First Evidence of the Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer of Tire Additives and Their Transformation Products in an Estuarine Food Web.

The discovery of the significant lethal impacts of the tire additive transformation product N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine quinone (6PPD-Q) on coho salmon has garnered global attention. However, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of tire additives and their transformation products (TATPs) within food webs remain obscure. This study first characterized the levels and compositions of 15 TATPs in the Pearl River Estuary, estimated their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer potential in 21 estuarine species, and identified priority contaminants. Our observations indicated that TATPs were prevalent in the estuarine environment. Eight, six, seven, and 10 TATPs were first quantified in the shrimp, sea cucumber, snail, and fish samples, with total mean levels of 45, 56, 64, and 67 ng/g (wet weight), respectively. N,N'-Diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD) and N,N'-bis(2-methylphenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine (DTPD) exhibited high bioaccumulation. Significant biodilution was only identified for benzothiazole, while DPPD and DTPD displayed biomagnification trends based on Monte Carlo simulations. The mechanisms of bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of TATPs could be explained by their chemical hydrophobicity, molecular mass, and metabolic rates. Based on a multicriteria scoring technique, DPPD, DTPD, and 6PPD-Q were characterized as priority contaminants. This work emphasizes the importance of biomonitoring, particularly for specific hydrophobic tire additives.

CasSABER for Programmable In Situ Visualization of Low and Nonrepetitive Gene Loci.

Site-specific imaging of target genes using CRISPR probes is essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms of gene function and engineering tools to modulate its downstream pathways. Herein, we develop CRISPR/Cas9-mediated signal amplification by exchange reaction (CasSABER) for programmable in situ imaging of low and nonrepetitive regions of the target gene in the cell nucleus. The presynthesized primer-exchange reaction (PER) probe is able to hybridize multiple fluorophore-bearing imager strands to specifically light up dCas9/sgRNA target-bound gene loci, enabling in situ imaging of fixed cellular gene loci with high specificity and signal-to-noise ratio. In combination with a multiround branching strategy, we successfully detected nonrepetitive gene regions using a single sgRNA. As an intensity-codable and orthogonal probe system, CasSABER enables the adjustable amplification of local signals in fixed cells, resulting in the simultaneous visualization of multicopy and single-copy gene loci with similar fluorescence intensity. Owing to avoiding the complexity of controlling in situ mutistep enzymatic reactions, CasSABER shows good reliability, sensitivity, and ease of implementation, providing a rapid and cost-effective molecular toolkit for studying multigene interaction in fundamental research and gene diagnosis.

Collaborative Design of MgO/FeOx Nanosheets on Titanium: Combining Therapy with Regeneration.

The repair of bone defects caused by osteosarcoma resection remains a clinical challenge because of the tumor recurrence and bacterial infection. Combining tumor and bacterial therapy with bone regeneration properties in bone implants is a promising strategy for the treatment of osteosarcoma. Here, a layer of MgO/FeOx nanosheet is constructed on the Ti implant to prevent tumor recurrence and bacterial infection, while simultaneously accelerating bone formation. This MgO/FeOx double metal oxide demonstrates good peroxidase activity to catalyze H2 O2 , which is rich in tumor microenvironment, to form reactive oxygen species (ROS), and shows good photothermal conversion capacity to produce photothermal effect, thus synergistically killing tumor cells and eliminating tumor tissue. In addition, it generates a local alkaline surface microenvironment to inhibit the energy metabolism of bacteria to enhance the photothermal antibacterial effect. Furthermore, benefiting from the generation of a Mg ion-containing alkaline microenvironment, this MgO/FeOx film can promote the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblast and angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells in vitro as well as accelerated bone formation in vivo. This study proposes a multifunctional platform for integrating tumor and bacterial therapy and bone regeneration, which has good application prospects for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Comprehensive transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses reveal that hyperhomocysteinemia is a high risk factor for coronary artery disease in a chinese obese population aged 40-65: a prospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical observations suggest a complex relationship between obesity and coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to characterize the intermediate metabolism phenotypes among obese patients with CAD and without CAD. METHODS: Sixty-two participants who consecutively underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in the discovery cohort. Transcriptional and untargeted metabolomics analyses were carried out to screen for key molecular changes between obese patients with CAD (CAD obese), without CAD (Non-CAD obese), and Non-CAD leans. A targeted GC-MS metabolomics approach was used to further identify differentially expressed metabolites in the validation cohorts. Regression and receiver operator curve analysis were performed to validate the risk model. RESULTS: We found common aberrantly expressed pathways both at the transcriptional and metabolomics levels. These pathways included cysteine and methionine metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-hydroxyhippuric acid, nicotinuric acid, and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol were significantly elevated in the CAD obese group compared to the other two groups. In the validation study, targeted cysteine and methionine metabolomics analyses showed that homocysteine (Hcy), SAH, and choline were significantly increased in the CAD obese group compared with the Non-CAD obese group, while betaine, 5-methylpropanedioic acid, S-adenosylmethionine, 4-PA, and vitamin B2 (VB2) showed no significant differences. Multivariate analyses showed that Hcy was an independent predictor of obesity with CAD (hazard ratio 1.7; 95%CI 1.2-2.6). The area under the curve based on the Hcy metabolomic (HCY-Mtb) index was 0.819, and up to 0.877 for the HCY-Mtb.index plus clinical variables. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to propose that obesity with hyperhomocysteinemia is a useful intermediate metabolism phenotype that could be used to identify obese patients at high risk for developing CAD.

Contribution of Tibetan Plateau ecosystems to local and remote precipitation through moisture recycling.

The ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) provide multiple important ecosystem services that benefit both local populations and those beyond, such as through climate regulation services on precipitation for East Asia and China. However, the precipitation regulation service of the TP ecosystems for supplying moisture and maintaining precipitation is yet to be evaluated. In this study, we used the moisture recycling framework and a moisture tracking model to quantify the precipitation regulation services of TP ecosystems for their contribution to precipitation. We found TP ecosystems contributed substantially to local and downwind precipitation, with a contribution of 221 mm/year for the TP and neighboring areas through evapotranspiration (ET) (104 mm/year through transpiration), declined to <10 mm/year for eastern China and other surrounding countries. Among ecosystem types, grassland contributed most to precipitation, followed by barren and snow lands, forests, and shrublands. In terms of seasonality, precipitation contribution from TP ecosystems was greater in summer months than in non-summer months for western China, while the opposite was true for eastern China-although the magnitude was much smaller. Over the past two decades, the significant ET increases in TP translated to a widespread increase in precipitation contribution for TP and downwind beneficiary regions from 2000 to 2020. Our study provides a quantitative way to understand the precipitation regulation services of TP ecosystems through moisture recycling, substantiating their key role to maintain precipitation and the water cycle for downwind regions-effectively acting as an ecological safeguard that could be perceived by the public.

Drug Exposure and Risk of Microscopic Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Microscopic colitis (MC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by watery diarrhoea and a normal radiological and endoscopic appearance. Concern regarding a potential association between drug exposure and MC has recently emerged. We sought to systematically review and summarize the evidence for the potential association. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the incidence of MC associated with exposure to drug. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched to identify potential studies for inclusion. RESULTS: Twelve case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed exposure to NSAID (OR, 1.64; 95% CI: 1.14-2.37; p < 0.001), PPI (OR, 2.36; 95% CI: 1.59-3.52; p < 0.001), SSRI (OR, 2.16; 95% CI: 1.5-3.13; p < 0.001), or aspirin (OR, 2.84; 95% CI: 1.4-5.76; p < 0.001) was related to the incidence of MC; however, such relationships in PPI and SSRI may be modulated by the selection of controls. Furthermore, we did not found a positive association with other drug exposure and MC. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicated that NSAID, PPI, SSRI, or aspirin consumption may increase the risk for MC. Further studies exploring drug-induced microscopic colitis should include control groups with diarrhoea and not only healthy controls.

A novel compound heterozygous mutation in TUBB8 causing early embryonic developmental arrest.

PURPOSE: Mutations in the ß-tubulin isotype, TUBB8, can cause female infertility. Although several mutations of TUBB8 have been reported, the full spectrum for guiding genetics counseling still needs to be further explored. Here, we sought to identify novel variants in TUBB8 and their phenotypic effects on microtubule network structure in vitro. METHODS: Whole-exome sequence analysis was performed in two families with infertility to detect pathogenic variants, with validation by Sanger sequencing. All gene variants and protein structures were predicted in silico. Cells were transfected with wild-type and mutants, and immunofluorescence analysis was performed to visualize microtubule network changes. RESULTS: We detected a novel compound heterozygous mutation, c.915_916delCC (p.Arg306Serfs*21) and c.82C > T (p.His28Tyr), and a benign heterozygous variant c.1286C > T (p.Thr429Met) in TUBB8 in the two families. Female patients with p.Arg306Serfs*21 and p.His28Tyr were infertile with early embryonic developmental arrest. The female patient with p.Thr429Met gave birth to a healthy baby in the second in vitro fertilization frozen embryo transfer cycle. The p.Arg306Serfs*21 mutation was predicted to cause large structural alteration in the TUBB8 protein and was confirmed to produce a truncated and trace protein by western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence analysis of transfected HeLa cells showed that p.Arg306Serfs*21 significantly disrupted microtubule structure. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings expand the known mutational spectrum of TUBB8 associated with early embryonic developmental arrest and female infertility.

A novel survival rat model of hyperkalemia and landiolol induced cardioplegic arrest and resuscitation via cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE: A small animal model would be an effective tool for research on the pathophysiology of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, numerous CPB models do not involve myocardial arrest and resuscitation. The aim of this research is to establish an easily achievable myocardial arrest and resuscitation CPB model through hyperkalemia and landiolol, simulating clinical cardiac surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for CPB. Rats underwent sevoflurane inhalation induction anesthesia and were sustained in an anesthesia state by intubation and intraperitoneal injection's of esketamine and propofol. The entire CPB circuit include a reservoir, a membrane oxygenator and a roller pump, which were connected into a complete loop via silicon tubes and infusion tube.After CPB was established through the tail artery and internal jugular vein, cardioplegic arrest was induced and maintained for 5 min at a rectum temperature of 28.5 ± 0.5°C with hyperkalemia and landiolol. Calcium chloride, epinephrine and insulin were then used for resuscitation. RESULT: All rats successfully finished cardioplegic arrest, resuscitation procedure and survived 2 h postoperatively. Mean hematocrit during CPB was significantly lower than physiologic values of the baseline. The mean time of arrest-resuscitation and CPB was 5.4 ± 0.8 min and 98.5 ± 5.0 min. The blood gas at each detection point were in range with the normal standard requirement of CPB. CONCLUSION: The establishment of cardioplegic arrest and resuscitation procedure via hyperkalemia and landiolol during CPB of WD rat could be achieved successfully. This animal model could be an alternative organ injury research on organ injury of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Application of Microhaplotypes in Sibling Kinship Testing.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of different numbers of microhaplotype (MH) loci and the introduction of different reference samples on the identification of full sibling, half sibling and differentiation between full sibling and half sibling kinships, and to explore the effect of changing mutation rate on sibling testing. METHODS: First, a family map involving three generations was established, and four full sibling identification models, five half sibling identification models and five models distinguishing full and half siblings were constructed for different reference samples introduced. Based on the results of the previous study, two sets of nonbinary SNP-MH containing 34 and 54 loci were selected. Based on the above MH loci, 100 000 pairs of full sibling vs. unrelated individuals, 100 000 pairs of half sibling vs. unrelated individuals and 100 000 pairs of full sibling vs. half sibling were simulated based on the corresponding sibling kinship testing models, and the efficacy of each sibling kinship testing model was analyzed by the likelihood ratio algorithm under different thresholds. The mutant rate of 54 MH loci was changed to analyze the effect of mutation rate on sibling identification. RESULTS: In the same relationship testing model, the systematic efficacy of sibling testing was positively correlated with the number of MH loci detected. With the same number of MH loci, the efficacy of full sibling testing was better than that of uncle or grandfather when the reference sample introduced was a full sibling of A, but there was no significant difference in the identification efficacy of the four reference samples introduced for full sibling and half sibling differentiation testing. In addition, the mutation rate had a slight effect on the efficacy of sibling kinship testing. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the number of MH loci and introducing reference samples of known relatives can increase the efficacy of full sibling testing, half sibling testing, and differentiation between full and half sibling kinships. The level of mutation rate in sibling testing by likelihood ratio method has a slight but insignificant effect on the efficacy.

[Association between early parenteral nutrition and the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants]. / æ—©æœŸè‚ å¤–è¥å »ä¸Žæ—©äº§å„¿æ”¯æ°”ç®¡è‚ºå‘è‚²ä¸è‰¯å‘ç”Ÿçš„å ³ç³».

OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between early parenteral nutrient intake and the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants with gestational age less than 32 weeks who could not receive enteral nutrition within one week after birth. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on preterm infants born between October 2017 and August 2022 with gestational age less than 32 weeks who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Children's Hospital of Soochow University within 24 hours after birth and relied solely on parenteral nutrition within the first week of life. The study population included 79 infants with BPD and 73 infants without BPD. Clinical data during hospitalization were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The proportions of infants with weight loss of more than 10% after birth, extrauterine growth retardation, and parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis in the BPD group were higher than in the non-BPD group (P<0.05). The time to regain birth weight, time to achieve full enteral feeding, and corrected gestational age at discharge were longer in the BPD group than in the non-BPD group. The Z-scores of physical growth at corrected gestational age of 36 weeks were lower in the BPD group than in the non-BPD group (P<0.05). The BPD group had a higher fluid intake and a lower calories intake in the first week than the non-BPD group (P<0.05). The starting dose and total amount of amino acids, glucose, and lipids in the first week were lower in the BPD group than in the non-BPD group (P<0.05). The BPD group had a higher glucose-to-lipid ratio on the third day and higher energy-to-nitrogen and glucose-to-lipid ratios on the seventh day after birth than the non-BPD group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preterm infants with BPD had lower intake of amino acids and lipids and a lower proportion of calories provided by amino acids and lipids in the first week of life, which suggests an association between early parenteral nutrition intake and the development of BPD.

High Power Figure-of-Merit, 10.6-kV AlGaN/GaN Lateral Schottky Barrier Diode with Single Channel and Sub-100-µm Anode-to-Cathode Spacing.

GaN-based lateral Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) have attracted great attention for high-power applications due to its combined high electron mobility and large critical breakdown field. However, the breakdown voltage (BV) of the SBDs are far from exploiting the material advantages of GaN at present, limiting the desire to use GaN for ultra-high voltage (UHV) applications. Then, a golden question is whether the excellent properties of GaN-based materials can be practically used in the UHV field? Here, UHV AlGaN/GaN SBDs are demonstrated on sapphire with a BV of 10.6 kV, a specific on-resistance (RON,SP ) of 25.8 mΩ cm2 , yielding a power figure-of-merit (P-FOM = BV2 /RON,SP ) of 4.35 GW cm-2 . These devices are designed with single channel and 85-µm anode-to-cathode spacing, without other additional electric field management, demonstrating its great potential for the UHV application in power electronics.

A novel murine model of combined hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is a common gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. While hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are two major pathologic types of PLC, combined HCC and ICC (cHCC-ICC) is a relatively rare subtype that shares both hepatocyte and cholangiocyte differentiation. However, the molecular feature of this unique tumor remains elusive because of its low incidence and lack of a suitable animal model. Herein, we generated a novel spontaneous cHCC-ICC model using a Sleeping Beauty-dependent transposon plasmid co-expressing oncogenic Myc and AKT1 and a CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid expressing single-guide RNA targeting p53 into mouse hepatocytes via in situ electroporation. The histological and transcriptional analysis confirmed that this model exhibits cHCC-ICC features and activates pathways committing cHCC-ICC formation, such as TGF-ß, WNT, and NF-κB. Using this model, we further screened and identified LAMB1, a protein involved in cell adhesion and migration, as a potential therapeutic target for cHCC-ICC. In conclusion, our work presents a novel genetic cHCC-ICC model and provides new insights into cHCC-ICC.

Phylogenetic analysis and character evolution of tribe Arethuseae (Orchidaceae) reveal a new genus Mengzia.

Delimitation of the tribe Arethuseae has varied considerably since it was first defined. The relationships within Arethuseae, particularly within the subtribe Arethusinae, remain poorly elucidated. In this study, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Arethuseae, using six plastid markers (matK, ycf1, rbcL rpoc1, rpl32-trnL and trnL-F) from 83 taxa. The ancestral state reconstruction of 11 selected morphological characters was also conducted to identify synapomorphies and assess potential evolutionary transitions. Morphological character comparision between the distinct species Bletilla foliosa and other species are conducted. Our results unequivocally supported the monophyly of Arethuseae, which included highly supported clades and a clear synapomorphy of non-trichome-like lamellae. Furthermore, B. foliosa formed a separate clade in the subtribe Arethusinae, instead of clustering with the other Bletilla species in the subtribe Coelogyninae. The morphological characters comparision further showed that the B. foliosa clade could be distinguished from other genera in Arethuseae by multiple characters, including presence of lateral inflorescence, three lamellae with trichome-like apex and four pollinia. In light of these molecular and morphological evidences, we propose Mengzia as a new genus to accommodate B. foliosa and accordingly provide descriptions of this new genus and combination.

Complete genome sequencing and evolutionary analysis of hepatitis C virus subtype 6a, including strains from Guangdong Province, China.

We performed an evolutionary analysis using whole genome sequence isolates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) 6a from Guangdong Province and reference sequences from various countries. Less than 5% of the HCV genome was found to be under positive selection. The E1 and E2 proteins had the highest proportion of positively selected sites both within and outside of CD8 T cell epitopes in all of the strains. Regions corresponding to CD8 T cell epitopes were under negative selection except in the isolates from Guangdong. Furthermore, we found evidence of three introductions of the virus into Guangdong from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Thus, this study provides information about the transmission of HCV 6a by comparison of full-length sequences, indicating the impact of selective constraints in Guangdong and across China.

Insights into the development of pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures from dynamic metabolomic changes.

Epilepsy is often considered to be a progressive neurological disease, and the nature of this progression remains unclear. Understanding the overall and common metabolic changes of epileptic seizures can provide novel clues for their control and prevention. Herein, a chronic kindling animal model was established to obtain generalized tonic-clonic seizures via the repeated injections of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) at subconvulsive dose. Dynamic metabolomic changes in plasma and urine from PTZ-kindled rats at the different kindling phases were explored using NMR-based metabolomics, in combination with behavioral assessment, brain neurotransmitter measurement, electroencephalography and histopathology. The increased levels of glucose, lactate, glutamate, creatine and creatinine, together with the decreased levels of pyruvate, citrate and succinate, ketone bodies, asparagine, alanine, leucine, valine and isoleucine in plasma and/or urine were involved in the development and progression of seizures. These altered metabolites reflected the pathophysiological processes including the compromised energy metabolism, the disturbed amino acid metabolism, the peripheral inflammation and changes in gut microbiota functions. NMR-based metabolomics could provide brain disease information by the dynamic plasma and urinary metabolic changes during chronic epileptic seizures, yielding classification of seizure stages and profound insights into controlling epilepsy via targeting deficient energy metabolism.

The AP2 Transcription Factor BrSHINE3 Regulates Wax Accumulation in Nonheading Chinese Cabbage.

Wax is an acellular structural substance attached to the surface of plant tissues. It forms a protective barrier on the epidermis of plants and plays an important role in resisting abiotic and biotic stresses. In this paper, nonheading Chinese cabbage varieties with and without wax powder were observed using scanning electron microscopy, and the surface of waxy plants was covered with a layer of densely arranged waxy crystals, thus differentiating them from the surface of waxless plants. A genetic analysis showed that wax powder formation in nonheading Chinese cabbage was controlled by a pair of dominant genes. A preliminary bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) assay showed that one gene was located at the end of chromosome A09. Within this interval, we identified BraA09000626, encoding an AP2 transcription factor homologous to Arabidopsis AtSHINE3, and we named it BrSHINE3. By comparing the CDS of the gene in the two parental plants, a 35 bp deletion in the BrSHINE3 gene of waxless plants resulted in a frameshift mutation. Tissue analysis showed that BrSHINE3 was expressed at significantly higher levels in waxy plant rosette stage petioles and bolting stage stems than in the tissues of waxless plants. We speculate that this deletion in BrSHINE3 bases in the waxless material may inhibit wax synthesis. The overexpression of BrSHINE3 in Arabidopsis induced the accumulation of wax on the stem surface, indicating that BrSHINE3 is a key gene that regulates the formation of wax powder in nonheading Chinese cabbage. The analysis of the subcellular localization showed that BrSHINE3 is mainly located in the nucleus and chloroplast of tobacco leaves, suggesting that the gene may function as a transcription factor. Subsequent transcriptome analysis of the homology of BrSHINE3 downstream genes in nonheading Chinese cabbage showed that these genes were downregulated in waxless materials. These findings provide a basis for a better understanding of the nonheading Chinese cabbage epidermal wax synthesis pathway and provide important information for the molecular-assisted breeding of nonheading Chinese cabbage.

Effect of Nickel Ions on the Physiological and Transcriptional Responses to Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism in Tomato Roots under Low Nitrogen Levels.

Nickel (Ni) is an essential trace element for plant growth and a component of the plant body that has many different functions in plants. Although it has been confirmed that nickel ions (Ni2+) havea certain regulatory effect on nitrogen (N) metabolism, there are not enough data to prove whether exogenous Ni2+ can increase the carbon (C) and N metabolism in the roots of tomato seedlingsunder low-nitrogen (LN) conditions. Therefore, through the present experiment, we revealed the key mechanism of Ni2+-mediated tomato root tolerance to LN levels. Tomato plants were cultured at two different N levels (7.66 and 0.383 mmol L-1) and two different Ni2+ levels (0 and 0.1 mg L-1 NiSO4 6H2O) under hydroponic conditions. After nine days, we collected roots for physiological, biochemical, and transcriptome sequencing analyses and found that the activities of N assimilation-related enzymes decreased at LN levels. In contrast, Ni2+ significantly increased the activities of N assimilation-related enzymes and increased the contents of nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), and total amino acids. Through root transcriptomic analysis, 3738 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. DEGs related to C and N metabolism were downregulated after LN application. However, after Ni2+ treatment, PK, PDHB, GAPDH, NR, NiR, GS, GOGAT, and other DEGs related to C and N metabolism were significantly upregulated. In conclusion, our results suggest that Ni2+ can regulate the C and N metabolism pathways in tomato roots to alleviate the impact of LN levels.

[UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis of chemical constituents of classical prescription Yiguanjian standard decoction].

An UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method was employed to characterize and classify the chemical components of the standard decoction of Yiguanjian, a classical famous recipe. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Acquity HSS T3(2.1 mm ×100 mm, 1.8 µm) column with a mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid water-0.1% formic acid acetonitrile using gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.4 mL·min~(-1) and the column temperature was 40 ℃. Mass spectrometry was performed on electrospray ionization source(ESI) with positive and negative ion scanning modes. The potential compounds were identified by comparing the reference compounds, analyzing the mass spectrometry data and matching the published articles on Masslynx 4.1 software and SciFinder database. Finally, a total of 113 compounds, including 11 amino acids, 19 terpenoids, 13 phthalides, 11 steroidal saponins, 10 coumarins, 9 alkaloids, 7 flavonoids, 8 phenylethanoid glycosides, 8 organic acids and 17 other categories were identified. The established method systematically and accurately characterized the chemical components in Yiguanjian, which could provide experimental evidences for the subsequent studies on the pharmacodynamical material basis and quality control of Yiguanjian.

Tumor cell-derived autophagosomes (DRibbles)-activated B cells induce specific naïve CD8+ T cell response and exhibit antitumor effect.

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccine has been proved to be an effective way in cancer immunotherapy in both preclinical and clinical studies. However, limitations in DC isolation and culture have hampered its practice and promoted the development of other antigen-presenting cells (APCs) sources to fulfill that role. Our previous studies have shown that B cells loaded by tumor cell-derived autophagosomes, which we named as DRibbles (defective ribosomal products-containing blebs), could reactivate DC-induced effector T cell response. In this study, the roles of DRibble-loaded B cells in priming naïve CD8+ T cell responses and controlling tumors were investigated. We found that high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) on DRibbles was involved in DRibble-induced B cell activation, and the DRibble-triggered B cell phagocytosis via the caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway. By using OT-I mouse-derived T cells, we demonstrated that DRibble-loaded B cells could activate specific naïve CD8+ T cells in vitro and ex vivo. In a tumor-bearing mouse model, DRibble-loaded B cells elicited systemic antitumor immunity and significantly suppressed the tumor growth. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of DRibble-loaded B cells was enhanced when they were combined with CpG and anti-CD40 stimulation. These results suggest that DRibble-loaded B cells represent a viable and practical therapeutic vaccination strategy that might have important clinical implications for tumor immunotherapy.

Tumor cell-imposed iron restriction drives immunosuppressive polarization of tumor-associated macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are immunosuppressive cells that contribute to impaired anti-cancer immunity. Iron plays a critical role in regulating macrophage function. However, it is still elusive whether it can drive the functional polarization of macrophages in the context of cancer and how tumor cells affect the iron-handing properties of TAM. In this study, using hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a study model, we aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of reduced ferrous iron in TAM. METHODS: TAM from HCC patients and mouse HCC tissues were collected to analyze the level of ferrous iron. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess M1 or M2 signature genes of macrophages treated with iron chelators. A co-culture system was established to explore the iron competition between macrophages and HCC cells. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to determine the holo-transferrin uptake of macrophages. HCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were enrolled to evaluate the prognostic value of transferrin receptor (TFRC) and its relevance to tumor-infiltrating M2 macrophages. RESULTS: We revealed that ferrous iron in M2-like TAM is lower than that in M1-like TAM. In vitro analysis showed that loss of iron-induced immunosuppressive M2 polarization of mouse macrophages. Further experiments showed that TFRC, the primary receptor for transferrin-mediated iron uptake, was overexpressed on HCC cells but not TAM. Mechanistically, HCC cells competed with macrophages for iron to upregulate the expression of M2-related genes via induction of HIF-1α, thus contributing to M2-like TAM polarization. We further clarified the oncogenic role of TFRC in HCC patients by TCGA. TFRC is significantly increased in varieties of malignancies, including HCC, and HCC patients with high TFRC levels have considerably shortened overall survival. Also, TFRC is shown to be positively related to tumor-infiltrating M2 macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, we identified iron starvation through TFRC-mediated iron competition drives functional immunosuppressive polarization of TAM, providing new insight into the interconnection between iron metabolism and tumor immunity.