Effects of extracellular iron concentration on calcium absorption and relationship between Ca^(2+) and cell apoptosis in Caco-2 cells

AIM: To determine the method of growing small intestinal epithelial cells in short-term primary culture and to investigate the effect of extracellular iron concentration ([Fe3+]) on calcium absorption and the relationship between the rising intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and cell apoptosis in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. METHODS: Primary culture was used for growing small intestinal epithelial cells. [Ca2+]i was detected by a confocal laser scanning microscope. The changes in [Ca2+]i were represented by fluorescence intensity (FI). The apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Isolation of epithelial cells and preservation of its three-dimensional integrity were achieved using the digestion technique of a mixture of collagenase Ⅺ and dispase Ⅰ. Purification of the epithelial cells was facilitated by using a simple differential sedimentation method. The results showed that proliferation of normal gut epithelium in vitro was initially dependent upon the maintenance of structural integrity of the tissue. If 0.25% trypsin was used for digestion, the cells were severely damaged and very difficult to stick to the Petri dish for growing. The Fe3+ chelating agent desferrioxamine (100, 200 and 300 μmol/L) increased the FI of Caco-2 cells from 27.50±13.18 (control, n = 150) to 35.71±13.99 (n = 150, P<0.01), 72.19±35.40 (n = 150, P<0.01) and 211.34±29.03 (n = 150,P<0.01) in a concentration-dependent manner. There was a significant decrease in the FI of Caco-2 cells treated by ferric ammonium citrate (FAC, a Fe3+ donor; 10, 50 and 100 μmol/L). The FI value of Caco-2 cells treated by FAC was 185.85±33.77 (n = 150, P<0.01), 122.73±58.47 (n = 150, P<0.01), and 53.29±19.82 (n= 150,P<0.01), respectively, suggesting that calcium absorption was influenced by [Fe3+]. Calcium ionophore A23187(0.1,1.0 and 10 μmol/L) increased the FI of Caco-2 cells from 40.45±13.95 (control, n = 150) to 45.19±21.95 (n = 150, P<0.01), 89.87±43.29 (n = 150, P<0.01) and 104.64±51.07 (n = 150,P<0.01) in a concentration-dependent manner. The positive apoptotic cell number of the Caco-2 cells after being treated with A23187 increased from 0.32% to 0.69%, 0.90% and 1.10%, indicating that the increase in the positive apoptotic cell number was positively correlated with [Ca2+]i. CONCLUSION: Ca2+ absorbability is increased with the decrease of extracellular iron concentration Fe3+ and hindered with the increase of Fe3+ consistence out of them. Furthermore, increase of [Ca2+]i can induce apoptosis in Caco-2 cells.

Gastric digestion of pea ferritin and modulation of its iron bioavailability by ascorbic and phytic acids in caco-2 cells

AIM： To understand the digestive stability and mechanism of release and intestinal uptake of pea ferritin iron in caco-2 cell line model.METHODS： Pea seed ferritin was purified using salt fractionation followed by gel filtration chromatography.The bioavailability of ferritin iron was assessed using coupled in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell model in the presence or absence of ascorbic acid and phytic acid.Caco-2 cell ferritin formation was used as a surrogate marker of iron uptake. Structural changes of pea ferritin under simulated gastric pH were characterized using electrophoresis, gel filtration and circular dichroism spectroscopy.RESULTS： The caco-2 cell ferritin formation was significantly increased （P 〈 0.001） with FeSO4 （19.3±9.8 ng/mg protein） and pea ferritin （13.9 ± 6.19 ng/mg protein） compared to the blank digest （3.7 ± 1.8 ng/mg protein）. Ascorbic acid enhanced while phytic acid decreased the pea ferritin iron bioavailability. However,either in the presence or absence of ascorbic acid, the ferritin content of caco-2 cells was significantly less with pea ferritin than with FeSO4. At gastric pH, no band corresponding to ferritin was observed in the presence of pepsin either on native PAGE or SDS-PAGE. Gel filtration chromatography and circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed a pH dependent loss of quaternary and secondary structure.CONCLUSION： Under gastric conditions, the iron core of pea ferritin is released into the digestive medium due to acid induced structural alterations and dissociation of protein. The released iron interacts with dietary factors leading to modulation of pea ferritin iron bioavailability,resembling the typical characteristics of non-heme iron.

Upregulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D_3-1α-hydroxylase by butyrate in Caco-2 cells

AIM： To investigate the possible involvement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1cx-hydroxylase [1α-25（OH）2D3] in butyrate-induced differentiation in human intestinal cell line Caco-2 cells. METHODS： Caco-2 cells were incubated either with 3 mmol/L butyrate and 1 umol/L 25（OH）2D3 or with 1 umol/L 1α-25（OH）2D3 for various time intervals ranging from 0 to 72 h. Additionally, cells were co-incubated with butyrate and either 25（OH）2D3 or 1α-25（OH）2D3. 1α-25（OH）2D3 mRNA was determined semi-quantitatively using the fluorescent dye PicoGreen. Immunoblotting was used for the detection of 1α-25（OH）2D3 protein. Finally, enzymatic activity was measured by ELISA. RESULTS： Both butyrate and 1α-25（OH）2D3 stimulated differentiation of Caco-2 cells after a 48 h incubation period, while 25（OH）2D3 had no impact on cell differentiation. Synergistic effects on differentiation were observed when cells were co-incubated with butyrate and vitamin D metabolite. Butyrate transiently upregulated 1α-25（OH）2D3 mRNA followed by a timely delayed protein upregulation. Coincidently, enzymatic activity was enhanced significantly. The induction of the enzyme allowed for comparable differentiating effects of both vitamin D metabolites. CONCLUSION： Our experimental data provide a further mechanism for the involvement of the vitamin D signaling pathway in colonic epithelial cell differentiation by butyrate. The enhancement of 1α-25（OH）2D3 followed by antiproliferative effects of the vitamin D prohormone in the Caco-2 cell line suggest that 25（OH）2D3 in combination with butyrate may offer a new therapeutic approach forthe treatment of colon cancer.

Overloading of differentiated Caco-2 cells during lipid transcytosis induces glycosylation mistakes in the Golgi complex

Overloading the intestine enterocytes with lipids induced alteration of the Golgi complex(GC;Sesorova et al.,2020)and could cause glycosylation errors.Here,using differentiated Caco-2 cells with the established 0[I]blood group phenotype(no expression of the blood antigens A and B[AgA,AgB]under normal conditions)as a model of human enterocytes we examined whether the overloading of these cells with lipids could cause errors in the Golgi-dependent glycosylation.We demonstrated that under these conditions,there were alterations of the GC and the appearance of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm.Rare cells produced AgA and AgB.This suggested that after overloading of enterocytes with lipids,AgA were mistakenly synthesized in individual enterocytes by the Golgi glycosyltransferases.These mistakes could explain why in the absence of AgA and AgB antibodies against them exist in the blood.

Antioxidant Activity and Protective Effects of Alcalase-Hydrolyzed Soybean Hydrolysate in Human Intestinal Epithelial Caco-2 Cells

Soybeans are known as a promising source of bioactive peptides.However,knowledge on the antioxidant behaviors of soybean protein hydrolysate(SPH)in the human intestinal epithelium is limited.In this study,SPH was prepared with Alcalase and subsequently ultrafiltered into four peptide fractions as SPH-I(<3 kDa),SPH-II(3~5 k Da),SPH-III(5~10 k Da)and SPH-IV(>10 kDa).The antioxidant properties of SPH and membrane fractions were investigated using different chemical assays and their protective effects against oxidative stress were evaluated using H2 O2-stressed human intestinal Caco-2 cells.Results showed that SPH-I exhibited the strongest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)radical scavenging activity(IC50=2.56 mg/m L)and reducing capacity while SPH-III had the best metal ion-chelating activity(IC50=0.29 mg/m L).Both SPH and the peptide fractions dose-dependently suppressed intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation induced by H2O2 in Caco-2 cells,but the strongest inhibitory effect was observed for SPH-I.Amino acid(AA)results revealed that SPH-I was rich in hydrophobic and antioxidant AAs,which could contribute to its stronger antioxidant properties.Additionally,SPH-I protected Caco-2 cells from H2O2-induced oxidative stress via inhibiting lipid peroxidation and stimulating antioxidant enzyme activities.These results suggest that SPH-I and constitutive peptides can be beneficial ingredients with antioxidant properties and protective effects against ROS-mediated intestinal injury.

Hormonal regulation of dipeptide transporter(PepT1)in Caco-2 cells with normal and anoxia/reoxygenation management

AIM: To determine the regulation effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on dipeptide transporter (PepT1) in Caco-2 cells with normal culture and anoxia/reoxygenation injury.METHODS: A human intestinal cell monolayer (Caco-2) was used as the in vitro model of human small intestine and cephalexin as the model substrate for dipeptide transporter (PepT1). Caco-2 cells grown on Transwell membrane filters were preincubated in the presence of rhGH in the culture medium for 4 d, serum was withdrawn from monolayers for 24 h before each experiment. The transport experiments of cephalexin across apical membromes were then conducted;Caco-2 cells grown on multiple well dishes (24 pore) with normal culture or anoxia/reoxygenation injury were preincubated with rhGH as above and uptake of cephalexin was then measured.RESULTS: The transport and uptake of cephelaxin across apical membranes of Caco-2 cells after preincubation with rhGH were significantly increased compared with controls (P=0.045, 0.0223). Also, addition of rhGH at physiological concentration (34 nM) to incubation medium greatly stimulates cephalexin uptake by anoxia/reoxygenation injuried Caco-2 cells (P=0.0116), while the biological functions of PepT1 in injured Caco-2 cells without rhGH were markedly downregulated. Northem blot analysis showed that the level of PepT1 mRNA of rhGH-treated injured Caco-2cells was greatly increased compared to controls.CONCLUSION: The present results of rhGH stimulating the uptake and transport of cephalexin indicated that rhGH greatly upregulates the physiological effects of dipeptide transporters of Caco-2 cells. The alteration in the gene expression may be a mechanism of regulation of PepT1. In addition, Caco-2 cells take up cephalexin by the Proton-dependent dipeptide transporters that closely resembles the transporters present in the intestine. Caco-2 cells represent an ideal cellular model for future studies of the dipeptide transporter.

Nutritional properties of Europen eel(Anguilla anguilla)bone peptide-calcium and its apoptosis effect on Caco-2 cells

The present study aimed at making a rational usage for European eel bone by-products by preparing Europen eel bone peptide chelated calcium(EBPC-Ca).Nutritional properties and bioactivity of EBPC-Ca were evaluated.Results showed that nutritional properties of calcium ions will cause intra-and inter-molecular folding and aggregation of peptide to uniformly form EBPC-Ca chelate.The chelated compound of EBPC and calcium ion triggered a strong apoptosis in heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma(Caco-2)in concentration-and time-dependent manners.Western blot analysis revealed that the EBPC-Ca induced apoptosis may be the result of a blocked autophagy flux through mitochondrial-dependent pathway.Additionally,the increase in FGF-23 protein expression inhibited the absorption of calcium ions and alleviated cell apoptosis.It was also found that the cell apoptosis occurs with significant increases in the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and Ca^(2+)in the cells,indicating the anti-tumor potential of EBPC-Ca may involve multiple channels.

Transport and uptake of clausenamide enantiomers in CYP3A4-transfected Caco-2 cells： an insight into the efflux-metabolism alliance

Aim The present study developed a CYP3A4-expressed Caco-2 monolayer model at which effects of the efflux-metabolism alliance on the transport and uptake of clausenamide（CLA） enantiomers as CYP3A4 substrates were investigated. The apparent permeability coefficients （Papp） of （ - ） and （ ＋ ）CLA were higher in the ab- sorptive direction than those in the secretory direction with efflux ratios（ER） of 0. 709 ± 0.411 and 0. 867± 0. 250 （ Х10^-6 -1 cm · s ）, respectively. Their bidirectional transports were significantly reduced by （75.6 ± 87.5）% af- ter treatment with verapamil （ a P-glycoprotein inhibitor） that increased the rate of metabolism by CYP3 A4, whereas the CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole treatment markedly enhanced the basolateral to apical flux of （ - ） and （ ＋ ） CLA with ERs being 2. 934 ± 1. 432 and 1. 877 ± 0. 148 （ Х 10^-6 cm/s） respectively. These changes could be blocked by the duel CYP3A4/P-glycoprotein inhibitor cyclosporine A, consequently, Papp values for CLA enanti- omers in both directions were significantly greater than those obtained by using verapamil or ketoconazole, and their ERs were similar to those following （ - ） or （ ＋ ）-isomer treatment alone. Furthermore, the uptake of （ - ）CLA was more than that of （ ＋ ）CLA in the transfected cells. Incubation with ketoeonazole decreased the intracellular concentrations of the two enantiomers. This effect disappeared in the presence of a CYP3A4 inducer dexametha- sone. These results indicated that CYP3A4 could influence P-gp efflux, transport and uptake of CLA enantiomers as CYP3A4 substrates and that a duel inhibition to CYP3A4/ P-glycoprotein could enhance their absorption and bioavailability, which provides new insight into the efflux-metabolism alliance and will benefit the clinical pharma- cology of （？） CLA as a candidate drug for treatment of Alzheimer＇ s disease.

Influence of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on red blood cells and Caco-2 cells

The interactions of two types of cells (red blood cells, Caco-2 cells) with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (non-grafted, citrate-grafted, dendrimer-grafted) of 11 nm in size have been investigated. We focused on two important physiological parameters of the cells, the intracellular pH and the intracellular Ca2+ content. The results show that the nanoparticles do not have a significant influence on the pH and Ca2+ content of Caco-2 cells. The Ca2+ content of red blood cells is also not affected but the intracellular pH is slightly reduced.

Evaluation of Chito-Oligosaccharide(COS)in Vitro and in Vivo:Permeability Characterization in Caco-2 Cells Monolayer and Pharmacokinetics Properties in Rats

Chito-oligosaccharide(COS)had shown a variety of biological activities and potential biomedical implications.The present study investigated the pharmacokinetics,bioavailability,and in vitro absorption of COS with degrees of polymerization(DPs)2-7 and explored the influence of DPs on them.From Caco-2 cell permeation studies,COS were low permeability compounds with no directional effects,suggesting a low in vivo absorption mediated by facilitation diffusion and paracellular absorption.After an intragastrical administration to rats,COS2 showed the highest systemic exposure in six oligosaccharides.The bioavailability of COS2-7 was 7.33%,6.11%,4.67%,4.13%,4.02%,0.99%,respectively.Differences in bioavailability for each COS correlated to structural variations,with high DPs contributing to a decrease in bioavailability.In conclusion,COS could be absorbed by the intestinal tract both in vitro and in vivo.The very low oral bioavailability of COS could be due to low permeability.DPs can affect absorption and bioavailability of COS2-7.This study provided evidence for the absorption characteristics of COS2-7 to help us better understanding the pharmacological actions.

Availability and toxicity of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in Caco-2 cells

The objective of the present study was to compare the toxicity and availability of Fe(II) and Fe(III) to Caco-2 cells. Cellular damage was studied by measuring cell proliferation and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The activities of two major antioxidative enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] and differentiation marker (alkaline phosphatase) were determined after the cells were exposed to different levels of iron salts. The cellular iron concentration was investigated to evaluate iron bioavailability. The results show that iron uptake of the cells treated with Fe(II) is significantly higher than that of the cells treated with Fe(III) (P<0.05). Fe(II) at a concentration >1.5 mmol/L was found to be more effective in reducing cellular viability than Fe(III). LDH release investigation suggests that Fe(II) can reduce stability of the cell membrane. The activities of SOD and GPx of the cells treated with Fe(II) were higher than those of the cells treated with Fe(III), although both of them increased with raising iron supply levels. The results indicate that both Fe(II) and Fe(III) could reduce the cellular antioxidase gene expression at high levels.

Perilipin-2 mediates ferroptosis in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and myelin injury after ischemic stroke

Differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells into mature myelin-forming oligodendrocytes contributes to remyelination.Failure of remyelination due to oligodendrocyte progenitor cell death can result in severe nerve damage.Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death caused by membrane rupture induced by lipid peroxidation,and plays an important role in the pathological process of ischemic stroke.However,there are few studies on oligodendrocyte progenitor cell ferroptosis.We analyzed transcriptome sequencing data from GEO databases and identified a role of ferroptosis in oligodendrocyte progenitor cell death and myelin injury after cerebral ischemia.Bioinformatics analysis suggested that perilipin-2(PLIN2)was involved in oligodendrocyte progenitor cell ferroptosis.PLIN2 is a lipid storage protein and a marker of hypoxia-sensitive lipid droplet accumulation.For further investigation,we established a mouse model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.We found significant myelin damage after cerebral ischemia,as well as oligodendrocyte progenitor cell death and increased lipid peroxidation levels around the infarct area.The ferroptosis inhibitor,ferrostatin-1,rescued oligodendrocyte progenitor cell death and subsequent myelin injury.We also found increased PLIN2 levels in the peri-infarct area that co-localized with oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.Plin2 knockdown rescued demyelination and improved neurological deficits.Our findings suggest that targeting PLIN2 to regulate oligodendrocyte progenitor cell ferroptosis may be a potential therapeutic strategy for rescuing myelin damage after cerebral ischemia.

Exosomes originating from neural stem cells undergoing necroptosis participate in cellular communication by inducing TSC2 upregulation of recipient cells following spinal cord injury

We previously demonstrated that inhibiting neural stem cells necroptosis enhances functional recovery after spinal cord injury.While exosomes are recognized as playing a pivotal role in neural stem cells exocrine function,their precise function in spinal cord injury remains unclear.To investigate the role of exosomes generated following neural stem cells necroptosis after spinal cord injury,we conducted singlecell RNA sequencing and validated that neural stem cells originate from ependymal cells and undergo necroptosis in response to spinal cord injury.Subsequently,we established an in vitro necroptosis model using neural stem cells isolated from embryonic mice aged 16-17 days and extracted exosomes.The results showed that necroptosis did not significantly impact the fundamental characteristics or number of exosomes.Transcriptome sequencing of exosomes in necroptosis group identified 108 differentially expressed messenger RNAs,104 long non-coding RNAs,720 circular RNAs,and 14 microRNAs compared with the control group.Construction of a competing endogenous RNA network identified the following hub genes:tuberous sclerosis 2(Tsc2),solute carrier family 16 member 3(Slc16a3),and forkhead box protein P1(Foxp1).Notably,a significant elevation in TSC2 expression was observed in spinal cord tissues following spinal cord injury.TSC2-positive cells were localized around SRY-box transcription factor 2-positive cells within the injury zone.Furthermore,in vitro analysis revealed increased TSC2 expression in exosomal receptor cells compared with other cells.Further assessment of cellular communication following spinal cord injury showed that Tsc2 was involved in ependymal cellular communication at 1 and 3 days post-injury through the epidermal growth factor and midkine signaling pathways.In addition,Slc16a3 participated in cellular communication in ependymal cells at 7 days post-injury via the vascular endothelial growth factor and macrophage migration inhibitory factor signaling pathways.Collectively,these findings confirm that exosomes derived from neural stem cells undergoing necroptosis play an important role in cellular communication after spinal cord injury and induce TSC2 upregulation in recipient cells.

Inhibitory effects of YCW and MOS from Saccharomyces cerevisiae on Escherichia coli and Salmonella pullorum adhesion to Caco-2 cells

BACKGROUND： For many years, yeast cell walls （YCW） and mannan oligosaccharides （MOS） have been used as alternatives to antibiotics and health feed additives to enhance the growth performance and health of food animals. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of YCW and MOS on the adhesion of enteropathogenic bacteria to intestinal epithelial cells were tested. METHODS： YCW and MOS were extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae （XM 0315）, and the morphology of YCW and MOS bound to pathogenic bacteria was observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to quantitatively analyze the effects of YCW and MOS on the adhesion of Escherichia coli （CVCC3367） and Salmonella pullorum （CVCC520） to Caco-2 cells. RESULTS： The results showed that YCW inhibited E. coli and S. pullorum binding to Caco-2 cells by 95% and 74%, respectively, whereas MOS prevented E. coli and S. pullorum binding by 67% and 50%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS： These data suggest that YCW has a stronger ability than MOS to inhibit pathogenic bacteria from adhering to Caco-2 cells in vitro.

Evaluation of the intracellular lipid-lowering effect of polyphenols extract from highland barley in HepG2 cells

Active ingredients from highland barley have received considerable attention as natural products for developing treatments and dietary supplements against obesity.In practical application,the research of food combinations is more significant than a specific food component.This study investigated the lipid-lowering effect of highland barley polyphenols via lipase assay in vitro and HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid(OA).Five indexes,triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(T-CHO),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),were used to evaluate the lipidlowering effect of highland barley extract.We also preliminary studied the lipid-lowering mechanism by Realtime fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR).The results indicated that highland barley extract contains many components with lipid-lowering effects,such as hyperoside and scoparone.In vitro,the lipase assay showed an 18.4%lipase inhibition rate when the additive contents of highland barley extract were 100μg/m L.The intracellular lipid-lowering effect of highland barley extract was examined using 0.25 mmol/L OA-induced HepG2 cells.The results showed that intracellular TG,LDL-C,and T-CHO content decreased by 34.4%,51.2%,and 18.4%,respectively.ALT and AST decreased by 51.6%and 20.7%compared with the untreated hyperlipidemic HepG2 cells.q PCR results showed that highland barley polyphenols could up-regulation the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as PPARγand Fabp4.

UPLC-QTOF-MS FOR METABOLITES IDENTIFICATION IN CACO-2 CELLS OF BENZYLISOQUINOLINE ALKALOIDS IN NELUMBINIS PLUMULA

The aim of the study was to identify main metabolites of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula after biotransformation by Caco-2 cells.Caco-2 cells were seeded to a 6-well plate and cultured for a period of time until 80%of each well was filled with cells.Then,cell medium was replaced and the norcoclaurine,liensinine,isoliensinine and neferine were respectively added to

The MORC2 p.S87L mutation reduces proliferation of pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with the spinal muscular atrophy-like phenotype by inhibiting proliferation-related signaling pathways

Mutations in the microrchidia CW-type zinc finger protein 2(MORC2)gene are the causative agent of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2Z(CMT2Z),and the hotspot mutation p.S87L is associated with a more seve re spinal muscular atrophy-like clinical phenotype.The aims of this study were to determine the mechanism of the severe phenotype caused by the MORC2 p.S87L mutation and to explore potential treatment strategies.Epithelial cells were isolated from urine samples from a spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)-like patient[MORC2 p.S87L),a CMT2Z patient[MORC2 p.Q400R),and a healthy control and induced to generate pluripotent stem cells,which were then differentiated into motor neuron precursor cells.Next-generation RNA sequencing followed by KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways were enriched in the p.S87L SMA-like patient group and were significantly downregulated in induced pluripotent stem cells.Reduced proliferation was observed in the induced pluripotent stem cells and motor neuron precursor cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient group compared with the CMT2Z patient group and the healthy control.G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest was observed in induced pluripotent stem cells derived from the p.S87L SMA-like patient.MORC2 p.S87Lspecific antisense oligonucleotides(p.S87L-ASO-targeting)showed significant efficacy in improving cell prolife ration and activating the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK pathways in induced pluripotent stem cells.Howeve r,p.S87L-ASO-ta rgeting did not rescue prolife ration of motor neuron precursor cells.These findings suggest that downregulation of the PI3K/Akt and MAP K/ERK signaling pathways leading to reduced cell proliferation and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in induced pluripotent stem cells might be the underlying mechanism of the severe p.S87L SMA-like phenotype.p.S87L-ASO-targeting treatment can alleviate disordered cell proliferation in the early stage of pluripotent stem cell induction.

Boosting oxygen reduction activity and CO_(2) resistance on bismuth ferrite-based perovskite cathode for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells below 600℃

Developing efficient and stable cathodes for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells(LT-SOFCs) is of great importance for the practical commercialization.Herein,we propose a series of Sm-modified Bi_(0.7-x)Sm_xSr_(0.3)FeO_(3-δ) perovskites as highly-active catalysts for LT-SOFCs.Sm doping can significantly enhance the electrocata lytic activity and chemical stability of cathode.At 600℃,Bi_(0.675)Sm_(0.025)Sr_(0.3)FeO_(3-δ)(BSSF25) cathode has been found to be the optimum composition with a polarization resistance of 0.098 Ω cm^2,which is only around 22.8% of Bi_(0.7)Sr_(0.3)FeO_(3-δ)(BSF).A full cell utilizing BSSF25 displays an exceptional output density of 790 mW cm^(-2),which can operate continuously over100 h without obvious degradation.The remarkable electrochemical performance observed can be attributed to the improved O_(2) transport kinetics,superior surface oxygen adsorption capacity,as well as O_(2)p band centers in close proximity to the Fermi level.Moreover,larger average bonding energy(ABE) and the presence of highly acidic Bi,Sm,and Fe ions restrict the adsorption of CO_(2) on the cathode surface,resulting in excellent CO_(2) resistivity.This work provides valuable guidance for systematic design of efficient and durable catalysts for LT-SOFCs.

Ultrafine ordered L1_(2)-Pt-Co-Mn ternary intermetallic nanoparticles as high-performance oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts for practical fuel cells

The long-range periodically ordered atomic structures in intermetallic nanoparticles(INPs)can significantly enhance both the electrocatalytic activity and electrochemical stability toward the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)compared to the disordered atomic structures in ordinary solid-solution alloy NPs.Accordingly,through a facile and scalable synthetic method,a series of carbon-supported ultrafine Pt_3Co_(x)Mn_(1-x)ternary INPs are prepared in this work,which possess the"skin-like"ultrathin Pt shells,the ordered L1_(2) atomic structure,and the high-even dispersion on supports(L1_(2)-Pt_3Co_(x)Mn_(1-x)/~SPt INPs/C).Electrochemical results present that the composition-optimized L1_(2)-Pt_3Co_(0.7)Mn_(0.3)/~SPt INPs/C exhibits the highest electrocata lytic activity among the series,which are also much better than those of the pristine ultrafine Pt/C.Besides,it also has a greatly enhanced electrochemical stability.In addition,the effects of annealing temperature and time are further investigated.More importantly,such superior ORR electrocatalytic performance of L1_(2)-Pt_3Co_(0.7)Mn_(0.3)/~SPt INPs/C are also well demonstrated in practical fuel cells.Physicochemical characterization analyses further reveal the major origins of the greatly enhanced ORR electrocata lytic performance:the Pt-Co-Mn alloy-induced geometric and ligand effects as well as the extremely high L1_(2) atomic-ordering degree.This work not only successfully develops a highly active and stable ordered ternary intermetallic ORR electrocatalyst,but also elucidates the corresponding"structure-function"relationship,which can be further applied in designing other intermetallic(electro)catalysts.

Reduction of the oxidative damage to H_(2)O_(2)-induced HepG2 cells via the Nrf2 signalling pathway by plant flavonoids Quercetin and Hyperoside

Hyperoside and quercetin are similar in molecular structures.In this study,the antioxidant regulatory targets of hyperoside and quercetin are mainly in the nuclear factor(erythroid-2-derived)-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathway predicted by network pharmacology.And the antioxidant effect and mechanism of hyperoside and quercetin were measured and compared in H_(2)O_(2)-induced Hep G2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans.The findings indicated that quercetin was more effective than hyperoside in reducing oxidative damage,which was proved by improved cell viability,decreased reactive oxygen species(ROS)production,decreased cellular apoptosis,and alleviated mitochondrial damage.In addition,quercetin was more efficient than hyperoside in enhancing the expression of Nrf2-associated m RNAs,increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT),and reducing the cellular malondialdehyde(MDA)content.Quercetin was superior to hyperoside in prolonging the lifespan of worms,decreasing the accumulation of lipofuscin,inhibiting ROS production,and increasing the proportion of skn-1 in the nucleus.With the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385,we verified that quercetin and hyperoside primarily protected the cells against oxidative damage via the Nrf2 signalling pathway.Furthermore,molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated that the quercetin-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)complex was more stable than the hyperoside-Keap1 complex.The stable structure of the complex might hinder the binding of Nrf2 and Keap1 to release Nrf2 and facilitate its entry into the nucleus to play an antioxidant role.Overall,quercetin had a better antioxidant than hyperoside.