Enhanced intrinsic chiroptical response of resonant metallic metasurfaces.

The physics of resonant metasurfaces underpins many electromagnetic functionalities with enhanced performance by virtue of resonant excitations. Resonances originating from bound states in the continuum (BICs) were recently recognized in photonics for their superior optical properties, strong local field enhancement, and suppression of radiative losses. Very recently, a concept of intrinsically chiral dielectric BIC metasurfaces was proposed that combines strong narrowband resonant features with the polarization control of scattered light. Here, we design a resonant chiral metallic metasurface supporting a BIC resonance in the microwave wavelength range. In our structure, the metasurface units (meta-atoms) are characterized with rotational and mirror spatial symmetries. We numerically characterize metasurface mode properties in eigenmode calculations and scattering spectra for linearly polarized excitation under oblique incidence. Then, we investigate intrinsic chiroptical effects for transmission of normally propagating excitation beams by breaking the meta-atom in-plane mirror symmetries. We predict that the intrinsic circular dichroism in such structures may exceed 0.74.

Efficient second-harmonic generation in a lithium niobate metasurface governed by high-Q magnetic toroidal dipole resonances.

Lithium niobate (LN) is an excellent nonlinear optical material due to its large nonlinear coefficient, low loss, and broad optical transparency window. So, it is widely used in the generation of nonlinear harmonics. Magnetic toroidal dipole (MTD) resonance is a special optical resonance mode, which can effectively localize the light field inside the device, thus enhancing the nonlinear effects of the materials. In this work, we numerically study the second-harmonic generation (SHG) effect of the LN metasurface based on the MTD mode with a high quality factor (Q-factor). The designed LN nanorod dimer metasurface supports high Q-factor MTD guided mode resonances (GMRs), which are excited by varying the center spacing of the two nanorods, and the Q-factor can be controlled by the offset distance. The excited MTD can effectively confine the electric field within the device, which enables the LN metasurface SHG conversion efficiency to reach 1.15 × 10-2. In addition, by adjusting the structural parameters, it is possible to effectively modulate the wavelength and conversion efficiency of the SHG. Our results provide a new route for high-quality nonlinear light sources.

Inhibition of PPP1R15A alleviates osteoporosis via suppressing RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis.

Osteoporosis results from overactivation of osteoclasts. There are currently few drug options for treatment of this disease. Since the successful development of allosteric inhibitors, phosphatases have become attractive therapeutic targets. Protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 15 A (PPP1R15A), is a stress-responsive protein, which promotes the UPR (unfolded protein response) and restores protein homeostasis. In this study we investigated the role of PPP1R15A in osteoporosis and osteoclastogenesis. Ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis mouse model was established, osteoporosis was evaluated in the left femurs using micro-CT. RANKL-stimulated osteoclastogenesis was used as in vitro models. We showed that PPP1R15A expression was markedly increased in BMMs derived from OVX mice and during RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Knockdown of PPP1R15A or application of Sephin1 (a PPP1R15A allosteric inhibitor in a phase II clinical trial) significantly inhibited osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Sephin1 (0.78, 3.125 and 12.5 µM) dose-dependently mitigated the changes in NF-κB, MAPK, and c-FOS and the subsequent nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) translocation in RANKL-stimulated BMMs. Both Sephin1 and PPP1R15A knockdown increased the phosphorylated form of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α); knockdown of eIF2α reduced the inhibitory effects of Sephin1 on NFATc1-luc transcription and osteoclast formation. Furthermore, Sephin1 or PPP1R15A knockdown suppressed osteoclastogenesis in CD14+ monocytes from osteoporosis patients. In OVX mice, injection of Sephin1 (4, 8 mg/kg, i.p.) every two days for 6 weeks significantly inhibited bone loss, and restored bone destruction and decreased TRAP-positive cells. This study has identified PPP1R15A as a novel target for osteoclast differentiation, and genetic inhibition or allosteric inhibitors of PPP1R15A, such as Sephin1, can be used to treat osteoporosis. This study revealed that PPP1R15A expression was increased in osteoporosis in both human and mice. Inhibition of PPP1R15A by specific knockdown or an allosteric inhibitor Sephin1 mitigated murine osteoclast formation in vitro and attenuated ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in vivo. PPP1R15A inhibition also suppressed pathogenic osteoclastogenesis in CD14+ monocytes from osteoporosis patients. These results identify PPP1R15A as a novel regulator of osteoclastogenesis and a valuable therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Momordica charantia L.-derived exosome-like nanovesicles stabilize p62 expression to ameliorate doxorubicin cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug for various malignancies that causes cardiotoxicity. Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (P-ELNs) are growing as novel therapeutic agents. Here, we investigated the protective effects in DOX cardiotoxicity of ELNs from Momordica charantia L. (MC-ELNs), a medicinal plant with antioxidant activity. RESULTS: We isolated MC-ELNs using ultracentrifugation and characterized them with canonical mammalian extracellular vesicles features. In vivo studies proved that MC-ELNs ameliorated DOX cardiotoxicity with enhanced cardiac function and myocardial structure. In vitro assays revealed that MC-ELNs promoted cell survival, diminished reactive oxygen species, and protected mitochondrial integrity in DOX-treated H9c2 cells. We found that DOX treatment decreased the protein level of p62 through ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathway in H9c2 and NRVM cells. However, MC-ELNs suppressed DOX-induced p62 ubiquitination degradation, and the recovered p62 bound with Keap1 promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation and the expressions of downstream gene HO-1. Furthermore, both the knockdown of Nrf2 and the inhibition of p62-Keap1 interaction abrogated the cardioprotective effect of MC-ELNs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated the therapeutic beneficials of MC-ELNs via increasing p62 protein stability, shedding light on preventive approaches for DOX cardiotoxicity.

Association of serum fatty acid pattern with depression in U.S. adults: analysis of NHANES 2011-2012.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to different concentration levels of fatty acids (FAs) may have an impact on depression. However, previous studies using individual FAs may not reflect the performance of mixtures of various FAs, and the associations of FA patterns with depression remain unclear. METHODS: We conducted the cross-sectional analysis in 792 adults aged 18 and older with available serum FAs and depression screening data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012. The serum concentrations of thirty FAs were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and their percentage compositions were subsequently calculated. Depression was defined as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 10. We employed principal component analysis to derive serum FA patterns. We examined the association between these patterns and depression in the overall population and various subgroups through survey-weighted logistic regression. RESULTS: Four distinct patterns of serum FAs were identified: 'high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); low docosatetraenoic acid (DTA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) n-6', 'high long-chain saturated FA and long chain FA', 'low median-chain saturated FA and myristoleic acid' and 'low capric acid and lauric acid; high gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA)' pattern. Individuals in the high tertile of 'high EPA and DHA; low DTA and DPA n-6' pattern score had 0.46 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.93) lower odds of developing depression compared to individuals in the lowest tertile after adjusting for confounders such as age, sex, physical activity and total energy intake, etc. The odds ratio (OR) of depression was increased in the population with the highest tertile of 'low capric acid and lauric acid; high GLA and SDA' pattern (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.24, 4.83). In subgroup analyses, we observed that the association between 'high EPA and DHA; low DTA and DPA n-6' and depression persisted among specific demographic and lifestyle subgroups, including females, non-Mexican Americans, non-obese, those aged over 60 years, smokers and drinkers. Similarly, 'low capric acid and lauric acid; high GLA and SDA' showed stable associations in female, non-Mexican Americans and smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Serum FA patterns are associated with depression, and their relationships vary across sex, race, BMI, age, smoking and drinking subgroups, highlighting the importance of considering specific FA patterns within these demographic and lifestyle categories. Utilization of combined FA administration may serve as a mitigation measure against depression in these specific populations.

Environmental triggers of autoimmunity: The association between bisphenol analogues and systemic lupus erythematosus.

The aim of this research was to examine the correlation between the exposure to bisphenol analogues (BPs), such as bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS), and the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was utilized to measure the levels of BPA, BPF, and BPS in the urine of 168 female participants diagnosed with SLE and 175 female participants who were deemed healthy controls. Logistic regression models were utilized to assess the connections between levels of bisphenol and the risk of SLE. The findings indicated that levels of BPA and BPF in the urine of individuals with SLE were markedly elevated compared to those in the control group. Higher exposure to BPA and BPF exhibited positive dose-response relationships with increased SLE risk. No significant associations were identified between BPS and the risk of SLE. These findings suggest exposure to BPA and BPF may be implicated as novel environmental triggers in the development of autoimmunity such as SLE. The significantly increased levels of these bisphenol analogues detected in SLE patients versus healthy controls, along with the associations between higher exposures and elevated SLE risk, which offers crucial hints for comprehending how endocrine-disrupting substances contribute to the genesis of autoimmune illnesses. Further research using robust longitudinal assessments of bisphenol analogue exposures is warranted to corroborate these epidemiological findings. Overall, this study highlights potential environmental risk factors for SLE while calling for additional investigation into the impact of bisphenol exposures on autoimmunity development.

Green light mediates atypical photomorphogenesis by dual modulation of Arabidopsis phytochromes B and A.

Although green light (GL) is located in the middle of the visible light spectrum and regulates a series of plant developmental processes, the mechanism by which it regulates seedling development is largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that GL promotes atypical photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana via the dual regulations of phytochrome B (phyB) and phyA. Although the Pr-to-Pfr conversion rates of phyB and phyA under GL were lower than those under red light (RL) in a fluence rate-dependent and time-dependent manner, long-term treatment with GL induced high Pfr/Pr ratios of phyB and phyA. Moreover, GL induced the formation of numerous small phyB photobodies in the nucleus, resulting in atypical photomorphogenesis, with smaller cotyledon opening angles and longer hypocotyls in seedlings compared to RL. The abundance of phyA significantly decreased after short- and long-term GL treatments. We determined that four major PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs: PIF1, PIF3, PIF4, and PIF5) act downstream of phyB in GL-mediated cotyledon opening. In addition, GL plays opposite roles in regulating different PIFs. For example, under continuous GL, the protein levels of all PIFs decreased, whereas the transcript levels of PIF4 and PIF5 strongly increased compared with dark treatment. Taken together, our work provides a detailed molecular framework for understanding the role of the antagonistic regulations of phyB and phyA in GL-mediated atypical photomorphogenesis.

Flot2 deficiency facilitates B cell-mediated inflammatory responses and endotoxic shock.

Sepsis is a life-threatening disease characterized by multiple organ dysfunction. B cells play a pivotal role in sepsis. Here, we first observed the significantly reduced Flot2 gene expression in B cells from patients with bacterial sepsis and endotoxin-induced septic mice. However, the effects of Flot2 on sepsis and B-cell immunity remain unknown. Thus, we sorted B cells from Flot2 knockout (Flot2-/- ) mice, RNA-seq revealed significantly upregulated effector B cell (Beff) cytokines such as Il6, Il1b and Cxcl10 after Flot2 deficiency, while it showed no effect on the expression of regulatory B cell (Breg) cytokines such as Il10, Tgfb. Consistently, elevated Beff cytokine IL-6 and unchanged Breg cytokine IL-10 were shown in B cells from Flot2-/- mice. Similar results were subsequently observed in B cell-specific Flot2 knockout chimeric mice. Notably, Flot2 deficiency aggravated sepsis with increased lung injury and shortened survival time in vivo by facilitating Beffs but not Bregs. Taken together, our data identify Flot2 as a novel controller of B cells, Flot2 deficiency amplifies inflammation by affecting Beffs to participate in the pathogenesis and progression of sepsis.

Diverse ranking metamaterial inverse design based on contrastive and transfer learning.

Metamaterials, thoughtfully designed, have demonstrated remarkable success in the manipulation of electromagnetic waves. More recently, deep learning can advance the performance in the field of metamaterial inverse design. However, existing inverse design methods based on deep learning often overlook potential trade-offs of optimal design and outcome diversity. To address this issue, in this work we introduce contrastive learning to implement a simple but effective global ranking inverse design framework. Viewing inverse design as spectrum-guided ranking of the candidate structures, our method creates a resemblance relationship of the optical response and metamaterials, enabling the prediction of diverse structures of metamaterials based on the global ranking. Furthermore, we have combined transfer learning to enrich our framework, not limited in prediction of single metamaterial representation. Our work can offer inverse design evaluation and diverse outcomes. The proposed method may shrink the gap between flexibility and accuracy of on-demand design.

Iterated Clique Reductions in Vertex Weighted Coloring for Large Sparse Graphs.

The Minimum Vertex Weighted Coloring (MinVWC) problem is an important generalization of the classic Minimum Vertex Coloring (MinVC) problem which is NP-hard. Given a simple undirected graph G=(V,E), the MinVC problem is to find a coloring s.t. any pair of adjacent vertices are assigned different colors and the number of colors used is minimized. The MinVWC problem associates each vertex with a positive weight and defines the weight of a color to be the weight of its heaviest vertices, then the goal is the find a coloring that minimizes the sum of weights over all colors. Among various approaches, reduction is an effective one. It tries to obtain a subgraph whose optimal solutions can conveniently be extended into optimal ones for the whole graph, without costly branching. In this paper, we propose a reduction algorithm based on maximal clique enumeration. More specifically our algorithm utilizes a certain proportion of maximal cliques and obtains lower bounds in order to perform reductions. It alternates between clique sampling and graph reductions and consists of three successive procedures: promising clique reductions, better bound reductions and post reductions. Experimental results show that our algorithm returns considerably smaller subgraphs for numerous large benchmark graphs, compared to the most recent method named RedLS. Also, we evaluate individual impacts and some practical properties of our algorithm. Furthermore, we have a theorem which indicates that the reduction effects of our algorithm are equivalent to that of a counterpart which enumerates all maximal cliques in the whole graph if the run time is sufficiently long.

IKKß increases neuropilin-2 and promotes the inhibitory function of CD9+ Bregs to control allergic diseases.

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) potently suppress immune disorders, including allergic contact hypersensitivity (CHS). IKKß overactivation is prominent in various inflammatory diseases. However, its effect on Bregs has not been defined. This study is to investigate the new regulator and inhibitory mechanism of Bregs. IkkßC46A transgenic mice with a Cys46 mutation, resulting in increased IKKß activation, were employed for analysis. IL-10-competent CD9+ Bregs were expanded in IkkßC46A mice and B cell specific-IkkßC46A mutation mice. IkkßC46A mutant CD9+ Bregs had stronger suppressive effects on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro and CHS responses in vivo. The inhibitory CD9+ Bregs from IkkßC46A mice were characterized by upregulated Neuropilin 2 (Nrp2) and IL-10 in comparison with that of Ikkßwt mice. Interestingly, increased expression of Nrp2 was observed in CD9+ Bregs compared with that of CD9- B cells in wild-type mice. The suppressive activity of wild-type CD9+ Bregs in vitro was attenuated by inhibition of Nrp2 on Bregs or silencing its ligand Sema3f on CD4+ T cells. Our findings delineate a distinct role of IKKß activation in enhancing Bregs to disturb the immune balance. It identifies Nrp2 as a novel regulatory molecule of Bregs that partly contributes to B cell-mediated immune tolerance.

Backscatter-Assisted Collision-Resilient LoRa Transmission.

Low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), such as LoRaWAN, play an essential role and are expanding quickly in miscellaneous intelligent applications. However, the collision problem is also expanding significantly with the mass promotion of LPWAN nodes and providing collision-resilient techniques that are urgently needed for these applications. This paper proposes BackLoRa, a lightweight method that enables collision-resilient LoRa transmission with extra propagation information provided by backscatter tags. BackLoRa uses several backscatter tags to create multipath propagation features related to the LoRa nodes' positions and offers a lightweight algorithm to extract the feature and correctly distinguish each LoRa node. Further, BackLoRa proposes a quick-phase acquisition algorithm with low time complexity that can carry out the iterative recovery of symbols for robust signal reconstructions in low-SNR conditions. Finally, comprehensive experiments were conducted in this study to evaluate the performance of BackLoRa systems. The experimental results show th compared with the existing scheme, our scheme can reduce the symbol error rate from 65.3% to 5.5% on average and improve throughput by 15× when SNR is -20 dB.

Ensuring equitable transportation for the disadvantaged: Paratransit usage by persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paratransit services developed under the Americans with Disabilities Act are a critical transportation means for persons with disabilities to meet their basic needs, but the COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to service providers. To safeguard transportation equity, this study used complete records of service trips and riders obtained from the Access Transportation Program in the Seattle region for an empirical analysis aimed at answering two research questions. First, how did the ridership and trip purposes of paratransit change after the outbreak of COVID-19? Second, what factors explained the users' changing levels of service usage in response to the pandemic? Statistical methods, including a Hurdle model, were employed as the analytical tools. The results show that paratransit ridership dramatically decreased during 2020 with the most substantial reductions of working and non-essential personal trips, and that most of the remaining trips were for medical purposes. The results also indicate that riders' service usage during the pandemic was associated with their sociodemographic characteristics, disability conditions, and pre-pandemic travel demand. When controlling for other factors, riders who lived in neighborhoods with lower income and lower access to personal vehicles were more dependent on the service. Based on the empirical findings, we recommend that when developing plans for future disruptive events, public transit agencies should promptly implement safety measures, identify and prioritize neighborhoods that are most in need of mobility services, and actively pursue collaboration with other organizations for innovative service delivery options.

How Does Ride-Hailing Influence Individual Mode Choice? An Examination Using Longitudinal Trip Data from the Seattle Region.

This study investigates the impacts of ride-hailing, which we define as mobility services consisting of both conventional taxis and app-based services offered by transportation network companies, on individual mode choice. We examine whether ride-hailing substitutes for or complements travel by driving, public transit, or walking and biking. The study overcomes some of the limitations of convenience samples or cross-sectional surveys used in past research by employing a longitudinal dataset of individual travel behavior and socio-demographic information. The data include three waves of travel log data collected between 2012 to 2018 in transit-rich areas of the Seattle region. We conducted individual-level panel data modeling, estimating independently pooled models and fixed-effect models of average daily trip count and duration for each mode, while controlling for various factors that affect travel behavior. The results provide evidence of substitution effects of ride-hailing on driving. We found that cross-sectionally, participants who used more ride-hailing tended to drive less, and that longitudinally, an increase in ride-hailing usage was associated with fewer driving trips. No significant associations were found between ride-hailing and public transit usage or walking and biking. Based on detailed travel data of a large population in a major US metropolitan area, the study highlights the value of collecting and analyzing longitudinal data to understand the impacts of new mobility services.

The prognostic value of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and CTC white blood cell clusters in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Circulating tumour cell (CTC) and CTC-white blood cell (CTC-WBC) clusters are related to the prognosis of tumour patients. However, the relationship between CTC-WBC clusters and prognosis in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients is not clear. We evaluated the prognostic value of CTC-WBC clusters using metastasis-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with RCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The baseline, survival, and CTC data of patients with RCC were statistically analysed by R. RESULTS: The Cox risk proportional regression model suggests that the total CTCs, pathology type, and CTC-WBC clusters can be used as prognostic indicators for the MFS of RCC patients. Total CTCs and solid tumour diameter can be used as prognostic indicators for the OS of RCC patients. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we found that patients with total CTCs, pathology, and CTC-WBC clusters greater than the cut-off value had a worse MFS, and patients with total CTCs greater than the cut-off value had a worse OS. CONCLUSION: The analysis of the clinical sample data in patients with RCC shows that CTC-WBC clusters play an important role in monitoring the prognosis of RCC. Among them, total CTCs, pathology, and CTC-WBC clusters were combined as prognostic factors for the MFS of RCC patients. Total CTCs and solid tumour diameter can be combined as prognostic factors for the OS of RCC patients. These prognostic factors provide more convenient and accurate condition monitoring for renal cancer patients and can be used to actively improve the prognosis of patients.

B-cell-specific-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ deficiency augments contact hypersensitivity with impaired regulatory B cells.

Nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) activation can prevent immunoinflammatory disorders and diabetes. B cells play protective roles during inflammation as well. However, the roles of endogenous PPAR-γ in the regulatory properties of B cells to relieve inflammation remain unknown. Here, we developed B-cell-specific PPAR-γ knockout (B-PPAR-γ-/- ) mice and found that the conditional deletion of PPAR-γ in B cells resulted in exaggerated contact hypersensitivity (CHS). Meanwhile, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) of CD4+ CD8+ T cells was up-regulated in B-PPAR-γ-/- mice in CHS. This showed that the regulatory function of B cells in B-PPAR-γ-/- mice declined in vivo. Whereas splenic CD5+ CD1dhi regulatory B-cell numbers and peripheral regulatory T-cell numbers were not changed in naive B-PPAR-γ-/- mice. Loss of PPAR-γ in B cells also did not affect either CD86 or FasL expression in splenic CD5+ CD1dhi regulatory B cells after activation. Notably, interleukin-10 (IL-10) production in CD5+ CD1dhi regulatory B cells reduced in B-PPAR-γ-deficient mice. In addition, functional IL-10-producing CD5+ CD1dhi regulatory B cells decreased in B-PPAR-γ-/- mice in the CHS model. These findings were in accordance with augmented CHS. The current work indicated the involvement of endogenous PPAR-γ in the regulatory function of B cells by disturbing the expansion of IL-10-positive regulatory B cells.

Sinomenine inhibits osteolysis in breast cancer by reducing IL-8/CXCR1 and c-Fos/NFATc1 signaling.

Sinomenine (SIN) is an anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic alkaloid derived from Sinomenium acutum, and the product Zhengqing Fengtongning produced from SIN has been marketed in China for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Interestingly, we recently found that SIN could significantly ameliorate bone destruction induced by breast cancer cells in mice. Micro-CT examination showed that bone loss of the trabecular bones in tumor-bearing mice was markedly decreased by i.p. treatment of SIN at 150 mg/kg body weight. A mechanistic study demonstrated that SIN could suppress osteoclast formation and bone absorption induced by both MDA-MB-231 cells and MDA-MB-231 cell-conditioned medium (MDA-MB-231 CM) in preosteoclastic RAW264.7 cells. The MDA-MB-231 CM-induced osteoclast-related genes TRAP and OSCAR were obviously downregulated by SIN. In addition, mRNA expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 and nuclear translocation of c-Fos and NFATc1 protein were inhibited by SIN during MDA-MB-231 CM-induced osteoclastogenesis, while NF-κB signaling was not impacted by SIN. More interestingly, SIN was demonstrated to decrease hIL-8 mRNA expression in cultured MDA-MB-231 cells and to inhibit hIL-8 protein expression in MDA-MB-231 cells cocultured with preosteoclastic RAW264.7 cells while simultaneously downregulating CXCR1, the ligand of IL-8 related to bone destruction, during MDA-MB-231 CM-induced osteoclastogenesis. Previously, IL-8/CXCR1 was reported to be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of RA, and SIN was observed to markedly ameliorate bone erosion of RA patients. Our current findings may extend the utilization of SIN to preventing osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction in breast cancer patients and may enable IL-8/CXCR1 to serve as new targets for both anticancer and antiarthritic drug discovery.

IL-10-producing regulatory B cells exhibit functional defects and play a protective role in severe endotoxic shock.

Dysregulated host immune homeostasis in sepsis is life-threatening even after a successfully treated bacterial infection. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin that is a major contributor to the aberrant immune responses and endotoxic shock in gram-negative bacterial sepsis. However, the current knowledge of the role of B cells in endotoxic shock is limited. Here, we report that CD1d expression in B cells and the percentage of CD5+CD1dhi regulatory B (Breg) cells decreased in a mouse model of endotoxic shock. Interestingly, IL-10 but not FasL expression in CD5+CD1dhi Breg cells in response to endotoxin was dramatically reduced in severe septic shock mice, and the regulatory function of CD5+CD1dhi Breg cells in vitro to control the Th1 response was also diminished. Adoptive transfer of CD5+CD1dhi Breg cells from healthy WT mice but not IL-10 deficient mice downregulated the IFN-γ secretion in CD4+ T cells and conferred protection against severe endotoxic shock in vivo. Our findings demonstrate the change and notable therapeutic potential of IL-10-producing Breg cells in endotoxic shock.

PPARD +294C overrepresentation in general and long-lived population in China Bama longevity area and unique relationships between PPARD +294T/C polymorphism and serum lipid profiles.

BACKGROUND: The +294T/C polymorphism in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARD) gene is associated with hyperlipidemia in several younger populations, but results are still inconsistence across ethnic groups and its possible impact on the lipid profiles of long-lived individuals remains unexploited. Here, we aimed to evaluate the possible correlation between PPARD +294T/C and serum lipid levels in a long-lived population in Bama, a region known for longevity situated in Guangxi, China. METHODS: Genotyping of PPARD +294T/C polymorphism was conducted in 505 long-lived inhabitants (aged 90 and above, long-lived group, LG) and 468 healthy controls (aged 60-75, non-long-lived group, non-LG) recruited from Bama area. RESULTS: No difference in allelic and genotypic frequencies was found between the two groups (P>0.05). However, C-allele and C-genotype (TC and CC) were significantly more frequent in the females of non-LG than were LG after sex stratification. CC carriers exhibited higher LDL-C level in LG (P<0.05) but lower TC, TG and LDL-C in non-LG (P<0.05 for each) than TT carriers; C allele carriers (TC/CC) in LG exhibited higher TC, TG, and LDL-C levels as compared with the same genotype and the same lipid parameter in non-LG (P<0.05 for each). LDL-C in LG was correlated with genotypes while TC, TG, and LDL-C in non-LG were correlated with genotypes (P<0.05-0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there were different impact patterns of PPARD +294T/C polymorphism on lipid profiles between long-lived cohort and average population in Bama area and this may be one of the genetic bases of its longevity.

Enrichment of MTHFR 677 T in a Chinese long-lived cohort and its association with lipid modulation.

BACKGROUND: Variants in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene may result in a lowered catalytic activity and associate with subsequent elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentration, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation, cardiovascular risk, and unhealthy aging. Several investigations on the relationship of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with serum lipid profile and longevity have been conducted in some populations, but the findings remain mixed. Herein, we sought to look at the association between MTHFR C677T and lipid profile in a longevous cohort in Bama, a well-known home of longevity in China. METHODS: Genotyping of MTHFR C677T was undertaken in 516 long-lived inhabitants (aged 90 and older, long-lived group, LG) and 493 healthy controls (aged 60-75, non-long-lived group, non-LG) recruited from Bama area. Correlation between MTHFR genotypes and lipids was then evaluated. RESULTS: T allele and TT genotype were significantly more prevalent in LG (P=0.001 and 0.002, respectively), especially in females, than in non-LG. No difference in the tested lipid measures among MTHFR C677T genotypes was observed in LG, non-LG and total population (P>0.05 for all). However, female but not male T carriers exhibited higher TC and LDL-C levels than did T noncarriers in the total population and in LG after stratification by sex (P<0.05 for each). These differences did not however remain through further subdivision by hyperlipidemia and normolipidemia. CONCLUSION: The higher prevalence of MTHFR 677 T genotypes and its modest unfavorable impact on lipids in Bama long-lived individuals may imply an existence of other protective genotypes which require further determination.