Efficacy and predictive factors of transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1 inhibition for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND The efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)for unresectable hepato-cellular carcinoma(HCC)have rarely been evaluated and it is unknown which factors are related to efficacy.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and independent predictive factors of TACE combined with lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors for unresectable HCC.METHODS This study retrospectively enrolled patients with unresectable HCC who received TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment between March 2019 and April 2022.Overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)were determined.The objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR)were evaluated in accordance with the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.Additionally,the prognostic factors affecting the clinical outcome were assessed.RESULTS One hundred and two patients were enrolled with a median follow-up duration of 12.63 months.The median OS was 26.43 months(95%CI:17.00-35.87),and the median PFS was 10.07 months(95%CI:8.50-11.65).The ORR and DCR were 61.76%and 81.37%,respectively.The patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Classification(BCLC)B stage,early neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)response(decrease),or early alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)response(decrease>20%)had superior OS and PFS than their counterparts.CONCLUSION This study showed that TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment was well tolerated with encouraging efficacy in patients with unresectable HCC.The patients with BCLC B-stage disease with early NLR response(decrease)and early AFP response(decrease>20%)may achieve better clinical outcomes with this triple therapy.

Small extracellular vesicles from hypoxia-preconditioned bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells attenuate spinal cord injury via miR-146a-5p-mediated regulation of macrophage polarization

Spinal cord injury is a disabling condition with limited treatment options.Multiple studies have provided evidence suggesting that small extracellular vesicles(SEVs)secreted by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)help mediate the beneficial effects conferred by MSC transplantation following spinal cord injury.Strikingly,hypoxia-preconditioned bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived SEVs(HSEVs)exhibit increased therapeutic potency.We thus explored the role of HSEVs in macrophage immune regulation after spinal cord injury in rats and their significance in spinal cord repair.SEVs or HSEVs were isolated from bone marrow MSC supernatants by density gradient ultracentrifugation.HSEV administration to rats via tail vein injection after spinal cord injury reduced the lesion area and attenuated spinal cord inflammation.HSEVs regulate macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype in vivo and in vitro.Micro RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses of SEVs and HSEVs revealed that mi R-146a-5p is a potent mediator of macrophage polarization that targets interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1.Reducing mi R-146a-5p expression in HSEVs partially attenuated macrophage polarization.Our data suggest that HSEVs attenuate spinal cord inflammation and injury in rats by transporting mi R-146a-5p,which alters macrophage polarization.This study provides new insights into the application of HSEVs as a therapeutic tool for spinal cord injury.

Prohibitin 1 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via the p53-mediated mitochondrial pathway in vitro

BACKGROUND Prohibitin 1(PHB1)has been identified as an antiproliferative protein that is highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed,and it participates in a variety of essential cellular functions,including apoptosis,cell cycle regulation,prolifera-tion,and survival.Emerging evidence indicates that PHB1 may play an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the role of PHB1 in HCC is controversial.AIM To investigate the effects of PHB1 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human HCC cells and the relevant mechanisms in vitro.METHODS HCC patients and healthy individuals were enrolled in this study according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria;then,PHB1 levels in the sera and liver tissues of these participates were determined using ELISA,RT-PCR,and immunohistoche-mistry.Human HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells were transfected with the pEGFP-PHB1 plasmid and PHB1-specific shRNA(shRNA-PHB1)for 24-72 h.Cell prolif-eration was analysed with an MTT assay.Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were analysed using flow cytometry(FACS).The mRNA and protein expression levels of the cell cycle-related molecules p21,Cyclin A2,Cyclin E1,and CDK2 and the cell apoptosis-related molecules cytochrome C(Cyt C),p53,Bcl-2,Bax,caspase 3,and caspase 9 were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot,respectively.RESULTS Decreased levels of PHB1 were found in the sera and liver tissues of HCC patients compared to those of healthy individuals,and decreased PHB1 was positively correlated with low differentiation,TNM stage III-IV,and alpha-fetoprotein≥400μg/L.Overexpression of PHB1 significantly inhibited human HCC cell proliferation in a time-dependent manner.FACS revealed that the overexpression of PHB1 arrested HCC cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and induced apoptosis.The proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase was significantly increased and the proportion of cells in the S phase was decreased in HepG2 cells that were transfected with pEGFP-PHB1 compared with untreated control and empty vector-transfected cells.The percentage of apoptotic HepG2 cells that were transfected with pEGFP-PHB1 was 15.41%±1.06%,which was significantly greater than that of apoptotic control cells(3.65%±0.85%,P<0.01)and empty vector-transfected cells(4.21%±0.52%,P<0.01).Similar results were obtained with SMMC-7721 cells.Furthermore,the mRNA and protein expression levels of p53,p21,Bax,caspase 3,and caspase 9 were increased while the mRNA and protein expression levels of Cyclin A2,Cy-clin E1,CDK2,and Bcl-2 were decreased when PHB1 was overexpressed in human HCC cells.However,when PHB1 was upregulated in human HCC cells,Cyt C expression levels were increased in the cytosol and decreased in the mitochondria,which indicated that Cyt C had been released into the cytosol.Conversely,these effects were reversed when PHB1 was knocked down.CONCLUSION PHB1 inhibits human HCC cell viability by arresting the cell cycle and inducing cell apoptosis via activation of the p53-mediated mitochondrial pathway.

TM9SF1 promotes bladder cancer cell growth and infiltration

BACKGROUND Bladder cancer(BC)is the most common urological tumor.It has a high recur-rence rate,displays tutor heterogeneity,and resists chemotherapy.Furthermore,the long-term survival rate of BC patients has remained unchanged for decades,which seriously affects the quality of patient survival.To improve the survival rate and prognosis of BC patients,it is necessary to explore the molecular mechanisms of BC development and progression and identify targets for treatment and intervention.Transmembrane 9 superfamily member 1(TM9SF1),also known as MP70 and HMP70,is a member of a family of nine transmembrane superfamily proteins,which was first identified in 1997.TM9SF1 can be expressed in BC,but its biological function and mechanism in BC are not clear.AIM To investigate the biological function and mechanism of TM9SF1 in BC.Overexpression of TM9SF1 increased the in vitro proliferation,migration,and invasion of BC cells by promoting the entry of BC cells into the G2/M phase.Silencing of TM9SF1 inhibited in vitro proliferation,migration,and invasion of BC cells and blocked BC cells in the G1 phase.CONCLUSION TM9SF1 may be an oncogene in BC.

Efficacy of chemotherapy containing bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer according to programmed cell death ligand 1

BACKGROUND Bevacizumab,an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)monoclonal antibody,inhibits angiogenesis and reduces tumor growth.Serum VEGF-C,lactate dehydrogenase,and inflammatory markers have been reported as predictive markers related to bevacizumab treatment.Programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)could act upon VEGF receptor 2 to induce cancer cell angiogenesis and metastasis.AIM To investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer(CRC)according to the expression of PD-L1.METHODS This analysis included CRC patients who received bevacizumab plus FOLFOX or FOLFIRI as first-line therapy between June 24,2014 and February 28,2022,at Samsung Medical Center(Seoul,South Korea).Analysis of patient data included evaluation of PD-L1 expression by the combined positive score(CPS).We analyzed the efficacy of bevacizumab according to PD-L1 expression status in patients with CRC.RESULTS A total of 124 patients was included in this analysis.Almost all patients were treated with bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI or FOLFOX as the first-line chemotherapy.While 77%of patients received FOLFOX,23%received FOLFIRI as backbone first-line chemotherapy.The numbers of patients with a PD-L1 CPS of 1 or more,5 or more,or 10 or more were 105(85%),64(52%),and 32(26%),respectively.The results showed no significant difference in progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)with bevacizumab treatment between patients with PDL1 CPS less than 1 and those with PD-L1 CPS of 1 or more(PD-L1<1%vs PD-L1≥1%;PFS:P=0.93,OS:P=0.33),between patients with PD-L1 CPS less than 5 and of 5 or more(PD-L1<5%vs PD-L1≥5%;PFS:P=0.409,OS:P=0.746),and between patients with PD-L1 CPS less than 10 and of 10 or more(PD-L1<10%vs PD-L1≥10%;PFS:P=0.529,OS:P=0.568).CONCLUSION Chemotherapy containing bevacizumab can be considered as first-line therapy in metastatic CRC irrespective of PD-L1 expression.

Present and prospect of transarterial chemoembolization combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor and PD-1 inhibitor for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

In this editorial,we comment on the article(World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024;16:1236-1247),which is a retrospective study of transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI)and programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitor for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Herein,we focus specifically on the mechanisms of this triple therapy,administration sequence and selection of each medication,and implications for future clinical trials.Based on the interaction mechanisms between medications,the triple therapy of TACE+TKI+PD-1 is proposed to complement the deficiency of each monotherapy,and achieve synergistic antitumor effects.Although this triple therapy has been evaluated by several retrospective trials,it is still controversial whether the triple therapy achieves better clinical benefits,due to the flawed study design and heterogeneity in medications.In addition,the administration sequence,which may greatly affect the clinical benefit,needs to be fully considered at clinical decision-making for obtaining better prognosis.We hope that this editorial could contribute to the design and optimization of future trials.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomeloaded miR-129-5p targets high-mobility group box 1 attenuates neurological-impairment after diabetic cerebral hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Diabetic intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH)is a serious complication of diabetes.The role and mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell(BMSC)-derived exosomes(BMSC-exo)in neuroinflammation post-ICH in patients with diabetes are unknown.In this study,we investigated the regulation of BMSC-exo on hyperglycemia-induced neuroinflammation.AIM To study the mechanism of BMSC-exo on nerve function damage after diabetes complicated with cerebral hemorrhage.METHODS BMSC-exo were isolated from mouse BMSC media.This was followed by transfection with microRNA-129-5p(miR-129-5p).BMSC-exo or miR-129-5poverexpressing BMSC-exo were intravitreally injected into a diabetes mouse model with ICH for in vivo analyses and were cocultured with high glucoseaffected BV2 cells for in vitro analyses.The dual luciferase test and RNA immunoprecipitation test verified the targeted binding relationship between miR-129-5p and high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1).Quantitative polymerase chain reaction,western blotting,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted to assess the levels of some inflammation factors,such as HMGB1,interleukin 6,interleukin 1β,toll-like receptor 4,and tumor necrosis factorα.Brain water content,neural function deficit score,and Evans blue were used to measure the neural function of mice.RESULTS Our findings indicated that BMSC-exo can promote neuroinflammation and functional recovery.MicroRNA chip analysis of BMSC-exo identified miR-129-5p as the specific microRNA with a protective role in neuroinflammation.Overexpression of miR-129-5p in BMSC-exo reduced the inflammatory response and neurological impairment in comorbid diabetes and ICH cases.Furthermore,we found that miR-129-5p had a targeted binding relationship with HMGB1 mRNA.CONCLUSION We demonstrated that BMSC-exo can reduce the inflammatory response after ICH with diabetes,thereby improving the neurological function of the brain.

UCHL1 promotes the proliferation of porcine granulosa cells by stabilizing CCNB1

Background The proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells(GCs)is essential to follicular development and the ubiquitin–proteasome system is necessary for maintaining cell cycle homeostasis.Previous studies found that the deubiquitinase ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 1(UCHL1)regulates female reproduction,especially in ovarian development.However,the mechanism by which UCHL1 regulates porcine GC proliferation remains unclear.Results UCHL1 overexpression promoted GC proliferation,and knockdown had the opposite effect.UCHL1 is directly bound to cyclin B1(CCNB1),prolonging the half-life of CCNB1 and inhibiting its degradation,thereby promoting GC proliferation.What's more,a flavonoid compound-isovitexin improved the enzyme activity of UCHL1 and promoted the proliferation of porcine GCs.Conclusions UCHL1 promoted the proliferation of porcine GCs by stabilizing CCNB1,and isovitexin enhanced the enzyme activity of UCHL1.These findings reveal the role of UCHL1 and the potential of isovitexin in regulating proliferation and provide insights into identifying molecular markers and nutrients that affect follicle development.

PbGIF1 promoting cell-proliferation in pear fruit is transcriptionally activated by Pb RR1

As a cell proliferation regulator involved in wide biological processes in plants,GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR(GIF)controls different tissues development.However,whether GIF participates in fruit development remains unclear.According to transcriptome data,we identified PbGIF1was highly expressed during fruit development in cytokinins induced parthenocarpy pear.In the present study,the biofunction of PbGIF1 was initially verified.Overexpression of PbGIF1 promoted fruit size of transgenic tomato.The size of flesh fruit was not affected by cell expansion but the cell proliferation was promoted by overexpressing Pb GIF1.The accelerated cell proliferation process was also observed in PbGIF1-overexpressed transgenic pear fruit calli.The transcriptional regulation of cytokinins on PbGIF1 was further confirmed by exogenous CPPU treatments in pear fruitlets.To investigate the underlying mechanism,the cytokinins-responded factor,PbRR1,was further focused on.The results of Yeast-one-hybrid assay suggested that PbRR1 can bind to the promoter sequence of PbGIF1.The transcriptional activation of PbRR1 on PbGIF1 was also confirmed by Dual-Luciferase assays.Taken together,the results showed that cytokinins control pear fruit development via the transcriptional activation of PbGIF1 by PbRR1.

Tumor-derived DEFB1 induces immune tolerance by inhibiting maturation of dendritic cell and impairing CD8+T cell function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:CD8+T cells are the key effector cells in the anti-tumor immune response.The mechanism underlying the infiltration of CD8+T cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)has not been clearly elucidated.Methods:Fresh ESCC tissues were collected and grouped according to the infiltration density of CD8+T cells.After the transcriptome sequencing on these samples and the combined analyses with The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)ESCC data,a secreted protein DEFB1 was selected to explore its potential role in the infiltration of CD8+T cells.Bioinformatics analyses,histological verification and in vitro experiments were then performed.Results:DEFB1 was highly expressed in ESCC,and the high expression of DEFB1 was an independent risk factor for overall survival.Since the up-regulation or down-regulation of DEFB1 did not affect the proliferation,migration and apoptosis of ESCC cells,we speculated that the oncogenic effect of DEFB1 was achieved by regulating microenvironmental characteristics.Bioinformatics analyses suggested that DEFB1 might play a major role in the inflammatory response and anti-tumor immune response,and correlate to the infiltration of immature dendritic cell(imDC)in ESCC.Histological analyses further confirmed that there were less CD8+T cells infiltrated,less CD83+mature DC(mDC)infiltrated and more CD1a+imDC infiltrated in those ESCC samples with high expression of DEFB1.After the treatment with recombinant DEFB1 protein,the maturation of DC was hindered significantly,followed by the impairment of the killing effects of T cells in both 2D and 3D culture in vitro.Conclusions:Tumor-derived DEFB1 can inhibit the maturation of DC and weaken the function of CD8+T cells,accounting for the immune tolerance in ESCC.The role of DEFB1 in ESCC deserves further exploration.

Neural stem cell-derived exosomes regulate cell proliferation,migration,and cell death of brain microvascular endothelial cells via the miR-9/Hes1 axis under hypoxia

Background:Our previous study found that mouse embryonic neural stem cell(NSC)-derived exosomes(EXOs)regulated NSC differentiation via the miR-9/Hes1 axis.However,the effects of EXOs on brain microvascular endothelial cell(BMEC)dysfunction via the miR-9/Hes1 axis remain unknown.Therefore,the current study aimed to determine the effects of EXOs on BMEC proliferation,migration,and death via the miR-9/Hes1 axis.Methods:Immunofluorescence,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,cell counting kit-8 assay,wound healing assay,calcein-acetoxymethyl/propidium iodide staining,and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to determine the role and mechanism of EXOs on BMECs.Results:EXOs promoted BMEC proliferation and migration and reduced cell death under hypoxic conditions.The overexpression of miR-9 promoted BMEC prolifera-tion and migration and reduced cell death under hypoxic conditions.Moreover,miR-9 downregulation inhibited BMEC proliferation and migration and also promoted cell death.Hes1 silencing ameliorated the effect of amtagomiR-9 on BMEC proliferation and migration and cell death.Hyperemic structures were observed in the regions of the hippocampus and cortex in hypoxia-induced mice.Meanwhile,EXO treatment improved cerebrovascular alterations.Conclusion:NSC-derived EXOs can promote BMEC proliferation and migra-tion and reduce cell death via the miR-9/Hes1 axis under hypoxic conditions.Therefore,EXO therapeutic strategies could be considered for hypoxia-induced vascular injury.

TuBG1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma via ATR/P53-apoptosis and cycling pathways

Background:As reported,γ-tubulin(TuBG1)is related to the occurrence and development of various types of malignant tumors.However,its role in hepatocellular cancer(HCC)is not clear.The present study was to investigate the relationship between TuBG1 and clinical parameters and survival in HCC patients.Methods:The correlation between TuBG1 and clinical parameters and survival in HCC patients was ex-plored by bioinformatics analysis.Immunohistochemistry was used for the verification.The molecular function of TuBG1 was measured using colony formation,scratch assay,trans-well assay and flow cytometry.Gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)was used to pick up the enriched pathways,followed by investigating the target pathways using Western blotting.The tumor-immune system interactions and drug bank database(TISIDB)was used to evaluate TuBG1 and immunity.Based on the TuBG1-related immune genes,a prognostic model was constructed and was further validated internally and externally.Results:The bioinformatic analysis found high expressed TuBG1 in HCC tissue,which was confirmed us-ing immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.After silencing the TuBG1 in HCC cell lines,more G1 arrested cells were found,cell proliferation and invasion were inhibited,and apoptosis was promoted.Furthermore,the silence of TuBG1 increased the expressions of Ataxia-Telangiectasia and Rad-3(ATR),phospho-P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(P-P38MAPK),phospho-P53(P-P53),B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X protein(Bax),cleaved caspase 3 and P21;decreased the expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),cyclin D1,cyclin E2,cyclin-dependent kinase 2(CDK2)and CDK4.The correlation analysis of immunohistochemistry and clinical parameters and survival data revealed that TuBG1 was negatively corre-lated with the overall survival.The constructed immune prognosis model could effectively evaluate the prognosis.Conclusions:The increased expression of TuBG1 in HCC is associated with poor prognosis,which might be involved in the occurrence and development of HCC.

Prox1 Suppresses Proliferation and Drug Resistance of Retinoblastoma Cells via Targeting Notch1

Objective Retinoblastoma(RB)is a prevalent type of eye cancer in youngsters.Prospero homeobox 1(Prox1)is a homeobox transcriptional repressor and downstream target of the proneural gene that is relevant in lymphatic,hepatocyte,pancreatic,heart,lens,retinal,and cancer cells.The goal of this study was to investigate the role of Prox1 in RB cell proliferation and drug resistance,as well as to explore the underlying Notch1 mechanism.Methods Human RB cell lines(SO-RB50 and Y79)and a primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cell line(ACBRI-181)were used in this study.The expression of Prox1 and Notch1 mRNA and protein in RB cells was detected using quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting.Cell proliferation was assessed after Prox1 overexpression using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and the MTS assay.Drug-resistant cell lines(SO-RB50/vincristine)were generated and treated with Prox1 to investigate the role of Prox1 in drug resistance.We employed pcDNA-Notch1 to overexpress Notch1 to confirm the role of Notch1 in the protective function of Prox1.Finally,a xenograft model was constructed to assess the effect of Prox1 on RB in vivo.Results Prox1 was significantly downregulated in RB cells.Overexpression of Prox1 effectively decreased RB cell growth while increasing the sensitivity of drug-resistant cells to vincristine.Notch1 was involved in Prox1’s regulatory effects.Notch1 was identified as a target gene of Prox1,which was found to be upregulated in RB cells and repressed by increased Prox1 expression.When pcDNA-Notch1 was transfected,the effect of Prox1 overexpression on RB was removed.Furthermore,by downregulating Notch1,Prox1 overexpression slowed tumor development and increased vincristine sensitivity in vivo.Conclusion These data show that Prox1 decreased RB cell proliferation and drug resistance by targeting Notch1,implying that Prox1 could be a potential therapeutic target for RB.

TAX1BP1 and FIP200 orchestrate non-canonical autophagy of p62 aggregates for mouse neural stem cell maintenance

Autophagy plays a pivotal role in diverse biological processes,including the maintenance and differentiation of neural stem cells(NSCs).Interestingly,while complete deletion of Fip200 severely impairs NSC maintenance and differentiation,inhibiting canonical autophagy via deletion of core genes,such as Atg5,Atg16l1,and Atg7,or blockade of canonical interactions between FIP200 and ATG13(designated as FIP200-4A mutant or FIP200 KI)does not produce comparable detrimental effects.This highlights the likely critical involvement of the non-canonical functions of FIP200,the mechanisms of which have remained elusive.Here,utilizing genetic mouse models,we demonstrated that FIP200 mediates non-canonical autophagic degradation of p62/sequestome1,primarily via TAX1BP1 in NSCs.Conditional deletion of Tax1bp1 in fip200hGFAP conditional knock-in(cKI)mice led to NSC deficiency,resembling the fip200hGFAP conditional knockout(cKO)mouse phenotype.Notably,reintroducing wild-type TAX1BP1 not only restored the maintenance of NSCs derived from tax1bp1-knockout fip200hGFAP cKI mice but also led to a marked reduction in p62 aggregate accumulation.Conversely,a TAX1BP1 mutant incapable of binding to FIP200 or NBR1/p62 failed to achieve this restoration.Furthermore,conditional deletion of Tax1bp1 in fip200hGFAP cKO mice exacerbated NSC deficiency and p62 aggregate accumulation compared to fip200hGFAP cKO mice.Collectively,these findings illustrate the essential role of the FIP200-TAX1BP1 axis in mediating the non-canonical autophagic degradation of p62 aggregates towards NSC maintenance and function,presenting novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.

ZmCER1,a putative ECERIFERUM 1 protein in maize,functions in cuticular wax biosynthesis and bulliform cell development

The cuticular wax,acting as the ultimate defense barrier,is essential for the normal morphogenesis of plant organs.Despite this importance,the connection between wax composition and leaf development has not been thoroughly explored.In this study,we characterized a new maize mutant,ragged leaf4(rgd4),which exhibits crinkled and ragged leaves starting from the sixth leaf stage.The phenotype of rgd4 is conferred by ZmCER1,which encoding an aldehyde decarbonylase involved in wax biosynthesis.ZmCER1 function deficient mutant displayed reduced cuticular wax density and disordered bulliform cells(BCs),while ZmCER1 overexpressing plants exhibited the opposite effects,indicating that ZmCER1 regulates cuticular wax biosynthesis and BCs development.Additionally,as the density of cuticular wax increased,the water loss rate of detached leaf decreases,suggesting that ZmCER1 is positively correlated with plant drought tolerance.

Single-cell analysis of tumor microenvironment and cell adhesion reveals that interleukin-1 beta promotes cancer cell proliferation in breast cancer

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC), which is so called because of the lack of estrogen receptors(ER), progesterone receptors(PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2) receptors on the cancer cells, accounts for 10%–15% of all breast cancers. The heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment is high.However, the role of plasma cells controlling the tumor migration progression in TNBC is still not fully understood.Methods: We analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from five HER2 positive, 12ER positive/PR positive, and nine TNBC samples. The potential targets were validated by immunohistochemistry.Results: Plasma cells were enriched in TNBC samples, which was consistent with validation using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Cell communication analysis revealed that plasma cells interact with T cells through the intercellular adhesion molecule 2–integrin–aLb2 complex, and then release interleukin 1 beta(IL1B), as verified by immunohistochemistry, ultimately promoting tumor growth.Conclusion: Our results revealed the role of plasma cells in TNBC and identified IL1B as a new prognostic marker for TNBC.

The activation of adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase inhibits the migration of tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells by targeting Claudin-1 via epithelial–mesenchymal transition

Background:The role of Claudin-1 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma(TSCC)metastasis needs further clarification,particularly its impact on cell migration.Herein,our study aims to investigate the role of Claudin-1 in TSCC cell migration and its underlying mechanisms.Methods:36 TSCC tissue samples underwent immunohistochemical staining for Claudin-1.Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were conducted to evaluate Claudin-1 expression and distribution in TSCC cells.Claudin-1 knockdown cell lines were established using short hairpin RNA transfection.Migration effects were assessed through wound healing assays.Furthermore,the expression of EMTassociated molecules was measured via western blotting.Results:Claudin-1 expression decreased as TSCC malignancy increased.Adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase(AMPK)activation led to increased Claudin-1 expression and membrane translocation,inhibiting TSCC cell migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition(EMT).Conversely,Claudin-1 knockdown reversed these inhibitory effects on migration and EMT caused by AMPK activation.Conclusions:Our results indicated that AMPK activation suppresses TSCC cell migration by targeting Claudin-1 and EMT pathways.

Ginsenoside Rb1 induces hepatic stellate cell ferroptosis to alleviate liver fibrosis via the BECN1/SLC7A11 axis

Liver fibrosis is primarily driven by the activation of hepatic stellate cells(HSCs),a process associated with ferroptosis.Ginsenoside Rb1(GRb1),a major active component extracted from Panax ginseng,inhibits HSC activation.However,the potential role of GRb1 in mediating HSC ferroptosis remains unclear.This study examined the effect of GRb1 on liver fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro,using CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mouse model and primary HSCs,LX-2 cells.The findings revealed that GRb1 effectively inactivated HSCs in vitro,reducing alpha-smooth muscle actin(a-SMA)and type I collagen(Col1A1)levels.Moreover,GRb1 significantly alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in vivo.From a mechanistic standpoint,the ferroptosis pathway appeared to be central to the antifibrotic effects of GRb1.Specifically,GRb1 promoted HSC ferroptosis both in vivo and in vitro,characterized by increased glutathione depletion,malondialdehyde production,iron overload,and accumulation of reactive oxygen species(ROS).Intriguingly,GRb1 increased Beclin 1(BECN1)levels and decreased the System Xc-key subunit SLC7A11.Further experiments showed that BECN1 silencing inhibited GRb1-induced effects on HSC ferroptosis and mitigated the reduction of SLC7A11 caused by GRb1.Moreover,BECN1 could directly interact with SLC7A11,initiating HSC ferroptosis.In conclusion,the suppression of BECN1 counteracted the effects of GRb1 on HSC inactivation both in vivo and in vitro.Overall,this study highlights the novel role of GRb1 in inducing HSC ferroptosis and promoting HSC inactivation,at least partly through its modulation of BECN1 and SLC7A11.

CircPMS1 promotes proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells,pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells,and pericytes under hypoxia

Background:Circular RNAs(circRNAs)have been recognized as significant regulators of pulmonary hypertension(PH);however,the differential expression and function of circRNAs in different vascular cells under hypoxia remain unknown.Here,we identified co-differentially expressed circRNAs and determined their putative roles in the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells(PASMCs),pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells(PMECs),and pericytes(PCs)under hypoxia.Methods:Whole transcriptome sequencing was performed to analyze the differential expression of circRNAs in three different vascular cell types.Bioinformatic analysis was used to predict their putative biological function.Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,Cell Counting Kit-8,and EdU Cell Proliferation assays were carried out to determine the role of circular postmeiotic segregation 1(circPMS1)as well as its potential sponge mechanism in PASMCs,PMECs,and PCs.Results:PASMCs,PMECs,and PCs exhibited 16,99,and 31 differentially expressed circRNAs under hypoxia,respectively.CircPMS1 was upregulated in PASMCs,PMECs,and PCs under hypoxia and enhanced the proliferation of vascular cells.CircPMS1may upregulate DEP domain containing 1(DEPDC1)and RNA polymerase II subunit D expression by targeting microRNA-432-5p(miR-432-5p)in PASMCs,upregulate MAX interactor 1(MXI1)expression by targeting miR-433-3p in PMECs,and upregulate zinc finger AN1-type containing 5(ZFAND5)expression by targeting miR-3613-5p in PCs.Conclusions:Our results suggest that circPMS1 promotes cell proliferation through the miR-432-5p/DEPDC1 or miR-432-5p/POL2D axis in PASMCs,through the miR-433-3p/MXI1 axis in PMECs,and through the miR-3613-5p/ZFAND5 axis in PCs,which provides putative targets for the early diagnosis and treatment of PH.

Meiotic nuclear divisions 1 suppresses the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells via regulating H2A.X variant histone

Introduction:Among all malignant tumors of the digestive system,pancreatic carcinoma exhibits the highest mortality rate.Currently,prevention and effective treatment are urgent issues that need to be addressed.Methods:The study focused on meiotic nuclear divisions 1(MND1),integrating data from the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis(GEPIA)database with prognostic survival analysis.Simultaneously,experiments at cellular level were employed to demonstrate the effect of MND1 on the proliferation and migration of PC.The small-molecule inhibitor of MND1 was used to suppress the migration of PC cells by knocking down MND1 using small interfering RNA(siRNA)in Patu-8988 and Panc1 cell lines.Results:The results of Cell Counting Kit-8 indicated that the suppression of MND1 resulted in a decrease in cell proliferation.Wound healing and Transwell assays revealed that MND1 knockdown reduced cell migration and invasion.Flow cytometry revealed that inhibiting MND1 hindered the cell cycle.Furthermore,MND1 could stimulate the proliferation,migration,and invasion of Patu-8988 and Panc1 cells by increasing the expression of MND1.Notably,MND1 had a positive effect on H2AFX expression in PC cells.Elevated MND1 expression suggests the low overall survival rate of individuals diagnosed with PC.Conclusion:These findings suggest that MND1 has the potential to be a gene with the ability to accurately diagnose and treat PC.