Generation of optical vortex beams with bandwidth exceeding 550†nm using a helical fiber needle exhibiting strong mode coupling.

A strong-coupling helical fiber needle (HFN) is proposed and demonstrated for the realization of bandwidth-enhanced broadband optical vortex beam (OVB) generation. The HFN is based on a single mode fiber and operates at the dispersion-turning-point (DTP) of the lowest radial order of the cladding mode (i.e., LP11) but with a remarkably high mode coupling efficiency. By utilizing this novel, to the best of our knowledge, HFN, successful generation of the first-order OVB with an impressive bandwidth up to 556 nm at -10 dB and a center wavelength of ∼1570 nm has been achieved. This represents the broadest bandwidth demonstrated among all fiber grating-based OVB generators to date. The proposed HFN-based OVB generator exhibits a relatively compact size, ultra-wide bandwidth, and customizable center wavelength, making it highly promising for applications in optical vortex-based endoscopic imaging as well as particle detection and manipulation.

Drinking brick tea containing high fluoride increases the prevalence of osteoarthritis in Tibetan, China.

The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) in Tibetans is higher than that in Han, while Tibetans have a habit of drinking brick tea with high fluoride. A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the association between fluoride exposure in drinking brick tea and OA. All subjects were divided into four groups by the quartiles (Q) of tea fluoride (TF) and urine fluoride (UF). ROC was plotted and OR were obtained using logistic regression model. The prevalence of OA in the Q3 and Q4 group of TF were 2.2 and 2.7 times higher than in the Q1 group, and the prevalence of OA in the Q2, Q3 and Q4 group of UF were 3.2, 3.5, and 4.1 times higher than in the Q1 group. ROC analysis showed the cutoff values were 4.523 mg/day (TF) and 1.666 mg/L (UF). In conclusion, excessive fluoride in drinking brick tea could be a risk factor for developing OA.

On-demand flat-top wideband OAM mode converter based on a cladding-etched helical fiber grating.

A new method enabling to provide an on-demand flat-top wideband orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode converter is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, which is based on utilization of a cladding-etched helical long-period fiber grating (CEHLPG). By appropriately selecting the grating period and precisely controlling the diameter of the CEHLPG in-situ, both the radial order and central wavelength of the flat-top band for the generated OAM mode can be flexibly tailored according to specific requirements. As typical examples, the first azimuthal order OAM modes with a flat-top bandwidth of 95 nm at -20 dB, a central operating wavelength of ∼1500 nm, and the radial-orders of 9, 8, 5, and 2, respectively, have been demonstrated consecutively. The proposed method provides an excellent flexibility and robustness in controlling both the radial order and the central wavelength of the resulting flat-top wideband OAM mode conversion, which may support a variety of practical optical vortex applications.

Carbonyl-Containing Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters for Narrow-Band Electroluminescence.

Carbonyl-containing derivatives show enduring vitality in the field of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials; they can realize high device efficiency by using both singlet and triplet excitons for electroluminescence. Recently, a system based on fused ketone/amine exhibited huge potential for constructing multi-resonance TADF (MR-TADF) emitters, which exhibit higher narrow-band emission than conventional TADF emitters with twisted donor-acceptor (D-A) structure. Herein, we summarize current research progress in both traditional and MR-type ketone derivatives with TADF characteristics for introducing the molecular design strategy of maintaining high device efficiency while keeping narrow-band emission profile. We hope this review can inspire the emergence of more high-performance narrow-band materials.

Relatively low fluoride in drinking water increases risk of knee osteoarthritis (KOA): a population-based cross-sectional study in China.

Previous studies indicate that fluoride in drinking water has a toxic effect on cartilage and skeleton, which triggers osteoarthritis (OA) of which the most frequent is knee OA (KOA). A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the association between fluoride exposure and KOA among 1128 subjects. Water fluoride (WF) and urinary fluoride (UF) were chosen as external exposure (internal exposure) of fluoride. Logistic regression analysis showed that an increased fluoride exposure was a risk factor for KOA (WF: OR = 1.318, 95% CI 1.162-1.495, p < 0.001; UF: OR = 1.210, 95% CI 1.119-1.310, p < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the risk of KOA in the 4th quartile (Q) of WF was twice that of the 1st Q (OR = 2.079, 95% CI 1.448-2.986, p < 0.001). The risks of KOA in the 2nd Q, 3rd Q and 4th Q of UF were 1.6, 1.5, and 2.9 times higher than in the 1stQ (OR = 1.597, 95% CI 1.066-2.393, p = 0.023; OR = 1.560, 95% CI 1.043-2.333, p = 0.030; OR = 2.897, 95% CI 1.957-4.288, p < 0.001). The population aged < 60 exposed to the 4th Q of WF (or UF) had a higher risk than the population exposed to the 1st Q of WF (or UF) (ORWF = 1.958, 95% CI 1.249-3.070, p = 0.003; ORUF = 2.923, 95% CI 1.814-4.711, p < 0.001). With increasing UF by Q, the male had a risk of KOA. In conclusion, excessive fluoride dose in drinking water could increase the risk of KOA. Especially, the population with aged < 60, male and obesity more likely to having KOA when they exposed to same higher fluoride.

Introducing Spiro-locks into the Nitrogen/Carbonyl System towards Efficient Narrowband Deep-blue Multi-resonance TADF Emitters.

The current availability of multi-resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials with excellent color purity and high device efficiency in the deep-blue region is appealing. To address this issue in the emerged nitrogen/carbonyl MR-TADF system, we propose a spiro-lock strategy. By incorporating spiro functionalization into a concise molecular skeleton, a series of emitters (SFQ, SOQ, SSQ, and SSeQ) can enhance molecular rigidity, blue-shift the emission peak, narrow the emission band, increase the photoluminescence quantum yield by over 92 %, and suppress intermolecular interactions in the film state. The referent CZQ without spiro structure has a more planar skeleton, and its bluer emission in the solution state redshifts over 40 nm with serious spectrum broadening and a low PLQY in the film state. As a result, SSQ achieves an external quantum efficiency of 25.5 % with a peak at 456 nm and a small full width at half maximum of 31 nm in a simple unsensitized device, significantly outperforming CZQ. This work discloses the importance of spiro-junction in modulating deep-blue MR-TADF emitters.

Prenatal detection of chromosomal abnormalities and copy number variants in fetuses with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Congenital gastrointestinal obstruction (CGIO) mainly refers to the stenosis or atresia of any part from the esophagus to the anus and is one of the most common surgical causes in the neonatal period. The concept of genetic factors as an etiology of CGIO has been accepted, but investigations about CGIO have mainly focused on aneuploidy, and the focus has been on duodenal obstruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of chromosome aberrations (including numeric and structural aberrations) in different types of CGIO. A second objective was to assess the risk of abnormal CNVs detected by copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) in fetuses with different types of CGIO. METHODS: Data from pregnancies referred for invasive testing and CNV-seq due to sonographic diagnosis of fetal CGIO from 2015 to 2020 were obtained retrospectively from the computerized database. The rates of chromosome aberrations and abnormal CNV-seq findings for isolated CGIOs and complicated CGIOs and different types of CGIOs were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 240 fetuses with CGIO that underwent karyotyping, the detection rate of karyotype abnormalities in complicated CGIO was significantly higher than that of the isolated group (33.8% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.01). Ninety-three cases with normal karyotypes further underwent CNV-seq, and CNV-seq revealed an incremental diagnostic value of 9.7% over conventional karyotyping. In addition, the incremental diagnostic yield of CNV-seq analysis in complicated CGIOs (20%) was higher than that in isolated CGIOs (4.8%), and the highest prevalence of pathogenic CNVs/likely pathogenic CNVs was found in the duodenal stenosis/atresia group (17.5%), followed by the anorectal malformation group (15.4%). The 13q deletion, 10q26 deletion, 4q24 deletion, and 2p24 might be additional genetic etiologies of duodenal stenosis/atresia. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of pathogenic chromosomal abnormalities and CNVs increased in the complicated CGIO group compared to that in the isolated CGIO group, especially when fetuses presented duodenal obstruction (DO) and anorectal malformation. CNV-seq was recommended to detect submicroscopic chromosomal aberrations for DO and anorectal malformation when the karyotype was normal. The relationship between genotypes and phenotypes needs to be explored in the future to facilitate prenatal diagnosis of fetal CGIO and yield new clues into their etiologies.

Highly Efficient Blue Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters Based on Multi-Donor Modified Oxygen-Bridged Boron Acceptor.

The employment of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters is one of the most promising ways to realize the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of over 25% for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In addition, the TADF emitter based on oxygen-bridged boron (BO) fragment can maintain blue emission with high color purity. Herein, we constructed two blue TADF emitters, 3TBO and 5TBO, for OLEDs application. Both emitters consist of three donors linked at the oxygen-bridged boron acceptor. OLED devices based on 3TBO and 5TBO exhibited both high excellent device efficiency and high color purity with a maximum EQE; full-width at half-maximum (FWHM); and CIE coordinates of 17.3%, 47 nm, (0.120, 0.294), and 26.2%, 57 nm, (0.125, 0.275), respectively.

Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Vine Grape Tea Polyphenols on Hyperuricemia-Induced Renal Injury in Mice.

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disease and contributes to renal injury (RI). Vine grape tea polyphenols (VGTP) have been widely used to treat HUA and RI. However, the potential mechanism of VGTP activity remains unclear. To explore the underlying mechanism of VGTP treatment for HUA-induced RI based on network pharmacology that is confirmed by an in vivo study. All ingredients of VGTP were retrieved using a Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database systems. The related targets of HUA and RI were obtained from GeneCards and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databases. Some ingredients and targets were selected for molecular docking verification. One hour after administering potassium oxonate (300 mg/kg), VGTP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/d) was orally administered to HUA mice for 4 weeks. Histopathology and western blotting were performed in renal tissue. Our results showed that VGTP significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, and significantly improved the RI and fibrosis of HUA mice. There were 54 active ingredients and 62 targets of HUA-induced RI. Further studies showed that VGTP decreased the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase 3, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß1), CHOP, p-STAT3, and P53, and increased Bcl-2 expression in renal tissue. The related signaling pathways have apoptosis, TGF-ß1, P53 and STAT, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). In this study, VGTP exerted antihyperuricemic and anti fibrosis effects by regulating the apoptosis and ERS signaling pathways. VGTP is expected to become a drug for combating HUA and RI.

The regulation of MFG-E8 on the mitophagy in diabetic sarcopenia via the HSPA1L-Parkin pathway and the effect of D-pinitol.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic sarcopenia is a disease-related skeletal muscle disorder that causes progressive symptoms. The complete understanding of its pathogenesis is yet to be unravelled, which makes it difficult to develop effective therapeutic strategies. This study investigates how MFG-E8 affects mitophagy and the protective role of D-pinitol (DP) in diabetic sarcopenia. METHODS: In vivo, streptozotocin-induced diabetic SAM-R1 (STZ-R1) and SAM-P8 (STZ-P8) mice (16-week-old) were used, and STZ-P8 mice were administrated of DP (150 mg/kg per day) for 6 weeks. Gastrocnemius muscles were harvested for histological analysis including transmission electron microscopy. Proteins were evaluated via immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and western blotting (WB) assay. In vitro, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) induced diabetic and D-galactose (DG) induced senescent C2C12 models were established and received DP, MFG-E8 plasmid (Mover)/siRNA (MsiRNA), or 3-MA/Torin-1 intervention. Proteins were evaluated by IF and WB assay. Immunoprecipitation (IP) and co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) were used for hunting the interacted proteins of MFG-E8. RESULTS: In vivo, sarcopenia, mitophagy deficiency, and up-regulated MFG-E8 were confirmed in the STZ-P8 group. DP exerted protective effects on sarcopenia and mitophagy (DP + STZ-P8 vs. STZ-P8; all P < 0.01), such as increased lean mass (8.47 ± 0.81 g vs. 7.08 ± 1.64 g), grip strength (208.62 ± 39.45 g vs. 160.87 ± 26.95 g), rotarod tests (109.7 ± 11.81 s vs. 59.3 ± 20.97 s), muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) (1912.17 ± 535.61 µm2 vs. 1557.19 ± 588.38 µm2), autophagosomes (0.07 ± 0.02 per µm2 vs. 0.02 ± 0.01 per µm2), and cytolysosome (0.07 ± 0.03 per µm2 vs. 0.03 ± 0.01 per µm2). DP down-regulated MFG-E8 in both serum (DP + STZ-P8: 253.19 ± 34.75 pg/mL vs. STZ-P8: 404.69 ± 78.97 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and gastrocnemius muscle (WB assay. DP + STZ-P8: 0.39 ± 0.04 vs. STZ-P8: 0.55 ± 0.08; P < 0.01). DP also up-regulated PINK1, Parkin and LC3B-II/I ratio, and down-regulated P62 in gastrocnemius muscles (all P < 0.01). In vitro, mitophagy deficiency and MFG-E8 up-regulation were confirmed in diabetic and senescent models (all P < 0.05). DP and MsiRNA down-regulated MFG-E8 and P62, and up-regulated PINK1, Parkin and LC3B-II/I ratio to promote mitophagy as Torin-1 does (all P < 0.05). HSPA1L was confirmed as an interacted protein of MFG-E8 in IP and CO-IP assay. Mover down-regulated the expression of Parkin via the HSPA1L-Parkin pathway, leading to mitophagy inhibition. MsiRNA up-regulated the expression of PINK1 via SGK1, FOXO1, and STAT3 phosphorylation pathways, leading to mitophagy stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: MFG-E8 is a crucial target protein of DP and plays a distinct role in mitophagy regulation. DP down-regulates the expression of MFG-E8, reduces mitophagy deficiency, and alleviates the symptoms of diabetic sarcopenia, which could be considered a novel therapeutic strategy for diabetic sarcopenia.

Genome-wide analysis for nanofiber induced global gene expression profile: A study in MC3T3-E1 cells by RNA-Seq.

Nanofibers are one of the attractive biomaterials that can provide unique environments to direct cell behaviors. However, how nanofiber structure affects the global gene expression of laden cells remains unclear. Herein, high-throughput mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is applied to analyze the transcriptome of the MC3T3-E1 cells (a model osteoblast cell line) cultured on electrospun nanofibers. The cell-adhesive poly(L-lactide) nanofibers and membranes are developed by the mussel-inspired coating of gelatin-dopamine conjugate under H2O2-mediated oxidation. The MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on nanofibers exhibit elongated morphology and increased proliferation compared with those on membranes. The differences in global gene expression profiles are determined by RNA-seq, in which 905 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are identified. Significantly, the DEGs related to cytoskeleton, promotion of cell cycle progression, cell adhesion, and cell proliferation, are higher expressed in the cells on nanofibers, while the DEGs involved in cell-cycle arrest and osteoblast mineralization are up-regulated in the cells on membranes. This study elucidates the roles of nanofiber structure in affecting gene expression of laden cells at the whole transcriptome level, and it will lay the foundation for understanding nanofiber-guided cell behaviors.

Chemical labeling achieves 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine mapping in the microRNA transcriptome.

A labeling chemistry-based methodology, APSC-8-oxoGua-seq, is developed to sequence 8-oxoGua in the microRNA transcriptome. N-(3-Azidopropyl)-spermine-5-carboxamide (APSC) is designed for the selective labeling of 8-oxoGua, where its azide facilitates the conjugation of a cleavable linker via the click reaction, achieving 8-oxoGua pull-down and sequencing. Using APSC-8-oxoGua-seq, 8-oxoGua can be identified at single-base resolution.

Effect of Fluoride on the Expression of 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine in the Blood, Kidney, Liver, and Brain of Rats.

Excessive exposure of fluoride not only leads to damage on bone, but also has an adverse effect on soft tissues. Oxidative DNA damage induced by fluoride is thought to be one of the toxic mechanisms of fluoride effect. However, the dose-response of fluoride on oxidative DNA damage is barely studied in organisms. This study investigated the concentration of fluoride in rat blood, kidney, liver, and brain as well as the dose-time effect of fluoride on the expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the above tissues. Rats were exposed to 0 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, and 100 mg/L of fluorine ion and treated for one and three months. The results showed that the accumulation of fluoride in soft tissues was very different. At the first month, blood fluoride was increased, liver and brain fluoride showed a U-shaped change, and kidney fluoride was not significant. At the third month, blood fluoride was altered with an inverted U-shaped change, kidney and brain fluoride increased, but liver fluoride decreased. Both the exposure concentration and the time of exposure had a significant effect on the expression of 8-OHdG in the above tissues. However, the effect patterns of fluoride on these tissues were notably different at different times. At the first month of fluoride treatment, blood, kidney, and liver 8-OHdG decreased with the increasing fluoride concentration. At the third month, blood 8-OHdG showed a U-shaped change, but kidney 8-OHdG altered with an inverted U-shaped change. Liver 8-OHdG increased, while brain 8-OHdG decreased at the third month. Correlation analysis showed that only blood 8-OHdG was significantly inversely correlated with blood fluoride and dental fluorosis grade in both the first and third months. Liver 8-OHdG was negatively and significantly correlated with liver fluoride. There was a weak but nonsignificant correlation between kidney and brain 8-OHdG and fluoride in both tissues. Additionally, blood 8-OHdG was positively correlated with kidney and liver 8-OHdG at the first month and positively correlated with brain 8-OHdG at the third month. Taken together, our data suggests that concentration and time of fluoride exposure had a significant effect on 8-OHdG, but the effect patterns of fluoride on 8-OHdG were different in the tissues, which suggests that the impact of fluoride on 8-OHdG may be a tissue-specific, as well as a non-monotonic positive correlation.

Establishment of an efficient transformation system and its application in regulatory mechanism analysis of biological macromolecules in tea plants.

Tea (Camellia sinensis), one of the most important beverage crops originated from China and is now cultivated worldwide, provides numerous secondary metabolites that account for its health benefits and rich flavor. However, the lack of an efficient and reliable genetic transformation system has seriously hindered the gene function investigation and precise breeding of C. sinensis. In this study, we established a highly efficient, labor-saving, and cost-effective Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy roots genetic transformation system for C. sinensis, which can be used for gene overexpression and genome editing. The established transformation system was simple to operate, bypassing tissue culture and antibiotic screening, and only took two months to complete. We used this system to conduct function analysis of transcription factor CsMYB73 and found that CsMYB73 negatively regulates L-theanine synthesis in tea plant. Additionally, callus formation was successfully induced using transgenic roots, and the transgenic callus exhibited normal chlorophyll production, enabling the study of the corresponding biological functions. Furthermore, this genetic transformation system was effective for multiple C. sinensis varieties and other woody plant species. By overcoming technical obstacles such as low efficiency, long experimental periods, and high costs, this genetic transformation will be a valuable tool for routine gene investigation and precise breeding in tea plants.

Two-Dimensional Optical Waveguides at Telecom Wavelengths Based on Organic Single-Crystal Microsheets of a Charge Transfer Complex.

Organic charge transfer (CT) cocrystals open a new door for the exploitation of low-dimensional near-infrared (NIR) emitters by a convenient self-assembly approach. However, research about the fabrication of sheet-like NIR-emitting microstructures that are significant for structural construction and integrated application is limited by the unidirectional molecular packing mode. Herein, via regulation of the biaxial intermolecular CT interaction, single-crystalline microsheets with remarkable NIR emission from 720 to 960 nm were synthesized via the solution self-assembly process of dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophene and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane. The expected sheet-like structure is conducive to achieving a two-dimensional (2D) optical waveguide with an ultralow optical loss rate of 0.250 dB/µm at 860 nm. More significantly, these as-prepared organic microsheets with tunable thicknesses (h) from 100 to 1100 nm exhibit thickness-dependent NIR optical transportation performance. These findings could pave the way to a new class of low-dimensional NIR emitters for 2D photonics at telecom wavelengths.

Design and Synthesis of Red Through-Space Charge Transfer Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters with Donor/Acceptor/Donor Stacking.

Red through-space charge transfer thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TSCT TADF) materials named SAF36DCPP and SAF27DCPP with sandwiched structures were synthesized. Single crystals indicated that the intramolecular C-H···π interactions play a vital role in rigidifying the sandwiched structure, which results in a fluorescence yield of 63% for SAF36DCPP compared to 40% for SAF27DCPP. Organic light-emitting diodes with SAF36DCPP as the emitter realized a maximum external quantum efficiency of 16.12%.

Machine learning uncovers accumulation mechanism of flavonoid compounds in Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua.

The compositions and yield of flavonoid compounds of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PC) are important indices of the quality of medicinal materials. However, the flavonoids compositions and accumulation mechanism are still unclear in PC. Here, we identified 22 flavonoids using widely-targeted metabolome analysis in 15 genotypes of PC. Then weighted gene co-expression network analysis based on 45 transcriptome samples was performed to construct 12 co-expressed modules, in which blue module highly correlated with flavonoids was identified. Furthermore, 4 feature genes including PcCHS1, PcCHI, PcCHS2 and PcCHR5 were identified from 94 hub genes in blue module via machine learning methods support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and random forest (RF), and their functions on metabolic flux of flavonoids pathway were confirmed by tobacco transient expression system. Our findings identified representative flavonoids and key enzymes in PC that provided new insight for elite breeding rich in flavonoids, and thus will be beneficial for rapid development of great potential economic and medicinal value of PC.

The Dose-Response Effect of Fluoride Exposure on the Gut Microbiome and Its Functional Pathways in Rats.

Metabolic activities within the gut microbiome are intimately linked to human health and disease, especially within the context of environmental exposure and its potential ramifications. Perturbations within this microbiome, termed "gut microbiome perturbations", have emerged as plausible intermediaries in the onset or exacerbation of diseases following environmental chemical exposures, with fluoride being a compound of particular concern. Despite the well-documented adverse impacts of excessive fluoride on various human physiological systems-ranging from skeletal to neurological-the nuanced dynamics between fluoride exposure, the gut microbiome, and the resulting dose-response relationship remains a scientific enigma. Leveraging the precision of 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, this study meticulously examines the ramifications of diverse fluoride concentrations on the gut microbiome's composition and functional capabilities within Wistar rats. Our findings indicate a profound shift in the intestinal microbial composition following fluoride exposure, marked by a dose-dependent modulation in the abundance of key genera, including Pelagibacterium, Bilophila, Turicibacter, and Roseburia. Moreover, discernible alterations were observed in critical functional and metabolic pathways of the microbiome, such as D-lyxose ketol-isomerase and DNA polymerase III subunit gamma/tau, underscoring the broad-reaching implications of fluoride exposure. Intriguingly, correlation analyses elucidated strong associations between specific bacterial co-abundance groups (CAGs) and these shifted metabolic pathways. In essence, fluoride exposure not only perturbs the compositional equilibrium of the gut microbiota but also instigates profound shifts in its metabolic landscape. These intricate alterations may provide a mechanistic foundation for understanding fluoride's potential toxicological effects mediated via gut microbiome modulation.

Histone modification and histone modification-targeted anti-cancer drugs in breast cancer: Fundamentals and beyond.

Dysregulated epigenetic enzymes and resultant abnormal epigenetic modifications (EMs) have been suggested to be closely related to tumor occurrence and progression. Histone modifications (HMs) can assist in maintaining genome stability, DNA repair, transcription, and chromatin modulation within breast cancer (BC) cells. In addition, HMs are reversible, dynamic processes involving the associations of different enzymes with molecular compounds. Abnormal HMs (e.g. histone methylation and histone acetylation) have been identified to be tightly related to BC occurrence and development, even though their underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. EMs are reversible, and as a result, epigenetic enzymes have aroused wide attention as anti-tumor therapeutic targets. At present, treatments to restore aberrant EMs within BC cells have entered preclinical or clinical trials. In addition, no existing studies have comprehensively analyzed aberrant HMs within BC cells; in addition, HM-targeting BC treatments remain to be further investigated. Histone and non-histone protein methylation is becoming an attractive anti-tumor epigenetic therapeutic target; such methylation-related enzyme inhibitors are under development at present. Consequently, the present work focuses on summarizing relevant studies on HMs related to BC and the possible mechanisms associated with abnormal HMs. Additionally, we also aim to analyze existing therapeutic agents together with those drugs approved and tested through pre-clinical and clinical trials, to assess their roles in HMs. Moreover, epi-drugs that target HMT inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors should be tested in preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of BC. Epi-drugs that target histone methylation (HMT inhibitors) and histone acetylation (HDAC inhibitors) have now entered clinical trials or are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, the review covers the difficulties in applying HM-targeting treatments in clinics and proposes feasible approaches for overcoming such difficulties and promoting their use in treating BC cases.

A transcriptome sequencing study on the effect of macro-pores in hydrogel scaffolds on global gene expression of laden human cartilage chondrocytes.

The macro-porous hydrogel scaffolds can not only enhance the proliferation of laden chondrocytes but also favor the deposition of hyaline cartilaginous extracellular matrix, however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. Herein, the global gene expression of human cartilage chondrocytes (HCCs) encapsulated in traditional hydrogel (Gel) constructs and micro-cavitary gel (MCG) constructs are investigated by using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the HCCs cultured in Gel and MCG constructs have been identified via bioinformatics analysis. Significantly, the DEGs that promote cell proliferation (e.g. POSTN, MKI67, KIF20A) or neo-cartilage formation (e.g. COL2, ASPN, COMP, FMOD, FN1), are more highly expressed in MCG constructs than in Gel constructs, while the expressions of the DEGs associated with chondrocyte hypertrophy (e.g. EGR1, IBSP) are upregulated in Gel constructs. The expression of representative DEGs is verified at both mRNA and protein levels. Besides, cellular viability and morphology as well as the enriched signaling pathway of DEGs are studied in detail. These results of this work may provide data for functional tissue engineering of cartilage.