Causal discovery approach with reinforcement learning for risk factors of type II diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Statistical correlation analysis is currently the most typically used approach for investigating the risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, this approach does not readily reveal the causal relationships between risk factors and rarely describes the causal relationships visually. RESULTS: Considering the superiority of reinforcement learning in prediction, a causal discovery approach with reinforcement learning for T2DM risk factors is proposed herein. First, a reinforcement learning model is constructed for T2DM risk factors. Second, the process involved in the causal discovery method for T2DM risk factors is detailed. Finally, several experiments are designed based on diabetes datasets and used to verify the proposed approach. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results show that the proposed approach improves the accuracy of causality mining between T2DM risk factors and provides new evidence to researchers engaged in T2DM prevention and treatment research.

IL-1RA promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma malignancy through mitochondrial metabolism-mediated EGFR/JNK/SOX2 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), a member of the IL-1 family, has diverse roles in cancer development. However, the role of IL-1RA in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), in particular the underlying mechanisms, remains to be elucidated. METHODS: Tumor tissues from OSCC patients were assessed for protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Patient survival was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Impact of differential IL-1RA expression on cultured OSCC cell lines was assessed in vitro by clonogenic survival, tumorsphere formation, soft agar colony formation, and transwell cell migration and invasion assays. Oxygen consumption rate was measured by Seahorse analyzer or multi-mode plate reader. PCR array was applied to screen human cancer stem cell-related genes, proteome array for phosphorylation status of kinases, and Western blot for protein expression in cultured cells. In vivo tumor growth was investigated by orthotopic xenograft in mice, and protein expression in xenograft tumors assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Clinical analysis revealed that elevated IL-1RA expression in OSCC tumor tissues was associated with increased tumor size and cancer stage, and reduced survival in the patient group receiving adjuvant radiotherapy compared to the patient group without adjuvant radiotherapy. In vitro data supported these observations, showing that overexpression of IL-1RA increased OSCC cell growth, migration/invasion abilities, and resistance to ionizing radiation, whereas knockdown of IL-1RA had largely the opposite effects. Additionally, we identified that EGFR/JNK activation and SOX2 expression were modulated by differential IL-1RA expression downstream of mitochondrial metabolism, with application of mitochondrial complex inhibitors suppressing these pathways. Furthermore, in vivo data revealed that treatment with cisplatin or metformin-a mitochondrial complex inhibitor and conventional therapy for type 2 diabetes-reduced IL-1RA-associated xenograft tumor growth as well as EGFR/JNK activation and SOX2 expression. This inhibitory effect was further augmented by combination treatment with cisplatin and metformin. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that IL-1RA promoted OSCC malignancy through mitochondrial metabolism-mediated EGFR/JNK activation and SOX2 expression. Inhibition of this mitochondrial metabolic pathway may present a potential therapeutic strategy in OSCC.

Sustained Releasable Copper and Zinc Biogenic Ions Co-Assembled in Metal-Organic Frameworks Reinforced Bacterial Eradication and Wound Mitigation in Diabetic Mice.

The employment of metal-organic framework (MOF)-based nanomaterials has been rapidly increasing in bioapplications owing to their biocompatibility, drug degradation, tunable porosity, and intrinsic biodegradability. This evidence suggests that the multifunctional bimetallic ions can behave as remarkable candidates for infection control and wound healing. In this study, bimetallic MOFs (Zn-HKUST-1 and FolA-Zn-HKUST-1) embedded with and without folic acid were synthesized and used for tissue sealing and repairing incisional wound sites in mice models. For comparison, HKUST-1 and FolA-HKUST-1 were also synthesized. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measured for HKUST-1, FolA-HKUST-1, Zn-HKUST-1, and FolA-Zn-HKUST-1 from N2 isotherms was found to be 1868, 1392, 1706, and 1179 m2/g, respectively. The measurements of contact angle values for Zn-HKUST-1, FolA-HKUST-1, and Zn-FolA-HKUST-1 were identified as 4.95 ± 0.8, 43.6 ± 3.4, and 60.62 ± 2.0°, respectively. For topical application in wound healing, they display a wide range of healing characteristics, including antibacterial and enhanced wound healing rates. In addition, in vitro cell migration and tubulogenic potentials were evaluated. The significant reduction in the wound gap and increased expression levels for CD31, eNOS, VEGF-A, and Ki67 were observed from immunohistological analyses to predict the angiogenesis behavior at the incision wound site. The wound healing rate was analyzed in the excisional dermal wounds of diabetic mice model in vivo. On account of antibacterial potentials and tissue-repairing characteristics of Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions, designing an innovative mixed metal ion-based biomaterial has wide applicability and is expected to modulate the growth of various gradient tissues.

Holothurian triterpene glycoside cucumarioside A2-2 induces macrophages activation and polarization in cancer immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Despite intensive developments of adoptive T cell and NK cell therapies, the efficacy against solid tumors remains elusive. Our study demonstrates that macrophage-based cell therapy could be a potent therapeutic option against solid tumors. METHODS: To this end, we determine the effect of a natural triterpene glycoside, cucumarioside A2-2 (CA2-2), on the polarization of mouse macrophages into the M1 phenotype, and explore the antitumor activity of the polarized macrophage. The polarization of CA2-2-pretreated macrophages was analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal imaging. The anti-cancer activity of CA2-2 macrophages was evaluated against 4T1 breast cancer cells and EAC cells in vitro and syngeneic mouse model in vivo. RESULTS: Incubation of murine macrophages with CA2-2 led to polarization into the M1 phenotype, and the CA2-2-pretreated macrophages could selectively target and kill various types of cancer in vitro. Notably, loading near-infrared (NIR) fluorochrome-labeled nanoparticles, MnMEIO-mPEG-CyTE777, into macrophages substantiated that M1 macrophages can target and penetrate tumor tissues in vivo efficiently. CONCLUSION: In this study, CA2-2-polarized M1 macrophages significantly attenuated tumor growth and prolonged mice survival in the syngeneic mouse models. Therefore, ex vivo CA2-2 activation of mouse macrophages can serve as a useful model for subsequent antitumor cellular immunotherapy developments.

One-step-one-pot hydrothermally derived metal-organic-framework-nanohybrids for integrated point-of-care diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen/pseudovirus utilizing electrochemical biosensor chip.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global catastrophe, affecting the health and economy of the human community. It is required to mitigate the impact of pandemics by developing rapid molecular diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 virus detection. In this context, developing a rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic test is a holistic approach to the prevention of COVID-19. In this context, this study aims at presenting a real-time, biosensor chip for improved molecular diagnostics including recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus detection based on one-step-one-pot hydrothermally derived CoFeBDCNH2-CoFe2O4 MOF-nanohybrids. This study was tested on a PalmSens-EmStat Go POC device, showing a limit of detection (LOD) for recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein of 6.68 fg/mL and 6.20 fg/mL in buffer and 10% serum-containing media, respectively. To validate virus detection in the POC platform, an electrochemical instrument (CHI6116E) was used to perform dose dependent studies under similar experimental conditions to the handheld device. The results obtained from these studies were comparable indicating the capability and high detection electrochemical performance of MOF nanocomposite derived from one-step-one-pot hydrothermal synthesis for SARS-CoV-2 detection for the first time. Further, the performance of the sensor was tested in the presence of Omicron BA.2 and wild-type D614G pseudoviruses.

Direct reduction of high-grade lumbosacral spondylolisthesis with anterior cantilever technique - surgical technique note and preliminary results.

BACKGROUNDS: Surgical reduction for high-grade spondylolisthesis is beneficial for restoring sagittal balance and improving the biomechanical environment for arthrodesis. Compared to posterior total laminectomy and long instrumentation, anterior lumbar inter-body fusion (ALIF) is less invasive and has the biomechanical advantage of restoring the original disk height and increasing lumbar lordosis, thus improving sagittal balance. However, the application of ALIF is still limited in treating low-grade spondylolisthesis. In this study, we developed a new technique termed anterior cantilever procedure to directly reduce the slippage of high-grade lumbosacral spondylolisthesis. The purpose of our study was to investigate the surgical outcomes of the anterior cantilever procedure followed by ALIF and posterior mono-segment instrumented fixation in high-grade spondylolisthesis. METHODS: All patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis who underwent anterior cantilever procedure followed by anterior lumbar inter-body fusion (ALIF) and posterior mono-segment instrumented fixation between November 2006 and July 2017 were enrolled in our study. The slip percentage, Dubousset's lumbosacral angle, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, pelvic incidence, and sagittal alignment were measured pre-operatively and postoperatively at the last follow-up. Surgery time, blood loss, complications, and hospital stay were also collected and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 11 consecutive patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis patients were included and analysed. All of the high-grade spondylolisthesis in our series occurred at the L5-S1 level. The median age was 37 years, and the median follow-up duration was 36 months. The average slip reduction was 30% (60 to 30%, P < 0.01), and the average correction of Dubousset's lumbosacral angle was 13.8° (84.1° to 97.9°, P < 0.01). The median intra-operative blood loss was 300 mL. All patients attained improved sagittal balance after the operation and achieved solid fusion within 9 months after surgery. No incidences of implant failure, permanent neurological deficit, or pseudarthrosis were recorded at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior cantilever procedure followed by ALIF and posterior mono-segment instrumented fixation is a valid procedure for treating high-grade spondylolisthesis. It achieved a high fusion rate, partially reduced slippage, and significantly improved lumbosacral angle, while minimizing common complications, such as pseudarthrosis, nerve traction injury, excessive soft tissue dissection, and blood loss in posterior reduction procedures. However, posterior instrumentation is still required to the structural stability in the ALIF procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Effect of a Neuropilin-1-Derived Virus Receptor Trap on Enterovirus A71 Infection In Vitro.

We discovered that neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a new receptor candidate to mediate enterovirus A71 (EVA71) into cells. In the engineered form as a decoy receptor, NRP1 was able to recognize and neutralize EVA71 but not enterovirus D68 or coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). NRP1 recognizes EVA71 through a novel domain on the VP3 capsid protein. The principle in the design, engineering, and refinement of the NRP1-based decoy receptor described in this study represents a general and well-suited antiviral strategy.

Antiviral Activity of a Llama-Derived Single-Domain Antibody against Enterovirus A71.

In the past few decades, enterovirus A71 (EVA71) has caused devastating outbreaks in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in serious sequelae in infected young children. No preventive or therapeutic interventions are currently available for curing EVA71 infection, highlighting a great unmet medical need for this disease. Here, we showed that one novel single-domain antibody (sdAb), F1, isolated from an immunized llama, could alleviate EVA71 infection both in vitro and in vivo We also confirmed that the sdAb clone F1 recognizes EVA71 through a novel conformational epitope comprising the highly conserved region of VP3 capsid protein by using competitive-binding and overlapping-peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Because of the virion's icosahedral structure, we reasoned that adjacent epitopes must be clustered within molecular ranges that may be simultaneously bound by an engineered antibody with multiple valency. Therefore, two single-domain binding modules (F1) were fused to generate an sdAb-in-tandem design so that the capture of viral antigens could be further increased by valency effects. We showed that the tetravalent construct F1×F1-hFc, containing two sdAb-in-tandem on a fragment crystallizable (Fc) scaffold, exhibits more potent neutralization activity against EVA71 than does the bivalent sdAb F1-hFc by at least 5.8-fold. We also demonstrated that, using a human scavenger receptor class B member 2 (hSCARB2) transgenic mouse model, a half dose of the F1×F1-hFc provided better protection against EVA71 infection than did the F1-hFc. Thus, our study furnishes important insights into multivalent sdAb engineering against viral infection and provides a novel strategic deployment approach for preparedness of emerging infectious diseases such as EVA71.

Dinitrosyliron Complex [(PMDTA)Fe(NO)2]: Intermediate for Nitric Oxide Monooxygenation Activity in Nonheme Iron Complex.

Despite a comprehensive study on the biosynthesis and function of nitric oxide, biological metabolism of nitric oxide, especially when its concentration exceeds the cytotoxic level, remains elusive. Oxidation of nitric oxide by O2 in aqueous solution has been known to yield NO2-. On the other hand, a biomimetic study on the metal-mediated conversion of NO to NO2-/NO3- via O2 reactivity disclosed a conceivable pathway for aerobic metabolism of NO. During the NO-to-NO3- conversion, transient formation of metal-bound peroxynitrite and subsequent release of •NO2 via O-O bond cleavage were evidenced by nitration of tyrosine residue or 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (DTBP). However, the synthetic/catalytic/enzymatic cycle for conversion of nitric oxide into a nitrite pool is not reported. In this study, sequential reaction of the ferrous complex [(PMDTA)Fe(κ2-O,O'-NO2)(κ1-O-NO2)] (3; PMDTA = pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) with NO(g), KC8, and O2 established a synthetic cycle, complex 3 → {Fe(NO)2}9 DNIC [(PMDTA)Fe(NO)2][NO2] (4) → {Fe(NO)2}10 DNIC [(PMDTA)Fe(NO)2] (1) → [(PMDTA)(NO)Fe(κ2-O,N-ONOO)] (2) → complex 3, for the transformation of nitric oxide into nitrite. In contrast to the reported reactivity of metal-bound peroxynitrite toward nitration of DTBP, peroxynitrite-bound MNIC 2 lacks phenol nitration reactivity toward DTBP. Presumably, the [(PMDTA)Fe] core in {Fe(NO)}8 MNIC 2 provides a mononuclear template for intramolecular interaction between Fe-bound peroxynitrite and Fe-bound NO-, yielding Fe-bound nitrite stabilized in the form of complex 3. This [(PMDTA)Fe]-core-mediated concerted peroxynitrite homolytic O-O bond cleavage and combination of the O atom with Fe-bound NO- reveals a novel and effective pathway for NO-to-NO2- transformation. Regarding the reported assembly of the dinitrosyliron unit (DNIU) [Fe(NO)2] in the biological system, this synthetic cycle highlights DNIU as a potential intermediate for nitric oxide monooxygenation activity in a nonheme iron system.

Humanized bispecific antibody (mPEG × HER2) rapidly confers PEGylated nanoparticles tumor specificity for multimodality imaging in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Developing a universal strategy to improve the specificity and sensitivity of PEGylated nanoaparticles (PEG-NPs) for assisting in the diagnosis of tumors is important in multimodality imaging. Here, we developed the anti-methoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) bispecific antibody (BsAb; mPEG × HER2), which has dual specificity for mPEG and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), with a diverse array of PEG-NPs to confer nanoparticles with HER2 specificity and stronger intensity. RESULT: We used a one-step formulation to rapidly modify the nanoprobes with mPEG × HER2 and optimized the modified ratio of BsAbs on several PEG-NPs (Lipo-DiR, SPIO, Qdot and AuNP). The αHER2/PEG-NPs could specifically target MCF7/HER2 cells (HER2++) but not MCF7/neo1 cells (HER2+/-). The αHER2/Lipo-DiR and αHER2/SPIO could enhance the sensitivity of untargeted PEG-NPs on MCF7/HER2 (HER2++). In in vivo imaging, αHER2/Lipo-DiR and αHER2/SPIO increased the specific targeting and enhanced PEG-NPs accumulation at 175% and 187% on 24 h, respectively, in HER2-overexpressing tumors. CONCLUSION: mPEG × HER2, therefore, provided a simple one-step formulation to confer HER2-specific targeting and enhanced sensitivity and contrast intensity on HER2 positive tumors for multimodality imaging.

Development of an inflammatory tissue-selective chimeric TNF receptor.

BACKGROUND: Inhibiting TNF-α is an effective therapy for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, systemic, nondiscriminatory neutralization of TNF-α is associated with considerable adverse effects. METHODS: Here, we developed a trimeric chimeric TNF receptor by linking an N-terminal mouse Acrp30 trimerization domain and an MMP-2/9 substrate sequence to the mouse extracellular domain of TNF receptor 2 followed by a C-terminal mouse tetranectin coiled-coil domain (mouse Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn). RESULTS: Here, we show that the Acrp30 trimerization domain inhibited the binding activity of TNFR, possibly by closing the binding site of the trimeric receptor. Cleavage of the substrate sequence by MMP-9, an enzyme highly expressed in inflammatory sites, restored the binding activity of the mouse TNF receptor. We also constructed a recombinant human chimeric TNF receptor (human Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn) in which an MMP-13 substrate sequence was used to link the human Acrp and the human TNF receptor 2. Human Acrp-MMP-TNFR-Tn showed reduced binding activity, and MMP-13 digestion recovered its binding activity with TNF-α. CONCLUSION: Acrp-masked chimeric TNF receptors may be able to be used for inflammatory tissue-selective neutralization of TNF-α to reduce the adverse effects associated with systemic neutralization of TNF-α.

Activation of Angiogenesis and Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice Using NO-Delivery Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes.

In diabetes, abnormal angiogenesis due to hyperglycemia and endothelial dysfunction impairs wound healing and results in high risks of diabetic foot ulcers and mortality. Alternative therapeutic methods were attempted to prevent diabetic complications through the activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. In this study, direct application of nitric oxide using dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) to promote angiogenesis and wound healing under physiological conditions and in diabetic mice is investigated. Based on in vitro and in vivo studies, DNIC [Fe2(µ-SCH2CH2OH)2(NO)4] (DNIC-1) with a sustainable NO-release reactivity (t1/2 = 27.4 ± 0.5 h at 25 °C and 16.8 ± 1.8 h at 37 °C) activates the NO-sGC-cGMP pathway and displays the best pro-angiogenesis activity overwhelming other NO donors and the vascular endothelial growth factor. Moreover, this pro-angiogenesis effect of DNIC-1 restores the impaired angiogenesis in the ischemic hind limb and accelerates the recovery rate of wound closure in diabetic mice. This study translates synthetic DNIC-1 into a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes and highlights its sustainable •NO-release reactivity on the activation of angiogenesis and wound healing.

MAL-PDT inhibits oral precancerous cells and lesions via autophagic cell death.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is a common cancer with a high mortality rate. While surgery is the most effective treatment for oral cancer, it frequently causes deformity and dysfunction in the orofacial region. In this study, methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT) as a prevention tool against progression of precancerous lesion to oral cancer was explored. METHODS: For in vitro studies, we evaluated the effects of MAL-PDT on viability of DOK oral precancerous cells by XTT, cell morphology by TEM, and intracellular signaling pathways by flow cytometry, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. For in vivo study, DMBA was used to induce oral precancerous lesions in hamsters followed by MAL-PDT treatment. We measured tumor size and body weight weekly. After sacrifice, buccal pouch lesions were processed for H&E stain and immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: MAL-PDT induced autophagic cell death in DOK oral precancerous cells. The autophagy-related markers LC3II and p62/SQSTM1 and autophagosome formation in DOK cells were increased after MAL-PDT treatment. In vivo, Metvix® -PDT treatment decreased tumor growth and enhanced LC3II expression in hamster buccal pouch tumors induced by DMBA. CONCLUSIONS: Our in vitro and in vivo results suggest that MAL-PDT may provide an effective therapy for oral precancerous lesions through induction of autophagic cell death.

Development of a novel thermal-sensitive multifunctional liposome with antibody conjugation to target EGFR-expressing tumors.

A novel EGFR-targeting, thermal-sensitive multifunctional liposome (TSML) was developed based on manganese-doped magnetism-engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (MnMEIOs) and gold nanorods (AuNRs) for efficient photothermal therapy and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. An Erbitux-conjugated TSML (Erb-TSML) was encapsulated with doxorubicin and gold nanorods conjugated with manganese-doped magnetism-engineered iron oxide nanoparticles, for theranostic applications of EGFR-positive tumors. The Erb-TSML selectively targeted EGFR-positive tumors and promoted tumor destruction by laser activation. Using confocal microscopy, MR and optical imaging, we demonstrated that Erb-TSML specifically bound to A431 tumor cells. No signs of major morphological damages to the normal tissues were observed in mice treated with Erb-TSML and laser, indicating this theranostic platform protected heart against doxorubicin-induced toxicity to normal tissues. These results indicate that the Erb-TSML may be a promising diagnostic and therapeutic platform for EGFR-overexpressing tumors.

Extension of C. elegans lifespan using the ·NO-delivery dinitrosyl iron complexes.

The ubiquitous and emerging physiology function of endogenous nitric oxide in vascular, myocardial, immune, and neuronal systems prompts chemists to develop a prodrug for the controlled delivery of ·NO in vivo and for the translational biomedical application. Inspired by the discovery of natural [Fe(NO)2] motif, herein, we develop the synthetic dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) [Fe2(µ-SR)2(NO)4] (1) as a universal platform for the O2-triggered release of ·NO, for the regulation of ·NO-release kinetics (half-life = 0.6-27.4 h), and for the activation of physiological function of ·NO. Using C. elegans as a model organism, the ·NO-delivery DNIC 1 regulates IIS signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, and mitochondrial function pathway to extend the lifespan and to delay the aging process based on the lifespan analysis, SA-ßgal activity assay, and next-generation RNA sequencing analysis. This study unveils the anti-aging effect of ·NO and develops DNICs as a chemical biology probe for the continued discovery of unprecedented NO physiology.

Bioinorganic Chemistry of the Natural [Fe(NO)2] Motif: Evolution of a Functional Model for NO-Related Biomedical Application and Revolutionary Development of a Translational Model.

Identification of the distinctive electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 2.03 in the yeast cells and liver of mice treated with carcinogens opened the discovery and investigation of the natural [Fe(NO)2] motif in the form of dinitrosyliron complexes (DNICs). In this Viewpoint, a chronological collection of the benchmark for the study of DNIC demonstrates that the preceding study of its biological synthesis, storage, transport, transformation, and function related to NO physiology inspires the biomimetic study of structural and functional models supported by thiolate ligands to provide mechanistic insight at a molecular level. During the synthetic, spectroscopic, and theoretical investigations on the structure-to-reactivity relationship within DNICs, control of the Fe-NO bonding interaction and of the delivery of NO+/•NO/HNO/NO- by the supporting ligands and nuclearity evolves into the "redesign of the natural [Fe(NO)2] motif" as a strategy to develop DNICs for NO-related biomedical application and therapeutic approach. The revolutionary transformation of covalent a [Fe(NO)2] motif into a translational model for hydrogenase, triggered by the discovery of redox interconversion among [{Fe(NO)2}9-L•] ↔ {Fe(NO)2}9 ↔ {Fe(NO)2}10 ↔ [{Fe(NO)2}10-L•]-, echoes the preceding research journey on [Fe]/[NiFe]-hydrogenase and completes the development of an electrodeposited-film electrode for electrocatalytic water splitting. Through the 50-year journey, bioinorganic chemistry of DNIC containing the covalent [Fe(NO)2] motif and noninnocent/labile NO ligands highlights itself as a unique metallocofactor to join the longitudinal study between biology/chemistry/biomedical application and the lateral study toward multielectron (photo/electro)catalysis for industrial application. This Viewpoint discloses the potential [Fe(NO)2] motif awaiting continued contribution in order to emerge as a novel application in the next 50 years, whereas the parallel development of bioinorganic chemistry, guided by inspirational Nature, moves the science forward to the next stage in order to benefit the immediate needs for human activity.

In Vitro and in Vivo Imaging of Nitroxyl with Copper Fluorescent Probe in Living Cells and Zebrafish.

Nitroxyl (HNO) plays a critical role in many physiological processes which includes vasorelaxation in heart failure, neuroregulation, and myocardial contractility. Powerful imaging tools are required to obtain information for understanding the mechanisms involved in these in vivo processes. In order to develop a rapid and high sensitive probe for HNO detection in living cells and the zebrafish model organism, 2-((2-(benzothiazole-2yl)benzylidene) amino)benzoic acid (AbTCA) as a ligand, and its corresponding copper(II) complex Cu(II)-AbTCA were synthesized. The reaction results of Cu(II)-AbTCA with Angeli's salt showed that Cu(II)-AbTCA could detect HNO quantitatively in a range of 40⁻360 µM with a detection limit of 9.05 µM. Furthermore, Cu(II)-AbTCA is more selective towards HNO over other biological species including thiols, reactive nitrogen, and reactive oxygen species. Importantly, Cu(II)-AbTCA was successfully applied to detect HNO in living cells and zebrafish. The collective data reveals that Cu(II)-AbTCA could be used as a potential probe for HNO detection in living systems.

Cucumarioside A2-2 Causes Macrophage Activation in Mouse Spleen.

The immunomodulatory effect of triterpene glycoside cucumarioside A2-2 (CA2-2), isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Cucumaria japonica, was compared with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on mouse spleen. It has been shown that the intraperitoneal (i.p.) glycoside administration leads to increased spleen macrophage activating markers iba-1, IL-1ß, iNOs, ROS and NO formation, with additional change of macrophage phenotype to M1. The mass spectrometry profiles of peptide/protein were obtained using MALDI-TOF-MS on the different parts of spleen sections isolated by laser mircodissection techniques. It was found that i.p. stimulation of animals with CA2-2 leads to marked changes in the intensity of the characteristic peaks of spleen peptides/proteins, primarily in red pulp.

Water-Soluble Dinitrosyl Iron Complex (DNIC): a Nitric Oxide Vehicle Triggering Cancer Cell Death via Apoptosis.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important cellular signaling molecule that modulates various physiological activities. Angiogenesis-promoting activities of NO-donor drugs have been explored in both experimental and clinical studies. In this study, a structurally well characterized and water-soluble neutral {Fe(NO)2}(9) DNIC [(S(CH2)2OH)(S(CH2)2NH3)Fe(NO)2] (DNIC 2) was synthesized to serve as a NO-donor species. The antitumor activity of DNIC 2 was determined by MTT assay, confocal imaging, and Annexin-V/PI staining. The IC50 values of DNIC 2 were 18.8, 42.9, and 38.6 µM for PC-3, SKBR-3, and CRL5866 tumor cells, respectively. Moreover, DNIC 2 promoted apoptotic cell death via activation of apoptosis-associated proteins and inhibition of survival associated proteins. In particular, DNIC 2 treatment suppressed PC-3 tumor growth by 2.34- and 19.3-fold at 7 and 21 days, in comparison with the control group. These results indicate that water-soluble DNIC 2 may serve as a promising drug for cancer therapy.

Laminar shear flow increases hydrogen sulfide and activates a nitric oxide producing signaling cascade in endothelial cells.

Laminar shear flow triggers a signaling cascade that maintains the integrity of endothelial cells (ECs). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a new gasotransmitter is regarded as an upstream regulator of nitric oxide (NO). Whether the H2S-generating enzymes are correlated to the enzymes involved in NO production under shear flow conditions remains unclear as yet. In the present study, the cultured ECs were subjected to a constant shear flow (12 dyn/cm(2)) in a parallel flow chamber system. We investigated the expression of three key enzymes for H2S biosynthesis, cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine-ß-synthase (CBS), and 3-mercapto-sulfurtransferase (3-MST). Shear flow markedly increased the level of 3-MST. Shear flow enhanced the production of H2S was determined by NBD-SCN reagent that can bind to cysteine/homocystein. Exogenous treatment of NaHS that can release gaseous H2S, ECs showed an increase of phosphorylation in Akt(S473), ERK(T202/Y204) and eNOS(S1177). This indicated that H2S can trigger the NO-production signaling cascade. Silencing of CSE, CBS and 3-MST genes by siRNA separately attenuated the phosphorylation levels of Akt(S473) and eNOS(S1177) under shear flow conditions. The particular mode of shear flow increased H2S production. The interplay between H2S and NO-generating enzymes were discussed in the present study.