A microscopic survey on microplastics in beverages: the case of beer, mineral water and tea.

It has been reported that microplastics exist ubiquitously in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Microplastic surveys on diverse daily foods with high consumption possibly containing microplastics have essential implications in clarifying the contamination routes, health risk assessment, and thereby preventing food pollution. Given the dependence of microplastic pollution on the regional environment, production and transportation, it further remains an open question on the number, size distribution and type of microplastics in foods from different countries worldwide. Here, we show that daily drinks produced worldwide, including beer, mineral water and tea, are all polluted with microplastics without exception. The number of microplastics investigated in this work lies in the range of 20-80 mL-1 for the beers, 10 mL-1 for the bottled mineral water, and 200-500 g-1 for the tea leaves. Quasi-spherical particles and irregular fragments dominate the shape of microplastics in beer and mineral water, whereas tea leaves carry numerous microplastic fibers. By identification through Raman spectroscopy, we observed the presence of polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP) microplastics in beers, PP in bottled mineral water, and polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in tea leaves. Possible contamination sources include raw materials, atmosphere, and tools and containers that release microplastics. Given the facile adsorption of heavy metals and antibiotics to microplastics in beverages, public concern may arise regarding the accumulation of microplastics through the food chain and their synergetic harmful effect. Thus, our results should inspire further efforts that may contribute to the elimination and removal of microplastics from foods.

MiR-30a-5p hampers proliferation of lung squamous cell carcinoma through targeting FBXO45.

OBJECTIVE: Studies have elaborated the inhibition of miR-30a-5p on the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of how miR-30a-5p works in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) cells is obscure. METHODS: Data of miRNAs/mRNAs in LUSC tissue (The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)) were accessed. A differential upstream miRNA (miR-30a-5p) was obtained by differential analysis. Downstream target mRNAs were predicted and screened by several databases. The function pathways of target protein in cells were determined by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Abnormal expression levels of FBXO45 and miR-30a-5p were evaluated in three LUSC cell lines. The expression levels of FBXO45 mRNA and miR-30a-5p were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Western blot method was employed to assess protein levels of FBXO45, Cyclin E1, Cdk4 and Cyclin D1. How the two researched genes interact was testified by dual-luciferase method. Cell proliferative ability was compared by CCK-8 and colony formation methods. Moreover, cell cycle was tested by flow cytometry. RESULTS: MiR-30a-5p was tested to be noticeably down-regulated in LUSC cell lines. Up-regulated FBXO45 in LUSC was targeted by miR-30a-5p. Overexpressing miR-30a-5p modulated proliferation and cell cycle in LUSC via inhibiting FBXO45. CONCLUSION: MiR-30a-5p hindered FBXO45 expression to repress the proliferation of LUSC. FBXO45/miR-30a-5p may shed light on future molecular treatment of LUSC.

Comparing the effectiveness of Chinese patent medicines containing red yeast rice on hyperlipidaemia: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of Chinese patent medicines containing red yeast rice for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia. METHODS: Relevant literature published until 13 August 2021, was retrieved from six electronic databases. Randomized clinical trials of Chinese patent medicines containing red yeast rice in patients with hyperlipidaemia were included in the review. Network meta-analysis was performed using Stata 13.1 software. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve probability values were used to rank the treatments. RESULTS: This study included 47 trials involving 4824 subjects. In terms of reduced total cholesterol levels, Xuezhikang (SUCRA: 84.5%) had the highest probability of being the most effective formulation, with Simvastatin (66.4%) and Zhibitai (65.4%) ranked second and third, respectively. Xuezhikang also had the highest probability of reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels to the greatest extent (SUCRA: 82.6%) with Simvastatin (SUCRA: 74.9%) and Zhibituo (SUCRA: 52.8%) being the second and third choices, respectively. For reduced triglyceride levels, Zhibituo (SUCRA: 80.2%) exhibited the highest probability of being the most effective, with Xuezhikang (SUCRA: 63.4%) and Simvastatin (SUCRA: 57.6%) in second and third places, respectively. Finally, in terms of improving high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, Zhibituo (SUCRA: 90.1%) had the highest probability of being the most effective, with Simvastatin (SUCRA: 82.1%) and Xuezhikang (SUCRA: 51.1%) ranked second and third, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Xuezhikang was found to have the highest probability of being the most effective formulation for reducing total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, while Zhibituo had the highest probability of being the most effective for controlling triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The studies included in the review exhibited certain limitations and, therefore, more rigorously designed studies should be performed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202130017.

Increased NDRG1 expression suppresses angiogenesis via PI3K/AKT pathway in human placental cells.

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether and how N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) regulates placental angiogenesis via JEG-3 placental-derived cells. METHODS: Expression of NDRG1 in stably transfected JEG-3 cells was detected using western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Angiogenesis was examined by tube formation assay. The levels of placental growth factor (PLGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), PI3K, and AKT was examined by western blot. The relationship between PI3K and NDRG1 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: NDRG1 was significantly down-regulated at both the mRNA and protein level by lentivirus (Lv)-NDRG1-shRNA (P < 0.001), whereas it was significantly up-regulated by Lv-NDRG1 (P < 0.001). NDRG1 knockdown significantly increase the expression of PLGF and VEGF in JEG-3 cells (P < 0.001), while NDRG1 knockdown significantly reduced the secretion of sFlt-1 (P < 0.001). NDRG1 was specific bound to PI3K, and NDRG1 knockdown significantly up-regulated the expressions of PI3K and AKT in JEG-3 cells (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: NDRG1 suppresses angiogenesis in preeclampsia, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of angiogenesis by NDRG1.

Investigation heme oxygenase-1 polymorphism with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Objectives: The involvement of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia (PE) has been already suggested. In this present study, we aimed to investigate the association of the genetic frequency of heme oxygense-1 (HMOX1) polymorphism with PE in Chinese Han women.Methods: We researched the genetic distribution of rs2071746 polymorphism in HMOX1 by the TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time PCR between 1235 PE patients and 1720 healthy women.Results: We found there were't significant differences in the distribution of HMOX1 rs2071746 polymorphism in PE compared to the control group (rs2071746, genotype χ2 = 0.282, P = 0.869 and allele χ2 = 0.027, P = 0.869, OR = 1.009, 95% = 0.909-1.120).Conclusion: The rs2071746 polymorphism in HMOX1 might not be related to PE in Chinese women, although further investigations should be conducted to confirm our findings.

Increased NDRG1 expression attenuate trophoblast invasion through ERK/MMP-9 pathway in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of N-myc downstream-regulated gene1(NDRG1)in the placentas of pregnancies complicated with early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia (PE) and its underlying mechanism on the pathophysiology of PE. METHODS: The expressions of NDRG-1 in placentas of pregnancies complicated with early-onset PE and late-onset PE were detected using immunohistochemistry, western blot assays and fluorescence quantitative PCR. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and ERK1/2 protein were detected by western blot analysis and cell invasion assay was performed using transwell chambers in NDRG1 silenced JEG-3 cells. RESULTS: Compared with the normal term pregnancies, the expression of both NDRG1 mRNA and protein were significantly high in placentas from PE, and the expression of NDRG1 in early-onset PE was higher than that in late-onset PE. In NDRG1-silenced JEG-3 cells, MMP-2, MMP-9 and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 protein increased obviously and the number of cells that penetrated the membrane increased. CONCLUSION: Upregulation of NDRG1 is associated with impaired trophoblast invasion in PE by inhibition ERK/MMP-2 and MMP-9 Pathway.

[Expression and prognostic value of VEGF-C and lymphangeogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), a member of the VEGF family, has been proven to be a relatively special VEGF. When binding to its receptor VEGFR-3, it activates lymphangiogenesis, which likely induces lymph node metastasis in tumors. The aim of this study is to characterize the expression and prognostic value of VEGF-C and lymphangiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Through immunohistochemistry, the lymph vessel endothelial cells undergoing lymphangiogenesis were stained with podoplanin to detect the expression of VEGF-C and lymphangiogenesis in 98 cases with stage IIIa (N2) lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. RESULTS: The expression rate of the VEGF-C was positively correlated with the lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD; r=0.783, P<0.01). The LMVD was remarkably higher in VEGF-C positive expression group than that in the VEGF-C negative expression group. The expression rate of VEGF-C and lymphangiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in lung squamous cell carcinoma (P<0.01). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the survival rates in patients with positive VEGF-C expression were significantly lower than those in patients with negative VEGF-C expression (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphangiogenesis rates are significantly higher in lung adenocarcinoma than that in squamous cell carcinoma. VEGF-C expression is an independent prognostic factor of stage IIIa (N2) lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.