Lanthanide Tetranuclear Cage and Mononuclear Cocrystalline Nitronyl Nitroxide Complex with Single-Molecule-Magnet Behavior.

The first tetranuclear metallacage and mononuclear cocrystalline DyIII-radical complex was synthesized and characterized. The metallacage in [Dy4(hfac)8(IMPhThio)2(OH)4][Dy(hfac)3(NITPhThio)2] consists of Dy(hfac)2+ groups bridged by OH- and the IMPhThio radical. Field-induced single-molecule-magnet behavior was observed in the nitronyl nitroxide radical-bridged polynuclear complex.

Control the wettability of poly(n-isopropylacrylamide-co-1-adamantan-1-ylmethyl acrylate) modified surfaces: the more Ada, the bigger impact?

Surface-initiated SET-LRP was used to synthesize polymer brush containing N-isopropylacrylamide and adamantyl acrylate using Cu(I)Cl/Me6-TREN as precursor catalyst and isopropanol/H2O as solvent. Different reaction conditions were explored to investigate the influence of different parameters (reaction time, catalyst concentration, monomer concentration) on the polymerization. Copolymers with variable 1-adamantan-1-ylmethyl acrylate (Ada) content and comparable thickness were synthesized onto silicon surfaces. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and bioactive molecule ß-cyclodextrin-(mannose)7 (CDm) was synthesized and complexed with adamantane via host-guest interaction. The effect of adamantane alone and the effect of CDm together with adamantane on the wettability and thermoresponsive property of surface were investigated in detail. Experimental and molecular structure analysis showed that Ada at certain content together with CDm has the greatest impact on surface wettability. When Ada content was high (20%), copolymer-CDm surfaces showed almost no CDm complexed with Ada as the result of steric hindrance.

[Early biological markers of manganese exposure].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the biomarker of manganese exposure by analyzing the relationship between manganese exposure and concentration in some biomaterials. METHODS: The air samples were collected through the individual air sample. According to the manganese levels in the air, workers were assigned to control group, low concentration group and high concentration group, and manganese in the hair, urine, serum, blood cell and saliva from different group were measured respectively. The correlations between concentration of external manganese exposure and manganese concentrations in biomaterials, and years of employment and concentrations in biomaterials were analyzed. RESULTS: In the high concentration group, saliva manganese was 32.17 µg/L, hair manganese was 37.39 mg/kg, urine manganese was 2.50 µg/L, plasma manganese was 29.61 µg/L, blood manganese was 14.49 µg/L, were higher than those in the control group (10.40 µg/L, 1.60 mg/kg, 0.77 µg/L, 10.30 µg/L, 4.56 µg/L respectively) (P < 0.01). The manganese concentration in the saliva was significantly correlated with airborne manganese concentration (r = 0.649, P < 0.01), with the years of employment (r = 0.404, P < 0.01), with the total exposure of manganese (r = 0.342, P < 0.01), with the manganese concentration of plasma (r = 0.303, P < 0.01) and with the manganese concentration in blood cells (r = 0.359, P < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of manganese in saliva could work as a biomarker of manganese internal exposure.

A single factor induces neuronal differentiation to suppress glioma cell growth.

AIM: Glioma, with fast growth and progression features, is the most common and aggressive tumor in the central nervous system and is essentially incurable. This study is aimed at inducing neuronal differentiation to suppress glioma cell growth with a single transcription factor. METHODS: Overexpression of transcription factor SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 11 (SOX11) and Zic family member 1 (ZIC1) was, respectively, performed in glioma cells with lentivirus infection. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to knock out ZIC1 in U87 cells, and knockout efficiency was identified by Western blotting and Sanger sequencing. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The downstream targets of SOX11 were analyzed by Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays. qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence technique were used to verify gene targets of genetically modified U87 cells. All the cells were imaged by a fluorescence microscope. Gene expression correlation analysis and overall survival analysis based on TCGA dataset are performed by GEPIA. RESULTS: We induced glioma cells into neuron-like cells to suppress cell growth using a single transcription factor, SOX11 or ZIC1. Besides, we proved that there is a strong correlation between SOX11 and ZIC1. Our study revealed that SOX11 upregulates ZIC1 expression by binding with ZIC1 promoter, and ZIC1 partially mediates SOX11-induced neuronal differentiation in U87 cells. However, SOX11 expression is not regulated by ZIC1. Moreover, high MAP2 expression means better overall survival in TCGA lower grade glioma. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that glioma cells can be reprogrammed into neuron-like cells using a single factor ZIC1, which may be a potential tumor suppressor gene for gliomas treatment.

Stir-baked Fructus gardeniae (L.) extracts inhibit matrix metalloproteinases and alter cell morphology.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play vital roles in many pathological conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and inflammation. Modulating MMP activity may therefore be a useful therapeutic approach in treating these diseases. Qing-Kai-Ling is a popular Chinese anti-inflammatory formulation used to treat symptoms such as rheumatoid arthritis, acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, hepatitis and upper respiratory tract infection. In this paper, we report that one of the components of Qing-Kai-Ling, Fructus gardeniae, strongly inhibits MMP activity. The IC50 values for the primary herbal extract and water extract against MMP-16 were 32 and 27 microg/ml, respectively. In addition, we show that the herbal extracts influence HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell growth and morphology. These data may provide molecular mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of Qing-Kai-Ling and herbal medicinal Fructus gardeniae.

A family of multi-spin rare-earth complexes based on a triazole nitronyl nitroxide radical: synthesis, structure and magnetic properties.

The combination of LnIII ions (GdIII, TbIII or DyIII) and a triazole nitronyl nitroxide radical (4-Me-3-NITtrz) as spin carriers results in two mononuclear and one binuclear compounds, namely, [Ln(hfac)3(4-Me-3-NITtrz)(H2O)] (Ln = Gd(1), Tb(2); hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetone; 4-Me-3-NITtrz = 2-[3-(4-methyl-l,2,4-triazolyl)]-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide) and [Dy(hfac)2(4-Me-3-NITtrz)2][Dy(hfac)4]·CHCl3. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural and crystallize in the P1̄ space group, whereas compound 3 crystallizes in the P21/n space group. In 1 and 2, the central LnIII ions are nine-coordinated (LnNO8) in a distorted spherical capped square antiprism geometry (C 4v) finished by three bischelate hfac anions and one bidentate triazole radical and one aqua molecule. While 3 is a mixed-coordinated binuclear compound with Dy1 in a triangular dodecahedron (D 2d) coordination sphere and Dy2 in a biaugmented trigonal prism (C 2v) coordination sphere. Magnetic studies show that compound 2 exhibits field-induced single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior.