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Retinoic acid (RA), derived from retinol (ROL), is integral to cell growth, differentiation, and organogenesis. It is known that RA can inhibit herpes simplex virus (HSV) replication, but the interactions between alphaherpesviruses and RA metabolism are unclear. Our present study revealed that alphaherpesvirus (HSV-1 and Pseudorabies virus, PRV) infections suppressed RA synthesis from ROL by activating P53, which increased retinol reductase 3 (DHRS3) expression-an enzyme that converts retinaldehyde back to ROL. This process depended on the virus-triggered DNA damage response, the degradation of class I histone deacetylases, and the subsequent hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4. Counteracting DHRS3 or P53 enabled higher RA synthesis and reduced viral growth. RA enhanced antiviral defenses by promoting ABCA1- and ABCG1-mediated lipid efflux. Treatment with the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonist palovarotene protected mice from HSV-1 infection, thus providing a potential therapeutic strategy against viral infections.
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Impacted proximal ureteral stones (IPUS) present challenging clinical scenarios due to their persistent nature and associated complications. While ureterorenoscopy (URS) lithotripsy is recommended as the primary treatment, controversies exist regarding the optimal management of such stones. In this retrospective analysis, we compared the operative outcomes and long-term results of transperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy (LU) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for IPUS larger than 15 mm. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to mitigate potential selection biases. Following PSM, 83 patients in each cohort exhibited comparable baseline characteristics. LU demonstrated a superior surgical success rate (100% vs. 96.4%, p = 0.244) and significantly lower perioperative hemoglobin decline (0.6 ± 0.4 g/dL vs. 1.5 ± 0.7 g/dL, p = 0.036) compared to PCNL. Additionally, LU exhibited a higher stone-free rate after 2 months (100% vs. 91.6%, p = 0.043), but a longer duration of catheterization (7.4 ± 1.2 days vs. 3.5 ± 2.2 days vs., p = 0.011). Conversely, PCNL was associated with a higher incidence of total complications (21.7% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.033) and stone recurrence during a mean period of 40-month follow-up (20.5% vs. 8.4%, p = 0.027). Transperitoneal LU and PCNL represent effective interventions for managing IPUS exceeding 15 mm. Notably, LU emerges as a preferable option over PCNL, offering superior stone clearance rates, reduced perioperative complications, and lower recurrence rates.
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Laparoscopía , Nefrolitotomía Percutánea , Puntaje de Propensión , Cálculos Ureterales , Humanos , Nefrolitotomía Percutánea/métodos , Nefrolitotomía Percutánea/efectos adversos , Masculino , Femenino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Cálculos Ureterales/cirugía , Laparoscopía/métodos , Laparoscopía/efectos adversos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto , Estudios de Seguimiento , Resultado del Tratamiento , Factores de Tiempo , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/etiología , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/epidemiología , Peritoneo/cirugíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: This study assesses the diagnostic utility of strain parameters from cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking across all cardiac chambers in patients with acute myocarditis, stratified by ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our cohort included 65 patients with acute myocarditis and 25 healthy controls; all underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on left ventricular ejection fraction (EF)with a 55% cutoff: acute myocarditis with preserved EF, EF ≥55%, n=48; and acute myocarditis with reduced EF, EF <55%, n=17. The control group matched for age and sex. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking evaluated strain parameters across all cardiac chambers. Both acute myocarditis with preserved EF and acute myocarditis with reduced EF groups showed significant decreases in left atrial peak early negative strain rate compared with controls. The acute myocarditis with reduced EF group had significantly reduced left ventricular circumferential strain relative to acute myocarditis with preserved EF and controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed the diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing patients with acute myocarditis with preserved EF from controls, with left atrial peak early negative strain rate achieving 92.9% specificity, left ventricular circumferential strain demonstrating an area under the curve of 0.832, and similarly effective results for left ventricular longitudinal strain and right ventricular longitudinal strain. Additionally, left atrial peak early negative strain rate and left ventricular circumferential strain showed significant correlations with troponin I levels, indicating myocardial injury. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature-tracking-derived strain parameters, particularly left atrial peak early negative strain rate and left ventricular circumferential strain, effectively diagnose acute myocarditis across different EFs, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and facilitating early detection, notably in patients with preserved EF.
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Imagen por Resonancia Cinemagnética , Miocarditis , Volumen Sistólico , Función Ventricular Izquierda , Humanos , Miocarditis/fisiopatología , Miocarditis/diagnóstico por imagen , Miocarditis/diagnóstico , Masculino , Femenino , Volumen Sistólico/fisiología , Adulto , Enfermedad Aguda , Función Ventricular Izquierda/fisiología , Imagen por Resonancia Cinemagnética/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
Accumulating data support the key roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an essential component of the innate immune system, in human pathophysiology. As an emerging drug target and a potential biomarker for human diseases, small molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome have been actively pursued. Our recent studies identified a small molecule, MS-II-124, as a potent NLRP3 inhibitor and potential imaging probe. In this report, MS-II-124 was further characterized by an unbiased and comprehensive analysis through Eurofins BioMAP Diversity PLUS panel that contains 12 human primary cell-based systems. The analysis revealed promising activities of MS-II-124 on inflammation and immune functions, further supporting the roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome in these model systems. Further studies of MS-II-124 in mouse model of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and NLRP3 knockout mice demonstrated its target engagement, efficacy to suppress inflammatory cytokines and infiltration of immune cells in the lung tissues. In summary, the results support the therapeutic potential of MS-II-124 as a NLRP3 inhibitor and warrant future studies of this compound and its analogs to develop therapeutics for ALI/ARDS.
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Lesión Pulmonar Aguda , Inflamasomas , Ratones Noqueados , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequeñas , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR/metabolismo , Lesión Pulmonar Aguda/tratamiento farmacológico , Animales , Ratones , Humanos , Inflamasomas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Inflamasomas/metabolismo , Estructura Molecular , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequeñas/química , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequeñas/farmacología , Bibliotecas de Moléculas Pequeñas/síntesis química , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a DrogaRESUMEN
Background and aim: Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China have been diagnosed with spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS), which accelerates the progression of HCC by disrupting the tumor microenvironment homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the intercellular crosstalk in HCC with SDS. Experimental procedure: An HCC-SDS mouse model was established using orthotopic HCC transplantation based on reserpine-induced SDS. Single-cell data analysis and cancer cell prediction were conducted using Seurat and CopyKAT package, respectively. Intercellular interactions were explored using CellPhoneDB and CellChat and subsequently validated using co-culture assays, ELISA and histological staining. We performed pathway activity analysis using gene set variation analysis and the Seurat package. The extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling was assessed using a gel contraction assay, atomic force microscopy, and Sirius red staining. The deconvolution of the spatial transcriptomics data using the "CARD" package based on single-cell data. Results and conclusion: We successfully established the HCC-SDS mouse model. Twenty-nine clusters were identified. The interactions between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were significantly enhanced via platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling in HCC-SDS. CAFs recruited in HCC-SDS lead to ECM remodeling and the activation of TGF-ß signaling pathway. Deconvolution of the spatial transcriptome data revealed that CAFs physically surround cancer cells in HCC-SDS. This study reveals that the crosstalk of CAFs-cancer cells is crucial for the tumor-promoting effect of SDS. CAFs recruited by HCC via PDGFA may lead to ECM remodeling through activation of the TGF-ß pathway, thereby forming a physical barrier to block immune cell infiltration under SDS.
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A knowledge graph can effectively showcase the essential characteristics of data and is increasingly emerging as a significant means of integrating information in the field of artificial intelligence. Coronary artery plaque represents a significant etiology of cardiovascular events, posing a diagnostic challenge for clinicians who are confronted with a multitude of nonspecific symptoms. To visualize the hierarchical relationship network graph of the molecular mechanisms underlying plaque properties and symptom phenotypes, patient symptomatology was extracted from electronic health record data from real-world clinical settings. Phenotypic networks were constructed utilizing clinical data and proteinâprotein interaction networks. Machine learning techniques, including convolutional neural networks, Dijkstra's algorithm, and gene ontology semantic similarity, were employed to quantify clinical and biological features within the network. The resulting features were then utilized to train a K-nearest neighbor model, yielding 23 symptoms, 41 association rules, and 61 hub genes across the three types of plaques studied, achieving an area under the curve of 92.5%. Weighted correlation network analysis and pathway enrichment were subsequently utilized to identify lipid status-related genes and inflammation-associated pathways that could help explain the differences in plaque properties. To confirm the validity of the network graph model, we conducted coexpression analysis of the hub genes to evaluate their potential diagnostic value. Additionally, we investigated immune cell infiltration, examined the correlations between hub genes and immune cells, and validated the reliability of the identified biological pathways. By integrating clinical data and molecular network information, this biomedical knowledge graph model effectively elucidated the potential molecular mechanisms that collude symptoms, diseases, and molecules.
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Plant growth regulators (PGR) and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have the potential in phytoremediation of heavy metals (HMs) contaminated soils. However, their sole application may not yield the optimal results, thus necessitating the combined application. The present study aimed to enhance the phytoremediation efficiency of Sedum alfredii Hance (S. alfredii) in acidic and alkaline soils through the combination of PGR (Brassinolide, BR) and PGPB (Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. fluorescens). The combination of BR and P. fluorescens (BRB treatment) effectively increased the removal efficiency of S. alfredii for Cd, Pb, and Zn by 355.2 and 155.3 %, 470.1 and 128.9 %, and 408.4 and 209.6 %, in acidic and alkaline soils, respectively. Moreover, BRB treatment led to a substantial increase in photosynthetic pigments contents and antioxidant enzymes activities, resulting in a remarkable increase in biomass (86.71 and 47.22 %) and dry mass (101.49 and 42.29 %) of plants grown in acidic and alkaline soils, respectively. Similarly, BRB treatment significantly elevated the Cd (109.4 and 71.36 %), Pb (174.9 and 48.03 %), and Zn levels (142.8 and 104.3 %) in S. alfredii shoots, along with cumulative accumulation of Cd (122.7 and 79.47 %), Pb (183.8 and 60.49 %), and Zn (150.7 and 117.9 %), respectively. In addition, the BRB treatment lowered the soil pH and DTPA-HMs contents, while augmenting soil enzymatic activities, thereby contributing soil microecology and facilitating the HMs absorption and translocation by S. alfredii to over-ground tissues. Furthermore, the evaluation of microbial community structure in phyllosphere and rhizosphere after remediation revealed the shift in microbial abundance. The combined treatment altered the principal effects on S. alfredii HMs accumulation from bacterial diversity to the soil HMs availability. In summary, our findings demonstrated that synergistic application of BR and P. fluorescens represents a viable approach to strengthen the phytoextraction efficacy of S. alfredii in varying soils.
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Biodegradación Ambiental , Metales Pesados , Reguladores del Crecimiento de las Plantas , Pseudomonas fluorescens , Sedum , Contaminantes del Suelo , Suelo , Sedum/metabolismo , Contaminantes del Suelo/metabolismo , Metales Pesados/metabolismo , Reguladores del Crecimiento de las Plantas/metabolismo , Suelo/química , Pseudomonas fluorescens/metabolismo , Microbiología del SueloRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) versus microdiscectomy (MD). METHODS: The data of 154 patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) who underwent TELD (n = 89) or MD (n = 65) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' clinical outcomes were evaluated using visual analogue scales for leg and low back pain, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The evolution of radiographic manifestations was observed during follow-up. Potential risk factors for a poor clinical outcome were investigated. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range, 5-7 years), the recurrence rate was 4.49% in the TELD group and 1.54% in the MD group. All scores significantly improved from preoperatively to postoperatively in both groups (p < 0.01). The improvement in the ODI and JOA scores was significantly greater in the TELD than MD group (p < 0.05). Forty-seven patients (52.8%) in the TELD group and 32 (49.2%) in the MD group had Modic changes before surgery, most of which showed no changes at the last follow-up. The degeneration grades of 292 discs (71.0%) were unchanged at the last follow-up, while 86 (20.9%) showed improvement, mostly at the upper adjacent segment. No significant difference was observed in the intervertebral height index or paraspinal muscle-disc ratio. CONCLUSION: Both TELD and MD provide generally satisfactory long-term clinical outcomes for patients with LDH. TELD can be used as a reliable alternative to MD with less surgical trauma. Modic type II changes, decreased preoperative intervertebral height, and a high body mass index are predictors of a poor prognosis.
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Aerogels prepared using freeze-drying methods have the potential to be insulation materials or absorbents in the fields of industry, architecture, agriculture, etc., for their low heat conductivity, high specific area, low density, degradability, and low cost. However, their native, poor water resistance caused by the hydrophilicity of their polymer matrix limits their practical application. In this work, a novel, controllable, and efficient templating method was utilized to construct a highly hydrophobic surface for freeze-drying aerogels. The influence of templates on the macroscopic morphology and hydrophobic properties of materials was investigated in detail. This method provided the economical and rapid preparation of a water-resistant aerogel made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and montmorillonite (MMT), putting forward a new direction for the research and development of new, environmentally friendly materials.
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BACKGROUND: Detoxifying enzymes are likely involved in lignin feeding and immune defense mechanisms within termites, rendering them potential targets for biological control. However, investigations into the dual functionality of termite detoxification enzymes in vivo have not been documented. RESULTS: In this study, the complete cDNA of the catalase gene (Cfcat) derived from Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki was amplified. CFCAT comprises an open reading frame spanning 1527 bp, encoding a 508-amino acid sequence. The highest expression was observed in the epidermal tissues (including the fat body and hemolymph) followed by the foregut/salivary gland. Furthermore, we confirmed the catalase activity of the recombinant Cfcat protein. Using RNA interference (RNAi) technology, the importance of Cfcat in the lignin-feeding of C. formosanus was demonstrated, and the role of Cfcat in innate immunity was investigated. Survival assays showed that Cfcat RNAi significantly increased the susceptibility of C. formosanus to Metarhizium anisopliae. Irrespective of the infection status, Cfcat inhibition had a significant impact on multiple factors of humoral and intestinal immunity in C. formosanus. Notably, Cfcat RNAi exhibited a more pronounced immunosuppressive effect on humoral immunity than on intestinal immunity. CONCLUSION: Cfcat plays an important role in the regulation of innate immunity and lignin feeding in C. formosanus. Cfcat RNAi can weaken the immune response of termites against M. anisopliae, which may aid the biocontrol efficiency of M. anisopliae against C. formosanus. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for the development of a novel biocontrol strategy targeting detoxifying enzymes of termites. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Catalasa , Proteínas de Insectos , Isópteros , Lignina , Animales , Isópteros/inmunología , Isópteros/microbiología , Isópteros/genética , Lignina/metabolismo , Catalasa/genética , Catalasa/metabolismo , Proteínas de Insectos/genética , Proteínas de Insectos/metabolismo , Metarhizium/fisiología , Metarhizium/genética , Control de Insectos , Inmunidad Innata , Interferencia de ARN , Secuencia de AminoácidosRESUMEN
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.
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The phytoremediation efficiency of plants in removing the heavy metals (HMs) might be influenced by their growth status and accumulation capacity of plants. Herein, we conducted a lab-scale experiment and a field try out to assess the optimal plant growth regulators (PGRs) including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)/brassinolide (BR)/abscisic acid (ABA) in improving the phytoextraction potential of Sedum alfredii Hance (S. alfredii). The results of pot experiment revealed that application of IAA at 0.2 mg/L, BR at 0.4 mg/L, and ABA at 0.2 mg/L demonstrated notable potential as optimal dosage for Cd/Pb/Zn phytoextraction in S. alfredii. The findings of subcellular level of Cd/Pb/Zn in leaves showed that IAA (0.2 mg/L), BR (0.4 mg/L) or ABA (0.2 mg/L) promoted the HMs storage in the soluble and cell wall fraction, therefore contributing HMs subcellular compartmentation. In addition, application of PGRs notably enhanced the antioxidant system (SOD, CAT, POD, APX activities) while reducing lipid peroxidation (MDA content) in S. alfredii, consequently improving HMs tolerance and growth of S. alfredii. Moreover, the results of field trial showed that application of BR, IAA, or ABA+BR substantially improved the growth of S. alfredii by inducing plants biomass and augmenting the levels of photosynthetic pigment contents. Notably, ABA+BR noticed the highest theoretical biomass by 42.9 %, followed by IAA (41.6 %), and BR (36.4 %), as compared with CK. Additionally, ABA+BR treatment showed effectiveness in removing the Cd by 103.4 %, while BR and IAA led to a significant increase of Pb and Zn removal by 239 % and 116 %, respectively, when compared with CK. Overall, the results of this study highlights that the foliar application of IAA, BR, or ABA+BR can serve as viable strategy to boosting phytoremediation efficiency of S. alfredii in contaminated soil by improving the biomass and metal accumulation in harvestable parts.
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Metales Pesados , Sedum , Contaminantes del Suelo , Cadmio/análisis , Reguladores del Crecimiento de las Plantas , Plomo , Metales Pesados/análisis , Ácido Abscísico , Biodegradación Ambiental , Suelo , Contaminantes del Suelo/análisis , Raíces de Plantas/químicaRESUMEN
A series of 6-chloro-quinolin-2-one derivatives were designed and synthesized as FXIa inhibitors by exploration of P1, P1 prime and P2 prime groups. Each compound was accessed for inhibitory effect on FXIa and some of them were evaluated in the clotting assay. 14c demonstrated excellent in-vitro potency (FXIa IC50: 15 nM, 2 x aPTT: 6.8 µM) and good in-vivo efficacy (prolonged in-vivo aPTT by more than 1-fold but not PT). Moreover, the pharmacokinetics property of 14c were evaluated following intravenous administration in rats, which indicated that 14c probably will be a clinical candidate for intravenous administration.
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Coagulación Sanguínea , Factor XIa , Animales , Ratas , Tiempo de Tromboplastina ParcialRESUMEN
Carbon nanomaterials are unique with excellent functionality and diverse structures. However, agglomerated structures are commonly formed because of small-size effects and surface effects. Their hierarchical assembly into micro particles enables carbon nanomaterials to break the boundaries of classical Geldart particle classification before stable fluidization under gas-solid interactions. Currently, there are few systematic reports regarding the structural evolution and fluidization mechanism of carbon nano agglomerations. Based on existing research on carbon nanomaterials, this article reviews the fluidized structure control and fluidization principles of prototypical carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as well as their nanocomposites. The controlled agglomerate fluidization technology leads to the successful mass production of agglomerated and aligned CNTs. In addition, the self-similar agglomeration of individual ultralong CNTs and nanocomposites with silicon as model systems further exemplify the important role of surface structure and particle-fluid interactions. These emerging nano agglomerations have endowed classical fluidization technology with more innovations in advanced applications like energy storage, biomedical, and electronics. This review aims to provide insights into the connections between fluidization and carbon nanomaterials by highlighting their hierarchical structural evolution and the principle of agglomerated fluidization, expecting to showcase the vitality and connotation of fluidization science and technology in the new era.
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Silicon (Si) is regarded as the most potential anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, huge volume expansion hinders its commercial application. Here, a yolk-shell structural nitrogen-doped carbon coated Si@SiO2 is prepared by SiO2 template and HF etching method. The as-prepared composite exhibits superior cycling stability with a high reversible capacity of 577 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 1000 cycles. The stress effect of SiO2 on stabilizing the electrochemical performance of Si anode is systematically investigated for the first time. In situ thickness measurement reveals that the volume expansion thickness of Si@SiO2 upon charge-discharge is obviously smaller than Si, demonstrating the electrode expansion can be effectively inhibited to improve the cyclability. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation further demonstrates the moderate young's modulus and enhanced hardness after SiO2 coating contribute significantly to the mechanical reinforcement of overall Si@SiO2@void@NC composite. Various post-cycling electrode analyses also address the positive effects of inner stress from the Si core on effectively relieving the damage to electrode structure, facilitating the formation of a more stable inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. This study provides new insights for mechanical stability and excellent electrochemical performance of Si-based anode materials.
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The NOD-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin-domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, an essential component of the innate immune system, has been emerging as a viable drug target and a potential biomarker for human diseases. In our efforts to develop novel small molecule NLRP3 inhibitors, a 1-(5-chloro-2-methoxybenzyl)-4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole scaffold was designed via a rational approach based on our previous leads. Structure-activity relationship studies and biophysical studies identified a new lead compound 8 as a potent (IC50: 0.55 ± 0.16 µM), selective, and direct NLRP3 inhibitor. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies of [11C]8 demonstrated its rapid and high brain uptake as well as fast washout in mice and rhesus macaque. Notably, plasma kinetic analysis of this radiotracer from the PET/magnetic resonance imaging studies in rhesus macaque suggested radiometabolic stability. Collectively, our data not only encourage further studies of this lead compound but also warrant further optimization to generate additional novel NLRP3 inhibitors and suitable central nervous system PET radioligands with translational promise.
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Inflamasomas , Proteína con Dominio Pirina 3 de la Familia NLR , Ratones , Animales , Humanos , Macaca mulatta , Cinética , Tomografía de Emisión de PositronesRESUMEN
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to increase in morbidity and mortality among all types of cancer. DNA methylation, an important epigenetic modification, is associated with cancer occurrence and progression. The objective of this study was to establish a model based on DNA methylation risk scores for identifying new potential therapeutic targets in HCC and preventing cancer progression. Methods: Transcriptomic, clinical, and DNA methylation data on 374 tumor tissues and 50 adjacent normal tissues were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma database. The gene expression profiles of the GSE54236 liver cancer dataset, which contains data on 161 liver tissue samples, were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We analyzed the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression levels after identifying the differentially methylated and expressed genes. Then, we developed and validated a risk score model based on the DNA methylation-driven genes. A tissue array consisting of 30 human hepatocellular carcinoma samples and adjacent normal tissues was used to assess the protein and mRNA expression levels of the marker genes by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results: Three methylation-related differential genes were identified in our study: GLS, MEX3B, and GNA14. The results revealed that their DNA methylation levels were negatively correlated with local gene expression regulation. The gene methylation levels correlated strongly with the prognosis of patients with liver cancer. This was confirmed by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical verification of the expression of these genes or proteins in tumors and adjacent tissues. These results revealed the relationship between the level of relevant gene methylation and the prognosis of patients with liver cancer as well as the underlying cellular and biological mechanisms. This allows our gene signature to provide more accurate and appropriate predictions for clinical applications. Conclusion: Through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, we obtained three DNA methylation marker: GLS, MEX3B, and GNA14. This helps to predict the prognosis and may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients.
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To investigate whether uric acid could regulate urate transporter 1 (URAT1) protein and activity level, we established uric acid nephropathy (UAN) rat model and detected their serum uric acid and URAT1 level with or without the treatment of allopurinol. Results here showed that allopurinol could reduce serum uric acid level in UAN rat model. We further found that in UAN rats, the total and surface URAT1 expression level were both increased while this increase could be blocked by allopurinol treatment. By treating URAT1 stable expressed HEK cell with monosodium urate (MSU) crystals, we found that URAT1 level showed an increase in both total and cell surface level, and it would colocalize more with Rab11 instead of Rab7. Consistently, we also found that the total URAT1 protein level will show an increase in the presence of lysosome inhibitors but not ubiquitin-proteasome inhibitors. Furthermore, we also found that MSU crystal could drive Numb, a clathrin-coated adaptor protein which performs a key function in cell division, out of cell surface and disassociated it from URAT1. Finally, we found that Numb short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-transfected showed a phenocopy as MSU treatment, while Numb-2A mutation over-expression could resist crystal-induced phenotypes. These findings indicated that uric acid crystal could increase URAT1 membrane distribution through inhibiting Numb-induced URAT1 lysosome degradation