Deep Learning in Proteomics Wen, Bo; Zeng, Wen‐Feng; Liao, Yuxing ...
Proteomics (Weinheim),
November 2020, Volume:
20, Issue:
21-22
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Proteomics, the study of all the proteins in biological systems, is becoming a data‐rich science. Protein sequences and structures are comprehensively catalogued in online databases. With recent ...advancements in tandem mass spectrometry (MS) technology, protein expression and post‐translational modifications (PTMs) can be studied in a variety of biological systems at the global scale. Sophisticated computational algorithms are needed to translate the vast amount of data into novel biological insights. Deep learning automatically extracts data representations at high levels of ion from data, and it thrives in data‐rich scientific research domains. Here, a comprehensive overview of deep learning applications in proteomics, including retention time prediction, MS/MS spectrum prediction, de novo peptide sequencing, PTM prediction, major histocompatibility complex‐peptide binding prediction, and protein structure prediction, is provided. Limitations and the future directions of deep learning in proteomics are also discussed. This review will provide readers an overview of deep learning and how it can be used to analyze proteomics data.
We explored whether medical health workers had more psychosocial problems than nonmedical health workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
An online survey was run from February 19 to March 6, 2020; a ...total of 2,182 Chinese subjects participated. Mental health variables were assessed via the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Symptom Check List-revised (SCL-90-R), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), which included a 2-item anxiety scale and a 2-item depression scale (PHQ-2).
Compared with nonmedical health workers (n = 1,255), medical health workers (n = 927) had a higher prevalence of insomnia (38.4 vs. 30.5%, p < 0.01), anxiety (13.0 vs. 8.5%, p < 0.01), depression (12.2 vs. 9.5%; p< 0.04), somatization (1.6 vs. 0.4%; p < 0.01), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (5.3 vs. 2.2%; p < 0.01). They also had higher total scores of ISI, GAD-2, PHQ-2, and SCL-90-R obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p ≤ 0.01). Among medical health workers, having organic disease was an independent factor for insomnia, anxiety, depression, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p < 0.05 or 0.01). Living in rural areas, being female, and being at risk of contact with COVID-19 patients were the most common risk factors for insomnia, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and depression (p < 0.01 or 0.05). Among nonmedical health workers, having organic disease was a risk factor for insomnia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p < 0.01 or 0.05).
During the COVID-19 outbreak, medical health workers had psychosocial problems and risk factors for developing them. They were in need of attention and recovery programs.
Sign language recognition, especially the sentence recognition, is of great significance for lowering the communication barrier between the hearing/speech impaired and the non-signers. The general ...glove solutions, which are employed to detect motions of our dexterous hands, only achieve recognizing discrete single gestures (i.e., numbers, letters, or words) instead of sentences, far from satisfying the meet of the signers' daily communication. Here, we propose an artificial intelligence enabled sign language recognition and communication system comprising sensing gloves, deep learning block, and virtual reality interface. Non-segmentation and segmentation assisted deep learning model achieves the recognition of 50 words and 20 sentences. Significantly, the segmentation approach splits entire sentence signals into word units. Then the deep learning model recognizes all word elements and reversely reconstructs and recognizes sentences. Furthermore, new/never-seen sentences created by new-order word elements recombination can be recognized with an average correct rate of 86.67%. Finally, the sign language recognition results are projected into virtual space and translated into text and audio, allowing the remote and bidirectional communication between signers and non-signers.
p53, circRNAs and miRNAs are important components of the regulatory network that activates the EMT program in cancer metastasis. In prostate cancer (PCa), however, it has not been investigated ...whether and how p53 regulates EMT by circRNAs and miRNAs. Here we show that a Amotl1-derived circRNA, termed circAMOTL1L, is downregulated in human PCa, and that decreased circAMOTL1L facilitates PCa cell migration and invasion through downregulating E-cadherin and upregulating vimentin, thus leading to EMT and PCa progression. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that circAMOTL1L serves as a sponge for binding miR-193a-5p in PCa cells, relieving miR-193a-5p repression of Pcdha gene cluster (a subset of the cadherin superfamily members). Accordingly, dysregulation of the circAMOTL1L-miR-193a-5p-Pcdha8 regulatory pathway mediated by circAMOTL1L downregulation contributes to PCa growth in vivo. Further, we show that RBM25 binds directly to circAMOTL1L and induces its biogenesis, whereas p53 regulates EMT via direct activation of RBM25 gene. These findings have linked p53/RBM25-mediated circAMOTL1L-miR-193a-5p-Pcdha regulatory axis to EMT in metastatic progression of PCa. Targeting this newly identified regulatory axis provides a potential therapeutic strategy for aggressive PCa.
Intercropping is a farming practice involving two or more crop species, or genotypes, growing together and coexisting for a time. On the fringes of modern intensive agriculture, intercropping is ...important in many subsistence or low‐input/resource‐limited agricultural systems. By allowing genuine yield gains without increased inputs, or greater stability of yield with decreased inputs, intercropping could be one route to delivering ‘sustainable intensification’. We discuss how recent knowledge from agronomy, plant physiology and ecology can be combined with the aim of improving intercropping systems. Recent advances in agronomy and plant physiology include better understanding of the mechanisms of interactions between crop genotypes and species – for example, enhanced resource availability through niche complementarity. Ecological advances include better understanding of the context‐dependency of interactions, the mechanisms behind disease and pest avoidance, the links between above‐ and below‐ground systems, and the role of microtopographic variation in coexistence. This improved understanding can guide approaches for improving intercropping systems, including breeding crops for intercropping. Although such advances can help to improve intercropping systems, we suggest that other topics also need addressing. These include better assessment of the wider benefits of intercropping in terms of multiple ecosystem services, collaboration with agricultural engineering, and more effective interdisciplinary research.
Human infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and there is no cure currently. The 3CL protease (3CLpro) is a highly ...conserved protease which is indispensable for CoVs replication, and is a promising target for development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. In this study we investigated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of Shuanghuanglian preparation, a Chinese traditional patent medicine with a long history for treating respiratory tract infection in China. We showed that either the oral liquid of Shuanghuanglian, the lyophilized powder of Shuanghuanglian for injection or their bioactive components dose-dependently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro as well as the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells. Baicalin and baicalein, two ingredients of Shuanghuanglian, were characterized as the first noncovalent, nonpeptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system. Remarkably, the binding mode of baicalein with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro determined by X-ray protein crystallography was distinctly different from those of known 3CLpro inhibitors. Baicalein was productively ensconced in the core of the substrate-binding pocket by interacting with two catalytic residues, the crucial S1/S2 subsites and the oxyanion loop, acting as a "shield" in front of the catalytic dyad to effectively prevent substrate access to the catalytic dyad within the active site. Overall, this study provides an example for exploring the in vitro potency of Chinese traditional patent medicines and effectively identifying bioactive ingredients toward a specific target, and gains evidence supporting the in vivo studies of Shuanghuanglian oral liquid as well as two natural products for COVID-19 treatment.
Cell membrane–based nanosystems with desirable characteristics have been studied extensively for many therapeutic applications. However, current research has focused on single cell membrane, and ...multifunctional fused membrane materials from different membrane types are still rare. Herein, a platelet–cancer stem cell (CSC) hybrid membrane‐coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle (MN) {CSC‐PMN} is presented for the first time for the enhanced photothermal therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Inherited from the original source cells, the platelet membrane shows immune evading ability due to the surface marker comprising a number of “don't eat me” signals, and the CSC membrane has homotypic targeting capabilities due to the specific surface adhesion molecules. The CSC‐PMNs possess superior characteristics for immune evasion, active cancer targeting, magnetic resonance imaging, and photothermal therapy. Compared with single cell membrane–coated MNs, CSC‐PMNs exhibit prolonged circulation times and enhanced targeting abilities. Moreover, the CSC‐PMNs exhibit a superior photothermal ability that provides excellent HNSCC tumor growth inhibition, particularly in an immunocompetent Tgfbr1/Pten conditional double knockout HNSCC mouse model that contains a more complex tumor microenvironment that is similar to the human HNSCC microenvironment. Collectively, this biomimetic multimembrane‐coated nanoplatform may provide enhanced antitumor efficacy in the complex tumor microenvironment.
A natural cancer stem cell‐platelet hybrid mimic membrane is collected from tumor‐bearing mice and further used for magnetic nanoparticle coating. The obtained biomimetic nanoparticles are then injected into the same mice for magnetic resonance imaging and photothermal therapy. The work presents a novel design strategy for personalized cancer theranostics.
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical innate immune pathway responsible for producing active interleukin (IL)-1β, which is associated with tumor development and immunity. However, the mechanisms ...regulating the inflammatory microenvironment, tumorigenesis and tumor immunity are unclear. Herein, we show that the NLRP3 inflammasome was over-expressed in human HNSCC tissues and that the IL-1β concentration was increased in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. Additionally, elevated NLRP3 inflammasome levels were detected in tumor tissues of
Tgfbr1/Pten
2cKO HNSCC mice, and elevated IL-1β levels were detected in the peripheral blood serum, spleen, draining lymph nodes and tumor tissues. Blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation using MCC950 remarkably reduced IL-1β production in an HNSCC mouse model and reduced the numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), regulatory T cells (Tregs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Moreover, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation increased the numbers of CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells in HNSCC mice. Notably, the numbers of exhausted PD-1
+
and Tim3
+
T cells were significantly reduced. A human HNSCC tissue microarray showed that NLRP3 inflammasome expression was correlated with the expression of CD8 and CD4, the Treg marker Foxp3, the MDSC markers CD11b and CD33, and the TAM markers CD68 and CD163, PD-1 and Tim3. Overall, our results demonstrate that the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway promotes tumorigenesis in HNSCC and inactivation of this pathway delays tumor growth, accompanied by decreased immunosuppressive cell accumulation and an increased number of effector T cells. Thus, inhibition of the tumor microenvironment through the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway may provide a novel approach for HNSCC therapy.
Background and Purpose
The anthelmintic drug nitazoxanide has a mitochondrial uncoupling effect. Mitochondrial uncouplers have been proven to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, ...inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation of macrophages and improve dyslipidaemia. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate that nitazoxanide would protect against atherosclerosis.
Experimental Approach
The mitochondrial oxygen consumption of cells was measured by using the high‐resolution respirometry system, Oxygraph‐2K. The proliferation and migration of A10 cells were measured by using Edu immunofluorescence staining, wound‐induced migration and the Boyden chamber assay. Protein levels were measured by using the western blot technique. ApoE (−/−) mice were fed with a Western diet to establish an atherosclerotic model in vivo.
Key Results
The in vitro experiments showed that nitazoxanide and tizoxanide had a mitochondrial uncoupling effect and activated cellular AMPK. Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited serum‐ and PDGF‐induced proliferation and migration of A10 cells. Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in RAW264.7 macrophages, the mechanism by which involved the AMPK/IκBα/NF‐κB pathway. Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide also induced autophagy in A10 cells and RAW264.7 macrophages. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that oral administration of nitazoxanide reduced the increase in serum IL‐1β and IL‐6 levels and suppressed atherosclerosis in Western diet‐fed ApoE (−/−) mice.
Conclusion and Implications
Nitazoxanide inhibits the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE (−/−) mice fed on a Western diet. In view of nitazoxanide being an antiprotozoal drug already approved by the FDA, we propose it as a novel anti‐atherosclerotic drug with clinical translational potential.