Pirfenidone inhibits TGF-ß1-induced metabolic reprogramming during epithelial-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer.

Metastasis is an important contributor to increased mortality rates in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The TGF-ß signalling pathway plays a crucial role in facilitating tumour metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Glycolysis, a key metabolic process, is strongly correlated with NSCLC metastasis. Pirfenidone (PFD) has been shown to safely and effectively inhibit TGF-ß1 in patients with lung diseases. Furthermore, TGF-ß1 and glycolysis demonstrate an interdependent relationship within the tumour microenvironment. Our previous study demonstrated that PFD effectively inhibited glycolysis in NSCLC cells, prompting further investigation into its potential antitumour effects in this context. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the potential antitumour effect of PFD in NSCLC and explore the relationship among TGF-ß1, glycolysis and EMT through further experimentation. The antitumour effects of PFD were evaluated using five different NSCLC cell lines and a xenograft tumour model. Notably, PFD demonstrated a significant antitumour effect specifically in highly glycolytic H1299 cells. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we compared the efficacy of PFD after pretreatment with either TGF-ß1 or a TGF-ß receptor inhibitor (LY2109761). The energy metabolomics analysis of tumour tissue demonstrated that PFD, a chemosensitizing agent, reduced lactate and ATP production, thereby inhibiting glycolysis and exerting synergistic antineoplastic effects. Additionally, PFD combined with cisplatin targeted TGF-ß1 to inhibit glycolysis during EMT and enhanced the chemosensitization of A549 and H1299 cells. The magnitude of the anticancer effect exhibited by PFD was intricately linked to its metabolic properties.

Enhanced T cell immune activity mediated by Drp1 promotes the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in treating lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission plays important roles in the activation, proliferation, and migration of T cells. METHODS: We investigated the synergistic effect of Drp1-mediated T cell antitumor activities and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade for treating lung cancer through in vitro co-culture experiments and an in vivo nude mouse xenograft model. RESULTS: High expression levels of Drp1 positively regulated T cell activation, enhanced T cell-induced suppression of lung cancer cells, promoted CD8+ T cell infiltration in the tumor and spleen, and significantly enhanced the antitumor immune response of the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab. The mechanism of this synergistic antitumor effect involved the secretion of immune killing-related cytokines and the regulation of the PD-1-ERK/Drp1 pathway in T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that modifying Drp1 expression in T cells could serve as a potential therapeutic target for enhancing the antitumor immune response in future immunotherapies.

Rhein exerts anti-multidrug resistance in acute myeloid leukemia via targeting FTO to inhibit AKT/mTOR.

Chemotherapy failure and resistance are the leading causes of mortality in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the role of m6A demethylase FTO and its inhibitor rhein in AML and AML drug resistance is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antileukemic effect of rhein on AML and explore its potential mechanisms underlying drug resistance. Bone marrow fluid was collected to assess FTO expression in AML. The Cell Counting Kit 8 reagent was used to assess cell viability. Migration assays were conducted to assess the cell migration capacity. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptotic effects of rhein and western blot analysis was used to detect protein expression. Online SynergyFinder software was used to calculate the drug synergy scores. The in-vivo antileukemic effect of rhein was assessed in an AML xenograft mouse model. We analyzed different types of AML bone marrow specimens to confirm that FTO is overexpressed in AML, particularly in cases of multidrug resistance. Subsequently, we conducted in-vivo and in-vitro investigations to explore the pharmacological activity and mechanism of rhein in AML and AML with multidrug resistance. The findings demonstrated that rhein effectively suppressed the proliferation and migration of AML cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis. Rhein targets FTO, inhibits the AKT/mTOR pathway, and exhibits synergistic antitumor effects when combined with azacitidine. This study elucidates the significant role of FTO and its inhibitor rhein in AML and AML with multidrug resistance, providing new insights for overcoming multidrug resistance in AML.

Pirfenidone suppressed triple-negative breast cancer metastasis by inhibiting the activity of the TGF-ß/SMAD pathway.

Among breast cancer patients, metastases are the leading cause of death. Despite decades of effort, little progress has been made to improve the treatment of breast cancer metastases, especially triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The extracellular matrix plays an important role in tumour growth and metastasis by causing its deposition, remodelling, and signalling. As we know, the process of fibrosis results in excessive amounts of extracellular matrix being deposited within the cells. So, it will be interesting to study if the use of anti-fibrotic drugs in combination with conventional chemotherapy drugs can produce synergistic antitumor effects. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of Pirfenidone (PFD), an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, on TNBC cells as well as its anti-tumour effects in xenograft tumour model. PFD inhibited in a dose-dependent manner breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while promoted their apoptosis in vitro. PFD also suppressed TGF-ß-induced activation of Smad signalling pathway and expression level of EMT-inducing transcription factors (e.g. SNAI2, TWIST1, ZEB1) as well as the mesenchymal genes such as VIMENTIN and N-Cadherin. On the contrary, the expression level of epithelial marker gene E-Cadherin was up-regulated in the presence of PFD. In vivo, PFD alone exerted a milder but significant anti-tumour effect than the chemotherapy drug nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) did in the breast cancer xenograft mouse model. Interestingly, PFD synergistically boosted the cancer-killing effect of nab-PTX. Furthermore, Our data suggest that PFD suppressed breast cancer metastasis by inhibiting the activity of the TGFß/SMAD pathway.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-derived mesenchymal stem cells induce chemoresistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-like program in AML through IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has a high rate of treatment failure due to increased prevalence of therapy resistance. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the leukemia microenvironment contribute to chemoresistance in AML, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. The critical role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like profile in AML chemoresistance has been gradually recognized. However, there is no research to suggest that the AML-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (AML-MSCs) induce the EMT program in AML thus far. We isolated AML-MSCs and cocultured them with AML cells. We found that AML-MSCs induced a significant mesenchymal-like morphology in drug-resistant AML cells, but it was scarce in parental AML cells. The AML-MSCs promoted growth of AML cells in the presence or absence of chemotherapeutics in vitro and in vivo. Acute myeloid leukemia MSCs also induced EMT marker expression in AML cells, especially in chemoresistant AML cells. Mechanistically, AML-MSCs secreted abundant interleukin-6 (IL-6) and upregulated IL-6 expression in AML cells. Acute myeloid leukemia cells upregulated IL-6 expression in AML-MSCs in turn. Meanwhile, AML-MSCs activated the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in AML cells. Two JAK/STAT pathway inhibitors counteracted the AML-MSCs induced morphology change and EMT marker expression in AML cells. In conclusion, AML-MSCs not only promote the emergence of chemoresistance but also enhance it once AML acquires chemoresistance. AML-MSCs induce EMT-like features in AML cells; this phenotypic change could be related to chemoresistance progression. AML-MSCs induce the EMT-like program in AML cells through IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling, which provides a therapeutic target to reverse chemoresistance in AML.

The transcription factor GhWRKY70 from gossypium hirsutum enhances resistance to verticillium wilt via the jasmonic acid pathway.

BACKGROUND: The WRKY transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth, development, and defense responses. However, in cotton, the molecular mechanism of most WRKY proteins and their involvement in Verticillium wilt tolerance are not well understood. RESULTS: GhWRKY70 is greatly up-regulated in cotton by Verticillium dahliae. Subcellular localization suggests that GhWRKY70 is only located in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation of GhWRKY70 further demonstrates that GhWRKY70 function as a transcriptional activator. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GhWRKY70 exhibited better growth performance and higher lignin content, antioxidant enzyme activities and jasmonic acid (JA) levels than wild-type plants after infection with V. dahliae. In addition, the transgenic Arabidopsis resulted in an enhanced expression level of AtAOS1, a gene related to JA synthesis, further leading to a higher JA accumulation compared to the wild type. However, the disease index (DI) values of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:WRKY70 were also significantly higher than those of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:00. The chlorophyll and lignin contents of TRV:WRKY70 plants were significantly lower than those of TRV:00 plants. GhAOS1 expression and JA abundance in TRV:WRKY70 plants were decreased. The GhWRKY70 protein was confirmed to bind to the W-box element in the promoter region of GhAOS by yeast one-hybrid assay and transient expression. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the GhWRKY70 transcription factor is a positive regulator in Verticillium wilt tolerance of cotton, and may promote the production of JA via regulation of GhAOS1 expression.

Rational application of EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: To determine the role and rational application of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) adjuvant therapy in patients with completely resected stage IB-IIIA EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHOD: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the survival outcomes between adjuvant EGFR-TKIs and adjuvant chemotherapy or a placebo, or between different EGFR-TKI treatment durations for resected NSCLC, were eligible for inclusion. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effective measures using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Subgroup analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Eleven RCTs involving 2102 EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with or without EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy were included. For all stage IB-IIIA NSCLC patients, EGFR-TKIs adjuvant therapy could not only significantly improve DFS (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30-0.63, P < 0.001) and 2- and 3-year DFS rates, but also improve OS (HR 0.72, 95% CI, 0.54-0.96, P = 0.024), compared with chemotherapy or the placebo. Further subgroup analyses indicated prolonged OS from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy in stage III patients, compared with chemotherapy or the placebo (HR for OS, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.63; P = 0.001). Of note, osimertinib adjuvant therapy led to the OS benefit expanding from stage III to stage II-III patients, with significantly improved DFS and a lower risk of brain recurrence, compared with the placebo. A 2-year treatment duration with EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy showed a significantly lower recurrence risk than a ≤ 1-year duration. CONCLUSION: The DFS advantage from first-generation EGFR-TKI adjuvant therapy can translate into an OS benefit in stage III NSCLC patients. Osimertinib might be more suitable for adjuvant therapy than first-generation EGFR-TKIs, because of the lower recurrence rate and the potential OS benefit even in early-stage patients. The optimal treatment duration for EGFR-TKIs at different stages of disease needs to be validated.

Absorption, metabolism, bioactivity, and biotransformation of epigallocatechin gallate.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a typical flavone-3-ol polyphenol containing eight free hydroxyl groups, is associated with a variety of bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antibacterial activities. However, the poor bioavailability of EGCG restricts its use. In this review, we discuss the processes involved in the absorption and metabolism of EGCG, with a focus on its metabolic interactions with the gut microbiota. Next, we summarize the bioactivities of some key metabolites, describe the biotransformation of EGCG by different microorganisms, and discuss its catabolism by specific bacteria. A deeper understanding of the absorption, metabolism, and biotransformation of EGCG may enable its disease-preventive and therapeutic properties to be better utilized. This review provides a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of EGCG and its metabolites for improving the gut microbiota and physiological health.

Glycolate oxidase gene family identification and functional analyses in cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt.

Glycolate oxidase (GOX) plays an important role in the regulation of photorespiration and photosynthesis in plants. However, as one of the main enzymes to produce the second messenger hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), its functions in response to pathogens are still poorly understood. In this study, we carried out genome-wide identification, and 14 GOX genes were identified in Gossypium hirsutum. These GOX genes are located on 10 chromosomes and divided into hydroxyacid-oxidases (HAOX) and GOX groups. After infection with Verticillium dahliae Kleb., six GOX gene expression levels were changed. Moreover, H2O2, salicylic acid (SA), and the content and activity of GOX increased in cotton. GhHAOX2-D-silenced plants showed more wilting than control plants after infection with V. dahliae. Additionally, H2O2 accumulation and SA content were reduced in GhHAOX2-D-silenced plants. The expression levels of GhPAL, GhPAD4, and GhPR1 and the lignin content of the silenced plants were significantly lower than those of the control plants. These results indicate that GhHAOX2-D is a positive regulator of Verticillium wilt tolerance in cotton and may promote H2O2 accumulation via the synergistic effects of GOX genes and SA. Collectively, GOX genes play an important role in cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt.

Conditional deletion of mTOR discloses its essential role in early B-cell development.

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine-threonine kinase and central regulator of cell growth, differentiation, and survival. mTOR is commonly hyperactivated in a diverse number of cancers and critical roles for mTOR in regulating immune cell differentiation and function have been demonstrated. However, there is little work investigating the roles of mTOR in early B-cell development. Here we demonstrate that conditional disruption of mTOR in developing mouse B cells results in reduced pre-B-cell proliferation and survival, as well as a developmental block at the pre-B-cell stage, with a corresponding lack of peripheral B cells. Upon immunization with NP-CGG antigen, mice with Mtor conditional disruption in early B cells lost their ability to form germinal centers and produce specific antibodies. In competitive BM repopulation assays, donor BM cells from conditional knock-out mice were completely impaired in their ability to reconstitute B cells. Our data reveal the essential role of mTOR in early pre-B-cell development and survival.

Relationship between Antithrombin III Activity and Mortality in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

We aimed to explore the role of antithrombin III (AT-III) activity in diagnosing patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and chronic bronchitis, and its relationship with all-cause mortality of AECOPD patients. We performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of the factors determining all-cause mortality. We recruited 279 patients with AECOPD and 91 with chronic bronchitis. On admission, patients with AECOPD had lower AT-III activity (80.7 vs. 86.35%, p = 0.002) and higher neutrophil percentages (70.12 vs. 66.40%, p = 0.02) than those with chronic bronchitis. The patients who died were older (78 vs. 73 years, p < 0.001); had higher CRP (39.05 vs. 5.65 mg/L, p < 0.001), D-dimer (1.72 vs. 0.46 mg/L, p < 0.001), FIB (3.56 vs. 3.05 g/L, p = 0.01) levels; and exhibited lower AT-III activity (71.29 vs. 82.94%, p < 0.001) than the survivors. The AT-III area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting COPD all-cause mortality was 0.75 (p < 0.001), optimal cutoff point 79.75%, sensitivity 86.8%, and specificity 57.1%. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that increased levels of CRP (HR = 1.005, p = 0.02), D-dimer (HR = 1.17, p = 0.01), WBC count (HR = 1.11, p = 0.002), and reduced AT-III activity (HR = 0.97, p = 0.02) were independent prognostic factors for all-cause mortality. Patients with AT-III ≤ 79.75% were 4.52 times (p = 0.001) more likely to die than those with AT-III > 79.75%. AT-III activity was lower in patients with AECOPD than in those with chronic bronchitis and is potentially useful as an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with AECOPD: reduced AT-III activity and increased CRP and D-dimer levels indicate a higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Short-term outcomes and safety of radiotherapy for immediate breast reconstruction with autologous flap transfer following breast-conserving surgery.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of immediate autologous breast reconstruction (IABR) after partial mastectomy followed by postoperative radiotherapy (RT) in terms of aesthetics, treatment-related complications, and local control are unclear. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of IABR after partial mastectomy with or without breast RT, and thus the impact of radiation on autologous flap transfer. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study involving consecutive breast cancer patients who underwent IABR after partial mastectomy between July 2011 and December 2017 at Shengjing Hospital was performed. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not they received RT after IABR. We compared aesthetic outcomes and changes in the flap size over the three-dimensional coordinates at various timepoints (pre-RT, 1, 6, and 12 months post-RT), as well as postoperative complications, survival, and recurrence rates between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, 84 breast cancer patients were enrolled, with 32 patients in the RT group and 52 in the non-RT group. At a median follow-up time of 33.3 months, no significant difference was found in the rate of regional recurrence between the two groups (3.13% vs. 3.85%, P = 1.00), and no local recurrences occurred in either group. At the timepoints pre-RT, 1, and 6 months post-RT (approximately 4, 7, and 12 months after IABR, respectively), 77 (91.7%), 70 (83.3%), and 83 (98.8%) patients, respectively, had achieved very good or good cosmetic outcomes, and only changes in breast skin color at 1 month after RT significantly differed between the RT and non-RT groups, with very good or good cosmetic result rates of 62.5% vs. 96.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). No significant difference in the reduction of flap size was observed at any timepoint between the two groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rates of postoperative complications including necrosis of the flap, infection, hematoma, or seroma (all P > 0.05). Additionally, no grade 3 or greater RT-associated adverse events occurred during or after RT. CONCLUSION: RT following IABR provides aesthetically satisfactory results without intolerable adverse complications and may safely be performed in patients who underwent IABR after partial mastectomy.

Clinical option of pemetrexed-based versus paclitaxel-based first-line chemotherapeutic regimens in combination with bevacizumab for advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer and optimal maintenance therapy: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

BACKGROUND: In the era of immunotherapy, it is still unclear which is the best first-line therapy for patients with oncogenic driver negative advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC) who cannot tolerate immunotherapy, or subsequent therapy for patients with oncogenic driver positive NS-NSCLC whose disease progressed on prior targeted therapy. To assess the optimal choice of first-line and maintenance treatment regimens, we performed a meta-analysis of prospective randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of patients with NS-NSCLC on bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy. METHODS: All eligible RCTs comparing pemetrexed-platinum with or without bevacizumab (PP ± B) and paclitaxel-carboplatin with bevacizumab (PC + B) as a first-line therapy, or comparing bevacizumab plus pemetrexed (Pem + B) and bevacizumab alone (B) as a maintenance treatment for advanced NS-NSCLC, were included after systematically searching web databases and meeting abstracts. The main research endpoints were comparisons of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The other endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), 1-year PFS rate (PFSR1y) and major grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events. RESULTS: Data of 3139 patients from six RCTs were incorporated into analyses. Three RCTs were included in an analysis that compared PP ± B and PC + B as a first-line therapy for advanced NS-NSCLC. Patients treated with first-line PP ± B showed similar OS and ORR, but significantly improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88) and PFSR1y (risk ratio [RR], 0.83), as compared to patients treated with PC + B (all P < 0.05). PP ± B resulted in higher rates of grade 3/4 anemia and thrombocytopenia, but lower rates of neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, and sensory neuropathy than PC + B (all P < 0.001). The other three RCTs were included in an analysis that compared Pem + B and B as a maintenance treatment. Compared with B, Pem + B maintenance treatment resulted in significant improvements in OS (HR, 0.88), PFS (HR, 0.64), and PFSR1y (RR, 0.70), but higher rates of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although the first-line PP + B regimen had longer PFS and PFSR1y than the PC + B regimen, no OS difference was observed. Addition of pemetrexed to bevacizumab as maintenance therapy significantly improved OS compared with bevacizumab maintenance alone, but led to more toxicity.

The transcription factor MZF1 differentially regulates murine Mtor promoter variants linked to tumor susceptibility.

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR) is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase that critically regulates cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Previously, we have implicated Mtor as a plasmacytoma-resistance locus, Pctr2, in mice. Here, we report that administration of the tumor-inducing agent pristane decreases Mtor gene expression to a greater extent in mesenteric lymph nodes of BALB/cAnPt mice than of DBA/2N mice. We identified six allelic variants in the Mtor promoter region in BALB/cAnPt and DBA/2N mice. To determine the effects of these variants on Mtor transcription, we constructed a series of luciferase reporters containing these promoter variants and transfected them into mouse plasmacytoma cells. We could attribute the differences in Mtor promoter activity between the two mouse strains to a C → T change at the -6 position relative to the transcriptional start site Tssr 40273; a T at this position in the BALB promoter creates a consensus binding site for the transcription factor MZF1 (myeloid zinc finger 1). Results from electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNA pulldown assays with ChIP-PCR confirmed that MZF1 binds to the cis-element TGGGGA located in the -6/-1 Mtor promoter region. Of note, MZF1 significantly and differentially down-regulated Mtor promoter activity, with MZF1 overexpression reducing Mtor expression more strongly in BALB mice than in DBA mice. Moreover, MZF1 overexpression reduced Mtor expression in both fibroblasts and mouse plasmacytoma cells, and Mzf1 knockdown increased Mtor expression in BALB3T3 and NIH3T3 fibroblast cells. Our results provide evidence that MZF1 down-regulates Mtor expression in pristane-induced plasmacytomas in mice.

Attenuation of immune-mediated bone marrow damage in conventionally housed mice.

In humans, bone marrow (BM) failure syndromes, both constitutional and acquired, predispose to myeloid malignancies. We have modeled acquired immune aplastic anemia, the paradigmatic disease of these syndromes, in the mouse by infusing lymph node cells from specific pathogen-free (SPF) CD45.1 congenic C57BL/6 (B6) donors into hybrid CByB6F1 recipients housed either in conventional (CVB) or SPF facilities. The severity of BM damage was reduced in CVB recipients; they also had reduced levels of CD44+ CD62L- effector memory T cells, reduced numbers of donor-type CD44+ T cells, and reduced expansion of donor-type CD8 T cells carrying T-cell receptor ß-variable regions 07, 11, and 17. Analyses of fecal samples through 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing revealed greater gut microbial alpha diversity in CVB mice relative to that of SPF mice. Thus, the presence of a broader spectrum of gut microorganisms in CVB-housed CByB6F1 could have primed recipient animal's immune system leading to suppression of allogeneic donor T-cell activation and expansion and attenuation of host BM destruction. These results suggest the potential benefit of diverse gut microbiota in patients receiving BM transplants.

Strong Interface Construction of Carbon Fiber-reinforced PEEK Composites: An Efficient Method for Modifying Carbon Fiber with Crystalline PEEK.

In order to improve the poor solvent resistance and poor temperature resistance caused by traditional sizing agents, crystalline poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is introduced to the interfacial phases of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced PEEK composites by a soluble precursor named PEEK-1,3-dioxolane. By changing the soluble precursor molecular weight and concentration in the sizing solution, the content of PEEK coated on the CF fiber surface can be controlled and the different interfacial properties of the PEEK composites can be obtained. The results shows that, with this method, crystalline PEEK can be completely coated on the CF surface, and the interfacial shear strength of the PEEK composites increases from 43.42 to 83.13 MPa. Due to none of any soluble compounds in the PEEK composites, the interfacial layer is well preserved under organic solvents and hygrothermal conditions, and the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the PEEK composites maintained above 85.4% and 90.44%, respectively. Scanning electron microscope clarifies that the mechanism of interface enhancement comes from a better wetting of crystalline PEEK on the fiber surface. Additionally, the sizing system of this investagation has the potential commercial value because of no toxic reagent (such as 2,4,5-trichloro-1-hydroxy-benzene or concentrated sulfuric acid) is required during sizing.

First report of cyst nematode (Heterodera elachista) on Zea mays in Gansu Province, China.

The cyst nematodes are important plant-parasitic nematodes and make detrimental economic impacts worldwide. Heterodera elachista attacks rice in Japan (Ohshima 1974), Iran (Tanha et al. 2004) and China (Ding et al. 2012) and also attacks corn in Italy (De Luca et al. 2013) and northeast China (Xiao et al. 2019). Considering this nematode can infect these two most important crops with high reproduction rates, special attention should be paid to avoid its spread to new areas by soil, water, and agricultural practices. A survey for cyst nematodes was performed in fields of corn seed for propagation in September 2018 in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, which is the biggest corn seed production base in China. One hundred seventy four samples were collected by the zig-zag method in about 25 ha corn fields. Each soil sample containing approximately 1 kg soil in total was from the mixture of 20 cores (20 cm in depth and 0.2 cm in diameter). Cysts were detected in 6 out of 174 samples using the sieving-decanting method (Byrd et al. 1983). The six samples from ~ 1.2 ha corn fields in which plants displayed symptoms of dwarf, yellow leaves and earlier wilting had an average of 14 ± 2.8 cysts per 100 g soil. The cysts (n = 30) were dark brown, spherical to lemon shape, protruding, tapered vulva with ambifenestrae separated by a vulva slit, obvious and medium-sized underbridge, few dark-brown vesicles and clear swollen protrusion around underbridge and cyst cuticle with a zigzag pattern. Morphological measurements of the cysts included body length (excluding neck) (range =359.4 to 498.6 µm, mean = 429.5 ± SD 39.3 µm), vulva slit length (34.3 to 42.8, 37.9 ± 2.5), fenestral length (31.2 to 43.8, 38.0 ± 4.4) and width (26.1 to 31.4, 29.3 ± 1.6), underbridge length (74.7 to 82.9, 78.3 ± 2.8). J2 (n = 20) had the following measurements: body length (386.6 to 454.9, 425.3 ± 21.8), stylet length (17.1 to 22.2, 19.2 ± 1.6), stylet knob width (3.4 to 4.3, 3.9 ± 0.3), tail length (50.5 to 60.5, 55.5 ± 3.3) and hyaline tail length (25.0 to 34.6, 29.1 ± 3.1). The morphological characteristics are consistent with the Italian population of H. elachista through the comparison of the measurements. DNA was extracted from a single cyst randomly chosen (n = 5) using the protocol described by Subbotin et al. (2001). The ITS-rDNA and D2/D3 fragments of the 28S rRNA were respectively amplified with universal primers pairs TW81 and AB28 (Subbotin et al. 2001) and D2A and D3B (Castillo et al. 2003), and sequenced (Tsingke Biological Technology, Beijing, China). The consensus ITS sequence (GenBank Accession No. MN699476, 1037 bp) had 98.37 to 99.60% similarity with the H. elachista from corn in Italy (KC618469) and in China (MH712504), and from rice in China (HM560778) and in Iran (AF498391). The D2/D3 sequence (GenBank Accession No. MN699477, 746 bp) exhibited 99.60 to 99.73% similarity with that of H. elachista from rice in China (JN202922, HM560842), and from corn in Italy (KC618462). This nematode population was identified as H. elachista according to the morphological and molecular features. Twenty-day-old corn seedling (cv. Tiannuo) was inoculated with 3000 J2 and eggs in a pot filled with sterile soil. Eight plants were inoculated and two uninoculated plants were used as controls. J2 were found in the stained roots at 10 d after inoculation and J4 were detected at 30 d. These inoculated plants exhibited yellowing and dwarfing similar to the symptoms observed initially in the field, and the control grew normally. After 60 d, the average of 28 cysts were detected from each inoculated plant. This is the first report of H. elachista in Gansu Province, northwest China.

Conventional Co-Housing Modulates Murine Gut Microbiota and Hematopoietic Gene Expression.

Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice have improved hematopoietic characteristics relative to germ-free mice, however, it is not clear whether improvements in hematopoietic traits will continue when the level of microorganism exposure is further increased. We co-housed SPF C57BL/6 mice in a conventional facility (CVT) and found a significant increase in gut microbiota diversity along with increased levels of myeloid cells and T cells, especially effector memory T cells. Through single cell RNA sequencing of sorted KL (c-Kit+Lin-) cells, we imputed a decline in long-term hematopoietic stem cells and an increase in granulocyte-monocyte progenitors in CVT mice with up-regulation of genes associated with cell survival. Bone marrow transplantation through competitive repopulation revealed a significant increase in KSL (c-Kit+Sca-1+Lin-) cell reconstitution in recipients of CVT donor cells which occurred when donors were co-housed for both one and twelve months. However, there was minimal to no gain in mature blood cell engraftment in recipients of CVT donor cells relative to those receiving SPF donor cells. We conclude that co-housing SPF mice with mice born in a conventional facility increased gut microbiota diversity, augmented myeloid cell production and T cell activation, stimulated KSL cell reconstitution, and altered hematopoietic gene expression.

First report of potato rot nematode, Ditylenchus destructor Thorne, 1945 infecting Codonopsis pilosula in Gansu province, China.

In November 2019, stem nematode was found on Codonopsis pilosula in Tanchang county, Gansu province, China. The population of stem nematode was identified on the basis of both molecular and morphological methods. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of this nematode population matched with Ditylenchus destructor Thorne, 1945. The sequences of rDNA-ITS and D2/D3 region of 28S-rRNA similarity with the D. destructor. The pathogenicity results revealed the symptom of dry rot on C. pilosula was caused by this nematode. To our knowledge, this is the first report that D. destructor on C. pilosula in China.

Knockdown of miR-429 Attenuates Aß-Induced Neuronal Damage by Targeting SOX2 and BCL2 in Mouse Cortical Neurons.

Accumulation of amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) and massive neuronal death due to apoptosis were the essential steps in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). MiR-429 was reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. However, the detailed function and underlying molecular mechanism of miR-429 in the pathogenesis of AD remain elusive. Cortical neurons were stimulated with 20 µM of Aß25-35 for 24 h to construct AD model in vitro. qRT-PCR assay was used to detect the expression of miR-429, and qRT-PCR or western blot analysis were performed to assess the levels of Sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) and B cell lymphoma-2 protein (BCL2) at mRNA or proteins levels in the AD mouse model and Aß-induced treated cortical neurons. Luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis were used to confirm the potential targets of miR-429. CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry analysis, and caspase3 activity assay were used to measure cell viability, cell apoptosis capacity and caspase3 activity, respectively. MiR-429 was upregulated and SOX2 and BCL2 were downregulated in the AD mouse model and Aß-induced mouse cortical neurons. MiR-429 knockdown attenuated Aß-induced cytotoxicity in mouse cortical neurons. SOX2 and BCL2 were direct targets of miR-429. Moreover, anti-miR-429-mediated neuroprotective effect was abated by the restoration of SOX2 or BCL2 expression. Knockdown of miR-429 might attenuate Aß-induced cytotoxicity by targeting SOX2 and BCL2 in mouse cortical neurons, providing a novel prospect in AD therapy.