Retraction: Down-regulation of MRPS23 inhibits LPS-induced proliferation and invasion via regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in osteosarcoma cells.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1039/C8RA08973F.].

Continuous-Flow Microwave Milk Sterilisation System Based on a Coaxial Slot Radiator.

Microwave continuous-flow liquid food sterilisation, in which the liquid is mainly heated by microwaves, has the advantages of fast sterilisation speed, energy saving, comprehensive elimination, and less nutrient loss. Circular pipes are commonly used in microwave continuous-flow liquid heating processing. However, with circular pipes, which are widely used in the industry, the heating is uneven owing to the phenomenon of tube focusing when adopting external radiation. In this study, a novel microwave continuous-flow milk sterilisation system based on a coaxial slot radiator is proposed. First, the coaxial slot radiator was designed to realise efficient radiation through the establishment of multi-physics model. The structure of the system was then optimised by comparing the heating efficiency and uniformity of simulation results. The effect of microwave coaxial slot radiator rotation on heating uniformity was simulated and the results show that the heating uniformity is improved obviously. Experimental equipment was set up to verify the results of the simulation. The experimental results are consistent with the simulation results. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of the system is performed to confirm that, when the dielectric properties and types of liquid food change, the heating of the proposed microwave continuous-flow system remains efficient and uniform.

Prophage LambdaSo uses replication interference to suppress reproduction of coexisting temperate phage MuSo2 in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Many bacterial genomes carry multiple prophages that compete with each other, potentially affecting the physiology, fitness, and pathogenicity of their hosts. However, molecular mechanisms of such prophage-prophage conflicts remain poorly understood. The genome of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a Gammaproteobacterium residing in aquatic environments and notable for its ability to reduce metal ions, harbours four prophages, two of which (LambdaSo and MuSo2) form infectious virions during biofilm formation. Here, we constructed indicator strains of LambdaSo and MuSo2 by deleting the corresponding prophages from the MR-1 chromosome and investigated their reproduction. Interestingly, the fitness of MuSo2 increased in the absence of LambdaSo, suggesting that prophage LambdaSo repressed MuSo2 reproduction. Partial deletion of LambdaSo from the MR-1 chromosome revealed that gene cluster R of LambdaSo, which was responsible for the switch to the lytic cycle and LambdaSo genome replication initiation, was necessary and sufficient to repress MuSo2. Furthermore, activation of cluster R genes facilitated replication of cluster R-encoding DNA and inhibited host and MuSo2 DNA replication. These findings suggest that LambdaSo represses MuSo2 propagation by inhibiting DNA replication during simultaneous induction. We predict that such a mechanism of inter-prophage interference is more widespread in bacteria than currently appreciated.

Down-regulation of MRPS23 inhibits LPS-induced proliferation and invasion via regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in osteosarcoma cells.

Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 (MRPS23), encoded by a nuclear gene, is a participant in the translation of mitochondrial proteins. Recently, MRPS23 has been reported to be overexpressed in many types of cancers and have a close association with cancer progression. However, the specific roles of MRPS23 in osteosarcoma (OS) remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern and biological functions of MRPS23 in OS cells. Our results demonstrated that MRPS23 was up-regulated in OS tissues and cell lines. Down-regulation of MRPS23 significantly inhibited OS cell proliferation and invasion induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. Furthermore, the in vivo experiments showed that MRPS23 down-regulation markedly suppressed OS cell growth and metastasis induced by LPS. Mechanistically, down-regulation of MRPS23 inhibited the activity of NF-κB signaling pathway in OS cells. In conclusion, these findings indicated that MRPS23 may be a potential therapeutic target for OS treatment.

The complete genome of a viable archaeum isolated from 123-million-year-old rock salt.

Live microbes have been isolated from rock salt up to Permian age. Only obligatory cellular functions can be performed in halite-buried cells. Consequently, their genomic sequences are likely to remain virtually unchanged. However, the available sequence information from these organisms is scarce and consists of mainly ribosomal 16S sequences. Here, live archaea were isolated from early Cretaceous (∼ 123 million years old) halite from the depth of 2000 m in Qianjiang Depression, Hubei Province, China. The sample was radiologically dated and subjected to rigorous surface sterilization before microbe isolation. The isolates represented a single novel species of Halobacterium, for which we suggest the name Halobacterium hubeiense, type strain Hbt. hubeiense JI20-1. The species was closely related to a Permian (225-280 million years old) isolate, Halobacterium noricense, originating from Alpine rock salt. This study is the first one to publish the complete genome of an organism originating from surface-sterilized ancient halite. In the future, genomic data from halite-buried microbes can become a key factor in understanding the mechanisms by which these organisms are able to survive in harsh conditions deep underground or possibly on other celestial bodies.

Quercetin Enhances Cisplatin Sensitivity of Human Osteosarcoma Cells by Modulating microRNA-217-KRAS Axis.

Quercetin can suppress osteosarcoma cell growth and metastasis. However, other effects of quercetin on osteosarcoma remain largely unknown. This research aims to evaluate the effects of quercetin in combination with cisplatin as treatment for osteosarcoma and investigate its regulatory mechanism. Cell viability and apoptosis in 143B cell line were determined after treatment with quercetin and/or cisplatin. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to determine the RNA or protein expression levels. Moreover, transwell assay was used to evaluate metastasis. Furthermore, rescue experiments were performed to investigate the potential regulatory mechanism of the treatment. Results showed that quercetin with concentration that was equal to or greater than 10 µM inhibited 143B proliferation, while 5 µM quercetin enhanced the cisplatin sensitivity of 143B cells. Expression of miR-217 was upregulated after quercetin and/or cisplatin treatment, while its target KRAS was downregulated both at mRNA and protein levels. MiR-217 knockdown led to the loss of enhanced cisplatin sensitivity while miR-217 overexpression showed the opposite effects, indicating that quercetin regulated cisplatin sensitivity by modulating the miR-217-KRAS axis. In conclusion, 5 µM quercetin enhanced the cisplatin sensitivity by modulating the miR-217-KRAS axis. This finding suggests that quercetin may be administered with cisplatin to improve the treatment for osteosarcoma.

Stimulating effect of a novel synthesized sulfonamido-based gallate ZXHA-TC on primary osteoblasts.

PURPOSE: This study is intended to investigate the effects of plants or plant-derived antioxidants on prevention of osteoporosis through the maintenance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at a favorable level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a novel antioxidant, namely 3,4,5-Trihydroxy-N-[4-(5-hydroxy-6-methoxy-pyrimidin-4-ylsulfamoyl)-phenyl]-benzamide (ZXHA-TC) was synthesized from gallic acid and sulfadimoxine. Its effect on osteoblast metabolism was investigated via the detection of cell proliferation, cell viability, production of ROS, and expression of osteogenic-specific genes including runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteocalcin (OCN), alpha-1 type I collagen (COL1A1), and osteogenic-related proteins after treatment for 2, 4, and 6 days respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that ZXHA-TC has a stimulating effect on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of primary osteoblasts by promoting cell proliferation, cell viability, and the expression of genes BSP and OCN. Productions of bone matrix and mineralization were also increased by ZXHA-TC treatment as a result of up-regulation of COL1A1 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at the early stage and down-regulation of both genes subsequently. A range of 6.25×10⁻³ microg/mL to 6.25×10⁻¹ microg/mL is the recommended dose for ZXHA-TC, within which 6.25×10⁻² µg/mL showed the best performance. CONCLUSION: This study may hold promise for the development of a novel agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Halophilic archaea cultivated from surface sterilized middle-late eocene rock salt are polyploid.

Live bacteria and archaea have been isolated from several rock salt deposits of up to hundreds of millions of years of age from all around the world. A key factor affecting their longevity is the ability to keep their genomic DNA intact, for which efficient repair mechanisms are needed. Polyploid microbes are known to have an increased resistance towards mutations and DNA damage, and it has been suggested that microbes from deeply buried rock salt would carry several copies of their genomes. Here, cultivable halophilic microbes were isolated from a surface sterilized middle-late Eocene (38-41 million years ago) rock salt sample, drilled from the depth of 800 m at Yunying salt mine, China. Eight unique isolates were obtained, which represented two haloarchaeal genera, Halobacterium and Halolamina. We used real-time PCR to show that our isolates are polyploid, with genome copy numbers of 11-14 genomes per cell in exponential growth phase. The ploidy level was slightly downregulated in stationary growth phase, but the cells still had an average genome copy number of 6-8. The polyploidy of halophilic archaea living in ancient rock salt might be a factor explaining how these organisms are able to overcome the challenge of prolonged survival during their entombment.