Exploring the comorbidity mechanisms between psoriasis and obesity based on bioinformatics.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease characterized by erythematous scaly lesions. Obesity is currently a major global health concern, increasing the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Since the correlation between psoriasis and obesity, as well as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, has been clinically evidenced, it is of certain clinical significance to explore the mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of psoriasis with these conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gene targets for both diseases were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) comprehensive gene expression database. Differential gene analysis, intersection gene analysis, construction and visualization of protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) using R software, Cytoscape 3.8.2 software, online tools such as String, and enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed, with relevant graphics generated. RESULTS: Analysis identified 29 intersecting genes between the two diseases, with 10 key targets such as S100A7 and SERPINB4. Enrichment analysis indicated their involvement in regulating biological processes such as leukocyte chemotaxis, migration, and chronic inflammatory responses through cellular structures such as intracellular vesicles and extracellular matrix. Molecular functions, including RAGE receptor binding, Toll-like receptor binding, and fatty acid binding, were found to simultaneously regulate psoriasis and obesity. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis and obesity may mutually influence each other through multiple targets and pathways, emphasizing the importance of considering comorbidity treatment and daily care in clinical practice.

Association of partial infections with the risk of psoriasis: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: As a common chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease, psoriasis is characterized by erythema and scaly skin lesions, with infection as an integral part of the pathogenesis of many diseases. Many previous cases reported the impact of psoriasis on infection. However, the existing research fails to completely clarify the infection factors associated with the potential of these diseases and causality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen kinds of pathogens and their immune responses and psoriasis in the phenotype of 46 species of SNPs data were respectively obtained from the GWAS catalog database and the UK biobank database. With the help of R software, three methods of inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median (WME), and MR-Egger regression were used to analyze the causality of the dataset. RESULTS: According to the results of IVW analysis, there is a causal relationship between anti-Epstein Barr virus antibody and psoriasis (OR: 1.003, 95% CI: 1.001∼1.006, P = 0.046) with a positive correlation. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of MR analysis, there is a causal relationship between psoriasis and EBV infection, which indicates that EBV infection can increase the risk or severity of psoriasis. Therefore, in clinical scenarios, patients afflicted with psoriasis should be prevented from contracting the infection and recurrence of EBV as well as symptoms of psoriasis. The underlying immunological mechanism also provides a new perspective for experimental research.

Amorphous Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanocages with Excellent SERS Sensitivity and Stability for Accurate Identification of Tumor Cells.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) bioprobe's strategy for identifying tumor cells always depended on the intensity difference of the Raman signal compared with that of normal cells. Hence, exploring novel SERS nanostructure with excellent spectra stability, a high enhancement factor (EF), and good biocompatibility is a primary premise for boosting SERS signal reliability and accuracy of tumor cells. Here, high SERS EF (5.52 × 106) is acquired by developing novel amorphous nitrogen-doped carbon (NDC) nanocages (NCs), whose EF value was in a leading position among carbon-based SERS substrates. In addition, a uniform SERS signal was obtained on NDC NCs due to homogeneous morphology and size. The delocalized carbon-conjugated systems of graphitic-N, pyrrole-N, and pyridine-N with lone pair electrons increase the electronic density of states and reduce the electron localization function of NDC NCs, thereby promoting the charge transfer process. The electron-donor platform of the NDC NCs facilitates the thermodynamic process of charge transfer, resulting in multimode vibrational coupling in the surface complexes, which greatly amplifies the molecular polarizability. Importantly, the good biocompatibility and signal stability endow these NDC NC SERS bioprobes unique superiority in distinguishing tumor cells, and quantitative recognition of two triple-negative breast cancer cells based on SERS detection mode has been successfully realized.

Torque-Driven Orientation Motion of Chemotactic Colloidal Motors.

We report a direct experimental observation of the torque-driven active reorientation of glucose-fueled flasklike colloidal motors to a glucose gradient exhibiting a positive chemotaxis. These streamlined flasklike colloidal motors are prepared by combining a hydrothermal synthesis and a vacuum infusion and can be propelled by an enzymatic cascade reaction in the glucose fuel. Their flasklike architecture can be used to recognize their moving posture, and thus the dynamic glucose-gradient-induced alignment and orientation-dependent motility during positive chemotaxis can be examined experimentally. The chemotactic mechanism is that the enzymatic reactions inside lead to the glucose acid gradient and the glucose gradient which generate two phoretic torques at the bottom and the opening respectively, and thus continuously steer it to the glucose gradient. Such glucose-fueled flasklike colloidal motors resembling the chemotactic capability of living organisms hold considerable potential for engineering active delivery vehicles in response to specific chemical signals.

Bubble-Propelled Janus Gallium/Zinc Micromotors for the Active Treatment of Bacterial Infections.

We report a bubble-propelled Janus gallium/zinc (Ga/Zn) micromotor with good biocompatibility and biodegradability for active target treatment of bacteria. The Janus Ga/Zn micromotors are fabricated by asymmetrically coating liquid metal Ga on Zn microparticles and display self-propulsion in simulated gastroenteric acid (pH 0.5) at a speed of up to 383 µm s-1 , propelled by hydrogen bubbles generated by the zinc-acid reaction. This motion of Ga/Zn micromotors is enhanced by the Ga-Zn galvanic effect. The GaIII cations produced from the degradation of Ga/Zn micromotors serve as a built-in antibiotic agent. The movement improves the diffusion of GaIII and results in a significant increase of the antibacterial efficiency against H. pylori, compared with passive Ga microparticles. Such Ga/Zn micromotors combine the self-propulsion, good biocompatibility and biodegradability, and Ga-based antibacterial properties, providing a proof of concept for the active treatment of bacterial infections.

Autonomous Motion of Bubble-Powered Carbonaceous Nanoflask Motors.

We report a carbonaceous nanomotor with a characteristic flask-like hollow structure that can autonomously move under the propulsion of oxygen bubbles. The carbonaceous nanoflask (CNF) motor was fabricated by encapsulating platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) into the hollow cavity of the CNF. The internally encapsulated Pt NPs act as catalysts to decompose hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) fuel into oxygen bubbles. The generated oxygen bubbles recoil the motion of the CNF motors. Besides, the velocity of CNF motors can be controlled by adjusting the concentration of the H2O2 solution. The motion velocity increases with the increase of H2O2 concentration, up to 109.25 µm s-1 at 10% H2O2. This study provides important implications for understanding the motion behaviors of nanomotors with an internal cavity, and the self-propelled CNF motors as smart carrier systems have potential applications in the future.

Reconfigurable Assembly of Active Liquid Metal Colloidal Cluster.

We report the reconfigurable assembly of rod-shaped eutectic gallium-indium alloy (EGaIn) liquid metal colloidal motors by mimicking the growth behavior of a dandelion. EGaIn nanorods with a diameter of 210 nm and a length of 850 nm were synthesized via an ultrasound-assisted physical dispersion method. The nanorods possess a core-shell structure with a 30 nm GaOOH shell and zero-valent liquid core. The EGaIn motors move autonomously at a speed of 41.2 µm s-1 under an acoustic field. By modulating the frequency of the applied acoustic field, the EGaIn colloidal motors self-organize into various striped and circular patterns, followed by a flower-like cluster. The dandelion-like EGaIn colloidal motor clusters move collectively and redisperse when the applied acoustic frequency is changed. Numerical simulations reveal that the flower-like clusters are created by the acoustic propulsion in combination with steric repulsion and hydrodynamics.

Bubble-Pair Propelled Colloidal Kayaker.

We report a hollow dumbbell-shaped manganese dioxide (MnO2) colloidal kayaker capable of converting a pair of breathing oxygen bubbles into self-propelled movement. The bubble pair generated by catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide fuel grew either synchronously or asynchronously, driving the colloidal kayaker to move along a fluctuating circle. The synchronous or asynchronous breathing mode of bubble pair is governed by the asymmetric catalytic sites of the colloidal kayakers. This imbalanced distribution of bubble propulsion force generates the driving force and the centripetal force on the colloidal kayaker. The dynamics of colloidal kayakers is well-described by the overdamped Langevin equation and fluid field simulation. Such bubble-pair propelled colloidal kayakers could advance applications of catalytic nanomotors, offering effective implementation for diverse tasks for a wide range of practical applications.

Noncontinuous Super-Diffusive Dynamics of a Light-Activated Nanobottle Motor.

We report a carbonaceous nanobottle (CNB) motor for near infrared (NIR) light-driven jet propulsion. The bottle structure of the CNB motor is fabricated by soft-template-based polymerization. Upon illumination with NIR light, the photothermal effect of the CNB motor carbon shell causes a rapid increase in the temperature of the water inside the nanobottle and thus the ejection of the heated fluid from the open neck, which propels the CNB motor. The occurrence of an explosion, the on/off motion, and the swing behavior of the CNB motor can be modulated by adjusting the NIR light source. Moreover, we simulated the physical field distribution (temperature, fluid velocity, and pressure) of the CNB motor to demonstrate the mechanism of NIR light-driven jet propulsion. This NIR light-powered CNB motor exhibits fuel-free propulsion and control of the swimming velocity by external light and has great potential for future biomedical applications.

Self-Propelled Nanomotors for Thermomechanically Percolating Cell Membranes.

We report a near-infrared (NIR) light-powered Janus mesoporous silica nanomotor (JMSNM) with macrophage cell membrane (MPCM) cloaking that can actively seek cancer cells and thermomechanically percolate cell membrane. Upon exposure to NIR light, a heat gradient across the Janus boundary of the JMSNMs is generated by the photothermal effect of the Au half-shells, resulting in a self-thermophoretic force that propels the JMSNMs. In biological medium, the MPCM camouflaging can not only prevent dissociative biological blocks from adhering to JMSNMs but also improve the seeking sensitivity of the nanomotors by specifically recognizing cancer cells. The biofriendly propulsion and recognition capability enable JMSNMs to achieve the active seeking and bind to the membrane of cancer cells. Subsequent illumination with NIR then triggers the photothermal effect of MPCM@JMSNMs to thermomechanically perforate the cytomembranes for guest molecular injection. This approach integrates the functions of active seeking, cytomembranes perforating, and thermomechanical therapy in nanomotors, which may pave the way to apply self-propelled motors in biomedical fields.

Light-Activated Active Colloid Ribbons.

We report a dynamic self-organization of self-propelled peanut-shaped hematite motors from non-equilibrium driving forces where the propulsion can be triggered by blue light. They result in one-dimensional, active colloid ribbons with a positive phototactic characteristic. The motion of colloid motors is ascribed to the diffusion-osmotic flow in a chemical gradient by the photocatalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide fuel. We show that self-propelled peanut-shaped colloids readily form one-dimensional, slithering ribbon structures under the out-of-equilibrium collisions. This self-organization intrinsically results from the competition among the osmotically driven motion, the phoretic attraction and the inherent magnetic moments. The giant size number fluctuation in colloid ribbons is observed above a critical point 4.1 % of the surface density of colloid motors. Such phototactic colloid ribbons may provide a model system to understand the emergence of function in biological systems and have potential to construct bioinspired active materials based on different active building blocks.

Stem Cell Membrane-Coated Nanogels for Highly Efficient In Vivo Tumor Targeted Drug Delivery.

Stem cell membrane-coated nanogels can effectively evade clearance of the immune system, enhance the tumor targeting properties and antitumor chemotherapy efficacy of gelatin nanogels loaded doxorubicin in mice.

Small tandem target mimic-mediated blockage of microRNA858 induces anthocyanin accumulation in tomato.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Our work strongly suggests that microRNA858 regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in tomato by modulating the expression of two R2R3 MYB transcription factors, underscoring the importance of microRNAs in the gene regulatory network controlling specialized metabolism in plants. The biological functions of microRNA858 (miR858), a recently identified small RNA, are not well understood. Here, we identified miR858 as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). RNA ligase-mediated 5'RACE cleavage assay showed that miR858 mediates the cleavage of SlMYB7-like and SlMYB48-like transcripts in tomato. Expression analysis revealed an inverse correlation between the accumulation of miR858 and its target SlMYB7-like mRNA, in different tissues of tomato. Subsequently, a small tandem target mimic construct for blocking miR858 (STTM858) was generated and transformed into tomato. The majority of endogenous miR858 was blocked in STTM858 over-expressing tomato plants, whereas SlMYB7-like transcripts increased significantly. Concomitantly, upregulated expression was detected for several anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, including PAL, CHS, DFR, ANS and 3GT. As a result, anthocyanins were highly accumulated in young seedlings, leaves, stems and leaf buds of the transgenic plants under normal growth conditions. In addition, over-expression of STTM858 in tomato activated another MYB transcription factor, SlMYB48, implicating the possible involvement of SlMYB48 in anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Remote-Controllable Explosive Polymer Multilayer Tubes for Rapid Cancer Cell Killing.

Gold nanoshell-functionalized polymer multilayer tubes can be used as potent therapeutic agents for remote killing of cancer cells in a controlled manner due to the emerging pressure wave and tube fragments piercing the cell wall. The explosion is based on rapid evaporation of water inside the tubes caused by photothermal effects. The mechanism of explosion is presented in theory and experiment. The explosion of the tubes depends on the absorption coefficient and size of the gold nanoshells in the tubes, whereby the placement of the gold particles inside or outside of the tubes has no obvious effect on the explosive properties.

Janus mesoporous organosilica/platinum nanomotors for active treatment of suppurative otitis media.

We report a Janus mesoporous organosilica/platinum (MOS/Pt) nanomotor for active targeted treatment of suppurative otitis media, as a new type of multi-functional ear drop. The efficient propulsion of MOS/Pt nanomotors in hydrogen peroxide ear-cleaning drops significantly improves their binding efficiency with Staphylococcus aureus and enhances their antibacterial efficacy.

Carbon Dots in the Pathological Microenvironment: ROS Producers or Scavengers?

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), as metabolic byproducts, play pivotal role in physiological and pathological processes. Recently, studies on the regulation of ROS levels for disease treatments have attracted extensive attention, mainly involving the ROS-induced toxicity therapy mediated by ROS producers and antioxidant therapy by ROS scavengers. Nanotechnology advancements have led to the development of numerous nanomaterials with ROS-modulating capabilities, among which carbon dots (CDs) standing out as noteworthy ROS-modulating nanomedicines own their distinctive physicochemical properties, high stability, and excellent biocompatibility. Despite progress in treating ROS-related diseases based on CDs, critical issues such as rational design principles for their regulation remain underexplored. The primary cause of these issues may stem from the intricate amalgamation of core structure, defects, and surface states, inherent to CDs, which poses challenges in establishing a consistent generalization. This review succinctly summarizes the recently progress of ROS-modulated approaches using CDs in disease treatment. Specifically, it investigates established therapeutic strategies based on CDs-regulated ROS, emphasizing the interplay between intrinsic structure and ROS generation or scavenging ability. The conclusion raises several unresolved key scientific issues and prominent technological bottlenecks, and explores future perspectives for the comprehensive development of CDs-based ROS-modulating therapy.

Identification and expression analysis of bZIP transcription factors in Setaria italica in response to dehydration stress.

Among the largest transcription factor families in plants, bZIPs are crucial for various developmental and physiological processes, particularly abiotic stress resistance. Setaria italica has become a model for understanding stress resistance mechanisms. In this study, we identified 90 bZIP transcription factors in the Setaria italica genome. SibZIPs were classified into 13 groups based on references to Arabidopsis bZIPs. Members in the same group shared similar motifs and gene structure pattern. In addition, gene duplication analysis indenfied 37 pairs of segmental duplicated genes and none tandem duplicated genes in S. italica suggesting segmental duplication contributed to the expansion of the S. italica bZIP gene family. Moreover, the number of SibZIPs genes (39) exhibiting higher expression in roots was significantly more than that in other organs. Twelve SibZIP genes were upregulated in response to dehydration stress. In conclusion, our study advances the current understanding of SibZIP genes and provide a number of candidates for functional analysis of drought tolerance in S. italica.

Peptide-Functionalized Inorganic Oxide Nanomaterials for Solid Cancer Imaging and Therapy.

The diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors have undergone significant advancements marked by a trend toward increased specificity and integration of imaging and therapeutic functions. The multifaceted nature of inorganic oxide nanomaterials (IONs), which boast optical, magnetic, ultrasonic, and biochemical modulatory properties, makes them ideal building blocks for developing multifunctional nanoplatforms. A promising class of materials that have emerged in this context are peptide-functionalized inorganic oxide nanomaterials (PFIONs), which have demonstrated excellent performance in multifunctional imaging and therapy, making them potential candidates for advancing solid tumor diagnosis and treatment. Owing to the functionalities of peptides in tumor targeting, penetration, responsiveness, and therapy, well-designed PFIONs can specifically accumulate and release therapeutic or imaging agents at the solid tumor sites, enabling precise imaging and effective treatment. This review provides an overview of the recent advances in the use of PFIONs for the imaging and treatment of solid tumors, highlighting the superiority of imaging and therapeutic integration as well as synergistic treatment. Moreover, the review discusses the challenges and prospects of PFIONs in depth, aiming to promote the intersection of the interdisciplinary to facilitate their clinical translation and the development of personalized diagnostic and therapeutic systems by optimizing the material systems.

Crizotinib resistance reversal in ALK-positive lung cancer through zeolitic imidazolate framework-based mitochondrial damage.

Crizotinib (CRZ), one of anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs), has emerged as a frontline treatment for ALK-positive (ALK+) lung adenocarcinoma. However, the overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, a mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent protein) in lung adenocarcinoma lesions causes multidrug resistance (MDR) and limits the efficacy of CRZ treatment. Herein, a mitochondria-targeting nanosystem, zeolitic imidazolate framework-90@indocyanine green (ZIF-90@ICG), was fabricated to intervene in mitochondria and overcome drug resistance. Due to the zinc ion (Zn2+) interference of ZIF-90 and the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of ICG, this nanosystem is well suited for damaging mitochondrial functions, thus downregulating the intracellular ATP level and inhibiting P-gp expression. In addition, systematic bioinformatics analysis revealed the upregulation of CD44 in CRZ-resistant cells. Therefore, hyaluronic acid (HA, a critical target ligand of CD44) was further modified on the surface of ZIF-90@ICG for active targeting. Overall, this ZIF-90@ICG nanosystem synergistically increased the intracellular accumulation of CRZ and reversed CRZ resistance to enhance its anticancer effect, which provides guidance for nanomedicine design to accurately target tumours and induce mitochondrial damage and represents a viable regimen for improving the prognosis of patients with ALK-TKIs resistance. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The original aim of our research was to combat multidrug resistance (MDR) in highly aggressive and lethal lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) lung adenocarcinoma. For this purpose, a cascade-targeted system was designed to overcome MDR, integrating lung adenocarcinoma-targeted hyaluronic acid (HA), mitochondrion-targeted zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90), the clinically approved drug crizotinib (CRZ), and the fluorescence imaging agent/photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG). Moreover, using a "two birds with one stone" strategy, ion interference and oxidative stress induced by ZIF-90 and photodynamic therapy (PDT), respectively, disrupt mitochondrial homeostasis, thus downregulating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, inhibiting MDR-relevant P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and suppressing tumour metastasis. Overall, this research represents an attempt to implement the concept of MDR reversal and realize the trade-offs between MDR and therapeutic effectiveness.

Prevalence of depression in melasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Due to cosmetic disfigurement, melasma can negatively affect the quality of life and emotional and mental health, further leading to depression. Objective: Prevalence rates of depression in patients with melasma vary widely across studies. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the prevalence of depression among melasma patients. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched to identify articles evaluating the prevalence of depression in melasma patients from their inception to 12 July 2023. Studies were reviewed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and a meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 14.0 software. Results: Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria out of the 859 studies, containing a total of 2,963 melasma patients for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analyses revealed that the pooled prevalence of depression among patients with melasma was 43.4% (95% CI 30.5-56.2%, Q-value = 808.859, d.f. = 15, p < 0.001, tau2 = 0.065, I2 = 98.1%). The meta-regression found that the publication year, sample size, and study quality were not significant moderators for the observed heterogeneity in prevalence. A subgroup analysis according to depression assessment methods showed that the prevalence of depressive disorders was 24.2% (95% CI 16.8-31.6%), and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 45.1% (95% CI 31.2-59.0%). A subgroup analysis by geographic regions showed that patients in Asia had the highest prevalence of depression at 48.5% (95% CI 26.0-71.0%), compared to other regions. A subgroup analysis by study design showed that the prevalence of depression in case-control studies was almost identical to cross-sectional studies. In the case of OR, the pooled OR of depression between patients with melasma and health controls was 1.677 (95% CI 1.163-2.420, p = 0.606, I2 = 0.0%). Conclusion: The prevalence of depression was relatively high in patients with melasma, and there was a correlation between melasma and depression, encouraging clinicians to screen for depression in their patients and providing a combination of physical and psychosocial support. If necessary, they should be referred to formal mental health services to seek professional psychological intervention. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42022381378.