Exploring the mechanisms of organic fertilizers on Cd bioavailability in rice fields: Environmental behavior and effect factors.

The problem of paddy Cadmium (Cd) contamination is currently the focus of global research. Earlier researches have confirmed that utilization of organic fertilizers regulates Cd chemical fraction distribution by increases organic bound Cd. However, environmental behaviours of organic fertilizers in paddy are still lack exploration. Here, we critical reviewed previous publications and proposed a novel research concept to help us better understand it. Three potential impact pathways of utilization of organic fertilizers on the bioavailability of Cd are presented: (i) use of organic fertilizers changes soil physicochemical properties, which directly affects Cd bioavailability by changing chemical form of Cd(II); (ii) use of organic fertilizers increases soil nutrient content, which indirectly regulates Cd supply and bioaccumulation through ion adsorption and competition for ion-transport channels between nutrients and Cd; and (iii) use of organic fertilizers increases activity of microorganisms and efflux of rice root exudates, which indirectly affects Cd bioavailability of through complexation and sequestration of these organic materials with Cd. Meanwhile, dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the rhizosphere of rice is believed to be the key to revealing the effects of organic fertilizers on Cd. DOM is capable of adsorption and complexation-chelation reactions with Cd and the fractionation of Cd(II) is regulated by DOM. Molecular mass, chemical composition, major functional groups and reaction sequence of DOM determine the formation and solubilization of DOM-Cd complexes.

MDM2-p53 mediate a miR-181c-3p/LIF axis to regulate low dose-rate radiation-induced DNA damage in human B lymphocytes.

PURPOSE: Prolonged exposure to low dose-rate radiation (LDRR) is of growing concern to public health. Recent evidences indicates that LDRR causes deleterious health effects and is closely related to miRNAs. The aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between miRNAs and DNA damage caused by LDRR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we irradiated C57BL/6J mice with 12.5µGy/h dose of γ ray emitted from uranium ore for 8 h a day for 120 days at a total dose of 12 mGy, and identified differentially expressed miRNAs from the mice long-term exposed to LDRR through isolating serum RNAs, constructing small RNA library, Illumina sequencing. To further investigate the role of differential miRNA under LDRR，we first built DNA damage model in Immortal B cells irradiated with 12.5µGy/h dose of γ ray for 28 days at a total dose of 9.4 mGy. Then, we chose the highly conserved miR-181c-3p among 12 miRNA and its mechanism in alleviating DNA damage induced by LDRR was studied by transfection, quantitative PCR, luciferase assay, and Western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We have found that 12 differentially expressed miRNAs including miR-181c-3p in serum isolated from irradiated mice. Analysis of GO and KEGG indicated that target genes of theses 12 miRNA enriched in pathways related to membrane, protein binding and cancer. Long-term exposure to LDRR induced upregulation of gamma-H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX) expression, a classical biomarker for DNA damage in B cells. miR-181c-3p inhibited Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) expression via combining its 3'UTR. LIF, MDM2, p53, and p-p53-s6 were upregulated after exposure to LDRR. In irradiated B cells, Transfection of miR-181c-3p reduced γ-H2AX expression and suppressed LIF and MDM2 protein levels, whereas p-p53-s6 expression was increased. As expected, the effect of LIF inhibition on irradiated B cells was similar to miR-181c-3p overexpression. Our results suggest that LDRR alters miRNA expression and induces DNA damage. Furthermore, miR-181c-3p can alleviate LDRR-induced DNA damage via the LIF/MDM2/p-p53-s6 pathway in human B lymphocytes. This could provide the basis for prevention and treatment of LDRR injury.

Luminescence properties of Sr2Ga2GeO7:Bi3+ phosphors and temperature sensing characteristics of co-doped Sm3.

As one of the fundamental physical quantities, temperature is extremely important in various fields. In order to study the temperature sensing characteristics of dual-emitting center phosphors, Bi3+-doped and Bi3+/Sm3+-doped Sr2Ga2GeO7 phosphors were synthesized by high-temperature solid-phase method. Under 312 nm excitation, the Sr2Ga2GeO7:Bi3+ phosphor exhibits a blue broadband emission corresponding to the 3P1 → 1S0 transition of Bi3+ ions. By testing the temperature change spectrum of phosphors, it was found that Bi3+ exhibited strong thermal sensitivity. However, due to the fact that single ion doped phosphors are easily affected by other factors when applied to the field of temperature sensing, based on the thermal sensitivity of Bi3+, Sm3+ with low temperature sensitivity was selected as the co-doped ion, and it was found that the two ions had different thermal quenching characteristics when the temperature change spectrum was tested. Using the temperature detection method based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of the dual emission centers, it was found that the best absolute sensitivity Sa was 3.125% K-1 and the maximum relative sensitivity Sr was 1.275% K-1 in the range of 303-423 K. These results show that Sr2Ga2GeO7:Bi3+/Sm3+ phosphors have broad application prospects in the field of optical temperature sensing.

Methylated SEPT9 combined with AFP and PIVKA-II is effective for the detection of HCC in high-risk population.

BACKGROUND: The methylation SEPT9 (mSEPT9) appeared to be effective for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. However, its performance in high-risk population has not been validated. We designed a pilot study and aimed to investigate the performance of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II and their combination in hepatic cirrhosis (HC) population. METHODS: A training cohort was established including 103 HCC and 114 HC patients. 10 ml blood was collected from each patient with K2EDTA tubes, and 3-4 ml plasma was extracted for subsequent tests. The performance of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II and their combination was optimized by the training cohort. Test performance was prospectively validated with a validation cohort, including 51 HCC and 121 HC patients. RESULTS: At the optimal thresholds in the training cohort, the sensitivity, specificity and area under curve (AUC) was 72.82%, 89.47%, 0.84, and 48.57%, 89.92%, 0.79, and 63.64%, 95.95%, 0.79 for mSEPT9, AFP and PIVKA-II, respectively. The combined test significantly increased the sensitivity to 84.47% (P < 0.05) at the specificity of 86.84% with an AUC of 0.91. Stage-dependent performance was observed with all single markers and their combination in plasma marker levels, positive detection rate (PDR) and AUC. Moderate correlation was found between mSEPT9 and AFP plasma levels (r = 0.527, P < 0.0001). Good complementarity was found between any two of the three markers, providing optimal sensitivity in HCC detection when used in combination. Subsequent validation achieved a sensitivity, specificity and AUC of 65.31%, 92.86%, 0.80, and 44.24%, 89.26%, 0.75, and 62.22%, 95.27%, 0.78 for mSEPT9, AFP and PIVKA-II, respectively. The combined test yielded a significantly increased sensitivity of 84.00% (P < 0.05) at 85.57% specificity, with an AUC at 0.89. CONCLUSIONS: The performance was optimal by the combination of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II compared with any single marker, and the combination may be effective for HCC opportunistic screening in HC population.

Synergetic argentophilic and through space electronic interactions in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal photocycloaddition reaction: a mechanistic study.

Ag(I) is able to mediate single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation through [2+2] photocycloaddition to prepare high-conductivity materials. However, the intrinsic mechanism of Ag(I) mediation, the detailed photophysical and photochemical processes as well as the origin of the enhanced conductivity of nanocrystals are still unclear. In this work, the comprehensive kinetic scheme and regulation mechanism are established by the accurate QM/MM calculations at the CASPT2//CASSCF/AMBER level of theory with consideration of the crystal environment. We find that the argentophilic interaction and through space electronic interaction are the key factors that promote Ag(I)-mediated [2+2] PCA reactions and may account for the enhancement of conductivity. These mechanistic insights into the Ag(I)-regulated photo-dimerization in the crystal surrounding are beneficial for the design of the structurally and electrically favorable skeletons of a metal-organic coordination polymer.

Risk factors for advanced colorectal neoplasm in young adults: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the risk factors for young-onset advanced colorectal neoplasia. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of 30 potential exposure risk factors from 28 original studies. Results: Several risk factors showed statistical significance, including male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.12-1.47), metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.25-1.44), hypertension (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.17-1.28), diabetes (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.15-1.32), inflammatory bowel disease (OR: 4.62; 95% CI: 1.12-17.54), obesity (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.06-1.43), sedentary behavior (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.06-1.48), smoking (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.05-1.36), high alcohol consumption (OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.10-1.71), high intake of sugar (OR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.61-4.13) and red meat (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04-1.16) and family history of colorectal cancer (OR: 3.14; 95% CI: 1.29-7.64). Conclusion: Our study identified potential risk factors for young-onset advanced colorectal neoplasms to help develop targeted primary prevention strategies.

Catalytic polymerization of bisphenol A using a horseradish peroxidase immobilized microporous membrane reactor.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most widely used chemical products, which is discharged into rivers and oceans, posing great hazards to organisms such as reproductive toxicity, hormone imbalance and cardiopathy induction. With the expansion harm of BPA, people have paid more attention to the environmental effects. In this paper, the degradation of BPA from the synthetic wastewater using the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase membrane reactor (HPR) was investigated. The immobilized HRP microporous membrane was prepared by the porous calcium alginate method. In addition, the reuse of the immobilized HPR membrane and the measurement of membrane flux showed that the membrane has good activity and stability. Finally, the experimental parameters including reaction time, pH, the concentration of BPA and the dosage of H2O2 were optimized to remove the BPA, and about 78% degradation efficiency of BPA was achieved at the optimal condition as follows: H2O2 to BPA molar ratio of 1.50 with an initial BPA concentration of 0.1 mol/L, the HPR dosage of 3.84 u/mL, the initial solution pH of 7.0, a temperature of 20 °C and a contact time of 10 min.

Metabolomics as a valid analytical technique in environmental exposure research: application and progress.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, studies have shown that exposure to environmental pollutants (e.g., radiation, heavy metal substances, air pollutants, organic pollutants) is a leading cause of human non-communicable diseases. The key to disease prevention is to clarify the harmful mechanisms and toxic effects of environmental pollutants on the body. Metabolomics is a high-sensitivity, high-throughput omics technology that can obtain detailed metabolite information of an organism. It is a crucial tool for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the pathway network regulation mechanism of the organism. Its application is widespread in many research fields such as environmental exposure assessment, medicine, systems biology, and biomarker discovery. AIM OF REVIEW: Recent findings show that metabolomics can be used to obtain molecular snapshots of organisms after environmental exposure, to help understand the interaction between environmental exposure and organisms, and to identify potential biomarkers and biological mechanisms. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: This review focuses on the application of metabolomics to understand the biological effects of radiation, heavy metals, air pollution, and persistent organic pollutants exposure, and examines some potential biomarkers and toxicity mechanisms.

Fermented Soy Drink (Q-CAN® PLUS) Induces Apoptosis and Reduces Viability of Cancer Cells.

This study tested the ability of a fermented soy product to induce tumor cell toxicity and to assess if this was due to fermentation of soy, and to the genistein content. Four cancer cell lines were cultured without additive, with fermented soy (Q-CAN® PLUS), nonfermented soy, or genistein, and cell viability was examined at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The sensitivity of the cell lines to apoptosis by Q-CAN PLUS was tested with the Annexin V assay. All cell lines demonstrated a dose and time response reduction in tumor cell viability with exposure to Q-CAN PLUS (IC50 at 24 h 3.8 mg/mL to 9 mg/mL). Unfermented soy did not show reduction in viability of any cell line within the same concentration range. The IC50 of genistein for each of the cell lines was significantly greater than for Q-CAN PLUS. All four tumor cell lines demonstrated apoptosis in response to Q-CAN PLUS. Q-CAN PLUS reduces viability and increases apoptosis of cancer cells in a concentration- and fermentation-dependent manner. Taking into consideration the IC50 of genistein and the concentration of genistein in Q-CAN PLUS, the genistein content of Q-CAN PLUS is not responsible for the majority reduction in tumor cell viability. This suggests that fermentation of soy results in the production of metabolites that reduce cancer cell viability and induce cellular apoptosis, and play a major role in addition to any effects produced by their genistein content.

Selection of rice and maize varieties with low cadmium accumulation and derivation of soil environmental thresholds in karst.

Cadmium (Cd) is considered the primary dietary toxic element. Previous studies have demonstrated significant differences in heavy metal accumulation among crop species. However, this information in karst areas with low heavy metal activity is missing. In this study, the uptake and accumulation characteristics of cadmium in soil-crop samples of group 504 in the core karst region of East Asia were analyzed. Cadmium low-accumulating maize and rice were screened using cluster and Pareto analytic methods. In addition, a new method, the species-sensitive distribution model (SSD), was proposed, which could be used to estimate the environmental threshold for cadmium in regional cropland. The results showed that both maize and rice soils in the research area were contaminated with varying degrees of cadmium. The total concentrations of cadmium ω(T-Cd) in maize and rice fields are 0.18-1.32 and 0.20-4.42 mg kg-1, respectively. The ω(T-Cd) of heavy metals in maize kernels and rice grains is 0.002-0.429 and 0.003-0.393 mg kg-1, respectively. The bioaccumulation factor (BCF) of cadmium in maize ranged from 0.0079 to 0.9701, with a coefficient of variation of 1.71; the BCF of cadmium in rice ranged from 0.0074 to 0.1345, with a coefficient of variation of 0.99. According to cluster and Pareto analyses, the maize crop varieties with low cadmium accumulation suitable for local cultivation were screened as JHY809, JDY808, AD778, SN3H and SY13, and the rice varieties were DMY6188, GY725, NY6368, SY451 and DX4103. In addition, the environmental cadmium threshold ranges of 0.30-10.05 mg kg-1 and 0.89-24.39 mg kg-1 for maize and rice soils, respectively, were deduced in this study. This threshold will ensure that 5-95% of maize and rice will not be contaminated with cadmium in the soil.

Dynamic Effect of Organic Fertilizer Application on Rice Growth, Soil Physicochemical Properties and Cd Activity Exposed to Excess Cd.

To investigate the dynamic effects of organic fertilizer application on the agronomic traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.), soil physicochemical properties and soil Cd activity under excess cadmium (Cd) exposure, this study was conducted to simulate a paddy system under different organic fertilizer application rates using exogenous spiked Cd soil as the test soil and conducting a rice pot experiment. The obtained results showed that the application of organic fertilizer increased the number of rice tillers, rice plant height, total grain number and total grain weight at maturity in all treated soils, while it decreased the concentration of Cd in brown rice. The application of organic fertilizer increased the organic matter (OM), redox potential and electrical conductivity of all treated soils but decreased the pH and TCLP-extractable Cd of all treated soils. There was a significant or highly significant negative correlation (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) between soil TCLP-extractable Cd and soil OM throughout the experimental period, implying that soil OM may be an important factor influencing the changes in Cd activity in soil. In addition, our experiment also examined in detail the dynamic change process of the abovementioned indicators throughout the experimental period and observed that the dynamic change process of soil Cd activity could be described as a trend of first decreasing and then gradually increasing throughout the rice reproductive period.

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Profiling of Potential Biomarkers in Rat Serum for Uranium Tailing Suspension Intratracheal Instillation.

Protection against low-dose ionizing radiation is of great significance. Uranium tailings are formed as a byproduct of uranium mining and a potential risk to organisms. In this study, we identified potential biomarkers associated with exposure to low-dose radiation from uranium tailings. We established a Wistar rat model of low dose rate irradiation by intratracheal instillation of a uranium tailing suspension. We observed pathological changes in the liver, lung, and kidney tissues of the rats. Using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification, we screened 17 common differentially expressed proteins in three dose groups. We chose alpha-1 antiproteinase (Serpina1), keratin 17 (Krt17), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (Aldh3a1) for further investigation. Our data showed that expression of Serpina1, Krt17, and Aldh3a1 had changed after the intratracheal instillation in rats, which may be potential biomarkers for uranium tailing low-dose irradiation. However, the underlying mechanisms require further investigation.

Genetic variation of E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus 52 from Central China.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor in women worldwide and is closely related to human papillomavirus (HPV). Women have the highest susceptibility to HPV-52 type in Jingzhou, China. In this study, E6-E7 sequences of 183 HPV-52 positive samples were amplified by a polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. HPV-52 E6-E7 gene variations were analyzed. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Kimura 2-parameter method. The secondary structure of the protein was analyzed. The selective pressure to E6-E7 genes was estimated using PAML. In addition, the B cell epitopes of the E6-E7 sequences in HPV-52 were predicted by the ABCpred server. In E6 sequences, 15 single nucleotide variants were observed, including 6 nonsynonymous variants and 9 synonymous variants. In E7 sequences, 19 single nucleotide variants occurred, including 10 nonsynonymous variants and 9 synonymous variants. Six amino acid variants, including 3 nonconservative substitutions, were found in sequences encoding the alpha helix. Eight amino acid variants, including three nonconservative substitutions, occurred in sequences encoding the strand. Through phylogenetic analysis, the E6-E7 sequences were mainly distributed in B lineage. In HPV-52 E6-E7 sequences, no positively selected site was found. The nonconservative substitutions, such as K93R, K93E in E6, T37I, and D38N in E7, affected multiple hypothetical epitopes in the B cell. This study provides information for the investigation of HPV epidemic characters. The discovery of new variants of HPV-52 may lay the basis for the development of the virus diagnosis, further study of cervical cancer, and vaccine design in Central China.

Ribavirin inhibits colorectal cancer growth by downregulating PRMT5 expression and H3R8me2s and H4R3me2s accumulation.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) are frequently overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and associated with poor prognosis. Ribavirin, the only clinically approved drug known to target eIF4E, is an anti-viral molecule currently used in hepatitis C therapy. The potential of ribavirin to treat CRC remains largely unknown. Ribavirin treatment in CRC cell lines drastically inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, induced S phase arrest and reduced cyclin D1, cyclin A/E and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels in vitro, and suppressed tumorigenesis in mouse model of colitis-associated CRC. Mechanistically, ribavirin treatment significantly reduced PRMT5 and eIF4E protein levels and the accumulation of symmetric dimethylation of histone 3 at arginine 8 (H3R8me2s) and that of histone 4 at arginine 3 (H4R3me2s). Importantly, inhibition of PRMT5 by ribavirin resulted in promoted H3R8 methylation in eIF4E promoter region. Our results demonstrate the anti-cancer efficacy of ribavirin in CRC and suggest that the anti-cancer efficacy of ribavirin may be mediated by downregulating PRMT5 levels but not its enzymatic activity.

[Research Progress of FAM60A in the Regulation of Cellular Function].

FAM60A,a cell cycle protein,is a subunit of the SIN3 transcription regulator family member A/histone deacetylase(SIN3-HDAC)complex and plays an important role in cell cycle regulation,cell morphology change,cell proliferation,differentiation and migration,early embryogenesis and so on.Studies in recent years have shown that FAM60A plays a role in the occurrence and development of tumors including human osteosarcoma,esophageal cancer,gastric cancer,lung cancer and liver cancer,providing a new research direction for tumor diagnosis and treatment.Based on the research results in recent years at home and abroad,this paper discussed the effects of FAM60A on cellular functions.

Prevalence and characteristics of Epstein-Barr virus associated gastric carcinoma in Gansu Province, Northwest China with mRNA expression of glycoprotein BMRF2.

Gansu province is a region with the highest gastric cancer incidence and mortality in Northwest China. Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) is an important subtype of gastric cancer which shows specific clinicopathological features such as older-age bias, male predominance, lower lymph-node-metastasis, and a better cancer-related survival comparing to EBV-negative gastric cancers. However, the prevalence of EBVaGC has never been studied in Gansu Province, Northwest China. The present study investigated the incidence, characteristics, and EBV messenger RNA (mRNA) profile of EBVaGC in this area. We have collected 270 stomach samples from gastric cancer patients and analyzed the presence of EBV DNA and EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization, respectively. The EBV mRNA profiling was investigated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). EBV DNA was detected in 51/95 patients (53.7%), while EBER transcripts were detected in 18/270 patients (6.7%). EBER positivity was significantly associated with older age and less lymph node metastasis, but no obvious association with gender or histological type of tumors. The expression of EBV genes was observed with different patterns, and the mRNA of glycoprotein BMRF2 was detected in EBVaGC. The present study showed unique clinicopathological features and mRNA expression patterns of EBVaGC in Gansu Province, Northwest China, suggesting that geographic variation can contribute to new epidemiological features in EBVaGC. The transcript of glycoprotein BMRF2 was observed consistently in EBVaGC, which may serve as a biomarker and play a role in the pathogenesis of EBVaGC in Gansu Province, Northwest China.

Unveiling the Mechanism, Origin of Stereoselectivity, and Ligand-Dependent Reactivity in the Pd(II)-Catalyzed Unbiased Methylene C(sp3)-H Alkenylation-Aza-Wacker Cyclization Reaction.

The mechanism, origin of stereoselectivity, and ligand-dependent reactivity of Pd(II)-catalyzed methylene C(sp3)-H alkenylation-aza-Wacker cyclization to form (E)-ß-stereogenic γ-lactam have been comprehensively studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The calculated results reveal that the methylene C-H activation assisted by K2CO3 via the concerted metalation-deprotonation mechanism is found to be the most preferred pathway, where the enantioselectivity is distinguished by the orientation of the methyl group of a substrate relative to a chiral ligand. However, the stereochemistry of the olefin moiety in the generated product is mainly determined by the oxidative addition step, where the coulombic interaction and dispersion effect differentiate the energy difference of diastereomeric transition states. In terms of the agostic interaction nature of "three-center two-electron" transition states, the discrepancy of reactivities caused by different Pd catalysts is attributed to the electron induction effect of substituents on the chiral ligands. In other words, the use of an electron-withdrawing group (e.g., -CN) in place of an electron-donating group (e.g., -OMe) enhances the oxidation state of the Pd atom and lowers vacant d orbitals of the palladium atom of the catalyst and in turn facilitates a larger amount of σ-electronic-charge injection into an empty 3d shell of the palladium center. Thus, the higher catalytic activity of the Pd catalyst with ligands substituted by an electron-withdrawing group is anticipated.

Digoxin improves steatohepatitis with differential involvement of liver cell subsets in mice through inhibition of PKM2 transactivation.

The cardiac glycoside digoxin was identified as a potent suppressor of pyruvate kinase isoform 2-hypoxia-inducible factor-α (PKM2-HIF-1α) pathway activation in liver injury mouse models via intraperitoneal injection. We have assessed the therapeutic effects of digoxin to reduce nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) by the clinically relevant oral route in mice and analyzed the cellular basis for this effect with differential involvement of liver cell subsets. C57BL/6J male mice were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 wk and started concurrently with the gavage of digoxin (2.5, 0.5, 0.125 mg/kg twice a week) for 5 wk. Digoxin significantly reduced HFD-induced hepatic damage, steatosis, and liver inflammation across a wide dosage range. The lowest dose of digoxin (0.125 mg/kg) showed significant protective effects against liver injury and sterile inflammation. Consistently, digoxin attenuated HIF-1α sustained NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. We have reported for the first time that PKM2 is upregulated in hepatocytes with hepatic steatosis, and digoxin directly improved hepatocyte mitochondrial dysfunction and steatosis. Mechanistically, digoxin directly bound to PKM2 and inhibited PKM2 targeting HIF-1α transactivation without affecting PKM2 enzyme activation. Thus, oral digoxin showed potential to therapeutically inhibit liver injury in NASH through the regulation of PKM2-HIF-1α pathway activation with involvement of multiple cell types. Because of the large clinical experience with oral digoxin, this may have significant clinical applicability in human NASH.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to assess the therapeutic efficacy of oral digoxin on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in a high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model and to determine the divergent of cell type-specific effects. Oral digoxin reduced liver damage, steatosis, and inflammation in HFD mice. Digoxin attenuated hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α axis-sustained inflammasome activity in macrophages and hepatic oxidative stress response in hepatocytes via the regulation of PKM2-HIF-1α axis pathway activation. Oral digoxin may have significant clinical applicability in human NASH.

Interleukin-1 Receptor Associated Kinase 1 Mediates the Maintenance of Neuropathic Pain after Chronic Constriction Injury in Rats.

Neuropathic pain (NP) has complicated pathogenesis as it mainly involves a lesion or dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system and its clinical treatment remains challenging. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) model is a widely used neuropathic pain model and involved in mechanisms including both nerve inflammatory and injury. Cytokines and their receptors play essential roles in the occurrence and persistence of neuropathic pain, but the underlying mechanisms have not well been understood. Therefore, Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) is chosen to explore the possible mechanisms of NP. In the present study, IRAK1 was found to persistently increase in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord (SC) during CCI detected by western blot. The staining further confirmed that IRAK1 was mainly co-located in the DRG astrocytes or SC neurons, but less in the DRG microglia or SC astrocytes. Moreover, the region of increased IRAK1 expression was observed in superficial laminae of the spinal dorsal horn, which was the nociceptive neuronal expression domain, suggesting that IRAK1 may mediated CCI-induced pain by nociceptive primary afferent. In addition, intrathecal injection of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) inhibitor or IRAK1 siRNA decreased the expression of IRAK1 accompanied with the alleviation of CCI-induced neuropathic pain. The upregulation of p-NF-κB expression was reversed by IRAK1 siRNA in SC, and intrathecal injection of p-NF-κB inhibitor relieved neuropathic pain. Taking together, targeting IRAK1 may be a potential treatment for chronic neuropathic pain.

Synthesis, toxicity and antitumor activity of cobalt carbonyl complexes targeting hepatocellular carcinoma.

Based on our previous research, a series of targeting hepatocellular carcinoma complexes, [R-Glycyrrhetinic acid-CH2C2H-[Co2(CO)6] (R = H, 1; R = NSAIDs-COOH, 2-4; R = Aromatic acid, 5-7; R = Amino acid, 8-10), were synthesized. The test showed they are slow CO releasers. Using HeLa, A549, HT-29, SMMC7721 and HepG2 cells as models, their activities against tumor cell proliferation were firstly evaluated. The resulting data show all the complexes displayed a good anti-proliferation activity against the HepG2 and SMMC-7721 liver cancer cells, and their IC50 values were in the range of 10.07-66.06 µM; compared with cis-platin (DDP), their activities were comparable or even better under the same condition. Among them, complexes 3, 4, 6 and 9 exhibited higher anti-proliferation activities against HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cell lines than the other cell lines. To confirm further these complexes have selectivity to the liver cells, the uptakes of complexes 3, 4, 6 and 9 by HepG2, HT-29, A549 and SMMC7721 cell lines were studied. The results show the cell uptake rates of the complexes by HepG2 cells and SMMC7721 cells were much greater than by other cells under the same condition. In following tests, the tested complexes displayed higher activities in inhibiting NF-kB, COX-2 and iNOS; and they induced HepG2 cells apoptosis by mitochondrial pathway, which assessed by staining with different fluorescent reagent DAPI, PI, Mito-Tracker Green and DCFH-DA. Meanwhile, the tested complexes up-regulated the expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax, down-regulated the Bcl-2 expression. In addition, they had no effect on zebrafish embryo survival, embryo hatching, embryonic movement, zebrafish malformation and zebrafish movement at below 0.5 µM. This suggests the complexes are potential candidates to be used in clinic for liver cancers.