Gedunin induces apoptosis and inhibits HMBG1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in a rat model of gastric carcinogenesis induced by methylnitronitrosoguanidine.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the anti-cancer effects of gedunin, a natural compound, in a rat model of gastric carcinogenesis induced by MNNG. Methods: Fifty-four rats were randomly assigned to six groups for a 60-day study on the effects of MNNG and gedunin. Groups 1-4 received 200 mg/kg MNNG (1, 10, or 100 mg/kg), and group 5 had only 100 mg/kg gedunin. Results: Gedunin at low doses exhibited anti-cancer and protective properties against MNNG-induced damage, including reduced inflammation, and apoptosis. Conclusions: Gedunin demonstrates a U-shaped dose-response, with low doses offering protection and high doses promoting tumor growth.

Electronic whiskers for velocity sensing based on the liquid metal hysteresis effect.

The artificial biomimetic sensory hair as state-of-art electronics has drawn great attention from academic theorists of industrial production given its potential application in soft robotics, environmental exploration and health monitoring. However, it still remains a challenge to develop highly sensitive electronic sensory hair with fast response. In this study, a bio-inspired electronic whisker (e-whisker) with a hollow polymer shell and a liquid metal core was prepared by microinjection for airflow measurement and detection of obstacles. In addition, we illustrated the effect of liquid metal hysteresis on its distribution in microchannels on deformation. The difference in the deformed velocity between the selected fiber and EGaIn would result in a disturbance emerging in the liquid metal channel, which further causes a variation in resistance. Taking advantage of this phenomenon, the integrated fiber e-whisker can be employed to detect tiny airflow and disturbance. The experimental results indicate that the fiber sensor can detect the airflow velocity as low as 0.2 m s-1 within 0.1 s. The e-whisker can accurately monitor rainfall, human motion and object velocity. This work sheds light on the liquid metal viscosity-induced sensing mechanism and offers a novel strategy to fabricate high-performance velocity sensors.

Pelargonidin inhibits vascularization and metastasis of brain gliomas by blocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Pelargonidin has attracted much attention in many cancers. Whether the growth of glioma inhibited by pelargonidin is related to the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is unknown. To examine this, we performed both in vivo and in vitro studies. Twenty-four hours after inoculation, C6 cells received various treatments: CCK8, transwell, flow cytometry, and Western blot were performed. The cell supernatant was collected in order to pretreat HUVEC cells, and tube formation assay was performed. An in situ glioma rat model was constructed and administrated treatment according to its group. After 14 days, the brains were obtained for TUNEL assay, immunohistochemical staining, and Western blot. In vitro studies demonstrated that pelargonidin inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of C6 cells, and promoted apoptosis of C6 cells. Additionally, pelargonidin could inhibit tube formation of HUVECs. We also detected the proteins in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and the results indicated that pelargonidin inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT, PI3K, and mTOR, and downregulated VEGF protein. In vivo glioma models were successfully built, and pelargonidin could increase the survival rate of rat, and pathological staining results indicated that pelargonidin increased TUNELpositive cells and decreased micro-vessel density (MVD) through PI3K/AKT/mTOR. Pelargonidin could reduce the relative expression of MMP2, MMP9, N-cadherin, and VEGF proteins, and inhibit the PI3K/AKT/ mTOR pathway. Pelargonidin inhibited the vascularization and metastasis of glioma by blocking the PI3K/ AKT/mTOR pathway.

Effects of Atractylon on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Intestinal Cancer Cells Through PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

The study aimed to explore the effects of atractylon on the proliferation and apoptosis of intestinal cancer cells through the phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. The intestinal cancer HT29 cell lines were cultured in vitro, and atractylon at different concentrations (15 and 30 mg/mL) was added. Then cell proliferative activity was detected via cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, and the proportion of positive cells was determined using EdU staining. The content of interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the apoptosis of HT29 cells was detected through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Moreover, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to determine the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of proliferation, apoptosis and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related genes, and Western blotting was used to analyze the expression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The cell growth status was poorer with a lower density in the 15 mg/mL atractylon group and basically normal morphological structure in the 30 mg/mL atractylon group. The number of cells significantly declined and the proliferative activity was also significantly weakened in the 30 mg/mL atractylon group. There were obviously more apoptotic cells in the 30 mg/mL atractylon group. Besides, INF-γ, TNF-α and MMP-9 were all evidently decreased in the 30 mg/mL atractylon group. Expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), PI3K, AKT and mTOR obviously declined in the 30 mg/mL atractylon group, and they were raised in the NC group, while the expression of Caspase3 showed the opposite trends. Atractylon at an appropriate concentration can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of intestinal cancer cells by suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which can be used to treat colorectal cancer and other related diseases.

Design of a flexible surface/interlayer for packaging.

Impact resistance and thermal insulation are important factors to be considered in the fields of encapsulation and drug transportation. In this study, a classic circular sleeve structure is designed by integrating the multi-level surface topography of the sleeve and a hollow sandwich in the wall, which effectively improves the energy absorption efficiency and thermal insulation effect. With the increase of the levels of surface structure, the stiffness of the whole structure and the stress on the topmost structure decreases, which is conducive to protecting the structure. In addition, the thermal conduction efficiency can be limited and the heat preservation ability would be improved as the reduction of the contacting area of packages with internal objects is attributed to such specific topography. Moreover, the synergistic effect of the hollow sandwich further enhances the advantages of mechanics and heat insulation. Based on the findings of this study, this novel design has potential applications in fields such as thermal insulation, packaging, and pharmaceuticals.