Exosomes are a subpopulation of the tumour microenvironment (TME) that transmit various biological molecules to promote intercellular communication. Exosomes are derived from nearly all types of ...cells and exist in all body fluids. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are among the most abundant contents in exosomes, and some ncRNAs with biological functions are specifically packaged into exosomes. Recent studies have revealed that exosome-derived ncRNAs play crucial roles in the tumorigenesis, progression and drug resistance of gastric cancer (GC). In addition, regulating the expression levels of exosomal ncRNAs can promote or suppress GC progression. Moreover, the membrane structures of exosomes protect ncRNAs from degradation by enzymes and other chemical substances, significantly increasing the stability of exosomal ncRNAs. Specific hallmarks within exosomes that can be used for exosome identification, and specific contents can be used to determine their origin. Therefore, exosomal ncRNAs are suitable for use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Regulating the biogenesis of exosomes and the expression levels of exosomal ncRNAs may represent a new way to block or eradicate GC. In this review, we summarized the origins and characteristics of exosomes and analysed the association between exosomal ncRNAs and GC development.
CO2 reduction to carbon feedstocks using heterogeneous photocatalysis technique has been deemed as an attractive means of addressing both deteriorating greenhouse effect and depletion of fossil ...fuels. Nevertheless, deficiency of accessible active sites on the catalyst surface, low CO2 adsorption rate, and short carrier lifetime retard the photocatalytic CO2 conversion into hydrocarbon fuels. In this study, the controllable construction of spatially separated directional charge transport pathways over multilayered heterostructured transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) based photosystems for high‐performance photocatalytic CO2‐to‐syngas conversion are shown. In this scenario, ultrathin non‐conjugated insulating poly(diallyl‐dimethyl‐ammonium chloride) (PDDA) layer are intercalated in‐between TMCs and layered double hydroxide (LDH) and serve as an efficient electron transfer mediator, whilst LDH functions as a hole‐withdrawing regulator, both of which synergistically foster the spatial vectorial charge migration/separation over TMCs, thus endowing the TMCs/PDDA/LDH heterostructures with significantly boosted visible‐light‐driven photoactivity toward CO2 conversion into syngas. This study can inspire sparkling new ideas to realize fine tuning of charge motion for stimulating solar‐to‐fuel conversion.
Ultrathin non‐conjugated insulating poly(diallyl‐dimethyl‐ammonium chloride) (PDDA) serves as an efficient electron transfer mediator, and simultaneously layered double hydroxide (LDH) functions as a hole‐withdrawing regulator, both of which synergistically contributes to the spatially separated bi‐directional charge transfer pathways over transition metal chalcogenides toward significantly boosted CO2 photoreduction catalysis under visible light irradiation.
Mindin is important in broad spectrum of immune responses. On the other hand, we previously reported that mindin attenuated human colon cancer development by blocking angiogenesis through ...Egr‐1–mediated regulation. However, the mice original mindin directly suppressed the syngenic colorectal cancer (CRC) growth in our recent study and we aimed to further define the role of mindin during CRC development in mice. We established the mouse syngeneic CRC CMT93 and CT26 WT cell lines with stable mindin knock‐down or overexpression. These cells were also subcutaneously injected into C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice as well as established a colitis‐associated colorectal cancer (CAC) mouse model treated with lentiviral‐based overexpression and knocked‐down of mindin. Furthermore, we generated mindin knockout mice using a CRISPR‐Cas9 system with CAC model. Our data showed that overexpression of mindin suppressed cell proliferation in both of CMT93 and CT26 WT colon cancer cell lines, while the silencing of mindin promoted in vitro cell proliferation via the ERK and c‐Fos pathways and cell cycle control. Moreover, the overexpression of mindin significantly suppressed in vivo tumour growth in both the subcutaneous transplantation and the AOM/DSS‐induced CAC models. Consistently, the silencing of mindin reversed these in vivo observations. Expectedly, the tumour growth was promoted in the CAC model on mindin‐deficient mice. Thus, mindin plays a direct tumour suppressive function during colon cancer progression and suggesting that mindin might be exploited as a therapeutic target for CRC.
The rational design of the directional charge transfer channel represents an important strategy to finely tune the charge migration and separation in photocatalytic CO2‐to‐fuel conversion. Despite ...the progress made in crafting high‐performance photocatalysts, developing elegant photosystems with precisely modulated interfacial charge transfer feature remains a grand challenge. Here, a facile one‐pot method is developed to achieve in situ self‐assembly of Pd nanocrystals (NYs) on the transition metal chalcogenide (TMC) substrate with the aid of a non‐conjugated insulating polymer, i.e., branched polyethylenimine (bPEI), for photoreduction of CO2 to syngas (CO/H2). The generic reducing capability of the abundant amine groups grafted on the molecular backbone of bPEI fosters the homogeneous growth of Pd NYs on the TMC framework. Intriguingly, the self‐assembled TMCs@bPEI@Pd heterostructure with bi‐directional spatial charge transport pathways exhibit significantly boosted photoactivity toward CO2‐to‐syngas conversion under visible light irradiation, wherein bPEI serves as an efficient hole transfer mediator, and simultaneously Pd NYs act as an electron‐withdrawing modulator for accelerating spatially vectorial charge separation. Furthermore, in‐depth understanding of the in situ formed intermediates during the CO2 photoreduction process are exquisitely probed. This work provides a quintessential paradigm for in situ construction of multi‐component heterojunction photosystem for solar‐to‐fuel energy conversion.
Non‐conjugated insulating polymer encapsulation and in‐situ growth of metal nanocrystal synergistically contribute to the spatially separated bi‐directional charge transfer pathways toward boosted solar CO2‐to‐syngas conversion.
Exploiting emerging artificial photosystems with regulated vectorial charge transfer pathways is retarded by the difficulties in precise interface modulation at the nanoscale level, deficiency of ...suitable assembly methodologies, and ultra‐short charge lifetime. Herein, it is first conceptually demonstrated the general design of transition metal chalcogenides quantum dots (TMCs QDs)‐insulating polymer‐metal oxides (MOs) electron‐tunneling photosystems, wherein TMCs QDs are controllably layer‐by‐layer self‐assembled on the MOs substrates assisted by an ultrathin insulating polymer interim layer. It is ascertained that electrons photoexcited over TMCs QDs in spatially highly ordered MOs/(TMCs QDs/polymer)n multilayered heterostructures can be unidirectionally extracted and tunneled to the MOs substrates across the intermediate insulating polymer layer by engendering the tandem charge transfer to accelerate the interfacial charge migration kinetics, thereby triggering the significantly boosted net efficiency of solar‐driven photoelectrochemical water oxidation. This study would spark new inspirations for designing novel electron‐tunneling photosystems for fine carrier modulation towards solar energy harvesting and conversion.
In these conceptually novel MOs/(TMCs QDs/PSS)n multilayered photosystems, periodically intercalated insulating PSS layer enables the unexpected electron tunneling over TMC QDs‐PSS‐MOs photoanodes with electrons photoexcited from TMCs QDs directionally flowing to the MOs matrixes across the intermediate insulating PSS layer, contributing to the tandem charge transport and leading to significantly enhanced net efficiency of photoelectrochemical water oxidation performances.
Crafting spatially controllable charge transfer channels at the nanoscale level remains an enduring challenge in solar‐to‐chemical conversion technology. Despite the advancements, it still suffers ...from sluggish interfacial charge transport kinetics and scarcity of strategies to finely modulate charge transport pathways. Herein, this article demonstrates the unexpected charge modulation property of non‐conjugated insulating polymer assisted by a universal layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly tactic. Oppositely charged poly(dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA) and Ti3C2 MXene quantum dots (MQDs) are periodically attached to the wide bandgap metal oxides (WMOs) to design multilayered heterostructured photoanodes. The intermediate PDDA layer acts as an efficacious charge relay medium to access directional electron flow from WMOs to Ti3C2 MQDs, while Ti3C2 MQDs serve as the electron extractor. Charge transfer cascade is thus stimulated on account of the simultaneous electron‐trapping capabilities of interim PDDA layer and Ti3C2 MQDs, which synergistically favors the conspicuously boosted charge separation over WMOs, affording the WMOs/(PDDA/MQDs)n photoanodes with considerably enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performances. Moreover, PEC performances of such photoanodes can be tuned by interface configuration via assembly number and sequence. This work will provide an insightful perspective to craft a directional charge transfer pathway through insulating polymer for solar energy conversion.
The non‐conjugated insulating polymer is utilized as an interfacial charge transport cascade modulator for solar‐powered water oxidation.
The poor prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer is mainly due to cancer progression. γ-Synuclein (SNCG) has reported as a critical player in cancer metastasis. However, its biological roles and ...mechanism are yet incompletely understood in ovarian cancer, especially in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC).
This is a retrospective study of 312 patients with ovarian cancer at a single center between 2006 and 2016. Ovarian cancer tissues were stained by immunohistochemistry to analyze the relationship between SNCG expression and clinicopathologic factors. The clinical outcomes versus SNCG expression level were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method and multiple Cox regression analysis. Next, systematical functional experiments were given to examine the proliferation and metastatic abilities of SNCG both in vitro and in vivo using loss- and gain- of function approaches. Furthermore, the mechanisms of SNCG overexpression were examined by human phospho-kinase array kit and western blot analysis.
Clinically, the expression of SNCG was significantly upregulated in ovarian cancer compared with the borderline and benign tumor, normal ovary, and fallopian tube. Notably, the high level of SNCG correlated with high-risk clinicopathologic features and showed poor survival for patients with HGSOC, indicating an independent prognostic factor for these patients. Functionally, we observed that overexpression of SNCG promoted cell proliferation, tumor formation, migration, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified that SNCG promoted cancer cell metastasis through activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Our results reveal SNCG up-regulation contributes to the poor clinical outcome of patients with HGSOC and highlight the metastasis-promoting function of SNCG via activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in HGSOC.
We assessed the performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis of infectious encephalitis and meningitis.
This was a prospective multicenter study. Cerebrospinal fluid ...samples from patients with viral encephalitis and/or meningitis, tuberculous meningitis, bacterial meningitis, fungal meningitis, and non-central nervous system (CNS) infections were subjected to mNGS.
In total, 213 patients with infectious and non-infectious CNS diseases were finally enrolled from November 2016 to May 2019; the mNGS-positive detection rate of definite CNS infections was 57.0%. At a species-specific read number (SSRN) ≥2, mNGS performance in the diagnosis of definite viral encephalitis and/or meningitis was optimal (area under the curve AUC = 0.659, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.566-0.751); the positivity rate was 42.6%. At a genus-specific read number ≥1, mNGS performance in the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (definite or probable) was optimal (AUC=0.619, 95% CI=0.516-0.721); the positivity rate was 27.3%. At SSRNs ≥5 or 10, the diagnostic performance was optimal for definite bacterial meningitis (AUC=0.846, 95% CI = 0.711-0.981); the sensitivity was 73.3%. The sensitivities of mNGS (at SSRN ≥2) in the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis and cerebral aspergillosis were 76.92 and 80%, respectively.
mNGS of cerebrospinal fluid effectively identifies pathogens causing infectious CNS diseases. mNGS should be used in conjunction with conventional microbiological testing.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800020442.
Drought is the most important factor that limits rice production in drought-prone environments. Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Common wild rice (Oryza ...rufipogon Griff.) contains abundant drought-resistant genes, which provide an opportunity to explore these excellent resources as contributors to improve rice resistance, productivity, and quality.
In this study, we constructed four small RNA libraries, called CL and CR from PEG6000-free samples and DL and DR from PEG6000-treated samples, where 'R' indicates the root tissue and 'L' indicates the shoot tissue. A total of 200 miRNAs were identified to be differentially expressed under the drought-treated conditions (16% PEG6000 for 24 h), and the changes in the miRNA expression profile of the shoot were distinct from those of the root. At the miRNA level, 77 known miRNAs, which belong to 23 families, including 40 up-regulated and 37 down-regulated in the shoot, and 85 known miRNAs in 46 families, including 65 up-regulated and 20 down-regulated in the root, were identified as differentially expressed. In addition, we predicted 26 new miRNA candidates from the shoot and 43 from the root that were differentially expressed during the drought stress. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis results were consistent with high-throughput sequencing data. Moreover, 88 miRNAs that were differentially-expressed were predicted to match with 197 targets for drought-stress.
Our results suggest that the miRNAs of O. rufipogon are responsive to drought stress. The differentially expressed miRNAs that are tissue-specific under drought conditions could play different roles in the regulation of the auxin pathway, the flowering pathway, the drought pathway, and lateral root formation. Thus, the present study provides an account of tissue-specific miRNAs that are involved in the drought adaption of O. rufipogon.
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