Ultrafast nonlinear optical response of layered violet phosphorus for femtosecond noise-like pulse generation.

As a new member of two-dimensional (2D) phosphorene, 2D layered violet phosphorus (VP) has unique optoelectronic properties and good environmental stability, showing its huge advantages in optoelectronic applications. In this paper, the ultrafast nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of layered VP nanosheets at 1 µm band were explored, which exhibit an obvious saturable absorption response with a modulation depth of ∼1.97%. Meanwhile, the fast and slow carrier lifetimes of VP nanosheets at 1µm band were also determined as 295.9 fs and 2.36 ps, respectively, which are much shorter than that of most reported 2D materials. The excellent saturable absorption response combined with ultrashort carrier lifetimes indicate the prospect of layered VP nanosheets as a fast saturable absorber (SA) for ultrafast laser modulation. Then we demonstrated a Yb-doped fiber laser based on the VP-deposited taper-shaped fiber (TSF) SA, which delivers stable Q-switched mode-locked (QSML) pulses, dual-wavelength mode-locked pulses and 404-fs noise-like pulses. This work fully demonstrates the great potential of 2D VP materials for 1 µm ultrashort laser pulse generation.

First-in-human study of GFH018, a small molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor-ß receptor I inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) is a cytokine with multiple functions, including cell growth regulation, extracellular matrix production, angiogenesis homeostasis adjustment and et al. TGF-ß pathway activation promotes tumor metastasis/progression and mediates epithelial-mesenchymal transmission suppressing immunosurveillance in advanced tumors. GFH018, a small molecule inhibitor blocking TGF-ß signal transduction, inhibits the progression and/or metastasis of advanced cancers. This first-in-human study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of GFH018 monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: This phase I, open-label, multicenter study used a modified 3+3 dose escalation and expansion design. Adult patients with advanced solid tumors failing the standard of care were enrolled. Starting at 5 mg, eight dose levels up to 85 mg were evaluated. Patients received GFH018 BID (14d-on/14d-off) starting on the 4th day after a single dose on cycle 1, day 1. Subsequent cycles were defined as 28 days. The study also explored the safety of 85 mg BID 7d-on/7d-off. Adverse events were graded using NCI criteria for adverse events (NCI-CTCAE v5.0). PK was analyzed using a noncompartmental method. Efficacy was evaluated using RECIST 1.1. Blood samples were collected for biomarker analysis. RESULTS: Fifty patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of GFH018. No dose-limiting toxicity occurred, and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Forty-three patients (86.0%) had at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE), and three patients (6.0%) had ≥ G3 TRAEs. The most common TRAEs (any grade/grade ≥3) were AST increased (18%/0%), proteinuria (14%/2%), anemia (14%/2%), and ALT increased (12%/0%). No significant cardiotoxicity or bleeding was observed. GFH018 PK was linear and dose-independent, with a mean half-life of 2.25-8.60 h from 5 - 85 mg. Nine patients (18.0%) achieved stable disease, and one patient with thymic carcinoma achieved tumor shrinkage, with the maximum target lesion decreased by 18.4%. Serum TGF-ß1 levels were not associated with clinical responses. The comprehensive recommended dose for Phase II was defined as 85 mg BID 14d-on/14d-off. CONCLUSIONS: GFH018 monotherapy presented a favorable safety profile without cardiac toxicity or bleeding. Modest efficacy warrants further studies, including combination strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial. gov ( https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ ), NCT05051241. Registered on 2021-09-02.

Recombinant human adenovirus type 5 promotes anti-tumor immunity via inducing pyroptosis in tumor endothelial cells.

Recombinant human type 5 adenovirus (H101) is an oncolytic virus used to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Owing to the deletion of the E1B-55kD and E3 regions, H101 is believed to selectively inhibit nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Whether H101 inhibits other type of tumors via different mechanisms remains unclear. In this study we investigated the effects of H101 on melanomas. We established B16F10 melanoma xenograft mouse model, and treated the mice with H101 (1 × 108 TCID50) via intratumoral injection for five consecutive days. We found that H101 treatment significantly inhibited B16F10 melanoma growth in the mice. H101 treatment significantly increased the infiltration of CD8+ T cells and reduced the proportion of M2-type macrophages. We demonstrated that H101 exhibited low cytotoxicity against B16F10 cells, but the endothelial cells were more sensitive to H101 treatment. H101 induced endothelial cell pyroptosis in a caspase-1/GSDMD-dependent manner. Furthermore, we showed that the combination of H101 with the immune checkpoint inhibitor PD-L1 antibody (10 mg/kg, i.p., every three days for three times) exerted synergic suppression on B16F10 tumor growth in the mice. This study demonstrates that, in addition to oncolysis, H101 inhibits melanoma growth by promoting anti-tumor immunity and inducing pyroptosis of vascular endothelial cells.

Photoresponse of Solution-Synthesized Graphene Nanoribbon Heterojunctions on Diamond Indicating Phototunable Photodiode Polarity.

Graphene nanoribbon heterostructures and heterojunctions have attracted interest as next-generation molecular diodes with atomic precision. Their mass production via solution methods and prototypical device integration remains to be explored. Here, the bottom-up solution synthesis and characterization of liquid-phase-processable graphene nanoribbon heterostructures (GNRHs) are demonstrated. Joint photoresponsivity measurements and simulations provide evidence of the structurally defined heterostructure motif acting as a type-I heterojunction. Real-time, time-dependent density functional tight-binding simulations further reveal that the photocurrent polarity can be tuned at different excitation wavelengths. Our results introduce liquid-phase-processable, self-assembled heterojunctions for the development of nanoscale diode circuitry and adaptive hardware.

IL-36α inhibits melanoma by inducing pro-inflammatory polarization of macrophages.

Interleukin-36α (IL-36α) is essential for various inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, whereas its role in tumor immunity is unclear. In this study, it was demonstrated that IL-36α could activate the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in macrophages, leading to the expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL5 and iNOS. Importantly, IL-36α has significant antitumor effects, altering the tumor microenvironment and promoting the infiltration of MHC IIhigh macrophages and CD8+ T cells while decreasing the levels of monocyte myeloid-derived suppressor cells, CD4+ T cells and regulatory T cells. This ultimately results in the inhibition of tumor growth and migration. Furthermore, IL-36α synergized with the PD-L1 antibody increased the immune cells infiltration and enhanced the anti-tumor effect of the PD-L1 antibody on melanoma. Collectively, this study reveals a new role for IL-36α in promoting anti-tumor immune responses in macrophages and suggests its potential for cancer immunotherapy.

The RNA helicase DDX5 promotes viral infection via regulating N6-methyladenosine levels on the DHX58 and NFκB transcripts to dampen antiviral innate immunity.

Multi-functional DEAD-box helicase 5 (DDX5), which is important in transcriptional regulation, is hijacked by diverse viruses to facilitate viral replication. However, its regulatory effect in antiviral innate immunity remains unclear. We found that DDX5 interacts with the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) writer METTL3 to regulate methylation of mRNA through affecting the m6A writer METTL3-METTL14 heterodimer complex. Meanwhile, DDX5 promoted the m6A modification and nuclear export of transcripts DHX58, p65, and IKKγ by binding conserved UGCUGCAG element in innate response after viral infection. Stable IKKγ and p65 transcripts underwent YTHDF2-dependent mRNA decay, whereas DHX58 translation was promoted, resulting in inhibited antiviral innate response by DDX5 via blocking the p65 pathway and activating the DHX58-TBK1 pathway after infection with RNA virus. Furthermore, we found that DDX5 suppresses antiviral innate immunity in vivo. Our findings reveal that DDX5 serves as a negative regulator of innate immunity by promoting RNA methylation of antiviral transcripts and consequently facilitating viral propagation.

siRNA-induced CD44 knockdown suppresses the proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer stem cells through inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

CD44 has shown prognostic values and promising therapeutic potential in multiple human cancers; however, the effects of CD44 silencing on biological behaviors of cancer stem cells (CSCs) have not been fully understood in colorectal cancer. To examine the contribution of siRNA-induced knockdown of CD44 to the biological features of colorectal CSCs, colorectal CSCs HCT116-CSCs were generated, and CD44 was knocked down in HCT116-CSCs using siRNA. The proliferation, migration and invasion of HCT116-CSCs were measured, and apoptosis and cell-cycle analyses were performed. The sensitivity of HCT116-CSCs to oxaliplatin was tested, and xenograft tumor growth assay was performed to examine the role of CD44 in HCT116-CSCs tumorigenesis in vivo. In addition, the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin and vimentin was quantified. siRNA-induced knockdown of CD44 was found to inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion, induce apoptosis, promote cell-cycle arrest at the G1/G0 phase and increase the sensitivity of HCT116-CSCs to oxaliplatin in HCT116-CSCs, and knockdown of CD44 suppressed in vivo tumorigenesis and intrapulmonary metastasis of HCT116-CSCs. Moreover, silencing CD44 resulted in EMT inhibition. Our findings demonstrate that siRNA-induced CD44 knockdown suppresses the proliferation, invasion and in vivo tumorigenesis and metastasis of colorectal CSCs by inhibiting EMT.

The upregulation of stromal antigen 3 expression suppresses the phenotypic hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma through the Smad3-CDK4/CDK6-cyclin D1 and CXCR4/RhoA pathways.

BACKGROUND: The stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) gene encodes an adhesion complex subunit that can regulate sister chromatid cohesion during cell division. Chromosome instability caused by STAG3 gene mutation may potentially promote tumor progression, but the effect of STAG3 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the related molecular mechanism are not reported in the literature. The mechanism of the occurrence and development of HCC is not adequately understood. Therefore, the biological role of STAG3 in HCC remains to be studied, and whether STAG3 might be a sensitive therapeutic target in HCC remains to be determined. METHODS: The expression and clinical significance of STAG3 in HCC tissues and cell lines were determined by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry analyses. The biological functions of STAG3 in HCC were determined through in vitro and in vivo cell function tests. The molecular mechanism of STAG3 in HCC cells was then investigated by western blot assay. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of STAG3 was lower in most HCC cells than in normal cells. Subsequently, an immunohistochemical analysis of STAG3 was performed with 126 samples, and lower STAG3 expression was associated with worse overall survival in HCC patients. Moreover, cytofunctional tests revealed that the lentivirus-mediated overexpression of STAG3 in HCC cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion; promoted apoptosis; induced G1/S phase arrest in vitro; and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, studies of the molecular mechanism suggested that the overexpression of STAG3 increased Smad3 expression and decreased CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, CXCR4 and RhoA expression. CONCLUSION: STAG3 exhibits anticancer effects against HCC, and these effects involve the Smad3-CDK4/CDK6-cyclin D1 and CXCR4/RhoA pathways. STAG3 is a tumor-suppressor gene that may serve as a potential target for molecular therapy, which provides a new idea for the treatment of HCC.

Circ_0002099 is a novel molecular therapeutic target for bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BLCA) acts as one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system without ideal therapy. We performed the present study to explore the role and mechanism of Circ_0002099 in BLCA progression. RNase R treatment assay and actinomycin D treatment assay were used to confirm the circular structure of Circ_0002099. Nuclear-cytoplasmic fractionation assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to indicate the subcellular localization of Circ_0002099. The CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound-healing assay, Transwell assay, and animal experiment were used to reveal the facilitative effect of Circ_0002099 on BLCA both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatic analysis, western blot analysis, FISH, and dual-luciferase reporter assay were conducted to demonstrate the role of Circ_0002099 in BLCA progression. The results indicated that Circ_0002099 was significantly upregulated in BLCA and could enhance the progression of BLCA in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assay and FISH assay revealed that Circ_0002099 could regulate miR-217-5p/miR-103a-3p/Kirsten RAS (KRAS) axis in BLCA. In addition, rescue experiments confirmed that miR-217-5p/miR-103a-3p could rescue the facilitative effect of Circ_0002099 on BLCA progression. Moreover, FUS (FUSed in sarcoma) was identified to regulate the Circ_0002099-miR-217-5p/miR-103a-3p/KRAS axis in BLCA progression. The present study suggested that FUS-medicated Circ_0002099 could promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in BLCA progression via miR-217-5p/miR-103a-3p/KRAS axis-WNT/ß-catenin axis. It could be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BLCA.

Gramicidin inhibits human gastric cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle and induced apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a common malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, which seriously affects human health. Gramicidin is a short peptide antibiotic which could be used for treating infection induced by bacteria or fungi. However, the anti-cancer effect of gramicidin on gastric cancer cells and its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. RESULTS: Gastric cancer cells SGC-7901, BGC-823 and normal gastric mucosal cells GES-1 were treated with different concentrations of gramicidin respectively. The results of CCK-8 experiment revealed cellular toxicity of gramicidin to cancer cells while cell colony formation assay showed that gramicidin significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, but had little effect on normal gastric mucosal cells. In addition, the wound healing assay showed that gramicidin inhibited the migration of SGC-7901 cell. Meanwhile, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis revealed that gramicidin induced cell apoptosis with G2/M cell cycle inhibition. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that gramicidin down-regulated the expression of cyclinD1 and Bcl-2 as well as the FoxO1 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: The current study illustrated the anti-tumor activity of gramicidin on gastric cancer cells, providing a possibility for gramicidin to be applied in clinical practice for the treatment of gastric cancer.

CMPD1 inhibited human gastric cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer occupies the fourth highest morbidity rate of cancers worldwide. Clinical therapies of gastric cancer remain limited because of uncertainty of mechanisms and shortness of effective medicine. Thus, new drug candidates for gastric cancer treatment is urgently needed. RESULTS: In this study, CMPD1 as a wildly used MK2 phosphorylation inhibitor was employed to find its impact on gastric cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle using colony formation assay and flow cytometry analysis. Along with its anti-proliferation effect on gastric cancer cell line MKN-45 and SGC7901, CMPD1 also induced massive apoptosis and significant G2/M phase arrest in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner in MKN-45 cells respectively. Furthermore, Western blot confirmed that the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 was decreased while BAX, cytochrome c release and cleaved PARP were increased. In addition, oncogene c-Myc was downregulated in response to CMPD1 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that CMPD1 has anti-tumor effect on human gastric cancer cell line MKN-45 possibly via downregulating oncogene c-Myc expression and CMPD1 could be applied as a potential candidate for treating gastric malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report of anti-tumor effect of CMPD-1 on human gastric cancer cells.

Efficacy and Safety of Vinorelbine Plus Cisplatin vs. Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin for Treatment of Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer After Failure with Anthracyclines and Taxanes.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of vinorelbine plus cisplatin (NP regimen) vs. gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP regimen) for treatment of metastatic TNBC after failure with anthracyclines and taxanes. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 48 patients with metastatic TNBC that failed in anthracyclines and taxanes treatment were enrolled and randomly grouped. Patients in the NP group (n=22) were given 25 mg/m² vinorelbine on days 1 and 8 and 25 mg/m² cisplatin on days 2-4 of each 21-day cycle, while subjects in the GP group (n=26) were administered 1000 mg/m² gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 and 25 mg/m² cisplatin on days 2-4 of each 21-day cycle. The treatment response and adverse events were compared between the 2 groups every 2 cycles. RESULTS The ORR, DCR, and median TTP were 45.5%, 77.3%, and 5 months in the NP group, and 46.2%, 80.8%, and 5.2 months in the GP group, and no significant differences were observed in ORR, DCR, and median TTP between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The major adverse events included grade I-II bone marrow inhibition, gastrointestinal reactions, and phlebitis, and a lower incidence of thrombocytopenia and rash and a higher incidence of phlebitis was found in the NP group than in the GP group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Either NP or GP regimen is active and tolerated in treatment of metastatic TNBC with anthracyclines and/or taxanes resistance, which may be used as a salvage treatment for metastatic TNBC.

Immature colon carcinoma transcript-1 promotes proliferation of gastric cancer cells.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor and has been considered as one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The identification of the molecular mechanism during gastric cancer progression is urgently needed, which will help to develop more effective treatment strategies. As a component of the human mitoribosome, immature colon carcinoma transcript-1 (ICT1) might be involved in tumor formation and progression. However, its biological function and the corresponding mechanism in gastric cancer have been poorly characterized. To study the mechanism of ICT1 in gastric cancer, we first investigated the mRNA levels of ICT1 in human normal and gastric cancer tissues using datasets from the publicly available Oncomine database. The results showed that ICT1 is overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues. Then in order to study the role of ICT1 in gastric cancer, two shRNAs were used to silence ICT1 in MGC80-3 and AGS cells. Functional analysis showed ICT1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and induced apoptosis. Further, mechanistic study demonstrated that ICT1 silencing induced cell-cycle arrest at G2/M phase via the suppression of cyclin A2 and cyclin B1. In addition, ICT1 silencing also increased cleaved caspase-3 and activated PARP in gastric cancer cells. These findings suggest that ICT1 may play a crucial role in promoting gastric cancer proliferation in vitro.

Medicinal chemistry aspects of fat mass and obesity associated protein: structure, function and inhibitors.

Adiposity and obesity-related proteins (FTO), the earliest identified mRNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylases, are known to play crucial roles in several biological processes. Therefore, FTO is a promising target for anticancer treatment. Understanding the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of FTO targets can serve as guidelines for drug development. Despite significant efforts to develop FTO inhibitors, no specific small-molecule inhibitors have entered clinical trials so far. In this manuscript, we review the relationship between FTO and various cancers, the small-molecule inhibitors developed against FTO targets from the perspective of medicinal chemistry and other fields, and describe their structural optimization process and structure-activity relationship, providing clues for their future development direction.

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Spontaneously Formed Ratio-Tunable Micro- and Nano-Capsule Coexist System for Precision and on-Demand Fungicide Delivery in Crop Leave.

Multiscale particle size functional pesticide carriers can provide more efficient protection for plants, but this protection is difficult to achieve via single-scale formulation technology. This study presents a novel one-step method for the preparation of lignin-based micro/nanocapsules with controllable proportions within a unified system. This strategy enables the adjustment of the proportion of nanocapsules to between 18.81% and 85.21%. The microcapsules (MCs) vary in diameter from 2 to 3 µm, whereas the nanocapsules (NCs) span from 160 to 220 nm, with an encapsulation efficiency exceeding 90%. An increased proportion of NCs in the system leads to faster release, heightened sensitivity to UV light, and enhanced penetration into the leaves. During Phytophthora capsici (P. capsici) infection, the NCs in the leaves interact with the defensive enzymes of the plant to quickly respond. Moreover, an optimal balance of MCs and NCs is key to effective fungicide use, not just a higher concentration of NCs. A 65:35 ratio of NCs to MCs ensures effective inhibition of P. capsici outside leaves and a rapid response to leaf invasion. This study enhances fungicide efficiency and advances the development of nanoresponsive fungicides to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Targeting starvation therapy for diabetic bacterial infections with endogenous enzyme-triggered hyaluronan-modified nanozymes in the infection microenvironment.

The high-glycemic microenvironment of diabetic wounds promotes bacterial proliferation, leading to persistent infections and delayed wound healing. This poses a significant threat to human health, necessitating the development of new nanodrug visualization platforms. In this study, we designed and synthesized cascade nano-systems modified with targeted peptide and hyaluronic acid for diabetic infection therapy. The nano-systems were able to target the site of infection using LL-37, and in the microenvironment of wound infection, the hyaluronic acid shell of the nano-systems was degraded by endogenous hyaluronidase. This precise degradation released a cascade of nano-enzymes on the surface of the bacteria, effectively destroying their cytoskeleton. Additionally, the metals in the nano-enzymes provided a photo-thermal effect, accelerating wound healing. The cascade nano-visualization platform demonstrated excellent bactericidal efficacy in both in vitro antimicrobial assays and in vivo diabetic infection models. In conclusion, this nano-system employs multiple approaches including targeting, enzyme-catalyzed therapy, photothermal therapy, and chemodynamic therapy to kill bacteria and promote healing. The Ag@Pt-Au-LYZ/HA-LL-37 formulation shows great potential for the treatment of diabetic wounds.

Plexin domain-containing 1 may be a biomarker of poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, may mediate immune evasion.

BACKGROUND: For the first time, we investigated the oncological role of plexin domain-containing 1 (PLXDC1), also known as tumor endothelial marker 7 (TEM7), in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AIM: To investigate the oncological profile of PLXDC1 in HCC. METHODS: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we analyzed the expression of PLXDC1 in HCC. Using immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting, we validated our results. The prognostic value of PLXDC1 in HCC was analyzed by assessing its correlation with clinicopathological features, such as patient survival, methylation level, tumor immune microenvironment features, and immune cell surface checkpoint expression. Finally, to assess the immune evasion potential of PLXDC1 in HCC, we used the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) website and immunohistochemical staining assays. RESULTS: Based on immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot assays, overexpression of PLXDC1 in HCC was associated with poor prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses indicated that PLXDC1 might be an independent prognostic factor. In HCC patients with high methylation levels, the prognosis was worse than in patients with low methylation levels. Pathway enrichment analysis of HCC tissues indicated that genes upregulated in the high-PLXDC1 subgroup were enriched in mesenchymal and immune activation signaling, and TIDE assessment showed that the risk of immune evasion was significantly higher in the high-PLXDC1 subgroup compared to the low-PLXDC1 subgroup. The high-risk group had a significantly lower immune evasion rate as well as a poor prognosis, and PLXDC1-related risk scores were also associated with a poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study analyzing PLXDC1 from multiple biological perspectives, it was revealed that it is a biomarker of poor prognosis for HCC patients, and that it plays a role in determining immune evasion status.

Salvianolic acid B induces apoptosis in human glioma U87 cells through p38-mediated ROS generation.

Salvianolic acid B (SalB), the main water-soluble bioactive compounds isolated from the traditional Chinese medical herb Danshen, has been shown to exert anti-cancer effect in several cancer cell lines. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential anti-cancer effect of SalB in human glioma U87 cells. We found that treatment with SalB significantly decreased cell viability of U87 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SalB also enhanced the intracellular ROS generation and induced apoptotic cell death in U87 cells. Western blot analysis suggested that SalB increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and p53 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, blocking p38 activation by specific inhibitor SB203580 or p38 specific siRNA partly reversed the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects, and ROS production induced by SalB treatment. The anti-tumor activity of SalB in vivo was also demonstrated in U87 xenograft glioma model. All of these findings extended the anti-cancer effect of SalB in human glioma cell lines, and suggested that these inhibitory effects of SalB on U87 glioma cell growth might be associated with p38 activation mediated ROS generation. Thus, SalB might be concerned as an effective and safe natural anticancer agent for glioma prevention and treatment.

Prognostic Model and Tumor Immune Microenvironment Analysis of Complement-Related Genes in Gastric Cancer.

Introduction: The complement system is integral to the innate and adaptive immune response, helping antibodies eliminate pathogens. However, the potential role of complement and its modulators in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Methods: This study assessed the expression, frequency of somatic mutations, and copy number variations of complement family genes in GC derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Lasso and Cox regression analyses were conducted to develop a prognostic model based on the complement genes family, with the training and validation sets taken from the TCGA-GC cohort (n=371) and the International Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort (n=433), correspondingly. The nomogram assessment model was used to predict patient outcomes. Additionally, the link between immune checkpoints, immune cells, and the prognostic model was investigated. Results: In contrast to patients at low risk, those at high risk had a less favorable outcome. The prognostic model-derived risk score was shown to serve as a prognostic marker of GC independently, as per the multivariate Cox analysis. Nomogram assessment showed that the model had high reliability for predicting the survival of patients with GC in the 1, 3, 5 years. Additionally, the risk score was positively linked to the expression of immune checkpoints, notably CTLA4, LAG3, PDCD1, and CD274, according to an analysis of immune processes. The core gene C5aR1 in the prognostic model was found to be upregulated in GC tissues in contrast to adjoining normal tissues, and patients with elevated expressed levels of C5aR1 had lower 10-year overall survival (OS) rates. Conclusion: Our work reveals that complement genes are associated with the diversity and complexity of TME. The complement prognosis model help improves our understanding of TME infiltration characteristics and makes immunotherapeutic strategies more effective.

Exploring the Correlation Between GPR176, a Potential Target Gene of Gastric Cancer, and Immune Cell Infiltration.

Introduction: GPR176, an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), is essential for the progression of gastrointestinal cancers. However, it is still unclear how GPR176 affects tumor immunity and patient prognosis in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were searched in this investigation to assess the expression patterns of GPR176 in GC tissues and normal gastric mucosa. The findings were further verified using immunohistochemical tests and quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The Kaplan-Meier method, univariate logistic regression, and Cox regression were then used to investigate the relationship between GPR176 and clinical traits. Additionally, the potential correlation between GPR176, immune checkpoint genes, and immune cell infiltration levels was investigated. Results: As per the research findings, GC tissues had higher levels of GPR176 than normal tissues. Additionally, individuals with high expression of GPR176 had a worse 10-year overall survival (OS), in contrast with those having a low expression of GPR176 (p < 0.001). The OS of GC can be predicted using a validated nomogram model. The expression of GPR176 demonstrated a negative correlation with CD8+ T cells. When compared to the low-expression group of GPR176, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) analysis demonstrated that the high-expression group had a considerably higher risk of immune evasion. A remarkable difference (variation) was observed in the levels of GPR176 expression across both groups, ie, low and high-risk groups, as determined by the immune phenomenon scores (IPS) immunotherapy assessment. Conclusion: By examining GPR176 from various biological perspectives, it was determined that GPR176 can act as a predictive biomarker for poor patient prognosis in GC. Additionally, it was observed that GPR176 is capable of suppressing the proliferation of CD8+ T cells and facilitating immune evasion.