Paraptosis: a non-classical paradigm of cell death for cancer therapy.

Due to the sustained proliferative potential of cancer cells, inducing cell death is a potential strategy for cancer therapy. Paraptosis is a mode of cell death characterized by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and/or mitochondrial swelling and cytoplasmic vacuolization, which is less investigated. Considerable evidence shows that paraptosis can be triggered by various chemical compounds, particularly in cancer cells, thus highlighting the potential application of this non-classical mode of cell death in cancer therapy. Despite these findings, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of the role of paraptosis in cancer. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on chemical compound-induced paraptosis. The ER and mitochondria are the two major responding organelles in chemical compound-induced paraptosis, which can be triggered by the reduction of protein degradation, disruption of sulfhydryl homeostasis, overload of mitochondrial Ca2+, and increased generation of reactive oxygen species. We also discuss the stumbling blocks to the development of this field and the direction for further research. The rational use of paraptosis might help us develop a new paradigm for cancer therapy.

Novel STAT3 oligonucleotide compounds suppress tumor growth and overcome the acquired resistance to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of tumors, leading to resistance and poor prognosis. Activation of STAT3 signaling is frequently detected in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but potent and less toxic STAT3 inhibitors have not been discovered. Here, based on antisense technology, we designed a series of stabilized modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting STAT3 mRNA (STAT3 ASOs). Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the STAT3 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells. STAT3 ASOs significantly inhibited the proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion of cancer cells by specifically perturbing STAT3 signaling. Treatment with STAT3 ASOs decreased the tumor burden in an HCC xenograft model. Moreover, aberrant STAT3 signaling activation is one of multiple signaling pathways involved in sorafenib resistance in HCC. STAT3 ASOs effectively sensitized resistant HCC cell lines to sorafenib in vitro and improved the inhibitory potency of sorafenib in a resistant HCC xenograft model. The developed STAT3 ASOs enrich the tools capable of targeting STAT3 and modulating STAT3 activity, serve as a promising strategy for treating HCC and other STAT3-addicted tumors, and alleviate the acquired resistance to sorafenib in HCC patients. A series of novel STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide were designed and showed potent anti-cancer efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by targeting STAT3 signaling. Moreover, the selected STAT3 ASOs enhance sorafenib sensitivity in resistant cell model and xenograft model.

Ophthalmic Artery Morphology and Hemodynamics Associated with White Matter Hyperintensity.

Purpose: To investigate morphological and hemodynamic characteristics of the ophthalmic artery (OA) in patients with white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and the association of the presence and severity of WMH with OA characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 44 eyes of 25 patients with WMH and 38 eyes of 19 controls. The Fazekas scale was adopted as criteria for evaluating the severity of white matter hyperintensities. The morphological characteristics of the OA were measured on the basis of three-dimensional reconstruction. The hemodynamic parameters of the OA were calculated using computational fluid dynamics simulations. Results: Compared with the control group, the diameter (16.0±0.27 mm vs. 1.71±0.18 mm, P=0.029), median blood flow velocity (0.12 m/s vs. 0.22 m/s, P<0.001), mass flow ratio (2.16% vs. 3.94%, P=0.012) and wall shear stress (2.65 Pa vs. 9.31 Pa, P<0.001) of the OA in patients with WMH were significantly decreased. After adjusting for confounding factors, the diameter, blood flow velocity, wall shear stress, and mass flow ratio of the OA were significantly associated with the presence of WMH. Male sex and high low-density protein level were associated with moderate-to-severe total WMH, and smoking was associated with the moderate-to-severe periventricular WMH. Conclusions: The diameter, blood flow velocity, mass flow ratio, and wall shear stress of the OA were independently associated with the presence of WMH. Atherosclerosis might be involved in the common mechanism of the occurrence of WMH and the OA changes.

SZC-6, a small-molecule activator of SIRT3, attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in mice.

Sirtuin3 (SIRT3), a class III histone deacetylase, is implicated in various cardiovascular diseases as a novel therapeutic target. SIRT3 has been proven to be cardioprotective in a model of Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy. However, a few small-molecule compounds targeting deacetylases could activate SIRT3. In this study, we generated a novel SIRT3 activator, 3-(2-bromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one (SZC-6), through structural optimization of the first SIRT3 agonist C12. We demonstrated that SZC-6 directly bound to SIRT3 with Kd value of 15 µM, and increased SIRT3 deacetylation activity with EC50 value of 23.2 ± 3.3 µM. In neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs), pretreatment with SZC-6 (10, 20, 40 µM) dose-dependently attenuated isoproterenol (ISO)-induced hypertrophic responses. Administration of SZC-6 (20, 40 and 60 mg·kg-1·d-1, s.c.) for 2 weeks starting from one week prior ISO treatment dose-dependently reversed ISO-induced impairment of diastolic and systolic cardiac function in wild-type mice, but not in SIRT3 knockdown mice. We showed that SZC-6 (10, 20, 40 µM) dose-dependently inhibited cardiac fibroblast proliferation and differentiation into myofibroblasts, which was abolished in SIRT3-knockdown mice. We further revealed that activation of SIRT3 by SZC-6 increased ATP production and rate of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and reduced ROS, improving mitochondrial function in ISO-treated NRCMs. We also found that SZC-6 dose-dependently enhanced LKB1 phosphorylation, thereby promoting AMPK activation to inhibit Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fragmentation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SZC-6 is a novel SIRT3 agonist with potential value in the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy partly through activation of the LKB1-AMPK pathway.

[Seminal vesiculoscopy-assisted thulium laser ablation for the treatment of ejaculatory duct obstruction: An analysis of clinical outcomes].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of seminal vesiculoscopy-assisted thulium laser ablation (SVS-TLA) in the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia or azoospermia induced by ejaculatory duct obstruction (EDO). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 42 cases of EDO-induced oligoasthenozoospermia or azoospermia in our Clinic of Andrology from April 2018 to January 2020, all definitely diagnosed and treated by SVS-TLA. We followed up the patients regularly after operation, obtained their routine semen parameters at 3, 6 and 9 months postoperatively, examined them by t-test and compared them with the baseline. RESULTS: Operations were successfully completed in all the 42 cases, with an average surgery time of 52.7 minutes. Compared with the routine semen parameters collected 2 weeks before surgery, the semen volume, sperm concentration and total sperm motility of the patients were all significantly improved at 3, 6 and 9 months postoperatively (P < 0.01). Sperm were found in 40 cases at 3 months and in the other 2 cases at 6 and 9 months after surgery. Postoperative complications were observed in 7 cases, including epididymitis, perineal or testicular pain, and hematuria, which all disappeared after corresponding symptomatic treatment. No such serious complications as retrograde ejaculation, rectal injury, urethral stricture or urinary incontinence occurred in any of the cases after operation. CONCLUSION: SVS-TLA is a safe and effective option for the treatment of EDO, which can significantly improve the semen quality of the patient without causing serious postoperative complications.

Zelquistinel Is an Orally Bioavailable Novel NMDA Receptor Allosteric Modulator That Exhibits Rapid and Sustained Antidepressant-Like Effects.

BACKGROUND: The role of glutamatergic receptors in major depressive disorder continues to be of great interest for therapeutic development. Recent studies suggest that both negative and positive modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) can produce rapid antidepressant effects. Here we report that zelquistinel, a novel NMDAR allosteric modulator, exhibits high oral bioavailability and dose-proportional exposures in plasma and the central nervous system and produces rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects in rodents by enhancing activity-dependent, long-term synaptic plasticity. METHODS: NMDAR-mediated functional activity was measured in cultured rat brain cortical neurons (calcium imaging), hNR2A or B subtype-expressing HEK cells, and synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampal and medial prefrontal cortex slices in vitro. Pharmacokinetics were evaluated in rats following oral administration. Antidepressant-like effects were assessed in the rat forced swim test and the chronic social deficit mouse model. Target engagement and the safety/tolerability profile was assessed using phencyclidine-induced hyperlocomotion and rotarod rodent models. RESULTS: Following a single oral dose, zelquistinel (0.1-100 µg/kg) produced rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects in the rodent depression models. Brain/ cerebrospinal fluid concentrations associated with zelquistinel antidepressant-like activity also increased NMDAR function and rapidly and persistently enhanced activity-dependent synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation), suggesting that zelquistinel produces antidepressant-like effects by enhancing NMDAR function and synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, Zelquistinel inhibited phencyclidine (an NMDAR antagonist)-induced hyperlocomotion and did not impact rotarod performance. CONCLUSIONS: Zelquistinel produces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects by positively modulating the NMDARs, thereby enhancing long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission.

Functional CAD-RADS using FFRCT on therapeutic management and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: To propose a novel functional Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) category system integrated with coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) and to validate its effect on therapeutic decision and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Firstly, we proposed a novel functional CAD-RADS and evaluated the performance of functional CAD-RADS for guiding treatment strategies with actual clinical treatment as a reference standard in a retrospective multicenter cohort with CCTA and invasive FFR performed in all patients (n = 466). Net reclassification improvement (NRI) of functional CAD-RADS over anatomical CAD-RADS was calculated. Secondly, the prognostic value of functional CAD-RADS in a prospective two-arm cohort (566 [FFRCT arm] vs. 567 [CCTA arm]) was calculated, after a 1-year follow-up, functional CAD-RADS in FFRCT arm (n = 513) and anatomical CAD-RADS in CCTA arm (n = 511) to determine patients at risk of adverse outcomes were compared with a Cox hazard proportional model. RESULTS: Functional CAD-RADS demonstrated superior value over anatomical CAD-RADS (AUC: 0.828 vs. 0.681, p < 0.001) and comparable performance to FFR (AUC: 0.828 vs. 0.848, p = 0.253) in guiding therapeutic decisions. Functional CAD-RADS resulted in the revision of management plan as determined by anatomical CAD-RADS in 30.0% of patients (n = 140) (NRI = 0.369, p < 0.001). Functional CAD-RADS was an independent predictor for 1-year outcomes with indexes of concordance of 0.795 and the corresponding value was 0.751 in anatomical CAD-RADS. CONCLUSION: The novel functional CAD-RADS gained incremental value in guiding therapeutic decision-making compared with anatomical CAD-RADS and comparable power in 1-year prognosis with anatomical CAD-RADS in a real-world scenario. KEY POINTS: • The novel functional CAD-RADS category system with FFRCT integrated into the anatomical CAD-RADS categories was originally proposed. • The novel functional CAD-RADS category system was validated superior value over anatomical CAD-RADS (AUC: 0.828 vs. 0.681, p < 0.001) in guiding therapeutic decisions and revised management plan in 30.0% of patients as determined by anatomical CAD-RADS (net reclassification improvement index = 0.369, p < 0.001). • Functional CAD-RADS was an independent predictor with an index of concordance of 0.795 and 0.751 in anatomical CAD-RADS for 1-year prognosis of adverse outcomes.

The novel STAT3 inhibitor WZ-2-033 causes regression of human triple-negative breast cancer and gastric cancer xenografts.

Hyperactive signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling is frequently detected in human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and gastric cancer, leading to uncontrolled tumor growth, resistance to chemotherapy, and poor prognosis. Thus, inhibition of STAT3 signaling is a promising therapeutic approach for both TNBC and gastric cancer, which have high incidences and mortality and limited effective therapeutic approaches. Here, we report a small molecule, WZ-2-033, capable of inhibiting STAT3 activation and dimerization and STAT3-related malignant transformation. We present in vitro evidence from surface plasmon resonance analysis that WZ-2-033 interacts with the STAT3 protein and from confocal imaging that WZ-2-033 disrupts HA-STAT3 and Flag-STAT3 dimerization in intact cells. WZ-2-033 suppresses STAT3-DNA-binding activity but has no effect on STAT5-DNA binding. WZ-2-033 inhibits the phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of pY705-STAT3 and consequently suppresses STAT3-dependent transcriptional activity and the expression of STAT3 downstream genes. Moreover, WZ-2-033 significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony survival, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells and gastric cancer cells with aberrant STAT3 activation. Furthermore, administration of WZ-2-033 in vivo induced a significant antitumor response in mouse models of TNBC and gastric cancer that correlated with the inhibition of constitutively active STAT3 and the suppression of known STAT3 downstream genes. Thus, our study provides a novel STAT3 inhibitor with significant antitumor activity in human TNBC and gastric cancer harboring persistently active STAT3.

The effect of coronary calcification on diagnostic performance of machine learning-based CT-FFR: a Chinese multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of coronary calcification morphology and severity on the diagnostic performance of machine learning (ML)-based coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) with FFR as a reference standard. METHODS: A total of 442 patients (61.2 ± 9.1 years, 70% men) with 544 vessels who underwent CCTA, ML-based CT-FFR, and invasive FFR from China multicenter CT-FFR study were enrolled. The effect of calcification arc, calcification remodeling index (CRI), and Agatston score (AS) on the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR was investigated. CT-FFR ≤ 0.80 and lumen reduction ≥ 50% determined by CCTA were identified as vessel-specific ischemia with invasive FFR as a reference standard. RESULTS: Compared with invasive FFR, ML-based CT-FFR yielded an overall sensitivity of 0.84, specificity of 0.94, and accuracy of 0.90 in a total of 344 calcification lesions. There was no statistical difference in diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, or specificity of CT-FFR across different calcification arc, CRI, or AS levels. CT-FFR exhibited improved discrimination of ischemia compared with CCTA alone in lesions with mild-to-moderate calcification (AUC, 0.89 vs. 0.69, p < 0.001) and lesions with CRI ≥ 1 (AUC, 0.89 vs. 0.71, p < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy and specificity of CT-FFR were higher than CCTA alone in patients and vessels with mid (100 to 299) or high (≥ 300) AS. CONCLUSION: Coronary calcification morphology and severity did not influence diagnostic performance of CT-FFR in ischemia detection, and CT-FFR showed marked improved discrimination of ischemia compared with CCTA alone in the setting of calcification. KEY POINTS: • CT-FFR provides superior diagnostic performance than CCTA alone regardless of coronary calcification. • No significant differences in the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR were observed in coronary arteries with different coronary calcification arcs and calcified remodeling indexes. • No significant differences in the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR were observed in coronary arteries with different coronary calcification score levels.

The influence of image quality on diagnostic performance of a machine learning-based fractional flow reserve derived from coronary CT angiography.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of image quality of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) on the diagnostic performance of a machine learning-based CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT). METHODS: This nationwide retrospective study enrolled participants from 10 individual centers across China. FFRCT analysis was performed in 570 vessels in 437 patients. Invasive FFR and FFRCT values ≤ 0.80 were considered ischemia-specific. Four-score subjective assessment based on image quality and objective measurement of vessel enhancement was performed on a per-vessel basis. The effects of body mass index (BMI), sex, heart rate, and coronary calcium score on the diagnostic performance of FFRCT were studied. RESULTS: Among 570 vessels, 216 were considered ischemia-specific by invasive FFR and 198 by FFRCT. Sensitivity and specificity of FFRCT for detecting lesion-specific ischemia were 0.82 and 0.93, respectively. Area under the curve (AUC) of high-quality images (0.93, n = 159) was found to be superior to low-quality images (0.80, n = 92, p = 0.02). Objective image quality and heart rate were also associated with diagnostic performance of FFRCT, whereas there was no statistical difference in diagnostic performance among different BMI, sex, and calcium score groups (all p > 0.05, Bonferroni correction). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective multicenter study supported the FFRCT as a noninvasive test in evaluating lesion-specific ischemia. Subjective image quality, vessel enhancement, and heart rate affect the diagnostic performance of FFRCT. KEY POINTS: • FFRCTcan be used to evaluate lesion-specific ischemia. • Poor image quality negatively affects the diagnostic performance of FFRCT. • CCTA with ≥ score 3, intracoronary enhancement degree of 300-400 HU, and heart rate below 70 bpm at scanning could be of great benefit to more accurate FFRCTanalysis.

Pharmacological and cardiovascular perspectives on the treatment of COVID-19 with chloroquine derivatives.

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an ongoing severe pandemic. Curative drugs specific for COVID-19 are currently lacking. Chloroquine phosphate and its derivative hydroxychloroquine, which have been used in the treatment and prevention of malaria and autoimmune diseases for decades, were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection with high potency in vitro and have shown clinical and virologic benefits in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, chloroquine phosphate was first used in the treatment of COVID-19 in China. Later, under a limited emergency-use authorization from the FDA, hydroxychloroquine in combination with azithromycin was used to treat COVID-19 patients in the USA, although the mechanisms of the anti-COVID-19 effects remain unclear. Preliminary outcomes from clinical trials in several countries have generated controversial results. The desperation to control the pandemic overrode the concerns regarding the serious adverse effects of chloroquine derivatives and combination drugs, including lethal arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy. The risks of these treatments have become more complex as a result of findings that COVID-19 is actually a multisystem disease. While respiratory symptoms are the major clinical manifestations, cardiovascular abnormalities, including arrhythmias, myocarditis, heart failure, and ischemic stroke, have been reported in a significant number of COVID-19 patients. Patients with preexisting cardiovascular conditions (hypertension, arrhythmias, etc.) are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and death. From pharmacological and cardiovascular perspectives, therefore, the treatment of COVID-19 with chloroquine and its derivatives should be systematically evaluated, and patients should be routinely monitored for cardiovascular conditions to prevent lethal adverse events.

Ammoniated MOF-74(Zn) derivatives as luminescent sensor for highly selective detection of tetrabromobisphenol A.

In this study, a porous framework MOF-74(Zn) (Zn2 (DHBDC)(DMF)(H2O)2, H4dondc = 1, 5-dioxido-2, 6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid) with open metal sites was successful synthesized. MOF-74(Zn) as a template was grafted on the open metal sites with ethylenediamine (en) named MOF-74(Zn)-en to develop a highly selective and sensitive fluorescence detector for rapid determination of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). The obtained MOF-74(Zn)-en was well characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and showed ideal properties of photoluminescence. The fluorescence enhancement showed a good linear relationship with the concentrations of TBBPA in the range of 50-400 µg/L, and its limit of detection could reach to 0.75 µg/L. Furthermore, the possible sensing mechanism of the fluorescence enhancement could be attributed to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The results will provide a convenient and quick method for detection of TBBPA. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first case to detect TBBPA by fluorescence enhancement with MOF derivatives.

[Double-antibody sandwich method versus indirect method of ELISA for detection of prostatic exosomal protein in the urine].

OBJECTIVE: To compare two ELISA methods for the detection of the prostatic exosomal protein (PSEP) in the urine. METHODS: Using the double-antibody sandwich (DAS) method and the indirect method of ELISA, we detected PSEP in the urine samples from 100 IIIA chronic prostatitis (CP) patients and another 100 normal healthy males. Meanwhile, we examined 30 clinical urine samples using the diluent (0.1 mol/L PBS buffer) and the urine matrix standard curves to verify the consistency of the standard diluent with the sample collected. Result: The sensitivities of DAS and indirect ELISA were 89% versus 87% and their specificities 91% versus 90%, with total consistency rates of 90% versus 88.5%, with no statistically significant difference in between. The scatter plot for the results of the PBS diluent and the urine matrix standard curves showed a good linearity (R2 = 0.999). No significant difference was found in the results of detection of the clinical urine samples in different matrices. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the characteristics of PSEP, the indirect ELISA method is more practical and feasible for the clinical detection of PSEP in the urine samples of prostatitis patients.

Positive N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Modulation by Rapastinel Promotes Rapid and Sustained Antidepressant-Like Effects.

BACKGROUND: Modulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors can produce rapid and sustained antidepressant effects. Rapastinel (GLYX-13), initially described as a N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor partial glycine site agonist, exhibits rapid antidepressant effect in rodents without the accompanying dissociative effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists. METHODS: The relationship between rapastinel's in vitro N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor pharmacology and antidepressant efficacy was determined by brain microdialysis and subsequent pharmacological characterization of therapeutic rapastinel concentrations in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-specific radioligand displacement, calcium mobilization, and medial prefrontal cortex electrophysiology assays. RESULTS: Brain rapastinel concentrations of 30 to 100 nM were associated with its antidepressant-like efficacy and enhancement of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent neuronal intracellular calcium mobilization. Modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors by rapastinel was independent of D-serine concentrations, and glycine site antagonists did not block rapastinel's effect. In rat medial prefrontal cortex slices, 100 nM rapastinel increased N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents and enhanced the magnitude of long-term potentiation without any effect on miniature EPSCs or paired-pulse facilitation responses, indicating postsynaptic action of rapastinel. A critical amino acid within the NR2 subunit was identified as necessary for rapastinel's modulatory effect. CONCLUSION: Rapastinel brain concentrations associated with antidepressant-like activity directly enhance medial prefrontal cortex N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity in vitro. At therapeutic concentrations, rapastinel directly enhances N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity through a novel site independent of the glycine coagonist site. While both rapastinel and ketamine physically target N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, the 2 molecules have opposing actions on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Modest positive modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors by rapastinel represents a novel pharmacological approach to promote well-tolerated, rapid, and sustained improvements in mood disorders.

Concussion, microvascular injury, and early tauopathy in young athletes after impact head injury and an impact concussion mouse model.

The mechanisms underpinning concussion, traumatic brain injury, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and the relationships between these disorders, are poorly understood. We examined post-mortem brains from teenage athletes in the acute-subacute period after mild closed-head impact injury and found astrocytosis, myelinated axonopathy, microvascular injury, perivascular neuroinflammation, and phosphorylated tau protein pathology. To investigate causal mechanisms, we developed a mouse model of lateral closed-head impact injury that uses momentum transfer to induce traumatic head acceleration. Unanaesthetized mice subjected to unilateral impact exhibited abrupt onset, transient course, and rapid resolution of a concussion-like syndrome characterized by altered arousal, contralateral hemiparesis, truncal ataxia, locomotor and balance impairments, and neurobehavioural deficits. Experimental impact injury was associated with axonopathy, blood-brain barrier disruption, astrocytosis, microgliosis (with activation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells, TREM2), monocyte infiltration, and phosphorylated tauopathy in cerebral cortex ipsilateral and subjacent to impact. Phosphorylated tauopathy was detected in ipsilateral axons by 24 h, bilateral axons and soma by 2 weeks, and distant cortex bilaterally at 5.5 months post-injury. Impact pathologies co-localized with serum albumin extravasation in the brain that was diagnostically detectable in living mice by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. These pathologies were also accompanied by early, persistent, and bilateral impairment in axonal conduction velocity in the hippocampus and defective long-term potentiation of synaptic neurotransmission in the medial prefrontal cortex, brain regions distant from acute brain injury. Surprisingly, acute neurobehavioural deficits at the time of injury did not correlate with blood-brain barrier disruption, microgliosis, neuroinflammation, phosphorylated tauopathy, or electrophysiological dysfunction. Furthermore, concussion-like deficits were observed after impact injury, but not after blast exposure under experimental conditions matched for head kinematics. Computational modelling showed that impact injury generated focal point loading on the head and seven-fold greater peak shear stress in the brain compared to blast exposure. Moreover, intracerebral shear stress peaked before onset of gross head motion. By comparison, blast induced distributed force loading on the head and diffuse, lower magnitude shear stress in the brain. We conclude that force loading mechanics at the time of injury shape acute neurobehavioural responses, structural brain damage, and neuropathological sequelae triggered by neurotrauma. These results indicate that closed-head impact injuries, independent of concussive signs, can induce traumatic brain injury as well as early pathologies and functional sequelae associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. These results also shed light on the origins of concussion and relationship to traumatic brain injury and its aftermath.awx350media15713427811001.

Identification of Hub Genes Using Co-Expression Network Analysis in Breast Cancer as a Tool to Predict Different Stages.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer has a high mortality rate and is the most common cancer of women worldwide. Our gene co-expression network analysis identified the genes closely related to the pathological stage of breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and performed pathway enrichment analysis on genes from significant modules. RESULTS A non-metastatic sample (374) of breast cancer from GSE102484 was used to construct the gene co-expression network. All 49 hub genes have been shown to be upregulated, and 19 of the 49 hub genes are significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissue. The roles of the genes CASC5, CKAP2L, FAM83D, KIF18B, KIF23, SKA1, GINS1, CDCA5, and MCM6 in breast cancer are unclear, so in order to better reveal the staging of breast cancer markers, it is necessary to study those hub genes. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes indicated that 49 hub genes were enriched to sister chromatid cohesion, spindle midzone, microtubule motor activity, cell cycle, and something else. Additionally, there is an independent data set - GSE20685 - for module preservation analysis, survival analysis, and gene validation. CONCLUSIONS This study identified 49 hub genes that were associated with pathologic stage of breast cancer, 19 of which were significantly upregulated in breast cancer. Risk stratification, therapeutic decision making, and prognosis predication might be improved by our study results. This study provides new insights into biomarkers of breast cancer, which might influence the future direction of breast cancer research.

Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence of submonolayer porphyrins by silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles.

We investigate the fluorescence from submonolayer porphyrin molecules near silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) at a well-controlled separation distance of about 1 nm - 5 nm. When porphyrin molecules are deposited on silver NPs with the plasmonic resonance peak at about 410 nm, which matches very closely with the 405-nm excitation laser and the absorption band of porphyrin molecules, their emission intensity is found to be enhanced due to the plasmonic resonant excitation enhancement, and shows a decline as the increasing polymer shell thickness. Meanwhile, the lifetime results demonstrate that there exists the fluorescence quenching due to the charge transfer and nonradiative energy transfer losses, which is also the main reason that the maximum enhancement factor obtained in experiment is only about 2.3, although the theoretical one is above 60 according to the electric field distribution near silver NPs calculated by finite-difference time-domain method.

NYX-2925 Is a Novel NMDA Receptor-Specific Spirocyclic-ß-Lactam That Modulates Synaptic Plasticity Processes Associated with Learning and Memory.

Background: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are one member of a family of ionotropic glutamate receptors that play a pivotal role in synaptic plasticity processes associated with learning and have become attractive therapeutic targets for diseases such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain. NYX-2925 ((2S, 3R)-3-hydroxy-2-((R)-5-isobutyryl-1-oxo-2,5-diazaspiro[3.4]octan-2-yl)butanamide) is one member of a spiro-ß-lactam-based chemical platform that mimics some of the dipyrrolidine structural features of rapastinel (formerly GLYX-13: threonine-proline-proline-threonine) and is distinct from known N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor agonists or antagonists such as D-cycloserine, ketamine, MK-801, kynurenic acid, or ifenprodil. Methods: The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of NYX-2925 were examined. Results: NYX-2925 has a low potential for "off-target" activity, as it did not exhibit any significant affinity for a large panel of neuroactive receptors, including hERG receptors. NYX-2925 increased MK-801 binding to human N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR2A-D subtypes expressed in HEK cells and enhanced N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor current and long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal slices (100-500 nM). Single dose ex vivo studies showed increased metaplasticity in a hippocampal LTP paradigm and structural plasticity 24 hours after administration (1 mg/kg p.o.). Significant learning enhancement in both novel object recognition and positive emotional learning paradigms were observed (0.01-1 mg/kg p.o.), and these effects were blocked by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist CPP. NYX-2925 does not show any addictive or sedative/ataxic side effects and has a therapeutic index of >1000. NYX-2925 (1 mg/kg p.o.) has a cerebrospinal fluid half-life of 1.2 hours with a Cmax of 44 nM at 1 hour. Conclusions: NYX-2925, like rapastinel, activates an NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity process and may have therapeutic potential for a variety of NMDA receptor-mediated central nervous system disorders.

Abnormal DNA Methylation in Thoracic Spinal Cord Tissue Following Transection Injury.

BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious disease with high disability and mortality rates, with no effective therapeutic strategies available. In SCI, abnormal DNA methylation is considered to be associated with axonal regeneration and cell proliferation. However, the roles of key genes in potential molecular mechanisms of SCI are not clear. MATERIAL AND METHODS Subacute spinal cord injury models were established in Wistar rats. Histological observations and motor function assessments were performed separately. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was used to detect the methylation of genes. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed using the DAVID database. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were analyzed by Cytoscape software. RESULTS After SCI, many cavities, areas of necrotic tissue, and many inflammatory cells were observed, and motor function scores were low. After the whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, approximately 96 DMGs were screened, of which 50 were hypermethylated genes and 46 were hypomethylated genes. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted the Axon Guidance pathway, Endocytosis pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, and Hippo signaling pathway. Expression patterns of hypermethylated genes and hypomethylated genes detected by qRT-PCR were the opposite of WGBS data, and the difference was significant. CONCLUSIONS Abnormal methylated genes and key signaling pathways involved in spinal cord injury were identified through histological observation, behavioral assessment, and bioinformatics analysis. This research can serve as a source of additional information to expand understanding of spinal cord-induced epigenetic changes.

Theoretical Investigation of the Formation Mechanism of NH3 and HCN during Pyrrole Pyrolysis: The Effect of H2O.

Coal is a major contributor to the global emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The NOx formation during coal utilization typically derives from the thermal decomposition of N-containing compounds (e.g., pyrrolic groups). NH3 and HCN are common precursors of NOx from the decomposition of N-containing compounds. The existence of H2O has significant influences on the pyrrole decomposition and NOx formation. In this study, the effects of H2O on pyrrole pyrolysis to form NOx precursors HCN and NH3 are investigated using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The calculation results indicate that the presence of H2O can lead to the formation of both NH3 and HCN during pyrrole pyrolysis, while only HCN is formed in the absence of H2O. The initial interaction between pyrrole and H2O determines the N products. NH3 will be formed when H2O attacks the C2 position of pyrrole with its hydroxyl group. On the contrary, HCN will be generated instead of NH3 when H2O attacks the C3 position of pyrrole with its hydroxyl group. In addition, the DFT calculations clearly indicate that the formation of NH3 will be promoted by H2O, whereas the formation of HCN is inhibited.