A near-infrared fluorescent probe for viscosity: Differentiating cancer cells from normal cells and dual-modal imaging in tumor mice.

As a basic parameter of the intracellular microenvironment, viscosity is closely related to the development of cancer. Thus, it is necessary to utilize a sensitive tool to visualize the viscosity in tumor cells and mice, which is helpful for the diagnosis of cancer. Herein, a novel dual-modal probe (IX-V) that has a near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) response to viscosity is synthesized. In low viscosity media, the probe has no fluorescence. With the increase of viscosity, the fluorescence is produced in the near-infrared region due to the inhibition of the TICT process. At the same time, the probe shows different photoacoustic (PA) signals in different viscosity media. Most notably, the viscosity in tumor cells has been imaged successfully by the application of IX-V, and the probe can effectively distinguish cancer cells from normal cells co-cultured in one dish by the difference of fluorescence intensity. In addition, the probe has been used for dual-modal imaging (NIRF and PA) of viscosity in tumor mice, which provides a tool for exploring the relationship between viscosity and diseases. That is to say, IX-V can achieve complementary imaging effects and has great application prospects in the tumor diagnosis.

A near-infrared fluorescent probe for monitoring abnormal mitochondrial viscosity in cancer and fatty-liver mice model.

Viscosity is an important component of cell microenvironment, and abnormal mitochondrial viscosity is associated with many diseases such as tumor and fatty liver. Herein, a near-infrared fluorescence probe (QX-V) based on quinoline-xanthene dye for detecting viscosity is constructed. In high viscosity medium, the free rotation of single bond is inhibited and the fluorescence is released. The probe shows high sensitivity together with good selectivity. Notably, QX-V has a long excitation wavelength (710 nm) and emission wavelength (786 nm). At the same time, the probe is a positively charged molecule that can target mitochondria. QX-V can not only distinguish cancer cells from normal cells, but also make a distinction between normal cells and fatty hepatocytes. In addition, QX-V is used to image viscosity abnormality in tumor-bearing mice. The probe also has a good ability to image viscosity abnormality caused by liver injury in fatty-liver mice.

Nationwide assessment of persistent halogenated compounds (PHCs) in farmed golden pompano of China.

Persistent halogenated compounds (PHCs) contamination has become a major concern over the world. Here we investigated occurrence, spatial distributions, congener profiles, as well as health risks of PHCs in farmed golden pompano in China using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs were in the range of 0.78-4.79 ng/g wet weight (ww), not detected (nd)-1.14 ng/g ww and 1.1-38.8 ng/g ww, respectively. Furthermore, ρ,ρ'-DDT, ο,ρ'-DDT and PCB 101 were the dominant PHC contaminants. The estimated daily intakes of PHCs through consumption of golden pompano were up to 12.86 and 131.34 ng/kg body weight/day based on the mean and 95th concentrations determined in golden pompano, respectively. Risk-based analysis indicates that target PHCs in golden pompano would not pose risks to human. Our study presents the first report of a nationwide survey of PHCs contamination in farmed golden pompano in China.

[Correlation between high-risk TP53 mutation and extracapsular spread in oral squamous cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between high-risk tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutation and extracapsular spread(ECS) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: The data of 88 OSCC patients admitted to Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from January 2013 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into non-lymph node metastasis group (A1), lymph node metastasis without ECS group (A2), lymph node metastasis with ECS group(A3) according to the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis. The deletion of exon 5-8 of TP53 gene in primary and metastatic lesions was detected. The correlation of ECS with disease-free survival(DFS), overall survival(OS) rate and TP53 mutation were determined, and single factor analysis of ECS was performed. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: TP53 (5) homozygote deletion was found in all three groups. TP53 (6) homozygous deletion was found in group A3 (10/30). No homozygous deletion of TP53(7) was found in three groups.Homozygous deletion of TP53 (8) was found in group A2(7/42), group A3(10/30) and group A3(10/60).The 1-year and 3-year DFS rates were 75.00% and 70.83% in group A1, 70.59% and 58.82% in group A2, 46.67% and 40.00% in group A3, with significant difference(P<0.05). The 1-year and 3-year OS rates were 83.33% and 75.00% in group A1, 73.53% and 50.00% in group A2, 46.67% and 40.00% in group A3 , with significant difference(P<0.05). In group A3, there were 4 cases (13.33%) of low-risk TP53 mutation (LR), 12 cases (40.00%) of high-risk TP53 mutation (HR), 4 cases(13.33%) of wild-type TP53 mutation (Wt), and 10 cases(33.33%) of other mutations. HR mutation and other mutations occurred more frequently than other types(P<0.05). Smoking, primary lesion size, wild type/low risk and high risk/others were correlated with ECS(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ECS is an important marker of DFS and OS in OSCC patients, and high-risk mutations were common in ECS, indicating a certain correlation between high-risk mutations of TP53 and ECS in OSCC.

Anti-Recombinant Gametocyte 56 Protein IgY Protected Chickens from Homologous Coccidian Infection.

Coccidiosis is caused by intra-cellular infection of Eimeria spp., which goes through a complex life cycle in the intestinal mucosa of infected hosts. Specific immunoglobulins (IgY) could be produced in egg yolk by immunizing hens with specific antigens. In the present study, we cloned the E. maxima gam56 gene, expressed the GST-GAM56 fusion protein and raised IgY to GST-GAM56 in hens. The anti-GST-GAM56 IgY antibody was isolated and used to treat chickens infected with E. maxima oocysts. Intramuscular injection of the antibodies provided minimal protection against parasite infection. However, oral dosing of the IgY 3 or 5 d after oocyst inoculation significantly improved body weight gain, reduced oocyst output and intestinal lesion score were reduced at 3 or 5 d after oocyst challenging, compared to the untreated control group. Our findings suggest that the IgY to gam56 could be an effective prophylactic or therapeutic agent against E. maxima infection in chickens and should have a practical application value.