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1.
Trends Biotechnol ; 2024 May 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38734565

RNA sensing in vivo evaluates past or ongoing endogenous RNA disturbances, which is crucial for identifying cell types and states and diagnosing diseases. Recently, the CRISPR-driven genetic circuits have offered promising solutions to burgeoning challenges in RNA sensing. This review delves into the cutting-edge developments of CRISPR-powered RNA sensors in vivo, reclassifying these RNA sensors into four categories based on their working mechanisms, including programmable reassembly of split single-guide RNA (sgRNA), RNA-triggered RNA processing and protein cleavage, miRNA-triggered RNA interference (RNAi), and strand displacement reactions. Then, we discuss the advantages and challenges of existing methodologies in diverse application scenarios and anticipate and analyze obstacles and opportunities in forthcoming practical implementations.

3.
Eur Urol Open Sci ; 64: 2-8, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38694878

Background and objective: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is widely used because of the many advantages of a robotic approach. The da Vinci Si robot is one of the most commonly used surgical robot systems, but it may be associated with higher costs owing to the use of consumable surgical supplies. Our aim was to conduct a preliminary investigation of the capability of the MP1000 system for RARP. Methods: In this prospective, multicentre, single-blinded study, we randomly assigned 42 patients scheduled to undergo RARP between April and September 2021 to a da Vinci Si group (control) or an MP1000 group (intervention). Patients underwent RARP performed using the assigned robotic system and were followed up at 3-mo intervals. The primary outcome was the rate of conversion to open/laparoscopic surgery. Secondary outcomes were installation and operation times, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative surgical margin status, hospital stay, incontinence, complications, safety indicators, and surgeon ergonomics. Key findings and limitations: All procedures were successfully completed without conversion to open/laparascopic surgery or major complications. Secondary outcomes, including oncological and ergonomic indicators, did not differ significantly between the groups over the study period. One patient in the control group experienced dysuria (Clavien-Dindo grade 3). No patients had incontinence at 3 mo. A limitation of the study is the small sample size. Conclusions and clinical implications: RARP with the MP1000 system is feasible, safe, and effective in the management of localised prostate cancer. Patient summary: We assessed the effectiveness and safety of the new MP1000 robot system for robot-assisted removal of the prostate in comparison to the da Vinci Si robot. We found no difference in effectiveness or safety among 42 patients with prostate cancer who were assigned randomly to one of the two systems. We conclude that the MP1000 is a suitable robot for this surgery.

4.
J Pharm Sci ; 2024 Apr 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38608726

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes low bone mass and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Puerarin is a natural isoflavone compound that has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and ameliorative effects on osteoporosis with less adverse reactions. However, its fast metabolism and low oral bioavailability limit its application. This study aimed to prepare d-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)- modified Puerarin Long Circulating Liposomes (TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes), in order to improve the oral bioavailability of puerarin, before evaluation of its pharmacological activity in vitro and in vivo. We employed film dispersion method to develop TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes before appropriate characterizations. Afterwards, we utilized in vivo imaging, pharmacokinetic analysis and in vitro drug release testing to further evaluate the in vivo and in vitro delivery efficiency. In addition, we established a castrated osteoporosis rat model to observe the changes in femur tissue structure and bone micromorphology via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Micro Computed Tomography (Micro CT). Besides, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory indicators, as well as expression of wnt/ß-catenin pathway-related proteins were detected. In terms of physiochemical properties, the respective mean particle size (PS) and zeta potential (ZP) of TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes were 76.63±0.59 nm and -25.54±0.11 mV. The liposomal formulation exhibited encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 95.08±0.25% and drug loading (DL) of 7.84±0.07%, along with excellent storage stability. Compared with free drugs, the TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes demonstrated a sustained release effect and could increase blood concentration of puerarin in rats, thereby significantly improving its bioavailability. Also, in vivo studies have confirmed potential of the liposomes to promote bone tissue targeting and accumulation of puerarin, coupled with significant improvement of the osteoporotic status. Besides, the liposomes could also reduce levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in serum and bone tissue. Additionally, we discovered that TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes increased Wnt, ß-catenin and T-cell factor (TCF) expressions at protein level in the wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. This study has demonstrated the potential of TPGS-Puerarin-liposomes for treatment of osteoporosis.

5.
J Alzheimers Dis ; 98(4): 1493-1502, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38578891

Background: Lipids have a significant impact on the development and functioning of the nervous system, but the sex differences between the association of LDL/HDL, which reflects lipid metabolic status, and cognitive impairment remains unclear. Objective: We aimed to determine if there were sex differences between the association of LDL/HDL and cognitive function in US older adults. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 cycles. The main outcome was poor cognitive performance defined by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) <  34 based on published literature. Results: A total of 1,225 participants were included in the study, with a cognitive impairment incidence of 25.6% (314/1,225). Multivariate regression models demonstrated a significant association between cognitive decline and each 1-unit increase in LDL/HDL, after adjusting for all covariates (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-1.67). Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed an interaction between LDL/HDL and cognitive impairment in sex subgroups. Conclusions: LDL/HDL was associated with cognitive impairment in the US older adult population in adjusted models, although the significance of this association was not observed in females.


Cognitive Dysfunction , Sex Characteristics , Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Nutrition Surveys , Cross-Sectional Studies , Cognitive Dysfunction/epidemiology , Cognition/physiology
6.
Pestic Biochem Physiol ; 200: 105816, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38582574

The melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an agricultural quarantine pest threatening fruit and vegetable production. Heat shock cognate 70 (Hsc70), which is a homolog of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), was first discovered in mice testes and plays an important role in spermatogenesis. In this study, we identified and cloned five Hsc70 genes from melon fly, namely ZcHsc70_1/2/3/4/5. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these proteins are closely related to Hsc70s from other Diptera insects. Spatiotemporal expression analysis showed that ZcHsc70_1 and ZcHsc70_2 are highly expressed in Z. cucurbitae testes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization further demonstrated that ZcHsc70_1 and ZcHsc70_2 are expressed in the transformation and maturation regions of testes, respectively. Moreover, RNA interference-based suppression of ZcHsc70_1 or ZcHsc70_2 resulted in a significant decrease of 74.61% and 63.28% in egg hatchability, respectively. Suppression of ZcHsc70_1 expression delayed the transformation of sperm cells to mature sperms. Meanwhile, suppression of ZcHsc70_2 expression decreased both sperm cells and mature sperms by inhibiting the meiosis of spermatocytes. Our findings show that ZcHsc70_1/2 regulates spermatogenesis and further affects the male fertility in the melon fly, showing potential as targets for pest control in sterile insect technique by genetic manipulation of males.


Seeds , Tephritidae , Male , Animals , Mice , Phylogeny , In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence , Tephritidae/genetics , Insect Control/methods , Spermatogenesis/genetics , Fertility/genetics , Heat-Shock Response
7.
ACS Synth Biol ; 13(3): 697-713, 2024 Mar 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38427821

Synthetic biology aims to engineer biological systems for customized tasks through the bottom-up assembly of fundamental building blocks, which requires high-quality libraries of reliable, modular, and standardized genetic parts. To establish sets of parts that work well together, synthetic biologists created standardized part libraries in which every component is analyzed in the same metrics and context. Here we present a state-of-the-art review of the currently available part libraries for designing biocircuits and their gene expression regulation paradigms at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels in Escherichia coli. We discuss the necessary facets to integrate these parts into complex devices and systems along with the current efforts to catalogue and standardize measurement data. To better display the range of available parts and to facilitate part selection in synthetic biology workflows, we established biopartsDB, a curated database of well-characterized and useful genetic part and device libraries with detailed quantitative data validated by the published literature.


Gene Expression Regulation , Synthetic Biology
8.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 2159, 2024 Mar 09.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38461315

CO2 hydrogenation to chemicals and fuels is a significant approach for achieving carbon neutrality. It is essential to rationally design the chemical structure and catalytic active sites towards the development of efficient catalysts. Here we show a Ce-CuZn catalyst with enriched Cu/Zn-OV-Ce active sites fabricated through the atomic-level substitution of Cu and Zn into Ce-MOF precursor. The Ce-CuZn catalyst exhibits a high methanol selectivity of 71.1% and a space-time yield of methanol up to 400.3 g·kgcat-1·h-1 with excellent stability for 170 h at 260 °C, comparable to that of the state-of-the-art CuZnAl catalysts. Controlled experiments and DFT calculations confirm that the incorporation of Cu and Zn into CeO2 with abundant oxygen vacancies can facilitate H2 dissociation energetically and thus improve CO2 hydrogenation over the Ce-CuZn catalyst via formate intermediates. This work offers an atomic-level design strategy for constructing efficient multi-metal catalysts for methanol synthesis through precise control of active sites.

9.
Crit Rev Oncol Hematol ; 196: 104316, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38432444

To evaluate the efficacy, feasibility and safety of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus (RCC-TT) in terms of response, perioperative and oncological outcomes, and compare the results between neoadjuvant and non-neoadjuvant groups. Overall, 29 single-arm studies and 5 cohort studies were included. Of the 204 patients undergoing NAT, 16.2% were level I, 35.3% level II, 24.0% level III and 18.6% level IV thrombus. Most of patients underwent preoperative targeted therapy, immunotherapy-based combination therapy was applied in 5.4% patients. The total reduction rate of thrombus level was 29.4%. NAT is associated with a shorter operative time, less blood loss (p<0.05 for both). Rate of complications and oncological outcomes were similar between two groups. Overall, 32.1% (34/106) ≥ grade 3 adverse events occurred in patients undergoing NAT. Neoadjuvant therapy is safe and feasible with acceptable perioperative outcomes in RCC-TT.


Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Kidney Neoplasms , Thrombosis , Humans , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/drug therapy , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Kidney Neoplasms/drug therapy , Treatment Outcome , Vena Cava, Inferior/pathology , Vena Cava, Inferior/surgery , Retrospective Studies , Thrombosis/etiology
10.
Oncogene ; 43(20): 1534-1548, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38548966

While Stimulator-of-interferon genes (STING) is an innate immune adapter cruicial for sensing cytosolic DNA and modulating immune microenvironment, its tumor-promoting role in tumor survival and immune evasion remains largely unknown. Here we reported that renal cancer cells are exceptionally dependent on STING for survival and evading immunosurveillance via suppressing ER stress-mediated pyroptosis. We found that STING is significantly amplified and upregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and its elevated expression is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Mechanically, STING depletion in RCC cells specifically triggers activation of the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway and activates cleavage of Caspase-8, thereby inducing GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis, which is independent of the innate immune pathway of STING. Moreover, animal study revealed that STING depletion promoted infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, consequently boosting robust antitumor immunity via pyroptosis-induced inflammation. From the perspective of targeted therapy, we found that Compound SP23, a PROTAC STING degrader, demonstrated comparable efficacy to STING depletion both in vitro and in vivo for treatment of ccRCC. These findings collectively unveiled an unforeseen function of STING in regulating GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis, thus regulating immune response in RCC. Consequently, pharmacological degradation of STING by SP23 may become an attractive strategy for treatment of advanced RCC.


Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Kidney Neoplasms , Membrane Proteins , Phosphate-Binding Proteins , Pyroptosis , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/immunology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism , Phosphate-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Phosphate-Binding Proteins/genetics , Humans , Kidney Neoplasms/immunology , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Kidney Neoplasms/metabolism , Kidney Neoplasms/genetics , Animals , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Mice , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Activating Transcription Factor 4/metabolism , Activating Transcription Factor 4/genetics , Transcription Factor CHOP/metabolism , Transcription Factor CHOP/genetics , Signal Transduction , Gasdermins
11.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 26(8): 7137-7148, 2024 Feb 22.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38348666

The ONIOM (ωb97xd/6-31G(d,p):pm6) method was used to study the reaction mechanism of dimethylcyclopentane to toluene by the [GaH]2+ active site of Ga-ZSM-5. The results showed that the rate-determining step in the dimethylcyclopentane aromatization process is the ring expansion process. Compared to those of methylcyclopentane to benzene (D. D. Zhang, H. Y. Liu, L. X. Ling, H. R. Zhang, R. G. Zhang, P. Liu and B. J. Wang, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021, 23, 10988-11003.), the free energy barriers of dimethylcyclopentane to toluene are significantly decreased, indicating that toluene is easier to produce than benzene, which confirmed the experimental results that a higher proportion of toluene than benzene is produced in the MTA process.

12.
J Exp Clin Cancer Res ; 43(1): 2, 2024 Jan 02.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38163881

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy is a standard first-line treatment for metastatic bladder cancer (BCa) patients, and chemoresistance remains a major challenge in clinical practice. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as essential regulators in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, the role of circRNAs in mediating CDDP chemosensitivity has yet to be well elucidated in BCa. METHODS: CircSTX6 (hsa_circ_0007905) was identified by mining the public circRNA datasets and verified by Sanger sequencing, agarose gel electrophoresis, RNase R treatment and qRT-PCR assays. Then, function experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of circSTX6 on BCa metastasis. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA stability assay, Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Immunofluorescence (IF) were conducted to evaluate the interaction among circSTX6, miR-515-3p, PABPC1 and SUZ12. Animal experiments were performed to explore the function of circSTX6 in tumor metastasis and CDDP sensitivity. RESULTS: We identified that circSTX6 was significantly upregulated in clinical samples and cells of BCa. Functionally, circSTX6 promoted cell migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circSTX6 could act as a miR-515-3p sponge and abolish its effect on SUZ12. Moreover, circSTX6 was confirmed to increase the stability of SUZ12 mRNA by interacting with a mRNA stabilizer PABPC1 and subsequently promote the expression of SUZ12. Importantly, silencing of circSTX6 improved the chemosensitivity of CDDP-resistant bladder cancer cells to CDDP. Furthermore, in vivo analysis supported that knockdown of circSTX6 attenuated CDDP resistance in BCa tumors. CONCLUSION: These studies demonstrate that circSTX6 plays a pivotal role in BCa metastasis and chemoresistance, and has potential to serve as a therapeutic target for treatment of BCa.


MicroRNAs , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms , Animals , Humans , Cisplatin/pharmacology , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , MicroRNAs/genetics , RNA, Circular/genetics , In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/drug therapy , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/genetics , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , RNA, Messenger , Cell Proliferation , Cell Line, Tumor , Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A/genetics , DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics
13.
Acad Radiol ; 2024 Jan 18.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38242731

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: Accurate differentiation between benign and malignant cystic renal masses (CRMs) is challenging in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop MRI-based machine learning models for differentiating between benign and malignant CRMs and compare the best-performing model with the Bosniak classification, version 2019 (BC, version 2019). METHODS: Between 2009 and 2021, consecutive surgery-proven CRM patients with renal MRI were enrolled in this multicenter study. Models were constructed to differentiate between benign and malignant CRMs using logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms, respectively. Meanwhile, two radiologists classified CRMs into I-IV categories according to the BC, version 2019 in consensus in the test set. A subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the performance of the best-performing model in complicated CRMs (II-IV lesions in the test set). The performances of models and BC, version 2019 were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Performance was statistically compared between the best-performing model and the BC, version 2019. RESULTS: 278 and 48 patients were assigned to the training and test sets, respectively. In the test set, the AUC and accuracy of the LR model, the RF model, the SVM model, and the BC, version 2019 were 0.884 and 75.0%, 0.907 and 83.3%, 0.814 and 72.9%, and 0.893 and 81.2%, respectively. Neither the AUC nor the accuracy of the RF model that performed best were significantly different from the BC, version 2019 (P = 0.780, P = 0.065). The RF model achieved an AUC and accuracy of 0.880 and 81.0% in complicated CRMs. CONCLUSIONS: The MRI-based RF model can accurately differentiate between benign and malignant CRMs with comparable performance to the BC, version 2019, and has good performance in complicated CRMs, which may facilitate treatment decision-making and is less affected by interobserver disagreements.

14.
Int J Surg ; 110(2): 820-831, 2024 Feb 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38016139

BACKGROUND: Accurate prognostication of oncological outcomes is crucial for the optimal management of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after surgery. Previous prediction models were developed mainly based on retrospective data in the Western populations, and their predicting accuracy remains limited in contemporary, prospective validation. We aimed to develop contemporary RCC prognostic models for recurrence and overall survival (OS) using prospective population-based patient cohorts and compare their performance with existing, mostly utilized ones. METHODS: In this prospective analysis and external validation study, the development set included 11  128 consecutive patients with non-metastatic RCC treated at a tertiary urology center in China between 2006 and 2022, and the validation set included 853 patients treated at 13 medical centers in the USA between 1996 and 2013. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome was OS. Multivariable Cox regression was used for variable selection and model development. Model performance was assessed by discrimination [Harrell's C-index and time-dependent areas under the curve (AUC)] and calibration (calibration plots). Models were validated internally by bootstrapping and externally by examining their performance in the validation set. The predictive accuracy of the models was compared with validated models commonly used in clinical trial designs and with recently developed models without extensive validation. RESULTS: Of the 11  128 patients included in the development set, 633 PFS and 588 OS events occurred over a median follow-up of 4.3 years [interquartile range (IQR) 1.7-7.8]. Six common clinicopathologic variables (tumor necrosis, size, grade, thrombus, nodal involvement, and perinephric or renal sinus fat invasion) were included in each model. The models demonstrated similar C-indices in the development set (0.790 [95% CI 0.773-0.806] for PFS and 0.793 [95% CI 0.773-0.811] for OS) and in the external validation set (0.773 [0.731-0.816] and 0.723 [0.731-0.816]). A relatively stable predictive ability of the models was observed in the development set (PFS: time-dependent AUC 0.832 at 1 year to 0.760 at 9 years; OS: 0.828 at 1 year to 0.794 at 9 years). The models were well calibrated and their predictions correlated with the observed outcome at 3, 5, and 7 years in both development and validation sets. In comparison to existing prognostic models, the present models showed superior performance, as indicated by C-indices ranging from 0.722 to 0.755 (all P <0.0001) for PFS and from 0.680 to 0.744 (all P <0.0001) for OS. The predictive accuracy of the current models was robust in patients with clear-cell and non-clear-cell RCC. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a prospective population-based patient cohort, the newly developed prognostic models were externally validated and outperformed the currently available models for predicting recurrence and survival in patients with non-metastatic RCC after surgery. The current models have the potential to aid in clinical trial design and facilitate clinical decision-making for both clear-cell and non-clear-cell RCC patients at varying risk of recurrence and survival.


Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Kidney Neoplasms , Humans , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Prognosis , Nephrectomy
16.
Int J Surg ; 110(1): 4-10, 2024 Jan 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37830951

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a principal cause of mortality and adverse oncologic outcomes in patients with renal tumor and inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (RT-IVCTT). However, the preoperative thrombotic risk factors in these patients remain not fully characterized. OBJECTIVES: To identify preoperative thrombotic risk factors in patients with RT-IVCTT. PATIENTS/METHODS: Two hundred fifty-seven consecutive postsurgical patients with RT-IVCTT aged 18-86 years were enrolled between January 2008 and September 2022. Clinicopathological variables were retrospectively reviewed. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed. Preoperative hemoglobin, neutrophils, and serum albumin levels were analyzed as both continuous and categorical variables. RESULTS: VTE was identified in 63 patients (24.5%). On both continuously and categorically coded variables, advanced IVC thrombus (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 1.4-7.0; OR 2.7, 95% CI: 1.2-6.1), renal sinus fat invasion (OR 3.4, 95% CI: 1.6-7.0; OR 3.7, 95% CI: 1.8-7.7), IVC wall invasion (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.6-7.9; OR 4.3, 95% CI: 1.9-10.0), IVC blockage status of greater than 75% (OR 5.2, 95% CI: 1.7-15.8; OR 6.1, 95% CI: 1.9-19.7), and higher neutrophils (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7; OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.4) were significantly associated with increased VTE risk in patients with RT-IVCTT. Except hemoglobin, categorically coded serum albumin (OR 0.36, 95% CI: 0.17-0.75) was validated as an independent risk factor for VTE. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided an insight of risk factors contributing to preoperative VTE in patients with RT-IVCTT, which may be beneficial for optimizing strategies to manage VTE in clinical practice.


Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Kidney Neoplasms , Venous Thromboembolism , Venous Thrombosis , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Venous Thromboembolism/etiology , Case-Control Studies , Vena Cava, Inferior/surgery , Kidney Neoplasms/complications , Kidney Neoplasms/surgery , Venous Thrombosis/etiology , Venous Thrombosis/surgery , Risk Factors , Serum Albumin , Hemoglobins
18.
Front Neurol ; 14: 1302008, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38145119

Introduction: Platelet indices (PIs) are hematological parameters that indicate the number, morphology, and activation of platelets. Although some clinical trials suggest an association between PIs and the risk of stroke, the lack of robust evidence is attributed to confounding effects and reverse causation. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between PIs and stroke risk through Mendelian randomization (MR) while exploring the mediating effect of blood pressure in this association. Methods: We identified genetic variants associated with PIs, including platelet count (PLT), platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet crit (PCT), in the UK Biobank (n = 350,474). Relevant genome-wide association studies were utilized to gather summary statistics pertaining to the traits of interest. We primarily used the inverse-variance weighted analysis to obtain estimates for individual causal power. Result: We observed a positive correlation between genetically predicted increases in PCT levels with the stroke onset [PCT: OR (95%CI) = 1.113(1.047, 1.183), p < 0.001]. However, no significant causal relationship was found between PLT, PDW, and MPV and the risk of stroke [PLT: OR (95%CI) = 1.037(0.979, 1.098), p = 0.221; PDW: OR (95%CI) = 0.973(0.923, 1.024), p = 0.294; MPV: OR (95%CI) = 0.990(0.945, 1.038), p = 0.675]. Multivariable MR analyses and mediation analysis found that the proportion mediated by systolic blood pressure (SBP) is 23.71% [95%CI (10.85-33.31%)] and the proportion mediated by diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is 28.09% [95%CI (12.92-39.63%)]. Conclusion: This large MR study presents evidence for the potential causal relationship between the PCT level and the risk of ischemic stroke, which might be mediated by blood pressure.

19.
Nat Commun ; 14(1): 8415, 2023 Dec 18.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38110405

As synthetic biology permeates society, the signal processing circuits in engineered living systems must be customized to meet practical demands. Towards this mission, novel regulatory mechanisms and genetic circuits with unprecedented complexity have been implemented over the past decade. These regulatory mechanisms, such as transcription and translation control, could be integrated into hybrid circuits termed "multi-level circuits". The multi-level circuit design will tremendously benefit the current genetic circuit design paradigm, from modifying basic circuit dynamics to facilitating real-world applications, unleashing our capabilities to customize cellular signal processing and address global challenges through synthetic biology.


Gene Regulatory Networks , Synthetic Biology
20.
Redox Biol ; 68: 102956, 2023 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37977044

The specific mechanism of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression, a pathological type that accounts for the highest proportion of RCC, remains unclear. In this study, bioinformatics analysis of scRNA-seq dataset in ccRCC revealed that MIOX was a gene specifically down-regulated in tumor epithelial cells of ccRCC. Analysis of the TCGA database further validated the association between decreased MIOX mRNA levels and ccRCC malignant phenotype and poor prognosis. Immunohistochemistry indicated the down-regulation of MIOX in ccRCC tissues compared to paired adjacent renal tissues, with further down-regulation of MIOX in the primary tumors of patients with primary metastasis compared to those without metastasis. Also, patients with low expression of MIOX showed shorter metastasis-free survival (MFS) compared to those with high MIOX expression. In vitro results showed that overexpression of MIOX in ccRCC cells inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis. Mechanistically, up-regulation of MIOX inhibited autophagy to elevate the levels of ROS, and thus suppressed STAT3/c-Myc-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ccRCC cells. In vivo data further confirmed that increased MIOX expression suppressed the growth and proliferation of RCC cells and reduced the ability of RCC cells to form metastases in the lung. This study demonstrates that MIOX is an important regulatory molecule of ccRCC, which is conducive to understanding the potential molecular mechanism of ccRCC progression.


Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Kidney Neoplasms , Humans , Autophagy/genetics , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Kidney Neoplasms/metabolism , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism
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