DOT1L has emerged as an anticancer target for MLL-associated leukaemias; however, its functional role in solid tumours is largely unknown. Here we identify that DOT1L cooperates with c-Myc and p300 ...acetyltransferase to epigenetically activate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulators in breast cancer progression. DOT1L recognizes SNAIL, ZEB1 and ZEB2 promoters via interacting with the c-Myc-p300 complex and facilitates lysine-79 methylation and acetylation towards histone H3, leading to the dissociation of HDAC1 and DNMT1 in the regions. The upregulation of these EMT regulators by the DOT1L-c-Myc-p300 complex enhances EMT-induced breast cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties. Furthermore, in vivo orthotopic xenograft models show that DOT1L is required for malignant transformation of breast epithelial cells and breast tumour initiation and metastasis. Clinically, DOT1L expression is associated with poorer survival and aggressiveness of breast cancers. Collectively, we suggest that cooperative effect of DOT1L and c-Myc-p300 is critical for acquisition of aggressive phenotype of breast cancer by promoting EMT/CSC.
The lithium-air battery is a new type of secondary battery technology that is currently receiving a lot of attention in the field of power storage technology. These batteries are known to offer high ...energy densities and potentially longer driving ranges. In this study, NiCo2O4 and CNTs were used to create a composite for use as the cathode of a Li-air battery. Improving the 3D needl-like structure that provides extensive transport channels for electrolyte infiltration and numerous sites facilitated charge transfer reactions and the synergistic effect of highly electrocatalytic NiCo2O4 with pronounced activity and high conductive CNTs, with the synthesized NiCo2O4@CNTs composites exhibiting active catalytic performance for both OER and ORR reactions. It also showed improved cycle performance at high current densities. NiCo2O4@CNTs composites were successfully fabricated using a hydrothermal method together with a sequential annealing treatment. The components of the completed composite were confirmed using TGA, XRD, and SEM, and the specific surface area was analyzed using BET. The composite was performed for over 120 cycles at a current density of 200 mA∙g−1, and 500 mA∙g−1 was achieved under the capacity limiting condition of 500 mAh∙g−1. The charging/discharging characteristics were compared under various current densities, exhibiting stable cyclability. The high catalytic activity of NiCo2O4 oxide supports its potential use as a cathode in Li-air batteries.
Pancreatic cancer is the worst exocrine gastrointestinal cancer leading to the highest mortality. Recent studies reported that aberrant expression of apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 ...(APE1) is involved in uncontrolled cell growth. However, the molecular mechanism of APE1 biological role remains unrevealed in pancreatic cancer progression. Here, we demonstrate that APE1 accelerates pancreatic cancer cell proliferation through glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)/glial factor receptor α1 (GFRα1)/Src/ERK axis-cascade signaling. The proliferation of endogenous APE1 expressed-MIA PaCa-2, a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line, was increased by treatment with GDNF, a ligand of GFRα1. Either of downregulated APE1 or GFRα1 expression using small interference RNA (siRNA) inhibited GDNF-induced cancer cell proliferation. The MEK-1 inhibitor PD98059 decreased GDNF-induced MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation. Src inactivation by either its siRNA or Src inhibitor decreased ERK-phosphorylation in response to GDNF in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Overexpression of GFRα1 in APE1-deficient MIA PaCa-2 cells activated the phosphorylation of Src and ERK. The expression of both APE1 and GFRα1 was gradually increased as progressing pancreatic cancer grades. Our results highlight a critical role for APE1 in GDNF-induced pancreatic cancer cell proliferation through APE1/GFRα1/Src/ERK axis-cascade signaling and provide evidence for future potential therapeutic drug targets for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with relapsing and remitting patterns, and it is caused by varied factors, such as the intestinal inflammation extent and duration. We ...examined the preventative effects of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) on epithelial barrier integrity and intestinal inflammation in an interleukin (IL)-6-induced cell model and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute mouse colitis model. HMOs including 2'-fucosyllactose (FL) and 3-FL and positive controls including fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and 5-acetylsalicylic acid (5-ASA) were orally administrated once per day to C57BL/6J mice with colitis induced by 5% DSS in the administered drinking water. 2'-FL and 3-FL did not affect the cell viability in Caco-2 cells. Meanwhile, these agents reversed IL-6-reduced intestinal barrier function in Caco-2 cells. Furthermore, 2'-FL and 3-FL reversed the body weight loss and the remarkably short colon lengths in DSS-induced acute colitis mice. Moreover, 2'-FL and 3-FL obviously protected the decreasing expression of zonula occluden-1 and occludin in colon tissue relative to the findings in the DSS-treated control group. 2'-FL and 3-FL significantly reduced IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in serum relative to the control findings. The summary of these results shows that HMOs prevent colitis mainly by enhancing intestinal barrier function and advancing anti-inflammatory responses. Therefore, HMOs might suppress inflammatory responses and represent candidate treatments for IBD that protect intestinal integrity.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate immunomodulator ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from
Panax ginseng, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl
4)-induced liver injury. BALB/c mice were injected
...i.p. with ginsan 24 h prior to CCl
4 administration. Serum liver enzyme levels, histology, expression of antioxidant enzymes, and several cytokines/chemokines were subsequently evaluated. Ginsan treatment markedly suppressed the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and hepatic histological necrosis increased by CCl
4 treatment. Ginsan inhibited CCl
4 induced lipid peroxidation through the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) downregulation. The hepatoprotective effect of ginsan was attributed to induction of anti-oxidant protein contents, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) as well as restoration of the hepatic glutathione (GSH) concentration. The marked increase of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IFN-γ) and chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-2β, KC) in CCl
4 treated mice was additionally attenuated by ginsan, thereby preventing leukocyte infiltration and local inflammation. Our results suggest that ginsan effectively prevent liver injury, mainly through downregulation of oxidative stress and inflammatory response.
The uterine cervix is a mechanical and immunological barrier against ascending infection during pregnancy. Cervical insufficiency (CI), a painless cervical dilation that occurs in the mid-trimester, ...is an important cause of extremely preterm birth. We hypothesized that women with CI have a differential transcriptomic profile. Therefore, we compared the transcriptomic profile of peripheral blood in women with CI and that of controls.
RNA sequencing was used to generate the global gene expression profiles of 11 women with CI and 4 controls, and differential expression analysis was performed to identify genes showing significant expression changes between the CI (n = 11) and control (n = 4) groups as well as between the CI-preterm (n = 7) and CI-term (n = 4) groups. Gene set enrichment was assessed in terms of Gene Ontology processes, and a subset of differentially expressed genes in CI was validated in a different sample-set by qRT-PCR and ELISA.
Thirty genes were differentially expressed between the CI and control groups. Differentially upregulated genes in the CI group included neutrophil-mediated immunity-associated (DEFA3 and ELANE) and bicarbonate transport-related genes. The serum concentration of alpha defensin 3 was significantly higher in women with CI than in controls (P = 0.014). Analysis of differential gene expression according to pregnancy outcomes revealed 338 differentially expressed genes between the CI-term and CI-preterm groups. Immune and defense response to organism-associated genes and influenza A and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways were upregulated in the CI-term group.
Our results revealed significant differences in the whole blood transcriptomic profiles of women with CI compared to those of controls. Different immune responses in women with CI may affect pregnancy outcomes.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
There is a paucity of data regarding the differentiating characteristics of patients with laboratory-confirmed and those negative for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in South ...Korea. This hospital-based retrospective study compared MERS-CoV-positive and MERS-CoV-negative patients. A total of seven positive patients and 55 negative patients with a median age of 43 years (P = 0.845) were included. No statistical differences were observed with respect to their sex and the presence of comorbidities. At the time of admission, headache (28.6% vs. 3.6%; odds ratio OR, 10.60; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.22–92.27), myalgia (57.1% vs. 9.1%; OR, 13.33; 95% CI, 2.30–77.24), and diarrhea (57.1% vs. 14.5%; OR, 7.83; 95% CI, 1.47–41.79) were common among MERS-CoV-positive patients. MERS-CoV-positive patients were more likely to have a low platelet count (164 ± 76.57 vs. 240 ± 79.87) and eosinophil (0.27 ± 0.43 vs. 2.13 ± 2.01; P = 0.003). Chest radiography with diffuse bronchopneumonia was more frequent in MERS-CoV-positive patients than in negative patients (100% vs. 62.5%; P = 0.491). The symptoms of headache, myalgia, and diarrhea, as well as laboratory characteristics, including low platelet counts and eosinophil, and chest X-ray showing diffuse bronchopneumonia might enhance the ability to detect patients in South Korea infected with MERS-CoV.
Treating critical‐sized bone defects is an important issue in the field of tissue engineering and bone regeneration. From the various biomaterials for bone regeneration, collagen is an important and ...widely used biomaterial in biomedical applications, hence, it has numerous attractive properties including biocompatibility, hyper elastic behavior, prominent mechanical properties, support cell adhesion, proliferation, and biodegradability. In the present study, collagen was extracted from duck's feet (DC) as a new collagen source and combined with quercetin (Qtn), a type of flavonoids found in apple and onions and has been reported to affect the bone metabolism, for increasing osteogenic differentiation. Further, improving osteoconductive properties of the scaffold hydroxyapatite (HAp) a biodegradable material was used. We prepared 0, 25, 50, and 100 μM Qtn/DC/HAp sponges using Qtn, DC, and HAp. Their physiochemical characteristics were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, compressive strength, porosity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. To assess the effect of Qtn on osteogenic differentiation, we cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the sponges and evaluated by alkaline phosphatase, 3‐4‐2, 5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, and real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, they were studied implanting in rat, analyzed through Micro‐CT and histological staining. From our in vitro and in vivo results, we found that Qtn has an effect on bone regeneration. Among the different experimental groups, 25 μM Qtn/DC/HAp sponge was found to be highly increased in cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation compared with other groups. Therefore, 25 μM Qtn/DC/HAp sponge can be used as an alternative biomaterial for bone regeneration in critical situations.
Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The human lung serves as a niche to a unique and dynamic bacterial community that is related to the development of multiple ...diseases. Here, we investigated the differences in the lung microbiomes of patients with lung cancer.
16S rRNA sequencing was performed to evaluate the respiratory tract microbiome present in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Patients were stratified based on programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression levels and immunotherapy responses.
In total, 84 patients were prospectively analyzed, of which 59 showed low (< 10%), and 25 showed high (≥ 10%) PD-L1 expression levels. The alpha and beta diversities did not significantly differ between the two groups. Veillonella dispar was dominant in the high-PD-L1 group; the population of Neisseria was significantly higher in the low-PD-L1 group than in the high-PD-L1 group. In the immunotherapy responder group, V. dispar was dominant, while Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria perflava were dominant in the non-responder group.
The abundances of Neisseria and V. dispar differed significantly in relation to PD-L1 expression levels and immunotherapy responses.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK