CircVDAC3 sequesters microRNA-592 and elevates EIF4E3 expression to inhibit the progression of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in gastric cancer (GC) tumorigenesis. However, specific functional circRNAs in GC remain to be discovered, and their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. METHODS: CircRNAs that were differentially expressed between GC tissues and controls were analyzed using a circRNA microarray dataset. The expression of circVDAC3 in GC was determined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the structural features of circVDAC3 were validated. Cell function assays and animal experiments were conducted to explore the effects of circVDAC3 on GC. Finally, bioinformatics analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and dual luciferase assays were used to analyze the downstream mechanisms of circVDAC3. RESULTS: Our results showed that circVDAC3 was downregulated in GC and inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells. Mechanistically, circVDAC3 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-592 and deregulates the repression of EIF4E3 by miR-592. EIF4E3 is downregulated in GC and overexpression of miR-592 or knockdown of EIF4E3 in circVDAC3-overexpressing cells weakens the anticancer effect of circVDAC3. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that circVDAC3 affects the growth and metastasis of GC cells via the circVDAC3/miR-592/EIF4E3 axis. Our findings offer valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying GC tumorigenesis and suggest novel therapeutic strategies.

Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of qSRC3 controlling the silk color in maize (Zea mays L.).

KEY MESSAGE: Fine mapping of the maize QTL qSRC3, responsible for red silk, uncovered the candidate gene ZmMYB20, which encodes an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, has light-sensitive expression, and putatively regulates genes expression associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis. Colorless silk is a key characteristic contributing to the visual quality of fresh corn intended for market distribution. Nonetheless, the identification of Mendelian trait loci and associated genes that control silk color has been scarce. In this study, a F2 population arising from the hybridization of the single-segment substitution line qSRC3MT1 with red silk, carrying an introgressed allele from teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana), and the recurrent maize inbred line Mo17, characterized by light green silk, was utilized for fine mapping. We found that the red silk trait is controlled by a semi-dominant genetic locus known as qSRC3, and its expression is susceptible to light-mediated inhibition. Moreover, qSRC3 explained 68.78% of the phenotypic variance and was delimited to a 133.2 kb region, which includes three genes. Subsequent expression analyses revealed that ZmMYB20 (Zm00001d039700), which encodes an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, was the key candidate gene within qSRC3. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays provided evidence that ZmMYB20 suppresses the expression of two crucial anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, namely ZmF3H and ZmUFGT, by directly binding to their respective promoter regions. Our findings underscore the significance of light-inhibited ZmMYB20 in orchestrating the spatial and temporal regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. These results advance the production of colorless silk in fresh corn, responding to the misconception that fresh corn with withered colored silk is not fresh and providing valuable genetic resources for the improvement of sweet and waxy maize.

Ubiquitin specific peptidase 38 epigenetically regulates KLF transcription factor 5 to augment malignant progression of lung adenocarcinoma.

Protein ubiquitination is a common post-translational modification and a critical mechanism for regulating protein stability. This study aimed to explore the role and potential molecular mechanism of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 38 (USP38) in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). USP38 expression was significantly higher in patients with LUAD than in their counterparts, and higher USP38 expression was closely associated with a worse prognosis. USP38 silencing suppresses the proliferation of LUAD cells in vitro and impedes the tumorigenic activity of cells in xenograft mouse models in vivo. Further, we found that USP38 affected the protein stability of transcription factor Krüppel-like factors 5 (KLF5) by inhibiting its degradation. Subsequent mechanistic investigations showed that the N-terminal of USP38 (residues 1-400aa) interacted with residues 1-200aa of KLF5, thereby stabilizing the KLF5 protein by deubiquitination. Moreover, we found that PIAS1-mediated SUMOylation of USP38 was promoted, whereas SENP2-mediated de-SUMOylation of USP38 suppressed the deubiquitination effects of USP38 on KLF5. Additionally, our results demonstrated that KLF5 overexpression restored the suppression of the malignant properties of LUAD cells by USP38 knockdown. SUMOylation of USP38 enhances the deubiquitination and stability of KLF5, thereby augmenting the malignant progression of LUAD.

TP53 to mediate immune escape in tumor microenvironment: an overview of the research progress.

Increasing evidence suggests that key cancer-causing driver genes continue to exert a sustained influence on the tumor microenvironment (TME), highlighting the importance of immunotherapeutic targeting of gene mutations in governing tumor progression. TP53 is a prominent tumor suppressor that encodes the p53 protein, which controls the initiation and progression of different tumor types. Wild-type p53 maintains cell homeostasis and genomic instability through complex pathways, and mutant p53 (Mut p53) promotes tumor occurrence and development by regulating the TME. To date, it has been wildly considered that TP53 is able to mediate tumor immune escape. Herein, we summarized the relationship between TP53 gene and tumors, discussed the mechanism of Mut p53 mediated tumor immune escape, and summarized the progress of applying p53 protein in immunotherapy. This study will provide a basic basis for further exploration of therapeutic strategies targeting p53 protein.

Transcriptome Analysis of Maize Ear Leaves Treated with Long-Term Straw Return plus Nitrogen Fertilizer under the Wheat-Maize Rotation System.

Straw return (SR) plus nitrogen (N) fertilizer has become a practical field management mode to improve soil fertility and crop yield in North China. This study aims to explore the relationship among organic waste, mineral nutrient utilization, and crop yield under SRN mode. The fertilizer treatments included unfertilized (CK), SR (straws from wheat and corn), N fertilizer (N), and SR plus N fertilizer (SRN). SRN treatment not only significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate but also enhanced the contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugar, and soluble protein and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes but reduced intercellular CO2 concentration and malondialdehyde (MDA) content when compared to other treatments. There were 2572, 1258, and 3395 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified from the paired comparisons of SRvsCK, NvsCK, and SRNvsCK, respectively. The transcript levels of many promising genes involved in the transport and assimilation of potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen, as well as the metabolisms of sugar, lipid, and protein, were down-regulated by straw returning under N treatment. SRN treatment maintained the maximum maize grain yield by regulating a series of genes' expressions to reduce nutrient shortage stress and to enhance the photosynthesis of ear leaves at the maize grain filling stage. This study would deepen the understanding of complex molecular mechanisms among organic waste, mineral nutrient utilization, crop yield, and quality.

USP10 promotes the progression of triple-negative breast cancer by enhancing the stability of TCF4 protein.

Investigating the role of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Analyzed USP10 expression levels in tumors using public databases. Detected USP10 mRNA and protein levels in cell lines. Examined USP10 expression in tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. Conducted USP10 knockdown experiments and analyzed changes in cell proliferation and metastasis. Confirmed protein-protein interactions with USP10 through mass spectrometry, Co-IP, and fluorescence experiments. Assessed impact of USP10 on transcription factor 4 (TCF4) ubiquitination and validated TCF4's influence on TNBC cells. We initially identified a pronounced overexpression of USP10 across multiple tumor types, including TNBC. Subsequently, we observed a conspicuous upregulation of USP10 expression levels in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal breast epithelial cells. However, upon subsequent depletion of USP10 within cellular contexts, we noted a substantial attenuation of malignant proliferation and metastatic potential in TNBC cells. In subsequent experimental analyses, we elucidated the physical interaction between USP10 and the transcription factor TCF4, whereby USP10 facilitated the deubiquitination modification of TCF4, consequently promoting its protein stability and contributing to the initiation and progression of TNBC. Collectively, this study demonstrates that USP10 facilitated the deubiquitination modification of TCF4, consequently promoting its protein stability and contributing to the initiation and progression of TNBC.

Engineering the Ultrasensitive Visual Whole-Cell Biosensors by Evolved MerR and 5' UTR for Detection of Ultratrace Mercury.

The existing mercury whole-cell biosensors (WCBs, parts per billion range) are not able to meet the real-world requirements due to their lack of sensitivity for the detection of ultratrace mercury in the environment. Ultratrace mercury is a potential threat to human health via the food chain. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive mercury WCB by directed evolution of the mercury-responsive transcriptional activator (MerR) sensing module to detect ultratrace mercury. Subsequently, the mutant WCB (m4-1) responding to mercury in the parts per trillion range after 1 h of induction was obtained. Its detection limit (LOD) was 0.313 ng/L, comparable to those of some analytical instruments. Surprisingly, the m4-1 WCB also responded to methylmercury (LOD = 98 ng/L), which is far more toxic than inorganic mercury. For more convenient detection, we have increased another green fluorescent protein reporter module with an optimized 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) sequence. This yields two visual WCBs with an enhanced fluorescence output. At a concentration of 2.5 ng/L, the fluorescence signals can be directly observed by the naked eye. With the combination of mobile phone imaging and image processing software, the 2GC WCB provided simple, rapid, and reliable quantitative and qualitative analysis of real samples (LOD = 0.307 ng/L). Taken together, these results indicate that the ultrasensitive visual whole-cell biosensors for ultratrace mercury detection are successfully designed using a combination of directed evolution and synthetic biotechnology.

[The mechanism of microcystin leucine-arginine (MC-LR)-induced injury of Sertoli cell immune response and biological behavior].

Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR), a potentially carcinogenic toxin, is produced by Cyanobacteria such as Microcystis and Ananabacteria during water bloom. Increasing evidence demonstrated that MC-LR induces male reproductive toxicity, mainly by inducing germ cell apoptosis, destroying cell cytoskeleton, interfering with DNA damage repair pathway, and damaging blood-testicular barrier (BTB), which eventually lead to male sterility. Testicular Sertoli cells are the somatic cells that directly contact with spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules. They not only regulate immune response to maintain testicular immune homeostasis by secreting a variety of cytokines and immunosuppressive factors, but also provide the protective effects of spermatogenic cells by forming BTB. MC-LR induces inflammation and apoptosis of Sertoli cells, and destroys the integrity of the BTB, and then causes spermatogenesis dysfunction.

Perfluorooctanoic acid induces tight junction injury of Sertoli cells by blocking autophagic flux.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a man-made chemical widely used in consumers, could cause male reproductive toxicity by disrupting blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity. Autophagy in Sertoli cells is essential for regulation of spermatogenesis and BTB. However, it remains a mystery that whether PFOA-induced BTB injury is associated with autophagy in Sertoli cells. In this study, we found that PFOA dose-dependently disrupted tight junction (TJ) function in Sertoli cells in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the results from transmission electron microscopy, Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that PFOA induced the accumulation of autophagosome in testicular Sertoli cells as well as TM4 cells. Further study confirmed that autophagosome accumulation resulted from the blockage of autophagic degradation because of disruption of autophagosome and lysosome fusion via downregulation of the expression of α-SNAP. In parallel, the overexpressed MMP9 was also observed in vivo and in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of α-SNAP inhibited the expression of MMP9 in TM4 cells. In conclusion, PFOA blocks autophagic flux through downregulating the expression levels of α-SNAP in Sertoli cells, and then induces the accumulation of MMP9 leading to disruption of TJ function. This finding will provide clues for effective prevention and treatment of PFOA-induced male reproductive toxicity.

Proteome analysis reveals novel serum biomarkers for Henoch-Schönlein purpura in Chinese children.

PURPOSE: Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is diagnosed based on characteristic skin changes. This study aimed to identify the serum biomarkers of HSP in children. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed proteomic analysis of serum samples from 38 paired pre- and posttherapy HSP patients and 22 healthy controls using a combination of magnetic bead-based weak cation exchange and MALDI-TOF MS. ClinProTools was used to screen the differential peaks. Then, LC-ESI-MS/MS was performed to identify the proteins. ELISA was used to verify the expression of whole protein in the serum of 92 HSP patients, 14 peptic ulcer disease (PUD) patients and 38 healthy controls, which were prospectively collected. Finally, logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the diagnostic value of the above predictors and existing clinical indicators. RESULTS: Seven potential HSP serum biomarker peaks (m/z:1228.95, m/z:1781.22, m/z:1468.43, m/z:1619.53, m/z:1868.41, m/z:1694.05, m/z:1743.25) with higher expression in the pretherapy group and one peak (m/z:1947.41) with lower expression in the pretherapy group were all identified as peptide regions of albumin (ALB), complement C4-A precursor (C4A), tubulin beta chain (TUBB), isoform 1 of fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA), and ezrin (EZR). The expression of identified proteins was validated by ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum C4A EZR and ALB were independent risk factors for HSP, serum C4A and lgA were independent risk factors for HSPN, and serum D-dimer was an independent risk factor for abdominal HSP. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings revealed the specific etiology of HSP from the perspective of serum proteomics. The identified proteins might serve as potential biomarkers for HSP and HSPN diagnoses. SIGNIFICANCE: Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is the most common systemic vasculitis in children, and its diagnosis depends primarily on characteristic skin changes. Early diagnosis of non-rash patients is difficult, especially for abdominal and renal types (Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis, HSPN). HSPN has poor outcomes, is diagnosed based on urinary protein and/or haematuria, and cannot be detected early in HSP. Patients with an earlier diagnosis of HSPN appear to have better renal outcomes. Our plasma proteomic analysis of HSP in children revealed that HSP patients could be distinguished from healthy controls and peptic ulcer disease patients using complement C4-A precursor (C4A), ezrin, and albumin. C4A and IgA could distinguish HSPN from HSP in the early stages, and D-dimer was a sensitive index used to distinguish abdominal HSP; identifying these biomarkers could promote the early diagnosis of HSP, especially pediatric HSPN and abdominal HSP, thereby improving precision therapy.

Improving the absorption load, high viscosity, and regeneration efficiency of CO2 capture using a novel tri-solvent biphasic solvents of TETA-AMP-1DMA2P.

Currently, biphasic solvents are receiving more attention for CO2 capture due to their energy-saving potential. Whereas, most of the current biphasic solvents still suffer from high viscosity and low regeneration efficiency. To solve this problem, a novel tri-solvent biphasic solvent triethylenetetramine (TETA)-2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)-1-dimethylamino-2-propanol (1DMA2P) was proposed in this study, and its absorption properties, viscosity changes, desorption properties, recyclability capacity, and reaction mechanism were explored. The results showed that the CO2 absorption load showed a trend of firstly increasing and then decreasing with the increase of AMP concentration. Although the volume of the rich phase increased with increasing AMP concentration after the absorption, it also decreases the viscosity growth. The viscosity of the solution decreased from 498 mPa•s to 91 mPa•s. During the desorption process, the maximal desorption rates of AMP-containing solvents is significantly greater than that of 2 mol/L (M) TETA + 2 M 1DMA2P (2T2D). Simultaneously, the recyclability capacity of the AMP-containing solvents were also significantly higher than that of 2T2D. The regeneration efficiency of 1.5 M TETA + 0.5 M AMP + 2 M 1DMA2P (1.5T0.5A2D) was 81.92%. It was concluded by 13C NMR analysis that amino groups in TETA and AMP can react with CO2 to form carbamates and carbonates. Since AMP in the biphasic solution can generate free protons through various pathways during the desorption process, it promotes the decomposition of TETA-carbamate. This process achieves the deep stripping of CO2 in biphasic solvent. Overall, TETA-AMP-1DMA2P solution is a promising energy-saving candidate for industrial CO2 capture due to its competitive absorption-desorption performance and low viscosity.

Effect of Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical, Crystallization, Electrical and Thermal Conductivity Properties of CNT/CCF/PEKK Composites.

Carbon nanotube/continuous carbon fiber-reinforced poly(etherketoneketone) (CNT/CCF/PEKK) prepreg tapes were prepared by the wet powder impregnation method, and then the prepreg tapes were molded into laminates. The effects of carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties, conductivity, thermal conductivity and crystallinity of the composites were studied by universal testing machine, thermal conductivity and resistivity tester, dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results show that when the content of carbon nanotubes is 0.5 wt% (relative to the mass of PEKK resin, the same below), the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of the laminates reach the maximum, which are increased by 15.99% and 18.16%, respectively, compared with the laminates without carbon nanotubes. The results of conductivity and thermal conductivity show that the higher the content of carbon nanotubes, the better the conductivity and thermal conductivity of the material. DSC results show that the addition of CNT promoted the crystallization of PEKK in the material and decreased the cold crystallization of PEKK. DMA results show that the deformation resistance of the material can be improved by adding an appropriate amount of CNT and the bonding between CF and PEKK can be enhanced, while excessive CNT destroys this phenomenon.

Evolved Biosensor with High Sensitivity and Specificity for Measuring Cadmium in Actual Environmental Samples.

Bacterial biosensors have great potential in contaminant detection for sensitivity, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and easy operation. However, the existing cadmium-responsive bacterial biosensors cannot meet the real-world detection requirements due to lack of sensitivity, specificity, and anti-interference capability. This study aimed to develop a bacterial biosensor for detecting the total and extractable cadmium in actual environmental samples. We constructed the cadmium-responsive biosensor with the regulatory element (cadmium resistance transcriptional regulatory, CadR) and the reporting element (GFP) and improved its performance by directed evolution. The mutant libraries of biosensors were generated by error-prone PCR and screened by continuous five-round fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and a bacteria variant epCadR5 with higher performance was finally isolated. Biosensor fluorescence intensity was measured by a microplate reader, and results showed that the evolved cadmium-responsive bacterial biosensor was of high sensitivity and specificity in detecting trace cadmium, with a detection limit of 0.45 µg/L, which is 6.8 times more specific to cadmium than that of the wild-type. Furthermore, microscopic qualitative analysis results showed that the bacteria could produce fluorescence response in a cadmium-contaminated soil matrix, and quantitative analysis results showed that the values of cadmium from epCadR5 bacteria were close to that from inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. These results suggest that the biosensor may have a broad application prospect in the detection of cadmium-contaminated soil and water.

Direct Electron Transfer from Upconversion Graphene Quantum Dots to TiO2 Enabling Infrared Light-Driven Overall Water Splitting.

Utilization of infrared light in photocatalytic water splitting is highly important yet challenging given its large proportion in sunlight. Although upconversion material may photogenerate electrons with sufficient energy, the electron transfer between upconversion material and semiconductor is inefficient limiting overall photocatalytic performance. In this work, a TiO2/graphene quantum dot (GQD) hybrid system has been designed with intimate interface, which enables highly efficient transfer of photogenerated electrons from GQDs to TiO2. The designed hybrid material with high photogenerated electron density displays photocatalytic activity under infrared light (20 mW cm-2) for overall water splitting (H2: 60.4 µmol gcat. -1 h-1 and O2: 30.0 µmol gcat. -1 h-1). With infrared light well harnessed, the system offers a solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 0.80% in full solar spectrum. This work provides new insight into harnessing charge transfer between upconversion materials and semiconductor photocatalysts and opens a new avenue for designing photocatalysts toward working under infrared light.

Lysozyme regulates the extracellular polymer of activated sludge and promotes the formation of electroactive biofilm.

The formation of electroactive biofilm from activated sludge on electrode surface is a key step to construct a bio-electrochemical system, yet it is greatly limited by the poor affinity between the bacteria and the electrode interface. Herein, we report a new method to promote the formation of electroactive biofilm by regulating the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content in activated sludge with lysozyme. The investigation of the effect of lysozyme treatment on the content of extracellular polymers and the biofilm formation of electroactive bacteria suggests that lysozyme can improve the permeability of the positive bacterial cell membrane and thus increase the EPS content in the activated sludge. The characterizations of electrochemical activity, surface morphology and community structure of the anode biofilm indicate that increasing EPS content promotes the adhesion of the mixed bacteria in the activated sludge on the electrode and results in denser biofilms with better conductivities. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) inoculated with the sludge of high EPS content exhibits the power density up to 2.195 W/m2, much higher than that inoculated with the untreated sludge (1.545 W/m2). The strategy of adjusting EPS content in activated sludge with a biological enzyme can effectively enhance the ability of the bacterial community to form biofilms and exhibits great application potentials in the construction of high efficiency bio-electrochemical systems.

Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of MoS2 on g-C3N4 Nanosheets for Efficient Removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride.

MoS2 was vertically grown on g-C3N4 nanosheets by chemical vapor deposition to prepare nanocomposites named MS-CN samples. Because of a large-surface area of 545.2 m2·g-1 and a total pore volume of 1.7 cm3·g-1, the sample MS-CN revealed fast and large adsorption capacity for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The adsorption kinetics model proved that TCH could be rapidly adsorbed within 5 min, and chemical adsorption was dominant. For single-component adsorption of TCH, the maximum adsorption capacity was ∼154 mg/g. The monolayer adsorption was carried out on the surface of MS-CN. Both of the film and intra-particle diffusion were considered as significant processes to facilitate adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that the adsorption of TCH is a spontaneous endothermic process. The adsorption of TCH was highly pH-dependent. The maximum adsorption capacity of TCH was obtained in the case of pH ∼ 7. After four adsorption and desorption cycles, MS-CN still maintained well-adsorption performance. Multiple adsorption mechanism, pore filling, electrostatic force, π-π conjugation, and hydrogen bonding interactions were studied. Because of fast adsorption, large adsorption capacity, and high stability, it is a promising adsorbent for antibiotics.

Effects of different N-acyl-serine lactone signaling molecules on the performance of anaerobic granular sludge.

Exogenous addition of acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signaling molecules can improve or inhibit the methane production performance of anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS) by quorum sensing (QS). To explore the specific effect of AHLs on AnGS, 2 µM of signal molecules were added to the reactor and we analyzed their effects on AnGS biodiversity, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), specific methanogenic activity (SMA) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of AnGS. The results indicated that the four types of AHLs improve the COD removal rate, SMA and organic composition of AnGS. The addition of N-(ß-ketocaproyl)-dl-homoserine lactone (3O-C6-HSL) yielded the greatest increase in methanogenic activity, reaching a maximum of 30.83%. The four types of AHLs stimulate the secretion of EPS in AnGS by group sensing regulation. The addition of N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), N-octanoyl-dl-lactone (C8-HSL) and 3O-C6-HSL induced the enrichment of Actinobacteria. Thus, the process of hydrolysis and acidification of AnGS is accelerated. The addition of N-butyryl-dl-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL), C6-HSL and 3O-C6-HSL promote the potential methanogenic metabolic pathway of AnGS. The addition of all AHLs directly or indirectly enhanced the methane metabolism pathway of sludge and improved the specific methane generation activity of AnGS. These results are expected to provide preliminary research data for enhancing the methane production efficiency of reactors and enriching the biological activity of AnGS.

Icariin attenuates perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced testicular toxicity by alleviating Sertoli cell injury and downregulating the p38MAPK/MMP9 pathway.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is widely recognized as causing Sertoli cell injury and testicular toxicity in males. Icariin is a flavonoid from Epimedium, which effectively improves spermatogenesis disturbance induced by several factors in clinic. However, it is unclear whether icariin improves PFOS-induced testicular toxicity. In vivo, fifty-two male mice were randomly separated into four groups: normal control group, model group, and low and high doses of icariin-treated groups, with 13 mice in each group. Except for the normal control group, the mice in the model group and icariin-treated groups were administered PFOS (10 mg kg-1) by gavage daily for 28 consecutive days, and concurrently treated with a diet containing different doses of icariin (0, 5 or 20 mg kg-1). In vitro, TM4 cells were treated with 150 µM PFOS to induce Sertoli cell injury, and were then utilized for icariin treatment. Our results demonstrated that icariin attenuated PFOS-induced testicular toxicity by increasing the testicular, epididymal and seminal vesicle weights, epididymal and seminal vesicle indices, sperm parameters, and seminiferous epithelium height. In addition, icariin improved the PFOS-induced blood-testis barrier (BTB) disruption by alleviating the Sertoli cell junctional injury, but without affecting Sertoli cell numbers in the testis of mice. Moreover, icariin increased the expression levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-11) and gap junction proteins (CX43 and p-CX43), and decreased the expression levels of p-p38MAPK and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, alleviation of the Sertoli cell injury by icariin exerted similar effects as SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38MAPK) in TM4 cells. This study revealed that icariin effectively reduces PFOS-induced testicular toxicity by alleviating the Sertoli cell injury and downregulating the p38MAPK/MMP9 pathway, indicating that icariin may be an attractive dietary supplement for the intervention of PFOS-induced testicular dysfunction.

Sludge Derived Carbon Modified Anode in Microbial Fuel Cell for Performance Improvement and Microbial Community Dynamics.

The conversion of activated sludge into high value-added materials, such as sludge carbon (SC), has attracted increasing attention because of its potential for various applications. In this study, the effect of SC carbonized at temperatures of 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 °C on the anode performance of microbial fuel cells and its mechanism are discussed. A pyrolysis temperature of 1000 °C for the loaded electrode (SC1000/CC) generated a maximum areal power density of 2.165 ± 0.021 W·m-2 and a current density of 5.985 ± 0.015 A·m-2, which is 3.017- and 2.992-fold that of the CC anode. The addition of SC improves microbial activity, optimizes microbial community structure, promotes the expression of c-type cytochromes, and is conducive to the formation of electroactive biofilms. This study not only describes a technique for the preparation of high-performance and low-cost anodes, but also sheds some light on the rational utilization of waste resources such as aerobic activated sludge.