Molecular characterization of the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP18A1 in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata.

In insects, the expression of 20E response genes that initiate metamorphosis is triggered by a pulse of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). The 20E pulse is generated through two processes: synthesis, which increases its level, and inactivation, which decreases its titer. CYP18A1 functions as an ecdysteroid 26-hydroxylase and plays a role in 20E removal in several representative insects. However, applying 20E degradation activity of CYP18A1 to other insects remains a significant challenge. In this study, we discovered high levels of Hvcyp18a1 during the larval and late pupal stages, particularly in the larval epidermis and fat body of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, a damaging Coleopteran pest of potatoes. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting Hvcyp18a1 disrupted the pupation. Approximately 75% of the Hvcyp18a1 RNAi larvae experienced developmental arrest and remained as stunted prepupae. Subsequently, they gradually turned black and eventually died. Among the Hvcyp18a1-depleted animals that successfully pupated, around half became malformed pupae with swollen elytra and hindwings. The emerged adults from these deformed pupae appeared misshapen, with shriveled elytra and hindwings, and were wrapped in the pupal exuviae. Furthermore, RNAi of Hvcyp18a1 increased the expression of a 20E receptor gene (HvEcR) and four 20E response transcripts (HvE75, HvHR3, HvBrC, and HvαFTZ-F1), while decreased the transcription of HvßFTZ-F1. Our findings confirm the vital role of CYP18A1 in the pupation, potentially involved in the degradation of 20E in H. vigintioctopunctata.

Cell-excreted proteins mediate the interactions of differently sized silica nanoparticles during cellular uptake.

Exposure to different types of nanoparticles (NPs) results in their deposition in human bodies. While most studies have examined the cellular uptake of only one type of NP at a time, how the dynamics of NP uptake may change in the presence of other types of NPs remains unclear. We therefore investigated the interplay of two differently sized SiO2 NPs during their uptake by A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Both NPs contained a CdSeTe core, which was labeled with different Cd isotopes to differentiate between them. Our study showed that the uptake of one size of SiO2 NPs either increased or decreased with the concentration of the other size of SiO2 NPs. This variation in uptake was attributable to the concentration-dependent aggregation of SiO2 NPs, as determined by the amount of cell-excreted proteins adsorbed on the NP surface. Further, the effects of the protein corona on the attachment of SiO2 NPs to the cell surface and uptake competition between differently sized SiO2 NPs also played important roles. Cell-excreted proteins were then analyzed by proteomics. Overall, the complex interactions between coexisting NPs of different physicochemical properties and cell-excreted proteins should be considered during bio-applications and bio-safety evaluations of NPs.

Turbid Waters and Clearer Standards: Refining Water Quality Criteria for Coastal Environments by Encompassing Metal Bioavailability from Suspended Particles.

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) carries a major fraction of metals in turbid coastal waters, markedly influencing metal bioaccumulation and posing risks to marine life. However, its effects are often overlooked in current water quality criteria for metals, primarily due to challenges in quantifying SPM's contribution. This contribution depends on the SPM concentration, metal distribution coefficients (Kd), and the bioavailability of SPM-bound metals (assimilation efficiency, AE), which can collectively be integrated as a modifying factor (MF). Accordingly, we developed a new stable isotope method to measure metal AE by individual organisms from SPM, employing the widely distributed filter-feeding clam Ruditapes philippinarum as a representative species. Assessing SPM from 23 coastal sites in China, we found average AEs of 42% for Zn, 26% for Cd, 20% for Cu, 8% for Ni, and 6% for Pb. Moreover, using stable isotope methods, we determined metal Kd of SPM from these sites, which can be well predicted by the total organic carbon and iron content (R2 = 0.977). We calculated MFs using a Monte Carlo method. The calculated MFs are in the range 9.9-43 for Pb, 8.5-37 for Zn, 2.9-9.7 for Cu, 1.4-2.7 for Ni, and 1.1-1.6 for Cd, suggesting that dissolved-metal-based criteria values should be divided by MFs to provide adequate protection to aquatic life. This study provides foundational guidelines to refine water quality criteria in turbid waters and protect coastal ecosystems.

Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy Reveals Bioaccumulation of Small Microplastics in Protozoa from Natural Waters.

Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants of global concern, and bioaccumulation determines their biological effects. Although microorganisms form a large fraction of our ecosystem's biomass and are important in biogeochemical cycling, their accumulation of MPs has never been confirmed in natural waters because current tools for field biological samples can detect only MPs > 10 µm. Here, we show that stimulated Raman scattering microscopy (SRS) can image and quantify the bioaccumulation of small MPs (<10 µm) in protozoa. Our label-free method, which differentiates MPs by their SRS spectra, detects individual and mixtures of different MPs (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and poly(methyl methacrylate)) in protozoa. The ability of SRS to quantify cellular MP accumulation is similar to that of flow cytometry, a fluorescence-based method commonly used to determine cellular MP accumulation. Moreover, we discovered that protozoa in water samples from Yangtze River, Xianlin Wastewater Treatment Plant, Lake Taihu and the Pearl River Estuary accumulated MPs < 10 µm, but the proportion of MP-containing cells was low (∼2-5%). Our findings suggest that small MPs could potentially enter the food chain and transfer to organisms at higher trophic levels, posing environmental and health risks that deserve closer scrutiny.

Silica nanoparticles inhibit cadmium uptake by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila without the need for adsorption.

The simultaneous presence of nanoparticles (NPs) and heavy metals in the environment may affect their mutual biological uptake. Although previous studies showed that NPs could alter the cellular uptake of heavy metals by their adsorption of heavy metals, whether they could affect metal uptake without the need for adsorption is unknown. This study examined the effects of silica (SiO2) NPs on the uptake of Cd ion by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. We found that, even with negligible levels of adsorption, SiO2 NPs at concentrations of 3 to 100 mg/L inhibited Cd uptake. This inhibitory effect decreased as the ambient Cd concentration increased from 1 to 100 µg/L, suggesting the involvement of at least two transporters with different affinities for Cd. The transporters were subsequently identified by the specific protein inhibitors amiloride and tariquidar as NCX and ABCB1, which are responsible for the uptake of Cd at low and high Cd levels, respectively. RT-qPCR and molecular dynamics simulation further showed that the inhibitory effects of SiO2 NPs were attributable to the down-regulated expression of the genes Ncx and Abcb1, steric hindrance of Cd uptake by NCX and ABCB1, and the shrinkage of the central channel pore of the transporters in the presence of SiO2 NPs. SiO2 NPs more strongly inhibited Cd transport by NCX than by ABCB1, due to the higher binding affinity of SiO2 NPs with NCX. Overall, our study sheds new light on a previously overlooked influence of NPs on metal uptake and the responsible mechanism.

A Novel Cargo Delivery System-AnCar-ExoLaIMTS Ameliorates Arthritis via Specifically Targeting Pro-Inflammatory Macrophages.

Macrophages are heterogenic phagocytic cells that play distinct roles in physiological and pathological processes. Targeting different types of macrophages has shown potent therapeutic effects in many diseases. Although many approaches are developed to target anti-inflammatory macrophages, there are few researches on targeting pro-inflammatory macrophages, which is partially attributed to their non-s pecificity phagocytosis of extracellular substances. In this study, a novel recombinant protein is constructed that can be anchored on an exosome membrane with the purpose of targeting pro-inflammatory macrophages via antigen recognition, which is named AnCar-ExoLaIMTS . The data indicate that the phagocytosis efficiencies of pro-inflammatory macrophages for different AnCar-ExoLaIMTS show obvious differences. The AnCar-ExoLaIMTS3 has the best targeting ability for pro-inflammatory macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, AnCar-ExoLaIMTS3 can specifically recognize the leucine-rich repeat domain of the TLR4 receptor, and then enter into pro-inflammatory macrophages via the TLR4-mediated receptor endocytosis pathway. Moreover, AnCar-ExoLaIMTS3 can efficiently deliver therapeutic cargo to pro-inflammatory macrophages and inhibit the synovial inflammatory response via downregulation of HIF-1α level, thus ameliorating the severity of arthritis in vivo. Collectively, the work established a novel gene/drug delivery system that can specifically target pro-inflammatory macrophages, which may be beneficial for the treatments of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

Silica Nanoparticle Size Determines the Mechanisms Underlying the Inhibition of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Uptake by Daphnia magna.

Aquatic environments are complicated systems that contain different types of nanoparticles (NPs). Nevertheless, recent studies of NP toxicity, and especially those that have focused on bioaccumulation have mostly investigated only a single type of NPs. Assessments of the environmental risks of NPs that do not consider co-exposure regimes may lead to inaccurate conclusions and ineffective environmental regulation. Thus, the present study examined the effects of differently sized silica NPs (SiO2 NPs) on the uptake of iron oxide NPs (Fe2O3 NPs) by the zooplankton Daphnia magna. Both SiO2 NPs and Fe2O3 NPs were well dispersed in the experimental medium without significant heteroaggregation. Although all three sizes of SiO2 NPs inhibited the uptake of Fe2O3 NPs, the underlying mechanisms differed. SiO2 NPs smaller than the average mesh size (∼200 nm) of the filtering apparatus of D. magna reduced the accumulation of Fe2O3 NPs through uptake competition, whereas larger SiO2 NPs inhibited the uptake of Fe2O3 NPs mainly by reducing the water filtration rate of the daphnids. Overall, in evaluations of the risks of NPs in the natural environment, the different mechanisms underlying the effects of NPs of different sizes on the uptake of dissimilar NPs should be considered.

A Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Sequential versus Concurrent Intrapleural Instillation of Tissue Plasminogen Activator and DNase for Pleural Infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients with pleural infection requiring intrapleural therapy at two tertiary referral centres. Results: We included 84 (62.2%) and 51 (37.8%) patients who received sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, including age, RAPID score, and percentage of pleural opacity on radiographs before intrapleural therapy, were similar in both groups. Treatment failure rates (defined by either in-hospital mortality, surgical intervention, or 30-day readmission for pleural infection) were 9.5% and 5.9% with sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively (p = 0.534). This translates to a treatment success rate of 90.5% and 94.1% for sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively. There was no significant difference in the decrease in percentage of pleural effusion size on chest radiographs (15.1% [IQR 6-35.7] versus 26.6% [IQR 9.9-38.7], p = 0.143) between sequential and concurrent therapy, respectively. There were also no significant differences in the rate of pleural bleeding (4.8% versus 9.8%, p = 0.298) and chest pain (13.1% versus 9.8%, p = 0.566) between sequential and concurrent therapy, respectively. Conclusion: Our study adds to the growing literature on the safety and efficacy of concurrent intrapleural therapy in pleural infection.

Enhancing Sediment Bioaccumulation Predictions: Isotopically Modified Bioassay and Biodynamic Modeling for Nickel Assessment.

Quantifying metal bioaccumulation in a sedimentary environment is a valuable line of evidence when evaluating the ecological risks associated with metal-contaminated sediments. However, the precision of bioaccumulation predictions has been hindered by the challenges in accurately modeling metal influx processes. This study focuses on nickel bioaccumulation from sediment and introduces an innovative approach using the isotopically modified bioassay to directly measure nickel assimilation rates in sediment. Tested in sediments spiked with two distinct nickel concentrations, the measured Ni assimilation rates ranged from 35 to 78 ng g-1 h-1 in the Low-Ni treatment and from 96 to 320 ng g-1 h-1 in the High-Ni treatment. Integrating these rates into a biodynamic model yielded predictions of nickel bioaccumulation closely matching the measured results, demonstrating high accuracy with predictions within a factor of 3 for the Low-Ni treatment and within a factor of 1 for the High-Ni treatment. By eliminating the need to model metal uptake from various sources, this streamlined approach provides a reliable method for predicting nickel bioaccumulation in contaminated sediments. This advancement holds promise for linking bioaccumulation with metal toxicity risks in sedimentary environments, enhancing our understanding of metal-contaminated sediment risks and providing valuable insights to support informed decision-making in ecological risk assessment and management.

Case report: septic shock after endometrial polypectomy with tissue removal system.

As an emerging surgical technology, tissue removal systems have been widely used in the treatment of endometrial polyps due to its characteristics of less endometrial damage, shorter learning curve and clearer vision of the operative field. There are few cases in the literature reporting serious complications after endometrial polypectomy using tissue removal systems. As known, septic shock is a rare complication following hysteroscopic polypectomy. Now, we present the case of a 23-year-old woman who developed septic shock after polypectomy with tissue removal system. The patient had a history of recurrent vaginitis for more than half a year. Due to endometrial polyps, she was admitted to our hospital and scheduled to undergo hysteroscopic endometrial polypectomy. Three hours after the endometrial polypectomy using the tissue removal system, the patient had shock symptoms such as increased body temperature, decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate. Then, the patient was successfully treated and discharged after anti-infection and anti-shock treatments. The purpose of this case report is to remind clinicians to consider the possibility of serious infection and comprehensively evaluate the risk of infection before choosing hysteroscopic devices for endometrial polyps, especially for patients who choose the mechanical hysteroscopic tissue removal systems. Furthermore, the mechanical hysteroscopic tissue removal systems should be used with caution in patients with previous recurrent vaginitis.

Toward Citizen Science-Based Ocean Acidification Observations Using Smartphone Devices.

pH is a key parameter in many chemical, biological, and biogeochemical processes, making it a fundamental aspect of environmental monitoring. Rapid and accurate seawater pH measurements are essential for effective ocean observation and acidification investigations, resulting in the need for novel solutions that allow robust, precise, and affordable pH monitoring. In this study, a versatile smartphone-based environmental analyzer (vSEA) was used for the rapid measurement of seawater pH in a field study. The feasibility of the use of the vSEA algorithm for pH quantification was explored and verified. When used in conjunction with a three-dimensional (3D)-printed light-proof shell, the quality of captured images is guaranteed. The quantitative accuracy of vSEA pH measurements reached 0.018 units with an uncertainty of <0.01, meeting the requirements of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) for "weather" goals (permitting a maximum pH uncertainty of 0.02). The vSEA-pH system was successfully applied for on-site pH measurements in coastal seawater and coral systems. The performance of the vSEA-pH system was validated using different real-world samples, and t-test results showed that the vSEA-pH system was consistent with pH measurements obtained using a state-of-the-art benchtop spectrophotometer (t = 1.986, p = 0.7949). The vSEA-pH system is applicable to different types of smartphone devices, making it possible for vSEA-pH to be widely promoted for public citizen use. The vSEA-pH system offers a simple, accurate, and applicable method for the on-site measurement of seawater pH, assisting the large-scale monitoring of ocean acidification by allowing the contribution of citizen science-based data collection.

PIAS1 upregulation confers protection against Cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis via FTO downregulation by enhancing sumoylation of Foxa2.

OBJECTIVE: This research discussed the specific mechanism by which PIAS1 affects acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: PIAS1, Foxa2, and FTO expression was assessed in Cerulein-induced AR42J cells and mice. Loss- and gain-of-function assays and Cerulein induction were conducted in AR42J cells and mice for analysis. The relationship among PIAS1, Foxa2, and FTO was tested. Cell experiments run in triplicate, and eight mice for each animal group. RESULTS: Cerulein-induced AP cells and mice had low PIAS1 and Foxa2 and high FTO. Cerulein induced pancreatic injury in mice and inflammation and oxidative stress in pancreatic tissues, which could be reversed by PIAS1 or Foxa2 upregulation or FTO downregulation. PIAS1 elevated SUMO modification of Foxa2 to repress FTO transcription. FTO upregulation neutralized the ameliorative effects of PIAS1 or Foxa2 upregulation on Cerulein-induced AR42J cell injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: PIAS1 upregulation diminished FTO transcription by increasing Foxa2 SUMO modification, thereby ameliorating Cerulein-induced AP.

Dusky-like Is Critical for Morphogenesis of the Cellular Protuberances and Formation of the Cuticle in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata.

Dusky-like (Dyl) is a transmembrane protein containing a zona pellucida domain. Its physiological roles during metamorphosis have been well explored in Drosophila melanogaster and have also been documented in Tribolium castaneum. However, Dyl has undergone a functional shift between Diptera and Coleoptera insects. Further investigation of Dyl in other insects will be helpful to further clarify its function in insect growth and development. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata is an important Coleoptera that causes enormous economic losses in agriculture in China. In this study, we found that the expression of Hvdyl was detectable in embryos, larvae, prepupae, pupae, and adults. We knocked down Hvdyl in third- and fourth-instar larvae and pupae with RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi of Hvdyl mainly caused two phenotypic defects. Firstly, the growth of epidermal cellular protuberances was suppressed. Injection of dsdyl (double-stranded dusky-like RNA) at the third-instar larval stage truncated the scoli throughout the thorax and abdomen and shortened the setae on the head capsules and mouthparts of the fourth-instar larvae. Introduction of dsdyl at the third- and fourth-instar stages led to misshapen pupal setae. The setae were shortened or became black nodules. Treatment with dsdyl at the larval and pupal stages resulted in deformed adults with completely suppressed wing hairs. Moreover, the knockdown of Hvdyl at the third-instar stage caused deformed larval mouthparts at the fourth-instar period. As a result, foliage consumption was inhibited, and larval growth was slowed. The results indicate that Dyl is associated with the growth of cellular protuberances throughout development and with the formation of the cuticle in H. vigintioctopunctata.

Interspecies calibration for biomonitoring metal contamination in coastal waters using oysters and mussels.

Differences in metal bioaccumulation among species make it difficult to compare biomonitoring results obtained using different marine bivalve species. To address this challenge and improve the interpretation of biomonitoring data, we studied the toxicokinetic mechanisms underlying these differences and developed a method to estimate seawater metal concentrations based on metal concentrations in the organisms. We transplanted six common species of oysters and mussels found in Chinese coastal waters into the Jiulong River estuary and monitored metal concentrations in the organisms, water, and suspended particles every three days over a six-week period. A one-compartment first-order toxicokinetic model was used to describe the relationship between metal bioaccumulation and metal concentrations in the environment. The model parameters, including aqueous uptake (ku) and dietary assimilation (kp) rate constants, and elimination rate constant (ke), were estimated using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo fitting method with a priori information from a systematic review we conducted. The toxicokinetic model successfully fitted the temporal changes in metal bioaccumulation in all six bivalve species and explained the interspecies differences. Using the calibrated models, we were able to calculate metal concentrations in the seawater at the bivalve collection sites and enable comparisons of biomonitoring data across multiple species. In conclusion, we have established a toxicokinetic framework to explain interspecies differences in metal bioaccumulation in six commonly found bivalves and provided a useful tool for interpreting biomonitoring data in coastal environments.

Genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analysis of Oldenlandia corymbosa reveals the biosynthesis and mode of action of anti-cancer metabolites.

Plants accumulate a vast array of secondary metabolites, which constitute a natural resource for pharmaceuticals. Oldenlandia corymbosa belongs to the Rubiaceae family, and has been used in traditional medicine to treat different diseases, including cancer. However, the active metabolites of the plant, their biosynthetic pathway and mode of action in cancer are unknown. To fill these gaps, we exposed this plant to eight different stress conditions and combined different omics data capturing gene expression, metabolic profiles, and anti-cancer activity. Our results show that O. corymbosa extracts are active against breast cancer cell lines and that ursolic acid is responsible for this activity. Moreover, we assembled a high-quality genome and uncovered two genes involved in the biosynthesis of ursolic acid. Finally, we also revealed that ursolic acid causes mitotic catastrophe in cancer cells and identified three high-confidence protein binding targets by Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) and reverse docking. Altogether, these results constitute a valuable resource to further characterize the biosynthesis of active metabolites in the Oldenlandia group, while the mode of action of ursolic acid will allow us to further develop this valuable compound.

Cross-stress gene expression atlas of Marchantia polymorpha reveals the hierarchy and regulatory principles of abiotic stress responses.

Abiotic stresses negatively impact ecosystems and the yield of crops, and climate change will increase their frequency and intensity. Despite progress in understanding how plants respond to individual stresses, our knowledge of plant acclimatization to combined stresses typically occurring in nature is still lacking. Here, we used a plant with minimal regulatory network redundancy, Marchantia polymorpha, to study how seven abiotic stresses, alone and in 19 pairwise combinations, affect the phenotype, gene expression, and activity of cellular pathways. While the transcriptomic responses show a conserved differential gene expression between Arabidopsis and Marchantia, we also observe a strong functional and transcriptional divergence between the two species. The reconstructed high-confidence gene regulatory network demonstrates that the response to specific stresses dominates those of others by relying on a large ensemble of transcription factors. We also show that a regression model could accurately predict the gene expression under combined stresses, indicating that Marchantia performs arithmetic multiplication to respond to multiple stresses. Lastly, two online resources ( https://conekt.plant.tools and http://bar.utoronto.ca/efp_marchantia/cgi-bin/efpWeb.cgi ) are provided to facilitate the study of gene expression in Marchantia exposed to abiotic stresses.

Correction: Expanding the utility of the ROX index among patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261234.].

Higher Risks of Copper Toxicity in Turbid Waters: Quantifying the Bioavailability of Particle-Bound Metals to Set Site-Specific Water Quality Criteria.

In coastal waters, particulate metals constitute a substantial fraction of the total metals; however, the prevalent water quality criteria are primarily based on dissolved metals, seemingly neglecting the contribution of particulate metals. Here we developed a method to quantify the toxicity risk of particulate metals, and proposed a way to calculate modifying factors (MFs) for setting site-specific criteria in turbid waters. Specifically, we used a side-by-side experimental design to study copper (Cu) bioaccumulation and toxicity in an estuarine clam, Potamocorbula laevis, under the exposure to "dissolved only" and "dissolved + particulate" 65Cu. A toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic model (TK-TD) was used to quantify the processes of Cu uptake, ingestion, assimilation, egestion, and elimination, and to relate mortality risk to tissue Cu. We find that particulate Cu contributes 40-67% of the Cu bioaccumulation when the suspended particulate matter (SPM) ranges from 12 to 229 mg L-1. The Cu-bearing SPM also increases the sensitivity of organisms to internalized Cu by decreasing the internal threshold concentration (CIT) from 141 to 76.8 µg g-1. MFs were derived based on the TK-TD model to consider the contribution of particulate Cu (in the studied SPM range) for increasing Cu bioaccumulation (MF = 1.3-2.2) and toxicity (MF = 2.3-3.9). Water quality criteria derived from dissolved metal exposure need to be lowered by dividing by an MF to provide adequate protection. Overall, the method we developed provides a scientifically sound framework to manage the risks of metals in turbid waters.