Prognostic Impact of Serum Homocysteine-Lowering Therapy on Patients with Hemorrhagic Stroke and Its Influence on National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and China Stroke Scale Scores.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of serum homocysteine-lowering therapy on patients with hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and its influence on their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and China Stroke Scale (CSS) scores. Methods: A double-blind study involving 120 patients with HS and hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) who were admitted to our hospital was conducted in 2021. They were evenly divided into two groups: the control group (n=60) received low-dose folic acid, methylcobalamin, and vitamin B6 as part of serum homocysteine-lowering therapy, while the study group (n=60) received high-dose folic acid, methylcobalamin, and vitamin B6. The prognosis of each group was compared using the NIHSS and CSS to assess the neurological function of the patients. Results: Before treatment, the levels of oxidative stress markers and vascular endothelial function markers were comparable between the two groups (t = 0.051, 0.015, 0.010, 0.011, 0.013, 0.022, P = .960, .988, .992, 0.991, .989, 0.982). However, after treatment, the study group exhibited higher levels of MDA and ET-1 compared to the control group (t = 3.418, 1.978, P < .001). Additionally, SOD, GSH-Px, and PON1 levels were lower in the study group (t = 3.435, 3.783, 2.735, 3.893, P < .001). The NIHSS scores before treatment were comparable among patients (t = 0.058, P = 0.954), but after treatment, the study group showed significantly lower NIHSS scores (t = 20.105, P < .001). Similarly, the CSS scores before treatment were comparable (t = 0.046, P = .963), but the CSS scores in the study group after treatment were significantly lower (t = 5.027, P < .001). Conclusions: High-dose folic acid, methylcobalamin, and vitamin B6 as part of serum homocysteine-lowering therapy can improve oxidative stress and vascular endothelial function in HS patients. This treatment also enhances prognosis and ameliorates neurological deficits. Therefore, it holds significant clinical potential and should be considered for broader adoption.

Circular RNA circTIE1 drives proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells through regulating miR-1286/TEAD1 axis.

Recent studies have verified that circRNAs (circular RNAs) play a critical role in glioma occurrence and malignant progression. However, numerous circRNAs with unknown functions remain to be explored with further research. qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) was employed to detect circTIE1 expression in glioma tissues, NHAs (normal human astrocytes), and glioma cellular lines (U87, U118, U251, T98G, LN229). Cell viability was evaluated by CCK-8 assay. Cellular proliferation was evaluated by a 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) proliferation assay. Cell migration and aggression were both evaluated by transwell and migration assays. The direct binding and regulation among circTIE1, miR-1286 and TEAD1 was identified by western blotting, qPCR, luciferase reporter assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Xenografts were generated by injecting glioma cells orthotopically into the brains of nude mice. Immunohistochemistry staining was implemented to evaluate the expression of the proliferation markers ki67 and TEAD1. We found that circTIE1 (circBase ID: hsa_circ_0012012) was upregulated in glioma tissues and glioma cellular lines in contrast to NBT (normal brain tissues) and NHA. CircTIE1 knockdown inhibited glioma cell viability, proliferation, migration and aggression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circTIE1 could upregulate TEAD1 expression via miR-1286 sponging, and TEAD1 is a well-known functional gene that could promote malignant advancement in glioma. This research found a novel circRNA, circTIE1, which is an essential marker of glioma progression and diagnosis and may be anticipated to become a crucial target for molecular targeted therapy of glioma.

The Preparation of CuInS2-ZnS-Glutathione Quantum Dots and Their Application on the Sensitive Determination of Cytochrome c and Imaging of HeLa Cells.

Cytochrome c (Cyt c), one of the most significant proteins acting as an electron transporter, plays an important role during the transferring process of the energy in cells. Apoptosis, one of the major forms of cell death, has been associated with various physiological regularity and pathological mechanisms. It was found that Cyt c can be released from mitochondria to cytosol under different pathological conditions, triggering subsequent cell apoptosis. Herein, we developed a fluorescence nanoprobe based on negatively charged CuInS2-ZnS-GSH quantum dots (QDs) for the sensitive determination of Cyt c. CuInS2-ZnS-GSH QDs with high photochemical stability and favorable hydrophilicity were prepared by a simple hot reflux method and emit a bright orange-red light. The electron-deficient heme group in Cyt c is affiliated with the electron-rich CuInS2-ZnS-GSH QDs through the photo-induced electron transfer process, resulting in a large decrease in fluorescence intensity of QDs. A good linearity for concentration of Cyt c in the range of 0.01-7 µmol L-1 is obtained, and the detection limit of Cyt c is as low as 1.1 nM. The performance on the detection of Cyt c in spiked human serum and fetal bovine serum samples showed good recoveries from 85.5% to 95.0%. Furthermore, CuInS2-ZnS-GSH QDs were applied for the intracellular imaging in HeLa cells showing an extremely lower toxicity and excellent biocompatibility.

The hydrophilic boronic acid-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate copolymer brushes functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes for the selective enrichment of glycoproteins.

An efficient and selective glycoproteins enrichment platform is essential to glycoprotein biomarkers in early clinic diagnostics. In this work, the poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 4-vinylphenylboronic acid (VPBA) copolymer brushes grafted magnetic carbon nanotubes composite MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) was prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer polymerization and applied for the selective enrichment of glycoproteins from the complex biological samples. The as-prepared MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) can recognize and bind specifically for glycoproteins via strong boronate affinity and excellent hydrophilicity and shows a really low non-specificity adsorption capability for non-glycoproteins. The adsorption capacity of MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) towards glycoproteins transferrin (Trf), horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and non-glycoproteins cytochrome c (Cyt C), lysozyme (Lyz) is 253.3 mg g-1, 51.1 mg g-1, 13.9 mg g-1 and 14.5 mg g-1, respectively. Furthermore, MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) can be applied to extract glycoproteins directly from egg white samples. These results demonstrated that MCNTs@p (PEGMA-co-VPBA) could be a potential affinity adsorbent in glycoprotein enrichment.

Graphene oxide-based boronate polymer brushes via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization for the selective enrichment of glycoproteins.

Biomedical sciences, and in particular biomarker research, demand efficient glycoprotein enrichment platforms. In this work, a facile and efficient method was developed to synthesize boronic acid polymer brushes immobilized on magnetic graphene oxide via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) for the selective enrichment of glycoproteins from complex biological samples. The magnetic graphene oxide (GO@Fe3O4) nanocomposites were prepared by a solvothermal reaction, providing an ultrahigh surface area and allowing fast separation. Through the self-assembly procedure, the pyrene-based initiators (GO@Br) of SI-ATRP were easily functionalized on the GO sheet via noncovalent π-π interaction between pyrene and GO. Finally, the well-defined and high density poly(4-vinylphenylboronic acid) brushes (GO@PVPBA) via SI-ATRP were successfully fabricated. The morphology and structure of GO@Fe3O4, GO@Br, and GO@PVPBA nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The selective recognition capability of GO@PVPBA nanocomposites was demonstrated by the selective enrichment of glycoproteins from a complex system consisting of standard proteins ovalbumin (OVA), transferrin (Trf), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and lysozyme (Lyz). Furthermore, the GO@PVPBA nanocomposite also exhibited a high binding capacity up to 514.8 and 445.9 mg g-1 for OVA and Trf, respectively, and was applied to capture directly glycoproteins from the egg white samples.