Circulating tumor cells shielded with extracellular vesicle-derived CD45 evade T cell attack to enable metastasis.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are precursors of distant metastasis in a subset of cancer patients. A better understanding of CTCs heterogeneity and how these CTCs survive during hematogenous dissemination could lay the foundation for therapeutic prevention of cancer metastasis. It remains elusive how CTCs evade immune surveillance and elimination by immune cells. In this study, we unequivocally identified a subpopulation of CTCs shielded with extracellular vesicle (EVs)-derived CD45 (termed as CD45+ CTCs) that resisted T cell attack. A higher percentage of CD45+ CTCs was found to be closely correlated with higher incidence of metastasis and worse prognosis in cancer patients. Moreover, CD45+ tumor cells orchestrated an immunosuppressive milieu and CD45+ CTCs exhibited remarkably stronger metastatic potential than CD45- CTCs in vivo. Mechanistically, CD45 expressing on tumor surfaces was shown to form intercellular CD45-CD45 homophilic interactions with CD45 on T cells, thereby preventing CD45 exclusion from TCR-pMHC synapse and leading to diminished TCR signaling transduction and suppressed immune response. Together, these results pointed to an underappreciated capability of EVs-derived CD45-dressed CTCs in immune evasion and metastasis, providing a rationale for targeting EVs-derived CD45 internalization by CTCs to prevent cancer metastasis.

Small-molecule agents for cancer immunotherapy.

Cancer immunotherapy, exemplified by the remarkable clinical benefits of the immune checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, is revolutionizing cancer therapy. They induce long-term tumor regression and overall survival benefit in many types of cancer. With the advances in our knowledge about the tumor immune microenvironment, remarkable progress has been made in the development of small-molecule drugs for immunotherapy. Small molecules targeting PRR-associated pathways, immune checkpoints, oncogenic signaling, metabolic pathways, cytokine/chemokine signaling, and immune-related kinases have been extensively investigated. Monotherapy of small-molecule immunotherapeutic drugs and their combinations with other antitumor modalities are under active clinical investigations to overcome immune tolerance and circumvent immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance. Here, we review the latest development of small-molecule agents for cancer immunotherapy by targeting defined pathways and highlighting their progress in recent clinical investigations.

The expression profiles of signature genes from CD103+LAG3+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte subsets predict breast cancer survival.

BACKGROUND: Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), including T and B cells, have been demonstrated to be associated with tumour progression. However, the different subpopulations of TILs and their roles in breast cancer remain poorly understood. Large-scale analysis using multiomics data could uncover potential mechanisms and provide promising biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response. METHODS: Single-cell transcriptome data for breast cancer samples were analysed to identify unique TIL subsets. Based on the expression profiles of marker genes in these subsets, a TIL-related prognostic model was developed by univariate and multivariate Cox analyses and LASSO regression for the TCGA training cohort containing 1089 breast cancer patients. Multiplex immunohistochemistry was used to confirm the presence of TIL subsets in breast cancer samples. The model was validated with a large-scale transcriptomic dataset for 3619 breast cancer patients, including the METABRIC cohort, six chemotherapy transcriptomic cohorts, and two immunotherapy transcriptomic cohorts. RESULTS: We identified two TIL subsets with high expression of CD103 and LAG3 (CD103+LAG3+), including a CD8+ T-cell subset and a B-cell subset. Based on the expression profiles of marker genes in these two subpopulations, we further developed a CD103+LAG3+ TIL-related prognostic model (CLTRP) based on CXCL13 and BIRC3 genes for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer patients. CLTRP-low patients had a better prognosis than CLTRP-high patients. The comprehensive results showed that a low CLTRP score was associated with a high TP53 mutation rate, high infiltration of CD8 T cells, helper T cells, and CD4 T cells, high sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs, and a good response to immunotherapy. In contrast, a high CLTRP score was correlated with a low TP53 mutation rate, high infiltration of M0 and M2 macrophages, low sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs, and a poor response to immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our present study showed that the CLTRP score is a promising biomarker for distinguishing prognosis, drug sensitivity, molecular and immune characteristics, and immunotherapy outcomes in breast cancer patients. The CLTRP could serve as a valuable tool for clinical decision making regarding immunotherapy.

Nano-selenium enhances sugarcane resistance to Xanthomonas albilineans infection and improvement of juice quality.

Selenium is an important trace element that is beneficial to human health and can enhance plant resistance and crop quality. The occurrence of up-to-date nanotechnology greatly promotes the beneficial efficiency of this trace element on crops. The discovery of nano-Se increased the crop quality and reduced plant disease in different plant. In this study, we reduced sugarcane leaf scald disease incidence by exogenously spraying different concentrations (5 mg/L and 10 mg/L) of nano-Se. Additional studies revealed that spraying of nano-Se reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and H2O2 accumulation, and increased antioxidant enzyme activities in sugarcane. The nano-selenium treatments also increased the content of jasmonic acid (JA) and the expression of JA pathway genes. Furthermore, we also found that use nano-Se treatment in an appropriate way can enhance the quality of cane juice. The brix of the cane juice of the selenium-enriched treatment was significantly higher than that of the control group, which was 10.98% and 20.81% higher than that of the CK group, respectively. Meanwhile, the content of certain beneficial amino acids was increased, with the highest being 3.9 times higher than the control. Taken together, our findings inferred that nano-Se could act as a potential eco-fungicide to protect sugarcane from can be used as a potential ecological bactericide to protect sugarcane from Xanthomonas albilineans infections, and improve sugarcane quality. The results arising from this study not only introduces an ecological method to control X. albilineans, but also provides a deep insight into this trace elements for improving juice quality.

Boosting Electrocatalytic Activity of Single Atom Catalysts Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon through N Coordination Environment Engineering.

Nonprecious group metal (NPGM)-based single atom catalysts (SACs) hold a great potential in electrocatalysis and dopant engineering has been extensively exploited to boost their catalytic activity, while the coordination environment of dopant, which also significantly affects the electronic structure of SACs, and consequently their electrocatalytic performance, have been largely ignored. Here, by adopting a precursor modulation strategy, the authors successfully synthesize single cobalt atom catalysts embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon, Co-N/C, with similar overall Co and N concentrations but different N types, that is, pyridinic N (NP ), graphitic N (NG ), and pyrrolic N (NPY ). Co-N/C with the Co-N4 moieties coordinated with NG displays far superior activity for oxygen reduction (ORR) and evolution reactions, and superior activity and stability in both zinc-air batteries and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Density functional theory calculation indicates that coordinated N species in particular NG functions as electron donors to the Co core of Co-N4 active sites, leading to the downshift of d-band center of Co-N4 and weakening the binding energies of the intermediates on Co-N4 sites, thus, significantly promoting catalytic kinetics and thermodynamics for ORR in a full pH range condition.

Environmental Remediation Applications of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Oxide: Adsorption and Catalysis.

Environmental issues such as the wastewater have influenced each aspect of our lives. Coupling the existing remediation solutions with exploring new functional carbon nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, graphene) by various perspectives shall open up a new venue to understand the environmental issues, phenomenon and find out the ways to get along with the nature. This review makes an attempt to provide an overview of potential environmental remediation solutions to the diverse challenges happening by using low-dimensional carbon nanomaterials and their composites as adsorbents, catalysts or catalysts support towards for the social sustainability.

Evaluation of Self-Propelled High-Energy Ultrasonic Atomizer on Azoxystrobin and Tebuconazole Application in Sunlit Greenhouse Tomatoes.

In this study, a self-propelled high-energy ultrasonic atomizer was evaluated in terms of deposition on the canopy, the loss to the ground, and fungicide residues in cherry tomato and tomato. Artificial collectors fixed to the upper side and underside of the leaves at different depths and heights were used to collect the depositions. A reliable analytical method for determination of azoxystrobin and tebuconazole in artificial collectors and residue samples was developed by using liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. The results showed that the atomizer distributed the droplets evenly throughout the greenhouse with good uniformity (CVs below 39%). The ratio of depositions on the internal and external sides was 66⁻83%, and the ratio of depositions on the underside and upper side was 39⁻50%. There were no significant differences in depositions between two different height crops. The residues of azoxystrobin and tebuconazole in tomato and cherry tomato fruits were far below the maximum residue limits at harvest time. In general, self-propelled high-energy ultrasonic atomizer used in a greenhouse could increase the depositions, especially on the underside and internal side of the canopies, and lead to a reduction of operator exposure risk.

Residue dynamics of procymidone in leeks and soil in greenhouses by smoke generator application.

A modified QuEChERS-GC-MS method for analysis of procymidone residue in leeks and soil was developed and validated. Procymidone residue dynamics and residues in supervised field trials at GAP conditions in leeks and soil in greenhouses were studied. Leek samples were treated under microwave radiation for 1min before homogenization, followed by extracting with acetonitrile and clean-up with reverse solid phase dispersion by primary and secondary amine (PSA). Procymidone residue was determined by GC-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. At fortification levels of 0.02, 0.2 and 2mg/kg in leeks and soil, it was shown that recoveries ranged from 74.9% to 100.8% with relative standard deviations of 1.3-8.5%. At four geographical experimental plots, procymidone residue in leeks and soil showed a relatively fast dissipation rate, with half-lives of 4.52-8.76 days for leeks and 3.76-5.65 days for soil. At pre-harvest intervals of 21-30 days, procymidone residue ranged from 0.033 to 0.17mg/kg in leeks, and 0.020-1.75mg/kg in soil. Residues persistence varied in leeks and soil in four field trials, suggesting that it might be affected by some physical and chemical factors, growth dilution factor, soil characteristics and microorganisms.

A 50-years record of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes and hexachlorocyclohexanes in lake sediments and penguin droppings on King George Island, Maritime Antarctic.

Since the ban on the use of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) such as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane(HCH) in agriculture, their levels have generally dropped. In a number of cases, however, the levels of these OCPs were found to be unchanging or even increasing after the ban. With the aim to unveil the possible causes of these exceptions, we collected two lake cores from King George Island, West Antarctica, and determined their accumulation flux profiles and temporal trends of these OCPs. In the lake core sediments with glacier meltwater input, the accumulation flux of DDT shows an abnormal peak around 1980s in addition to the expected one in 1960s. In the lake core sediments without glacier meltwater input, the accumulation flux of DDT shows a gradual decline trend after the peak in 1960s. This striking difference in the DDT flux profiles between the two lake cores is most likely caused by the regional climate warming and the resulted discharge of the DDT stored in the Antarctic ice cap into the lakes in the Antarctic glacier frontier. Furthermore, to investigate the change of OCPs loadings in the Antarctic coastal ecosystem, we reconstructed the HCH and DDT concentration profiles in penguin droppings and observed a gradual increase for the former and a continuous decrease for the latter during the past 50 years. The increase of HCH seems to be due to the regional warming from the early 1970s and the resulted HCH discharge to the coastal ecosystem by glaciers' meltwater and the illegal use of HCH in the Southern Hemisphere in the recent decade. Thedifferent temporal trends of HCH and DDT accumulation rate in the lake core with glacier meltwater input and the aged penguin droppings can be explained by their different water-soluble property.

[Determination of 15 organophosphorus pesticides in cucumber, tomato and pepper samples by capillary gas chromatography with gel permeation chromatographic clean-up].

Fifteen organophosphorus pesticide residues in vegetable samples were extracted and cleaned-up by gel permeation chromatography and detected by capillary GC-FPD. An alternative validation method was established based on GC-NPD detection on an HP-1701 column. The eluting profiles of 15 compounds on a gel permeation column (10 mm i.d. x 200 mm, SX-3) eluted by 1 mL/min cyclohexane-ethyl acetate (volume ratio of 1:1) were established according to GC quantitation. Minimum detection limits of this method were between 5 x 10(-4) mg/kg to 5 x 10(-3) mg/kg. The average fortified recoveries and coefficients of variation of the method were determined. The results show that recoveries are between 77.8%-106%, with an average RSD of 0.10%-16.6%.