Stabilization of estrogen receptor α by USP37 contributes to the progression of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in women. Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer accounts for roughly 70%-80% of breast tumors, and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) has been considered as a key driver in promoting breast cancer progression. In the present study, we identified USP37 as a novel modulator in modulating ERα ubiquitination and stability. The expression of USP37 was upregulated in ERα-positive breast cancer and correlated with ERα protein level. High expression of USP37 was associated with unfavorable prognosis. USP37 depletion resulted in significantly decreased ERα protein level, ERα target genes expression as well as the estrogen response element activity in breast cancer cells. Further mechanistic study revealed the interaction between USP37 and ERα: USP37 regulated ERα signaling through modulating protein stability instead of gene expression, in which it stabilized ERα protein via inhibiting the K48-specific polyubiquitination process. Additionally, USP37 depletion led to growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest of ERα-positive breast cancer cells, which could be further rescued by ERα overexpression. Overall, our study proposed a novel post-translational mechanism of ERα in promoting breast cancer progression. Targeting USP37 may be proved to be a promising strategy for patients with ERα-positive breast cancer.

Hydrogenated TiO2 Carbon Support for PtRu Anode Catalyst in High-Performance Anion-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells.

The availability of durable, high-performance electrocatalysts for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is currently a constraint for anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Herein, a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis method is used to develop a core-shell catalyst support based on a hydrogenated TiO2 /carbon for PtRu nanoparticles (NPs). The hydrogenated TiO2 provides a strong metal-support interaction with the PtRu NPs, which improves the catalyst's oxophilicity and HOR activity compared to commercial PtRu/C and enables greater size control of the catalyst NPs. The as-synthesized PtRu/TiO2 /C-400 electrocatalyst exhibits respectable performance in an AEMFC operated at 80 °C, yielding the highest current density (up to 3× higher) within the catalytic region (compared at 0.80-0.90 V) and voltage efficiency (68%@ 0.5 A cm-2 ) values in the compared literature. In addition, the cell demonstrates promising short-term voltage stability with a minor voltage decay of 1.5 mV h-1 . This "first-of-its-kind in alkaline" work may open further research avenues to develop rapid synthesis methods to prepare advanced core-shell metal-oxide/carbon supports for electrocatalysts for use in the next-generation of AEMFCs with potential applicability to the broader electrochemical systems research community.

DHRS4-AS1 regulate gastric cancer apoptosis and cell proliferation by destabilizing DHX9 and inhibited the association between DHX9 and ILF3.

Gastric cancer (GC) causes millions of cancer-related deaths due to anti-apoptosis and rapid proliferation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying GC cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis remain unclear. The expression levels of DHRS4-AS1 in GC were analyzed based on GEO database and recruited GC patients in our institution. We found that DHRS4-AS1 was significantly downregulated in GC. The expression of DHRS4-AS1 in GC tissues showed a significant correlation with tumor size, advanced pathological stage, and vascular invasion. Moreover, DHRS4-AS1 levels in GC tissues were significantly associated with prognosis. DHRS4-AS1 markedly inhibited GC cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis in vitro and in vivo assays. Mechanically, We found that DHRS4-AS1 bound to pro-oncogenic DHX9 (DExH-box helicase 9) and recruit the E3 ligase MDM2 that contributed to DHX9 degradation. We also confirmed that DHRS4-AS1 inhibited DHX9-mediated cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis. Furthermore, we found DHX9 interact with ILF3 (Interleukin enhancer Binding Factor 3) and activate NF-kB Signaling in a ILF3-dependent Manner. Moreover, DHRS4-AS1 can also inhibit the association between DHX9 and ILF3 thereby interfered the activation of the signaling pathway. Our results reveal new insights into mechanisms underlying GC progression and indicate that LncRNA DHRS4-AS1 could be a future therapeutic target and a biomarker for GC diagnosis.

Macroscopic Nematic Orientation Dictated by an Orientationally Frustrated Random-Field Surface: Equilibrium Structure and Kinetics.

Liquid crystals subjected to frustrated surfaces with mixed anchoring conditions demonstrate a rich variety of orientational patterns. Particularly, it would trigger either continuous or discontinuous variation of the bulk orientation, i.e., a phenomenon known as the anchoring or orientational transition. Despite its prime importance in developing novel optoelectronic devices, how the surface anchoring patterns dedicate the energy landscape of a system, thus the equilibrium state, still needs to be understood. Here, we designed a simulation to model boundary substrates with two randomly mixed anchoring domains in space, which exhibit planar and homeotropic preferences. We numerically obtain general bulk orientational state diagrams under various surface and electric field conditions, which reveal the roles of each domain's size and surface fraction and anchoring strength on the bulk orientational state. Furthermore, we examine how the external electric field modifies the orientational state diagram and uncovers a field-assisted anchoring transition. We discuss the observed bistability and compare it to experimental evidence.

Hispolon alleviates oxidative damage by stimulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in PC12 cells.

Natural products derived from the daily diet are garnering increasing attention for neurodegenerative disease (ND) treatment. Hispolon (His), a small molecule from Phellinus linteus, has been reported to have various pharmacological activities. Here, we evaluated its protective effect on a neuron-like rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12). Results showed that His could restore cell death induced by oxidative damage. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a significant role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. After treatment with His, some Nrf2-governed antioxidant genes were upregulated in a dose-dependent manner. However, the protective effect of His on PC12 cells was easily terminated by Nrf2 knockdown, demonstrating that Nrf2 is a critical component in this cytoprotective process. Taken together, our study showed that His was not only an effective activator of Nrf2 but also a promising candidate for ND treatment.

Dupilumab combined with low-dose systemic steroid therapy improves efficacy and safety for bullous pemphigoid.

Routine systemic therapy for bullous pemphigoid (BP) has been challenged due to the inevitably adverse effects. According to the successful applications of dupilumab in BP cases reported, therefore, we investigate the real-life efficacy and safety of dupilumab combined with low-dose oral steroid for BP. A cohort of BP patients who received either dupilumab plus low-dose methylprednisolone (dupilumab group) or merely methylprednisolone (control group) was retrospectively reviewed. The time to disease control was investigated. Additionally, the control dose and cumulative dosage of steroids, Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) scores, pruritus scores, and adverse events were assessed. A total of 40 patients, with 20 in each group, were retrospectively studied. The time to disease control was shorter in the dupilumab group than the control group (14 days vs. 19 days, p = 0.043). When the disease was controlled, the control dose and cumulative dosage of methylprednisolone in the dupilumab group were substantially lower than those of the control (24.6 mg vs. 48.8 mg, 376.8 mg vs. 985.6 mg, both p < 0.01). Compared with the control, the percentage change from baseline in BPDAI scores and pruritus scores were both significantly reduced, and the adverse events were also less frequent in the dupilumab group. The combination therapy of dupilumab plus low-dose methylprednisolone exhibits superior efficacy and safety in comparison with the current first-line systemic therapy for BP.

EphA2 promotes tumorigenicity of cervical cancer by up-regulating CDK6.

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) receptor tyrosine kinase plays an important role in tissue organization and homeostasis in normal organs. EphA2 is overexpressed in a variety of types of solid tumours with oncogenic functions. However, the role of EphA2 in cervical cancer (CC) is still needed to be further explored. Here, we examined the role of EphA2 by establishing a stable EphA2 knock-down CC cell lines or a stable EphA2-overexpressed CC cells lines. Overexpression of EphA2 increased cell proliferation and migration of CC while EphA2 knock-down decreased the CC tumorigenicity. In addition, EphA2 knock-down suppressed CC tumour development in the xenograft mouse model. Inhibition of EphA2 by AWL-II-41-27, EphA2-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or knock-down of EphA2 decreased mRNA and protein expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 6 in CC cells, which increased cellular susceptibility to epirubicin (EPI), an anti-cancer chemotherapy drug. A clinicopathological study of EphA2 was conducted on a cohort of 158 human CC patients. EphA2 protein expression was positively correlated with CDK6 protein expression, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological stage (P < .05). This study demonstrates the oncogenic activity of EphA2 in vitro and in vivo, which provides insights into the relevant mechanisms that might lead to novel treatments for CC.

Risks of anastomotic leakage in patients with colorectal cancer after operation and how to effectively avoid it. / ç›´è§†ç»“ç›´è‚ ç™Œæ‚£è€ æœ¯åŽå»åˆå£æ¼åŠå ¶é£Žé™©è§„é¿.

Despite the considerable progress in surgical level and imaging examination methods, anastomotic leakage is still the major complication after intestinal surgery with high incidence rate and mortality rate. Moreover, anastomotic leakage has become one of the serious complications threatening the postoperative life safety, prognosis and quality of life. The occurrence of anastomotic leakage involves the changes of a variety of pathophysiological factors, and is affected by intestinal microbiota, inflammation and immune system. Preoperative intestinal preparation will change the type and number of microbial population in the intestine. Intraoperative anastomotic mode and bleeding volume are also closely related to the occurrence of anastomotic leakage. In addition, the occurrence of anastomotic leakage is associated with local recurrence of colorectal cancer after surgery. Intraoperative protective stoma is confirmed to reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage. Combined preoperative adjustment of nutritional status and inflammatory factors is important for avoiding anastomotic leakage after surgery.

EphA2-to-YAP pathway drives gastric cancer growth and therapy resistance.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional coactivator that promotes cell proliferation, stem cell maintenance and tissue homeostasis. The YAP activity is primarily regulated through an inhibitory phosphorylation by the serine/threonine kinases of Hippo pathway. Here, we show that receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) interacts with and phosphorylates YAP protein, leading to stabilization, nuclear translocation and activation of YAP in gastric cancer (GC) cells. EphA2 induces chemotherapy-resistance by increasing YAP stability and nuclear YAP protein. Knockdown of YAP blocks EphA2-induced tumor growth in GC xenograft mouse models. Importantly, the coactivation of EphA2 and YAP is manifested in clinical human GC, and is related to GC recurrence. Thus, our results establish a novel EphA2-to-YAP pathway that drives GC growth, progression and therapy-resistance, targeting this pathway would be an efficient way for the treatment of GC, particularly chemotherapy-resistant GC.

Biological function of protein tyrosine phosphatase H-type receptor and its progress in tumor. / è›‹ç™½é ªæ°¨é ¸ç£·é ¸é ¶Håž‹å—ä½“çš„ç”Ÿç‰©å­¦åŠŸèƒ½åŠå ¶åœ¨è‚¿ç˜¤ä¸­çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase H-type receptor (PTPRH) gene encodes a gastric cancer associated protein, which exerts its biological function through tyrosine phosphorylation in the post-translational COOH- terminal region. PTPRH is abnormally expressed in a variety of tumors, and its biological function is closely related to the occurrence, development and prognosis of tumors.

Experimental study and reflection on peacetime and wartime reconstruction of large general hospitals in public health emergencies. / å¤§åž‹ç»¼åˆåŒ»é™¢åœ¨çªå‘å ¬å ±å«ç”Ÿäº‹ä»¶ä¸­å¹³æˆ˜ç»“åˆæ”¹å»ºå®žè¯ä¸Žåæ€.

To propose the architectural layout for the big general hospital in the face of public health emergencies, we analyzed the conditions, methods, problems and countermeasures for the reconstruction of the isolation ward from the existing medical building layout of a general hospital. The affected areas met the requirements of isolation ward in the reconstruction, and realized the corresponding partition and separation of people. But the cost of occupying the medical room should be concerned. General hospital should be alerted to potential risks of public health emergencies. The characteristics of different construction types, defects, and the function of the hospital should be considered in the construction, rebuilding, and expansion of the hospital, which shouldnot only meet the needs of the development of the hospital daily usage but also consider dealing with emergent public health events. We can adopt the reasonable layout, including setting up a firewall-like device between the channel and the floor, an ordinary ward at ordinary times, and an independent space for emergency by pulling down the gate. This strategy can not only avoid the problem of low utilization rate of the space occupied by the corresponding area in the ward for diseases spread by air and droplets, maximizing the efficiency of the medical site, but also avoid the problem of emergency response to the temporary reconstruction.

Lovastatin attenuates angiotensin II induced cardiovascular fibrosis through the suppression of YAP/TAZ signaling.

Angiotensin II (ANG II) is associated with fibrosis in both clinical and basic studies. Thus, we aimed to explore a mechanism by which ANG II induces fibrosis. 5 µM of ANG II was used in the in vitro study. The mouse cardiovascular fibrosis model was established by infused with AngII (1000 ng/kg/min) for 7 days and cotreated with lovastatin (10 mg/kg daily) or vehicle control (DMSO in saline). We found that ANG II activated yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), two transcription factors that were shown to induce fibrosis. Inhibition of ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) reduced ANG II-induced YAP/TAZ transcriptional activity, which suggests that the upregulation of YAP/TAZ signaling by ANG II is RhoA-dependent. Furthermore, studies have shown that the inhibition of YAP/TAZ by either siRNA or small molecule inhibitor suppressed ANG II-induced expression of fibrogenic genes, indicating that ANG II upregulates YAP/TAZ to initiate fibrosis. The mevalonate pathway, which is targeted by statins, has also been shown to control YAP/TAZ. Here, we found that the suppression of YAP/TAZ signaling by lovastatin attenuates ANG II-induced fibrosis, both in vitro and in vivo. These data reveal a novel mechanism for ANG II in the induction of fibrosis. In addition, our findings provide a reasonable explanation regarding the mechanism by which statins improve fibrosis in patients with cardiovascular and renal diseases.

Skin ulcers infected with conditional pathogenic strains treated with local hydrogen water packing in two pemphigus vulgaris patients: Case reports with follow-up for 2 months.

We are the first to report on a new, safe, and effective treatment of infections induced by conditional pathogenic strains with local wet packing with hydrogen water. The new treatment method may also shed light on the therapy of chronic, inflammatory skin ulcers.

BET bromodomain is a novel regulator of TAZ and its activity.

Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is a key transcriptional mediator of Hippo signaling that has been recently reported to mediate Wnt-activated transcription and serve as a component to suppress canonical Wnt/ß-catenin activity. The Bromodomain and Extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins can recognize the acetylated lysine chain on histones and plays a critical role in transcriptional regulation. However, the mechanisms underlying transcriptional repression by the BET bromodomain are poorly understood. Here, we found that BET bromodomain inhibition upregulated TAZ protein and its transcriptional output, independent of its well-established role as a mediator of Hippo and Wnt signaling. Additionally, JQ1, a synthetic BET inhibitor, suppressed Wnt/ß-catenin activity by upregulating TAZ. Although JQ1 upregulated TAZ, which is known to promote cell proliferation, it drastically suppressed the growth of colon cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest. Collectively, our study identified an unexpected transcriptional repression function of the BET bromodomain and a novel mechanism for TAZ upregulation.

miR-302b inhibits tumorigenesis by targeting EphA2 via Wnt/ ß-catenin/EMT signaling cascade in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: EphA2 is a crucial oncogene in gastric cancer (GC) development and metastasis, this study aims to identify microRNAs that target it and serve as key regulators of gastric carcinogenesis. METHODS: We identified several potential microRNAs targeting EphA2 by bioinformatics websites and then analyzed the role of miR-302b in modulating EphA2 in vitro and in vivo of GC, and it's mechanism. RESULTS: Our analysis identified miR-302b, a novel regulator of EphA2, as one of the most significantly downregulated microRNA (miRNA) in GC tissues. Overexpression of miR-302b impaired GC cell migratory and invasive properties robustly and suppressed cell proliferation by arresting cells at G0-G1 phase in vitro. miR-302b exhibited anti-tumor activity by reversing EphA2 regulation, which relayed a signaling transduction cascade that attenuated the functions of N-cadherin, ß-catenin, and Snail (markers of Wnt/ß-catenin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT). This modulation of EphA2 also had distinct effects on cell proliferation and migration in GC in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: miR-302b serves as a critical suppressor of GC cell tumorigenesis and metastasis by targeting the EphA2/Wnt/ß-catenin/EMT pathway.

Lycopene Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

A number of epidemiological studies have explored the association between lycopene or lycopene-rich food intake and the risk of colorectal cancer, but the results of these studies have not been consistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published in the PubMed and EMBASE databases to quantitatively assess the association between lycopene consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer. A total of 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the summary relative risk (RR) for highest versus lowest category indicated no significant association between lycopene consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer [RR = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-1.10]. However, a significant inverse association was observed between lycopene consumption and the site of cancer in the colon (RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96). We also found that the incidence of colon cancer and lycopene intake did not exhibit dose-response relationships. The Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) quality in our study was very low. In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicates that lycopene consumption is not associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. Further research will be needed in this area to provide conclusive evidence.

Upregulation of microRNA-196a and microRNA-196b cooperatively correlate with aggressive progression and unfavorable prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Both microRNA (miR)-196a and miR-196b are implicated in normal cell differentiation, proliferation, and in tumorigenesis of various cancer types. Especially, miR-196a exerts a pro-oncogenic influence in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and miR-196b expression is upregulated in CRC tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of miR-196a and miR-196b dysregulation with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in patients with CRC. METHODS: Quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression levels of miR-196a and miR-196b in 126 pairs of fresh tumor samples matched with adjacent colorectal mucosa obtained from 126 patients with CRC. RESULTS: miR-196a and miR-196b expression levels in CRC tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent colorectal mucosa (both P < 0.002). Interestingly, the expression levels of miR-196a in CRC tissues were positively correlated with those of miR-196b. Then, high miR-196a expression and high miR-196b expression, alone or in combination, were all statistically linked to the presence of lymph node metastasis, the poor differentiation grade, and the advanced TNM stage of CRC. Moreover, overall and disease-free survivals of CRC patients with high miR-196a expression, high miR-196b expression and miR-196a-high/miR-196b-high expression tended to be shorter than the corresponding control groups (log-rank statistic, all P < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis indicated miR-196a and/or miR-196b expression as independent prognostic indicators for CRC patients (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both miR-196a and miR-196b may be correlated with aggressive progression and unfavorable clinical outcome in CRC patients. Combined expression of miR-196a and miR-196b may be a promising biomarker in identifying a poor prognosis group of CRC.

MicroRNA 520d-3p inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by downregulating EphA2 expression.

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been shown to play important roles in cancer progression as a result of changes in expression of their target genes. In this study, we investigated the roles of miR-520d-3p on gastric cancer (GC) cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and confirmed that this miRNA regulates EphA2 expression. The mRNA expression levels of miR-520d-3p and EphA2 in GC tissues and cell lines were evaluated. The clinical and prognostic significance of miR-520d-3p was assessed. The biological function of miR-520d-3p in GC cells was investigated using a methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay, cell cycle assay, transwell invasion assay, and wound-healing assay. miR-520d-3p expression was down-regulated and inversely correlated with the expression of EphA2 in GC tissues and cell lines. Lower expression of miR-520d-3p was associated with tumor invasion (P = 0.0357), lymph nodes metastasis (P = 0.0272), a higher clinical stage (P = 0.0041), and poorer overall survival (P = 0.0105). Luciferase assays revealed that miR-520d-3p inhibited EphA2 expression by targeting the 3'-untranslated region of EphA2 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-520d-3p dramatically inhibited the proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion, and migration of GC cells, while down-regulation substantially promoted these properties. Moreover, c-Myc, CyclinD1, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression levels were down-regulated in miR-520d-3p mimic-transfected cells and up-regulated in miR-520d-3p inhibitor-transfected cells. Taken together, our data showed that miR-520d-3p appears to contribute to GC progression via the regulation of EphA2 and could serve as a novel prognostic and potential therapeutic marker.

Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma from hand skin causing small bowel obstruction: an unusual case presentation.

The small bowel rarely suffers from metastatic tumors from outside the abdomen. Small bowel obstructions caused by the metastatic spread of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the hand to the intestines are even rarer. A 71-year-old man with intermittent abdominal distension and pain for 4 months was diagnosed with partial bowel obstruction. The patient underwent a video capsule endoscopic examination; however, the patient was unable to pass the capsule, which worsened the abdominal distension. He was transferred to our department for acute intestinal obstruction, and an emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed. Intraoperatively, a tumoral stricture of the intestine at a distance of 150 cm from the ileo-cecum and dilation of the proximal bowel was found. The involved segment was resected, and ileo-ileal anastomosis was performed. The pathological sections confirmed the lesion to be a moderately differentiated SCC with whole bowel layer infiltration. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive expression of cytokeratin 5/6 and p63. The patient had an uneventful recovery. However, 6 months later, he was hospitalized again with intestinal obstruction. Reoperation was performed and revealed multiple metastases in the small bowel. He died 4 months later. In this unusual case, metastasizing SCC of the hand skin led to intestinal obstruction and poor prognosis. Therefore, follow-up procedures regarding intestinal spread should be performed in patients with SCC who present with abdominal symptoms.

The role of EPH receptors in cancer-related epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Erythropoietin-producing hepatoma (EPH) receptors are considered the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases and play key roles in physiological and pathologic processes in development and disease. EPH receptors are often overexpressed in human malignancies and are associated with poor prognosis. However, the functions of EPH receptors in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remain largely unknown. This review depicts the relationship between EPH receptors and the EMT marker E-cadherin as well as the crosstalk between EPH receptors and the signaling pathways involved EMT. Further discussion is focused on the clinical significance of EPH receptors as candidates for targeting in cancer therapeutics. Finally, we summarize how targeted inhibition of both EPH receptors and EMT-related signaling pathways represents a novel strategy for cancer treatment.