The role of the immune system in early-onset schizophrenia: identifying immune characteristic genes and cells from peripheral blood.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) is a type of schizophrenia (SCZ) with an age of onset of < 18 years. An abnormal inflammatory immune system may be involved in the occurrence and development of SCZ. We aimed to identify the immune characteristic genes and cells involved in EOS and to further explore the pathogenesis of EOS from the perspective of immunology. METHODS: We obtained microarray data from a whole-genome mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); 19 patients with EOS (age range: 14.79 ± 1.90) and 18 healthy controls (HC) (age range: 15.67 ± 2.40) were involved. We screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the Limma software package and modular genes using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). In addition, to identify immune characteristic genes and cells, we performed enrichment analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis; we also used a random forest (RF), a support vector machine (SVM), and the LASSO-Cox algorithm. RESULTS: We selected the following immune characteristic genes: CCL8, PSMD1, AVPR1B and SEMG1. We employed a RF, a SVM, and the LASSO-Cox algorithm. We identified the following immune characteristic cells: activated mast cells, CD4+ memory resting T cells, resting mast cells, neutrophils and CD4+ memory activated T cells. In addition, the AUC values of the immune characteristic genes and cells were all > 0.7. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that immune system function is altered in SCZ. In addition, CCL8, PSMD1, AVPR1B and SEMG1 may regulate peripheral immune cells in EOS. Further, immune characteristic genes and cells are expected to be diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets of SCZ.

A multi-dimensional approach to unravel the intricacies of lactylation related signature for prognostic and therapeutic insight in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lactylation, a novel contributor to post-translational protein modifications, exhibits dysregulation across various tumors. Nevertheless, its intricate involvement in colorectal carcinoma, particularly for non-histone lactylation and its intersection with metabolism and immune evasion, remains enigmatic. METHODS: Employing immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray with clinical information and immunofluorescence on colorectal cell lines, we investigated the presence of global lactylation and its association with development and progression in colorectal cancer as well as its functional location. Leveraging the AUCell algorithm alongside correlation analysis in single-cell RNA sequencing data, as well as cox-regression and lasso-regression analysis in TCGA dataset and confirmed in GEO dataset, we identified a 23-gene signature predicting colorectal cancer prognosis. Subsequently, we analyzed the associations between the lactylation related gene risk and clinical characteristics, mutation landscapes, biological functions, immune cell infiltration, immunotherapy responses, and drug sensitivity. Core genes were further explored for deep biological insights through bioinformatics and in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Our study innovatively reveals a significant elevation of global lactylation in colorectal cancer, particularly in malignant tumors, confirming it as an independent prognostic factor for CRC. Through a comprehensive analysis integrating tumor tissue arrays, TCGA dataset, GEO dataset, combining in silico investigations and in vitro experiments, we identified a 23-gene Lactylation-Related Gene risk model capable of predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. Noteworthy variations were observed in clinical characteristics, biological functions, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, immunotherapy responses and drug sensitivity among distinct risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: The Lactylation-Related Gene risk model exhibits significant potential for improving the management of colorectal cancer patients and enhancing therapeutic outcomes, particularly at the intersection of metabolism and immune evasion. This finding underscores the clinical relevance of global lactylation in CRC and lays the groundwork for mechanism investigation and targeted therapeutic strategies given the high lactate concentration in CRC.

Virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a hospital in Shijiazhuang City from China.

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), as one of the most common drug-resistant bacteria threatening human health, is hyper-resistant to multiple antimicrobial drugs and carbapenems, which can be dealt with only limited clinical treatment options. This study described the epidemiological characteristics of CRKP in this tertiary care hospital from 2016 to 2020. Specimen sources included blood, sputum, alveolar lavage fluid, puncture fluid, secretions from a burn wound, and urine. Among the 87 carbapenem-resistant strains, ST11 was the predominant isolate, followed by ST15, ST273, ST340, and ST626. These STs were in broad agreement with the STs defined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis clustering analysis in discriminating clusters of related strains. Most CRKP isolates contained the blaKPC-2 gene, some isolates carried the blaOXA-1, blaNDM-1, and blaNDM-5 genes, and the isolates carrying carbapenem resistance genes were more resistant to the antimicrobials of ß-lactams, carbapenems, macrolides, and fluoroquinolone. The OmpK35 and OmpK37 genes were detected in all CRKP strains, and the Ompk36 gene was detected in some CRKP strains. All detected OmpK37 had 4 mutant sites, and OmpK36 had 11 mutant sites, while no mutant sites were found in OmpK35. More than half of the CRKP strains contained the OqxA and OqxB efflux pump genes. The virulence genes were most commonly combined with urea-wabG-fimH-entB-ybtS-uge-ycf. Only one CRKP isolate was detected with the K54 podoconjugate serotype. This study elucidated the clinical epidemiological features and molecular typing of CRKP, and grasped the distribution of drug-resistant genotypes, podocyte serotypes, and virulence genes of CRKP, providing some guidance for the subsequent treatment of CRKP infection.

Non-Diazo C-H Insertion Approach to Cyclobutanones through Oxidative Gold Catalysis.

Cyclobutanones are synthetically versatile compounds that often require extensive effort to access. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of cyclobutanones based on the C(sp3 )-H insertion chemistry of oxidatively generated gold carbenes. Various cyclobutanones were obtained in synthetically useful yields from substrates with minimal structural prefunctionalization. This discovery reveals new synthetic utilities of gold-catalyzed oxidative transformations of alkynones.

Effects of aberrations on effective point spread function in STED microscopy.

Like other imaging techniques, stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy suffers from aberrations. While their effects on depletion patterns have been explicitly investigated, the study on how aberrations affect the effective point spread function (PSF) in STED microscopy is still missing. For STED researchers, however, this study is beneficial, as it directly bridges image qualities and aberrations. In this paper, we quantitatively analyze the effects of primary aberrations, including astigmatism, coma, trefoil, and spherical aberration, in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) STED microscopy, and further discuss the corresponding aberration tolerance. Specifically, attention is given to the modification of the shape, the size, and the peak intensity of the effective PSF in the presence of these aberrations.

Design and Enantioselective Construction of Axially Chiral Naphthyl-Indole Skeletons.

The first enantioselective construction of a new class of axially chiral naphthyl-indole skeletons has been established by organocatalytic asymmetric coupling reactions of 2-naphthols with 2-indolylmethanols (up to 99 % yield, 97:3 e.r.). This approach not only affords a new type of axially chiral heterobiaryl backbone, but also provides a new catalytic enantioselective strategy for constructing axially chiral biaryl scaffolds by making use of the C3-electrophilicity of 2-indolylmethanols.

The Real Role of N-Heterocyclic Carbene in Reductive Functionalization of CO2: An Alternative Understanding from Density Functional Theory Study.

The mechanisms of reductive functionalization of CO2 to formamide catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) were comprehensively studied with DFT calculations. New activation mode with much lower energy barrier than those proposed before was discovered. In this reaction, NHC acts as neither a CO2 nor a silane activator, but as a precursor of the real catalyst, i.e., the in situ formed ionic liquid [NHCH](+)[Carbamate](-). In this loose contact ion pair, the negatively charged O atom of the carbamate anion becomes the new active site and is free to do nucleophilic attack. When amine is absent, CO2 will be converted into methanol. In this case, the NHC-CO2 adduct is the real catalytic species, the active site shifted from the carbene C atom to the negatively charged O atom. These new activation modes follow a pattern of "S(N)2@Si-Acceptor", in which the Si-H bond is activated via concerted backside S(N)2 nucleophilic attack by the negatively charged O atom, and the leaving hydride is directly accepted by a free CO2 molecule. The advantages of these new activation modes originate from the following points: (1) The ionic liquid [NHCH](+)[Carbamate](-) and NHC-CO2 adduct are thermodynamically more stable than NHC. (2) The active site of the NHC catalyst is extended outside a lot. Consequently, the large steric effect between the NHC arms and the substrates in transition state can be avoided to some extent. (3) The O atom has good silicon affinity. In addition, a free CO2 molecule, whose carbon atom is more electrophilic than those of the CO2 moieties in NHC-CO2 adduct and carbamate, acts as an efficient hydride acceptor.

Group Exchange between Ketones and Carboxylic Acids through Directing Group Assisted Rh-Catalyzed Reorganization of Carbon Skeletons.

The Rh(I)-catalyzed direct reorganization of organic frameworks and group exchanges between carboxylic acids and aryl ketones was developed with the assistance of directing group. Biaryls, alkenylarenes, and alkylarenes were produced in high efficiency from aryl ketones and the corresponding carboxylic acids by releasing the other molecule of carboxylic acids and carbon monoxide. A wide range of functional groups were well compatible. The exchanges between two partners were proposed to take place on the Rh-(III) center of key intermediates, supported by experimental mechanistic studies and computational calculations. The transformation unveiled the new catalytic pathway of the group transfer of two organic molecules.

Cyano-Schmittel Cyclization through Base-Induced Propargyl-Allenyl Isomerization: Highly Modular Synthesis of Pyridine-Fused Aromatic Derivatives.

The cyano-Schmittel cyclization of in situ-generated cyano-allenes has been carried out. The DFT calculation results suggest that the diradical pathway plays a major role in this cyclization. The reactions can be conveniently performed in a one-pot manner through cascade Sonogashira coupling of terminal cyano-ynes with organic halides, followed by base-promoted propargyl-allenyl isomerization/cyclization, leading to an efficient access to pyridine-fused polycyclic architectures. In particular, a large variety of aryl or heteroaryl rings such as furans, thiophenes and pyridines can be incorporated into the follow-up cyano-Diels-Alder reactions, highlighting the great synthetic utility of this chemistry.

Gold(I)-catalyzed 1,4- and/or 1,5-heteroaryl migration reactions through regiocontrolled cyclizations.

Gold(I)-catalyzed regioselective cycloisomerizations of furan-ynes have been described. The reaction provides a concise access to stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes by endo cyclization with concomitant 1,5-migration of the furanyl group in the presence of unactivated 3 Å molecular sieves. In the absence of molecular sieves, indene products are generated by exo cyclization, followed by 1,4-furanyl migration/cyclization. The scope for 1,5-migrations can be extended to other heterocycles, such as benzofurans, thiophenes, and pyrroles.

Gold-catalyzed oxidative ring expansion of 2-alkynyl-1,2-dihydropyridines or -quinolines: highly efficient synthesis of functionalized azepine or benzazepine scaffolds.

A gold-catalyzed highly regio- and chemoselective oxidative ring expansion of 2-alkynyl-1,2-dihydropyridines and its analogues using pyridine-N-oxide as the oxidant has been developed. Ring expansion proceeds through exclusive 1,2-migration of a vinyl or phenyl group, whereas no 1,2-H and 1,2-N migration take place. The reaction provides an efficient and attractive route to various types of medium-sized azepine derivatives in generally high to excellent yields with a broad functional group tolerance. DFT studies indicate that the reaction proceeds through the formation of a cyclopropyl gold intermediate, and no gold carbene species is involved.

1,3-Cationic alkylidene migration of nonclassical carbocation: a density functional theory study on gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,5-enynes containing cyclopropene moiety.

For quite a long time, nonclassical carbocations have only been regarded as special intermediates with limited cases in solvolysis reactions. However, the present work shows that in common reaction, typical nonclassical carbocations may be involved in and have significant effects on the reaction mechanisms. In this work, DFT studies have been performed on the mechanism of gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,5-enynes containing cyclopropene moiety at PBE1PBE/6-31+G**/SDD level. An unprecedented pathway containing two consecutive 1,3-cationic alkylidene migrations of nonclassical carbocation intermediates derived from norbornenyl cation, rather than the generally considered Wagner-Meerwein 1,2-alkyl migrations, was found. Detailed structural analysis shows the nature of this 1,3-cationic alkylidene migration: it is promoted by strong cation-π interaction between the cationic center and the double bond. Topological analysis shows that for certain nonclassical carbocation intermediates (1c'-A and 1c'-F), there do exist bond critical point and bond path between the cationic center and the double bond. On the basis of the mechanisms proposed, the product selectivity controlled by the substituent effects was also rationalized.

The reliability of DFT methods to predict electronic structures and minimum energy crossing point for [Fe(IV)O](OH)2 models: a comparison study with MCQDPT method.

In order to test the reliability of DFT methods for calculating electronic structures of [Fe(IV)O] system, detailed calculations of [Fe(IV)O](OH)2 models were performed for several low-energy states using multiconfiguration quasidegenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT) as well as DFT-based methods. The minimum energy crossing points (MECP) of (5)A1/(5)B2 and (3)B2/(5)B2 were investigated based on Lagrange-Newton approach. The results show that M06 functional produce energy gaps close to those of MCQDPT results. Another topic in this article is that the electron configurations of [Fe(IV)O](OH)2 models strongly depend on the type of surface ligand used, and the two lowest states of these can facile transition each other by the MECP. The practicability of M06 method in locating the MECP is validated by the results of MCQDPT which demonstrate the two-state reactivity (TSR) can be studied with proper DFT method. These inspections provide the basis for further TSR study of larger [Fe(IV)O] system.

Gold(I)-catalyzed furan-yne cyclizations involving 1,2-rearrangement: efficient synthesis of functionalized 1-naphthols and its application to the synthesis of wailupemycin†G.

Gold-catalyzed cascade cyclization/1,2-rearrangement of 1-(2-furanyl)phenyl propargyl alcohols has been developed, which provides a rapid and efficient access to multisubstituted 1-naphthols bearing an enal or enone moiety with high stereoselectivity. The (Z)- or (E)-stereochemistry can be easily controlled by choosing protected- or non-protected substrates. The utility of the methodology has been illustrated in the first total synthesis of wailupemycin G.

Investigating the L-Glu-NMDA receptor-H2S-NMDA receptor pathway that regulates gastric function in rats' nucleus ambiguus.

Background: In previous investigations, we explored the regulation of gastric function by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and L-glutamate (L-Glu) injections in the nucleus ambiguus (NA). We also determined that both H2S and L-Glu have roles to play in the physiological activities of the body, and that NA is an important nucleus for receiving visceral sensations. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential pathway link between L-Glu and H2S, resulting in the regulation of gastric function. Methods: Physiological saline (PS), L-glutamate (L-Glu, 2 nmol), NaHS (2 nmol), D-2-amino-5-phopho-novalerate (D-AP5, 2 nmol) + L-Glu (2 nmol), aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, 2 nmol) + L-Glu (2 nmol), D-AP5 (2 nmol) + NaHS (2 nmol) were injected into the NA. A balloon was inserted into the stomach to observe gastric pressure and for recording the changes of gastric smooth muscle contraction curve. The gastric fluid was collected by esophageal perfusion and for recording the change of gastric pH value. Results: Injecting L-Glu in NA was found to significantly inhibit gastric motility and promote gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.01). On the other hand, injecting the PS, pre-injection N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker D-AP5, cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) inhibitor AOAA and re-injection L-Glu did not result in significant changes (p > 0.05). The same injection NaHS significantly inhibit gastric motility and promote gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.01), but is eliminated by injection D-AP5 (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that both exogenous L-Glu and H2S injected in NA regulate gastric motility and gastric acid secretion through NMDA receptors. This suggests that NA has an L-Glu-NMDA receptor-CBS-H2S pathway that regulates gastric function.

[3,3]-Sigmatropic rearrangement versus carbene formation in gold-catalyzed transformations of alkynyl aryl sulfoxides: mechanistic studies and expanded reaction scope.

Gold-catalyzed intramolecular oxidation of terminal alkynes with an arenesulfinyl group as the tethered oxidant is a reaction of high impact in gold chemistry, as it introduced to the field the highly valued concept of gold carbene generation via alkyne oxidation. The proposed intermediacy of α-oxo gold carbenes in these reactions, however, has never been substantiated. Detailed experimental studies suggest that the involvement of such reactive intermediates in the formation of dihydrobenzothiepinones is highly unlikely. Instead, a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the initial cyclization intermediate offers a reaction path that can readily explain the high reaction efficiency and the lack of sulfonium formation. With internal alkyne substrates, however, the generation of a gold carbene species becomes competitive with the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. This reactive intermediate, nevertheless, does not proceed to afford the Friedel-Crafts-type cyclization product. Extensive density functional theory studies support the mechanistic conclusion that the cyclized product is formed via an intramolecular [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement instead of the previously proposed Friedel-Crafts-type cyclization. With the new mechanistic insight, the product scope of this versatile formation of mid-sized sulfur-containing cycloalkenones has been expanded readily to various dihydrobenzothiocinones, a tetrahydrobenzocyclononenone, and even those without the entanglement of a fused benzene ring. Besides gold, Hg(OTf)2 can be an effective catalyst, thereby offering a cheap alternative for this intramolecular redox reaction.

Reactions of iron carbenes with α,ß-unsaturated esters by using an Umpolung approach: mechanism and applications.

An Umpolung approach, in which a phosphorus ylide moiety was introduced to increase the electron density of the double bond, was developed to activate electron-deficient alkenes for reaction with electrophilic iron carbenes. In tandem with the Wittig reaction, the reactions of α,ß-unsaturated esters with in situ generated Fe-carbene complexes delivered formal C-H insertion products through cyclopropanation/ring-opening reactions. DFT calculations and cross-experiments indicate that, in this process, the ring opening of the cyclopropylmethyl ylide intermediate is rapid and reversible and the subsequent proton transfer is the rate-determining step. Further studies revealed that, based on the choice of the ylide and ester groups, as well as the base, the reaction could be steered towards either the ring-opening pathway or to the production of vinyl cyclopropanes.

Radical-mediated enzymatic carbon chain fragmentation-recombination.

The radical S-adenosylmethionine (S-AdoMet) superfamily contains thousands of proteins that catalyze highly diverse conversions, most of which are poorly understood, owing to a lack of information regarding chemical products and radical-dependent transformations. We here report that NosL, involved in forming the indole side ring of the thiopeptide nosiheptide (NOS), is a radical S-AdoMet 3-methyl-2-indolic acid (MIA) synthase. NosL catalyzed an unprecedented carbon chain reconstitution of L-tryptophan to give MIA, showing removal of the Cα-N unit and shift of the carboxylate to the indole ring. Dissection of the enzymatic process upon the identification of products and a putative glycyl intermediate uncovered a radical-mediated, unusual fragmentation-recombination reaction. This finding unveiled a key step in radical S-AdoMet enzyme-catalyzed structural rearrangements during complex biotransformations. Additionally, NosL tolerated fluorinated L-tryptophan as the substrate, allowing for production of a regiospecifically halogenated thiopeptide that has not been found among the more than 80 members of the naturally occurring thiopeptide family.

Copper-catalyzed direct ortho-alkylation of N-iminopyridinium ylides with N-tosylhydrazones.

Copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of N-tosylhydrazones with N-iminopyridinium ylides leads to the direct C-H alkylation. This direct C-H bond alkylation transformation uses inexpensive CuI as the catalyst without any ligand. The reaction is operationally simple and conducted under mild conditions, giving the corresponding alkylated pyridines in moderate to good yields. DFT calculation provides insights into the reaction mechanism, suggesting that the reaction proceeds through the Cu carbene migratory insertion process.

From N-benzoylpyridinium imides to pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridines: a mechanistic discussion on a stoichiometric Cu protocol.

A Cu-mediated preparation of 2-substitiuted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridines from N-benzoylpyridinium imides and terminal alkynes is described using stoichiometric Cu(OAc)2 as both the mediator and the oxidant. Extensive DFT calculations suggest a Cu(III) intermediate via disproportionation of Cu(II).