Human infections with zoonotic coronaviruses (CoVs), including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV, have raised great public health concern ...globally. Here, we report a novel bat-origin CoV causing severe and fatal pneumonia in humans.
We collected clinical data and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens from five patients with severe pneumonia from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Hubei province, China. Nucleic acids of the BAL were extracted and subjected to next-generation sequencing. Virus isolation was carried out, and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees were constructed.
Five patients hospitalized from December 18 to December 29, 2019 presented with fever, cough, and dyspnea accompanied by complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Chest radiography revealed diffuse opacities and consolidation. One of these patients died. Sequence results revealed the presence of a previously unknown β-CoV strain in all five patients, with 99.8% to 99.9% nucleotide identities among the isolates. These isolates showed 79.0% nucleotide identity with the sequence of SARS-CoV (GenBank NC_004718) and 51.8% identity with the sequence of MERS-CoV (GenBank NC_019843). The virus is phylogenetically closest to a bat SARS-like CoV (SL-ZC45, GenBank MG772933) with 87.6% to 87.7% nucleotide identity, but is in a separate clade. Moreover, these viruses have a single intact open reading frame gene 8, as a further indicator of bat-origin CoVs. However, the amino acid sequence of the tentative receptor-binding domain resembles that of SARS-CoV, indicating that these viruses might use the same receptor.
A novel bat-borne CoV was identified that is associated with severe and fatal respiratory disease in humans.
The clinical prospect of sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has not been fully realized due to the scarcity of efficient sonosensitizers. Herein, we designed phthalocyanine–artesunate conjugates (e.g. ...ZnPcT4A), which could generate up to ca. 10‐fold more reactive oxygen species (ROS) than the known sonosensitizer protoporphyrin IX. Meanwhile, an interesting and significant finding of aggregation‐enhanced sonodynamic activity (AESA) was observed for the first time. ZnPcT4A showed about 60‐fold higher sonodynamic ROS generation in the aggregated form than in the disaggregated form in aqueous solutions. That could be attributed to the boosted ultrasonic cavitation of nanostructures. The level of the AESA effect depended on the aggregation ability of sonosensitizer molecules and the particle size of their aggregates. Moreover, biological studies demonstrated that ZnPcT4A had high anticancer activities and biosafety. This study thus opens up a new avenue the development of efficient organic sonosensitizers.
An interesting aggregation‐enhanced sonodynamic activity (AESA) effect was first observed based on the studies of phthalocyanine–artesunate conjugates and common organic sonosensitizers, which arose from boosted ultrasonic cavitation caused by nanostructured aggregates. We believed that the AESA effect in this work could open up a new avenue for the development of efficient sonosensitizers.
In recent years, the development of adjunctive therapeutic hyperthermia for cancer therapy has received considerable attention. However, the mechanisms underlying hyperthermia resistance are still ...poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of cold‑inducible RNA binding protein (Cirbp) in regulating hyperthermia resistance and underlying mechanisms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumor sphere formation assay, qRT-PCR, Western blot were employed to examine the effects of hyperthermia (HT), HT + oridonin(Ori) or HT + radiotherapy (RT) on the proliferation and stemness of NPC cells. RNA sequencing was applied to gain differentially expressed genes upon hyperthermia. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments were used to evaluate the effects of RNAi-mediated Cirbp silencing or Cirbp overexpression on the sensitivity or resistance of NPC cells and cancer stem-like cells to hyperthermia by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumorsphere formation assay and apoptosis assay, and in subcutaneous xenograft animal model. miRNA transient transfection and luciferase reporter assay were used to demonstrate that Cirbp is a direct target of miR-377-3p. The phosphorylation levels of key members in ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways were detected by Western blot.
Our results firstly revealed that hyperthermia significantly attenuated the stemness of NPC cells, while combination treatment of hyperthermia and oridonin dramatically increased the killing effect on NPC cells and cancer stem cell (CSC)‑like population. Moreover, hyperthermia substantially improved the sensitivity of radiation‑resistant NPC cells and CSC‑like cells to radiotherapy. Hyperthermia noticeably suppressed Cirbp expression in NPC cells and xenograft tumor tissues. Furthermore, Cirbp inhibition remarkably boosted anti‑tumor‑killing activity of hyperthermia against NPC cells and CSC‑like cells, whereas ectopic expression of Cirbp compromised tumor‑killing effect of hyperthermia on these cells, indicating that Cirbp overexpression induces hyperthermia resistance. ThermomiR-377-3p improved the sensitivity of NPC cells and CSC‑like cells to hyperthermia in vitro by directly suppressing Cirbp expression. More importantly, our results displayed the significantly boosted sensitization of tumor xenografts to hyperthermia by Cirbp silencing in vivo, but ectopic expression of Cirbp almost completely counteracted hyperthermia-mediated tumor cell-killing effect against tumor xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, Cirbp silencing-induced inhibition of DNA damage repair by inactivating ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways, decrease in stemness and increase in cell death contributed to hyperthermic sensitization; conversely, Cirbp overexpression-induced promotion of DNA damage repair, increase in stemness and decrease in cell apoptosis contributed to hyperthermia resistance.
Taken together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for Cirbp in positively regulating hyperthermia resistance and suggest that thermomiR-377-3p and its target gene Cirbp represent promising targets for therapeutic hyperthermia.
Immunoassays are currently not available in commercial kits for the quantification of valproic acid, vigabatrin, pregabalin, and gabapentin, which also cannot suffer the limitations of interferences ...of substances with similar structures. Chromatography is a good alternative to immunoassay. In this study, a simple and robust non‐derivatization gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of the above four drugs in human plasma was developed and validated for therapeutic drug monitoring purposes. This method employed benzoic acid as the internal standard with hydrochloric acid for plasma acidification and ACN for precipitate protein. The supernatant was directly injected into gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry for analysis. Good linearity was obtained with linear correlation coefficients of the four analytes of 0.9988–0.9996. Extraction recoveries of valproic acid, vigabatrin, pregabalin, and gabapentin were respectively in the ranges of 91.3%–94.5%, 90.0%–90.9%, 90.0%–92.1%, and 88.0%–92.2% with the relative standard deviation values less than 12.6%. Intra‐ and inter‐batch precision and accuracy, and stability assays were all acceptable. Taken together, the novel method developed in this study provided easy plasma pretreatment, good extraction yield, and high chromatographic resolution, which has been successfully validated through the quantification of valproic acid in the plasma of 46 patients with epilepsy.
Although single-atomically dispersed metal-N
on carbon support (M-NC) has great potential in heterogeneous catalysis, the scalable synthesis of such single-atom catalysts (SACs) with high-loading ...metal-N
is greatly challenging since the loading and single-atomic dispersion have to be balanced at high temperature for forming metal-N
. Herein, we develop a general cascade anchoring strategy for the mass production of a series of M-NC SACs with a metal loading up to 12.1 wt%. Systematic investigation reveals that the chelation of metal ions, physical isolation of chelate complex upon high loading, and the binding with N-species at elevated temperature are essential to achieving high-loading M-NC SACs. As a demonstration, high-loading Fe-NC SAC shows superior electrocatalytic performance for O
reduction and Ni-NC SAC exhibits high electrocatalytic activity for CO
reduction. The strategy paves a universal way to produce stable M-NC SAC with high-density metal-N
sites for diverse high-performance applications.
Due to their bacterial ancestry, many components of mitochondria share structural similarities with bacteria. Release of molecular danger signals from injured cell mitochondria (mitochondria-derived ...damage-associated molecular patterns, mito-DAMPs) triggers a potent inflammatory response, but their role in fibrosis is unknown. Using liver fibrosis resistant/susceptible mouse strain system, we demonstrate that mito-DAMPs released from injured hepatocyte mitochondria (with mtDNA as major active component) directly activate hepatic stellate cells, the fibrogenic cell in the liver, and drive liver scarring. The release of mito-DAMPs is controlled by efferocytosis of dying hepatocytes by phagocytic resident liver macrophages and infiltrating Gr-1(+) myeloid cells. Circulating mito-DAMPs are markedly increased in human patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and significant liver fibrosis. Our study identifies specific pathway driving liver fibrosis, with important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Targeting mito-DAMP release from hepatocytes and/or modulating the phagocytic function of macrophages represents a promising antifibrotic strategy.
Appropriate exercise training (ExT) has been shown to decrease high blood pressure. Accumulating data have indicated the beneficial effects of ExT on prehypertension. This study tested whether ...prehypertension ExT protects against hypertension and cardiac remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and explored the underlying mechanisms by examining the cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 signaling axes. Low-intensity ExT was started in male SHR and control Wistar-Kyoto rats prior to the onset of hypertension and maintained for 8 or 16 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured biweekly by the tail-cuff method. Cardiac function and remodeling were assessed, and changes in the ACE and ACE2 axes were examined after the final ExT session. The results showed that prehypertension ExT slowed the onset and progression of hypertension in SHR. In parallel, hypertrophy in the hearts of hypertensive rats was attenuated, myocardial fibrosis was reduced, and impairment of left ventricular diastolic function was reduced. In the SHR myocardium, the levels of components involved in the ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis were homogeneously and progressively increased, whereas those involved in the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-MAS axis were heterogeneously decreased. Different temporal responses were observed for the key effectors Ang II and Ang(1-7). Myocardial Ang II levels were progressively increased in SHR and were consistently reduced by ExT. By contrast, Ang(1-7) decreased only after 16 weeks of sedentariness, and this decrease was abolished by ExT. In addition, 16 weeks of ExT increased the levels of Ang(1-7) in normotensive control rats. In summary, prehypertension ExT attenuates hypertension and cardiac remodeling. Downregulation of Ang II seems to serve as a protective mechanism during ExT, while upregulation of Ang(1-7) is induced after a relatively long period of ExT.
Post-radiation nasopharyngeal necrosis (PRNN) is a severe adverse event following re-radiotherapy for patients with locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LRNPC) and associated with decreased ...survival. Biological heterogeneity in recurrent tumors contributes to the different risks of PRNN. Radiomics can be used to mine high-throughput non-invasive image features to predict clinical outcomes and capture underlying biological functions. We aimed to develop a radiogenomic signature for the pre-treatment prediction of PRNN to guide re-radiotherapy in patients with LRNPC.
This multicenter study included 761 re-irradiated patients with LRNPC at four centers in NPC endemic area and divided them into training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts. We built a machine learning (random forest) radiomic signature based on the pre-treatment multiparametric magnetic resonance images for predicting PRNN following re-radiotherapy. We comprehensively assessed the performance of the radiomic signature. Transcriptomic sequencing and gene set enrichment analyses were conducted to identify the associated biological processes.
The radiomic signature showed discrimination of 1-year PRNN in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts (area under the curve (AUC) 0.713-0.756). Stratified by a cutoff score of 0.735, patients with high-risk signature had higher incidences of PRNN than patients with low-risk signature (1-year PRNN rates 42.2-62.5% vs. 16.3-18.8%, P < 0.001). The signature significantly outperformed the clinical model (P < 0.05) and was generalizable across different centers, imaging parameters, and patient subgroups. The radiomic signature had prognostic value concerning its correlation with PRNN-related deaths (hazard ratio (HR) 3.07-6.75, P < 0.001) and all causes of deaths (HR 1.53-2.30, P < 0.01). Radiogenomics analyses revealed associations between the radiomic signature and signaling pathways involved in tissue fibrosis and vascularity.
We present a radiomic signature for the individualized risk assessment of PRNN following re-radiotherapy, which may serve as a noninvasive radio-biomarker of radiation injury-associated processes and a useful clinical tool to personalize treatment recommendations for patients with LANPC.
Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 18 years ago, a large number of SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs) have been discovered in their natural reservoir host, bats
. ...Previous studies have shown that some bat SARSr-CoVs have the potential to infect humans
. Here we report the identification and characterization of a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which caused an epidemic of acute respiratory syndrome in humans in Wuhan, China. The epidemic, which started on 12 December 2019, had caused 2,794 laboratory-confirmed infections including 80 deaths by 26 January 2020. Full-length genome sequences were obtained from five patients at an early stage of the outbreak. The sequences are almost identical and share 79.6% sequence identity to SARS-CoV. Furthermore, we show that 2019-nCoV is 96% identical at the whole-genome level to a bat coronavirus. Pairwise protein sequence analysis of seven conserved non-structural proteins domains show that this virus belongs to the species of SARSr-CoV. In addition, 2019-nCoV virus isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a critically ill patient could be neutralized by sera from several patients. Notably, we confirmed that 2019-nCoV uses the same cell entry receptor-angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2)-as SARS-CoV.
Achieving the activation of drugs within cellular systems may provide targeted therapies. Here we construct a tumour-selective cascade activatable self-detained system (TCASS) and incorporate imaging ...probes and therapeutics. We show in different mouse models that the TCASS system accumulates in solid tumours. The molecules show enhanced accumulation in tumour regions via the effect of recognition induced self-assembly. Analysis of the molecular penetration in tumour tissue shows that in vivo self-assembly increases the penetration capability compared to typical soft or hard nanomaterials. Importantly, the in vivo self-assembled molecules exhibit a comparable clearance pathway to that of small molecules, which are excreted from organs of the reticuloendothelial system (liver and kidney), while are relatively slowly eliminated from tumour tissues. Finally, this system, combined with the NIR probe, shows high specificity and sensitivity for detecting bladder cancer in isolated intact patient bladders.
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