthermore, knockdown of TUG1 attenuated the expression of epigenetic regulator Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and it alleviated the promoter hypermethylation of miR-194-5p and induced its expression. Increased miR-194-5p expression or decreased TUG1 expression significantly sensitized bladder cancer cells to cisplatin, inhibited the proliferation, and induced apoptosis. Besides, CCND2 was a direct target of miR-194-5p, while miR-194-5p was regulated by TUG1. CCND2 could partially restore the tumor-suppressive effects on cell proliferation and cisplatin resistance following TUG1 silencing. Additionally, TUG1 expression was correlated with clinical stage, lymphatic metastasis, and patient prognosis. In conclusion, TUG1 promotes bladder cancer cell growth and chemoresistance by regulating CCND2 via EZH2-associated silencing of miR-194-5p. Our study may be conducive to elucidating the molecular mechanism of and providing novel therapeutic target and biomarker for bladder cancer.