Transcriptomics Reveals the Molecular Basis for Methyl Jasmonate to Promote the Synthesis of Monoterpenoids in Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq.

BACKGROUND: Methyl jasmonate has an important effect on the synthesis of plant secondary metabolites. Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. has a wide range of pharmacological effects and the secondary metabolites are dominated by monoterpenes (pulegone, menthone). OBJECTIVE: It is essential to determine the changes in secondary metabolites in S. tenuifolia under methyl jasmonate treatment and to probe the molecular mechanism. This can improve the accumulation of secondary metabolites in the medicinal plant S. tenuifolia and enrich the information gene expression at different MeJA levels, which can help to elucidate the molecular mechanism of monoterpenoid synthesis in S. tenuifolia. METHODS: In this study, we determined the changes in the content of monoterpenoids in S. tenuifolia under methyl jasmonate treatment. Meanwhile, we established a transcriptome database of S. tenuifolia under methyl jasmonate level using high-throughput sequencing. RESULTS: A certain concentration of MeJA promoted the accumulation of monoterpenoids in S. tenuifolia. The transcriptome database of S. tenuifolia leaves under 0, 50, 100 and 250 µM MeJA treatment was established. We generated 88,373 unigenes with an N50 length of 2678 bp, of which 50,843 (57.53%) can be annotated in at least one database. Compared with the CK (0 µM) group, 12,557 (50 µM), 15,409 (100 µM) and 13,286 (250 µM) differentially expressed genes were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that JA signal transduction and monoterpenoid synthesis were the two most significant enrichment pathways. The expression levels of related DEGs involved in JA signaling and monoterpenoid synthesis were significantly up-regulated by MeJA. In addition, our phenotypic and differentially expressed gene association analysis revealed that monoterpenoid biosynthesis in S. tenuifolia was more associated with genes involved in plant trichome branching, phytohormone signaling and transcriptional regulation. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that methyl jasmonate significantly promoted monoterpenoid biosynthesis in S. tenuifolia. A large number of genes responding to methyl jasmonate were associated with JA signaling and monoterpenoid biosynthesis.

Efficacy and Safety of Polycaprolactone in Treating Nasolabial Folds: A Prospective, Multicenter, and Randomized Controlled Trial.

Nasolabial folds (NLFs) are the most pronounced sign of facial aging. This study explored the efficacy and safety of polycaprolactone gel in treating Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe NLFs. Patients with moderate-to-severe NLF who wished to be treated by dermal fillers were recruited from three centers between July 2017 and September 2019. The randomizing ratio was 1:1 in the polycaprolactone group (polycaprolactone injection) or control group (sodium hyaluronate gel injection). The primary endpoint was the effectiveness rate of Wrinkle Severity Rating Score (WSRS) scores at 12 months after injection. The full-analysis set (FAS) and safety sets had 80 patients in the polycaprolactone group and control group, respectively. In the FAS, the effectiveness rate at 12 months in the polycaprolactone group was 88.8% compared with 23.8% in controls (P < 0.001). The improvement in WSRS sustained during 12 months in the polycaprolactone group, while gradually vanished in the control group since 3 months after surgery. The global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS) by investigator assessments was improved, much improved, or very much improved in all patients during follow-up, while the proportion of patients with a "no change" assessment gradually increased during follow-up after 6 months in the control group. The rates of injection-related adverse event (AE) and serve injection-related AE were 8.8 versus 11.3% and 0 versus 1.3% in the polycaprolactone group and control groups, respectively. Polycaprolactone gel injection is effective and safe to treat moderate-to-severe NLFs in Chinese patients.

The correlation between EGFR mutation status and the risk of brain metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

To explore the correlation between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status and the risk of brain metastasis (BM) in patients with lung adenocarcinoma, the clinical data of 100 patients with pathologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma and known EGFR mutation status at exon 18, 19, 20, or 21 were analyzed retrospectively. The incidence of BM was similar between patients with wild-type EGFR and those with EGFR mutations (p = 0.48). However, among patients with EGFR mutations, the incidence of BM was significantly higher in patients with mutation at exon 19 than in patients with mutation at other sites (p = 0.007). Besides, among patients with heterochronous BM, 66.7 % had EGFR mutations. Regarding brain-metastasis-free survival (BMFS), patients with EGFR sensitive mutations (mutation at exon 19/21/and dual mutation) had significantly shorter BMFS compared with patients with wild-type EGFR (p = 0.018). For patients treated only with chemotherapy, BM was an unfavorable prognostic factor. Patients with BM had worse overall survival compared with those without BM (p = 0.035). However, in patients with BM and EGFR sensitive mutations, those treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) had significantly longer overall survival compared with those treated with chemotherapy only (p = 0.0081). In conclusion, among patients with EGFR mutations, those mutated at exon 19 had the highest incidence of BM. Furthermore, patients with EGFR mutations are more likely to develop heterochronous BM. The BMFS was significantly shorter in patients with EGFR sensitive mutations. TKIs improved the survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma and BM who harbored EGFR sensitive mutations.

[Expression of cyclin D1 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship with HPV16 E7 gene].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of cyclin D1 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) E7 gene expression. METHODS: Both SiHa and Hcc94 cell lines were obtained from cervical epithelial cells of squamous cell carcinoma. E6/E7 gene was silent in Hcc94 cell line.Expression levels of cyclin D1 mRNA and protein in CIN and squamous cell carcinoma were detected by QT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) respectively. SiRNA was constructed for targeting the promoter of HPV16 E7 and then transfected into SiHa cells to establish cm-16 line with stable silencing of E7. Control cell line B3 was obtained by blank plasmid transfection into SiHa cells. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect cyclin D1 mRNA and protein expression in the SiHa, B3, and cm-16 cells, respectively. RESULTS: Cyclin D1 was expressed in the basal cells of normal cervical squamous epithelia and the expression gradually decreased in the progression from CIN1 to CIN3. Squamous cell carcinoma showed negative or scattered expression of cyclin D1 (P<0.05). Both mRNA and protein of cyclin D1 in E7(+) SiHa cells were lower than those in cm-16 and Hcc94 cells. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell carcinoma with high HPV E7 expression shows low level of cyclin D1, suggesting that HPV16 E7 gene inhibits the expression of cyclin D1.

Recurrent infections drive persistent bladder dysfunction and pain via sensory nerve sprouting and mast cell activity.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) account for almost 25% of infections in women. Many are recurrent (rUTI), with patients frequently experiencing chronic pelvic pain and urinary frequency despite clearance of bacteriuria after antibiotics. To elucidate the basis for these bacteria-independent bladder symptoms, we examined the bladders of patients with rUTI. We noticed a notable increase in neuropeptide content in the lamina propria and indications of enhanced nociceptive activity. In mice subjected to rUTI, we observed sensory nerve sprouting that was associated with nerve growth factor (NGF) produced by recruited monocytes and tissue-resident mast cells. Treatment of rUTI mice with an NGF-neutralizing antibody prevented sprouting and alleviated pelvic sensitivity, whereas instillation of native NGF into naïve mice bladders mimicked nerve sprouting and pain behavior. Nerve activation, pain, and urinary frequency were each linked to the presence of proximal mast cells, because mast cell deficiency or treatment with antagonists against receptors of several direct or indirect mast cell products was each effective therapeutically. Thus, our findings suggest that NGF-driven sensory sprouting in the bladder coupled with chronic mast cell activation represents an underlying mechanism driving bacteria-independent pain and voiding defects experienced by patients with rUTI.

Effects of early repeated hemoperfusion combined with hemodialysis on the prognosis of patients with paraquat poisoning.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of early, repeated hemoperfusion in conjunction with hemodialysis on the health status, blood-gas indices, and prognosis of patients with paraquat (PQ) poisoning. METHODS: In this retrospective study, clinical data of 149 PQ-poisoned patients treated at Xianyang First People's Hospital between January 2019 and January 2022 were analysed. Sixty-two patients who received conventional treatment coupled with early, repeated hemoperfusion were designated as the control group. The remaining 87 patients, who were subjected to additional hemodialysis on the basis of the control group, were designated in the experimental group. A comparison was made between the two groups regarding the changes in liver function, renal function, and blood-gas indices before and after the treatment. Three-month survival outcomes of both groups were analyzed using Cox regression, with survival curves drawn for different prognostic factors. RESULTS: The experimental group exhibited significantly lower levels of indirect bilirubin (IBiL) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) after the treatment compared to the control group (all P < 0.05), as well as markedly lower levels of total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) (all P < 0.01). The experimental group also demonstrated significantly improved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and PaO2/inspired oxygen (FIO2) ratios, along with reduced arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2) after the treatment (all P < 0.05). Moreover, a significantly higher three-month survival rate was observed in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). According to Cox regression analysis, blood purification mode, age, urine PQ concentration upon admission, the timing of initial gastric lavage and bowl cleanse, and the timing of initial blood purification were identified as independent factors affecting the patients' 90-day prognosis. CONCLUSION: Early, repeated hemoperfusion coupled with hemodialysis significantly improves the blood-gas indices and liver and kidney function in patients with PQ poisoning, while also extending their short-term survival.

Zinc finger C3H1-type containing serves as a novel prognostic biomarker in human pan-cancer.

BACKGROUND: Zinc finger C3H1 domain-containing protein (ZFC3H1) is differentially expressed between primary tumor and the normal in most cancers. Additionally, a recent study has suggested that ZFC3H1 could serve as a novel marker for the prognosis of prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD). However, the relationship between ZFC3H1 expression and the prognostic values in most tumors remains unclear. Our study is mainly for exploring the prognosis of ZFC3H1 in pan-cancer and for further discovering a potential therapeutics target. METHODS: Based on the clinical big data, we performed a pan-cancer analysis of ZFC3H1, including gene expression, survival prognosis, genetic alteration, protein phosphorylation, immune infiltration and enrichment analysis. In addition, Real-Time PCR and Western Blot were used to further confirm the role of ZFC3H1 in the colorectal cancer. RESULTS: We found that ZFC3H1 expression was connected with the prognosis of multiple malignant tumors. Furthermore, we also observed that ZFC3H1 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer through Real-Time PCR and Western Blot. The primary tumors presented higher phosphorylation level of the S655 site in lung adenocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma. ZFC3H1 expression was positively correlated with the immune infiltration of Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in some tumors, such as liver hepatocellular carcinoma. And RNA surveillance pathways may be closely associated with the occurrence of tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study first reveals that ZFC3H1 could serve as a novel prognostic biomarker of pan-cancer, especially colorectal cancer.

Mast cell regranulation requires a metabolic switch involving mTORC1 and a glucose-6-phosphate transporter.

Mast cells (MCs) are granulated cells implicated in inflammatory disorders because of their capacity to degranulate, releasing prestored proinflammatory mediators. As MCs have the unique capacity to reform granules following degranulation in vitro, their potential to regranulate in vivo is linked to their pathogenesis. It is not known what factors regulate regranulation, let alone if regranulation occurs in vivo. We report that mice can undergo multiple bouts of MC regranulation following successive anaphylactic reactions. mTORC1, a nutrient sensor that activates protein and lipid synthesis, is necessary for regranulation. mTORC1 activity is regulated by a glucose-6-phosphate transporter, Slc37a2, which increases intracellular glucose-6-phosphate and ATP during regranulation, two upstream signals of mTOR. Additionally, Slc37a2 concentrates extracellular metabolites within endosomes, which are trafficked into nascent granules. Thus, the metabolic switch associated with MC regranulation is mediated by the interactions of a cellular metabolic sensor and a transporter of extracellular metabolites into MC granules.

Microarray and bioinformatic analysis reveal the parental genes of m6A modified circRNAs as novel prognostic signatures in colorectal cancer.

Background: Accumulating evidences have revealed that the abnormal N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is closely associated with the occurrence, development, progression and prognosis of cancer. It is noteworthy that m6A modification is widely existed in circRNAs and found its key biological functions in regulating circRNAs metabolism. However, the role of m6A modified circRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. To better understand the role of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of CRC, we focus on the relationship between m6A-modified circRNAs and their parental genes. Methods: Arraystar m6A-circRNA epitranscriptomic microarray was used to identify differentially m6A modified circRNAs between CRC and the control group. In addition, TCGA-COAD and GSE106582 cohort were used to identify differentially expressed mRNAs. In this study, we screened the parental genes for which both circRNAs and mRNAs were down-regulated further to analyze, including gene expression, survival prognosis, enrichment analysis. Additionally, Western Blotting was used to further validate the role of the parental gene in CRC. Results: We found that 1405 significantly downregulated circRNAs in CRC by our microarray data. Moreover, we obtained 113 parental genes for which both circRNAs and mRNAs were down-regulated to analyze the relationship with the prognosis of CRC based on TCGA-COAD cohort. And we identified nine potential prognostic genes, including ABCD3, ABHD6, GAB1, MIER1, MYOCD, PDE8A, RPS6KA5, TPM1 and WDR78. And low expression of these genes was associated with poor survival prognosis of the patients with CRC. In addition, we found that TPM1 is downregulated in CRC by western blotting experiment. And the calcium-signaling pathway may involve the process of the CRC progression. Conclusions: We identified nine potential prognostic genes, after analyzed the relationship between the parental genes of m6A modified circRNAs and the progression of CRC. Above all, our study further validated TPM1 can serve as a potentail signature for CRC patients.

FAM65A as a novel prognostic biomarker in human tumors reveal by a pan-cancer analysis.

BACKGROUND: Family with sequence similarity 65 member A (FAM65A), also known as RIPOR1, is differentially expressed between human tumor and non-tumor tissues in kinds of cancers. In addition, it was reported that the product of FAM65A may be a biomarker for cholangiocarcinoma patients. However, there is still no evidence on the relationship between the FAM65A and different types of tumors. Our study is mainly for exploring the prognostic values of FAM65A in pan-cancer and for further discovering a potential therapeutics target. METHODS: We analyzed FAM65A expression, prognostic values, genetic alteration, protein phosphorylation, immune infiltration and enrichment analysis across different types of human malignant tumors based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Additionally, Real-Time PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to further confirm the roles of FAM65A in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. RESULTS: We found that FAM65A expression was associated with the prognosis of multiple human tumors, especially colorectal cancer. Moreover, we also observed that FAM65A was highly expressed in colorectal cancer through RT-qPCR. We observed that decreasing phosphorylation level of the S351 locus in colon adenocarcinoma, uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. And the expression of FAM65A was positively related to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) infiltration in many tumors, such as colon adenocarcinoma. Therefore, FAM65A may be a potential prognostic biomarker of human tumors.

[Entamoeba gingivalis infection among college students in Tangshan].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Entamoeba gingivalis infection in college students in Tangshan, and analyze the relationship between the infection and human behaviors. METHODS: 551 students of grades 1-3 from six colleges in Tangshan received questionnairing, which covered the oral health state, teeth-brushing, xylitol gum-chewing, diet fondness, and smoking. Specimens were taken from the tooth surface of the lesion or fouling materials by using disinfected toothpicks and the smears were observed microscopically to examine Entamoeba gingivalis infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of Entamoeba gingivalis infection was 28.3% (156/551), 30.4% (55/181) and 24.6% in males and females (91/370) respectively (chi2=2.09, P>0.05). The prevalence in students with or without oral disorders was 41.2% (84/204) and 20.8% (72/347) respectively, with a significant statistical difference (chi2=26.41, P<0.01); it was 22.5% (53/236) and 32.7% (103/315) among students who cleaned their teeth regularly or irregularly (chi2=6.97, P<0.01); it was 18.3% (17/93) and 30.4% (139/458) among those usually with or without chewing xylitol gum (chi2=5.55, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Entamoeba gingivalis infection is common in the college students in Tangshan and it has a close relation to the oral hygiene habits and the presence of oral disorders.

Identification of Novel Mast Cell Activators Using Cell-Based High-Throughput Screening.

Mast cells (MCs) are known to regulate innate and adaptive immunity. MC activators have recently been described as safe and effective vaccine adjuvants. Many currently known MC activators are inadequate for in vivo applications, however, and research on identifying novel MC activators is limited. In this study, we identified novel MC activators by using high-throughput screening (HTS) assays using approximately 55,000 small molecules. Data sets obtained by the primary HTS assays were statistically evaluated using quality control rules and the B-score calculation, and compounds with B-scores of >3.0 were chosen as mast cell activators (hits). These hits were re-evaluated with secondary and tertiary HTS assays, followed by further statistical analysis. From these hits, we selected 15 compounds that caused degranulation in murine and human MCs, with potential for flexible chemical modification for further study. Among these 15 compounds, ST101036, ST029248, and ST026567 exhibited higher degranulation potency than other hit compounds in both human and mouse MCs. In addition, the 15 compounds identified promote de novo synthesis of cytokines and induce the release of eicosanoids from human and mouse MCs. HTS enabled us to identify small-molecule MC activators with unique properties that may be useful as vaccine adjuvants.

[Establishment of transgenic Xenopus laevis by intracytoplasmic sperm injection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility of establishing transgenic laevis by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: The testes of mature Xenopus laevis were taken for the purification of their sperms, which was subsequently incubated with digitonin to prepare concentrate of the sperms. Treatment of the concentrate with linearized reporter vector pCMV-EGFP-N1 was performed, and the sperms were then injected into unfertilized ova harvested from female laevis, followed by culture and observation of the development of the ova. RESULTS: The condensed sperm we obtained were of high quality and after intracytoplasmic injection into the ova, a fertilization rate of 10% was achieved and 20% of the zygotes survived the neurula stages and developed into tadpoles, but all of which were slightly deformed. The integration ratio of green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene was 81%, but GFP expression was not observed in the laevis. CONCLUSION: ICSI is a simple and practicable method for establishing transgenic Xenopus laevis.

Critical role of Cys168 in noggin protein's biological function.

Previous studies have indicated that noggin exerts its neural inducing effect by binding and antagonizing bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). In order to further clarify the relationship between the structure and the function of noggin, and elucidate the possible mechanism responsible for noggin-BMP4 interaction, we generated three noggin mutants, C168S, C174S and C197S, by using a site-directed mutagenesis method. Ectopic expression of wild-type (WT) noggin, C174S or C197S, in Xenopus animal caps (ACs) by mRNA injection converted the explants (prospective ectoderm) into neural tissue, as indicated by the neural-like morphology and expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in the ACs. In contrast, ACs expressing C168S suffered an epidermal fate similar to the control caps. Similarly, among the three mutants, only C168S lost the dorsalizing function. These studies highlight the critical role played by Cys168 in noggin's biological activities. It probably participates in the formation of an intermolecular disulfide bridge.