Efficient Near-Infrared Fluorophores Based on Cyanostyrene Derivatives for Two-Photon Fluorescence Bioimaging.

Organic fluorescent materials with red/near-infrared (NIR) emission are highly promising for use in biotechnology due to their exceptional advantages. However, traditional red/NIR fluorophores often exhibit weak emission at high concentrations or in an aggregated state due to the aggregate-caused quenching effect, which severely limits their applicability in biological imaging. To address this challenge, we developed a series of cyanostyrene derivatives with aggregation-induced emission characteristics, including 2,3-Bis-(4-styryl-phenyl)-but-2-enedinitrile (DPB), 2,3-Bis-{4-[2-(4-methoxy- phenyl)-vinyl]-phenyl}-but-2-enedinitrile (DOB), 2,3-Bis-{4-[2-(4-diphenylamino- phenyl)-vinyl]-phenyl}-but-2-enedinitrile (DTB), and 2,3-Bis-[4-(2-{4-[phenyl- (4-triphenylvinyl-phenyl)-amino]-phenyl}-vinyl)- phenyl]-but-2-enedinitrile (DTTB). Notably, these compounds exhibited intense solid state fluorescence owing to AIE effect, especially DTTB shows NIR emission with high solid state quantum efficiency (712 nm, ΦF=14.2%). Then we prepared DTTB@PS-PEG NPs nanoparticles by encapsulating DTTB with the amphiphilic polymer polystyrene-polyethylene glycol (PS-PEG). Importantly, DTTB@PS-PEG NPs exhibited highly efficient NIR luminescence (ΦF=28.7%) and a large two-photon absorption cross-section (1900 GM) under 800 nm laser excitation. The bright two-photon fluorescence of DTTB@PS-PEG indicated that it can be a highly promising candidate for two-photon fluorescence probe. Therefore, this work provides valuable insights for the design of highly efficient and NIR-emitting two-photon fluorescent probes.

An alternative 3' splice site of PeuHKT1;3 improves the response to salt stress through enhancing affinity to K+ in Populus.

Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a crucial post-transcriptional regulator in plants that contributes to the resistance to salt stress. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. In this research, we identified an important AS transcript in Populus euphratica, PeuHKT1:3a, generated by alternative 3' splice site splicing mode that resulted in the removal of 252 bases at the 5' end of the first exon in PeuHKT1:3. Protein sequence comparison showed that the site of AS occurred in PeuHKT1:3 is located at a crucial Ser residue within the first pore-loop domain, which leads to inefficient K+ transport in HKT I-type transporters. Expressing PeuHKT1;3a in an axt3 mutant yeast strain can effectively compensate for the lack of intracellular K+, whereas the expression of PeuHKT1;3 cannot yield the effect. Furthermore, in transgenic Arabidopsis and poplar plants, it was observed that lines expressing PeuHKT1;3a exhibited greater salt tolerance compared to those expressing the PeuHKT1;3 strain. Analysis of ion content and flux demonstrated that the transgenic PeuHKT1;3a line exhibited significantly higher K+ content compared to the PeuHKT1;3 line, while there was no significant difference in Na+ content. In conclusion, our findings revealed that AS can give rise to novel variants of HKT I-type proteins in P. euphratica with modified K+ selectivity to keep a higher K+/Na+ ratio to enhanced salt tolerance.

Promotion of CO2 Electroreduction on Bismuth Nanosheets with Cerium Oxide nanoparticles.

Formic acid (HCOOH) is a highly energy-efficient product of electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Bismuth-based catalysts have shown promise in the conversion of CO2 to formic acid, but there is still a great need for further improvement in selectivity and activity. Herein, we report the preparation of Bi nanosheets decorated by cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeOx) with high Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio and rich oxygen vacancies. The CeOx nanoparticles affect on the electronic structures of bismuth, enhance the CO2 adsorption, and thus promote the CO2RR properties of Bi nanosheets. Compared with elemental Bi nanosheets, the hetero-structured CeOx/Bi nanosheets exhibit much higher activity over a wide potential window, showing a current density of 16.1 mA cm-2 with a  Faradaic efficiency of 91.1% at -0.9 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode.

Dietary inflammatory potential and the risk of nonfatal cardiovascular diseases in the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no evidence exists to link dietary inflammatory potential to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China. Furthermore, the precise mechanisms underlying the link between a pro-inflammatory diet and CVD remain incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary inflammatory potential and nonfatal CVD in the Chinese population and to explore the mediating role of insulin resistance. METHODS: A total of 4822 adults who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were included in this analysis. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was used to assess dietary inflammatory potential. Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline were applied to assess the longitudinal associations. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was calculated to measure insulin resistance. Mediation analysis using a two-stage regression method for survival data was employed to explore the mediating effects of the TyG index on the association between DII score and nonfatal CVD. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 18 y, 234 incident cases of nonfatal CVD, including 136 strokes and 114 myocardial infarctions (MIs), were observed. For each standard deviation of the DII score, nonfatal CVD incidence increased by 15% (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.31), and stroke incidence increased by 22% (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03-1.45). DII score displayed a linear association with nonfatal CVD and stroke (P for nonlinearity = 0.250 and 0.238, respectively). No significant association was found between the DII score and MI. Mediation analyses showed that the TyG index mediated 5.90% and 9.35% of the total association between DII score and nonfatal CVD and stroke, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that dietary inflammatory potential is positively associated with nonfatal CVD and stroke in Chinese adults, and the association was partly mediated by insulin resistance.

Sub-high amylose maize starch: an ideal substrate to generate starch with lower digestibility by fermentation of Qu.

BACKGROUND: The fermentation of Qu (FQ) is a novel method to modify the properties of starch to expand its application and especially to increase the resistant starch (RS) content. Using waxy maize starch (WMS) as a fermentation substrate can increase the RS content significantly but it may be time consuming and not cost effective due to the almost negligible RS content of WMS. To solve this problem, we hypothesized that sub-high amylose starch (s-HAMS), with an amylose content close to 50% could be an ideal substrate for FQ. RESULTS: The results showed that FQ did not change the shape and the particle size of starch granules, the gelatinization peak (Tp), or the conclusion temperature (Tc), but the slowly digested starch content declined. Rapidly digested starch content fluctuated during FQ and the amylose content decreased within 36 h and then increased. Within 24h, FQ significanlty increased these values: the RS content, relative crystallinity (RC), the ratio of FTIR absorbances at 1047/1022cm-1, the diffraction peak at 19.8° in X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the gelatinization onset temperature (To) increased significantly, within 24 h of FQ. However, after 24 h of fermentation, the RS content, RC, the ratio of FTIR absorbances at 1047/1022 cm-1, and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: Sub-high amylose starch is more suitable for FQ to produce low digestibility starch, and the increase in RS may be due to the formation of 'amylose-lipid' complexes (RS5). © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fluorescence Switching and Photoisomerization of a Spiropyran Molecular Photoswitch through Confined Spaces Regulation in Crystals.

Spiropyran (SP) and its derivatives are highly attractive owing to their distinctive merits in high contrast and fast response read-out systems. However, the realization of photoswitching properties of SP is hindered in the aggregate state, particularly in crystals owing to the dense packing of molecules leading to insufficient study of the relationship between the molecular structure/stacking mode and photoswitching behavior. Herein, we report three SP derivatives: different flexible chains (carboxyl group for SP-0 and ester group for SP-1) are attached to the indoline moiety, while the ester group is attached to the chromene moiety for SP-2. SP-1 exhibits fluorescent photoswitching properties in crystals due to the weak intermolecular interactions resulting in enough free space for the photoisomerization. The presence of hydrogen bonds in SP-0 enhances the molecular interactions to restrict the photoisomerization, and the ester group of SP-2 impacts the thermodynamic properties, thereby limiting the realization of photoswitching of SP-2.

Leaching characteristics of nutrients in food waste digestate-derived biochar.

Food waste anaerobic digestion requires proper utilization of solid digestate, and pyrolysis emerges as an effective method to produce nutrient-rich biochar. This study investigated the leaching characteristics and speciation changes of nutrients in food waste digestate (FWD)-derived biochar pyrolyzed at 350 °C (BC350), 450 °C (BC450), and 550 °C (BC550). BC350 featured inorganic nitrogen, while BC450 and BC550 contained elevated organic nitrogen. Nitrogen, potassium, and dissolved organic carbon were released via a quick surface wash-off process. Polyphosphates prevailed in BC350 and leached through a fast diffusion-controlled process. BC450 and BC550 were dominated by Ca/Mg orthophosphates and released via a slow dissolution-controlled process. Leachates from BC450 and BC550 stimulated the shoot length of wheat seeds. After 5 leaching cycles, there were more aromatic dissolved organics, and BC450 and BC550 exhibited higher abundance of C-N and O-P-O. Overall, pyrolysis of FWD at 450 °C and 550 °C shows potential in producing slow-release biochar fertilizers for resource recycling.

Explore on the Mechanism of miRNA-146a/TAB1 in the Regulation of Cellular Apoptosis and Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis Based on NF-κB Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory disease of the rectum and colon with unknown etiology. A growing number of evidence suggest that the pathogenesis of UC is related to excessive apoptosis and production of inflammatory cytokines. However, the functions and molecular mechanisms associated with UC remain unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vivo and in vitro models of UC were established in this study. MiRNA or gene expression was measured by qRT-PCR assay. ELISA, CCK-8, TUNEL, and flow cytometry assays were applied for analyzing cellular functions. The interactions between miR-146a and TAB1 were verified by luciferase reporter and miRNA pull-down assays. RESULTS: MiR-146a was obviously increased in UC patients, DSS-induced colitis mice, and TNF-ɑ-induced YAMC cells, when compared to the corresponding controls. MiR- 146a knockdown inhibited the inflammatory response and apoptosis in DSS-induced colitis mice and TNF-ɑ-induced YAMC cells. Mechanistically, we found that TAB1 was the target of miR-146a and miR-146a knockdown suppressed the activation of NF-κB pathway in UC. More importantly, TAB1 could overturn the inhibitory effect of antagomiR-146a on cell apoptosis and inflammation in UC. CONCLUSION: MiR-146a knockdown inhibited cell apoptosis and inflammation via targeting TAB1 and suppressing NF-κB pathway, suggesting that miR-146a may be a new therapeutic target for UC treatment.

NQO1 Mediates Lenvatinib Resistance by Regulating ROS-induced Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. As a first-line drug for advanced HCC treatment, lenvatinib faces a significant hurdle due to the development of both intrinsic and acquired resistance among patients, and the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The present study aims to identify the pivotal gene responsible for lenvatinib resistance in HCC, explore the potential molecular mechanism, and propose combinatorial therapeutic targets for HCC management. METHODS: Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of cells to lenvatinib and dicoumarol. RNA-Seq was used to determine the differences in transcriptome between parental cells and lenvatinib-resistant (LR) cells. The upregulated genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG analyses. Then, qPCR and Western blotting were employed to determine the relative gene expression levels. Afterwards, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: PLC-LR and Hep3B-LR were established. There was a total of 116 significantly upregulated genes common to both LR cell lines. The GO and KEGG analyses indicated that these genes were involved in oxidoreductase and dehydrogenase activities, and reactive oxygen species pathways. Notably, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) was highly expressed in LR cells, and was involved in the lenvatinib resistance. The high expression of NQO1 decreased the production of ROS induced by lenvatinib, and subsequently suppressed the apoptosis. The combination of lenvatinib and NQO1 inhibitor, dicoumarol, reversed the resistance of LR cells. CONCLUSION: The high NQO1 expression in HCC cells impedes the lenvatinib-induced apoptosis by regulating the ROS levels, thereby promoting lenvatinib resistance in HCC cells.

Chromatin accessibility complex subunit 1 enhances tumor growth by regulating the oncogenic transcription of YAP in breast and cervical cancer.

Background: As a component of chromatin remodeling complex, chromatin accessibility complex subunit 1 (CHRAC1) is critical in transcription and DNA replication. However, the significance of CHRAC1 in cancer progression has not been investigated extensively. This research aimed to determine the function of CHRAC1 in breast and cervical cancer and elucidate the molecular mechanism. Methods: The Bio-ID method was used to identify the interactome of transcriptional activator Yes-associated protein (YAP) and the binding between YAP and CHRAC1 was verified by immunofluorescence. CCK8, colony formation and subcutaneous xenograft assays were conducted to explore the function of CHRAC1 in cancer cell proliferation. RNA-seq analysis and RT-PCR were used to analyze the transcription program change after CHRAC1 ablation. The diagnostic value of CHRAC1 was analyzed by TCGA database and further validated by immunohistochemistry staining. Results: In the current study, we found that the chromatin remodeler CHRAC1 was a potential YAP interactor. CHRAC1 depletion suppressed breast and cervical cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. The potential mechanism may be that CHRAC1 interacts with YAP to facilitate oncogenic transcription of YAP target genes in Hippo pathway, thereby promoting tumorigenesis. CHRAC1 was elevated in cervical and breast cancer biopsies and the upregulation correlated with shorter survival, poor pathological stages and metastasis of cancer patients. Moreover, CHRAC1 expression was statistically associated with YAP in breast and cervical cancer biopsies. Conclusions: These findings highlight that CHRAC1 contributes to cancer progression through regulating the oncogenic transcription of YAP, which makes it a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Four undescribed coumarin derivatives, with ten amides from the roots of Ficus hirta and their cytotoxic activities.

Four undescribed coumarin derivatives, ficusalt A (1) and ficusalt B (2), a pair of racemic coumarins, (±) ficudimer A (3a/3b), along with ten known amides, were isolated from the roots of Ficus hirta. Their structures were elucidated by several spectroscopic data analyses, including HRESIMS, NMR, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The cytotoxic activities of all compounds against HeLa, HepG2, MCF-7, and H460 cell lines were detected using the MTT assay. Among these, 5 showed the highest activity against HeLa cells. Subsequently, the apoptotic, anti-invasive, and anti-migration effects of 5 on HeLa cells were determined by flow cytometer, transwell invasion assay, and wound-healing assay, respectively. The result suggested that 5 distinctly induced the apoptosis in HeLa cells and inhibited their invasion and migration. Further studies on anticancer mechanisms were conducted using Western blotting. As a result, 5 increased the cleavage of PARP and the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Moreover, 5 notably upregulated the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, whereas inhibited the expression of p-ERK and p-AKT. Our results demonstrated that 5 could be a potential leading compound for further application in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Comprehensive Analysis on Prognostic Signature Based on T Cell-Mediated Tumor Killing Related Genes in Gastric Cancer.

Although immunotherapy is a valuable treatment for gastric cancer (GC), identifying the patients who would benefit most from this approach presents a challenge. In this study, GC patients were divided into two subtypes by consensus clustering according to T cell-mediated tumor killing related genes (TTKRGs), and there were significant differences in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, signaling pathways, and gene expression of immunomodulators and inhibitory immune checkpoints between the two subtypes. Then, we developed an individualized signature based on TTKRGs, and its clinical and predictive value in GC patients for chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic responses was assessed. We confirmed the expression levels of signature genes in GC tumor tissue using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Additionally, to improve the accuracy of GC prognosis predictions, we established a nomogram. We further identified some compounds as sensitive drugs targeting GC risk groups. The signature showed significant predictive ability across RNA-seq, microarray, and qRT-PCR cohorts, which could assist in predicting survival, immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic outcomes in GC patients.

Enhancement of Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Pulsating Nanotubules.

Enhancing the dissymmetry factor (glum ) is a crucial issue in developing circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) materials. Herein, based on supramolecular self-assembly of diethyl l-glutamate-cyanodiarylethene (L-GC) in mixed solution of EtOH-H2 O with different water fraction, enhanced circularly polarized emission from pulsating nanotubules is realized. In the mixture of ethanol and water (30/70, v/v), L-GC self-assembles into roll-up-type dense nanotubes and shows l-CPL. Remarkably, by increasing the water fraction to 80% and 90%, the diameter of the roll-up nanotubes increases and the dissymmetry factor of the nanotubes is significantly enhanced from 6.9 × 10-3  (dense nanotubes) to 3.7 × 10-2 (loose nanotubes) because of the enhanced intermolecular interactions and more ordered supramolecular stacking when increasing the water fraction. An efficient way is provided here to realize the increase of the dissymmetry factor by only changing the composition of solvents.

Low-Pressure Sensitive Piezochromic Fluorescence Switching of Tetraphenylethylene-Anthraquinone.

Invited for the cover of this issue are Prof. Wenjing Tian and co-workers at Jilin University. The image depicts the highly sensitive piezochromic fluorescence switching of tetraphenylethylene-anthraquinone under low-pressure regimes (∼60 kPa). Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202301070.

Human milk-derived MANF, as an immuno-nutritional factor, maintains the intestinal epithelial barrier and protects against necrotizing enterocolitis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of death in preterm infants. Compared to formula milk, breastfeeding protects against NEC. However, the composition of breast milk is quite complicated, and many immunological compositions remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the concentration of a secreted protein, Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), in breastmilk and evaluate its immune-regulatory function in protecting the intestinal epithelial barrier. Our data indicated that MANF was secreted in human milk but could not be detected in infant formulas. More importantly, the amount of MANF in colostrum was higher than that in mature milk. We also clarified that MANF was mainly expressed in intestinal macrophages and was capable of inducing apoptosis and decreasing the inflammation of pro-inflammatory macrophages in both NEC intestinal tissues and BMDMs. Mechanismly, MANF protein significantly inhibited the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and protected epithelial tight junctions through downregulation of the NF-κB pathway in pro-inflammatory macrophages. These results reveal the crucial function of human milk-derived MANF in intestinal macrophages, which contributes to downregulating the intestinal inflammatory response and protecting the homeostasis of intestinal epithelial cells. Our study not only demonstrates a potential mechanism underlying breastfeeding protective effects in NEC but also, more importantly, enables clinical translation, facilitating new strategies for the development of nutritional interventions in the prevention of NEC.

Integration of Chemometrics and Sensory Metabolomics to Validate Quality Factors of Aged Baijiu (Nianfen Baijiu) with Emphasis on Long-Chain Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters.

The storage process of Baijiu is an integral part of its production (the quality undergoes substantial changes during the aging process of Baijiu). As the storage time extends, the flavor compounds in Baijiu tend to undergo coordinated transformation, thereby enhancing the quality of Baijiu. Among them, long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (LCFAEEs) were widely distributed in Baijiu and have been shown to have potential contributions to the quality of Baijiu. However, the current research on LCFAEEs in Baijiu predominantly focuses on the olfactory sensation aspect, while there is a lack of systematic investigation into their influence on taste and evaluation after drinking Baijiu during the aging process. In light of this, the present study investigates the distribution of LCFAEEs in Baijiu over different years. We have combined modern flavor sensory analysis with multivariate chemometrics to comprehensively and objectively explore the influence of LCFAEEs on Baijiu quality. The results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between the concentration of LCFAEEs and the fruity aroma (p < 0.05, r = 0.755) as well as the aged aroma (p < 0.05, r = 0.833) of Baijiu within a specific range; they can effectively reduce the off-flavors and spicy sensation of Baijiu. Furthermore, additional experiments utilizing a single variable suggest that LCFAEEs were crucial factors influencing the flavor of Baijiu, with Ethyl Palmitate (EP) being the most notable LCFAEE that merits further systematic investigation.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence Switching Driven by Precisely Tuned Supramolecular Interactions: From Hydrogen Bonding to π-π Interaction.

It is highly challenging to achieve circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) switching by precisely tuning supramolecular interactions and unveiling the mechanism of supramolecular chirality inversion. Herein, we demonstrated CPL switching based on diethyl l-glutamate-9-cyanophenanthrene (LGCP) and diethyl l-glutamate-pyrene (LGP) via the precise regulation of supramolecular interactions. LGCP assembly driven by hydrogen bonding showed right CPL, while LGP assembly driven by π-π interaction led to left CPL. Remarkably, significant CPL switching was observed from the assemblies of LGCP/octafluoronaphthalene (OFN), attributed to the alteration of the dominating interaction from weak hydrogen bonding to rather strong π-π interaction, while the assemblies of LGP/OFN exhibited minimum CPL variation because the dominating π-π interaction within the assembly of LGP/OFN illustrated quite limited variations upon arene-perfluoroarene interaction. This work provides a feasible strategy toward the efficient modulation of the chiroptical properties of multiple component supramolecular systems, meanwhile offering possibilities for the mechanism exploration of the chirality inversion of supramolecular assemblies.

Apocarotenoids from Equisetum debile Roxb. ex Vaucher regulate the lipid metabolism via the activation of the AMPK/ACC/SREBP-1c signaling pathway.

Sixteen undescribed apocarotenoids (1-16), along with 22 known analogues, were isolated from the aerial parts of Equisetum debile. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated by NMR, HRESIMS, X-ray diffraction analysis, the modified Mosher's method and the quantum-chemical calculation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compounds 1-9, 11-12 are the first example of C16-apocarotenoids appeared in nature. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1-16 was proposed. Moreover, the isolates were evaluated for their lipid-lowering activity, and the results showed that 13, 14, 15, 22, 31, 32 and 33 could remarkably decrease the levels of both TC and TG in FFA induced HepG2 cells at 20 µM. The oil red staining assay further demonstrated the lipid-lowering effects of 13, 14 and 15. The western blot results indicated that compounds 13, 14 and 15 could regulate the lipid metabolism via the activation of the AMPK/ACC/SREBP-1c signaling pathway. A preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of the isolates indicated that the apocarotenoids with 6/5 ring system displayed more potent lipid-lowering effects.

A new function of photochromic spiropyran: an efficient photoinitiator for two-photon polymerization.

Photochromic spiropyran molecule shows a brand new function for serving as an efficient photoinitiator to activate two-photon photopolymerization, thus paving the way for developing a fast 3D printing technology.

Functional characterization of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) AHRs: Subform-specific sensitivity to dioxin and interspecies differences.

Dioxins are widely known to bioaccumulate in the body and produce a wide spectrum of toxic effects on both humans and wildlife. In addition, some novel sorts of compounds that were similar in structure and effect were gradually identified and termed dioxin-like compounds (DLCs). The toxicity of dioxins as well as DLCs is predominantly mediated by the dioxin receptor (aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AHR) in animals, which is usually differentially expressed and functionally distinct (especially the sensitivity to dioxins) among species, possibly resulting in species-specific variations in the toxicity of dioxins. Therefore, detailed functional exploration of the AHRs of a given species, such as the common carp (which is a vital wild and commercial species with a broad geological distribution) in the current study, will enable a comprehensive ecotoxicity evaluation. Through genome survey and phylogenetic analysis, we identified three AHRs (AHR1a, AHR1b, and AHR2) and two ARNTs (ARNT1 and ARNT2). AHR2 was observed to have greater expression abundance in the gill and brain, and may serve as the predominant subform. Those AHRs and ARNTs are functional, and the AHRs can be efficiently transactivated by the classical dioxin congener 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). We individually determined the EC50 values of AHR1a (0.41 ± 0.24 nM), AHR1b (12.80 ± 3.28 nM), and AHR2 (0.64 ± 0.49 nM), and found that: 1) The AHR sensitivities of common carp and zebrafish (phylogenetically close species) are relatively similar. AHR1a and the predominant form AHR2 have greater sensitivity to TCDD. 2) ARNT1 and ARNT2 do not produce different sensitivities, but with distinct induction fold, of a given AHR transactivation when cooperating as the partner; 3) Distinct AHR subforms of the same or distinct species can have even one or two orders of magnitude differences in sensitivity. In summary, the current study will add to the knowledge of AHR biology and help improve ecotoxicology research on dioxins and DLCs.