Prognostic and immunotherapeutic potential of regulatory T cell-associated signature in ovarian cancer.

Tumour-induced immunosuppressive microenvironments facilitate oncogenesis, with regulatory T cells (Tregs) serving as a crucial component. The significance of Treg-associated genes within the context of ovarian cancer (OC) remains elucidated insufficiently. Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) for the identification of Treg-specific biomarkers, this investigation employed single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) for the derivation of a Treg signature score. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) facilitated the identification of Treg-correlated genes. Machine learning algorithms were employed to determine an optimal prognostic model, subsequently exploring disparities across risk strata in terms of survival outcomes, immunological infiltration, pathway activation and responsiveness to immunotherapy. Through WGCNA, a cohort of 365 Treg-associated genes was discerned, with 70 implicated in the prognostication of OC. A Tregs-associated signature (TAS), synthesized from random survival forest (RSF) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithms, exhibited robust predictive validity across both internal and external cohorts. Low TAS OC patients demonstrated superior survival outcomes, augmented by increased immunological cell infiltration, upregulated immune checkpoint expression, distinct pathway enrichment and differential response to immunotherapeutic interventions. The devised TAS proficiently prognosticates patient outcomes and delineates the immunological milieu within OC, offering a strategic instrument for the clinical stratification and selection of patients.

REG3A promotes proliferation and DDP resistance of ovarian cancer cells by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

This study explored the effect of Regenerating Islet-Derived 3-Alpha (REG3A) on ovarian cancer (OC) progression. REG3A expression was scrutinized in clinical tissues of 97 OC cases by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). REG3A expression in OC cells and cisplatin (DDP) resistance OC cells was regulated by transfection. LY294002 (10 µM, inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway) was used to treat OC cells and DDP resistance OC cells. Cell counting kit-8 and methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium assays were applied for proliferation and DDP resistance detection. Flow cytometry was utilized for cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. The effect of REG3A on the OC cell in vivo growth was researched by establishing xenograft tumor model via using nude mice using nude mice. The expression of genes in clinical samples, cells and xenograft tumor tissues was investigated by qRT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. As a result, REG3A was over-expressed in OC patients and cells, associating with dismal prognosis of patients. REG3A knockdown repressed proliferation, DDP resistance, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of OC cells, and reduced the expression MDR-1, Cyclin D1, Cleaved caspase 3 proteins and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activity in OC cells. LY294002 treatment abrogated the promotion effect of REG3A on OC cell proliferation, apoptosis inhibition and DDP resistance. REG3A knockdown suppressed the in vivo growth of OC cells. Thus, REG3A promoted proliferation and DDP resistance of OC cells by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. REG3A might be a promising target for the clinical treatment of OC.

Integrative analysis from multi-center studies identifies a weighted gene co-expression network analysis-based Tregs signature in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a malignancy associated with poor prognosis and has been linked to regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the immune microenvironment. Nevertheless, the association between Tregs-related genes (TRGs) and OC prognosis remains incompletely understood. The xCell algorithm was used to analyze Tregs scores across multiple cohorts. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to identify potential TRGs and molecular subtypes. Furthermore, we used nine machine learning algorithms to create risk models with prognostic indicators for patients. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were used to demonstrate the immunosuppressive ability of Tregs and the expression of key TRGs in clinical samples. Our study found that higher Tregs scores were significantly correlated with poorer overall survival. Recurrent patients exhibited increased Tregs infiltration and reduced CD8+ T cell. Moreover, molecular subtyping using seven key TRGs revealed that subtype B exhibited higher enrichment of multiple oncogenic pathways and had a worse prognosis. Notably, subtype B exhibited high Tregs levels, suggesting immune suppression. In addition, we validated machine learning-derived prognostic models across multiple platform cohorts to better distinguish patient survival and predict immunotherapy efficacy. Finally, the differential expression of key TRGs was validated using clinical samples. Our study provides novel insights into the role of Tregs in the immune microenvironment of OC. We identified potential therapeutic targets derived from Tregs (CD24, FHL2, GPM6A, HOXD8, NAP1L5, REN, and TOX3) for personalized treatment and created a machining learning-based prognostic model for OC patients, which could be useful in clinical practice.

Single-cell transcriptome characteristics of testicular terminal epithelium lineages during aging in the Drosophila.

Aging is a complex biological process leading to impaired functions, with a variety of hallmarks. In the testis of Drosophila, the terminal epithelium region is involved in spermatid release and maturation, while its functional diversity and regulatory mechanism remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (scRNA-seq) to characterize the transcriptomes of terminal epithelium in Drosophila testes at 2-, 10 and 40-Days. Terminal epithelium populations were defined with Metallothionein A (MtnA) and subdivided into six novel sub-cell clusters (EP0-EP5), and a series of marker genes were identified based on their expressions. The data revealed the functional characteristics of terminal epithelium populations, such as tight junction, focal adhesion, bacterial invasion, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, proteasome, apoptosis and metabolism. Interestingly, we also found that disrupting genes for several relevant pathways in terminal epithelium led to male fertility disorders. Moreover, we also discovered a series of age-biased genes and pseudotime trajectory mediated state-biased genes during terminal epithelium aging. Differentially expressed genes during terminal epithelium aging were mainly participated in the regulation of several common signatures, e.g. mitochondria-related events, protein synthesis and degradation, and metabolic processes. We further explored the Drosophila divergence and selection in the functional constraints of age-biased genes during aging, revealing that age-biased genes in epithelial cells of 2 Days group evolved rapidly and were endowed with greater evolutionary advantages. scRNA-seq analysis revealed the diversity of testicular terminal epithelium populations, providing a gene target resource for further systematic research of their functions during aging.

Elevated serum neuropeptide Y levels are associated with carotid plaque formation in Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Carotid plaque (CP) formation is an important consequence of atherosclerosis and leads to significant complications. Levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is a sympathetic neurotransmitter, are elevated in cardiovascular diseases. It also has important roles in inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to explore the relationship between serum NPY and CP and to study further the influence of NPY and inflammatory factors on CP. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 adults who underwent a health examination at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University in Fujian Province, of whom 177 were finally enrolled. The participants were divided into the CP (n = 120) and non-CP (NCP) or control (n = 57) groups according to the results of carotid artery color Doppler ultrasound. The CP group was further classified into stable plaque (SP, n = 80) and vulnerable plaque (VP, n = 40) groups based on plaque characteristics. Serum NPY and pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were examined. Univariate and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between serum NPY levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the CP phenotype. RESULTS: The serum NPY and TNF-α levels of patients in the CP group were significantly higher than those in individuals from the NCP group [ (177.30 ± 43.29) pg.mL- 1 vs. (121.53 ± 40.16)pg.mL- 1, P < 0.001; (41.94 ± 14.19) pg.mL- 1 vs.(33.54 ± 13.37)pg.mL- 1, P = 0.003]. The serum NPY levels of the patients in the VP group were significantly higher than those in patients from the SP group [(191.67 ± 39.87)ng.L- 1 vs.(170.12 ± 43.37)ng.L- 1, P = 0.01, P < 0.05]. Serum TNF-α and NPY levels were positively correlated among patients from the CP group (r = 0.184, P = 0.044). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that serum NPY and TNF-α were independent influencing factors of CP [(OR = 1.029, P < 0.001);(OR = 1.030, P = 0.023)]. The area under the ROC curve of NPY predicting the CP showed statistical significance at a value of 0.819. CONCLUSION: Together, elevated serum NPY levels seem to be associated with the occurrence of coronary atherosclerosis in Chinese adults.

Synergistic Effects of 1-MCP Fumigation and ε-Poly-L-Lysine Treatments on Delaying Softening and Enhancing Disease Resistance of Flat Peach Fruit.

Flat peach, a predominant fruit consumed in China, is highly susceptible to softening and perishable. The impact of 1-methylcycloproene (1-MCP) fumigation combined with ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) on softening and postharvest reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phenylpropanoid pathway metabolisms in peaches and its relationship to disease resistance were investigated. Findings revealed that a combination of 1 µL L-1 1-MCP and 300 mg L-1 ε-PL effectively suppressed the activity of cell-wall-degrading enzymes and the disassembly of cell wall structure, thus maintaining higher firmness and lower decay incidence. Compared to the control group, the synergistic approach bolstered enzymatic responses linked to disease resistance and ROS-scavenge system, consistently preserving total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and glutathione levels. Concurrently, the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde was significantly diminished post-treatment. These results show that there is good synergistic effect between 1-MCP and ε-PL, which could effectively maintain the quality of flat peach fruit by modulating cell wall metabolism and enhancing the resistance.

Development of a counterselectable system for rapid and efficient CRISPR-based genome engineering in Zymomonas mobilis.

BACKGROUND: Zymomonas mobilis is an important industrial bacterium ideal for biorefinery and synthetic biology studies. High-throughput CRISPR-based genome editing technologies have been developed to enable targeted engineering of genes and hence metabolic pathways in the model ZM4 strain, expediting the exploitation of this biofuel-producing strain as a cell factory for sustainable chemicals, proteins and biofuels production. As these technologies mainly take plasmid-based strategies, their applications would be impeded due to the fact that curing of the extremely stable plasmids is laborious and inefficient. Whilst counterselection markers have been proven to be efficient for plasmid curing, hitherto only very few counterselection markers have been available for Z. mobilis. RESULTS: We constructed a conditional lethal mutant of the pheS gene of Z. mobilis ZM4, clmPheS, containing T263A and A318G substitutions and coding for a mutated alpha-subunit of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase to allow for the incorporation of a toxic analog of phenylalanine, p-chloro-phenylalanine (4-CP), into proteins, and hence leading to inhibition of cell growth. We demonstrated that expression of clmPheS driven by a strong Pgap promoter from a plasmid could render the Z. mobilis ZM4 cells sufficient sensitivity to 4-CP. The clmPheS-expressing cells were assayed to be extremely sensitive to 0.2 mM 4-CP. Subsequently, the clmPheS-assisted counterselection endowed fast curing of genome engineering plasmids immediately after obtaining the desired mutants, shortening the time of every two rounds of multiplex chromosome editing by at least 9 days, and enabled the development of a strategy for scarless modification of the native Z. mobilis ZM4 plasmids. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed a strategy, coupling an endogenous CRISPR-based genome editing toolkit with a counterselection marker created here, for rapid and efficient multi-round multiplex editing of the chromosome, as well as scarless modification of the native plasmids, providing an improved genome engineering toolkit for Z. mobilis and an important reference to develope similar genetic manipulation systems in other non-model organisms.

Hsa_circ_0001535 inhibits the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer by sponging miR-593-3p, upregulating PTEN expression

Background Hsa_circ_0001535 is involved in biological processes in various tumors. However, the biological effects and related mechanism of hsa_circ_0001535 in ovarian cancer (OC) is unclear. This work is aimed to probe the biological function and underlying mechanism of hsa_circ_0001535 in OC, especially sponged with mi-RNA, require further elucidation. Methods Hsa_circ_0001535 expression in OC tissues and cell lines were examined by qRT-PCR. Hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression model was constructed by lentivirus-mediated transfection in two OC cell lines, and the biological functions of hsa_circ_0001535 were evaluated by CCK-8, transwell assay and Western blot. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was respectively used to explore the relationship between hsa_circ_0001535 and miR-593-3p, as well as miR-593-3p and PTEN. The expression of miR-593-3p and PTEN were detected by qRT-PCR in two OC cell lines and OC tissues. Results Hsa_circ_0001535 was down-regulated in OC tissues and cell lines. Hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration and EMT marker expression in OC cells. Of interest, hsa_circ_0001535 targeted miR-593-3p and reduced its RNA level in OC cells. PTEN was a target gene of miR-593-3p, which was up-regulated by inhibiting miR-593-3p in OC cells. Furthermore, miR-593-3p mimic treatment reversed the up-regulation of PTEN by hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression in OC cells. Conclusions The above results showed that hsa_circ_0001535 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-593-3p to repress miR-593-3p expression, and promoted the expression of PTEN, thus inhibited proliferation and migration of OC cells. Our research provides a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer patients (AU)

An Inferred Ancestral CotA Laccase with Improved Expression and Kinetic Efficiency.

Laccases are widely used in industrial production due to their broad substrate availability and environmentally friendly nature. However, the pursuit of laccases with superior stability and increased heterogeneous expression to meet industry demands appears to be an ongoing challenge. To address this challenge, we resurrected five ancestral sequences of laccase BsCotA and their homologues. All five variants were successfully expressed in soluble and functional forms with improved expression levels in Escherichia coli. Among the five variants, three exhibited higher catalytic rates, thermal stabilities, and acidic stabilities. Notably, AncCotA2, the best-performing variant, displayed a kcat/KM of 7.5 × 105 M-1·s-1, 5.2-fold higher than that of the wild-type BsCotA, an improved thermo- and acidic stability, and better dye decolorization ability. This study provides a laccase variant with high application potential and presents a new starting point for future enzyme engineering.

Multi-Receptive Field Soft Attention Part Learning for Vehicle Re-Identification.

Vehicle re-identification across multiple cameras is one of the main problems of intelligent transportation systems (ITSs). Since the differences in the appearance between different vehicles of the same model are small and the appearance of the same vehicle changes drastically from different viewpoints, vehicle re-identification is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a model called multi-receptive field soft attention part learning (MRF-SAPL). The MRF-SAPL model learns semantically diverse vehicle part-level features under different receptive fields through multiple local branches, alleviating the problem of small differences in vehicle appearance. To align vehicle parts from different images, this study uses soft attention to adaptively locate the positions of the parts on the final feature map generated by a local branch and maintain the continuity of the internal semantics of the parts. In addition, to obtain parts with different semantic patterns, we propose a new loss function that punishes overlapping regions, forcing the positions of different parts on the same feature map to not overlap each other as much as possible. Extensive ablation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our part-level feature learning method MRF-SAPL, and our model achieves state-of-the-art performance on two benchmark datasets.

Hsa_circ_0001535 inhibits the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer by sponging miR-593-3p, upregulating PTEN expression.

BACKGROUND: Hsa_circ_0001535 is involved in biological processes in various tumors. However, the biological effects and related mechanism of hsa_circ_0001535 in ovarian cancer (OC) is unclear. This work is aimed to probe the biological function and underlying mechanism of hsa_circ_0001535 in OC, especially sponged with mi-RNA, require further elucidation. METHODS: Hsa_circ_0001535 expression in OC tissues and cell lines were examined by qRT-PCR. Hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression model was constructed by lentivirus-mediated transfection in two OC cell lines, and the biological functions of hsa_circ_0001535 were evaluated by CCK-8, transwell assay and Western blot. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was respectively used to explore the relationship between hsa_circ_0001535 and miR-593-3p, as well as miR-593-3p and PTEN. The expression of miR-593-3p and PTEN were detected by qRT-PCR in two OC cell lines and OC tissues. RESULTS: Hsa_circ_0001535 was down-regulated in OC tissues and cell lines. Hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration and EMT marker expression in OC cells. Of interest, hsa_circ_0001535 targeted miR-593-3p and reduced its RNA level in OC cells. PTEN was a target gene of miR-593-3p, which was up-regulated by inhibiting miR-593-3p in OC cells. Furthermore, miR-593-3p mimic treatment reversed the up-regulation of PTEN by hsa_circ_0001535 overexpression in OC cells. CONCLUSIONS: The above results showed that hsa_circ_0001535 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-593-3p to repress miR-593-3p expression, and promoted the expression of PTEN, thus inhibited proliferation and migration of OC cells. Our research provides a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer patients.

Reconstitution and expression of mcy gene cluster in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus 7942 reveals a role of MC-LR in cell division.

Cyanobacterial blooms pose a serious threat to public health due to the presence of cyanotoxins. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) produced by Microcystis aeruginosa is the most common cyanotoxins. Due to the limitation of isolation, purification, and genetic manipulation techniques, it is difficult to study and verify in situ the biosynthetic pathways and molecular mechanisms of MC-LR. We reassembled the biosynthetic gene cluster (mcy cluster) of MC-LR in vitro by synthetic biology, designed and constructed the strong bidirectional promoter biPpsbA2 , transformed it into Synechococcus 7942, and successfully expressed MC-LR at a level of 0.006-0.018 fg cell-1 d-1 . We found the expression of MC-LR led to abnormal cell division and cellular filamentation, further using various methods proved that by irreversibly competing its GTP-binding site, MC-LR inhibits assembly of the cell division protein FtsZ. The study represents the first reconstitution and expression of the mcy cluster and the autotrophic production of MC-LR in model cyanobacterium, which lays the foundation for resolving the microcystins biosynthesis pathway. The discovered role of MC-LR in cell division reveals a mechanism of how blooming cyanobacteria gain a competitive edge over their nonblooming counterparts.

Innovative natural antimicrobial natamycin incorporated titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2)/ poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) /poly (lactic acid) (PLA) biodegradable active film (NTP@PLA) and application in grape preservation.

Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/polylactic acid (PLA) blended with compatibilizers (polycaprolactone, PCL; poly (ethylene glycol), PEG; titanium dioxide, nano-TiO2) (TP@PLA composites) were developed by melt processing. Natamycin incorporated into TP@PLA blend composites formed NTP@PLA films, which exhibited high tensile strength (24.1-43.5 MPa) and elongation at break (85.8-258.2 %), and exhibited good oxygen permeability, water vapor permeability, surface hydrophobicity and biodegradability. The in vitro results revealed that inhibition of Penicillium expansum cell growth of the NTP@PLA films with addition of 1.0 wt% natamycin reached 95.72 %. The NTP@PLA film with natamycin effectively reduced incidence of decay (1.52 %) on grapes, maintained their quality, and inhibited the growth of pathogenic fungi to up to 0.42 log cfu·g-1. This study generates new insights into the preservation properties of antimicrobial NTP@PLA film, which endow it with great application potential as a novel and eco-friendly packaging material for the food industry.

MicroRNA-650 suppresses KLF12 expression to regulate growth and metastasis of human ovarian cancer cells.

MicroRNA-650 (miR-650) has been shown to regulate the development of human cancers. The present study investigated the role of miR-650 in ovarian cancer by targeting Krüppel-like factor 12 (KLF12). The results showed a down-regulation of miR-650 in tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-650 caused a substaining decrease in the viability of CAOV3 cells by promoting apoptotic cell death. In silico analysis and dual luciferase assay revealed KLF12 as a potential target of miR-650. Unlike miR-650, KLF12 showed a substantial up-regulation in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. However, miR-650 overexpression suppressed KLF12 expression posttranscriptionally. Intrestingly, KLF12 knockdown inhibited the viability of CAOV3 cells by promoting apoptotic cell death. However, the expression of KLF12 eliminated the tumor suppressing effects of miR-650 in CAOV3 cells. Additionally, KLF12 knockdown or miR-650 overexpression suppressed CAOV3 cell migration and invasion. However, KLF12 overexpression eliminated the inhibitory effects of miR-650 on the migration and invasion of CAOV3 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that miR-650/KLF12 axis regulates the viability, migration, and invasion of CAOV3 cells an0d may prove to be an important therapeutic taregt.

Research progress on the role of exosomes in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome-related atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Atherosclerosis, a multifactorial disease with complicated pathogenesis, is the main cause of CVD, underlying several major adverse cardiovascular events. Obesity is the main cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and a significant risk for atherosclerosis. OSA is an independent risk factor for CVD. Recent research has focused on understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms by which OSA influences atherosclerosis pathogenesis. The role of exosomes in this process has attracted considerable attention. Exosomes are a type of extracellular vesicles (EV) that are released from many cells (both healthy and diseased) and mediate cell-to-cell communication by transporting microRNAs (miRNAs), proteins, mRNAs, DNA, or lipids to target cells, thereby modulating the functions of target cells and tissues. Intermittent hypoxia in OSA alters the exosomal carrier in circulation and promotes the permeability and dysfunction of endothelial cells, which have been associated with the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This review discusses the potential roles of exosomes and exosome-derived molecules in the development and progression of OSA-related atherosclerosis. Additionally, we explore the possible mechanisms underlying OSA-related atherosclerosis and provide new insights for the development of novel exosome-based therapeutics for OSA-related atherosclerosis and CVD.

Effects of Fruit Storage Temperature and Time on Cloud Stability of Not from Concentrated Apple Juice.

Apple juice that is designated 'Not from concentrated' (NFC) is now increasingly popular with consumers due to its unique taste and rich nutritional value. However, layered precipitation and instability have emerged as serious technical problems that restrict the viability of the NFC apple juice industry. This study researched the influence of water-cored 'Fuji' apple fruit storage under different temperatures (0, 20 °C) and times (0, 9, 18, 30, 60 days) on the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice. Changes in the physicochemical properties (juice yield, pH, total soluble solids and titratable acid), turbidity stability (turbidity and particle size) and precipitation sensitive substances (insoluble starch, total phenolics, soluble protein and pectin) of NFC apple juice were determined, combined with the respiratory rates and ethylene release of apples, in order to study post-harvest regulation and control of processed fruit. Results indicated that fruit storage temperature and time significantly guided the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice. As a typical respiratory climacteric fruit, apple fruit stored 45 days at 0 °C and 15 days at 20 °C gained the best juice stability, respectively. This is basically consistent with the respiratory peak of fruit when processing raw materials. During the post-ripening process, the insoluble starch in apple gradually hydrolyzed into fructose and glucose, while total phenolics diminished and water-soluble pectin content increased. On the other hand, the amounts of pectin, soluble protein and phenolics in fruit juice declined as the fruit aged in the late storage period (stored 75 days at 0 °C and 40 days at 20 °C). Meanwhile particle size became larger and the turbidity stability of cloudy juices also decreased. This study's results will provide a sound theoretical basis for improving the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice by regulating the physiological state of processed raw materials.

SAT2 regulates Sertoli cell-germline interactions via STIM1-mediated ROS/WNT/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

As the main component of seminiferous tubules, Sertoli cells are in close contact with germ cells and generate niche signals, which exhibit pivotal functions in spermatogenesis and male fertility. However, the regulatory mechanisms of Sertoli cell-germline interactions (SGIs) in the testes of neonatal mice (NM) remain largely unclear. Previously, we identified spermidine/spermine N1-acetyl transferase 2 (SAT2) and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) to be potential regulators of testicular cord formation via comparative proteomics analysis. Here, we demonstrated a novel role of SAT2 for SGIs during testicular development in NM. Testicular explants lacking SAT2 affected the mislocation, but not the quantity, of Sertoli cells, which led to maintenance defects in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Interestingly, SAT2 was essential for the migration of TM4 cells, a Sertoli cell line. Mechanistically, SAT2 was able to bind STIM1, repress its expression, and regulate homeostasis of a reactive oxygen species/wingless type (WNT)/ß-catenin pathway in NM testes. Collectively, our study identified that SAT2 was able to regulate SGIs via a STIM1-mediated WNT signaling pathway.

Hsa_circ_0063804 enhances ovarian cancer cells proliferation and resistance to cisplatin by targeting miR-1276/CLU axis.

PURPOSE: This article researched circ_0063804 effects on ovarian cancer (OC) development and resistance to cisplatin, aiming to provide a new target for OC therapy. METHODS: A total of 108 OC patients participated in this study. The circle structure of circ_0063804 was investigated using RNase R. Circ_0063804 expression in OC cells were up-regulated or down-regulated by transfection. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. OC cells resistance to cisplatin was explored through MTT assay. Luciferase reporter assay was performed. qRT-PCR and Western blot was applied to research genes expression. Xenograft tumor experiment was conducted using nude mice. Ki67 expression in xenograft tumor was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Circ_0063804 expression was up-regulated in OC patients and indicated poor prognosis (P < 0.05). Circ_0063804 had a stable circle structure. Circ_0063804 enhanced proliferation, resistance to cisplatin and reduced apoptosis of OC cells (P < 0.01). miR-1276 was down-regulated in OC patients and sponged by circ_0063804. CLU was directly inhibited by miR-1276 and up-regulated in OC patients. Circ_0063804 exacerbated malignant phenotype and resistance to cisplatin of OC cells in vitro by enhancing CLU expression via sponging miR-1276 (P < 0.01). Circ_0063804 silencing inhibited OC cells growth, resistance to cisplatin and Ki67 expression in vivo (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Circ_0063804 promoted OC cells proliferation and resistance to cisplatin by enhancing CLU expression via sponging miR-1276.

Quantitative proteomics and functional analysis identified novel targets for missed abortion.

Missed abortion (MA) is a special form of spontaneous abortion that is increasing in incidence. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying MA, especially regarding the decidua, are poorly understood. Herein, we identified molecular signaling pathways related to MA by comparing the decidua of women experiencing normal pregnancy and MA using a quantitative proteomics approach based on HPLC-MS/MS and iTRAQ labeling. Integrated bioinformatics analysis of villi and decidua was performed to reveal potential crosstalk signals in closely related tissues. We identified 2277 proteins with high confidence in decidua, of which 232 were differentially expressed in MA samples. Specifically, we reported that integrated quantitative proteomic and bioinformatic analysis revealed altered proteins in MA and the mechanisms underpinning MA involved numerous pathways, especially ribosome and cellular metabolism signaling. Moreover, Importin 9, Cullin 1 and COX6C are critical for MA, and their altered expression might contribute to the pathophysiology of MA. In particular, COX6C was dramatically down-regulated in both decidua and villi of MA. COX6C was also found to be highly expressed in syncytiotrophoblastic and cytotrophoblastic cells in villi and widely expressed in decidua of the control group, but dramatically decreased in the MA group. Functional analysis showed that knockdown of COX6C inhibited apoptosis process in both HTR-8 and SiHa cells, suggesting that COX6C may play protective effects in MA. Thus, this study could help to map the regulatory protein network related to MA and contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms of MA.

Stem cell-derived exosomes in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in preclinical animal models: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Exosomes (EXOs) derived from stem cells have become a potential new treatment for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, their impact is still not fully understood. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to systematically review the efficacy of EXOs on AMI in preclinical animal models. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Science from September 1, 1980 to September 1, 2021, to retrieve the studies reporting the therapeutic effects of EXOs on AMI animal models. Secondary endpoints include the fractional shortening (FS), infarct size (IS), fibrosis area (FA), the TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 levels, the apoptosis rate and the number of autophagic vesicles. Two authors independently screened the articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All statistical analyses were conducted using Stata14.0. RESULTS: Ten studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Pooled analyses demonstrated that the levels of LVEF (WMD = 3.67%; 95% CI 2.28-5.07%; P = 0.000), FS (WMD = 3.69%; 95% CI 2.06-5.33%; P = 0.000), IS (WMD = -4.52%, 95% CI - 7.14 to - 1.9%; P = 0.001), and FA (WMD = -7.04%, 95% CI - 8.74 to - 5.34%; P = 0.000), TNF-α (WMD = -3.09, 95% CI - 5.47 to - 0.72; P = 0.011), TL-6 (WMD = -6.34, 95% CI - 11.2 to - 1.49; P < 0.01), TL-10 (WMD = 6.37, 95% CI 1.53-11.21; P = 0.01), the apoptosis rate (WMD = -8.23, 95% CI - 15.29 to - 1.17; P = 0.000), and the number of autophagic vesicles (WMD = -4.52, 95% CI - 7.43 to - 1.62; P = 0.000). Subgroup analysis showed that the EXOs were derived from HMSCs. Subgroup analysis showed that the EXOs derived from HMSCs, and that exosome therapy immediately after myocardial infarction can better improve the LVEF. CONCLUSIONS: EXOs therapy has the potential to improve cardiac function, fibrogenesis, and inflammatory response, as well as reducing cell apoptosis and autophagy in preclinical AMI animal models. This can inform future human clinical trials of EXOs.