In situ Activation of Molecular Oxygen at Intermetallic Spacing-Optimized Iron Network-Like Sites for Boosting Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction.

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyzed by transition-metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) is promising for practical applications in energy-conversion devices, but great challenges still remain due to the sluggish kinetics of O═O cleavage. Herein, a kind of high-density iron network-like sites catalysts are constructed with optimized intermetallic distances on an amino-functionalized carbon matrix (Fe-HDNSs). Quasi-in situ soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and in situ synchrotron infrared characterizations demonstrate that the optimized intermetallic distances in Fe-HDNSs can in situ activate the molecular oxygen by fast electron compensation through the hybridized Fe 3d-O 2p, which efficiently facilitates the cleavage of the O═O bond to *O species and highly suppresses the side reactions for an accelerated kinetics of the 4e- ORR. As a result, the well-designed Fe-HDNSs catalysts exhibit superior performances with a half-wave potential of 0.89 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a kinetic current density of 72 mA cm-2 @0.80 V versus RHE, exceeding most of the noble-metal-free ORR catalysts. This work offers some new insights into the understanding of 4e- ORR kinetics and reaction pathways to boost electrochemical performances of SACs.

GSN gene frameshift mutations in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenic missense mutations of the gelsolin (GSN) gene lead to familial amyloidosis of the Finnish type (FAF); however, our previous study identified GSN frameshift mutations existed in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The GSN genotype-phenotype heterogeneity and the role of GSN frameshift mutations in patients with AD are unclear. METHOD: In total, 1192 patients with AD and 1403 controls were screened through whole genome sequencing, and 884 patients with AD were enrolled for validation. Effects of GSN mutations were evaluated in vitro. GSN, Aß42, Aß40 and Aß42/40 were detected in both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS: Six patients with AD with GSN P3fs and K346fs mutations (0.50%, 6/1192) were identified, who were diagnosed with AD but not FAF. In addition, 13 patients with AD with GSN frameshift mutations were found in the validation cohort (1.47%, 13/884). Further in vitro experiments showed that both K346fs and P3fs mutations led to the GSN loss of function in inhibiting Aß-induced toxicity. Moreover, a higher level of plasma (p=0.001) and CSF (p=0.005) GSN was observed in AD cases than controls, and a positive correlation was found between the CSF GSN and CSF Aß42 (r=0.289, p=0.009). Besides, the GSN level was initially increasing and then decreasing with the disease course and cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS: GSN frameshift mutations may be associated with AD. An increase in plasma GSN is probably a compensatory reaction in AD, which is a potential biomarker for early AD.

Application value of a new lesion positioning stickers in breast lesion surface localization. / ä¸€ç§æ–°åž‹ä¹³è ºç— ç¶å®šä½è´´åœ¨ä½“è¡¨å®šä½ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨ä»·å€¼.

OBJECTIVES: Accurate breast lesion surface localization can guarantee accurate biopsy and local treatment. But there is no guideline to regular equipment and methods for the localization of breast lesions. The conventional non-invasive localization method is marker-based localization. The advantages of this method are simple and efficient. The disadvantages are that markers disappear easily under coupling agents; the positioning length of markers cannot last long on skin; and healthcare associated infection due to many patients using the same marker pen is potentially unavoidable. Breast lesion sticker (called sticker for short) is a new-type localization medical instrument in 2020. Our study aims to explore the clinical value of a new lesion stickers in breast lesion surface localization via comparison of the sticker and marker pen localization methods. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study. It was conducted in 67 patients who needed breast lesion surface localization before biopsy. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups. One group of patients used marker pen to mark breast lesion surface location by ultrasonography. The other group of patients used stickers. Patients labeled with markers on skin were swabbed agents before marking. Then the markers were checked by ultrasound scan. If the surface positions of breast lesion were not correct, the above procedure was repeated. In the sticker group, the stickers were released synchronously after the lesions were detected by ultrasound scan. Then locations were checked via scanning hole. If the surface positions of breast lesion were not correct, the above procedure was repeated. The accuracy of positioning, the length of positioning time and satisfaction of patients between the 2 groups were compared. The length of positioning time was calculated from the time when ultrasound detected the lesion to the time when the surface position of breast lesion was confirmed. The total score of patients' satisfaction was 5 points according to Service Quality Evaluation of SERVQUAL Scale, including sonographers' service attitude and their technical proficiency, other medical staffs' service attitude and their technical proficiency, hospital service procedures, positioning comfort, and positioning effects. RESULTS: All 67 patients were females, aged 18-66 (39.73±13.10). There were 35 patients in the marker pen group and 32 patients in the sticker group. The time length of group used marker pen to localization was 22-88 (52.20±2.90) s, and the sticker group was 3-15 (9.22±0.58) s in length. The length of positioning time for the stickers was significantly shorter than that of the marker (P<0.01). Both methods were accurate in the surface localization of lesions before operation. The total scores of patients' satisfaction was 4-5 (4.92±0.02) in the stickers group, and 1-5 (3.35±0.10) in the marker pen group. The patients' satisfaction scores with the sticker were significantly higher than those with the marker pen (P<0.01). The length of positioning time and patients' satisfication scores for sonographer with 20 years' working experience were shorter and higher than those of sonographer with 10 years' working experience, respectively (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new breast lesion positioning stickers have more advantages than the marker pen in localization efficiency. It could reduce the workload of medical workers and increase patients' satisfaction to some extent. The stickers can be used not only in the breast lesions surface localization, but also in the skin location of pleural effusion and ascites, the skin location of surface masses, the skin location of thyroid nodule, and many other clinical marker areas, to further expand the scope of clinical application and value of the stickers.

Manipulation of Saliva-Derived Microcosm Biofilms To Resemble Dysbiotic Subgingival Microbiota.

Periodontitis is a highly prevalent oral inflammatory disease triggered by dysbiotic subgingival microbiota. For the development of microbiome modulators that can reverse the dysbiotic state and reestablish a health-associated microbiota, a high-throughput in vitro multispecies biofilm model is needed. Our aim is to establish a model that resembles a dysbiotic subgingival microbial biofilm by incorporating the major periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis into microcosm biofilms cultured from pooled saliva of healthy volunteers. The biofilms were grown for 3, 7, and 10 days and analyzed for their microbial composition by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing as well as measurement of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) activity and butyric acid production. The addition of P. gingivalis increased its abundance in saliva-derived microcosm biofilms from 2.7% on day 3 to >50% on day 10, which significantly reduced the Shannon diversity but did not affect the total number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The P. gingivalis-enriched biofilms displayed altered microbial composition as revealed by principal-component analysis and reduced interactions among microbial species. Moreover, these biofilms exhibited enhanced DPP4 activity and butyric acid production. In conclusion, by adding P. gingivalis to saliva-derived microcosm biofilms, we established an in vitro pathogen-enriched dysbiotic microbiota which resembles periodontitis-associated subgingival microbiota in terms of increased P. gingivalis abundance and higher DPP4 activity and butyric acid production. This model may allow for investigating factors that accelerate or hinder a microbial shift from symbiosis to dysbiosis and for developing microbiome modulation strategies.IMPORTANCE In line with the new paradigm of the etiology of periodontitis, an inflammatory disorder initiated by dysbiotic subgingival microbiota, novel therapeutic strategies have been proposed targeting reversing dysbiosis and restoring host-compatible microbiota rather than eliminating the biofilms unselectively. Thus, appropriate laboratory models are required to evaluate the efficacy of potential microbiome modulators. In the present study, we used the easily obtainable saliva as an inoculum, spiked the microcosm biofilms with the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, and obtained a P. gingivalis-enriched microbiota, which resembles the in vivo pathogen-enriched subgingival microbiota in severe periodontitis. This biofilm model circumvents the difficulties encountered when using subgingival plaque as the inoculum and achieves microbiota in a dysbiotic state in a controlled and reproducible manner, which is required for high-throughput and large-scale evaluation of strategies that can potentially modulate microbial ecology.

TOB1 modulates the decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells via the Notch pathway.

BACKGROUND: Decidualization is critical for embryo implantation and the success of pregnancy; however, the mechanisms underlying this process remain largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, RNA sequencing was used to detect the expression levels of transducer of ERBB2/1(TOB1) in endometrial samples derived from proliferative and secretory phases. A decidualization model was induced using the combination of estrogen (E2) and progestin (P4) in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs). The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect the viability of HESCs. Related proteins were detected by qPCR and western blot. RESULT: The results indicated that TOB1 expression was upregulated in the secretory endometrial samples compared with the corresponding expression observed in the proliferative samples. The expression levels of TOB1 and Notch1 were markedly increased in E2P4-treated HESCs compared with those in the control cells. Treatment with E2P4 strongly suppressed the proliferation of HESCs and induced a G1-phase cell cycle arrest. These effects were abolished by knockdown of TOB1 or treatment with of the cells with the Notch inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, these findings highlighted an important role for TOB1/Notch signaling in E2P4-induced decidualization in HESCs, which may provide novel targets for improving the endometrial receptivity.

Lack of association between LGMN and Alzheimer's disease in the Southern Han Chinese population.

Recently, functional studies have demonstrated that legumain (LGMN) cleaves both amyloid ß-protein precursor and tau, promoting senile plaques and formation of neurofibrillary tangles, which may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the genetic role of LGMN in AD has not been clearly elucidated. Here, we used Sanger sequencing to investigate the single independent (single-variant association test) and cumulative (gene-based association test) effects of variants in the LGMN gene as potential susceptibility factors for AD, in a cohort comprising 676 AD cases and 365 elderly controls from the Han population of South China. In single-variant association analysis, none of the common variants in LGMN were statistically significant. In gene-based analysis, the LGMN gene also showed no association with AD. The results of our replication study in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort also showed no association between LGMN and AD. These findings suggest that the LGMN gene may not be a critical factor for AD development.

Osteoprotegerin interacts with syndecan-1 to promote human endometrial stromal decidualization by decreasing Akt phosphorylation.

STUDY QUESTION: Does osteoprotegerin (OPG) promote human endometrial stromal decidualization? SUMMARY ANSWER: OPG is essential for human endometrial stromal decidualization through its interaction with syndecan-1 to decrease Akt phosphorylation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: OPG (a cytokine receptor) levels are significantly increased in the circulation of pregnant women. However, the role and mechanism of OPG in human endometrial stromal cell (ESC) decidualization remain elusive. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We analyzed the endometrial expression of OPG in endometrial tissue samples collected from women with regular menstrual cycles (ranging from 25 to 35 days), and decidual tissue samples collected from woman with normal early pregnancy or recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) who visited the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at a tertiary care center from January to October 2018. None of the subjects had hormonal treatment for at least 3 months prior to the procedure. In total, 16 women with normal early pregnancy and 15 with RPL were selected as subjects for this study. The function of OPG in decidualization was explored in a human endometrial stromal cell (HESC) line and primary cultures of HESCs. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: We collected endometrial tissues (by biopsy) from the subjects during their menstrual cycle and decidual tissues from subjects with a normal early pregnancy and those with RPL at the time of dilation and curettage. The control group comprised randomly selected women who underwent termination of an apparently normal early pregnancy. The endometrial OPG expression was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Immunofluorescence staining and western blot, and qRT-PCR were used to explore the mRNA and protein expression, respectively, of OPG in an immortalized HESC line and in primary cultures of HESC during proliferation and decidualization. siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments were performed to examine the function of OPG in HESC proliferation and decidualization. Flow cytometry and the cell proliferation MTS assay were performed to further examine the role of OPG in HESC proliferation. We also analyzed decidual marker gene expression by qRT-PCR to assess the consequences of OPG loss for HESC decidualization. A co-immunoprecipitation (IP) assay was used to determine the potential interaction between the OPG and Syndecan-1. Western blot analysis of the rescue experiments performed using the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling-specific inhibitor LY294002 was used to investigate the downstream signaling pathways through which OPG could mediate HESC decidualization. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: OPG was expressed in both the human endometrium and in vitro decidualized ESCs. Knockdown experiments revealed that OPG loss impaired the expression of IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) (P < 0.05) and prolactin (PRL) (P < 0.05), two specific markers of decidualization, in HESC undergoing decidualization. We also uncovered that OPG knockdown induced the aberrant activation of Akt (protein kinase B) during HESC decidualization (P < 0.05). The inhibition of Akt activation could rescue the impaired expression of the decidual markers PRL (P < 0.05) and IGFBP-1 (P < 0.05) in response to OPG knockdown. Syndecan-1 was considered a potential receptor candidate, as it was expressed in both the endometrium and in vitro cultured stromal cells. Subsequent co-IP experiments demonstrated the interaction between OPG and Syndecan-1 during decidualization. In addition, Syndecan-1 knockdown not only clearly attenuated the decidualization markers PRL (P < 0.05) and IGFBP-1 (P < 0.05) but also induced the aberrant enhancement of Akt phosphorylation in decidualized cells, consistent with the phenotype of OPG knockdown cells. Finally, we revealed that the transcript and protein expression of both OPG and Syndecan-1 was significantly lower in the decidual samples of women with RPL than in those of women with normal pregnancy (P < 0.05). LARGE SCALE DATA: N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: In this study, based on a number of approaches, it was demonstrated that OPG mediated the repression of Akt that occurs during human stromal cell decidualization, however, the molecular link between OPG and Akt signaling was not determined, and still requires further exploration. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: OPG is required for decidualization, and a decrease in OPG levels is associated with RPL. These findings provide a new candidate molecule for the diagnosis and potential treatment of RPL. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China U1605223 (to G.S.), 81701457 (to Y.J.) and 81601349 (to Y.J.). The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Circular RNA-0001283 Suppresses Breast Cancer Proliferation and Invasion via MiR-187/HIPK3 Axis.

BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are key regulators that take part in the carcinogenesis and development of breast cancer. The current study aimed to identify the expression of and explored the function of circRNA-0001283 in breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Breast cancer tissue samples were tested using high-throughput sequencing to identify the levels of relative genes; and proteins were addressed by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western-blot. Cell ability and cell apoptosis were investigated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry. Invasion was detected by Transwell invasion assay. The identification of target genes was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS Downregulation of circRNA-0001283 expression was observed in breast cancer tissue samples. Ectopic expression of circRNA-0001283 remarkably suppressed cell viability and invasion, and induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, circRNA-0001283 bound to miR-187 and decreased the expression of miR-187, which resulted in inhibition in cell growth and invasion. Finally, we showed that circRNA-0001283 positively regulated HIPK3 expression by sponging miR-187. CONCLUSIONS The results reveal a new functional circRNA-0001283 in breast cancer and may provide targets for developing novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.

Epi-GTBN: an approach of epistasis mining based on genetic Tabu algorithm and Bayesian network.

BACKGROUND: Mining epistatic loci which affects specific phenotypic traits is an important research issue in the field of biology. Bayesian network (BN) is a graphical model which can express the relationship between genetic loci and phenotype. Until now, it has been widely used into epistasis mining in many research work. However, this method has two disadvantages: low learning efficiency and easy to fall into local optimum. Genetic algorithm has the excellence of rapid global search and avoiding falling into local optimum. It is scalable and easy to integrate with other algorithms. This work proposes an epistasis mining approach based on genetic tabu algorithm and Bayesian network (Epi-GTBN). It uses genetic algorithm into the heuristic search strategy of Bayesian network. The individual structure can be evolved through the genetic operations of selection, crossover and mutation. It can help to find the optimal network structure, and then further to mine the epistasis loci effectively. In order to enhance the diversity of the population and obtain a more effective global optimal solution, we use the tabu search strategy into the operations of crossover and mutation in genetic algorithm. It can help to accelerate the convergence of the algorithm. RESULTS: We compared Epi-GTBN with other recent algorithms using both simulated and real datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our method has much better epistasis detection accuracy in the case of not affecting the efficiency for different datasets. CONCLUSIONS: The presented methodology (Epi-GTBN) is an effective method for epistasis detection, and it can be seen as an interesting addition to the arsenal used in complex traits analyses.

Discovery of vanadium complexes bearing tridentate schiff base ligands as novel LSD1 inhibitors.

Lysine specific demethylase (LSD1) plays a pivotal role in epigenetic modulation of gene expression. Abberrant expression of LSD1 was associated with the progress and oncogenesis of multiple human cancers. Herein, we report the preliminary anti-LSD1 evaluation of the synthetic vanadium (V) complexes. Among them, complex 2 showed a moderate inhibitory effect against LSD1 with IC50 value of 19.0 µM, as well as good selectivity over MAO-A/B. Complex 2 is the first vanadium based LSD1 inhibitor, which provides a novel scaffold for the development of LSD1 inhibitor.

Rbbp7 Is Required for Uterine Stromal Decidualization in Mice.

Uterine stromal cells undergo extensive proliferation and differentiation during postimplantation development, a process known as decidualization. While a range of signaling molecules have been demonstrated to play essential roles in this event, its potential epigenetic regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. Retinoblastoma binding protein 7 (Rbbp7) is a protein reported as a core component of many histone modification and chromatin remodeling complexes. In the present study, our in situ hybridization and immunochemistry analysis first reveals a spatiotemporal expression of Rbbp7 in the uterus during the peri-implantation period. Observations of remarkable induction of Rbbp7 expression in uterine stromal cells in response to progesterone-nuclear receptor PR signaling point to its potential physiological significance during postimplantation uterine development. Employing a stealth RNA knockdown approach, combined with primary murine uterine stromal cell culture and an in vitro-induced decidualization model, we further demonstrate that Rbbp7 silencing compromises stromal cell decidualization via attenuating histone H4 acetylation and cyclin D3 expression. The results collectively suggest that Rbbp7 is a potentially functional player regulating normal histone acetylation modification and cyclin D3 expression in stromal cells during postimplantation decidual development.

NEDD8-mediated neddylation is required for human endometrial stromal proliferation and decidualization.

STUDY QUESTION: Does NEDD8-mediated neddylation regulate human endometrial stromal proliferation and decidualization? SUMMARY ANSWER: Neddylation inhibition by a selective NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor, MLN4924, significantly impairs human endometrial stromal cell (HESC) proliferation and decidualization and facilitates cell senescence, via p21 accumulation. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Neddylation regulates cell proliferation and tissue remodeling during embryogenesis and tumorigenesis, while human endometrial stroma undergoes sequential proliferation, differentiation, as well as dynamic tissue remodeling during each menstrual cycle. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We first analyzed the expression of NEDD8 in human endometrial tissues from 50 subjects, and then explored the consequence of neddylation inhibition by MLN4924 on HESCs proliferation, decidualization and cellular senescence. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: We collected 50 dated human endometrial tissues from early proliferative stage to late secretory phase of the menstrual cycle and analyzed the NEDD8 expression and cellular location in human endometrium by employing quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry staining. Similar approaches were also used to explore the mRNA and protein expression of NEDD8 in an immortalized human endometrial stromal cell line (HESC) during proliferation and decidualization (N = 6). An MTS assay was performed to evaluate the effects of neddylation inhibition by MLN4924 on HESC proliferation. Flow cytometry and BrdU incorporation assay were conducted to determine the HESC cell cycle progression in response to MLN4924 exposure during proliferation. We also analyzed F-actin distribution by phalloidin staining and decidual marker gene expression by qRT-PCR to accesses the consequence of neddylation inhibition on HESC decidualization. Immunoblotting analysis of cullin1 and p21, and SA-ß-Galactosidase staining were performed to reveal the potential molecular basis for the impaired HESC proliferation, decidualization and cellular senescence. The siRNA technique was applied to knockdown p21 expression to test whether a clearance of p21 accumulation would correct the HESC defects from neddylation inhibition. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: We demonstrated that NEDD8 is ubiquitously expressed in human endometrium including luminal epithelium, glandular epithelium and the stromal cells during the menstrual cycle, as well as in the HESCs during proliferation and differentiation in culture. Employing multiple molecular, cellular and pharmacological approaches, we further observed that neddylation inhibition by MLN4924 significantly attenuates HESC proliferation (P-value < 0.05), impairs decidual transformation (P-value < 0.05), and facilitates cellular senescence. These abnormal HESC activities upon MLN4924 exposure were accompanied with reduced cullin1 neddylation and an aberrant accumulation of p21. While a clearance of p21 accumulation by siRNA knockdown could partially restore HESC proliferation and cellular viability, it failed to correct the decidualization defects. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Since NEDD8 was also intensely expressed in the endometrial epithelium, it is interesting to further study its potential role in stroma-epithelial interactions through isolating and culturing epithelial cells. p21 siRNA knockdown experiments revealed that there are differential molecular machineries, other than p21, that are subject to neddylation regulation during HESC proliferation compared with differentiation. This alternative mechanism warrants further investigation in future. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our findings add novel evidence showing, for what we believe the first time, that NEDD8-mediated neddylation is required for normal human endometrial functions, which raises the possibility of approaching the neddylation system for diagnosis and treatment of infertility in women. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: This work was supported in parts by the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB944400 to H.W.) and the National Natural Science Foundation (81130009, 81330017 to H.W., 81170575 to S.Q. and 31471106 to S.Z.). The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

MCM6 Inhibits Decidualization via Cross-Talking with ERK Pathway in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells.

Decidualization plays an important role in the implantation of the embryo, but the molecular action implicated in this process is not completely known. Herein, we found that, compared with the proliferative endometrial tissues, the expression of minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6) was markedly decreased in the secretory endometrial tissues. To verify the function of MCM6 in decidualization, in vitro decidualization model was constructed by treating human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) with estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4). Consistently, MCM6 level was downregulated in E2P4-treated HESCs. Administration of E2P4 accumulated HESCs in G1 cell cycle phase, leading to cell growth suppression. Ectopic expression of MCM6 promoted the transition of G1/S and restored the proliferation of HESCs that were inhibited by E2P4. MCM6 overexpression led to aberrant activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and treatment with ERK agonist Ro 67-7476 restored MCM6 expression and cell proliferation inhibited by E2P4. Our data suggested that MCM6/ERK feedback loop plays a negative role in E2P4-induced decidualization and implies that MCM6 may be a promising target for meliorating uterine receptivity.

A systematic pan-cancer analysis identifies LDHA as a novel predictor for immunological, prognostic, and immunotherapy resistance.

Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), a critical enzyme involved in glycolysis, is broadly involved multiple biological functions in human cancers. It is reported that LDHA can impact tumor immune surveillance and induce the transformation of tumor-associated macrophages, highlighting its unnoticed function of LDHA in immune system. However, in human cancers, the role of LDHA in prognosis and immunotherapy hasn't been investigated. In this study, we analyzed the expression pattern and prognostic value of LDHA in pan-cancer and explored its association between tumor microenvironment (TME), immune infiltration subtype, stemness scores, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and immunotherapy resistance. We found that LDHA expression is tumor heterogeneous and that its high expression is associated with poor prognosis in multiple human cancers. In addition, LDHA expression was positively correlated with the presence of mononuclear/macrophage cells, and also promoted the infiltration of a range of immune cells. Genomic alteration of LDHA was common in different types of cancer, while with prognostic value in pan-cancers. Pan-cancer analysis revealed that the significant correlations existed between LDHA expression and tumor microenvironment (including stromal cells and immune cells) as well as stemness scores (DNAss and RNAss) across cancer types. Drug sensitivity analysis also revealed that LDHA was able to predict response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Furthermore, it was confirmed that knockdown of LDHA reduced proliferation and migration ability of lung cancer cells. Taken together, LDHA could serve as a prognostic biomarker and a potential immunotherapy marker.

In situ modulating coordination fields of single-atom cobalt catalyst for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction.

Single-atom catalysts, especially those with metal-N4 moieties, hold great promise for facilitating the oxygen reduction reaction. However, the symmetrical distribution of electrons within the metal-N4 moiety results in unsatisfactory adsorption strength of intermediates, thereby limiting their performance improvements. Herein, we present atomically coordination-regulated Co single-atom catalysts that comprise a symmetry-broken Cl-Co-N4 moiety, which serves to break the symmetrical electron distribution. In situ characterizations reveal the dynamic evolution of the symmetry-broken Cl-Co-N4 moiety into a coordination-reduced Cl-Co-N2 structure, effectively optimizing the 3d electron filling of Co sites toward a reduced d-band electron occupancy (d5.8 → d5.28) under reaction conditions for a fast four-electron oxygen reduction reaction process. As a result, the coordination-regulated Co single-atom catalysts deliver a large half-potential of 0.93 V and a mass activity of 5480 A gmetal-1. Importantly, a Zn-air battery using the coordination-regulated Co single-atom catalysts as the cathode also exhibits a large power density and excellent stability.

Fungal mycobiome-mediated immune response: a non-negligible promoter in pancreatic oncogenesis and chemoresistance.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers in humans due to late diagnosis and poor response to treatments. The tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC is characterized by a distinctive, suppressive immune profile, which inhibits the protective functions of anti-tumor immunity and thereby contributes to PDAC progression. Recently, the study of Alam et al. discovered for the first time that the intratumoral fungal mycobiome could contribute to the recruitment and activation of type 2 immune cells in the TME of PDAC via enhancing the secretion of a chemoattractant, interleukin (IL-) 33. In this article, we reviewed the important findings of this study. Together with our findings, we synthetically discussed the role of the fungal mycobiome in orchestrating the immune response and thereby modulating tumor progression.

Botryorhodine J, a new anti-MRSA depsidone isolated from endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata Pas11.

A new depsidone derivative botryorhodine J (1), along with six known compounds (2-7) were obtained from solid rice cultures of Alternaria alternata Pas11 that was isolated from leaves of Phragmites australis. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of combination of NMR spectroscopic data and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive bacterial strains (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], Bacillus subtilis and S. aureus). Compounds 1 and 6 displayed antibacterial activity against the three bacterial strains with the minimum inhibitory concentration values (MICs) of 14 - 32 µg/mL, while compound 5 showed good antibacterial activity against above bacterial strains with MIC values of 5 - 8 µg/mL.

Differential Modulation of Saliva-Derived Microcosm Biofilms by Antimicrobial Peptide LL-31 and D-LL-31.

Microbiome modulation, aiming to restore a health-compatible microbiota, is a novel strategy to treat periodontitis. This study evaluated the modulation effects of antimicrobial peptide LL-31 and its D-enantiomer (D-LL-31) on saliva-derived microcosm biofilms, spiked with or without Porphyromonas gingivalis. To this end, one-day-old biofilms were incubated for 24 h with biofilm medium alone, or medium containing 40 µM LL-31 or D-LL-31, after which biofilms were grown for 5 days. Biofilms were assessed at 1 day and 5 days after intervention for the total viable cell counts, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) activity, P. gingivalis amount (by qPCR) and microbial composition (by sequencing). The results showed that D-LL-31, not LL-31, significantly reduced the total viable cell counts, the P. gingivalis amount, and the DPP4 activity of the biofilms spiked with P. gingivalis, but only at 1 day after intervention. In the biofilms spiked with P. gingivalis, D-LL-31 tended to reduce the α-diversity and the compositional shift of the biofilms in time as compared to the control and LL-31 groups. In conclusion, D-LL-31 showed a better performance than LL-31 in biofilm modulation. The biofilm modulation function of the peptides could be impaired when the biofilms were in a severely dysbiotic state.

Brain-derived extracellular vesicles promote bone-fat imbalance in Alzheimer's disease.

Inadequate osteogenesis and excessive adipogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are key factors in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have a higher incidence of osteoporosis than healthy adults, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Here, we show that brain-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) from adult AD or wild-type mice can cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the distal bone tissue, while only AD brain-derived EVs (AD-B-EVs) significantly promote the shift of the BMSC differentiation fate from osteogenesis to adipogenesis and induce a bone-fat imbalance. MiR-483-5p is highly enriched in AD-B-EVs, brain tissues from AD mice, and plasma-derived EVs from AD patients. This miRNA mediates the anti-osteogenic, pro-adipogenic, and pro-osteoporotic effects of AD-B-EVs by inhibiting Igf2. This study identifies the role of B-EVs as a promoter of osteoporosis in AD by transferring miR-483-5p.

Isolation and identification of antibacterial neo-compounds from the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp.

Three novel coumarin compounds along with two known amide alkaloids were isolated from a methanol extract of the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp. Their structures were identified on the basis of IR, 2D NMR ((1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and HRESIMS analysis. Antibacterial activity of all the compounds was evaluated using KB paper diffusion through measurement of inhibiting zone. It was found that four of all the compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 25 µg/ml (compounds 1-3) and 15 µg/ml (compound 4).