Chemical reprogramming offers an unprecedented opportunity to control somatic cell fate and generate desired cell types including pluripotent stem cells for applications in biomedicine in a precise, ...flexible, and controllable manner. Recent success in the chemical reprogramming of human somatic cells by activating a regeneration-like program provides an alternative way of producing stem cells for clinical translation. Likewise, chemical manipulation enables the capture of multiple (stem) cell states, ranging from totipotency to the stabilization of somatic fates in vitro. Here, we review progress in using chemical approaches for cell fate manipulation in addition to future opportunities in this promising field.
Chemical reprogramming offers an unprecedented opportunity to control somatic cell fate and generate desired cell types including pluripotent stem cells for applications in biomedicine in a precise, flexible, and controllable manner. Deng and colleagues review progress in chemical approaches for cell fate manipulation and discuss future opportunities in this promising field.
A new smelting method to synthesize high-nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel was suggested. The synthesized steel completely consists of austenite and represents more brilliant ...anti-corrosion ability both in salt solution and sulfuric acid solution. The brilliant anti-corrosion ability is retained even after severe cold-rolling deformation, which ensures its workability in practice. The potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and passivating treatment were used to characterize its corrosion properties and uncover its corrosion mechanism in salt solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to clarify the mechanism of passivation. The results demonstrate that the steel has a more uniform and thicker passive film than traditional stainless steel due to the cooperation of nitrogen and chromium.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The effects of TiO2 content on the crystallization behavior, microstructure, microhardness, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and softening temperature of CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass ceramic fillers ...were investigated. The results show that the crystallization activation energy (E) firstly decreases and then increases with the TiO2 addition from 10 wt% to 20 wt%. The microstructure and phase composition of glass ceramics importantly depend on the content of TiO2. Low TiO2 content results in formation of Ti-contained crystals (CaTiSiO5) due to phase separation. In contrast, high TiO2 concentrations lead to precipitation of small titanium oxide crystals that act as nuclei, facilitating the development of CaAl2Si2O8. Furthermore, the formation of crystalline phases is beneficial for improving the microhardness and refractoriness of glass ceramics. The CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass with 15 wt% TiO2 addition exhibits the highest crystalline volume fraction possibly due to the lowest activation energy of crystallization. As a result, its microhardness and softening temperature can reach as high as 898.2 HV and 1027 °C, respectively. However, its CTE slightly decreases from 7.44 × 10−6/°C to 6.35 × 10−6/°C after crystallization treatment because of the formation of CaTiSiO5.
•The activation energy first increases and then decreases with the increase of TiO2.•Low activation energy leads to high crystalline volume fraction.•Different quantities of TiO2 result in different crystalline phases.•The 15 wt% TiO2 system exhibits highest hardness and softening temperature.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
This paper completes the welding of 4-mm-pure copper with bobbin tool-friction stir welding technology for the first time, and we discovered the evolution of microstructure by combining the ...temperature field evolution, microstructure, mechanical properties, electrical properties, and chemical corrosion resistance of welded joints. The findings demonstrate that the temperature field is dynamic, with the advancing side experiencing the highest peak temperature (422 °C). The size of recrystallized grain in the stir zone (SZ) is slightly larger than that of the base metal (BM), and the “banded structure” of alternating coarse-grain bands and fine grain bands is observed in this region. The microstructure of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) has larger grain size. Both the advancing and retreating sides of the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) have a distinct microstructure, with the advancing side having a more pronounced elongated and curved microstructure. The welded joint has a specific microstructure gradient from the standpoint of the overall microstructure, which results in the fracture location at TMAZ with the biggest microstructure gradient in the tensile test, and the welded joint’s efficiency is only 57.56% of the base metal. At the same time, the resistivity and the chemical corrosion resistance of the welded joint will decrease. During the welding process, the grains in the stir zone mainly undergo geometric dynamic recrystallization and the heat-affected zone mainly undergoes dynamic recovery.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Cellular reprogramming can manipulate the identity of cells to generate the desired cell types
. The use of cell intrinsic components, including oocyte cytoplasm and transcription factors, can ...enforce somatic cell reprogramming to pluripotent stem cells
. By contrast, chemical stimulation by exposure to small molecules offers an alternative approach that can manipulate cell fate in a simple and highly controllable manner
. However, human somatic cells are refractory to chemical stimulation owing to their stable epigenome
and reduced plasticity
; it is therefore challenging to induce human pluripotent stem cells by chemical reprogramming. Here we demonstrate, by creating an intermediate plastic state, the chemical reprogramming of human somatic cells to human chemically induced pluripotent stem cells that exhibit key features of embryonic stem cells. The whole chemical reprogramming trajectory analysis delineated the induction of the intermediate plastic state at the early stage, during which chemical-induced dedifferentiation occurred, and this process was similar to the dedifferentiation process that occurs in axolotl limb regeneration. Moreover, we identified the JNK pathway as a major barrier to chemical reprogramming, the inhibition of which was indispensable for inducing cell plasticity and a regeneration-like program by suppressing pro-inflammatory pathways. Our chemical approach provides a platform for the generation and application of human pluripotent stem cells in biomedicine. This study lays foundations for developing regenerative therapeutic strategies that use well-defined chemicals to change cell fates in humans.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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Reactive molecular dynamics simulations have widely used in the oxidation, the decomposition and the chemisorption of the various materials to reveal the atomistic processes. The ...formation of native defects in ZnO nanopillars have studied by the method of the reactive force field molecular dynamics during oxidation growth. Results indicate that the formed ZnO nanopillars have short-range order structure with lots of O vacancies. The deficiency of the O atoms is due to the formed ZnO on the surface suppressing the further diffusion of the O atoms. Moreover, increasing the oxidation temperature makes more O atoms react with Zn atoms and increases the diffusion distance of O atoms, which is easy to form ordering structure and epitaxial growth.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•The effect of empagliflozin on peritoneal fibrosis (PF) was examined.•Empagliflozin is a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor.•High-glucose peritoneal dialysis solution (PDS) or ...TGF-β1was used to induce PF.•Empagliflozin exerted a protective effect on high-glucose PDS-induced PF.•The underlying mechanism involved suppression of TGF-β/Smad signaling.
Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor has been reported to exert a glucose-lowering effect in the peritoneum exposed to peritoneal dialysis solution. However, whether SGLT-2 inhibitors can regulate peritoneal fibrosis by suppressing TGF-β/Smad signaling is unclear. We aimed to (i) examine the effect of the SGLT-2 inhibitor empagliflozin in reducing inflammatory reaction and preventing peritoneal dialysis solution-induced peritoneal fibrosis and (ii) elucidate the underlying mechanisms. High-glucose peritoneal dialysis solution or transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) was used to induce peritoneal fibrosis in vivo, in a mouse peritoneal dialysis model (C57BL/6 mice) and in human peritoneal mesothelial cells in vitro, to stimulate extracellular matrix accumulation. The effects of empagliflozin and adeno-associated virus-RNAi, which is used to suppress SGLT-2 activity, on peritoneal fibrosis and extracellular matrix were evaluated. The mice that received chronic peritoneal dialysis solution infusions showed typical features of peritoneal fibrosis, including markedly increased peritoneal thickness, excessive matrix deposition, increased peritoneal permeability, and upregulated α-smooth muscle actin and collagen I expression. Empagliflozin treatment or downregulation of SGLT-2 expression significantly ameliorated these pathological changes. Inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and TGF-β/Smad signaling-associated proteins, such as TGF-β1 and phosphorylated Smad (p-Smad3), decreased in the empagliflozin-treated and SGLT-2 downregulated groups. In addition, empagliflozin treatment and downregulation of SGLT-2 expression reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), TGF-β1, α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, and p-Smad3 accumulation in human peritoneal mesothelial cells. Collectively, these results indicated that empagliflozin exerted a clear protective effect on high-glucose peritoneal dialysis-induced peritoneal fibrosis via suppressing TGF-β/Smad signaling.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, with a high rate of recurrence and treatment resistance. Glioblastoma is highly invasive, infiltrating surrounding brain parenchyma, and is known to ...cause intracranial metastasis resulting in a dismal prognosis. Hypoxia contributes significantly to chemo- and radiotherapy resistance in cancer. Ferroptosis is a nonapoptotic oxidative cell death that has been identified as a potential anticancer mechanism. Sulfasalazine (SAS) activates ferroptosis and plays a potential role in tumor treatment. However, the relationship between hypoxia and SAS resistance has not been elucidated. This study is aimed at investigating the role of hypoxia in SAS-induced ferroptosis and the underlying mechanisms. Here, we found that hypoxia significantly suppressed SAS-induced ferroptosis by upregulating SLC7A11 expression in the U87 and U251 glioma cell lines. Hypoxia promotes SLC7A11 expression by enhancing the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α pathway. The AKT inhibitor MK-2206 and HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 significantly reversed this effect. In addition, under normoxia, PX-478 induced a higher lipid peroxidation level by decreasing SLC7A11 expression in the U87 and U251 cells but could not induce cell death directly; it could significantly enhance the tumor cell killing effect of SAS. In vivo, the combination of PX-478 and SAS had a coordinated synergistic effect on anticancer activity, as revealed by subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft mouse models. In conclusion, hypoxia enhanced glioma resistance to SAS-induced ferroptosis by upregulating SLC7A11 via activating the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α axis. Combination therapy with PX-478 and SAS may be a potential strategy against glioma.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
