METTL17 coordinates ferroptosis and tumorigenesis by regulating mitochondrial translation in colorectal cancer.

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent lipid peroxidation-induced form of regulated cell death, shows great promise as a cancer therapy strategy. Despite the critical role of mitochondria in ferroptosis regulation, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study reveals that the mitochondrial protein METTL17 governs mitochondrial function in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells through epigenetic modulation. Bioinformatic analysis establishes that METTL17 expression positively correlates with ferroptosis resistance in cancer cells and is up-regulated in CRC. Depletion of METTL17 sensitizes CRC cells to ferroptosis, impairs cell proliferation, migration, invasion, xenograft tumor growth, and AOM/DSS-induced CRC tumorigenesis. Furthermore, suppression of METTL17 disrupts mitochondrial function, energy metabolism, and enhances intracellular and mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and ROS levels during ferroptotic stress. Mechanistically, METTL17 inhibition significantly reduces mitochondrial RNA methylation, including m4C, m5C, m3C, m7G, and m6A, leading to impaired translation of mitochondrial protein-coding genes. Additionally, the interacting proteins associated with METTL17 are essential for mitochondrial gene expression, and their knockdown sensitizes CRC cells to ferroptosis and inhibits cell proliferation. Notably, combined targeting of METTL17 and ferroptosis in a therapeutic approach effectively suppresses CRC xenograft growth in vivo. This study uncovers the METTL17-mediated defense mechanism for cell survival and ferroptosis in mitochondria, highlighting METTL17 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC.

Preliminary results on the separation of the different parts of Ligustrum lucidum Ait fruit and the main bioactive compounds analysis.

Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiprotozoal, antimutagenic and anticancer properties and are the main bioactive compounds in the fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Ait. The aim of this paper was to study the method of separating the whole fruit into the main ingredients containing OA and UA for the later effective extraction with reduced organic solvents and easy separation and purification. In the present study, the sarcocarps and exocarps were separated from the whole fruits (designated exo-sarcocarps, the mass percentages (w/w, dry weight basis), 33.1%), testae (13.5%) and cores (48.7%) by using methods separated. The contents of OA and UA in whole fruits, exo-sarcocarps, testae and cores were analyzed. The OA and UA extraction yields were highest in exo-sarcocarps vs. yields from whole fruits, testae or cores. The spective yields of OA and UA from exo-sarcocarps were 24.34 ± 2.09 and 7.82 ± 0.09 mg/g; these yields were about 4 times higher than OA yields and about 4 times higher than UA yields from fruit.

[Effect of Chrysanthemum indicum on absorption characteristics of Cd and its effect on quality of medicinal materials].

The Cd stress of Chrysanthemum indicum was treated by different concentrations of Cd Cl2 solution in the culture substrate. The content of Cd in different parts of Ch. indicum and the content of buddleoside and the total flavonoids in Ch. indicum were determined. The absorption characteristics of Cd elements in Ch. indicum were analyzed. And the influence of Cd elements on the quality of the herbs. The results showed that the application of soil Cd in the range of 0-100 mg·kg~(-1) had no significant effect on the biomass of Ch. indicum,and the root-shoot ratio showed a decreasing-increasing-decreasing trend. The content of Cd in different parts of Ch. indicum was significantly different,and the content of aboveground part was higher than that of underground part. The enrichment factors of Cd elements in different parts of Ch. indicum are different. The enrichment coefficient of aboveground parts is larger than that of underground parts. The whole parts and plants show an increase first and then decrease,and the overall enrichment factor is greater than1. The transfer coefficient of the aerial part/underground part of Ch. indicum showed a decreasing-increasing-decreasing-increasing trend with the increase of the amount of Cd applied in the soil,and the transfer coefficient was higher than 1. The contents of buddleoside and total flavonoids in Ch. indicum after Cd stress treatment were lower than the control,and the overall performance was lower and then increased,but it was still significantly lower than the control,indicating that Cd pollution directly led to the decrease of chemical quality of Ch. indicum.

2,6-Bis(4-methoxy-phen-yl)-4-phenyl-pyridine.

In the title compound, C(25)H(21)NO(2), which was synthesized by the condensation of 2,6-bis-(4-methoxy-phen-yl)-4-phenyl-pyridinium tetra-fluoro-borate with ammonia under microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions, the angles between the central pyridine ring and the three benzene rings are 22.3 (2), 35.3 (2) and 19.8 (2)°. In the crystal, inter-molecular C-H⋯π hydrogen-bond inter-actions link the mol-ecules.