PFAS-induced lipidomic dysregulations and their associations with developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental contaminants, posing developmental toxicity to fish and human. PFAS-induced lipid metabolism disorders were demonstrated using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo model, but the detailed changes of lipid compositions and the influence of these changes on the biological development are still unclear. Herein, lipidomics analysis was performed to reveal the dysregulations of lipid metabolism in zebrafish embryos exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) through microinjection. Various abnormal phenotypes were observed, including heart bleeding, pericardium edema, spinal curvature and increased heart rate at 72 h after fertilization, especially in the PFOS exposure groups. Lipidomic profiling found downregulated phosphatidylethanolamines in the PFAS-exposed embryos, especially those containing a docosahexaenoyl (DHA) chain, indicating an excessive oxidative damage to the embryos. Glycerolipids were mainly upregulated in the PFOA groups but downregulated in the PFOS groups. These aberrations may reflect oxidative stress, energy metabolism malfunction and proinflammatory signals induced by PFASs. However, supplement of DHA may not be effective in recovering the lipidomic dysregulations and protecting from the developmental toxicity induced by PFASs, showing the complexity of the toxicological mechanisms. This work has revealed the associations between the abnormal phenotypes and dysregulations of lipid metabolism in zebrafish embryos induced by PFASs from the aspect of lipidomics, and discovered the underlying molecular mechanisms of the developmental toxicity of PFASs.

Study on the cultivation of seedlings using buds of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

Background: Potato, a vegetable crop grown worldwide, has many uses, a short growth period, a large market demand and high economic benefits. The loss of potato seediness due to traditional potato growing methods is becoming increasingly evident, and research on new ways of growing potatoes is particularly important. Bud planting technology has the advantages of more reproduction, faster growth, and simplified maintenance of crop plants under cultivation. Methods: In this study, a bud planting method was adopted for the cultivation of potato seedlings. Specifically, we assessed different types of treatments for the production of high-quality buds and seedlings of potato. A total of four disease-free potato varieties (Fujin, Youjin, Zhongshu 4, and Feiwuruita) were selected, potato buds with three different lengths (3 cm, 5 cm, and 7 cm) were considered the T1, T2, and T3 treatments, and terminal buds, middle buds, and tail buds were used as the T4, T5, and T6 treatments. A nutrient pot experiment was performed following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates and a natural control (CK) treatment. Cultivation was performed with the common horticultural practices of weeding and hoeing applied as needed. The photosynthetic indices, physiological indices, growth indices and quality of potato seedlings and quality of potato buds were measured at two-week intervals, and yield indices were measured when the final crop was harvested 14 weeks after planting. Results and Conclusions: Cultivation of seedlings from potato buds of different lengths increased the reproduction coefficient and reduced the number of seed potatoes needed for cultivation. All morphological, physiological, and yield indices showed positive trends. A potato bud length of 7 cm was optimal for raising seedlings. Moreover, buds located at the terminal of the potato yielded seedlings with the best quality. In conclusion, we recommend that our proven bud planting technique be adopted at the commercial level, which could support good crop production with maximum yield.

Detection of serum phospholipids by microchannel-integrated black phosphorus-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has been widely applied in the analysis of phospholipids in biological samples. However, it remains a challenge to improve the sensitivity and reproducibility and to control the background noise of matrices. In this study, black phosphorus nanomaterial was used as the matrix of MALDI-MS, and microchannel technique was combined. This microchannel-integrated black phosphorus-assisted laser desorption/ionization (BPALDI) MS approach can effectively detect a variety of lipids with a small amount of sample, and has high sensitivity for phosphatidylcholines (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) with a detection limit of 0.2 µg/mL. Compared with traditional matrices, BPALDI-MS has the advantages of high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and high salt tolerance. This method was successfully applied in the detection of serum PC/LPC ratios in children patients with asthma or bronchopneumonia. This work provides a novel application of black phosphorus matrix and microchannel technique, and gives new insights into method development of rapid screening and identification of disease indicators in biological fluids.

Mass spectrometry investigation of nucleoside adducts of fatty acid hydroperoxides from oxidation of linolenic and linoleic acids.

The widespread presence of lipid hydroperoxides in foodstuffs and biological samples has aroused great attentions in recent years, while it remains challenging for analysis of the fragility of O - O bond linkage of peroxides. In this present study, we explored the utility of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for characterization of two fatty acid hydroperoxides from oxidation of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, which are the essential fatty acids abundant in many seeds and vegetable oils. The results indicated that in-source fragmentation occurred in the detection of the two fatty acid hydroperoxides in both positive and negative ion modes, which yielded characteristic fragments for ESI-MS analysis. In addition, the genotoxicity of fatty acid hydroperoxides for generation of nucleoside adducts was investigated. It was found that a variety of nucleoside adducts were formed from the reactions of fatty acid hydroperoxides and nucleosides. Furthermore, the decomposition products of the fatty acid hydroperoxides were determined, which provided evidence to elucidate the reaction mechanism for formation of nucleoside adducts.

Preliminary Studies on the Application of Grape Seed Extract in the Dyeing and Functional Modification of Cotton Fabric.

Cotton has the shortcomings of having no antibacterial, antioxidant and ultraviolet (UV) protection properties, which are of great importance for health protection purposes. In the present study, grape seed extract (GSE) mainly composed of proanthocyanins (tannins) was employed to simultaneously import pale colors and the three aforementioned functions to cotton fabric. The tests on the application conditions of GSE showed that pH and GSE concentration had great impact on the color depth of cotton fabric, and the color hue of dyed fabric could be controlled in the absence of pH regulators due to the weakly acidic nature of GSE solution. The fabric dyed with 10%owf (on the weight of fabric) GSE exhibited an excellent inhibition effect towards Escherichia coli, whereas the one dyed with 20%owf GSE had high antioxidant activity of 97%. The fabric dyed with 5%owf GSE offered excellent UV protection. This study reveals that GSE can be used as a functional finishing agent for health protection in cotton textiles in addition to coloration capability.

Spatial Lipidomics Reveals Anticancer Mechanisms of Bufalin in Combination with Cinobufagin in Tumor-Bearing Mice.

Bufalin (BFL) and cinobufagin (CBF) are the principal bioactive constituents of Chansu, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The synergistic effects of potential active components are responsible for the bioactivities of TCM. Our results showed that the cotreatment with BFL and CBF confers superior anticancer efficacy compared to monotreatment. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of their cotreatment, an integrated method composed of mass spectrometry-based lipidomics and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging was used to delineate the responses of tumor-bearing mice treated with BFL and CBF individually or in combination. The cotreatment with BFL and CBF modulated the sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, and subsequently led to mitochondria-driven apoptosis and systemic disruption of biomembranes in tumor cells. Furthermore, we found that the disturbed lipid markers were mainly located in the non-necrotic tumor areas, the essential parts for the formation of solid tumor framework. Together, our findings revealed what occurred in tumor in response to the treatment of BFL and CBF, from lipids to enzymes, and thus provide insights into the critical role of lipid reprogramming in the satisfactory anticancer effect of BFL in combination with CBF.

Bioactive and UV protective silk materials containing baicalin - The multifunctional plant extract from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

There has been a phenomenal increase in the research and development of new health and hygiene-related textile products. This work reports a novel approach to develop antibacterial, antioxidant and UV-protective silk using an adsorption technique of baicalin (a bioactive ingredient from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi). Baicalin displayed high adsorption capability at pH2.75, contributing to the sufficient functionalities on silk. The equilibrium adsorption research showed that the Langmuir isotherm was able to describe the behavior of baicalin, indicating the electrostatic interactions between the ionized carboxyl groups in baicalin and the positively charged amino groups in silk. The treated silk with 2% owf (on the weight of fiber) baicalin exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, high antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and very good ultraviolet protection ability comparable to that of the commercial benzotriazole ultraviolet absorber. The baicalin treatment had no obvious impact on the functional groups, crystal structure and surface morphology of silk. The functionalities of the treated silk obviously declined after first laundering cycle and slowly decreased in the following washing cycles. Encouraging results demonstrate that the baicalin-functionalized silk is a promising material for protective clothing and medical textiles.