Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived miR-21-5p Protects Grafted Islets Against Apoptosis by Targeting PDCD4.

The apoptosis of grafted islets is an urgent problem due to the high rate of islet loss soon after transplantation. MicroRNA-21-5p (miR-21-5p) is an essential mediator of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (BMSCs-Exo) during anti-apoptosis, but its effect and the underlying molecular mechanism in islet transplantation remain partially understood. Here, we found that miR-21-5p could be delivered to islet cells via BMSCs-Exo. Subsequently, we demonstrated that miR-21-5p overexpression reduced apoptosis in islets and INS-1 cells, whereas miR-21-5p inhibition enhanced apoptosis. A mechanistic analysis involving RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis was performed to determine the interaction between miR-21-5p and its target gene programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), which was further verified by a dual luciferase assay. In vivo, the grafted islets overexpressing miR-21-5p showed a higher survival rate, better insulin secretion function, and a lower apoptosis rate. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that miR­21­5p from BMSCs-Exo protects against the apoptosis of grafted islets by inhibiting PDCD4 expression. Hence, miR-21-5p can be used as a cell-free therapeutic agent to minimize ß-cell apoptosis at the early stage of islet transplantation.

BMSCs overexpressed ISL1 reduces the apoptosis of islet cells through ANLN carrying exosome, INHBA, and caffeine.

Early apoptosis of grafted islets is one of the main factors affecting the efficacy of islet transplantation. The combined transplantation of islet cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can significantly improve the survival rate of grafted islets. Transcription factor insulin gene enhancer binding protein 1 (ISL1) is shown to promote the angiogenesis of grafted islets and the paracrine function of mesenchymal stem cells during the co-transplantation, yet the regulatory mechanism remains unclear. By using ISL1-overexpressing BMSCs and the subtherapeutic doses of islets for co-transplantation, we managed to reduce the apoptosis and improve the survival rate of the grafts. Our metabolomics and proteomics data suggested that ISL1 upregulates aniline (ANLN) and Inhibin beta A chain (INHBA), and stimulated the release of caffeine in the BMSCs. We then demonstrated that the upregulation of ANLN and INHBA was achieved by the binding of ISL1 to the promoter regions of the two genes. In addition, ISL1 could also promote BMSCs to release exosomes with high expression of ANLN, secrete INHBA and caffeine, and reduce streptozocin (STZ)-induced islets apoptosis. Thus, our study provides mechanical insight into the islet/BMSCs co-transplantation and paves the foundation for using conditioned medium to mimic the ISL1-overexpressing BMSCs co-transplantation.

Constructing Built-in Electric Field in Heterogeneous Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Overall Water Electrolysis.

Efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions are key to water electrolysis. Herein, we report a built-in electric field (BEF) strategy to fabricate heterogeneous nickel phosphide-cobalt nanowire arrays grown on carbon fiber paper (Ni2 P-CoCH/CFP) with large work function difference (ΔΦ) as bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. Impressively, Ni2 P-CoCH/CFP exhibits a remarkable catalytic activity for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions to obtain 10 mA cm-2 , respectively. Moreover, the assembled lab-scale electrolyzer driven by an AAA battery delivers excellent stability after 50 h electrocatalysis with a 100 % faradic efficiency. Computational calculations combining with experiments reveal the interface-induced electric field effect facilitates asymmetrical charge distributions, thereby regulating the adsorption/desorption of the intermediates during reactions. This work offers an avenue to rationally design high-performance heterogeneous electrocatalysts.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve rat islet graft revascularization by upregulating ISL1.

Revascularization of the islet transplant is a crucial step that defines the success rate of patient recovery. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been reported to promote revascularization; however, the underlying cellular mechanism remains unclear. Moreover, our liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry results showed that BMSCs could promote the expression of insulin gene enhancer binding protein-1 (ISL1) in islets. ISL1 is involved in islets proliferation and plays a potential regulatory role in the revascularization of islets. This study identifies the ISL1 protein as a potential modulator in BMSCs-mediated revascularization of islet grafts. We demonstrated that the survival rate and insulin secretion of islets were increased in the presence of BMSCs, indicating that BMSCs promote islet revascularization in a coculture system and rat diabetes model. Interestingly, we also observed that the presence of BMSCs led to an increase in ISL1 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression in both islets and the INS-1 rat insulinoma cell line. In silico protein structure modeling indicated that ISL1 is a transcription factor that has four binding sites with VEGFA mRNA. Further results showed that overexpression of ISL1 increased both the abundance of VEGFA transcripts and protein accumulation, while inhibition of ISL1 decreased the abundance of VEGFA. Using a ChIP-qPCR assay, we demonstrated that direct molecular interactions between ISL1 and VEGFA occur in INS-1 cells. Together, these findings reveal that BMSCs promote the expression of ISL1 in islets and lead to an increase in VEGFA in islet grafts. Hence, ISL1 is a potential target to induce early revascularization in islet transplantation.

A novel application of modified bamboo charcoal to treat oil-containing wastewater and its modified mechanism.

Three conventional coalescence filters including walnut shells (WS), polystyrene resin particles (PR), and quartz sand (QS) were compared with bamboo charcoal (BC) to treat oily wastewater in a coalescence system process. The results showed the order of oil removal efficiency was QS>BC>WS>PR. To improve the oil removal efficiency of BC further, six types of modified BC were prepared. The results showed that the modified BC using silane coupling agent (SCA) significantly increased oil removal efficiency, but the other types (including the use of NaOH, HNO3, H2O2, FeCl3 and ultrasound) of modified BC exhibited nearly the same level of efficiency as that of pure BC. Infra-red, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and the contact angle for modified BC were measured to reveal the modified mechanism. It was found that the higher oil removal efficiency of the SCA-modified BC occurred due to the changed crystal structure of the BC and the increase in its surface hydrophobicity, which resulted in higher oil removal efficiency. Therefore, modified bamboo charcoal is an attractive filter candidate for oil removal in a coalescence system process.

rhMYDGF Alleviates I/R-induced Kidney Injury by Inhibiting Inflammation and Apoptosis via the Akt Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is one of the crucial factors affecting the outcome of renal transplantation. In recent years, myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF) has received a lot of attention for its extensive beneficial effects on cardiac repair and protection of cardiomyocytes from cell death. Therefore, we hypothesized that the recombinant human MYDGF (rhMYDGF) protein might play an essential role in safeguarding renal I/R injury. METHODS: In vivo experiments were conducted using a mouse unilateral I/R model. Mice were pretreated with rhMYDGF by intraperitoneal injection to study the potential mechanism of renal protection. In vitro, we established hypoxia/reoxygenation and H 2 O 2 treatment models to pretreat cells with rhMYDGF. The expression levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis-related factors in tissues and cells were detected. Finally, we explored the role of the protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in the renal protective mechanism of rhMYDGF. RESULTS: In this study, we found that intraperitoneal injection of 1.25 µg rhMYDGF could significantly improve renal function of I/R mice, and reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. For the human proximal tubular epithelial cell line and human kidney cell line, pretreatment with 0.3 µg/mL rhMYDGF for 24 h significantly downregulated oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via the phosphorylation of Akt, which could be ameliorated by LY294002. CONCLUSIONS: rhMYDGF protects kidney from I/R injury by attenuating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis through the activation of the Akt pathway.

2D CoOOH Sheet-Encapsulated Ni2P into Tubular Arrays Realizing 1000 mA cm-2-Level-Current-Density Hydrogen Evolution Over 100 h in Neutral Water.

Water electrolysis at high current density (1000 mA cm-2 level) with excellent durability especially in neutral electrolyte is the pivotal issue for green hydrogen from experiment to industrialization. In addition to the high intrinsic activity determined by the electronic structure, electrocatalysts are also required to be capable of fast mass transfer (electrolyte recharge and bubble overflow) and high mechanical stability. Herein, the 2D CoOOH sheet-encapsulated Ni2P into tubular arrays electrocatalytic system was proposed and realized 1000 mA cm-2-level-current-density hydrogen evolution over 100 h in neutral water. In designed catalysts, 2D stack structure as an adaptive material can buffer the shock of electrolyte convection, hydrogen bubble rupture, and evolution through the release of stress, which insure the long cycle stability. Meanwhile, the rich porosity between stacked units contributed the good infiltration of electrolyte and slippage of hydrogen bubbles, guaranteeing electrolyte fast recharge and bubble evolution at the high-current catalysis. Beyond that, the electron structure modulation induced by interfacial charge transfer is also beneficial to enhance the intrinsic activity. Profoundly, the multiscale coordinated regulation will provide a guide to design high-efficiency industrial electrocatalysts.

Amino group decorated coordination polymers for enhanced detection of folic acid.

A series of fluorescent coordination polymers (CPs) {[Cd2(CH3-bpeb)2(BDC)2] CP1, (BDC)0.5/(NH2-BDC)0.5-CP1, (BDC)0.34/(NH2-BDC)0.66-CP1, (BDC)0.25/(NH2-BDC)0.75-CP1, (BDC)0.2/(NH2-BDC)0.8-CP1, (NH2-BDC)-CP1} were prepared from conjugated ligand 4,4'-((2-methyl-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl))bipyridine (CH3-bpeb), terephthalic acid (BDC), aminoterephthalic acid (NH2-BDC) and CdSO4 under solvothermal conditions. The fluorescence of aqueous suspensions of these CPs was quenched by folic acid (FA) in a concentration dependent manner. The efficiency of quenching increasing with an increased proportion of NH2-BDC ligand in the CP with (NH2-BDC)-CP1 exhibiting a low detection limit of 1.7 × 10-7 M.

[Extraction of surface active substance and analysis of demulsifying characteristics for the demulsifying strain Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1].

Extraction and identification of surface active substance of Alcaligenes sp. S-XJ-1, as well as description of its emulsion breaking process were conducted to reveal the demulsifying characteristics of this demulsifying strain. Alkali solvent was adopted in the extraction process with conditions optimized as 35 degrees C, 0.08 mol x L(-1) of alkali concentration, 12 g x L(-1) of sample to solution ratio, and 4 h of extraction time by launching both single-factor and orthogonal tests. Under this optimal condition, the extracted surface active substance (the extraction ratio was 36.1%) achieved 77% emulsion breaking ratio for 500 mg x L(-1) within 48 h. FT-IR showed the existence of glycolipids, lipids and proteins in the surface active substance, the molecular weight of which mainly scattered between 55 and 61 256. Saccharides, lipids and proteins were identified as the three chief components in surface active substance with the content of 22.2%, 7.5% and 13.4%, respectively. The proteins were further proved to take the most responsibility for the emulsion breaking ability. Moreover, obvious difference in the emulsion breaking process was demonstrated between the original demulsifying strain S-XJ-1 and the extracted surface active substance by real time observation of Turbiscan Lab Expert. The results suggested that the demulsifying efficiency of the strain was jointly contributed by its surface active substance and demulsifying cell morphology, and the former possessed higher functional priority than the latter.