Ultrathin 2D As2Se3 Nanosheets for Photothermal-Triggered Cancer Immunotherapy.

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has achieved groundbreaking success in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, its toxic side effects seriously limit its therapeutic application in the treatment of solid tumors. To detoxify the severe side effects of arsenic, herein we synthesized innovative 2D ultrathin As2Se3 nanosheets (As2Se3 NSs) with synergistic photothermal-triggered immunotherapy effects. As2Se3 NSs are biocompatible and biodegradable under physiological conditions and can release As(III) and Se(0). Furthermore, selenium increases the immunomodulatory efficacy of arsenic treatments, facilitating reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment by As2Se3 NSs by enhancing the infiltration of natural killer cells and effector tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. The synergistic combination of photothermal therapy and immunotherapy driven by As2Se3 NSs via a simple but effective all-in-one strategy achieved efficient anticancer effects, addressing the key limitations of As2O3 for solid tumor treatment. This work demonstrates not only the great potential of selenium for detoxifying arsenic but also the application of 2D As2Se3 nanosheets for cancer therapy.

Photobiomodulation Drives MiR-136-5p Expression to Promote Injury Repair after Myocardial Infarction.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as an alternative therapy involved in modulating a variety of biological effects. In this study, we verified whether PBM can affect cardiac physiological activity in mice through noninvasive irradiation using light-emitting diodes at a wavelength of 630 nm (LED-Red). We found that the PBM involved in regulating the repair of injured myocardium is wavelength-limited. LED-Red caused cardiomyocytes (CMs) that had exited the cell cycle to divide and proliferate again, and the cell proliferation ratio increased significantly with the accumulation of intracellular photopower. In addition, LED-Red promoted myocardial revascularization and myocardial regeneration, reduced the area of fibrosis in mice with myocardial infarction (MI), and thus improved cardiac contractile function. In regard to the mechanism, miRNA sequencing analysis showed that low-power LED-Red irradiation could induce differential changes in miRNAs in CMs. Among them, miR-136-5p was identified as a cardiac photo-sensitive miRNA and was obviously inhibited after stimulation, which produced a proliferation-promoting effect on CMs. Subsequent luciferase reporter assays confirmed the involvement of Ino80 as a binding target of miR-136-5p in the regulatory process of CM proliferation. Similarly, LED-Red irradiation elevated intracellular Ino80 expression. After knockdown of Ino80, the proliferation-promoting effect of LED-Red on CMs was inhibited. Collectively, this study demonstrates that LED-Red can promote CM proliferation by inhibiting cardiac photo-sensitive miRNA- miR-136-5p expression through targeting Ino80. The findings provided a new potential strategy for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICD).

Sleep Quality Of College Students During COVID-19 Outbreak In China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Poor sleep quality among college students is a global problem. Chinese college students were required to home quarantine, social distance and participate in online learning during the COVID-19 epidemic. This study aimed to investigate the sleep quality of college students during the epidemic and identify the factors related to poor sleep quality. Methods: Study participants completed an online survey that included questionnaires about sleep symptoms and lifestyle during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study participants included 3416 college students (mean age 20.4 ± 1.8 years). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure sleep quality, and a PSQI score >7 was defined as poor sleep quality. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors related to sleep quality. Results: The percentage of college students with poor sleep quality was 15.97 % in southern Anhui province during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the students were female (67.4%) and most were from urban areas (53.9%). Single-parent (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.39; 95% CI, 1.02-1.89) domestic violence incidents ≥5×/yr (aOR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.70 to 7.96), nap time >4 hr/d (aOR, 1.90; 95% CI, 25-2.90) were significantly associated with poor sleep quality. While knowledge of COVID-19 was prevalent (aOR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.96) light exercise >1 hour/day (aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.78), parent-accompanied exercise >3×/wk (aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.90) were protective factors against poor sleep quality. Conclusions: The present study found that college students in single-parent families and students who had experienced domestic violence had a high risk of poor sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. College students who were familiar with COVID-19 and had light exercise habits or parent-accompanied exercise habits had better sleep quality. At the time of writing, COVID-19 was still pandemic worldwide, so targeted sleep health interventions must be established to actively guide college students' healthy living habits. In addition, the sleep disorders and other health problems that may occur in college students should be dealt with in advance, and should be part of the routine work of global disease prevention.

Exploiting the protein corona: coating of black phosphorus nanosheets enables macrophage polarization via calcium influx.

Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) have substantially promoted biomedical nanotechnology due to their unique photothermal and chemotherapeutic properties. However, there is still a limited molecular understanding of the effects of bio-nano interfaces on BPNSs and the subsequent impacts on physiological systems. Here, it is shown that black phosphorus-corona complexes (BPCCs) could function as immune modulators to promote the polarization of macrophages. Mechanistically, BPCCs could interact with calmodulin to activate stromal interaction molecule 2 and facilitate Ca2+ influx in macrophages, which induced the activation of p38 and NF-κB and polarized M0 macrophages to the M1 phenotype. As a result, BPCC-activated macrophages show greater migration towards cancer cells, 1.3-1.9 times higher cellular cytotoxicity and effective phagocytosis of cancer cells. These findings offer insights into the development of potential and unique applications of corona on BPNSs in nanomedicine.

Comparison of efficacy and safety profile for home NB-UVB vs. outpatient NB-UVB in the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of home and outpatient narrowband ultraviolet B light (NB-UVB) for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo. METHODS: A total of 94 patients with non-segmental vitiligo were enrolled. Forty-eight patients were treated with home NB-UVB, and the other 46 patients were treated with outpatient NB-UVB over a period of 6 months. The efficacy, patient quality of life, and adverse events were assessed at month 3 and month 6 after treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in repigmentation and VASI-reverse (VR) rates between outpatient NB-UVB and home NB-UVB groups. VR was higher in outpatient NB-UVB group at month 3, and similar at month 6. For long-standing vitiligo, VR was higher in the outpatient NB-UVB group compared with home NB-UVB group after 6 months of treatment. In recent vitiligo, the VR was similar between the two groups. Additionally, vitiligo-specific health-related quality-of-life instrument (VitiQoL) score was similar, and the adverse effects were minimal among the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy and safety of home NB-UVB and outpatient NB-UVB phototherapy for non-segmental vitiligo were comparable. According to our results, those with long-standing vitiligo may be recommended to receive outpatient NB-UVB phototherapy.

By Targeting Atg7 MicroRNA-143 Mediates Oxidative Stress-Induced Autophagy of c-Kit+ Mouse Cardiac Progenitor Cells.

Therapeutic efficiency of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) transplantation is limited by its low survival and retention in infarcted myocardium. Autophagy plays a critical role in regulating cell death and apoptosis, but the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in oxidative stress-induced autophagy of CPCs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore if miRNAs mediate autophagy of c-kit+ CPCs. We found that the silencing of miR-143 promoted the autophagy of c-kit+ CPCs in response to H2O2, and the protective effect of miR-143 inhibitor was abrogated by autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). Furthermore, autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) was identified as the target gene of miR-143 by dual luciferase reporter assays. In vivo, after transfection with miR-143 inhibitor, c-kit+ CPCs from green fluorescent protein transgenic mice were more observed in infarcted mouse hearts. Moreover, transplantation of c-kit+ CPCs with miR-143 inhibitor improved cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Take together, our study demonstrated that miR-143 mediates oxidative stress-induced autophagy to enhance the survival of c-kit+ CPCs by targeting Atg7, which will provide a complementary approach for improving CPC-based heart repair.

The antioxidative and anti-aging effects of acidic- and alkalic-extractable mycelium polysaccharides by Agrocybe aegerita (Brig.) Sing.

Two extractable polysaccharides of Ac-MPS and Al-MPS were extracted from the mycelium of Agrocybe aegerita (Brig.) Sing and the in vitro antioxidant activities and in vivo anti-aging activities in a d-gal-induced aging mice were investigated in the present study. The in vitro antioxidant analysis showed that Ac-MPS showed superior scavenging effects on hydroxyl of 68.62±2.59% and DPPH of 85.19±3.26% at the concentration of 4500µg/mL. Biochemical indices and antioxidant analysis in vivo showed that Ac-MPS had better effects in raising hepatic activities of SOD, CAT, GPx and T-AOC, inhibiting hepatic contents of LPO and MDA, as well as improving serum lipid levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, TG and TC. Furthermore, HYP measurements suggested that skin collagen in aging mice could be maintained. This study suggested that both Ac-MPS and Al-MPS could be used as potential natural agents or dietary supplements in attenuating aging and its complications.

Characterization, antioxidation, anti-inflammation and renoprotection effects of selenized mycelia polysaccharides from Oudemansiella radicata.

The present work investigated the characteristics, antioxidative, anti-inflammative and renoprotective effects of mycelia selenized polysaccharides (MSPS) from Oudemansiella radicata on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced kidney damaged mice. The results demonstrated that both MSPS and mycelia polysaccharides (MPS) showed potential renoprotective effects reflecting by decreasing the serum levels of CRE, BUN and UA, increasing the nephritic enzyme activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC, reducing the activities of MPO, as well as down-regulating the contents of MDA and LPO, respectively. And the MSPS showed superior effects. Furthermore, the selenium contents and physical properties of polysaccharides were investigated by FAAS, GC, HPGPC, FT-IR, NMR and AFM analysis, and the results indicated that MSPS was a homogeneous heteropolysaccharide with an average molecular weight of 3.12×104Da. These results may provide theoretical basis in applying natural and functional foods for the prevention and alleviation of kidney damages and its complications.

The Antioxidative, Antiaging, and Hepatoprotective Effects of Alkali-Extractable Polysaccharides by Agaricus bisporus.

The aim of this work was designed to investigate the antioxidant, antiaging, and hepatoprotective effects of alkali-extractable polysaccharides (AlAPS) and their three purified fractions (AlAPS-1, AlAPS-2, and AlAPS-3) from Agaricus bisporus in D-galactose induced aging mice. For in vitro antioxidant analysis, both AlAPS and its fractions exhibited moderate reducing power, Fe2+-chelating activities, and potent scavenging activities on hydroxyl and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The in vivo results demonstrated that the polysaccharides, especially AlAPS-2, showed potential antiaging and hepatoprotective effects by enhancing the antioxidant status, decreasing serum hepatic enzyme activities, and improving the lipid metabolism. This study suggested that the polysaccharides extracted and purified from A. bisporus could be exploited as a potent dietary supplement to attenuate aging and prevent age-related diseases.

Antioxidative, anti-inflammation and lung-protective effects of mycelia selenium polysaccharides from Oudemansiella radicata.

The present work was designed to investigated the antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and pulmonary protective effects of SMPS and MPS from Oudemansiella radicata on LPS-induced lung injured mice. The results demonstrated that SMPS showed potential effects on relieving lung injury and preventing oxidative stress, reflecting by decreasing the serum levels of C3, CRP and GGT, increasing the pulmonary activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC, as well as down-regulating the MDA and LPO contents, respectively. Furthermore, the levels of TNF-α (224.211±3.12ng/mL), IL-1ß (254.557±2.18ng/L), and IL-6 (18.214±0.15ng/L) in BALF of mice treated with SMPS at the dosage of 400mg/kg/d significantly lower than that in the lung injured mice. These conclusions indicated that both SMPS and MPS possessed potent antioxidants and anti-inflammation activities, and could be used as functional foods and natural drugs in preventing lung injury.

[Controlling effect of berberine on in vitro synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones in insulin resistant ovary].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the functional and metabolic alterations in cultured insulin resistant ovary model in vitro, and to observe the effect of berberine (Ber, a Chinese medical monomer) in improving insulin resistance (IR). METHODS: Ovary of mouse was cultured in vitro and treated by dexamethasone (Dex) to induce IR for establishing IR model ovary. The functional alteration in model ovary was assessed through detecting glucose and hormone levels in medium using RT-PCR, meanwhile, the expression of key molecules in insulin signal and steroid synthetic pathway were detected, and condition of IR improved by berberine was evaluated also. RESULTS: (1) The model ovary was made by Dex in dose- and acting time-dependent manner. After being treated by 300 nmol/L Dex for 48 h, the glucose uptake of ovary reduced from 9.05 +/- 0.75 mg/g to 2.48 +/- 0.29 mg/g (P < 0.05); it further decreased (from 9.59 +/- 1.74 mg/g to 1.94 +/- 0.19 mg/g, P < 0.01) under the stimulation of insulin, which proved that the IR model ovary was made successfully. Berberine significantly increased the glucose uptake of model ovaries (1.89 +/- 0.33 mg/g to 13.95 +/- 3.30 mg/g, P < 0.05). (2) As compared with control group, levels of testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A2) were higher, and levels of progesterone (P) and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) were lower significantly in the model. Berberine reversed the alternations of T, A2 and 17-OHP levels, but did not influence the level of P. (3) RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expressions of cytochrome 17-hydroxylase (CYP17) and mini-chromosome maintenance protein-2 (MCM-2) elevated, but extracellular regulated protein-1 (ERK-1), protein kinase B (AKT-2) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3beta) lowered in the medium after Dex inducing. Berberine treatment restored these molecular index obviously. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Dex could induce IR in mouse ovary, which might enhance the androgenic synthesis. (2) Berberine could alleviate the degree of IR and the androgen synthesis, indicating that the Chinese sensitizing agents has favorable therapeutic effect for the treatment of polycystic ovaries.