Fibroblast-derived CXCL12/SDF-1α promotes CXCL6 secretion and co-operatively enhances metastatic potential through the PI3K/Akt/m TOR pathway in colon cancer

AIM To investigate the underlying mechanism by which CXCL12 and CXCL6 influences the metastatic potential of colon cancer and internal relation of colon cancer and stromal cells. METHODS Western blotting was used to detect the expression of CXCL12 and CXCL6 in colon cancer cells and stromal cells. The co-operative effects of CXCL12 and CXCL6 on proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and proliferation and invasion assays. The angiogenesis of HUVECs through interaction with cancer cells and stromal cells was examined by angiogenesis assay. We eventually investigated activation of PI3K/Akt/m TOR signaling by CXCL12 involved in the metastatic process of colon cancer.RESULTS CXCL12 was expressed in DLD-1 cancer cells and fibroblasts. The secretion level of CXCL6 by colon cancer cells and HUVECs were significantly promoted by fibroblasts derived from CXCL12. CXCL6 and CXCL2 could significantly enhance HUVEC proliferation and migration(P < 0.01). CXCL6 and CXCL2 enhanced angiogenesis by HUVECs when cultured with fibroblast cells and colon cancer cells(P < 0.01). CXCL12 also enhanced the invasion of colon cancer cells. Stromal cell-derived CXCL12 promoted the secretion level of CXCL6 and co-operatively promoted metastasis of colon carcinoma through activation of the PI3K/Akt/m TOR pathway.CONCLUSION Fibroblast-derived CXCL12 enhanced the CXCL6 secretion of colon cancer cells,and both CXCL12 and CXCL6 co-operatively regulated the metastasis via the PI3K/Akt/m TOR signaling pathway. Blocking this pathway may be a potential anti-metastatic therapeutic target for patients with colon cancer.

First principles application for mechanical properties of Ti-doped W particles enhanced U matrix composite

The stability, bonding, work of adhesion and electronic structure of the U/W interface with and without Ti were investigated by first principles to explore the me- chanical properties of W particles enhanced U-Ti alloy matrix composite as a construction material. The calculated results indicate that the preferable orientation of the U/W interfacial structure is （001）U/（110）w crystallographic plane, Ti atoms originating from U slab are prone to diffuse into W slab through the interface, and additional Ti in U matrix is the stronger adhesion to W, with an ideal work of adhesion of 6.93 J.m-2 for U-Ti/W interface, relative to the value of 6.72 J.m-2 for clean U/W interface. The stronger adhesion performance is due to the increase in valence electron hybridization for U-Ti/W compared with U/W interface, as evidenced by the characteristic of the local density of states for the interfacial atoms.

Mechanical properties of U-0.95 mass fraction of Ti alloy quenching and aging treatment:a first principles study

First principles plane wave pseudopotential method was executed to calculate the mechanical properties with respect to the uranium-0.95 mass fraction of titanium （U-0.95 mass fraction of Ti） alloy for quenching and aging, including the elastic modulus, the value of shear modulus to bulk modulus （G/B） and the ideal tensile strength. The further research has also been done about the crack mechanism through Griffith rupture energy. These results show that the elastic moduli are 195.1 GPa for quenching orthorhombic ~ phase and 201.8 GPa for aging formed Guinier-Preston （G.P） zones, while G/B values are 0.67 and 0.56, respectively. With the phase change of uranium-titanium （U-Ti） alloy via the quenching treatment, the ideal tensile strength is diverse and distinct with dif- ferent crystal orientations of the anisotropic ~ phase. Comparison of quenching and short time aging treatment, both of the strength and toughness trend to improve slightly. Further analysis about electronic density of states （DOS） in the electronic scale indicates that the strength increases continuously while toughness decreases with the aging proceeding. The equilibrium structure appears in overaging process, as a result of decomposition of metastable quenching 7 phase. Thereby the strength and toughness trend to decrease slightly. Finally, the ideal fracture energies of G.P zones and overaging structure are obtained within the framework of Griffith fracture theory, which are 4.67 J/m2 and 3.83 J/m2, respectively. These results theoretically demonstrate strengthening effect of quenching and aging heat treatment on U-Ti alloy.