Asiaticoside, the major bioactive constituent purified from Centella asiatica, is a pentacyclic triterpene saponin with sugar moieties (glucose-glucose-rhamnose). Its biological activities including ...anti-inflammation and antioxidant have been widely reported. This study aimed to investigate the role of asiaticoside in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells ARPE-19 were induced by high glucose. Then, cell survival rate, expression of inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were measured by MTT method, western blot, oxidative stress detection kits and TUNEL respectively. To uncover the underlying mechanism, the levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) were measured by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and PKA activities were detected by the Kemptide phosphorylation assay. Furthermore, cAMP inhibitor SQ22536 was also used to validate the mechanism. Asiaticoside suppressed the inflammation and apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells, and the activities of cAMP and PKA were inhibited upon HG induction while again released after further administration of asiaticoside. However, these effects were all abolished by SQ22536. In
conclusion
, we have demonstrated in this paper that asiaticoside ameliorates high glucose-induced inflammation and apoptosis of RPE cells by activating cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. asiaticoside-mediated activation of cAMP/PKA signaling pathway may serve as a potential target for the management of DR.
In this paper, a novel and wireless magnetoelastic (ME) immunosensor for human serum albumin (HSA) detection is presented. Gold nanoparticles layer on the sensor surface can enhance its ...biocompatibility, stability and sensitivity. The anti-HSA IgG, as a capture probe, was immobilized on the gold-plated ME sensor surface to specifically recognize the target HSA. The binding complex accumulated on the immunosensor surface leads to a decrease in the immunosensor’s resonance frequency, corresponding to the HSA concentrations. The atomic force microscopy, the Raman spectrum and the X-ray electron spectroscopy were used to confirm that the antibody immobilization was successful. Furthermore, to enhance its sensitivity, the working concentration of the antibody was optimized to be 25 µg ml
−1
. The experimental results demonstrated that the immunosensor exhibited a linear response to the logarithm of HSA concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 µg ml
−1
, with the sensitivity of 9.3 Hz/μg ml
−1
and the detection limit of 0.01 µg ml
−1
, which is significantly lower than the minimum diagnosis limit of urine microalbumin.
Pyrophosphate-modified carbon quantum dots (PP-CDs) are demonstrated to be a viable fluorescent nanoprobe for mercury(II) (Hg
2+
) detection. Hg
2+
reacts with the pyrophosphate groups on the surface ...of PP-CDs to form a non-fluorescent complex. This results in quenching of the green fluorescence which has excitation/emission peaks at 400/513 nm. Static quenching is shown to be the dominant mechanism. The probe works in 0.1 μM to 1.4 μM Hg
2+
concentration range, and the limit of detection is 2 nM. The PP-CDs were also used to visualize Hg
2+
inside human hepatocyte LO2 cells.
Graphical abstract
Schematic representation of pyrophosphate-modified carbon quantum dots (CDs) for selective and sensitive fluorometric determination of mercury(II). Hg(II) quenches the blue fluorescence of the CDs, and glutathione restores it. The method was used to detect Hg(II) in spiked tap water and inside cells.
Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC), an alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), has attracted increasing research interest for its excellent mechanical properties and its green and sustainable ...attributes. The poor water resistance of MOC limited its usage mainly to indoor applications; nevertheless, recent advances in water-resistant MOC have expanded the material’s potential applications from indoor to outdoor. This review aims to showcase recent advances in MOC, including water-resistant MOC and ductile fiber-reinforced MOC (FRMOC), exploring their potential applications including in sustainable construction for future generations. The mechanism under different curing procedures such as normal and CO2 curing and the effect of different inorganic and organic additives on the water resistance of MOC composites are discussed. In particular, the review highlights the recent developments in achieving over 100% strength retention under water at 28 days as well as advancements in FRMOC, where tensile strength has surpassed 10 MPa with a remarkable strain capacity ranging from 4–8%. This paper also sheds light on the potential applications of MOC as a fire-resistant coating material, green-wood-MOC composite building material, and in reducing solid waste industrial byproduct accumulations. Finally, this study suggests future research directions to enhance the practical application of MOC.
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•Used ChemView DB, ToxRef DB and comprehensive literature analysis to collect, identify, and evaluate the PM10.•The chemicals in PM10 have strong correlation with different types of ...respiratory system injury.•The key molecular targets in PM10-induced respiratory injury were screened based on the big data.•The main pathway of RSIT caused by PM10 is the Calcium, MAPK, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.
Numerous studies have shown that the increasing trend of respiratory diseases have been closely associated with the endogenous toxic chemicals (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metal ions, etc.) in PM10. In the present study, we aim to determine the strong correlations between the chemicals in PM10 and the adverse consequences. We used the ChemView DB, the ToxRef DB and a comprehensive literature analysis to collect, identify, and evaluate the chemicals in PM10 and their adverse effects on respiratory system, and then used the ToxCast DB to analyze their bioactivity and key targets through 1192 molecular targets and cell characteristic endpoints. Meanwhile, the bioinformatics analysis were carried out on the molecular targets to screen out prevention and treatment targets. A total of 310 chemicals related to the respiratory system were identified. An unsupervised two-directional heatmap was constructed based on hierarchical clustering of 227 chemicals by their effect scores. A subset of 253 chemicals with respiratory system toxicity had in vitro bioactivity on 318 molecular targets that could be described, clustered and annotated in the heatmap and bipartite network, which were analyzed based on the protein information in UniProt KB database and the software of GO, STRING, and KEGG. These results showed that the chemicals in PM10 have strong correlation with different types of respiratory system injury. The main pathways of respiratory system injury caused by PM10 are the Calcium signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and the core proteins in which are likely to be the molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of damage caused by PM10.
Genotyping of hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be used for clinical effective therapeutic drug-selection. A novel microfluidic biochip for HBV genotyping has been fabricated, for the first time, ...integrating loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), line probes assay (LiPA) and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors. Coupling LAMP with LiPA in microfluidic chip shortened reaction time substantially, and combining LAMP with GMR sensor enabled limit of detection to attain 10copiesmL−1 target HBV DNA molecules in 1h. Furthermore, the independent designed GMR sensors and microfluidic chip can decrease manufacturing cost and patient's test-cost, and facilitate GMR detector repeating use for signal detection. In addition, the detection system has a lower background signal owing to application of superparamagnetic nanoclusters. And it can be expected to use for multiple target molecules synchronous detection in microfluidic chip based on a characteristic of stationary reaction temperature of LAMP. In conclusion, the neoteric detecting system is well suitable for quick genotyping diagnosis of clinical HBV and other homothetic biomolecule detection in biological and medical fields.
•We fabricated a high sensitivity and time-save HBV genotypes detecting system.•Our design decreases fabricating cost and complexity of microfluidic chip.•The low-cost and excellent detecting system is suitable for clinical detection.•Our method lays a foundation for future multiple targets synchronous detection.
Five types of material, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS), ethyl-vinyl-acetate (EVA), naphthenic oil, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA-
-MAH) and butylated ...hydroxytoluene (BHT) were used as the raw ingredients for manufacturing direct-to-plant SBS in this paper. Thirteen kinds of direct-to-plant SBS with different EVA/SBS and naphthenic oil/SBS were prepared as well as the processes diagrammatic sketch of dispersion and swelling of direct-to-plant SBS modifier in bitumen were discussed. Microscopic images of direct-to-plant SBS modified bitumen with different components were obtained using fluorescence microscopy. The micro-images were analysed and quantified with MATLAB software. The influence of key components on the micro-morphology of direct-to-plant SBS-modified bitumen is discussed, followed with the tests on melting points and the melting indexes of direct-to-plant SBS with different EVA/SBS and naphthenic oil/SBS. The performances test of bitumen and bituminous mixture modified by these direct-to-plant SBS were also conducted. Results show that, with the ratio improvement of EVA/SBS or naphthenic oil/SBS, the number of the pixel dot number of area (SBS) in microscopic images increased. Enlargement of the pixel dot number of centre line elongate and the structure fineness was observed, indicating that the dispersion and swelling effect of the SBS modifier in bitumen had been improved. Meanwhile, the macro index, such as the melting point and melting index of direct-to-plant SBS, was also improved corresponding to the increase of EVA/SBS ratio or naphthenic oil/SBS ratio. With the addition of EVA or naphthene oil content, penetration and ductility of direct-to-plant SBS modified bitumen received gradual enhancement, but the softening point and viscosity were found out to be decreased. The high-temperature and low-temperature performances of direct-to-plant SBS modified bituminous mixture can be effectively improved by adding EVA or naphthenic oil. By meeting the required performances of direct-to-plant SBS, modified bitumen and bituminous mixture, the component of direct-to-plant SBS is recommended as, SBS:EVA:naphthenic oil:EVA-
-MAH:BHT is 1:0.1⁻0.5:0.05⁻0.2:0.03:0.05. For the compatibleness of SBS with different bitumen are different, necessary tests verification is recommended to be carried out prior to usage.
This paper presents an original design for a volume refractive index (RI) sensor for cell concentration detection based on the unique resonant optical tunneling effect (ROTE). In this design, the ...solution sample is introduced into the ROTE resonant cavity, whose reflection spectrum presents a large shift of its resonant dip in response to the tiny change of the solution RI. Performance calibration using the polystyrene particle solution indicates that the sensitivity is 19,000 nm/RIU and the total Q factor is 620. Experiments with hepatoma cells have obtained sensitivity values as high as 2.53 nm/(amol/ml) and a detection limit of 1.2 × 10 5 cells/ml. Compared with previously reported optical cell sensors, this original work implements the ROTE mechanism for the first time and presents superior device performance. Thus, the proposed design has a high potential for use in biomedical applications, such as drug discovery, cell research, and medical diagnoses.
Background
Studies have shown that CXCR7 is expressed in many tumors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function of CXCR7 in colon cancer. Although evidence indicates that CXCR7 ...promotes angiogenesis in colon cancer, the mechanism involved in this process remains unclear.
Methods
The expression of CXCR7 in colon cancer was evaluated by quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. After transfection, cell proliferation, migration, and lumen formation were measured in vitro. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to identify the functional target of CXCR7 in vivo and in vitro.
Results
In this study, CXCR7 was differentially expressed in four colon cancer cell lines. The proliferation and migration experiments showed that overexpression of CXCR7 enhanced cell growth and migration. Moreover, the tube formation assays showed that co‐culture of colon cancer cells overexpressing CXCR7 with human umbilical vein endothelial cells significantly promoted tube formation in the latter cells. Conversely, the stable knockdown of CXCR7 significantly reduced this malignant activity. In addition, we found that CXCR7 activates the AKT and ERK pathways in colon cancer cells. The phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, as well as the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor, can be inhibited using the LY294002 and U0126 inhibitors. Furthermore, the angiogenic ability of CXCR7‐induced colon cancer cells was eliminated.
Conclusion
Expression of CXCR7 contributes to colon cancer growth and angiogenesis, by activating the AKT and ERK pathways. CXCR7 provides a potential therapeutic target against colon cancer.
Background: Studies have shown that CXCR7 is expressed in many tumors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function of CXCR7 in colon cancer. Although evidence indicates that CXCR7 promotes angiogenesis in colon cancer, the mechanism involved in this process remains unclear. Methods: The expression of CXCR7 in colon cancer was evaluated by quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. After transfection, cell proliferation, migration, and lumen formation were measured in vitro. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to identify the functional target of CXCR7 in vivo and in vitro. Results: In this study, CXCR7 was differentially expressed in four colon cancer cell lines. The proliferation and migration experiments showed that overexpression of CXCR7 enhanced cell growth and migration. Moreover, the tube formation assays showed that co‐culture of colon cancer cells overexpressing CXCR7 with human umbilical vein endothelial cells significantly promoted tube formation in the latter cells. Conversely, the stable knockdown of CXCR7 significantly reduced this malignant activity. In addition, we found that CXCR7 activates the AKT and ERK pathways in colon cancer cells. The phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, as well as the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor, can be inhibited using the LY294002 and U0126 inhibitors. Furthermore, the angiogenic ability of CXCR7‐induced colon cancer cells was eliminated. Conclusion: Expression of CXCR7 contributes to colon cancer growth and angiogenesis, by activating the AKT and ERK pathways. CXCR7 provides a potential therapeutic target against colon cancer.
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