Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

With the understanding of the complex interaction between the tumour microenvironment and immunotherapy,there is increasing interest in the role of immune regulators in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC).Activation of T cells and immune checkpoint molecules is important for the immune response to cancers.Immune checkpoint molecules include cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4(CTLA-4),programmed death 1(PD-1),T-cell immunoglobulin mucin protein 3(TIM-3),lymphocyte activation gene 3(LAG-3),T cell immunoglobin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif(TIGIT),glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor(GITR)and V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation(VISTA).Many clinical trials using checkpoint inhibitors,as both monotherapies and combination therapies,have been initiated targeting these immune checkpoint molecules.This review summarizes the functional mechanism and use of various immune checkpoint molecules in HNSCC,including monotherapies and combination therapies,and provides better treatment options for patients with HNSCC.

SUMOylation facilitates the assembly of a Nuclear Factor-Y complex to enhance thermotolerance in Arabidopsis

Heat stress(HS) has serious negative effects on plant development and has become a major threat to agriculture. A rapid transcriptional regulatory cascade has evolved in plants in response to HS. Nuclear Factor-Y(NF-Y) complexes are critical for this mechanism, but how NF-Y complexes are regulated remains unclear.In this study, we identified NF-YC10(NF-Y subunit C10), a central regulator of the HS response in Arabidopsis thaliana, as a substrate of SUMOylation, an important post-translational modification. Biochemical analysis showed that the SUMO ligase SIZ1(SAP AND MIZ1 DOMAINCONTAINING LIGASE1) interacts with NF-YC10and enhances its SUMOylation during HS. The SUMOylation of NF-YC10 facilitates its interaction with and the nuclear translocation of NF-YB3, in which the SUMO interaction motif(SIM)is essential for its efficient association with NF-YC10. Further functional analysis indicated that the SUMOylation of NF-YC10 and the SIM of NF-YB3 are critical for HS-responsive gene expression and plant thermotolerance. These findings uncover a role for the SIZ1-mediated SUMOylation of NF-YC10 in NF-Y complex assembly under HS, providing new insights into the role of a post-translational modification in regulating transcription during abiotic stress responses in plants.

Electrospun Polyethylene Glycol/Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Nanofibrous Membranes as Shape-Stabilized Solid-Solid Phase Change Materials

In this work,shape-stabilized solid-solid phase change materials(PCMs)were fabricated by simply electrospinning polyethylene glycol(PEG)and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA).Owing to the strong hydrogen bonds and entanglement between those molecular chains of PEG and PVA,PEG was packaged by PVA.The morphological structures,thermal stability and thermal energy storage properties of those fibers were investigated.SEM results showed that those electrospun PVA/PEG composite membranes hold a three-dimensional nonwoven web structure even the content of PEG as high as 70%.The thermal energy storage ability of those composite fibers increased with the increase of the content of PEG.The heat enthalpies of PEG/PVA=7/3 were as high as 78.806 J/g.Moreover,those composite fibers had excellent thermal stability.After 100 heating and cooling cycles,there was almost no obvious change in the melting enthalpy and crystallization enthalpy.Those fibers still maintained good thermal regulation.The simple preparation process,low cost of raw materials and excellent stability endow the PCMs great utilization potentiality in smart textile and energy storage systems.

植物蛋白质SUMO化修饰体外高效检测系统

蛋白质SUMO化修饰是一种调控蛋白命运的关键修饰方式,广泛参与植物生长发育及逆境胁迫响应。SUMO化修饰过程主要由激活酶(E1)-结合酶(E2)-连接酶(E3)组成的级联酶促反应催化,其关键酶组分将SUMO分子缀合至底物蛋白的赖氨酸残基,形成共价异肽键以完成SUMO化修饰过程。该文报道了1种植物蛋白质SUMO化修饰体外高效检测系统,通过在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)中构建拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana) SUMO化修饰的关键通路实现对底物蛋白的SUMO化修饰,结果可通过免疫印迹进行检测。该系统可以简化植物蛋白质SUMO化修饰的检测流程,为植物细胞SUMO化修饰的功能研究提供了有力工具。