Innervation of nociceptor neurons in the spleen promotes germinal center responses and humoral immunity.

Peripheral sensory neurons widely innervate various tissues to continuously monitor and respond to environmental stimuli. Whether peripheral sensory neurons innervate the spleen and modulate splenic immune response remains poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that nociceptive sensory nerve fibers extensively innervate the spleen along blood vessels and reach B cell zones. The spleen-innervating nociceptors predominantly originate from left T8-T13 dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), promoting the splenic germinal center (GC) response and humoral immunity. Nociceptors can be activated by antigen-induced accumulation of splenic prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and then release calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which further promotes the splenic GC response at the early stage. Mechanistically, CGRP directly acts on B cells through its receptor CALCRL-RAMP1 via the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway. Activating nociceptors by ingesting capsaicin enhances the splenic GC response and anti-influenza immunity. Collectively, our study establishes a specific DRG-spleen sensory neural connection that promotes humoral immunity, suggesting a promising approach for improving host defense by targeting the nociceptive nervous system.

Loss of UBE2S causes meiosis I arrest with normal spindle assembly checkpoint dynamics in mouse oocytes.

The timely degradation of proteins that regulate the cell cycle is essential for oocyte maturation. Oocytes are equipped to degrade proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In meiosis, anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), an E3 ubiquitin-ligase, is responsible for the degradation of proteins. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 S (UBE2S), an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, delivers ubiquitin to APC/C. APC/C has been extensively studied, but the functions of UBE2S in oocyte maturation and mouse fertility are not clear. In this study, we used Ube2s knockout mice to explore the role of UBE2S in mouse oocytes. Ube2s-deleted oocytes were characterized by meiosis I arrest with normal spindle assembly and spindle assembly checkpoint dynamics. However, the absence of UBE2S affected the activity of APC/C. Cyclin B1 and securin are two substrates of APC/C, and their levels were consistently high, resulting in the failure of homologous chromosome separation. Unexpectedly, the oocytes arrested in meiosis I could be fertilized and the embryos could become implanted normally, but died before embryonic day 10.5. In conclusion, our findings reveal an indispensable regulatory role of UBE2S in mouse oocyte meiosis and female fertility.

FOXA3 regulates cholesterol metabolism to compensate for low uptake during the progression of lung adenocarcinoma.

Cholesterol metabolism is vital for multiple cancer progression, while how cholesterol affects lung, a low-cholesterol tissue, for cancer metastasis and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that metastatic lung adenocarcinoma cells acquire cellular dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol by endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis, instead of uptake upon cholesterol treatment. Besides, we demonstrated that exogenous cholesterol functions as signaling molecule to induce FOXA3, a key transcription factor for lipid metabolism via GLI2. Subsequently, ChIP-seq analysis and molecular studies revealed that FOXA3 transcriptionally activated Hmgcs1, an essential enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, to induce endogenous dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol level for membrane composition change and cell migration. Conversely, FOXA3 knockdown or knockout blocked cholesterol biosynthesis and lung adenocarcinoma metastasis in mice. In addition, the potent FOXA3 inhibitor magnolol suppressed metastatic gene programs in lung adenocarcinoma patient-derived organoids (PDOs). Altogether, our findings shed light onto unique cholesterol metabolism and FOXA3 contribution to lung adenocarcinoma metastasis.

Classical swine fever virus non-structural protein 5B hijacks host METTL14-mediated m6A modification to counteract host antiviral immune response.

Classical Swine Fever (CSF), caused by the Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), inflicts significant economic losses on the global pig industry. A key factor in the challenge of eradicating this virus is its ability to evade the host's innate immune response, leading to persistent infections. In our study, we elucidate the molecular mechanism through which CSFV exploits m6A modifications to circumvent host immune surveillance, thus facilitating its proliferation. We initially discovered that m6A modifications were elevated both in vivo and in vitro upon CSFV infection, particularly noting an increase in the expression of the methyltransferase METTL14. CSFV non-structural protein 5B was found to hijack HRD1, the E3 ubiquitin ligase for METTL14, preventing METTL14 degradation. MeRIP-seq analysis further revealed that METTL14 specifically targeted and methylated TLRs, notably TLR4. METTL14-mediated regulation of TLR4 degradation, facilitated by YTHDF2, led to the accelerated mRNA decay of TLR4. Consequently, TLR4-mediated NF-κB signaling, a crucial component of the innate immune response, is suppressed by CSFV. Collectively, these data effectively highlight the viral evasion tactics, shedding light on potential antiviral strategies targeting METTL14 to curb CSFV infection.

SlMYC2 promotes SlLBD40-mediated cell expansion in tomato fruit development.

As a plant-specific transcription factor, lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) protein was reported to regulate plant growth and stress response, but the functional research of subfamily II genes is limited. SlMYC2, a master regulator of Jasmonic acid response, has been found to exhibit high expression levels in fruit and has been implicated in the regulation of fruit ripening and resistance to Botrytis. However, its role in fruit expansion remains unknown. In this study, we present evidence that a subfamily II member of LBD, namely SlLBD40, collaborates with SlMYC2 in the regulation of fruit expansion. Overexpression of SlLBD40 significantly promoted fruit growth by promoting mesocarp cell expansion, while knockout of SlLBD40 showed the opposite result. Similarly, SlMYC2 knockout resulted in a significant decrease in cell expansion within the fruit. Genetic analysis indicated that SlLBD40-mediated cell expansion depends on the expression of SlMYC2. SlLBD40 bound to the promoter of SlEXPA5, an expansin gene, but did not activate its expression directly. While, the co-expression of SlMYC2 and SlLBD40 significantly stimulated the activation of SlEXPA5, leading to an increase in fruit size. SlLBD40 interacted with SlMYC2 and enhanced the stability and abundance of SlMYC2. Furthermore, SlMYC2 directly targeted and activated the expression of SlLBD40, which is essential for SlLBD40-mediated fruit expansion. In summary, our research elucidates the role of the interaction between SlLBD40 and SlMYC2 in promoting cell expansion in tomato fruits, thus providing novel insights into the molecular genetics underlying fruit growth.

Classical swine fever virus non-structural protein 4A recruits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase to facilitate viral replication.

Mitochondria are energy producers in cells, which can affect viral replication by regulating the host innate immune signaling pathways, and the changes in their biological functions are inextricably linked the viral life cycle. In this study, we screened a library of 382 mitochondria-targeted compounds and identified the antiviral inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo synthesis pathway of pyrimidine ribonucleotides, against classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Our data showed that the inhibitors interfered with viral RNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) ranging from 0.975 to 26.635 nM. Remarkably, DHODH inhibitors obstructed CSFV replication by enhancing the innate immune response including the TBK1-IRF3-STAT1 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, the data from a series of compound addition and supplementation trials indicated that DHODH inhibitors also inhibited CSFV replication by blocking the de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Remarkably, DHODH knockdown demonstrated that it was essential for CSFV replication. Mechanistically, confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation assays showed that the non-structural protein 4A (NS4A) recruited and interacted with DHODH in the perinuclear. Notably, NS4A enhanced the DHODH activity and promoted the generation of UMP for efficient viral replication. Structurally, the amino acids 65-229 of DHODH and the amino acids 25-40 of NS4A were pivotal for this interaction. Taken together, our findings highlight the critical role of DHODH in the CSFV life cycle and offer a potential antiviral target for the development of novel therapeutics against CSF. IMPORTANCE: Classical swine fever remains one of the most economically important viral diseases of domestic pigs and wild boar worldwide. dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors have been shown to suppress the replication of several viruses in vitro and in vivo, but the effects on Pestivirus remain unknown. In this study, three specific DHODH inhibitors, including DHODH-IN-16, BAY-2402234, and Brequinar were found to strongly suppress classical swine fever virus (CSFV) replication. These inhibitors target the host DHODH, depleting the pyrimidine nucleotide pool to exert their antiviral effects. Intriguingly, we observed that the non-structural protein 4A of CSFV induced DHODH to accumulate around the nucleus in conjunction with mitochondria. Moreover, NS4A exhibited a strong interaction with DHODH, enhancing its activity to promote efficient CSFV replication. In conclusion, our findings enhance the understanding of the pyrimidine synthesis in CSFV infection and expand the novel functions of CSFV NS4A in viral replication, providing a reference for further exploration of antiviral targets against CSFV.

Mitochondrial VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT ANION CHANNEL 3 regulates stomatal closure by abscisic acid signaling.

In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), stomatal closure mediated by abscisic acid (ABA) is redundantly controlled by ABA receptor family proteins (PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1 [PYR1]/PYR1-LIKE [PYLs]) and subclass III SUCROSE NONFERMENTING 1 (SNF1)-RELATED PROTEIN KINASES 2 (SnRK2s). Among these proteins, the roles of PYR1, PYL2, and SnRK2.6 are more dominant. A recent discovery showed that ABA-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria promotes stomatal closure. By analyzing stomatal movements in an array of single and higher order mutants, we revealed that the mitochondrial protein VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT ANION CHANNEL 3 (VDAC3) jointly regulates ABA-mediated stomatal closure with a specialized set of PYLs and SnRK2s by affecting cellular and mitochondrial ROS accumulation. VDAC3 interacted with 9 PYLs and all 3 subclass III SnRK2s. Single mutation in VDAC3, PYLs (except PYR1 and PYL2), or SnRK2.2/2.3 had little effect on ABA-mediated stomatal closure. However, knocking out PYR1, PYL1/2/4/8, or SnRK2.2/2.3 in vdac3 mutants resulted in significantly delayed or attenuated ABA-mediated stomatal closure, despite the presence of other PYLs or SnRK2s conferring redundant functions. We found that cellular and mitochondrial accumulation of ROS induced by ABA was altered in vdac3pyl1 mutants. Moreover, H2O2 treatment restored ABA-induced stomatal closure in mutants with decreased stomatal sensitivity to ABA. Our work reveals that VDAC3 ensures redundant control of ABA-mediated stomatal closure by canonical ABA signaling components.

The NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor MLN4924 reduces ischemic brain injury in mice.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and inflammation occurring at the BBB have a key, mainly a deleterious role in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. Neddylation is a ubiquitylation-like pathway that is critical in various cellular functions by conjugating neuronal precursor cell-expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 8 (NEDD8) to target proteins. However, the roles of neddylation pathway in ischemic stroke remain elusive. Here, we report that NEDD8 conjugation increased during acute phase after ischemic stroke and was present in intravascular and intraparenchymal neutrophils. Inhibition of neddylation by MLN4924, also known as pevonedistat, inactivated cullin-RING E3 ligase (CRL), and reduced brain infarction and improved functional outcomes. MLN4924 treatment induced the accumulation of the CRL substrate neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). By using virus-mediated NF1 silencing, we show that NF1 knockdown abolished MLN4924-dependent inhibition of neutrophil trafficking. These effects were mediated through activation of endothelial P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and blocking antibodies against P-selectin or anti-ICAM-1 antibodies reversed NF1 silencing-induced increase in neutrophil infiltration in MLN4924-treated mice. Furthermore, we found that NF1 silencing blocked MLN4924-afforded BBB protection and neuroprotection through activation of protein kinase C δ (PKCδ), myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS), and myosin light chain (MLC) in cerebral microvessels after ischemic stroke, and treatment of mice with the PKCδ inhibitor rottlerin reduced this increased BBB permeability. Our study demonstrated that increased neddylation promoted neutrophil trafficking and thus exacerbated injury of the BBB and stroke outcomes. We suggest that the neddylation inhibition may be beneficial in ischemic stroke.

Lactic acid regulates lipid droplet aggregation through a microglia-neuron axis in neuroinflammation.

Neuroinflammation, marked by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and resulting neuronal death, is a multifaceted process extending beyond traditional inflammatory pathways. Microglia, primary cells in the inflammatory response, rapidly activate during neuroinflammation and produce pro-inflammatory and cytotoxic factors that affect neuronal function. Recent evidence highlights the significant role of abnormal lipid droplet (LD) deposition in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation. While microglia are known to influence LD aggregation during neuroinflammation, the regulatory mechanism within neurons is not well understood. Our study demonstrates that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia induce the accumulation of LD in neurons, identifying microglial-derived lactic acid as a key mediator in this process. Excessive lipid accumulation threatens neuronal function, a phenomenon reversed by eliminating microglia. These findings, corroborated in both in vitro and in vivo settings and supported by RNA sequencing, deepen our understanding of neuronal lipid metabolism and suggest potential targets for therapeutic strategies against acute neuroinflammation.

Inhibition of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Protects From Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is often accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammatory response, both of which work synergistically to exacerbate the disruption of the blood-brain barrier and ischemic brain injury. ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase), a cancer-associated receptor tyrosine kinase, was found to play a role in oxidative stress and inflammation. In this study, we investigated the role of ALK inhibition in a murine model of ischemic stroke. METHODS: Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by temporary occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery in mice with a filament. The ALK inhibitor alectinib was administered following the stroke. ALOX15 (arachidonic acid 15-lipoxygenase) was overexpressed by adenovirus injection. The immunohistochemistry, Western blot, oxidative stress, inflammation, blood-brain barrier leakage, infarct volume, and functional outcomes were determined. RESULTS: We found that the expression of ALK was markedly increased in the neurovascular unit after cerebral ischemia. Treatment with the ALK inhibitor alectinib reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative DNA, increased the vascular levels of antioxidant enzymes, inactivated the vascular NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3) inflammasome pathway, and reduced vascular inflammation (ICAM-1 [intercellular adhesion molecule-1] and MCP-1 [monocyte chemoattractant protein-1]) after ischemia. Moreover, alectinib reduced the loss of cerebrovascular integrity and blood-brain barrier damage, consequently decreasing brain infarction and neurological deficits. Furthermore, alectinib reduced stroke-evoked ALOX15 expression, whereas virus-mediated overexpression of ALOX15 abolished alectinib-dependent inhibition of oxidative stress and vascular inflammation, blood-brain barrier protection, and neuroprotection, suggesting the protective effects of alectinib for stroke may involve ALOX15. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that alectinib protects from stroke by regulating ischemic signaling cascades and suggest that ALK may be a novel therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

MET exon 14 skipping mutation drives cancer progression and recurrence via activation of SMAD2 signalling.

BACKGROUND: c-Met encoded by the proto-oncogene MET, also known as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor, plays a crucial role in cellular processes. MET exon 14 skipping alteration (METΔ14EX) is a newly discovered MET mutation. SMAD2 is an important downstream transcription factor in TGF-ß pathway. Unfortunately, the mechanisms by which METΔ14EX leads to oncogenic transformation are scarcely understood. The relationship between METΔ14EX and SMAD2 has not been studied yet. METHODS: We generate METΔ14EX models by CRISPR-Cas9. In vitro transwell, wound-healing, soft-agar assay, in vivo metastasis and subcutaneous recurrence assay were used to study the role of METΔ14EX in tumour progression. RNA-seq, Western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) and immunofluorescent were performed to explore the interaction between c-Met and SMAD2. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that METΔ14EX, independent of HGF, can prolong the constitutive activation of c-Met downstream signalling pathways by impeding c-Met degradation and facilitating tumour metastasis and recurrence. Meanwhile, METΔ14EX strengthens the interaction between c-Met and SMAD2, promoting SMAD2 phosphorylation. Therapeutically, MET inhibitor crizotinib impedes METΔ14EX-mediated tumour metastasis by decreasing SMAD2 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: These data elucidated the previously unrecognised role of METΔ14EX in cancer progression via activation of SMAD2 independent of TGF-ß, which helps to develop more effective therapies for such patients. METΔ14EX alteration significantly triggers tumour progression via activation of SMAD2 signalling that are involved in activating tumour invasion, metastasis and recurrence. On the left, in the MET wild-type (METWT), the juxtamembrane (JM) domain is involved in the regulation of tyrosine kinase activity, receptor degradation, and caspase cleavage. On the right, the METΔ14EX mutation leads to the loss of the juxtamembrane domain, resulting in an abnormal MET protein lacking a CBL-binding site. This causes the accumulation of truncated MET receptors followed by constitutive activation of the MET signalling pathway. Thus, the METΔ14EX-mutated protein has strong binding and phosphorylation to SMAD2, which results in the phosphorylation of a large number of SMAD2/3 proteins that combine with SMAD4 to form a complex in the nucleus, activating downstream signalling pathways, such as EMT and ECM remodelling, resulting in tumour progression and recurrence. TF transcription factor.

CsHSFA1d Promotes Drought Stress Tolerance by Increasing the Content of Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides and Scavenging Accumulated Reactive Oxygen Species in Cucumber.

Drought is the most severe form of stress experienced by plants worldwide. Cucumber is a vegetable crop that requires a large amount of water throughout the growth period. In our previous study, we identified that overexpression of CsHSFA1d could improve cold tolerance and the content of endogenous jasmonic acid in cucumber seedlings. To explore the functional diversities of CsHSFA1d, we treat the transgenic plants under drought conditions. In this study, we found that the heat shock transcription factor HSFA1d (CsHSFA1d) could improve drought stress tolerance in cucumber. CsHSFA1d overexpression increased the expression levels of galactinol synthase (CsGolS3) and raffinose synthase (CsRS) genes, encoding the key enzymes for raffinose family oligosaccharide (RFO) biosynthesis. Furthermore, the lines overexpressing CsHSFA1d showed higher enzymatic activity of GolS and raffinose synthase to increase the content of RFO. Moreover, the CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines showed lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and higher ROS-scavenging enzyme activity after drought treatment. The expressions of antioxidant genes CsPOD2, CsAPX1 and CsSOD1 were also upregulated in CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines. The expression levels of stress-responsive genes such as CsRD29A, CsLEA3 and CsP5CS1 were increased in CsHSFA1d-overexpression lines after drought treatment. We conclude that CsHSFA1d directly targets and regulates the expression of CsGolS3 and CsRS to promote the enzymatic activity and accumulation of RFO to increase the tolerance to drought stress. CsHSFA1d also improves ROS-scavenging enzyme activity and gene expression indirectly to reduce drought-induced ROS overaccumulation. This study therefore offers a new gene target to improve drought stress tolerance in cucumber and revealed the underlying mechanism by which CsHSFA1d functions in the drought stress by increasing the content of RFOs and scavenging the excessive accumulation of ROS.

High-quality chromosome-level genome assembly and multi-omics analysis of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) reveals new insights into the environmental and genome adaptation.

High-quality genome of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) represents a valuable resource and tool for understanding genome evolution and environmental adaptation as well as its genetic improvement. However, the existing rosemary genome did not provide insights into the relationship between antioxidant components and environmental adaptability. In this study, by employing Nanopore sequencing and Hi-C technologies, a total of 1.17 Gb (97.96%) genome sequences were mapped to 12 chromosomes with 46 121 protein-coding genes and 1265 non-coding RNA genes. Comparative genome analysis reveals that rosemary had a closely genetic relationship with Salvia splendens and Salvia miltiorrhiza, and it diverged from them approximately 33.7 million years ago (MYA), and one whole-genome duplication occurred around 28.3 MYA in rosemary genome. Among all identified rosemary genes, 1918 gene families were expanded, 35 of which are involved in the biosynthesis of antioxidant components. These expanded gene families enhance the ability of rosemary adaptation to adverse environments. Multi-omics (integrated transcriptome and metabolome) analysis showed the tissue-specific distribution of antioxidant components related to environmental adaptation. During the drought, heat and salt stress treatments, 36 genes in the biosynthesis pathways of carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid and flavonoids were up-regulated, illustrating the important role of these antioxidant components in responding to abiotic stresses by adjusting ROS homeostasis. Moreover, cooperating with the photosynthesis, substance and energy metabolism, protein and ion balance, the collaborative system maintained cell stability and improved the ability of rosemary against harsh environment. This study provides a genomic data platform for gene discovery and precision breeding in rosemary. Our results also provide new insights into the adaptive evolution of rosemary and the contribution of antioxidant components in resistance to harsh environments.

Propofol improves survival in a murine model of sepsis via inhibiting Rab5a-mediated intracellular trafficking of TLR4.

BACKGROUND: Propofol is a widely used anesthetic and sedative, which has been reported to exert an anti-inflammatory effect. TLR4 plays a critical role in coordinating the immuno-inflammatory response during sepsis. Whether propofol can act as an immunomodulator through regulating TLR4 is still unclear. Given its potential as a sepsis therapy, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory activity of propofol. METHODS: The effects of propofol on TLR4 and Rab5a (a master regulator involved in intracellular trafficking of immune factors) were investigated in macrophage (from Rab5a-/- and WT mice) following treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in vitro and in vivo, and peripheral blood monocyte from sepsis patients and healthy volunteers. RESULTS: We showed that propofol reduced membrane TLR4 expression on macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Rab5a participated in TLR4 intracellular trafficking and both Rab5a expression and the interaction between Rab5a and TLR4 were inhibited by propofol. We also showed Rab5a upregulation in peripheral blood monocytes of septic patients, accompanied by increased TLR4 expression on the cell surface. Propofol downregulated the expression of Rab5a and TLR4 in these cells. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that Rab5a regulates intracellular trafficking of TLR4 and that propofol reduces membrane TLR4 expression on macrophages by targeting Rab5a. Our study not only reveals a novel mechanism for the immunomodulatory effect of propofol but also indicates that Rab5a may be a potential therapeutic target against sepsis.

Sub-bandgap photo-response of black silicon fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation under water.

Here we propose a method to fabricate black Si without the need for any chalcogenide doping, accomplished by femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation in a liquid environment, aiming to fabricate the infrared detector and investigating their optoelectronic performance. Multi-scale laser-induced periodical surface structures (LIPSSs), containing micron sized grooves decorated with low spatial frequency ripples on the surface, can be clearly observed by SEM and 3D confocal microscope. The generated black Si demonstrates superior absorption capabilities across a broad wavelength range of 200-2500 nm, achieving an average absorptance of up to 71%. This represents a notable enhancement in comparison to untreated Si, which exhibits an average absorption rate of no more than 20% across the entire detectable spectrum. A metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) type photodetector was fabricated based on this black Si, demonstrating remarkable optoelectronic properties, specifically, it attains a responsivity of 50.2 mA/W@10 V and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 4.02% at a wavelength of 1550 nm, significantly outperforming the unprocessed Si by more than five orders of magnitude. The great enhancement in infrared absorption as well as the optoelectronic performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the multi-scale LIPSSs and the generated intermediate energy levels. On one hand, the multi-scale structures contribute to an anti-reflection and light trapping property; on the other hand, the defects levels generated through fs laser ablation process under water may narrow the band gap of the Si. The results therefore underscore the remarkable potential of black Si processed by fs laser under water for the application of photodetection, especially in the near-infrared band.

A novel disulfide death-related genes prognostic signature identifies the role of IPO4 in glioma progression.

BACKGROUND: "Disulfide death," a form of cellular demise, is triggered by the abnormal accumulation of intracellular disulfides under conditions of glucose deprivation. However, its role in the prognosis of glioma remains undetermined. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to establish prognostic signature based on disulfide death-related genes (DDRGs) and to provide new solutions in choosing the effective treatment of glioma. METHODS: The RNA transcriptome, clinical information, and mutation data of glioma samples were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), while normal samples were obtained from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx). DDRGs were compiled from previous studies and selected through differential analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis. The molecular subtypes were determined through consensus clustering analysis. Further, LASSO analysis was employed to select characteristic genes, and subsequently, a risk model comprising seven DDRGs was constructed based on multivariable Cox analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed to assess survival differences between high and low-risk groups. Additionally, functional analyses (GO, KEGG, GSEA) were conducted to explore the potential biological functions and signaling pathways of genes associated with the model. The study also explored immune checkpoint (ICP) genes, immune cell infiltration levels, and immune stromal scores. Finally, the effect of Importin-4(IPO4) on glioma has been further confirmed through RT-qPCR, Western blot, and cell functional experiments. RESULTS: 7 genes associated with disulfide death were obtained and two subgroups of patients with different prognosis and clinical characteristics were identified. Risk signature was subsequently developed and proved to serve as an prognostic predictor. Notably, the high-risk group exhibited an immunosuppressive microenvironment characterized by a high concentration of M2 macrophages and regulatory T cells (Tregs). In contrast, the low-risk group showed lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values. Therefore, patients in the high-risk group may benefit more from immunotherapy, while patients in the low-risk group may benefit more from chemotherapy. In addition, in vitro experiments have shown that inhibition of the expression of IPO4 leads to a significant reduction in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells. CONCLUSION: This study identified two glioma subtypes and constructed a prognostic signature based on DDRGs. The signature has the potential to optimize the selection of patients for immune- and chemotherapy and provided a potential therapeutic target for glioma.

The role and application of small extracellular vesicles in glioma.

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are cell-derived, nanometer-sized particles enclosed by a lipid bilayer. All kinds of biological molecules, including proteins, DNA fragments, RNA, lipids, and metabolites, can be selectively loaded into sEVs and transmitted to recipient cells that are near and distant. Growing shreds of evidence show the significant biological function and the clinical significance of sEVs in cancers. Numerous recent studies have validated that sEVs play an important role in tumor progression and can be utilized to diagnose, stage, grading, and monitor early tumors. In addition, sEVs have also served as drug delivery nanocarriers and cancer vaccines. Although it is still infancy, the field of basic and translational research based on sEVs has grown rapidly. In this review, we summarize the latest research on sEVs in gliomas, including their role in the malignant biological function of gliomas, and the potential of sEVs in non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, i.e., as nanocarriers for drug or gene delivery and cancer vaccines.

Mn(II) Promoted Divergent-Convergent Domino Reaction Giving Dinuclear Tetrasubstituted Pyrrole Complex.

Domino reaction of benzo[d]thiazole-2-methylamine (S1) has been developed in the presence of MnCl2 ⋅ 4H2O, leading to tetrasubstituted pyrrole coordinated dinuclear Mn(II) complex 1 ([MnClP]2, P-=2,3,4,5-tetrakis(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)pyrrol-1-ide). The reaction process has been studied by assigning a series of intermediates based on time-dependent mass spectrometry, control experiments, crystallography, and density functional theory (DFT) theoretical calculation. A plausible mechanism involving an unprecedented divergent-convergent domino sequence has been proposed. Compound S1 could be activated by MnCl2 ⋅ 4H2O via coordination, which divergently produces two intermediates imine II (1-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylmethyl)methanimine) and alkene C (1,2-bis(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)ethene) through oxidative self-condensation and free radical coupling followed by elimination, respectively. They could then react with each other convergently via formal [3+2] cycloaddition to give deprotonated tetrasubstituted pyrrole coordinated intermediate [MnClP] after aromatization. Dimerization of [MnClP] produces the final product 1. Three C-C bonds and one C-N bond are formed through this six-step domino sequence. The corresponding organic skeleton (HP: 2,2',2'',2'''-(1H-pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzo[d]thiazole)) has been obtained from 1 and shows a higher fluorescent quantum yield (52 %) than the reported 3,4-diphenyl substituted analogue 2,2'-(3,4-diphenyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-diyl)bis(benzo[d]thiazole) (DPB) (42 %).

Integrative analysis of a novel super-enhancer-associated lncRNA prognostic signature and identifying LINC00945 in aggravating glioma progression.

BACKGROUND: Super-enhancers (SEs), driving high-level expression of genes with tumor-promoting functions, have been investigated recently. However, the roles of super-enhancer-associated lncRNAs (SE-lncRNAs) in tumors remain undetermined, especially in gliomas. We here established a SE-lncRNAs expression-based prognostic signature to choose the effective treatment of glioma and identify a novel therapeutic target. METHODS: Combined analysis of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and ChIP sequencing (ChIP-seq) data of glioma patient-derived glioma stem cells (GSCs) screened SE-lncRNAs. Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets served to construct and validate SE-lncRNA prognostic signature. The immune profiles and potential immuno- and chemotherapies response prediction value of the signature were also explored. Moreover, we verified the epigenetic activation mechanism of LINC00945 via the ChIP assay, and its effect on glioma was determined by performing the functional assay and a mouse xenograft model. RESULTS: 6 SE-lncRNAs were obtained and identified three subgroups of glioma patients with different prognostic and clinical features. A risk signature was further constructed and demonstrated to be an independent prognostic factor. The high-risk group exhibited an immunosuppressive microenvironment and was higher enrichment of M2 macrophage, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Patients in the high-risk group were better candidates for immunotherapy and chemotherapeutics. The SE of LINC00945 was further verified via ChIP assay. Mechanistically, BRD4 may mediate epigenetic activation of LINC00945. Additionally, overexpression of LINC00945 promoted glioma cell proliferation, EMT, migration, and invasion in vitro and xenograft tumor formation in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our study constructed the first prognostic SE-lncRNA signature with the ability to optimize the choice of patients receiving immuno- and chemotherapies and provided a potential therapeutic target for glioma.

Adsorption and Potential CO Gas-Sensing Performance of the Fe-Doped Ti2CO2-MXenes: A First-Principles Study.

The adsorption behaviors and electronic properties of five gas molecules (CO, H2O, NH3, NO, and C2H6O) on the intrinsic Ti2CO2 and Fe-doped Ti2CO2 were calculated and studied based on first principles. The adsorption height, bond length change, adsorption energy, charge transfer, band structure, differential charge, work function, and recovery time of the two gas adsorption systems were discussed, and their sensing performance was evaluated. The results show that the CO gas molecules have the best adsorption energy and charge transfer on Ti2CO2 modified by the Fe atom (Ti2CO2-Fe). The electrical conductivity obviously increases with the decrease of the band gap, which changes from semiconductor to conductor behavior. The reduction of the work function in the Ti2CO2-Fe system weakens the binding of the electron, which improves the electron flow between the substrate and the gas molecules. In addition, the Ti2CO2-Fe system with H2O molecule participation remained the best adsorption effect on CO gas, and the fast recovery time was 625 s at 398 K. Therefore, Ti2CO2-Fe is a prospective material for the advancement of CO gas-sensitive sensors.