Frizzled 6 endows high-grade serous ovarian cancer with stem-like properties and chemoresistance.

Stem-like properties contribute to tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) exhibits a very aggressive phenotype characterized by extensive metastasis, rapid progression, and therapy resistance. Frizzled 6 (FZD6) is overexpressed in HGSOC, and higher levels of FZD6 have been associated with shorter survival times in patients with HGSOC. Functionally, FZD6 promotes HGSOC growth and peritoneal metastasis. It endues HGSOC cells with stem-like properties by modulating POU5F1, ALDH1, and EPCAM. It can also desensitize HGSOC cells to certain chemical drugs. As a putative ligand for FZD6, WNT7B is also implicated in cell proliferation, stem-like properties, invasion and migration, and chemoresistance. SMAD7 is a downstream component of FZD6 signaling that is thought to mediate FZD6-associated phenotypes, at least in part. Therefore, FZD6/WNT7B-SMAD7 can be considered a tumor-promoting signaling pathway in HGSOC that may be responsible for tumor growth, peritoneal metastasis, and chemoresistance.

A cross-sectional study exploring the relationship between oxidative balance score and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2020).

BACKGROUND: The intricate interaction between oxidative stress and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is an essential area of research because of the potential role of oxidative homeostasis in regulating ASCVD risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the oxidative balance score (OBS) and the 10-years risk of ASCVD to gain insight into how oxidative balance affects cardiovascular health. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2020 data (40-79 age group), exploring OBS's link to 10-years ASCVD risk. OBS categorized dietary and lifestyle factors. Multivariate logistic regression controlled for age, sex, race, and demographics. A restricted cubic spline examined linear relationships; robustness was ensured through subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Analysis of 4955 participants reveals a negative association between OBS and 10-years ASCVD risk. Continuous OBS adjusted OR: 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95∼0.99, p < .001). Quartile analysis shows reduced risk in Q2 0.88 (95% CI: 0.63∼1.22, p = .43), Q3 0.92 (95% CI: 0.66∼1.28, p = .614), and Q4 0.59 (95% CI: 0.42∼0.83, p = .002) compare Q1. Quartile analysis indicated decreasing risk in higher OBS quartiles. Lifestyle OBS and Dietary OBS demonstrated similar trends. Stratified analyses highlight race and hypertension as effect modifiers (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an association between higher OBS and a reduced 10-years ASCVD risk. However, causation should not be inferred, and in the future, more extensive clinical and fundamental research is required to delve deeper into this association.

Knockdown of long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 9 or hexokinase 2 both suppress endometrial cancer cell proliferation and glycolysis.

AIM: Endometrial cancer (EC) is a common type of malignant gynecological cancer. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 9 (SNHG9) has been discovered to serve a role in several types of cancer; however, the role of SNHG9 in EC remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lncRNA SNHG9 on cell proliferation and glycolysis in EC cells. METHODS: SNHG9 and hexokinase 2 (HK2) mRNA expression levels were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Glucose consumption and lactate production were detected by the glycolysis cell-based assay kit. Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays were conducted to detect cell proliferation. The knockdown experiments of SNHG9 and HK2 were carried out by transfection of corresponding small interference RNAs (siRNA). The SNHG9-overexpressed plasmid was transfected into the cells to upregulate SNHG9. HK2 protein levels were analyzed by western blotting assay. RESULTS: SNHG9 expression levels were significantly upregulated in EC tissues and cells. The knockdown of SNHG9 subsequently effectively attenuated cell proliferation and glycolysis in vitro, while SNHG9 overexpression reported the opposite effects. Notably, the transfection of 2-DG partially reversed the promoting effect of SNHG9 on glycolysis. Downregulation of HK2 markedly decreased cell proliferation and glycolysis in EC cells antagonized SNHG9. CONCLUSION: Either downregulation of SNHG9 or HK2 inhibits EC cell proliferation and glycolysis via repressing EC cell proliferation and glycolysis.

ZnO capped flower-like porous carbon-Fe3O4 composite as carrier for bi-triggered drug delivery.

In this work, ZnO capped flower-like porous carbon-Fe3O4 composite (FPCS-Fe3O4-ZnO) was constructed as a carrier for pH and microwave bi-triggered drug delivery. In the composite, the FPCS achieves high-efficiency drug loading, the Fe3O4 acts as magnetic targeting agent and microwave absorption enhancer, and the ZnO nanoparticle as a sealing agent in response to pH stimulation. The carrier exhibited a flower-mesoporous sphere of 270 nm, a specific surface area of 101 m2/g, a saturation magnetization of 14.08 emu/g, as well as good microwave thermal conversion properties (The temperature was raised from 25 °C to 60 °C only 24 s). Simultaneously, the carrier achieved an efficient drug loading with a drug loading rate of 99.1%. During the drug release experiments, obvious pH-dependent release behavior was observed, the drug release rate at 12 h was 8.2%, 19.0%, and 56.3% at pH 7.4, 5.0 and 3.0 respectively. Moreover the drug release rate increased from 8.2% to 39.9% after microwave stimulation at pH 7.4. In addition, cytotoxicity tests indicate that the carrier has good biocompatibility. Thus, this multifunctional pH and microwave bi-triggered carrier was expected to be further applied to drug delivery system(DDS).

Development of population structure and spatial distribution patterns of a restored forest during 17-year succession (1993-2010) in Pingshuo opencast mine spoil, China.

Afforestation of native tree species is often recommended for ecological restoration in mining areas, but the understanding of the ecological processes of restored vegetation is quite limited. In order to provide insight of the ecological processes of restored vegetation, in this study, we investigate the development of the population structure and spatial distribution patterns of restored Robinia pseudoacacia (ROPS) and Pinus tabuliformis (PITA) mixed forests during the 17 years of the mine spoil period of the Pingshuo opencast mine, Shanxi Province, China. After a 17-year succession, apart from the two planted species, Ulmus pumila (ULPU), as an invasive species, settled in the plot along with a large number of small diameter at breast height (DBH) size. In total, there are 10,062 living individual plants, much more than that at the plantation (5105), and ROPS had become the dominant species with a section area with a breast height of 9.40 m(2) hm(-2) and a mean DBH of 6.72 cm, much higher than both PITA and ULPU. The DBH size classes of all the total species showed inverted J-shaped distributions, which may have been a result of the large number of small regenerated ULPU trees. The DBH size classes of both ROPS and PITA showed peak-type structures with individuals mainly gathering in the moderate DBH size class, indicating a relatively healthy DBH size class structure. Meanwhile, invasive ULPU were distributed in a clear L shape, concentrating on the small DBH size class, indicating a relatively low survival rate for adult trees. Both ROPS and PITA species survival in the plantation showed uniform and aggregated distribution at small scales and random with scales increasing. ULPU showed a strong aggregation at small scales as well as random with scales increasing. Both the population structure and spatial distribution indicated that ROPS dominates and will continue to dominate the community in the future succession, which should be continuously monitored.