Causality between autoimmune diseases and breast cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study in a European population.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of autoimmune diseases and breast cancer is significantly higher in women compared to men. Previous observational studies have not conclusively determined the relationship between these two conditions. This study utilizes the Mendelian randomization approach to investigate the genetic association between autoimmune diseases and breast cancer. METHOD: Two-sample Mendelian randomization was conducted on a European population using the GWAS database. The inverse variance-weighted method served as the primary analytical approach. The MR-PRESSO test was applied to detect horizontal pleiotropy. To ensure result robustness, the FDR correction method was used. RESULT: The study revealed that Sjögren's syndrome lowers the overall risk of breast cancer (OR 0.96, 95% CI [0.93-0.99], p = 0.011). Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy shows a protective effect against overall breast cancer (OR 0.98, 95% CI [0.97-0.99], p = 0.035). An association was identified between rheumatoid arthritis and overall breast cancer (OR 0.98, 95% CI [0.96-1.00], p = 0.050). No causal link was found between systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and overall breast cancer. The study also suggests that Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy might reduce the risk of developing HER + breast cancer. Specifically, Sjögren's syndrome (OR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.83-0.98], p = 0.02), rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.91-0.98], p = 0.006), and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (OR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.93-0.99], p = 0.036). Additionally, systemic lupus erythematosus was found to lower the risk of HER- breast cancer (OR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.91-0.99], p = 0.046). The study did not establish a causal relationship between these five autoimmune diseases and ER + or ER- breast cancer. CONCLUSION: This study found that autoimmune diseases may act as protective factors against breast cancer risk.

Exploring plastic biofilm formation and Escherichia coli colonisation in marine environments.

Microorganisms, including potential pathogens, can colonise plastic surfaces in aquatic environments. This study investigates the colonisation of plastic pellets by Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a proxy for faecal pathogens in aquatic environments. Plastic pellets from a polluted beach were placed in seawater aquaria spiked with E. coli. Diverse bacteria, primarily from the Proteobacteria phylum, rapidly colonised the pellets within 24 h, with notable species known for plastic or hydrocarbon degradation. Over 26 days, biofilms formed on the plastic surfaces, reaching bacterial populations of up to 6.8·105 gene copies (gc) of the 16S rRNA mm-2. E. coli, was detected in the pellets for up to 7 days using culture methods, exhibiting varying attachment densities regardless of source or environmental factors. The study highlights plastic biofilms as reservoirs for E. coli, contributing to the survival and persistence of faecal bacteria in aquatic systems. These findings deepen our understanding of the risks associated with plastic pollution in marine settings, offering insights into the behaviour of faecal indicators and their implications for water quality assessments, while providing valuable information on potential pathogen dissemination within plastic-associated microbial communities.

The role and mechanism of hydrogen sulfide in liver fibrosis.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the third new gas signaling molecule in the human body after the discovery of NO and CO. Similar to NO, it has the functions of vasodilation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and regulation of cell formation. Enzymes that can produce endogenous H2S, such as CSE, CSB, and 3-MST, are common in liver tissues and are important regulatory molecules in the liver. In the development of liver fibrosis, H2S concentration and expression of related enzymes change significantly, which makes it possible to use exogenous gases to treat liver diseases. This review summarizes the role of H2S in liver fibrosis and its complications induced by NAFLD and CCl4, and elaborates on the anti-liver fibrosis effect of H2S through the mechanism of reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting inflammation, regulating autophagy, regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, providing theoretical reference for further research on the treatment of liver fibrosis with H2S.

Immune Dysregulation in SARS-CoV-2 patients coinfected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) or HIV in China.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infections usually cause immune dysregulation in the human body. Studies of immunological changes resulting from coinfections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) or HIV are limited. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study focusing on patients with COVID-19. A total of 550 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled in our study and categorized into four groups based on the presence of coinfections; 166 Delta-infected patients, among whom 103 patients had no coinfections, 52 who were coinfected with Mtb, 11 who were coinfected with HIV, and 384 Omicron-infected patients. By collecting data on epidemiologic information, laboratory findings, treatments, and clinical outcomes, we analyzed and compared clinical and immunological characteristics. RESULTS: Compared with those in the Delta group, the median white blood cell, CD4 + T-cell and B-cell counts were lower in the Mtb group and the HIV group. Except for those in the Omicron group, more than half of the patients in the three groups had abnormal chest CT findings. Among the three groups, there were no significant differences in any of the cytokines. Compared with those in the Delta group, the disease duration and LOS were longer in the Mtb group and the HIV group. For unvaccinated Delta-infected patients, in the Mtb and HIV groups, the number of B cells and CD4 + T cells was lower than that in the Delta group, with no significant difference in the LOS or disease duration. In the Mtb group, three (6%) patients presented with a disease duration greater than four months and had decreased lymphocyte and IL17A counts, possibly due to double infections in the lungs caused by SARS-CoV-2 and M. tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: We found that SARS-CoV-2 patients coinfected with Mtb or HIV exhibited a longer disease duration and longer LOS, with a decrease in B cells and CD4 + T cells, suggesting that these cells are related to immune function. Changes in cytokine levels suggest that coinfection with Mtb or HIV does not result in dysregulation of the immune response. Importantly, we discovered a chronic course of coinfection involving more than four months of Mtb and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

OH* Chemiluminescence Characteristics of the RP-3 Fueled Dual-Swirl Direct-Mixing Combustor.

The flame structure characteristics of the RP-3 fueled dual-swirl direct-mixing combustor are studied experimentally. The flame shape is marked by the OH* radical, which is captured by a CMOS camera with an image intensifier. The flow fields and spray distributions are obtained by particle image velocimetry. The variation of pilot/main-stage flame structure with global fuel-air ratio (FAR), fuel ratio (FR), pilot/main-stage swirl numbers (Sp and Sm), and Δp/p (total pressure loss coefficient) is further investigated. The typical flame structure, consisting of two main-stage combustion zones (pilot-stage and main-stage combustion zones), is first analyzed. Then, according to the relationship between integral OH* intensity and global heat release rate, increasing swirl number will weaken the effect of strain rate on OH* chemiluminescence. The global FAR has little impact on the flame structure, while modifying the FR will alter the flame mode. The influence of the Sp on the flame structure is more significant than that of the Sm. Within the range of experimental conditions, the greater the swirl number, the smaller the Δp/p is required to obtain the maximum OH* radical intensity. The addition of non-swirl flow in the main-stage swirler can improve the stability of the pilot-stage flame. The equivalent swirl number is further evaluated by the neural network.

Detection of faecal bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in biofilms attached to plastics from human-impacted coastal areas.

Plastics have been proposed as vectors of bacteria as they act as a substrate for biofilms. In this study, we evaluated the abundance of faecal and marine bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from biofilms adhered to marine plastics. Floating plastics and plastics from sediments were collected in coastal areas impacted by human faecal pollution in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Culture and/or molecular methods were used to quantify faecal indicators (E. coli, Enterococci and crAssphage), and the ARGs sulI, tetW and blaTEM and the 16S rRNA were detected by qPCR assays. Pseudomonas and Vibrio species and heterotrophic marine bacteria were also analysed via culture-based methods. Results showed that, plastic particles covered by bacterial biofilms, primarily consisted of marine bacteria including Vibrio spp. Some floating plastics had a low concentration of viable E. coli and Enterococci (42% and 67% of the plastics respectively). Considering the median area of the plastics, we detected an average of 68 cfu E. coli per item, while a higher concentration of E. coli was detected on individual plastic items, when compared with 100 ml of the surrounding water. Using qPCR, we quantified higher values of faecal indicators which included inactive and dead microorganisms, detecting up to 2.6 × 102 gc mm-2. The ARGs were detected in 67-88% of the floating plastics and in 29-57% of the sediment plastics with a concentration of up to 6.7 × 102 gc mm-2. Furthermore, enrichment of these genes was observed in biofilms compared with the surrounding water. These results show that floating plastics act as a conduit for both the attachment and transport of faecal microorganisms. In contrast, low presence of faecal indicators was detected in plastic from seafloor sediments. Therefore, although in low concentrations, faecal bacteria, and potential pathogens, were identified in marine plastics, further suggesting plastics act as a reservoir of pathogens and ARGs.

Influencing Factors of Recurrence of Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation after Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation and Construction of Clinical Nomogram Prediction Model.

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the predictive factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in patients after radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) and construct a nomogram prediction model for providing precious information of ablative strategies. Methods: A total of 221 patients with AF who underwent RFCA were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to screen the predictors of recurrence. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve were drawn to analyze the value of predictors. The nomogram model was further constructed to predict the recurrence of AF in patients after RFCA. Results: There were 59 cases of AF recurrence after RFCA. Monocyte count/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MHR), AF course (COURSE), coronary heart disease (CHD), and AF type (TYPE) were the independent risk factors for predicting AF recurrence after RFCA. Accordingly, a nomogram prediction model based on MHR, COURSE, CHD, and TYPE was constructed with a C-index of 0.818 (95% CI: 0.681∼0.954), while the C-index of verification was 0.802 (95% CI: 0.658∼0.946). Conclusions: Preoperative MHR, COURSE, CHD, and TYPE were independent risk factors for predicting recurrence of AF after RFCA. The nomogram model based on MHR, COURSE, CHD, and TYPE can be used to predict the recurrence of AF after RFCA accurately and individually.

Tenofovir Alafenamide for Pregnant Chinese Women With Active Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Data on long-term tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) therapy for pregnant women with active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (immune clearance and reactivation phases, currently and previously diagnosed) and their infants are lacking. METHODS: Pregnant women with active CHB treated with TAF and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) were enrolled in this multicenter prospective study, and infants received immunoprophylaxis. The primary outcomes were rates of adverse (safety) events in pregnant women and defects in infants and fetuses. The secondary outcomes were virologic responses in pregnant women, infants' safety, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status, and growth conditions. RESULTS: One hundred three and 104 pregnant women were enrolled and 102 and 104 infants were born in the TAF and TDF groups, respectively. In the TAF group, the mean age, gestational age, alanine aminotransferase level, and viral loads at treatment initiation were 29.3 years, 1.3 weeks, 122.2 U/L, and 5.1 log10 IU/mL, respectively. TAF was well-tolerated, and the most common adverse event was nausea (29.1%) during a mean of 2 years of treatment. Notably, 1 (1.0%) TAF-treated pregnant woman underwent induced abortion due to noncausal fetal cleft lip and palate. No infants in either group had birth defects. In the TAF group, the hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion rate was 20.7% at postpartum month 6, infants had normal growth parameters, and no infants were positive for HBsAg at 7 months. The TDF group had comparable safety and effectiveness profiles. CONCLUSIONS: TAF administered throughout or beginning in early pregnancy is generally safe and effective for pregnant women with active CHB and their infants.

Synergistic Application of Molecular Markers and Community-Based Microbial Source Tracking Methods for Identification of Fecal Pollution in River Water During Dry and Wet Seasons.

It is important to track fecal sources from humans and animals that negatively influence the water quality of rural rivers and human health. In this study, microbial source tracking (MST) methods using molecular markers and the community-based FEAST (fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking) program were synergistically applied to distinguish the fecal contributions of multiple sources in a rural river located in Beijing, China. The performance of eight markers were evaluated using 133 fecal samples based on real-time quantitative (qPCR) technique. Among them, six markers, including universal (BacUni), human-associated (HF183-1 and BacH), swine-associated (Pig-2-Bac), ruminant-associated (Rum-2-Bac), and avian-associated (AV4143) markers, performed well in the study. A total of 96 water samples from the river and outfalls showed a coordinated composition of fecal pollution, which revealed that outfall water might be a potential input of the Fsq River. In the FEAST program, bacterial 16S rRNA genes of 58 fecal and 12 water samples were sequenced to build the "source" library and "sink," respectively. The relative contribution (<4.01% of sequence reads) of each source (i.e., human, swine, bovine, or sheep) was calculated based on simultaneous screening of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of sources and sinks, which indicated that community-based MST methods could be promising tools for identifying fecal sources from a more comprehensive perspective. Results of the qPCR assays indicated that fecal contamination from human was dominant during dry weather and that fecal sources from swine and ruminant were more prevalent in samples during the wet season than in those during the dry season, which were consistent with the findings predicted by the FEAST program using a very small sample size. Information from the study could be valuable for the development of improved regulation policies to reduce the levels of fecal contamination in rural rivers.

Oral Microbiome Characteristics in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a common cause of liver cirrhosis. To identify the characteristics of the oral microbiome in patients with AIH, we collected 204 saliva samples including 68 AIH patients and 136 healthy controls and performed microbial MiSeq sequencing after screening. All samples were randomly divided into discovery cohorts (46 AIH and 92 HCs) and validation cohorts (22 AIH and 44 HCs). Moreover, we collected samples of 12 AIH patients from Hangzhou for cross-regional validation. We described the oral microbiome characteristics of AIH patients and established a diagnostic model. In the AIH group, the oral microbiome diversity was significantly increased. The microbial communities remarkably differed between the two groups. Seven genera, mainly Fusobacterium, Actinomyces and Capnocytophaga, were dominant in the HC group, while 51 genera, Streptococcus, Veillonella and Leptotrichia, were enriched in the AIH group. Notably, we found 23 gene functions, including Membrane Transport, Carbohydrate Metabolism, and Glycerolipid metabolism that were dominant in AIH and 31 gene functions that prevailed in HCs. We further investigated the correlation between the oral microbiome and clinical parameters. The optimal 5 microbial markers were figured out through a random forest model, and the distinguishing potential achieved 99.88% between 46 AIH and 92 HCs in the discovery cohort and 100% in the validation cohort. Importantly, the distinguishing potential reached 95.55% in the cross-regional validation cohort. In conclusion, this study is the first to characterize the oral microbiome in AIH patients and to report the successful establishment of a diagnostic model and the cross-regional validation of microbial markers for AIH. Importantly, oral microbiota-targeted biomarkers may be able to serve as powerful and noninvasive diagnostic tools for AIH.

Overexpressed Tumor Suppressor Exosomal miR-15a-5p in Cancer Cells Inhibits PD1 Expression in CD8+T Cells and Suppresses the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor, and the main reason is the unclear pathogenesis of HCC, which leads to a high fatality rate of HCC. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to explore the molecular mechanism of HCC and find a targeted therapeutic approach from the molecular level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MicroRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p) expression level was measured by bioinformatics and qRT-PCR. Luciferase assay and RIP assays were used to verify the relationship between programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) PD 1 with miR-15a-5p. Exosomes were identified using TEM, Zetasizer Nano ZS, and western blot. Edu, Transwell, and scratch assay were performed to explore the role of miR-15a-5p or exo-miR-15a-5p on HepG2 cells progression. RESULTS: MicroRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p) was decreased in HCC tissues and cell lines, which indicated a poor prognosis. Overexpression of miR-15a-5p inhibited viability, proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells. Then, we isolated exosomes from cancer cells, and found that miR-15a-5p was packaged into exosomes from cancer cells. Furthermore, exo-miR-15a-5p was secreted into CD8+ T cells, then directly inhibited PD1 expression via targeted binding. Then, we co-cultured CD8+ T cells transfected with PD1 with HepG2 transfected with miR-15a-5p, PD1 remitted the inhibitory role of miR-15a-5p on HCC progression. CONCLUSION: Together, present study revealed exo-miR-15a-5p from cancer cells inhibited PD1 expression in CD8+ T cells, which suppressed the development of HCC.

Tenofovir Alafenamide to Prevent Perinatal Hepatitis B Transmission: A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Few safety and effectiveness results have been published regarding the administration of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) during pregnancy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS: In this multicenter prospective observational study, pregnant women with HBV DNA levels higher than 200 000 IU/mL who received TAF or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) from gestational weeks 24-35 to delivery were 1:1 enrolled and followed until postpartum month 6. Infants received immunoprophylaxis. The primary endpoint was the safety of mothers and infants. The secondary endpoint was the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive rate at 7 months for infants. RESULTS: In total, 116 and 116 mothers were enrolled, and 117 and 116 infants were born, in the TAF and TDF groups, respectively. TAF was well tolerated during a mean treatment duration of 11.0 weeks. The most common maternal adverse event was nausea (19.0%). One (0.9%), 3 (2.6%), and 9 (7.8%) mothers had abnormal alanine aminotransferase levels at delivery and at postpartum months 3 and 6, respectively. The TDF group had safety profiles that were comparable to those of the TAF group. No infants had birth defects in either group. The infants' physical and neurological development at birth and at 7 months in the TAF group were comparable with those in the TDF group. The HBsAg positive rate was 0% at 7 months in all 233 infants. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral prophylaxis with TAF was determined to be generally safe for both mothers and infants and reduced the MTCT rate to 0%.

MicroRNA-638 induces apoptosis and autophagy in human liver cancer cells by targeting enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2).

Liver cancer is of the devastating human cancers and its incidence is increasing at an alarming rate. The clinical outcomes are far from descent due to lack of efficient therapeutic targets and chemotherapeutic agents. Studies have revealed the therapeutic implications of microRNAs in the management of different human cancers. This study was designed to explore the role and therapeutic potential of miR-638 in liver cancer via modulation of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). The results revealed significant (P < 0.05) downregulation of miR-638 in human liver cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-638 led to a significant (P < 0.05) decline in liver cancer cell proliferation. Nonetheless, inhibition of miR-638 could promote the proliferation of the human liver cancer cells. The DAPI and annexin V/PI staining assays revealed that miR-638 induces apoptosis in human liver cancer cells which was accompanied by enhancement of Bax and depletion of Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, miR-638 overexpression also leads to a significant (P < 0.05) increase of autophagosomes and autolysosomes in liver cancer cells suggestive of autophagy. The induction of autophagy was further confirmed by increase and decrease in expression of LC3B-II and Beclin-1 proteins, respectively. In contrary, inhibition of miR-638 prevented both apoptosis and autophagy of the liver cancer cells. In silico analysis and the dual luciferase assay revealed EZH2 as the molecular target of miR-638 at post-transcriptional level. The qRT-PCR showed that EZH2 to be significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated in the human liver cancer tissues and cell lines. However, the expression of EZH2 was considerably suppressed upon miR-638 overexpression in SNU-423 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest the tumor-suppressive role of miR-638/EZH2 axis liver cancer and point towards the potential of miR-638 as therapeutic target in the treatment of liver cancer.

Characteristic of 523 COVID-19 in Henan Province and a Death Prediction Model.

Certain high-risk factors related to the death of COVID-19 have been reported, however, there were few studies on a death prediction model. This study was conducted to delineate the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) of different degree and establish a death prediction model. In this multi-centered, retrospective, observational study, we enrolled 523 COVID-19 cases discharged before February 20, 2020 in Henan Province, China, compared clinical data, screened for high-risk fatal factors, built a death prediction model and validated the model in 429 mild cases, six fatal cases discharged after February 16, 2020 from Henan and 14 cases from Wuhan. Out of the 523 cases, 429 were mild, 78 severe survivors, 16 non-survivors. The non-survivors with median age 71 were older and had more comorbidities than the mild and severe survivors. Non-survivors had a relatively delay in hospitalization, with higher white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, D-dimer, LDH, BNP, and PCT levels and lower proportion of eosinophils, lymphocytes and albumin. Discriminative models were constructed by using random forest with 16 non-survivors and 78 severe survivors. Age was the leading risk factors for poor prognosis, with AUC of 0.907 (95% CI 0.831-0.983). Mixed model constructed with combination of age, demographics, symptoms, and laboratory findings at admission had better performance (p = 0.021) with a generalized AUC of 0.9852 (95% CI 0.961-1). We chose 0.441 as death prediction threshold (with 0.85 sensitivity and 0.987 specificity) and validated the model in 429 mild cases, six fatal cases discharged after February 16, 2020 from Henan and 14 cases from Wuhan successfully. Mixed model can accurately predict clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Short-term Peginterferon-Induced High Functional Cure Rate in Inactive Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Carriers With Low Surface Antigen Levels.

BACKGROUND: None of the current guidelines recommend antiviral therapy for inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers (IHCs). METHODS: In this real-world, multicenter, nonrandomized study, 32 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled 1:1 for treatment with peginterferon α-2b or monitoring without treatment based on participant preference. The expected treatment duration was 48 weeks. The primary end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss. The HBV vaccine could be injected after HBsAg loss. RESULTS: All patients had HBsAg levels of <20 IU/mL. The mean baseline HBsAg levels were 6.6 IU/mL and 5.8 IU/mL in the treated and untreated groups, respectively. Fifteen (93.8%) participants achieved HBsAg loss, 5 obtained HBsAg seroconversion after undergoing a mean of 19.7 weeks of therapy in the treated group, and no one in the follow-up group achieved HBsAg loss during a mean follow-up time of 12.6 months (P < .0001). Generally, the therapy was well tolerated. Nine of 11 individuals who exhibited HBsAg loss benefited from receiving the HBV vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides justification for further studies of short-course peginterferon α-2b for the functional cure of IHCs with low HBsAg levels. Additionally, HBV vaccine injection is beneficial after interferon-induced HBsAg loss.

Production and characterization of surfactin-like biosurfactant produced by novel strain Bacillus nealsonii S2MT and it's potential for oil contaminated soil remediation.

BACKGROUND: Biosurfactants, being highly biodegradable, ecofriendly and multifunctional compounds have wide applications in various industrial sectors including environmental bioremediation. Surfactin, a member of lipopeptide family, which is considered as one of the most powerful biosurfactants due to its excellent emulsifying activities as well as environmental and therapeutic applications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the newly isolated bacterial strain S2MT for production of surfactin-like biosurfactants and their potential applications for oil-contaminated soil remediation. RESULTS: In this study, the strain S2MT was isolated from lake sediment and was identified as Bacillus nealsonii based on transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) and 16S rRNA ribo-typing. The strain S2MT produced biosurfactant that reduced the surface tension (34.15 ± 0.6 mN/m) and displayed excellent emulsifying potential for kerosene (55 ± 0.3%). Additionally, the maximum biosurfactant product yield of 1300 mg/L was achieved when the composition of the culture medium was optimized through response surface methodology (RSM). Results showed that 2% glycerol and 0.1% NH4NO3 were the best carbon/nitrogen substrates for biosurfactant production. The parameters such as temperature (30 °C), pH (8), agitation (100 rpm), NH4NO3 (0.1%) and NaCl (0.5%) displayed most significant contribution towards surface tension reduction that resulted in enhanced biosurfactant yield. Moreover, the extracted biosurfactants were found to be highly stable at environmental factors such as salinity, pH and temperature variations. The biosurfactants were characterized as cyclic lipopeptides relating to surfactin-like isoforms (C13-C15) using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Ultra high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The crude biosurfactant product displayed up to 43.6 ± 0.08% and 46.7 ± 0.01% remediation of heavy engine-oil contaminated soil at 10 and 40 mg/L concentrations, respectively. CONCLUSION: Present study expands the paradigm of surfactin-like biosurfactants produced by novel isolate Bacillus nealsonii S2MT for achieving efficient and environmentally acceptable soil remediation as compared to synthetic surfactants.

An off-the-shelf artificial cardiac patch improves cardiac repair after myocardial infarction in rats and pigs.

Cell therapy has been a promising strategy for cardiac repair after injury or infarction; however, low retention and engraftment of transplanted cells limit potential therapeutic efficacy. Seeding scaffold material with cells to create cardiac patches that are transplanted onto the surface of the heart can overcome these limitations. However, because patches need to be freshly prepared to maintain cell viability, long-term storage is not feasible and limits clinical applicability. Here, we developed an off-the-shelf therapeutic cardiac patch composed of a decellularized porcine myocardial extracellular matrix scaffold and synthetic cardiac stromal cells (synCSCs) generated by encapsulating secreted factors from isolated human cardiac stromal cells. This fully acellular artificial cardiac patch (artCP) maintained its potency after long-term cryopreservation. In a rat model of acute myocardial infarction, transplantation of the artCP supported cardiac recovery by reducing scarring, promoting angiomyogenesis, and boosting cardiac function. The safety and efficacy of the artCP were further confirmed in a porcine model of myocardial infarction. The artCP is a clinically feasible, easy-to-store, and cell-free alternative to myocardial repair using cell-based cardiac patches.

Tumor cell-derived exosomes home to their cells of origin and can be used as Trojan horses to deliver cancer drugs.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and patients are in urgent need of therapies that can effectively target cancer with minimal off-target side effects. Exosomes are extracellular nano-shuttles that facilitate intercellular communication between cells and organs. It has been established that tumor-derived exosomes contain a similar protein and lipid composition to that of the cells that secrete them, indicating that exosomes might be uniquely employed as carriers for anti-cancer therapeutics. Methods: We isolated exosomes from two cancer cell lines, then co-cultured each type of cancer cells with these two kinds of exosomes and quantified exosome. HT1080 or Hela exosomes were systemically injected to Nude mice bearing a subcutaneous HT1080 tumor to investigate their cancer-homing behavior. Moreover, cancer cell-derived exosomes were engineered to carry Doxil (a common chemotherapy drug), known as D-exo, were used to detect their target and therapeutic efficacy as anti-cancer drugs. Exosome proteome array analysis were used to reveal the mechanism underly this phenomenon. Results: Exosomes derived from cancer cells fuse preferentially with their parent cancer cells, in vitro. Systemically injected tumor-derived exosomes home to their original tumor tissues. Moreover, compared to Doxil alone, the drug-loaded exosomes showed enhanced therapeutic retention in tumor tissues and eradicated them more effectively in nude mice. Exosome proteome array analysis revealed distinct integrin expression patterns, which might shed light on the underlying mechanisms that explain the exosomal cancer-homing behavior. Conclusion: Here we demonstrate that the exosomes' ability to target the parent cancer is a phenomenon that opens up new ways to devise targeted therapies to deliver anti-tumor drugs.

Circulating tumor cells exit circulation while maintaining multicellularity, augmenting metastatic potential.

Metastasis accounts for the majority of all cancer deaths, yet the process remains poorly understood. A pivotal step in the metastasis process is the exiting of tumor cells from the circulation, a process known as extravasation. However, it is unclear how tumor cells extravasate and whether multicellular clusters of tumor cells possess the ability to exit as a whole or must first disassociate. In this study, we use in vivo zebrafish and mouse models to elucidate the mechanism tumor cells use to extravasate. We found that circulating tumor cells exit the circulation using the recently identified extravasation mechanism, angiopellosis, and do so as both clusters and individual cells. We further show that when melanoma and cervical cancer cells utilize this extravasation method to exit as clusters, they exhibit an increased ability to form tumors at distant sites through the expression of unique genetic profiles. Collectively, we present a new model for tumor cell extravasation of both individual and multicellular circulating tumor cells.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Antibody-Armed Platelets for the Regenerative Targeting of Endogenous Stem Cells.

Stem cell therapies have shown promise in treating acute and chronic ischemic heart disease. However, current therapies are limited by the low retention and poor integration of injected cells in the injured tissue. Taking advantage of the natural infarct-homing ability of platelets, we engineered CD34 antibody-linked platelets (P-CD34) to capture circulating CD34-positive endogenous stem cells and direct them to the injured heart. In vitro, P-CD34 could bind to damaged aortas and capture endogenous stem cells in whole blood. In a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction, P-CD34 accumulated in the injured heart after intravenous administration, leading to a concentration of endogenous CD34 stem cells in the injured heart for effective heart repair. This represents a new technology for endogenous stem cell therapy.