In vivo genome editing via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-independent targeted integration for Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy treatment.

Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy (BCD) is an autosomal recessive chorioretinal degenerative disease without approved therapeutic drugs. It is caused by mutations in CYP4V2 gene, and about 80% of BCD patients carry mutations in exon 7 to 11. Here, we apply CRISPR/Cas9 mediated homology-independent targeted integration (HITI)-based gene editing therapy in HEK293T cells, BCD patient derived iPSCs, and humanized Cyp4v3 mouse model (h-Cyp4v3mut/mut) using two rAAV2/8 vectors via sub-retinal administration. We find that sgRNA-guided Cas9 generates double-strand cleavage on intron 6 of the CYP4V2 gene, and the HITI donor inserts the carried sequence, part of intron 6, exon 7-11, and a stop codon into the DNA break, achieving precise integration, effective transcription and translation both in vitro and in vivo. HITI-based editing restores the viability of iPSC-RPE cells from BCD patient, improves the morphology, number and metabolism of RPE and photoreceptors in h-Cyp4v3mut/mut mice. These results suggest that HITI-based editing could be a promising therapeutic strategy for those BCD patients carrying mutations in exon 7 to 11, and one injection will achieve lifelong effectiveness.

Gene replacement therapy in Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy: an open-label, single-arm, exploratory trial.

Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy is an inherited retinal disease caused by mutations in CYP4V2, which results in blindness in the working-age population, and there is currently no available treatment. Here, we report the results of the first-in-human clinical trial (NCT04722107) of gene therapy for Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy, including 12 participants who were followed up for 180-365 days. This open-label, single-arm exploratory trial aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of a recombinant adeno-associated-virus-serotype-2/8 vector encoding the human CYP4V2 protein (rAAV2/8-hCYP4V2). Participants received a single unilateral subretinal injection of 7.5 × 1010 vector genomes of rAAV2/8-hCYP4V2. Overall, 73 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported, with the majority (98.6%) being of mild or moderate intensity and considered to be procedure- or corticosteroid-related; no treatment-related serious adverse events or local/systemic immune toxicities were observed. Compared with that measured at baseline, 77.8% of the treated eyes showed improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on day 180, with a mean ± standard deviation increase of 9.0 ± 10.8 letters in the 9 eyes analyzed (p = 0.021). By day 365, 80% of the treated eyes showed an increase in BCVA, with a mean increase of 11.0 ± 10.6 letters in the 5 eyes assessed (p = 0.125). Importantly, the patients' improvement observed using multifocal electroretinogram, microperimetry, and Visual Function Questionnaire-25 further supported the beneficial effects of the treatment. We conclude that the favorable safety profile and visual improvements identified in this trial encourage the continued development of rAAV2/8-hCYP4V2 (named ZVS101e).

The Future of Molecular Studies through the Lens of Large Language Models.

The rapid advancement of large language models is reshaping research across various fields, offering a novel approach to the complex realm of molecular studies. Our evaluation of GPT-4 and GPT-3.5, focusing on their performance in generating and optimizing molecular structures, highlights GPT-4's strengths in certain aspects of molecular optimization. However, it also revealed challenges in accurately creating complex molecules. Addressing these issues, we propose possible directions for future molecular science research. These suggestions aim to forge new paths for exploring the intricacies of molecular structures, potentially bringing new efficiencies and innovations in the field.

Human Motion Generation: A Survey.

Human motion generation aims to generate natural human pose sequences and shows immense potential for real-world applications. Substantial progress has been made recently in motion data collection technologies and generation methods, laying the foundation for increasing interest in human motion generation. Most research within this field focuses on generating human motions based on conditional signals, such as text, audio, and scene contexts. While significant advancements have been made in recent years, the task continues to pose challenges due to the intricate nature of human motion and its implicit relationship with conditional signals. In this survey, we present a comprehensive literature review of human motion generation, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first of its kind in this field. We begin by introducing the background of human motion and generative models, followed by an examination of representative methods for three mainstream sub-tasks: text-conditioned, audio-conditioned, and scene-conditioned human motion generation. Additionally, we provide an overview of common datasets and evaluation metrics. Lastly, we discuss open problems and outline potential future research directions. We hope that this survey could provide the community with a comprehensive glimpse of this rapidly evolving field and inspire novel ideas that address the outstanding challenges.

Interferon-γ mediating overexpression of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) liver cells.

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) have a vital function in transcytosis of polymeric immunoglobulins in order to defense against invading microorganisms, however, the regulation pathway of pIgR expression in teleosts remains unclear. In this investigation, to examine if the cytokine IFN-γ affected the expression of pIgR, the recombinant proteins of IFN-γ of grass carp was first prepared, after validating that natural pIgR expressed on grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) hepatocytes (L8824), the L8824 cells were supplemented by different recombinant IFN-γ concentrations at various times, the outcomes revealed a significant dose- and time-dependent increase in pIgR expressions at the gene and secretion component (SC) proteins levels. The levels of pIgR mRNA was measured increasing at 9 h, and increasing most significant during the 9-12 h period, the growth of SC was delayed until 24 h after IFN-γ stimulation. Moreover, protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide (CHX) was used to study on whether IFN-γ regulated pIgR expressions through a protein synthesis dependent pathway. Upon inhibitors CHX treatment, the expression of pIgR mRNA were inhibited significantly, and CHX treatment at any time during the first 9 h period demolished the growth in pIgR mRNA that was promoted by IFN-γ, suggesting that IFN-γ is required for the stimulation of pIgR mRNA, which needs de novo protein synthesis. All these outcomes revealed that IFN-γ could upregulate pIgR gene expression, and production of SC, and this IFN-γ stimulated pIgR expression through a protein synthesis dependent pathway, which provided evidences for IFN-γ serves as a regulator for the expression of pIgR, as well as our current knowledge of the expression of pIgR in teleost fish has been improved as a result.

Tumor necrosis factor-α upregulates polymeric immunoglobulin receptor expression by NF-κB signaling pathways in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) liver cells.

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is essential for controlling polymeric immunoglobulin to defend species from invading pathogens. However, the modulation pathway of pIgR expression in teleosts remains unclear. In this paper, to define that the cytokine TNF-α impacted the expression of pIgR, the recombinant proteins of TNF-α of grass carp were first prepared after approving that natural pIgR was expressed in liver cells of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) (L8824). L8824 cells were incubated with variable amounts of recombinant TNF-α at various times, the results revealed that pIgR expressions showed a significant dose-dependent elevation at the gene and proteins, and a similar alteration trend was detected for the pIgR protein (secretory component: SC) secreted by L8824 cells into the culture supernatant. Moreover, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) inhibitors PDTC was used to study whether TNF-α regulated pIgR expressions through the NF-κB signaling pathways. L8824 cells were treated with TNF-α, inhibitor PDTC, and TNF-α + PDTC mixtures, respectively, and the levels of pIgR genes and pIgR protein in cells and SC in the culture supernatant decreased in cells treated with PDTC contrasted to the control, and subjected to reduced expression of PDTC + TNF-α reduced expression contrasted to that treated just with TNF-α, demonstrating that suppression of NF-κB obstructed the ability of TNF-α to elevate pIgR gene and pIgR protein in cells and SC in the culture supernatant. These outcomes indicated that TNF-α raised pIgR gene expression, pIgR protein, and SC creation, and this pIgR expression induced by TNF-α was modulated by complicated pathways that included NF-κB signaling mechanism, confirming TNF-α as a pIgR expression modulator and enhancing a deeper insight of the regulatory pathway for pIgR expression in teleosts.

Quantitation of meropenem in dried blood spots using microfluidic-based volumetric sampling coupled with LC-MS/MS bioanalysis in preterm neonates.

Meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic, has been used for empirical and definitive therapy of severe infections for many years. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) plays an indispensable role in the individualization of meropenem particularly in the preterm neonates, a population in which adjusting proper dosages has always been one of the most challenging tasks for their growth changes. In this report, a simple and accurate method for the quantitative analysis of meropenem in dried blood spot (DBS) samples by LC-MS/MS was developed. The traditional DBS drawbacks were conquered in this study by combining microfluidic-based volumetric sampling, shorten drying procedure, and sensitive detection. Moreover, the on-card stability of meropenem was improved obviously. The DBS-based method validation included hematocrit (Hct) effect, selectivity, carry-over, linearity, accuracy, precision, matrix effect, recovery and stability (high temperature and humidity). The calibration linear range of meropenem was 0.3-100 µg/mL. The acceptance criteria of accuracy (relative error < 4.53 %) and precision (coefficient of variation < 8.63 %) were met in all levels of quality control samples. The DBS samples was stable at 40 °C for 12 h, room temperature for 1 day, 4 °C for 7 days, -20 °C for 14 days and -40 °C for 30 days, respectively. A good correlation was observed between DBS concentration and plasma concentration of meropenem. There was 93.4 % of the samples between estimated plasma concentration and plasma concentration within 20 % of the mean of concentration, and no significant Hct effect was observed on the quantification. It has been successfully applied to samples derived from preterm neonates with severe infections. The supported data indicated that the DBS-based method using microfluidic-based volumetric sampling could be an alternative strategy to carry on TDM of meropenem in preterm neonates, with satisfactory performance and logistics advantages.

High Electrochromic Performance of Perylene Bisimide/ZnO Hybrid Films: An Efficient, Energy-Saving, and Green Route.

The composite or hybrid of organic and inorganic materials is one of the common ways to improve the properties of photoelectric functional materials. Perylene bisimide (PBI) derivatives, as large π-conjugated organic small molecules, are a class of photoelectric functional materials with excellent performance. However, there were few reports on PBIs in the electrochromic field due to the difficulty of film-forming caused by their generally poor solubility. Here, water-soluble PBI derivatives (PDI-COOH and PCl-COOH) were synthesized. The hybrid films (ZnO@PDI-COOH/PCl-COOH) formed by the coordination bond and π-π stacking were prepared via a simple solution immersion method. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction as well as scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectrometry results further confirmed the formation of hybrid films. At the same time, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analyses revealed that the films have reversible redox activity and cathodic electrochromic properties, which can change from orange-red to purple. The ZnO@PDI-COOH hybrid film formed by coordination bonds exhibits fast switching times (1.7 s colored time and 2.6 s bleached time), good stability (retain 92.41% contrast after 2400 cycles), a low driving voltage (-0.6-0 V), and a high coloration efficiency (276.14 cm2/C). The corresponding electrochromic devices also have good electrochromic properties. On this basis, a large-area (100 mm × 100 mm) electrochromic display device with fine patterning was fabricated by using the hybrid film, and the device shows excellent reversible electrochromic performance. This idea of constructing organic-inorganic hybrid materials with coordination bonds provides an effective, energy-saving, and green method, which is expected to promote the large-scale and fine production of electrochromic materials.

Single amino acid variation in MAB21L1 is dominantly associated with congenital eye defects.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of a genetic disease and determination of the causative molecular lesion rely on the availability of the disease-associated pedigrees. Microphthalmia is a congenital eye defect due to an insufficiently developed visual system; its prevalence is 1-3 in 10 000 live births. OBJECTIVE: We analysed a pedigree exhibiting autosomal dominant inheritance of microphthalmia to determine the genetic lesion; used AlphaFold2 to predict the changes in the protein's 3-Dimensional structure; and compared wild-type and variant proteins in cultured cells or Drosophila model was used to explore the cellular or developmental function of the encoded product. RESULTS: We identified a novel missense variation, F52L, in MAB21L1 that is absent in population databases and present exclusively in the individuals diagnosed with microphthalmia in this pedigree. Common structural changes were predicted for the disease-associated variants clustered at amino acids 49-52, and these variant products were also predominantly trapped in the cytoplasm of cultured human lens epithelia. To recapitulate its dominant effect in development, we expressed the Drosophila homologue corresponding to MAB21L1F52L and caused malformation of sensory organs. CONCLUSION: Mutations at the residues 49-52 of MAB21L1 compromise eye development. We recommend including MAB21L1 in the genetic testing panel for congenital eye disorders.

De novo analysis of bulk RNA-seq data at spatially resolved single-cell resolution.

Uncovering the tissue molecular architecture at single-cell resolution could help better understand organisms' biological and pathological processes. However, bulk RNA-seq can only measure gene expression in cell mixtures, without revealing the transcriptional heterogeneity and spatial patterns of single cells. Herein, we introduce Bulk2Space ( https://github.com/ZJUFanLab/bulk2space ), a deep learning framework-based spatial deconvolution algorithm that can simultaneously disclose the spatial and cellular heterogeneity of bulk RNA-seq data using existing single-cell and spatial transcriptomics references. The use of bulk transcriptomics to validate Bulk2Space unveils, in particular, the spatial variance of immune cells in different tumor regions, the molecular and spatial heterogeneity of tissues during inflammation-induced tumorigenesis, and spatial patterns of novel genes in different cell types. Moreover, Bulk2Space is utilized to perform spatial deconvolution analysis on bulk transcriptome data from two different mouse brain regions derived from our in-house developed sequencing approach termed Spatial-seq. We have not only reconstructed the hierarchical structure of the mouse isocortex but also further annotated cell types that were not identified by original methods in the mouse hypothalamus.

Efficacy and safety of Dengyinnaotong Capsule in patients with Cognitive impairment caused by cerebral Small Vessel Disease: study protocol of a multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled trial (De-CSVD trial).

BACKGROUND: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a common syndrome in the older population, with a prevalence ranging from 5% in subjects aged 50 years to almost 100% in those aged 90 years and older. It is regarded to be a major cause of vascular cognitive impairment. Existing prevention and treatment approaches have not yet shown ideal clinical outcomes. Dengyinnaotong Capsule has shown great potential for improving cognitive function. This trial (De-CSVD trial) is designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Dengyinnaotong Capsule on cognitive function in patients with CSVD . METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled trial is planned to recruit at least 270 patients with mild cognitive impairment related to CSVD in 25 centers in China. Recruitment started on 10 May 2021 and is foreseen to end on 31 December 2022. The final follow-up of participants will be completed by the end of March 2023. Participants will be randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to the experimental group (routine basic treatment plus Dengyinnaotong Capsule) or the control group (routine basic treatment). The primary outcome is the change in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score from baseline to week 12. Secondary outcomes are changes in Shape Trail Test, Activities of Daily Living, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory score from baseline to week 12, new vascular events, and the changes in serum level of homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and D-dimer from baseline to week 4 and 12, respectively. The exploratory outcome is the changes in the Tinetti performance-oriented mobility assessment score from baseline to week 12. Safety assessment is performed by monitoring vital signs, general biochemical examinations, 12-lead electrocardiogram examinations, and incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemia or bleeding events. Visits will be performed at week 0 (baseline, pre-randomization), week 4, and week 12 in the treatment period (post-randomization). DISCUSSION: This trial is the first to investigate the efficacy and safety of Dengyinnaotong Capsule on cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD. The findings of this study might provide convincing evidence regarding the efficacy of Dengyinnaotong Capsule in patients with mild cognitive impairment related to CSVD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100045831. Registered on 25 April 2021.

Effect of different washing solutions on soil enzyme activity and microbial community in agricultural soil severely contaminated with cadmium.

Soil enzyme activities and microbial communities have a good response to the remediation effect of heavy metal-contaminated soils. To evaluate the effect of three commonly used washing agents, ferric chloride (FC), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylenediamine-tetra-methylenephosphonic acid (EDTMP) on soil enzyme activities and microbial community in cadmium (Cd)-contaminated agricultural soil were collected from farmland near a non-ferrous metal smelter. The soil enzyme activities, microbial community, chemical forms of Cd and some physicochemical properties of the soil washed with different washing solutions were determined. The results showed that the three washing solutions had moderate removal efficiencies for Cd in the tested soil and the breakdown product of EDTMP has a certain stabilizing effect on Cd. The geometric mean and the integrated total enzyme activity index showed that soil washing with FC and EDTA was more beneficial to the restoration of biochemical functions than that with EDTMP. After soil washing, the Chao1 index of bacteria increased, and the microbial community structure changed. Pearson correlation analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the three washing solutions affected soil enzyme activities and microbial community by altering soil nutrient, total Cd concentration and Cd fractions in soils.

(-)-Syringaresinol suppressed LPS-induced microglia activation via downregulation of NF-κB p65 signaling and interaction with ERß.

Albiziae Cortex (AC) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with sedative-hypnotic effects and neuroprotective ability. However, the bioactive components of AC responsible for the neuro-protective actitivity remain unknown. Here, we investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of (-)-syringaresinol (SYR) extracted from AC in microglia cells and wild-type mice. As a result, (-)-SYR significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of interleukin - 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin -1 beta (IL-1ß), cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2), and nitric oxide (NO) in BV2 microglia cells. (-)-SYR also significantly reduced M1 marker CD40 expression and increased M2 marker CD206 expression. Moreover, we found that (-)-SYR inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB activation by suppressing the translocation of NF-κB p65 into the nucleus in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, estrogen receptor ß (ERß) was found to be implied in the anti-inflammatory activity of (-)-SYR in BV2 microglia. In vivo experiments revealed that administration of (-)-SYR in mice significantly reduced microglia/astrocytes activation and mRNA levels of proinflammatory mediators. Taken together, our data indicated that (-)-SYR exerted the anti-neuroinflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB activation and modulation of microglia polarization, and via interaction with ERß. The anti-neuroinflammatory activity of (-)-SYR may provide a new therapeutic avenue for the treatment of brain diseases associated with inflammation.

The immune response of pIgR and Ig to Flavobacterium columnare in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) plays an important role in mediating the transcytosis of polymeric immunoglobulins (pIgs) to protect organisms against pathogen invasion. Here, a polyclonal antibody against grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) recombinant pIgR was developed by immunizing New Zealand white rabbit, and the responses of pIgR, IgM and IgZ were analyzed after bath immunization and intraperitoneal administration with Flavobacterium columnare. The results showed that pIgR transcription level was similar to IgM and IgZ, but pIgR rose much faster and peaked earlier than IgM and IgZ; the pIgR mRNA levels were higher in the skin and spleen for both immunized groups, while IgM and IgZ mRNA expression were higher in skin, gills, and intestines in bath immersion group, or spleen and head kidney in intraperitoneal immunization group. ELISA revealed that the IgM, IgZ and pIgR protein levels were up-regulated in skin mucus, gill mucus, gut mucus and bile, reaching a higher peak level earlier in skin mucus and gill mucus in bath immersion group, but a higher peak level in bile in injection group. Moreover, secretory component molecules were detected in grass carp's skin, gill and intestine mucus and bile, but not in serum, which molecular mass was near the theoretical mass obtained from the sequence of grass carp pIgR. These results demonstrated that bath and intraperitoneal immunization up-regulated pIgR and secretory Ig expression in secretions, which provided more insights into the role of pIgR in immunity and offer insight into ways of protecting teleost against pathogen invasion.

In Vivo CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing Mitigates Photoreceptor Degeneration in a Mouse Model of X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Purpose: Retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR)-related X-linked retinitis pigmentosa is associated with one of the most severe phenotypes among inherited retinal disease. The aim of this study was to investigate Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat/Cas9-mediated gene editing therapy in a mouse model of Rpgr. Methods: The Rpgr-/yCas9+/WT male mice were used for this study. At 6 months of age, they received a single subretinal injection of adeno-associated virus vectors carrying sgRNA and donor template separately, and therapeutic effect was examined after 1, 6, and 12 months. Results: Rpgr knockout mouse showed slow but progressive age-related retinal degeneration, which emulates the disease occurring in humans. Significant photoreceptor preservation was observed in the treated part of the retina, in sharp contrast to the untreated part of the retina in the same eye after 6 and 12 months. It was surprising that precise modification at the target locus as demonstrated by genomic DNA sequencing in the post-mitotic photoreceptor was observed. Moreover, the therapeutic effect lasts for up to 12 months and no off-target effects were shown. Conclusions: Our study strongly demonstrates that gene editing therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy to treat inherited retinal degeneration.

Hydroxytyrosol Inhibits LPS-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses via Suppression of TLR-4-Mediated NF-κB P65 Activation and ERK Signaling Pathway.

Neuroinflammation has been implicated in the mechanism underlying the progression of neurodegeneration and infectious neuropathology. Growing evidence suggest that hydroxytyrosol (3,4-dihydroxyphenil-ethanol, HT), one of the main polyphenols presented in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), has shown potential anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, the potential anti-neuroinflammation activity and underlying mechanism of HT remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of HT on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in both in vitro and in vivo models and the associated molecular mechanism. Our results revealed that HT significantly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in BV2 microglia and primary microglia cells. Phenotypic analysis showed that HT significantly reduced M1 marker CD86 expression and increased M2 marker CD206 expression. In addition, HT significantly decreased the levels of phospho-NF-κB p65 and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, HT suppressed the LPS-induced Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) in BV2 microglia. In vivo administration of HT following LPS injection significantly reduced some proinflammatory mediator levels and microglia/astrocyte activation in the brain. Together, these results suggest that HT suppressed the LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses via modulation of microglia M1/M2 polarization and downregulation of TLR-4 mediated NF-κB activation and ERK signaling pathway.

Application of Whole Exome and Targeted Panel Sequencing in the Clinical Molecular Diagnosis of 319 Chinese Families with Inherited Retinal Dystrophy and Comparison Study.

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases involving more than 280 genes and no less than 20 different clinical phenotypes. In this study, our aims were to identify the disease-causing gene variants of 319 Chinese patients with IRD, and compare the pros and cons of targeted panel sequencing and whole exome sequencing (WES). Patients were assigned for analysis with a hereditary eye disease enrichment panel (HEDEP) or WES examination based on time of recruitment. This HEDEP was able to capture 441 hereditary eye disease genes, which included 291 genes related to IRD. As RPGR ORF15 was difficult to capture, all samples were subjected to Sanger sequencing for this region. Among the 163 disease-causing variants identified in this study, 73 had been previously reported, and the other 90 were novel. Genes most commonly implicated in different inheritances of IRDs in this cohort were presented. HEDEP and WES achieved diagnostic yield with 41.2% and 33.0%, respectively. In addition, nine patients were found to carry pathogenic mutations in the RPGR ORF15 region with Sanger sequencing. Our study demonstrates that HEDEP can be used as a first-tier test for patients with IRDs.

Design, synthesis, and cytotoxic evaluation of novel scopoletin derivatives.

A series of scopoletin derivatives were designed and synthesized by introducing α-aminoacetamide, acrylamide and ß-aminopropamide, respectively, to 3-position of scopoletin, and their chemical structures were confirmed by ESI-MS, IR, 1 H NMR, and 13 C NMR spectra. All target compounds were evaluated in vitro against four human cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, HepG2, and A549) by MTT method. Cytotoxic assay showed that compounds 7a, 7b, 7e, 7f, 8a, and 8e exhibited more potent cytotoxicities compared to scopoletin. Besides, we have further evaluated the growth inhibitory activities of these selected compounds against normal tissue cell lines HFL-1. Although compound 8a showed the strongest antiproliferative activity in vitro, it exhibited strong cytotoxicity on normal cells HFL-1, which limited its further study. Compound 7a and 7b exhibited higher antiproliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 and HepG2 cells and weak cytotoxicity on HFL-1, which suggested that 7a and 7b might be ideal anticancer candidates. The SARs showed that the introduction of the acrylamide and its analogues ß-aminopropamide could significantly improve activity, while the α-aminoacetamide failed to enhance potency obviously. Therefore, the mechanism of compound 7a and 7b is worthy of further research and the structure of compound 8a should be further optimized.

Nitric Oxide Nanosensors for Predicting the Development of Osteoarthritis in Rat Model.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic arthritic disease that causes the overproduction of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO). This study develops a NO nanosensor to predict the OA development. The nanosensor is synthesized by encapsulating the NO sensing molecules (i.e., 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'-difluorofluorescein Diaminofluorescein-FM (DAF-FM)) within the biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles. In vitro, the nanosensor allows the monitoring of the NO release in interleukin-1ß-stimulated chondrocytes and the alleviated effect of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (a NO inhibitor) and andrographolide (an anti-inflammatory agent). In the rat OA model, it permits the quantification of NO level in joint fluid. The proposed NO nanosensor may facilitate a noninvasive and real-time evaluation of the OA development.

A mutation in ADIPOR1 causes nonsyndromic autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by night blindness, visual field constriction, and severely reduced visual acuity. Despite a number of genes being implicated in RP pathogenesis, the genetic etiology of the disease remains unknown in many patients. In this study, our aim was to identify the disease-causing mutation of a large Chinese family with autosomal dominant RP (adRP). Targeted exon capture sequencing was initially performed to screen mutations in known disease-causing genes, followed by exome sequencing. In doing so, a heterozygous mutation in ADIPOR1 (c.929A > G) that results in an amino acid substitution (p.Y310C) was identified to co-segregate with the disease phenotype in this family. Adipor1 is wildly expressed throughout the body, but appears to be enriched in the photoreceptor inner and outer segments. The p.Y310C mutation, predicted to affect the structure and function of the protein, was confirmed to affect protein folding and its subcellular localization in vitro. In addition, knockdown of adipor1 expression in a zebrafish model with morpholino (MO) preferentially reduced the number of rod photoreceptors, with no effect on the number of cones, a phenotype that is characteristic of RP. Furthermore, the knockdown phenotype was partially rescued by injecting wild-type, but not mutant, human ADIPOR1 mRNA. We conclude that ADIPOR1 is a novel adRP-causing gene and plays an important role in rod development and maintenance.