Precision treatment of viral pneumonia through macrophage-targeted lipid nanoparticle delivery.

Macrophages are integral components of the innate immune system, playing a dual role in host defense during infection and pathophysiological states. Macrophages contribute to immune responses and aid in combatting various infections, yet their production of abundant proinflammatory cytokines can lead to uncontrolled inflammation and worsened tissue damage. Therefore, reducing macrophage-derived proinflammatory cytokine release represents a promising approach for treating various acute and chronic inflammatory disorders. However, limited macrophage-specific delivery vehicles have hindered the development of macrophage-targeted therapies. In this study, we screened a pool of 112 lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to identify an optimal LNP formulation for efficient siRNA delivery. Subsequently, by conjugating the macrophage-specific antibody F4/80 to the LNP surface, we constructed MacLNP, an enhanced LNP formulation designed for targeted macrophage delivery. In both in vitro and in vivo experiments, MacLNP demonstrated a significant enhancement in targeting macrophages. Specifically, delivery of siRNA targeting TAK1, a critical kinase upstream of multiple inflammatory pathways, effectively suppressed the phosphorylation/activation of NF-kB. LNP-mediated inhibition of NF-kB, a key upstream regulator in the classic inflammatory signaling pathway, in the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 significantly reduced the release of proinflammatory cytokines after stimulation with the viral RNA mimic Poly(I:C). Finally, intranasal administration of MacLNP-encapsulated TAK1 siRNA markedly ameliorated lung injury induced by influenza infection. In conclusion, our findings validate the potential of targeted macrophage interventions in attenuating inflammatory responses, reinforcing the potential of LNP-mediated macrophage targeting to treat pulmonary inflammatory disorders.

Spectroscopic evidence of spin-state excitation in d-electron correlated semiconductor FeSb2.

Iron antimonide (FeSb2) has been investigated for decades due to its puzzling electronic properties. It undergoes the temperature-controlled transition from an insulator to an ill-defined metal, with a cross-over from diamagnetism to paramagnetism. Extensive efforts have been made to uncover the underlying mechanism, but a consensus has yet to be reached. While macroscopic transport and magnetic measurements can be explained by different theoretical proposals, the essential spectroscopic evidence required to distinguish the physical origin is missing. In this paper, through the use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and atomic multiplet simulations, we have observed the mixed spin states of 3d 6 configuration in FeSb2. Furthermore, we reveal that the enhancement of the conductivity, whether induced by temperature or doping, is characterized by populating the high-spin state from the low-spin state. Our work constitutes vital spectroscopic evidence that the electrical/magnetical transition in FeSb2 is directly associated with the spin-state excitation.

Robust and protective immune responses induced by heterologous prime-boost vaccination with DNA-protein dimeric RBD vaccines for COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed great impacts on public health. To fight against the pandemic, robust immune responses induced by vaccination are indispensable. Previously, we developed a subunit vaccine adjuvanted by aluminum hydroxide, ZF2001, based on the dimeric tandem-repeat RBD immunogen, which has been approved for clinical use. This dimeric RBD design was also explored as an mRNA vaccine. Both showed potent immunogenicity. In this study, a DNA vaccine candidate encoding RBD-dimer was designed. The humoral and cellular immune responses induced by homologous and heterologous prime-boost approaches with DNA-RBD-dimer and ZF2001 were assessed in mice. Protection efficacy was studied by the SARS-CoV-2 challenge. We found that the DNA-RBD-dimer vaccine was robustly immunogenic. Priming with DNA-RBD-dimer followed by ZF2001 boosting induced higher levels of neutralizing antibodies than homologous vaccination with either DNA-RBD-dimer or ZF2001, elicited polyfunctional cellular immunity with a TH 1-biased polarization, and efficiently protected mice against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lung. This study demonstrated the robust and protective immune responses induced by the DNA-RBD-dimer candidate and provided a heterologous prime-boost approach with DNA-RBD-dimer and ZF2001.

K6-linked SUMOylation of BAF regulates nuclear integrity and DNA replication in mammalian cells.

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a highly conserved protein in metazoans that has multiple functions during the cell cycle. We found that BAF is SUMOylated at K6, and that this modification is essential for its nuclear localization and function, including nuclear integrity maintenance and DNA replication. K6-linked SUMOylation of BAF promotes binding and interaction with lamin A/C to regulate nuclear integrity. K6-linked SUMOylation of BAF also supports BAF binding to DNA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen and regulates DNA replication. SENP1 and SENP2 catalyze the de-SUMOylation of BAF at K6. Disrupting the SUMOylation and de-SUMOylation cycle of BAF at K6 not only disturbs nuclear integrity, but also induces DNA replication failure. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that SUMOylation at K6 is an important regulatory mechanism that governs the nuclear functions of BAF in mammalian cells.

Magnetotransport signatures of Weyl physics and discrete scale invariance in the elemental semiconductor tellurium.

The study of topological materials possessing nontrivial band structures enables exploitation of relativistic physics and development of a spectrum of intriguing physical phenomena. However, previous studies of Weyl physics have been limited exclusively to semimetals. Here, via systematic magnetotransport measurements, two representative topological transport signatures of Weyl physics, the negative longitudinal magnetoresistance and the planar Hall effect, are observed in the elemental semiconductor tellurium. More strikingly, logarithmically periodic oscillations in both the magnetoresistance and Hall data are revealed beyond the quantum limit and found to share similar characteristics with those observed in ZrTe5 and HfTe5 The log-periodic oscillations originate from the formation of two-body quasi-bound states formed between Weyl fermions and opposite charge centers, the energies of which constitute a geometric series that matches the general feature of discrete scale invariance (DSI). Our discovery reveals the topological nature of tellurium and further confirms the universality of DSI in topological materials. Moreover, introduction of Weyl physics into semiconductors to develop "Weyl semiconductors" provides an ideal platform for manipulating fundamental Weyl fermionic behaviors and for designing future topological devices.

Rational Design of Bisphosphonate Lipid-like Materials for mRNA Delivery to the Bone Microenvironment.

The development of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations for targeting the bone microenvironment holds significant potential for nucleic acid therapeutic applications including bone regeneration, cancer, and hematopoietic stem cell therapies. However, therapeutic delivery to bone remains a significant challenge due to several biological barriers, such as low blood flow in bone, blood-bone marrow barriers, and low affinity between drugs and bone minerals, which leads to unfavorable therapeutic dosages in the bone microenvironment. Here, we construct a series of bisphosphonate (BP) lipid-like materials possessing a high affinity for bone minerals, as a means to overcome biological barriers to deliver mRNA therapeutics efficiently to the bone microenvironment in vivo. Following in vitro screening of BP lipid-like materials formulated into LNPs, we identified a lead BP-LNP formulation, 490BP-C14, with enhanced mRNA expression and localization in the bone microenvironment of mice in vivo compared to 490-C14 LNPs in the absence of BPs. Moreover, BP-LNPs enhanced mRNA delivery and secretion of therapeutic bone morphogenetic protein-2 from the bone microenvironment upon intravenous administration. These results demonstrate the potential of BP-LNPs for delivery to the bone microenvironment, which could potentially be utilized for a range of mRNA therapeutic applications including regenerative medicine, protein replacement, and gene editing therapies.

Phytomelatonin and gasotransmitters: a crucial combination for plant physiological functions.

Melatonin, a molecule that was first identified in animal tissues, has been confirmed to be involved as a potential phytohormone in a variety of plant physiological responses. It is considered primarily as an antioxidant with important actions in controlling reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species. In addition to its role in regulating plant growth and development, phytomelatonin is involved in protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. The 'gasotransmitter'-that is, a gaseous signaling molecule-is a new concept that has been advanced in the past two decades, with functions in animal and plant physiological regulation. Gasotransmitters including nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and, more recently identified, hydrogen gas are critical and indispensable in a wide range of biological processes. This review investigates the interrelationship between phytomelatonin and the above-mentioned gasotransmitters from the perspective of biosynthetic origin and functions. Moreover, the potential future research directions for phytomelatonin and gasotransmitters interactions are discussed.

Gold nanocluster-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for biosensing of Hg2+ ions in living organisms.

Gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) have become a new alternative to conventional fluorescent probes in biosensing and imaging. Herein, a gold nanocluster-based nanocomplex displaying single-excitation and dual-emission fluorescence property was fabricated by the conjugation of red-emitting glutathione-protected gold nanoclusters (Au-GSH NCs) and green-emitting fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) molecules. The inorganic-organic nanocomplex possesses good ratiometric fluorescence sensing ability with one emission peak showing a sensitive fluorescence response towards Hg2+ ions and the other acting as the internal reference. The nanocomplex was demonstrated to have high stability, excellent biocompatibility, high intracellular penetrability and good biological imaging ability. It was employed as a sensitive nanosensor for rapid sensing and imaging of Hg2+ ions in living cells and zebrafish with high contrast.

Characterization, Expression Profiling, and Biochemical Analyses of the Cinnamoyl-CoA Reductase Gene Family for Lignin Synthesis in Alfalfa Plants.

Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) is a pivotal enzyme in plant lignin synthesis, which has a role in plant secondary cell wall development and environmental stress defense. Alfalfa is a predominant legume forage with excellent quality, but the lignin content negatively affects fodder digestibility. Currently, there is limited information on CCR characteristics, gene expression, and its role in lignin metabolism in alfalfa. In this study, we identified 30 members in the CCR gene family of Medicago sativa. In addition, gene structure, conserved motif, and evolution analysis suggested MsCCR1-7 presumably functioned as CCR, while the 23 MsCCR-likes fell into three categories. The expression patterns of MsCCRs/MsCCR-likes suggested their role in plant development, response to environmental stresses, and phytohormone treatment. These results were consistent with the cis-elements in their promoters. Histochemical staining showed that lignin accumulation gradually deepened with the development, which was consistent with gene expression results. Furthermore, recombinant MsCCR1 and MsCCR-like1 were purified and the kinetic parameters were tested under four substrates. In addition, three-dimensional structure models of MsCCR1 and MsCCR-like1 proteins showed the difference in the substrate-binding motif H212(X)2K215R263. These results will be useful for further application for legume forage quality modification and biofuels industry engineering in the future.

Hepatitis B e antigen induces the expansion of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells to dampen T-cell function in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with functionally impaired virus-specific T cell responses. Although the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are known to play a critical role in impairing antiviral T cell responses, viral factors responsible for the expansion of MDSCs in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remain obscure. In order to elucidate the mechanism of monocytic MDSCs (mMDSCs) expansion and T cell function suppression during persistent HBV infection, we analyzed the circulation frequency of mMDSCs in 164 CHB patients and 70 healthy donors, and found that the proportion of mMDSCs in HBeAg (+) CHB patients was significantly increased compared to that in HBeAg (-) patients, which positively correlated with the level of HBeAg. Furthermore, exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from healthy donors to HBeAg led to mMDSCs expansion and significant upregulation of IL-1ß, IL-6 and indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO), and depletion of the cytokines abrogated HBeAg-induced mMDSCs expansion. Moreover, HBeAg-induced mMDSCs suppressed the autologous T-cell proliferation in vitro, and the purified mMDSCs from HBeAg (+) subjects markedly reduced the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ production, which could be efficiently restored by inhibiting IDO. In summary, HBeAg-induced mMDSCs expansion impairs T cell function through IDO pathway and favors the establishment of a persistent HBV infection, suggesting a mechanism behind the development of HBeAg-induced immune tolerance.

Higher-Order Band Topology in Twisted Moiré Superlattice.

The two-dimensional (2D) twisted bilayer materials with van der Waals coupling have ignited great research interests, paving a new way to explore the emergent quantum phenomena by twist degree of freedom. Generally, with the decreasing of twist angle, the enhanced interlayer coupling will gradually flatten the low-energy bands and isolate them by two high-energy gaps at zero and full filling, respectively. Although the correlation and topological physics in the low-energy flat bands have been intensively studied, little information is available for these two emerging gaps. In this Letter, we predict a 2D second-order topological insulator (SOTI) for twisted bilayer graphene and twisted bilayer boron nitride in both zero and full filling gaps. Employing a tight-binding Hamiltonian based on first-principles calculations, three unique fingerprints of 2D SOTI are identified, that is, nonzero bulk topological index, gapped topological edge state, and in-gap topological corner state. Most remarkably, the 2D SOTI exists in a wide range of commensurate twist angles, which is robust to microscopic structure disorder and twist center, greatly facilitating the possible experimental measurement. Our results not only extend the higher-order band topology to massless and massive twisted moiré superlattice, but also demonstrate the importance of high-energy bands for fully understanding the nontrivial electronics.

Puerarin ameliorated pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in ovariectomized rats through activation of the PPARα/PGC-1 pathway.

Estrogen deficiency induces cardiac dysfunction and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women and in those who underwent bilateral oophorectomy. Previous evidence suggests that puerarin, a phytoestrogen, exerts beneficial effects on cardiac function in patients with cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we investigated whether puerarin could prevent cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in ovariectomized, aortic-banded rats. Female SD rats subjected to bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) plus abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). The rats were treated with puerarin (50 mg·kg-1 ·d-1, ip) for 8 weeks. Then echocardiography was assessed, and the rats were sacrificed, their heart tissues were extracted and allocated for further experiments. We showed that puerarin administration significantly attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in AAC-treated OVX rats, which could be attributed to activation of PPARα/PPARγ coactivator-1 (PGC-1) pathway. Puerarin administration significantly increased the expression of estrogen-related receptor α, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A in hearts. Moreover, puerarin administration regulated the expression of metabolic genes in AAC-treated OVX rats. Hypertrophic changes could be induced in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCM) in vitro by treatment with angiotensin II (Ang II, 1 µM), which was attenuated by co-treatemnt with puerarin (100 µM). We further showed that puerarin decreased Ang II-induced accumulation of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and deletion of ATP, attenuated the Ang II-induced dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and improved the mitochondrial dysfunction in NRCM. Furthermore, addition of PPARα antagonist GW6471 (10 µM) partially abolished the anti-hypertrophic effects and metabolic effects of puerarin in NRCM. In conclusion, puerarin prevents cardiac hypertrophy in AAC-treated OVX rats through activation of PPARα/PGC-1 pathway and regulation of energy metabolism remodeling. This may provide a new approach to prevent the development of heart failure in postmenopausal women.

Hydrogen-rich water prepared by ammonia borane can enhance rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) seedlings tolerance against salinity, drought or cadmium.

Hydrogen agriculture is recently recognized as an emerging and promising approach for low-carbon society. Since shorter retention time for hydrogen gas (H2) in conventional electrolytically produced hydrogen-rich water (HRW) limits its application, seeking a more suitable method to produce and maintain H2 level in HRW for longer time remain a challenge for scientific community. To solve above problems, we compared and concluded that the H2 in HRW prepared by ammonia borane (NH3·BH3) could meet above requirement. The biological effects of HRW prepared by NH3·BH3 were further evaluated in seedlings of rapeseed, the most important crop for producing vegetable oil worldwide. Under our experimental conditions, 2 mg/L NH3·BH3-prepared HRW could confer 3-day-old hydroponic seedlings tolerance against 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG; w/v), or 100 µM CdCl2 stress, and intensify endogenous nitric oxide (NO) accumulation under above stresses. The alleviation of seedlings growth stunt was confirmed by reducing cell death and reestablishing redox homeostasis. Reconstructing ion homeostasis, increasing proline content, and reducing Cd accumulation were accordingly observed. Above responses were sensitive to the removal of endogenous NO with its scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO; 100 µM), reflecting the requirement of NO functioning in the regulation of plant physiology achieved by NH3·BH3-prepared HRW. The application of 1 mM tungstate, an inhibitor of nitrate reductase (NR; an important NO synthetic enzyme), showed the similar blocking responses in the phenotype, suggesting that NR might be the major source of NO involved in above H2 actions. Together, these results revealed that HRW prepared by NH3·BH3 could enhance rapeseed seedlings tolerance against abiotic stress, thus opening a new window for the application of H2 in agricultural production.

Folding Graphene into a Chern Insulator with Light Irradiation.

Recently, the precise folding of flexible graphene is reported experimentally [ Science, 2019, 365, 1036-1040], demonstrating an efficient approach to manipulate its electronic and optoelectronic properties. Here, we propose a light-induced high-Chern-number Chern insulator (CI) in the folded graphene. Along both armchair and zigzag folding directions, we demonstrate that there are two-handedness-dependent chiral interface states localized at the curved region. Physically, they can be attributed to the light-induced mass-term inversion across the folded graphene. Most remarkably, by rationally designing the folding processes, 2D and 3D CIs are also realizable in a single-wall carbon nanotube and periodic folded graphene, respectively, illustrating a high tunability of the folding degree of freedom. We envision that this intriguing form of "foldtronics" will provide a new platform for investigating the topological state in 2D materials to draw immediate experimental attention.

MicroRNA-182 supplies negative feedback regulation to ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced ALI in mice by targeting TLR4.

Acute lung injury (ALI), characterized by increased excessive pulmonary inflammation, is a pervasive inflammatory disease with clinically high incidence. MicroRNA (miRNAs) have been associated with the progression of multiple diseases and are regarded as novel regulators of inflammation. However, it remains largely unknown whether the miRNAs-mediated regulatory mechanism has an effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in ALI. We discovered that miR-182 distinctly lessened expression in the lung tissue of mice with ALI and macrophages stimulated by LPS. We also found that overexpression of miR-182 significantly cut down the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, while this change was reversed by inhibition of miR-182. In addition, miR-182 suppressed the activation of NF-κB by targeting TLR4 expression. And it was confirmed that miR-182 directly regulated TLR4 expression at the posttranscriptional level by binding to the 3'-UTR of TLR4. Together, these data suggested that inhibition of TLR4 expression assuaged LPS-stimulated inflammation through negative feedback regulation of miR-182.

Ginsenoside Rb 1: A novel therapeutic agent in Staphylococcusaureus-induced Acute Lung Injury with special reference to Oxidative stress and Apoptosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is considered as an uncontrolled inflammatory response that can leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which limits the therapeutic strategies. Ginsenosides Rb1 (Rb1), an active ingredient obtained from Panax ginseng, possesses a broad range of pharmacological and medicinal properties, comprising the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor activities. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of Rb1 against S. aureus-induced (ALI) through regulation of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathways in mice (in-vivo), and RAW264.7 cells (in-vitro). For that purpose, forty Kunming mice were randomly assigned into four treatment groups; (1) Control group (phosphate buffer saline (PBS); (2) S. aureus group; (3) S. aureus + Rb1 (20 mg/kg) group; and (4) Rb1 (20 mg/kg) group. The 20 µg/mL dose of Rb1 was used in RAW264.7 cells. In the present study, we found that Rb1 treatment reduced ALI-induced oxidative stress via suppressing the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and increase the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase 1 (SOD1), Catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1). Similarly, Rb1 markedly increased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of antioxidant genes (SOD1, CAT and Gpx1) in comparison with ALI group. The histopathological results showed that Rb1 treatment ameliorated ALI-induced hemorrhages, hyperemia, perivascular edema and neutrophilic infiltration in the lungs of mice. Furthermore, Rb1 enhanced the antioxidant defense system through activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Our findings showed that Rb1 treated group significantly up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and its downstream associated genes down-regulated by ALI in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, ALI significantly increased the both mRNA and protein expression of mitochondrial-apoptosis-related genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, cytochrome c and p53), while decreased the Bcl-2. In addition, Rb1 therapy significantly reversed the mRNA and protein expression of these mitochondrial-apoptosis-related genes, as compared to the ALI group in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, Rb1 alleviates ALI-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis by modulating the Nrf2 and mitochondrial signaling pathways in the lungs of mice.

Peripheral Circulating Exosome-Mediated Delivery of miR-155 as a Novel Mechanism for Acute Lung Inflammation.

Emerging evidence has revealed that excessive activation of macrophages may result in an adverse lung inflammation involved in sepsis-related acute lung injury (ALI). However, it has never been clearly identified whether peripheral circulating serum exosomes participate in the pathogenesis of sepsis-related ALI. Therefore, the purposes of our study were to investigate the effect of serum exosomes on macrophage activation and elucidate a novel mechanism underlying sepsis-related ALI. Here we found that exosomes were abundant in the peripheral blood from ALI mice and selectively loaded microRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-155. In vivo experiments revealed that intravenous injection of serum exosomes harvested from ALI mice, but not control mice, increased the number of M1 macrophages in the lung, and it caused lung inflammation in naive mice. In vitro, we demonstrated that serum exosomes from ALI mice delivered miR-155 to macrophages, stimulated nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation, and induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6. Furthermore, we also showed that serum exosome-derived miR-155 promoted macrophage proliferation and inflammation by targeting SHIP1 and SOCS1, respectively. Collectively, our data suggest the important role of circulating exosomes secreted into peripheral blood as a key mediator of septic lung injury via exosome-shuttling miR-155.

Two-Dimensional Quadrupole Topological Insulator in γ-Graphyne.

Two-dimensional quadrupole topological insulator (2D QTI), as a new class of second-order topological phases, has been experimentally confirmed in various artificial systems recently. However, its realization in electronic materials has seldom been reported. In this work, we predict that the experimentally synthesized γ-graphyne is a large-gap (∼0.2 eV) 2D QTI. Three characterized features for 2D QTI are simultaneously observed in γ-graphyne: quantized finite bulk quadrupole moment, gapped topological edge states, and in-gap topological corner states. Intriguingly, we found that gapped topological edge states exist on armchair edge with C≡C (but not C-C) termination, and in-gap topological corner states exist at corner with 120° (but not 60°) termination, which can be explained by different edge-hopping textures and corner chiral charges. Moreover, the robustness of in-gap topological corner states is further identified by varying edge-disorder and system-size calculations. Our results demonstrate a realistic electronic material for large-gap 2D QTI, which is expected to draw immediate experimental attention.

Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Can Promote Brassica napus L. and Arabidopsis thaliana L. Root Hair Development through Nitric Oxide and Ethylene Pathways.

Here, we report that multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can promote plant root hair growth in the species analyzed in this study; however, low and excessive concentrations of MWCNTs had no significant effect or even an inhibiting influence. Further results show that MWCNTs can enter rapeseed root cells. Meanwhile, nitrate reductase (NR)-dependent nitric oxide (NO) and ethylene syntheses, as well as root hair formation, were significantly stimulated by MWCNTs. Transcription of root hair growth-related genes were also modulated. The above responses were sensitive to the removal of endogenous NO or ethylene with a scavenger of NO or NO/ethylene synthesis inhibitors. Pharmacological and molecular evidence suggested that ethylene might act downstream of NR-dependent NO in MWCNTs-induced root hair morphogenesis. Genetic evidence in Arabidopsis further revealed that MWCNTs-triggered root hair growth was abolished in ethylene-insensitive mutants ein2-5 and ein3-1, and NR mutant nia1/2, but not in noa1 mutant. Further data placed NO synthesis linearly before ethylene production in root hair development triggered by MWCNTs. The above findings thus provide some insights into the molecular mechanism underlying MWCNTs control of root hair morphogenesis.

Targeting the ROS/PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α/HK2 axis of breast cancer cells: Combined administration of Polydatin and 2-Deoxy-d-glucose.

It is well established that cancer cells depend upon aerobic glycolysis to provide the energy they need to survive and proliferate. However, anti-glycolytic agents have yielded few positive results in human patients, in part due to dose-limiting side effects. Here, we discovered the unexpected anti-cancer efficacy of Polydatin (PD) combined with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), which is a compound that inhibits glycolysis. We demonstrated in two breast cell lines (MCF-7 and 4T1) that combination treatment with PD and 2-DG induced cell apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, we determined the mechanism of PD in synergy with 2-DG, which decreased the intracellular reactive oxygen (ROS) levels and suppressed the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, the combined treatment inhibited the glycolytic phenotype through reducing the expression of HK2. HK2 deletion in breast cancer cells thus improved the anti-cancer activity of 2-DG. The combination treatment also resulted in significant tumour regression in the absence of significant morphologic changes in the heart, liver or kidney in vivo. In summary, our study demonstrates that PD synergised with 2-DG to enhance its anti-cancer efficacy by inhibiting the ROS/PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α/HK2 signalling axis, providing a potential anti-cancer strategy.