MFN2 interacts with nuage-associated proteins and is essential for male germ cell development by controlling mRNA fate during spermatogenesis.

Mitochondria play a crucial role in spermatogenesis and are regulated by several mitochondrial fusion proteins. However, their functional importance associated with their structure formation and mRNA fate regulation during spermatogenesis remains unclear. Here, we show that mitofusin 2 (MFN2), a mitochondrial fusion protein, interacts with nuage-associated proteins (including MIWI, DDX4, TDRKH and GASZ) in mice. Conditional mutation of Mfn2 in postnatal germ cells results in male sterility due to germ cell developmental defects. Moreover, MFN2 interacts with MFN1, another mitochondrial fusion protein with a high-sequence similarity to MFN2, in testes to facilitate spermatogenesis. Simultaneous mutation of Mfn1 and Mfn2 in testes causes very severe infertile phenotypes. Importantly, we show that MFN2 is enriched in polysome fractions of testes and interacts with MSY2, a germ cell-specific DNA/RNA-binding protein, to control gamete-specific mRNA (such as Spata19) translational activity during spermatogenesis. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that MFN2 interacts with nuage-associated proteins and MSY2 to regulate male germ cell development by controlling several gamete-specific mRNA fates.

Effects of a mixture of glycerol monolaurate and cinnamaldehyde supplementation on laying performance, egg quality, and antioxidant status in laying hens.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the effects of a mixture of glycerol monolaurate and cinnamaldehyde (GCM) supplementation on the laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and serum parameters of laying hens. A total of 1120 14-week-old Jingfen-1 strain laying hens with similar performance were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments: control, and GCM groups supplemented with 250, 500, or 1000 mg kg-1 for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, GCM-supplemented groups significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the rate of unqualified eggs of laying hens aged 17-24 weeks. Supplementation of GCM significantly increased (P < 0.05) yolk color and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity but decreased (P < 0.05) the hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) content in the serum of laying hens at the age of 20 weeks. Furthermore, groups supplemented with GCM showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in Haugh unit, yolk color, activities of total superoxide dismutase and GSH-Px, and the glucose content in serum, and a decrease (P < 0.05) in the content of urea nitrogen and H2 O2 and malondialdehyde in serum of laying hens at the age of 24 weeks. 500 mg kg-1 GCM supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the number of large white follicles and 1000 mg kg-1 GCM supplementation decreased the number of large yellow follicles in 28-week-old laying hens. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that GCM supplementation has positive effects on reducing egg loss and improving egg quality in the early laying period of laying hens. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Protective effects and mechanisms of N-acetylcysteine on indomethacin-induced intestinal injury in a porcine model.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on indomethacin (IDMT)-induced intestinal injury in a piglet model and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Piglets were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: (1) control group; (2) IDMT group; (3) NAC+IDMT group. The results showed that NAC administration significantly increased the average daily gain of piglets, attenuated the intestine hyperemia, and restored normal jejunal morphology. Further studies indicated that NAC administration significantly increased plasma citrulline concentration and jejunal villin expression, but decreased the content of proinflammatory cytokines in plasma and jejunum of IDMT-stimulated piglets. NAC administration selectively decreased the proportion of eosinophils but not neutrophils in plasma. Furthermore, NAC administration significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in plasma but decreased the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (plasma) and malondialdehyde (plasma and jejunum), as well as the activity of myeloperoxidase (jejunum) when comparing NAC+IDMT group with IDMT group. Gene Ontology analysis showed that the significantly enriched molecular function term was "ubiquitin-like protein ligase binding" for NAC+IDMT versus IDMT differentially regulated genes. In the biological process category, differentially regulated genes of NAC+IDMT versus IDMT were mainly enriched in immune-related terms. The major enrichments for differentially regulated proteins (DRPs) of NAC+IDMT versus IDMT were terms involved in lipid metabolism and immune response. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that "arginine biosynthesis" was a significant enrichment term for the DRPs of NAC+IDMT versus IDMT. Further studies demonstrated that NAC administration up-regulated argininosuccinate synthase 1 mRNA expression and down-regulated arginase mRNA expression in the jejunum of IDMT-stimulated piglets. Moreover, the content of nitric oxide was restored to a normal level with the reduction of nitric oxide synthase activity. NAC administration ameliorated intestinal injury in IDMT-challenged piglets by enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions and modulating arginine metabolism in the small intestine.

WDFY1, a WD40 repeat protein, is not essential for spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice.

The mouse WD repeat and FYVE domain containing 1 (Wdfy1) gene is located in chromosome 1qC4 and spans over 73.7 kilobases. It encodes a protein of 410-amino acid protein that shares 97.8% amino acid sequence identity with the human WDFY1 protein. However, the expression pattern of WDFY1 in reproductive organs and its function in male fertility remain unknown. In this study, we generated transgenic mice expressing FLAG-Wdfy1-mCherry cDNA driven by the Wdfy1 promoter to clarify the expression of WDFY1. The results showed that WDFY1 is highly expressed in mouse testes and located in the cytoplasm of late pachytene spermatocytes to elongated spermatids. Interestingly, the global Wdfy1 knockout (KO) male mice displayed normal growth, development, and fertility. Further histological analysis of Wdfy1 knockout mouse testes revealed that all spermatogenic cells are present in Wdfy1 KO seminiferous tubules. Together, our data demonstrate that WDFY1 is dispensable for mouse spermatogenesis and male fertility.

Tumour-associated macrophages heterogeneity drives resistance to clinical therapy.

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a plastic and heterogeneous cell population of the tumour microenvironment (TME) that can account for up to 50% of solid tumours. TAMs heterogeneous are associated with different cancer types and stages, different stimulation of bioactive molecules and different TME, which are crucial drivers of tumour progression, metastasis and resistance to therapy. In this context, understanding the sources and regulatory mechanisms of TAM heterogeneity and searching for novel therapies targeting TAM subpopulations are essential for future studies. In this review, we discuss emerging evidence highlighting the redefinition of TAM heterogeneity from three different directions: origins, phenotypes and functions. We notably focus on the causes and consequences of TAM heterogeneity which have implications for the evolution of therapeutic strategies that targeted the subpopulations of TAMs.

Protein 4.1R affects photodynamic therapy for B16 melanoma by regulating the transport of 5-aminolevulinic acid.

Melanoma is the most aggressive malignant tumor of skin cancer as it can grow rapidly and metastasize. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer ablation method for skin tumors, although it lacks efficiency owing to factors such as tumor characteristics, delivery of photosensitizers, immune response in vivo etc. Extensive investigation of molecules that can potentially modulate treatment efficacy is required. Protein 4.1R is a cytoskeletal protein molecule. Previous studies have shown that protein 4.1R knockdown reduces PDT sensitivity in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. However, the functional role of protein 4.1R in melanoma is unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of protein 4.1R on PDT for melanoma in mice and the mechanism of anti-tumor immunity. Our results indicated that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated protein 4.1R knockout promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of B16 cells. We further investigated the potential mechanism of protein 4.1R on tumor cell PDT sensitivity. Our results showed that protein 4.1R knockout reduced the expression of membrane transporters γ-aminobutyric acid transporter (GAT)-1 and (GAT)-2 in B16 cells, which affected 5-ALA transmembrane transport and reduced the efficiency of PDT on B16 cells. Protein 4.1R knockout downregulated the anti-tumor immune response triggered by PDT in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggest that protein 4.1R is an important regulator in PDT for tumors and may promote the progress and efficacy of melanoma treatment.

The protein 4.1R downregulates VEGFA in M2 macrophages to inhibit colon cancer metastasis.

M2 macrophages are crucial components of the tumour microenvironment and have been shown to be closely related to tumour progression. Co-culture with 4.1R-/- M2 macrophages enhances the malignancy of colon cancer (CC), but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report that protein 4.1R knockout reduced the phagocytosis of M2 macrophages (M-CSF/IL-4-treated bone marrow cells) and promoted MC38 colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, tumour formation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which are regulated by M2 macrophages. Further mechanistic dissection revealed that the 4.1R knockout upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) secreted by M2 macrophages and promoted colon cancer progression by activating the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. In summary, our present study identified that 4.1R downregulates VEGFA secretion in M2 macrophages and delays the malignant potential of colon cancer by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway.

GOLGA4, A Golgi matrix protein, is dispensable for spermatogenesis and male fertility in mice.

During acrosome biogenesis, numerous granules formed from trans-Golgi stacks and accumulated in the concave region of the nuclear surface that is essential for acrosome formation. Several Golgi-associated proteins were involved in this process. However, the specific function of Golgi-associated proteins, especially Golgi matrix protein, during acrosome biogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we identified GOLGA4, as a Golgi matrix protein, highly expressed in mouse testes. To explore the function of GOLGA4 in spermatogenesis, we generated a Golga4 global knockout mouse line using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and demonstrated that Golga4 knockout males are fertile with normal morphology of testis and sperm. Furthermore, testicular histology showed no significant difference between WT and KO mice. Together, our data demonstrate that GOLGA4 is dispensable for mouse spermatogenesis and male fertility.

Antiproliferative effect and autophagy induction of curcumin derivative ZYX02-Na on the human lung cancer cells A549.

At present, a large number of curcumin derivatives had been produced and identified aiming to replace the curcumin in view of its low bioavailability and stability. Here, a novel curcumin derivative ZYX02-Na was first used to reduce the cell viability of human non-small cell lung cells A549, which was confirmed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Flow cytometry and Western blot analysis showed that ZYX02-Na could lead to cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, which demonstrated that ZYX02-Na inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells. Furthermore, the AMPK/mTOR/4E-BP1 signaling pathway was activated in ZYX02-Na-treated A549 cells. Besides, wounding healing and transwell experiments showed that ZYX02-Na could also inhibited the migration ability of A549 cells. Moreover, we also found that ZYX02-Na could induce autophagy of A549 cells by acridine orange staining, GFP-LC3 subcellular localization observation and Western blotting analysis, respectively. In short, our current studies indicated that ZYX02-Na possessed the antiproliferation effect and autophagy induction on A549 cells, while in vivo anticancer study of ZYX02-Na needs to be done in future.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on the energy status and antioxidant capacity in heart and liver of cold-stressed broilers.

OBJECTIVE: Cold stress induces oxidative damage and impairs energy status of broilers. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exhibits antioxidant properties and modulates energy metabolism of animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NAC on energy status and antioxidant capacity of heart and liver in the cold-stressed broilers. METHODS: The experiment consisted of 4 treatments in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with two diets (basal diet or plus 0.1% NAC) and two ambient temperatures (thermoneutral [conventional ambient temperature] or cold stress [10°C±1°C during days 15 to 42]). RESULTS: No ascites were seen in cold-stressed broilers. NAC did not attenuate the impaired growth performance of stressed birds. However, NAC decreased plasma asparagine but increased aspartate levels in cold-stressed birds (p<0.05). NAC reduced hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) but elevated adenosine diphosphate contents in unstressed birds (p< 0.05). The hepatic ratio of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to ATP was increased in birds fed NAC (p<0.05). NAC decreased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level and cardiac total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in unstressed birds, but increased hepatic activities of T-SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in stressed birds (p<0.05). NAC down-regulated hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase but up-regulated cardiac heme-oxigenase mRNA expression in stressed birds, and decreased expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor coactivator-1α as well as hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in liver and heart of birds. CONCLUSION: Dietary NAC did not affect energy status but enhanced the hepatic antioxidant capacity by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in cold-stressed broilers.

Dietary l-arginine inhibits intestinal Clostridium perfringens colonisation and attenuates intestinal mucosal injury in broiler chickens.

We investigated the effects of dietary l-arginine level and feeding duration on the intestinal damage of broilers induced by Clostridium perfringens (CP) in vivo, and the antimicrobial effect of its metabolite nitric oxide (NO) in vitro. The in vivo experiment was designed as a factorial arrangement of three dietary treatments×two challenge statuses. Broilers were fed a basal diet (CON) or a high-arginine diet (ARG) containing 1·87 % l-arginine, or CON for the first 8 d and ARG from days 9 to 28 (CON/ARG). Birds were co-infected with or without Eimeria and CP (EM/CP). EM/CP challenge led to intestinal injury, as evidenced by lower plasma d-xylose concentration (P<0·01), higher paracellular permeability in the ileum (P<0·05) and higher numbers of Escherichia coli (P<0·05) and CP (P<0·001) in caecal digesta; however, this situation could be alleviated by l-arginine supplementation (P<0·05). The intestinal claudin-1 and occludin mRNA expression levels were decreased (P<0·05) following EM/CP challenge; this was reversed by l-arginine supplementation (P<0·05). Moreover, EM/CP challenge up-regulated (P<0·05) claudin-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), toll-like receptor 2 and nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain 1 (NOD1) mRNA expression, and l-arginine supplementation elevated (P<0·05) IFN-γ, IL-10 and NOD1 mRNA expression. In vitro study showed that NO had bacteriostatic activity against CP (P<0·001). In conclusion, l-arginine supplementation could inhibit CP overgrowth and alleviate intestinal mucosal injury by modulating innate immune responses, enhancing barrier function and producing NO.

Secretions of Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus acidophilus Protect Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function.

OBJECTIVES: The secreted metabolites of probiotics are cytoprotective to intestinal epithelium and have been shown to attenuate inflammation and reduce gut permeability. The present study was designed to determine the protective effects of probiotic conditioned media (PCM) from Bifidobacterium infantis (BCM) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LCM) on interleukin (IL)-1ß-induced intestinal barrier compromise. METHODS: The epithelial barrier was determined by measuring the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) across a Caco-2 cell monolayer using a Transwell model. The paracellular permeability was determined by fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran flux. The expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 were determined using Western blot and the distribution of NF-κB p65 was determined by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: BCM and LCM induced a dose-dependent increase in Caco-2 TER after 4 and 24 hours of incubation (P < 0.05). The maximal increase of Caco-2 TER occurred at 4 hours of treatment with a PCM concentration of 15%. Preincubation with BCM and LCM for 4 hours significantly prevented the decrease of Caco-2 TER induced by 24 hours of stimulation with 10 ng/mL IL-1ß. BCM and LCM decreased paracellular permeability in both stimulated and unstimulated Caco-2 monolayers (P < 0.05). IL-1ß stimulation decreased occludin expression and increased claudin-1 expression in Caco-2 cells (P < 0.05), which was prevented in cells treated with BCM or LCM. The changes of claudin-1 expression in H4 cells were similar to Caco-2 cells in response to PCM treatment and IL-1ß stimulation; however, a similar response in occludin was not demonstrated. The IL-1ß-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in Caco-2 cells was prevented by pretreatment with both PCMs. CONCLUSIONS: BCM and LCM protected the intestinal barrier against IL-1ß stimulation by normalizing the protein expression of occludin and claudin-1 and preventing IL-1ß-induced NF-κB activation in Caco-2 cells, which may be partly responsible for the preservation of intestinal permeability.

Expression and Purification of a Functional Porcine Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 1.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) plays a vital role in the pathogen-triggered amplification loop required for proinflammatory responses. Blockade of TREM-1 signaling may inhibit expansion of sepsis and prolong survival of animals. In the present study, the gene of porcine soluble TREM-1 was cloned and expressed in E. coli. After purification, the bioactivity of recombinant porcine soluble TREM-1 was tested in vitro on porcine alveolar macrophages. The results showed that supplementation with the recombinant porcine sTREM-1 protein rapidly and dose-dependently attenuated the upregulation of cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-16, IL-18, and TNF-α) caused by LPS stimulation in the cultured porcine alveolar macrophages. These results indicate that the recombinant porcine sTREM-1 protein can prevent TREM-1-mediated hyperinflammatory responses after exposure to LPS.

Inflammatory responses to a Clostridium perfringens type A strain and α-toxin in primary intestinal epithelial cells of chicken embryos.

The causative pathogen of necrotic enteritis is the Gram-positive bacterium Clostridium perfringens. Its main cell wall component, peptidoglycan (PGN), can be recognized by Toll-like receptor 2 and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD). Consequently, the immune response is initiated via activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathway. An in vitro study was conducted to investigate chicken intestinal inflammatory responses to C. perfringens type A and one of its virulence factors, α-toxin. In primary intestinal epithelial cells, C. perfringens as well as commercially available PGN and α-toxin challenge upregulated mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) with a dosage-dependent manner at 3 h post infection (p.i.; P ≤ 0.001). Time-course effects of three stimulators at high concentration were further examined. C. perfringens infection elevated IL-6, IL-8 and iNOS levels from 1 h to 9 h p.i., while PGN treatment increased IL-6 and IL-8 expression at 1 h and 3 h p.i. (P < 0.05). Bacterial and PGN treatments induced NOD1 expression at 6 h p.i. and only bacterial infection boosted NF-κB p65 expression at 6 h and 9 h p.i. (P < 0.05). α-Toxin treatment upregulated IL-6 and IL-8 expression throughout infection, as well as iNOS, TNF-α and NF-κB p65 expression at later hours p.i. (P < 0.05). In conclusion, both C. perfringens and α-toxin challenge induced intense cytokine expression associated with NF-κB activation in chicken intestinal epithelial cells. The receptors for the recognition of PGN component of C. perfringens need further investigation.

DNA methylation and histone modification patterns during the late embryonic and early postnatal development of chickens.

Early mammalian embryonic cells have been proven to be essential for embryonic development and the health of neonates. A series of epigenetic reprogramming events, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, occur during early embryonic development. However, epigenetic marks in late embryos and neonates are not well understood, especially in avian species. To investigate the epigenetic patterns of developing embryos and posthatched chicks, embryos at embryonic day 5 (E5), E8, E11, E14, E17, and E20 and newly hatched chicks on day of life 1 (D1), D7, D14, D21 were collected. The levels of global DNA methylation and histone H3 at lysine 9 residue (H3K9) modifications were measured in samples of liver, jejunum, and breast skeletal muscles by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. According to our data, decreased levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression were found in the liver and a V-shaped pattern of proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression was found in the jejunum. The level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in muscle was relatively stable. Caspase 3 expression gradually decreased over time in liver, was stable in the jejunum, and increased in muscle. Levels of DNA methylation and H3K9 acetylation decreased in liver over time, while the pattern was N-shaped in jejunal tissue and W-shaped in pectoral muscles, and these changes were accompanied by dynamic changes of DNA methyltransferases, histone acetyltransferases 1, and histone deacetylase 2. Moreover, dimethylation, trimethylation, and acetylation of H3K9 were expressed in a time- and tissue-dependent manner. After birth, epigenetic marks were relatively stable and found at lower levels. These results indicate that spatiotemporal specific epigenetic alterations could be critical for the late development of chick embryos and neonates.

[Cloning and bioinformatic analysis and expression analysis of beta-glucuronidase in Scutellaria baicalensis].

The ß-Glucuronidase gene (sbGUS) cDNA firstly from Scutellari abaicalensis leaf was cloned by RT-PCR, with GenBank accession number KR364726. The full length cDNA of sbGUS was 1 584 bp with an open reading frame (ORF), encoding an unstable protein with 527 amino acids. The bioinformatic analysis showed that the sbGUS encoding protein had isoelectric point (pI) of 5.55 and a calculated molecular weight about 58.724 8 kDa, with a transmembrane regions and signal peptide, had conserved domains of glycoside hydrolase super family and unintegrated trans-glycosidase catalytic structure. In the secondary structure, the percentage of alpha helix, extended strand, ß-extended and random coil were 25.62%, 28.84%, 13.28% and 32.26%, respectively. The homologous analysis indicated the nucleotide sequence 98.93% similarity and the amino acid sequence 98.29% similarity with S. baicalensis (BAA97804.1), in the nine positions were different. The expression level of sGUS was the highest in root based on a real-time PCR analysis, followed by flower and stem, and the lowest was in stem. The results provide a foundation for exploring the molecular function of sbGUS involved in baicalcin biosynthesis based on synthetic biology approach in S. baicalensis plants.

Xylanase supplementation of a wheat-based diet improved nutrient digestion and mRNA expression of intestinal nutrient transporters in broiler chickens infected with Clostridium perfringens.

Necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens has become prevalent in the European Union due to the withdrawal of antibiotics in poultry feed. In an experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, 336 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were assigned to 4 groups with or without C. perfringens challenge and fed wheat-based diets supplemented with or without xylanase at 5,500 U/kg of diet. The study aimed to investigate effects of xylanase addition on growth performance as well as nutrient digestion and absorption of C. perfringens-infected broilers. Before challenge (d 0-14), xylanase-supplemented birds had greater ADG and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR; P < 0.05). During infection (d 14-21), challenge tended to decrease ADG (P = 0.063) and significantly increased FCR (P < 0.05), whereas xylanase addition greatly reduced FCR (P < 0.05). Clostridium perfringens infection decreased AME values and apparent ileal digestibility of DM of diets (P < 0.05). Xylanase supplementation increased AME values regardless of infection and apparent ileal digestibility of CP in challenged birds (P < 0.05). Activities of duodenal α-amylase and chymotrypsin and pancreatic trypsin were decreased by C. perfringens infection (P < 0.05). Xylanase supplementation elevated pancreatic chymotrypsin activity and reduced duodenal α-amylase and trypsin activities (P < 0.05). It also decreased jejunal α-amylase activity and increased pancreatic α-amylase as well as jejunal sucrase activities in uninfected birds (P < 0.05). The duodenal mRNA expression of sodium glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), H(+)-dependent peptide transporter 1 (PepT1), and liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) were downregulated (P < 0.05), but ileal SGLT1 gene expression was increased by infection (P < 0.05). Xylanase addition upregulated expression of jejunal SGLT1, PepT1, and L-FABP genes as well as ileal PepT1 and L-FABP genes in challenged broilers (P < 0.05). In conclusion, xylanase supplementation of wheat-based diets improved FCR and AME in birds irrespective of C. perfringens infection and elevated apparent ileal digestibility of CP and mRNA expression of nutrient transporters in challenged birds.

Tumor-to-stroma cd8+ t cells ratio combined with cancer-associated fibroblasts: an innovative approach to predicting lymph node metastases of cervical cancer.

PURPOSE: Precise identification of lymph node metastases is vital for the management of cervical cancer. However, the existing diagnostic methods for lymph node metastases have certain drawbacks. In this study, we aim to explore the expression of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-to-stroma CD8+ T cells ratio (CD8+ T cells T:S ratio) and its association with lymph node metastases of cervical cancer. METHODS: Hundred and ten cervical cancer tissues and 39 biopsy tissues from patients were investigated immunocytochemically for the expression of CAFs and CD8+ T cells. The statistical correlation analysis was carried out using the SPSS system. RESULTS: A strong and statistically significant negative correlation (r= - 0.690; P < 0.001) was observed between CAF density and CD8+ T cells T:S ratio. Not only were CAFs density and CD8+ T cells T:S ratio correlated with lymph node metastases respectively (P < 0.001), but the combination of them also significantly correlated with lymph node metastases (P < 0.001). Then, we constructed the combined diagnosis model (Logit (P) = - 4.446 + 0.300 × CAFs + 0.752 × CD8+ T cells T:S Ratio) of cervical cancer lymph node metastases. ROC curves analysis showed that the ROC curves areas for CAFs, CD8+ T cells T:S ratio, and a combination of both are 0.879, 0.747, and 0.951. Then, the prediction model was verified by biopsy specimens and consistent results were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of CAF density and CD8+ T cells T:S ratio has a significant predictive value for lymph node metastases in patients with cervical cancer.

Hollow magnetic vortex nanorings loaded with quercetin encapsulated in polydopamine: A high-performance, intelligent nanotheranostic platform for enhanced tumor imaging and dual thermal treatment.

Nanoparticle-mediated thermotherapeutic research strives innovative, multifunctional, efficient, and safe treatments. Our study introduces a novel nanoplatform: the hollow magnetic vortex nanorings within a polydopamine layer (HMVNp), which exhibit dual functionality as magnetic and photothermal agents. Utilizing a "Dual-mode" approach, combining an alternating magnetic field (AMF) with near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, HMVNp demonstrated a significant enhancement in heating efficacy (58 ± 8 %, SAR = 1441 vs 1032 W/g) over traditional solid magnetite nanoparticles coated with polydopamine (SMNp). The unique geometry larger surface area to volume ratio facilitates efficient magnetic vortex dynamics and enhanced heat transfer. Addressing the challenge of heat resistant heat shock protein (Hsp) expression, encapsulated quercetin (Q) within HMVNp leverages tumor acidity and dual-mode thermal therapy to enhance release, showing a 28.8 ± 6.81 % increase in Q loading capacity compared to traditional SMNp. Moreover, HMVNp significantly improves contrast for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI), with an approximately 62 % transverse relaxation (R2 = 81.5 vs 31.6 mM-1s-1 [Fe]). In vivo studies showed that while single treatments slowed tumor growth, dual-mode therapy with quercetin significantly reduced tumors and effectively prevented metastases. Our study highlights the potential of HMVNp/Q as a versatile agent in thermotherapeutic interventions, offering improved diagnostic imaging capabilities.

Dietary honokiol supplementation improves antioxidant capacity, enhances intestinal health, and modulates cecal microbial composition and function of broiler chickens.

Honokiol is a multifunctional polyphenol present in Magnolia officinalis. The effects of honokiol as a supplement in broiler chicken diets, and the underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of honokiol on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal histomorphology of broiler chickens and to explore the underlying mechanisms. In total, 240 one-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments, with 6 replicate pens and 8 birds per pen. Birds were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (blank control, BC), 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg honokiol (H100, H200, and H400), or 200 mg/kg bacitracin zinc (PC) for 42 d. The results showed that H200 and H400 increased body weight gain (BWG) and decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the starter period (P < 0.05). H100 and H200 increased total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in the serum and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) amount in the jejunum on d 42 (P < 0.05). Moreover, H100 increased villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in both the jejunum and ileum on d 21 (P < 0.05). PCR analysis showed that honokiol upregulated intestinal expression of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and downregulated intestinal expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) on d 42 (P < 0.05). The Shannon index, which represents the microbial alpha diversity, was reduced for the PC, H200, and H400 groups. Notably, honokiol treatment altered the cecal microbial community structure and promoted the enrichment of several bacteria, including Firmicutes and Lactobacillus. Higher production of short-chain fatty acids was observed in the cecal digesta of H100 birds, accompanied by an enriched glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, according to the functional prediction of the cecal microbiota. This study provides evidence that honokiol improves growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of broiler chickens, possibly by manipulating the composition and function of the microbial community.