BIBR1532 combined with radiotherapy induces ferroptosis in NSCLC cells and activates cGAS-STING pathway to promote anti-tumor immunity.

BACKGROUND: Telomerase, by safeguarding damaged telomeres and bolstering DNA damage repair, has the capacity to heighten the radioresistance of tumour cells. Thus, in turn, can compromise the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) and radioimmunotherapy. Our previous studies have revealed that the highly selective telomerase inhibitor, BIBR1532, possesses the potential to enhance the radiosensitivity of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we delve further into the impact of BIBR1532 on the immune activation induced by RT and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Biological information analyses, immunofluorescence assays, western blot assays, flow cytometry analysis were conducted to elucidate the functions of the combination of BIBR1532 with radiotherapy in NSCLC. Intracellular levels of lipid peroxides, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and Fe2+ were measured as indicators of ferroptosis status. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to examine the antitumor effects. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that the confluence of BIBR1532 with RT significantly augments the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway in both in vivo and in vitro settings, thereby fostering an effective anti-tumoral immune response. The effects can be ascribed to two key processes. Firstly, ionizing radiation, in precipitating DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), prompts the release of tumour-derived double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the cytoplasm. Subsequently, BIBR1532 amplifies the activation of antigen-presenting cells by dsDNA post-RT and instigates the cGAS-STING pathway. Secondly, BIBR1532 enhances the ferroptosis response in NSCLC following RT, thereby promoting unrestrained lipid peroxidation and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within tumour cells. This ultimately leads to mitochondrial stress and the release of endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm, thus facilitating the activation of the STING pathway and the induction of a type I interferon (IFN)-linked adaptive immune response. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the potential of BIBR1532 as an efficacious and safe radiosensitizer and radioimmunotherapy synergist, providing robust preclinical research evidence for the treatment of NSCLC.

The Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions to Improve Gait and Balance in Individuals with Lower Limb Amputations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of exercise interventions to improve gait and balance in individuals with lower limb amputations. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscuss, and CINAHL databases until January 2022. Only randomized control trials that evaluated adults (>18 years old) with lower limb amputations and compared any exercise intervention with a traditional prosthetic training were included in the study. Two independent researchers screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, and evaluated the methodological quality of the trials. Findings were summarized and meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Fifteen randomized clinical trials with 594 participants were included in the study and 12 in quantitative synthesis. Meta-analysis indicates that exercise interventions significantly improved walking distance measured with the 2-Minute Walking Test compared to traditional training (mean difference-MD: 8.38, 95% CI: 2.54-14.23; P < 0.01). Gait speed performance also significantly improved after exercise interventions compared to traditional training (MD: 0.10, 95% CI, 0.03-0.16, P <0.01). Meta-analysis of exercise interventions compared to traditional training on the Locomotor Capabilities Index, Timed Up and Go, and Activities-specific Balance Confidence did not show a statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). However, the qualitative analysis demonstrated significant improvement in balance performance after different exercise interventions and traditional training. The studies demonstrated overall good methodological quality. CONCLUSION: Specific exercise interventions are more effective than traditional prosthetic training to improve walking speed and walking distance among people with lower limb amputation. Findings on balance outcomes are inconsistent and deserve further exploration.

Hydrogen Gas Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Independent of Postconditioning in Rats by Attenuating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Autophagy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study the effect of inhaling hydrogen gas on myocardial ischemic/reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats. METHODS: Seventy male Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups at random as the sham group (Sham). The I/R group (I/R), The ischemic postconditioning group (IPo), The I/R plus hydrogen group (IH2) and the ischemic postconditioning plus hydrogen group (IPoH2). The Sham group was without coronary occlusion. In I/R group, Ischemic/reperfusion injury was induced by coronary occlusion for 1 hour. Followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. In the IPo and IPoH2 group, four cycles of 1 min reperfusion/1 min ischemia was given at the end of 1 hour coronary occlusion. While 2% hydrogen was administered by inhalation 5 min before reperfusion till 2 hours after reperfusion in both the IPoH2 and IH2 group. The heart and blood samples were harvested at the end of the surgical protocol. Then the myocardium cell endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress and autophagy was observed by electron microscope. In addition, the cardiac ER stress and autophagy related proteins expression were detected by Western blotting analysis. RESULTS: Both inhaling 2% hydrogen and ischemic postconditioning treatment reduced the ischemic size and serum troponin I level in rats with I/R injury, and inhaling hydrogen showed a more curative effect compared with ischemic postconditioning treatment. Meanwhile inhaling hydrogen showed a better protective effect in attenuating tissue reactive oxygen species. Malondialdehyde levels and immunoreactivities against 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and inhibiting cardiac endoplasmic reticulum stress and down-regulating autophagy as compared with ischemic postconditioning treatment. CONCLUSION: These results revealed a better protective effect of hydrogen on myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury in rats by attenuating endoplasmic reticulum stress and down-regulating autophagy compared with ischemic postconditioning treatment.

ß1 integrins regulate cellular behaviour and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall formation.

AIMS: The mechanisms regulating the cellular behaviour and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis are poorly understood. Cardiomyocytes are surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM) and interact with ECM via integrins. This study aims to determine whether and how ß1 integrins regulate cardiomyocyte behaviour and organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis in the mouse. METHODS AND RESULTS: We applied mRNA deep sequencing and immunostaining to determine the expression repertoires of α/ß integrins and their ligands in the embryonic heart. Integrin ß1 subunit (ß1) and some of its ECM ligands are asymmetrically distributed and enriched in the luminal side of cardiomyocytes, and fibronectin surrounds cardiomyocytes, creating a network for them. Itgb1, which encodes the ß1, was deleted via Nkx2.5Cre/+ to generate myocardial-specific Itgb1 knockout (B1KO) mice. B1KO hearts display an absence of a trabecular zone but a thicker compact zone. The levels of hyaluronic acid and versican, essential for trabecular initiation, were not significantly different between control and B1KO. Instead, fibronectin, a ligand of ß1, was absent in the myocardium of B1KO hearts. Furthermore, B1KO cardiomyocytes display a random cellular orientation and fail to undergo perpendicular cell division, be organized properly, and establish the proper tissue architecture to form trabeculae. Mosaic clonal lineage tracing showed that Itgb1 regulates cardiomyocyte transmural migration and proliferation autonomously. CONCLUSION: ß1 is asymmetrically localized in the cardiomyocytes, and some of its ECM ligands are enriched along the luminal side of the myocardium, and fibronectin surrounds cardiomyocytes. ß1 integrins are required for cardiomyocytes to attach to the ECM network. This engagement provides structural support for cardiomyocytes to maintain shape, undergo perpendicular division, and establish cellular organization. Deletion of Itgb1 leads to loss of ß1 and fibronectin and prevents cardiomyocytes from engaging the ECM network, resulting in failure to establish tissue architecture to form trabeculae.

Dataset of quality assurance measurements of rhythmic movements.

A low-cost quantitative structured office measurement of movements in the extremities of people with Parkinson's disease [1,2] was performed on participants with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy as well as age- and sex-matched healthy participants with typical development. Participants underwent twelve videotaped procedures rated by a trained examiner while connected to four accelerometers [1,2] generating a trace of the three location dimensions expressed as spreadsheets [3,4]. The signals of the five repetitive motion items (3.4 Finger tapping, 3.5 Hand movements, 3.6 Pronation-supination movements of hands, 3.7 Toe tapping, and 3.8 Leg agility) [1] underwent processing to fast Fourier [5] and amor and bump continuous wavelet transforms [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]. Images of the signals and their transforms [4], [5], [6] of the five repetitive tasks of each participant were randomly expressed as panels on an electronic framework for rating by 35 trained examiners who did not know the source of the original output [14]. The team of international raters completed ratings of the signals and their transforms independently using criteria like the scoring systems for live assessments of movements in human participants [1,2]. The raters scored signals and transforms for deficits in the sustained performance of rhythmic movements (interruptions, slowing, and amplitude decrements) often observed in people with Parkinson's disease [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20]. Raters were first presented the images of the signals and transforms of a man with multiple system atrophy as a test and a retest in a different random order. After the raters completed the assessments of the man with multiple system atrophy, they were presented random test and retest panels of the images of signals and transforms of ten participants with Parkinson's disease who completed a single rating session. After the raters completed the assessments of the participants with Parkinson's disease who completed one set of ratings, they were presented random test and retest panels of the images of signals and transforms of (A) ten participants with Parkinson's disease and (B) eight age- and sex-match healthy participants with typical development who completed two rating session separated by a month or more [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20]. The data provide a framework for further analysis of the acquired information. Additionally, the data provide a template for the construction of electronic frameworks for the remote analysis by trained raters of signals and transforms of rhythmic processes to verify that the systems are operating smoothly without interruptions or changes in frequency and amplitude. Thus, the data provide the foundations to construct electronic frameworks for the virtual quality assurance of a vast spectrum of rhythmic processes. The dataset is a suitable template for solving unsupervised and supervised machine learning algorithms. Readers may utilize this procedure to assure the quality of rhythmic processes by confirming the absence of deviations in rate and rhythm. Thus, this procedure provides the means to confirm the quality of the vast spectrum of rhythmic processes.

Classification of extremity movements by visual observation of signals and their transforms.

A low-cost quantitative continuous measurement of movements utilizes accelerometers to generate signal outputs to precisely record the positions of extremities during the performance of movements. This procedure can readily be accomplished with inexpensive materials constructed indivisuals throughout the world. The proposed protocol provides the framework for trained raters to assess the signal outputs by visual observation to generate objective measurements like the measurements of the actual movements. Expert raters can then remotely give quantitative suggestions for providers in underserved regions to utilize precision medicine to develop optimal treatment plans tailored to the specific needs of each individual. The proposed protocol lays the foundations for experts located in tertiary centers to provide optimal assessments of signal outputs generated remotely in underserved regions. This protocol provides the means to address gaps in current research including the dearth of objective measurements of movements utilizing automatic intelligence and machine learning to accurately and precisely analyze movement assessments. Future research will include the development of robotic tools to perform assessments and analyses of the movements of human beings to enhance the conduct of movement evaluations of people with Parkinson's disease and related conditions to apply precision medicine for optimal diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Inhalation of Hydrogen Attenuates Progression of Chronic Heart Failure via Suppression of Oxidative Stress and P53 Related to Apoptosis Pathway in Rats.

Background: Continuous damage from oxidative stress and apoptosis are the important mechanisms that facilitate chronic heart failure (CHF). Molecular hydrogen (H2) has potentiality in the aspects of anti-oxidation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the possible mechanism of H2 inhalation in delaying the progress of CHF. Methods and Results: A total of 60 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: Sham, Sham treated with H2, CHF and CHF treated with H2. Rats from CHF and CHF treated with H2 groups were injected isoprenaline subcutaneously to establish the rat CHF model. One month later, the rat with CHF was identified by the echocardiography. After inhalation of H2, cardiac function was improved vs. CHF (p < 0.05), whereas oxidative stress damage and apoptosis were significantly attenuated (p < 0.05). In this study, the mild oxidative stress was induced in primary cardiomyocytes of rats, and H2 treatments significantly reduced oxidative stress damage and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Finally, as a pivotal transcription factor in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-apoptosis signaling pathway, the expression and phosphorylation of p53 were significantly reduced by H2 treatment in this rat model and H9c2 cells (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Conclusion: As a safe antioxidant, molecular hydrogen mitigates the progression of CHF via inhibiting apoptosis modulated by p53. Therefore, from the translational point of view and speculation, H2 is equipped with potential therapeutic application as a novel antioxidant in protecting CHF in the future.