Fluoride Exposure,Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Gene Polymorphism and Hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian Axis Hormones in Chinese Women

The effects of fluoride exposure on thefunctions of reproductive and endocrine systemshave attracted widespread attention in academiccircle nowadays. However, it is unclear whether thegene-environment interaction may modify thesecretion and activity of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian （HPO） axis hormones. Thus, the aim of thisstudy was to explore the influence of fluorideexposure and follicle stimulating hormone receptor（FSHR） gene polymorphism on reproductivehormones in Chinese women. A cross sectionalstudy was conducted in seven villages of HenanProvince, China during 2010-2011. A total of 679women aged 18-48 years were recruited throughcluster sampling and divided into three groups, i.e.endemic fluorosis group （EFG）, defluoridationproject group （DFPG）, and control group （CG） basedon the local fluoride concentration in drinkingwater. The serum levels of gonadotropin releasinghormone （GnRH）, follicle stimulating hormone（FSH）, luteinizing hormone （LH）, and estradiol （E2）were determined respectively and the FSHRpolymorphism was detected by real time PCR assay.The results provided the preliminary evidenceindicating the gene-environment interaction onHPO axishormones in women.

Ceruloplasmin or Fibronectin Synergism with Quartz Dust on Stimulating Collagen Gene Transcription in Human 2BS Fibroblast

Human α1(Ⅰ), α2(Ⅰ) and α1(Ⅲ) cDNA probes and RNA dot hybridization were employed to quantitate collagen mRNA changes after adding silica dust into the media of human 2BS fibroblasts. At all dosages used (100, 200, 500 and 1000μg), the α1(Ⅰ), α2(Ⅰ)and α1(Ⅲ) mRNA levels increased one day after dusting. At the same dosage of silica (100μg), α1(Ⅲ) mRNA increased earlier than type Ⅰ collagen mRNA did. The type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ collagen mRNA contents in the experimental groups were higher than those in control on days 3, 5, 7 and 9. The effect of ceruloplasmin (Cp) and fibronectin (Fn) on collagen mRNA synthesis was also studied, after adding silica dust, Cp or Fn into the media of human 2BS fibroblast. The results showed that Cp and Fn have stimulating effect on collagen mRNA production. When both Cp and silica dust were added into cell culture media, the collagen mRNA level was increased more than those of adding either Cp or silica dust alone. Similar situations were found for Fn. Cp (or Fn) synergism with silica dust on stimulating transcription of human collagen gene was suggested

Involvement of 2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase-like proteinin the survivalof Mycobacterium tuberculosis avirulent strain in macrophages

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis)can replicate in the macrophage by interfering with many host protein functions.While it is far from known these host proteins for controlling M.tuberculosis infection.Herein,we infected macrophages including THP-1 and Raw264.7 cells with M.tuberculosis and identified the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in the interferon signaling pathway.Among them,2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase-like(OASL)underwent the greatest upregulation in M.tuberculosis-infected macrophages.Knockdown of the expression of OASL attenuated M.tuberculosis survival in macrophages.Further,bioinformatics analysis revealed the potential interaction axis of OASL-TAB3-RvO127,which was further validated by the yeast-two-hybrid(Y2H)assay and Co-IP.This interaction axis might regulate the M.tuberculosis survival and proliferation in macrophages.The study reveals a possible role of OASL during M.tuberculosis infection as a target to control its propagation.

The Correlation between sST2 and Atrial Fibrillation and Its Clinical Significance

Objective: To explore the level of soluble growth-stimulated expression gene 2 (sST2) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its relationship with atrial remodeling. Methods: From December 2018 to July 2019, 86 patients were enrolled in the cardiovascular department of Jingzhou Central Hospital in Hubei Province. AF group was 60 patients with AF diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria of electrophysiology and pacing branch of Chinese Medical Association, while the control group was 26 normal ECG patients with sinus rhythm examined by ECG and/or DCG. Clinical data, NT proBNP and birth rate of all patients were collected chemical indicators. All the patients in the groups were examined by ECG and color Doppler echocardiography. The serum level of ST2 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the indexes related to atrial remodeling in echocardiography, left atrial diameter (LAD), were collected, compared and analyzed. Results: Serum sST2 levels and LAD and RAD values in the AF group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Serum sST2 levels were higher in the AF group than in the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group (P = 0.031). 1) The sST2 level was positively correlated with LAD and RAD measured by cardiac ultrasound (r = 0.388, P = 0.029). Conclusion: Serum sST2 levels have early recognition value in patients with high-risk atrial fibrillation, which contributes to the stratification of risk of atrial fibrillation and the prediction of disease activity. Elevated serum sST2 levels may be associated with atrial remodeling. sST2 may be an objective biomarker that predicts the risk of emergency admission in patients with atrial fibrillation. Elevated sST2 levels may be associated with atrial fibrillation progression.

STING negatively regulates allogeneic T-cell responses by constraining antigen-presenting cell function

Stimulator of interferon genes(STING)-mediated innate immune activation plays a key role in tumor-and self-DNA-elicited antitumor immunity and autoimmunity.However,STING can also suppress tumor immunity and autoimmunity.STING signaling In host nonhematopoietic cells was reported to either protect against or promote graft-versus-host disease(GVHD),a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation(allo-HCT).Host hematopoietic antigen-presenting cells(APCs)play key roles in donor T-cell priming during GVHD initiation.However,how STING regulates host hematopoietic APCs after allo-HCT remains unknown.We utilized murine models of allo-HCT to assess the role of STING in hematopoietic APCs.STING-deficient recipients developed more severe GVHD after major histocompatibility complex-mismatched allo-HCT.Using bone marrow chimeras,we found that STING deficiency in host hematopoietic cells was primarily responsible for exacerbating the disease.Furthermore,STING on host CD11c+cells played a dominant role in suppressing allogeneic T-cell responses.Mechanistically,STING deficiency resulted in increased survival,activation,and function of APCs,including macrophages and dendritic cells.Consistently,constitutive activation of STING attenuated the survival,activation,and function of APCs isolated from STING V154M knock-in mice.STING-deficient APCs augmented donor T-cell expansion,chemokine receptor expression,and migration into intestinal tissues,resulting in accelerated/exacerbated GVHD.Using pharmacologic approaches,we demonstrated that systemic administration of a STING agonist(bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate)to recipient mice before transplantation significantly reduced GVHD mortality.In conclusion,we revealed a novel role of STING in APC activity that dictates T-cell allogeneic responses and validated STING as a potential therapeutic target for controlling GVHD after allo-HCT.

Peptide nanotube loaded with a STING agonist,c-di-GMP,enhance cancer immunotherapy against melanoma

The activation of the stimulating factor of the interferon gene(STING)pathway can enhance the immune response within the tumor.Cyclic diguanylate monophosphate(c-di-GMP)is a negatively charged,hydrophilic STING agonist,however,its effectiveness is limited due to the poor membrane permeability and low bioavailability.Herein,we introduced KL-7 peptide derived from Aβamyloid fibrils that can self-assemble to form nanotubes to load and deliver c-di-GMP,which significantly enhanced c-di-GMP’s effectiveness and then exhibited a robust“in situ immunity”to kill melanoma cells.KL-7 peptide nanotube,also called PNT,was loaded with negatively charged c-di-GMP via electrostatic interaction,which prepared a nanocomposite named c-di-GMP-PNT.Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells(leukemia cells in mouse macrophage)with c-di-GMP-PNT markedly stimulated the secretion of IL-6 and INF-βalong with phospho-STING(Ser365)protein expression,indicating the activation of the STING pathway.In the unilateral flank B16-F10(murine melanoma cells)tumor-bearing mouse model,compared to PNT and cdi-GMP,c-di-GMP-PNT can promote the expression of INF-β,TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β.At the same time,up-regulated CD4 and CD8 active T cells kill tumors and enhance the immune response in tumor tissues,resulting in significant inhibition of tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice.More importantly,in a bilateral flank B16-F10 tumor model,both primary and distant tumor growth can also be significantly inhibited by c-di-GMP-PNT.Moreover,c-di-GMP-PNT demonstrated no obvious biological toxicity on the main organs(heart,liver,spleen,lung,and kidney)and biochemical indexes of mice.In summary,our study provides a strategy to overcome the barriers of free c-di-GMP in the tumor microenvironment and c-di-GMP-PNT may be an attractive nanomaterial for anti-tumor immunity.

Aerosolized immunotherapeutic nanoparticle inhalation potentiates PD-L1 blockade for locally advanced lung cancer

Despite therapeutic advancements,the prognosis of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer(LANSCLC),which has invaded multiple lobes or the other lung and intrapulmonary lymph nodes,remains poor.The emergence of immunotherapy with immune checkpoint blockade(ICB)is transforming cancer treatment.However,only a fraction of lung cancer patients benefit from ICB.Significant clinical evidence suggests that the proinflammatory tumor microenvironment(TME)and programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression correlate positively with response to the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade.We report here a liposomal nanoparticle loaded with cyclic dinucleotide and aerosolized(AeroNP-CDN)for inhalation delivery to deep-seated lung tumors and target CDN to activate stimulators of interferon(IFN)genes in macrophages and dendritic cells(DCs).Using a mouse model that recapitulates the clinical LANSCLC,we show that AeroNP-CDN efficiently mitigates the immunosuppressive TME by reprogramming tumor-associated macrophage from the M2 to M1 phenotype,activating DCs for effective tumor antigen presentation and increasing tumor-infiltrating CD8+T cells for adaptive anticancer immunity.Intriguingly,activation of interferons by AeroNP-CDN also led to increased PD-L1 expression in lung tumors,which,however,set a stage for response to anti-PD-L1 treatment.Indeed,anti-PD-L1 antibody-mediated blockade of IFNs-induced immune inhibitory PD-1/PD-L1 signaling further prolonged the survival of the LANSCLC-bearing mice.Importantly,AeroNP-CDN alone or combination immunotherapy was safe without local or systemic immunotoxicity.In conclusion,this study demonstrates a potential nano-immunotherapy strategy for LANSCLC,and mechanistic insights into the evolution of adaptive immune resistance provide a rational combination immunotherapy to overcome it.

Nano-STING agonist-decorated microrobots boost innate and adaptive anti-tumor immunity

Activating the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase/stimulator of interferon genes(cGAS/STING)signaling has emerged as a promising anti-tumor strategy due to the important role of the pathway in innate and adaptive immunity,yet the selective delivery of STING agonists to tumors following systemic administration remains challenging.Herein,we develop a nano-STING agonist-decorated microrobot platform to achieve the enhanced anti-tumor effect.Fe ions and the STING agonist 2’3’-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate(cGAMP)are co-encapsulated in the mitochondria-targeting nanoparticles(mTNPs),which can trigger the release of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA)by Fenton reactioninduced mitochondria oxidative damage.The exogenous cGAMP and the endogenous mtDNA can work synergistically to induce potent cGAS/STING signaling activation.Furthermore,we decorate mTNPs onto Salmonella typhimurium VNP20009(VNP)bacteria to facilitate tumor accumulation and deep penetration.We demonstrate that the systemic administration of this microrobot activates both innate and adaptive immunity,improving the immunotherapeutic efficacy of the STING agonists.

Novel STING-targeted PET radiotracer for alert and therapeutic evaluation of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury(ALI),as a common clinical emergency,is pulmonary edema and diffuse lung infiltration caused by inflammation.The lack of non-invasive alert strategy,resulting in failure to carry out preventive treatment,means high mortality and poor prognosis.Stimulator of interferon genes(STING)is a key molecular biomarker of innate immunity in response to inflammation,but there is still a lack of STING-targeted strategy.In this study,a novel STING-targeted PET tracer,[~(18)F]FBTA,was labeled with high radiochemical yield(79.7±4.3%)and molar activity(32.5±2.9 GBq/μmol).We confirmed that[~(18)F]FBTA has a strong STING binding affinity(K_d=26.86±6.79 nmol/L)and can be used for PET imaging in ALI mice to alert early lung inflammation and to assess the efficacy of drug therapy.Our STING-targeted strategy also reveals that[~(18)F]FBTA can trace ALI before reaching the computed tomography(CT)diagnostic criteria,and demonstrates its better specificity and distribution than[~(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose([~(18)F]FDG).

High-throughput screening identifies established drugs as SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibitors

A new coronavirus(SARS-CoV-2)has been identified as the etiologic agent for the COVID-19 outbreak.Currently,effective treatment options remain very limited for this disease;therefore,there is an urgent need to identify new anti-COVID-19 agents.In this study,we screened over 6,000 compounds that included approved drugs,drug candidates in clinical trials,and pharmacologically active compounds to identify leads that target the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease(PLpro).Together with main protease(Mpro),PLpro is responsible for processing the viral replicase polyprotein into functional units.There-fore,it is an attractive target for antiviral drug develop-ment.Here we discovered four compounds,YM155,cryptotanshinone,tanshinone I and GRL0617 that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 PLpro with IC50 values ranging from 1.39 to 5.63 pmol/L.These compounds also exhibit strong antiviral activities in cell-based assays.YM155,an anti-cancer drug candidate in clinical trials,has the most potent antiviral activity with an EC50 value of 170 nmol/L.In addition,we have determined the crystal structures of this enzyme and its complex with YM155,revealing a unique binding mode.YM155 simultaneously targets three"hot"spots on PLpro,including the substrate-binding pocket,the interferon stimulating gene product 15(ISG15)binding site and zinc finger motif.Our results demonstrate the efficacy of this screening and repur-posing strategy,which has led to the discovery of new drug leads with clinical potential for COVID-19 treatments.

Enhancing the HSV-1-mediated antitumor immune response by suppressing Bach1

Background In 2015,herpes simplex virus 1(HSV-1)-derived talimogene laherparepvec(T-VEC)was the first oncolytic virus approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment.However,its antitumor application is limited to local treatment of melanoma,and there is a lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of HSV-1 replication in cancer cells and the associated antitumor immunity.We hypothesized that increasing the replication capacity of HSV-1 in tumor cells would enhance the antitumor effect of this virus.Methods We systematically identified IFN-stimulated genes induced by HSV-1 by performing functional screens and clarified the mechanism by which BACH1 acts against HSV-1.Then,we tested the effect of BACH1 deficiency on immunogenic cell death induced by HSV-1.Furthermore,we investigated the antitumor effect of BACH1 deficiency on HSV-1 in MCA205 and B16 murine tumor models.Results We identified eight IFN-stimulated genes(ISGs)controlling HSV-1 replication,among which BTB and CNC homology 1(BACH1)suppressed HSV-1 replication by inhibiting the transcription of ICP4,ICP27,and UL39.Loss of Bach1 function not only increased HSV-1 proliferation but also promoted HSV-1-induced cell apoptosis,HMGB1 secretion,and calreticulin exposure in tumor cells.More importantly,hemin,an FDA-approved drug known to downregulate BACH1,significantly enhanced HSV-1-mediated antitumor activity with increased T lymphocyte infiltration at the tumor site.Conclusions Our studies uncovered a novel antiviral activity of BACH1 and provided a new strategy for improving the clinical efficiency of the oncolytic virus HSV-1.

The multifaceted functions of cGAS

Pattern recognition receptors arecritical forthe sensing of pathogen-associated molecular patterns or danger-associated molecular patterns and subsequent mounting of innate immunityandshaping ofadaptive immunity.The identification of 2'3'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate(cGAMP)synthase(cGAS)as a major cytosolic DNA receptor is a milestone in the field of DNA sensing.The engagement of cGAS by double-stranded DNA from different origins,including invading pathogens,damaged mitochondria,ruptured micronuclei,and genomic DNA results in the generation of cGAMP and activation of stimulator of interferon genes,which thereby activates innate immunity mainly characterized by the activation of type I interferon response.In recent years,great progress has been made in understanding the subcellular localization and novel functions of cGAS.In this review,we particularlyfocus on summarizingthe multifaceted roles ofcGAS in regulating senescence,autophagy,cell stemness,apoptosis,angiogenesis,cell proliferation,antitumor effect,DNA replication,DNA damage repair,micronucleophagy,as well as cell metabolism.

A prodrug nanoplatform via esterification of STING agonist and IDO inhibitor for synergistic cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has made significant progress in the last few decades,revolutionizing oncology.However,low patient response rates and potential immune-related adverse events continue to be major clinical challenges.Cancer nanomedicine,by virtue of its regulated delivery and modular flexibility,has shown the potential to strengthen antitumor immune responses and sensitize tumors to immunotherapy.In this study,we developed tumor microenvironment(TME)responsive nanomedicine to achieve specific and localized amplification of the immune response in tumor tissue in a safe and effective manner,while simultaneously reducing immune-related side effects.We synthesized the TME responsive prodrug by coupling MSA-2,a stimulator of interferon genes(STING)agonist,and NLG-919,an indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase(IDO)inhibitor.The prodrug was assembled into nanoparticles to enhance the solubility and bioavailability.By synthesizing a TME responsive prodrug,we aim to explore the therapeutic efficacy of combined regimen(STING agonist and IDO inhibitor)for cancer,and reduce the unwanted side effects of STING agonism on normal tissues.Free prodrug and nanoparticles were characterized by mass spectrometry,dynamic light scattering(DLS),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).Following that,we investigated the tumor accumulation,anti-tumor activity,and toxicity in vitro and in vivo.Prodrug nanoparticles demonstrated the ability to inhibit the tumor growth and activate antitumor immune response by modulating immune cells populations in tumor microenvironment.The TME responsive nanomedicine provided an effective tool for precise targeting,promoting antitumor immunity,and efficient tumor growth inhibition with safety.Outcomes of this study may have implications for future clinical trials.

STING and TLR7/8 agonists-based nanovaccines for synergistic antitumor immune activation

Immunostimulatory therapies based on pattern recognition receptors(PRRs)have emerged as an effective approach in the fight against cancer,with the ability to recruit tumor-specific lymphocytes in a low-immunogenicity tumor environment.The agonist cyclic dinucleotides(CDNs)of the stimulator of interferon gene(STING)are a group of very promising anticancer molecules that increase tumor immunogenicity by activating innate immunity.However,the tumor immune efficacy of CDNs is limited by several factors,including relatively narrow cytokine production,inefficient delivery to STING,and rapid clearance.In addition,a single adjuvant molecule is unable to elicit a broad cytokine response and thus cannot further amplify the anticancer effect.To address this problem,two or more agonist molecules are often used together to synergistically enhance immune efficacy.In this work,we found that a combination of the STING agonist CDGSF and the Toll-like receptor 7/8(TLR7/8)agonist 522 produced a broader cytokine response.Subsequently,we developed multicomponent nanovaccines(MCNVs)consisting of a PC7A polymer as a nanocarrier encapsulating the antigen OVA and adjuvant molecules.These MCNVs activate bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(BMDCs)to produce multiple proinflammatory factors that promote antigen cross-presentation to stimulate specific antitumor Tcell responses.In in vivo experiments,we observed that MCNVs triggered a strong T-cell response in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes,resulting in significant tumor regression and,notably,a 100%survival rate in mice through 25 days without other partnering therapies.These data suggest that our nanovaccines have great potential to advance cancer immunotherapy with increased durability and potency.