Simultaneously quantifying hundreds of acylcarnitines in multiple biological matrices within ten minutes using ultrahigh-performance liquid-chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry

Acylcarnitines are metabolic intermediates of fatty acids and branched-chain amino acids having vital biofunctions and pathophysiological significances. Here, we developed a high-throughput method for quantifying hundreds of acylcarnitines in one run using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). This enabled simultaneous quantification of 1136 acylcarnitines (C0–C26) within 10-min with good sensitivity (limit of detection < 0.7 fmol), linearity (correlation coefficient > 0.992), accuracy (relative error < 20%), precision (coefficient of variation (CV), CV < 15%), stability (CV < 15%), and inter-technician consistency (CV < 20%, n = 6). We also established a quantitative structure-retention relationship (goodness of fit > 0.998) for predicting retention time (tR) of acylcarnitines with no standards and built a database of their multiple reaction monitoring parameters (tR, ion-pairs, and collision energy). Furthermore, we quantified 514 acylcarnitines in human plasma and urine, mouse kidney, liver, heart, lung, and muscle. This provides a rapid method for quantifying acylcarnitines in multiple biological matrices.

Genetic variations of the ADIPOQ gene and risk of prostate cancer in Chinese Han men

Adiponectin secreted by adipose tissue has been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis. Genetic variations in ADIPOQare thought to influence the activity of adiponectin, thus relating to cancer occurrence. In this hospital-based case-control study of 917 prostate cancer （PCa） cases and 1036 cancer-free controls, we evaluated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ADIPOQ with risk of PCa and adiponectin levels in Chinese Han men. Variants of ADIPOQ were genotyped by Taqman polymerase chain reaction method. The plasma adiponectin concentrations were measured by enzyme.linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） in a subset of cases and controls. We found that the ADIPOQ rs3774262 variant AA genotype was associated with both decreased PCa risk [adjusted odds ratio （OR）： 0.66, 95% confidence interval （CI） =0.48-0.92] and increased plasma adiponectin levels （P= 0.036 and 0,043）, with significant difference by tumor grade, clinical stage, and aggressiveness. A significant interaction between ADIPOQ rs3774262 and body mass index was observed in modifying the risk of PCa （P=6.7 × 10-3）. ADIPOQ rs266729 and rs182052 were not related to PCa risk or plasma adiponectin levels. Our data support that ADIPOQ rs3774262 may affect PCa risk in combination with plasma adiponectin levels in Chinese Han men. It may contribute to the molecular basis for the association between obesity and PCa.

Role of cancer stem cell ecosystem on breast cancer metastasis and related mouse models

Breast cancer metastasis is responsible for most breast cancer-related deaths and is influenced by many factors within the tumor ecosystem,including tumor cells and microenvironment.Breast cancer stem cells(BCSCs)constitute a small population of cancer cells with unique characteristics,including their capacity for self-renewal and differentiation.Studies have shown that BCSCs not only drive tumorigenesis but also play a crucial role in promoting metastasis in breast cancer.The tumor microenvironment(TME),composed of stromal cells,immune cells,blood vessel cells,fibroblasts,and microbes in proximity to cancer cells,is increasingly recognized for its crosstalk with BCSCs and role in BCSC survival,growth,and dissemination,thereby influencing metastatic ability.Hence,a thorough understanding of BCSCs and the TME is critical for unraveling the mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis.In this review,we summarize current knowledge on the roles of BCSCs and the TME in breast cancer metastasis,as well as the underlying regulatory mechanisms.Furthermore,we provide an overview of relevant mouse models used to study breast cancer metastasis,as well as treatment strategies and clinical trials addressing BCSC-TME interactions during metastasis.Overall,this study provides valuable insights for the development of effective therapeutic strategies to reduce breast cancer metastasis.

Multi-genome evolutionary study of the ABC1 gene family and identification of the pleiotropic effects of OsABC1-13 in rice development

In four rice genomes,85 ABC1-family genes were identified by comparative genomics,evolution,genetics,and physiology.One,OsABC1-13,was shown by knockdown and knockout experiments to affect plant height,grain size,and photosynthetic capability.

Molecular genetic diversity of bacteria in the bottom section of arctic sea ice from the Canada Basin

PCR-DGGE approach was used to analyze bacterial diversity in the bottomsection of seven arctic sea ice samples colleted from the Canada Basin.Thirty-two 16S rDNAsequences were obtained from prominent DGGE bands.The closest relatives of these sequences arefound to be those of cultivated or uncultured bacteria from antarctic or arctic sea ice.Phylogenetic analysis clustered these sequences or phylotypes withinα-proteobacteria,γ-proteobacteria and CFB(cytophaga-flexibacter-bacteroides)group.Sequences belonging toγ-proteobacteria were dominant and members of the CFB group were highly abundant.It was suggestedthat the CFB group was the representative of the bottom section of sea ice samples.

Prostate cancer risk-associated genetic markers and their potential clinical utility

Prostate cancer （PCa） is one of the most common cancers among men in Western developed countries and its incidence has increased considerably in many other parts of the world, including China. The etiology of PCa is largely unknown but is thought to be multifactorial, where inherited genetics plays an important role. In this article, we first briefly review results from studies of familial aggregation and genetic susceptibility to PCa. We then recap key findings of rare and high-penetrance PCa susceptibility genes from linkage studies in PCa families. We devote a significant portion of this article to summarizing discoveries of common and Iow-penetrance PCa risk-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） from genetic association studies in PCa cases and controls, especially those from genome-wide association studies （GWASs）. A strong focus of this article is to review the literature on the potential clinical utility of these implicated genetic markers. Most of these published studies described PCa risk estimation using a genetic score derived from multiple risk-associated SNPs and its utility in determining the need for prostate biopsy. Finally, we comment on the newly proposed concept of genetic score; the notion is to treat it as a marker for genetic predisposition, similar to family history, rather than a diagnostic marker to discriminate PCa patients from non-cancer patients. Available evidence to date suggests that genetic score is an objective and better measurement of inherited risk of PCa than family history. Another unique feature of this article is the inclusion of genetic association studies of PCa in Chinese and Japanese populations.

Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Pathological States

The human microbiota is an aggregate of microorganisms residing in the human body, mostly in the gastrointestinal tract （GIT）. Our gut microbiota evolves with us and plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. In recent years, the microbiota has gained increasing attention due to its impact on host metabolism, physiology, and immune system development, but also because the perturbation of the microbiota may result in a number of diseases. The gut microbiota may be linked to malignancies such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. It may also be linked to disorders such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）; obesity and diabetes, which are characterized as ＂lifestyle diseases＂ of the industrial- ized world; coronary heart disease; and neurological disorders. Although the revolution in molecular technologies has provided us with the necessary tools to study the gut microbiota more accurately, we need to elucidate the relationships between the gut microbiota and several human pathologies more precisely, as understanding the impact that the microbiota plays in various diseases is fundamental for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide the read- er with an updated overview of the importance of the gut microbiota for human health and the poten- tial to manipulate gut microbial composition for purposes such as the treatment of antibiotic-resistant Clostridium difficile （C difficile） infections. The concept of altering the gut community by microbial intervention in an effort to improve health is currently in its infancy. However, the therapeutic implications appear to be very great. Thus, the removal of harmful organisms and the enrichment of beneficial mi- crobes may protect our health, and such efforts will pave the way for the development of more rational treatment options in the future.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms based genetic risk score in the prediction of pancreatic cancer risk

BACKGROUND Disease-related single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)based genetic risk score(GRS)has been proven to provide independent inherited risk other than family history in multiple cancer types.AIM To evaluate the potential of GRS in the prediction of pancreatic cancer risk.METHODS In this case-control study(254 cases and 1200 controls),we aimed to evaluate the association between GRS and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)risk in the Chinese population.The GRS was calculated based on the genotype information of 18 PDAC-related SNPs for each study subject(personal genotyping information of the SNPs)and was weighted by external odd ratios(ORs).RESULTS GRS was significantly different in cases and controls(1.96±3.84 in PDACs vs 1.09±0.94 in controls,P<0.0001).Logistic regression revealed GRS to be associated with PDAC risk[OR=1.23,95%confidence interval(CI):1.13-1.34,P<0.0001].GRS remained significantly associated with PDAC(OR=1.36,95%CI:1.06-1.74,P=0.015)after adjusting for age and sex.Further analysis revealed an association of increased risk for PDAC with higher GRS.Compared with low GRS(<1.0),subjects with high GRS(2.0)were 99%more likely to have PDAC(OR:1.99,95%CI:1.30-3.04,P=0.002).Participants with intermediate GRS(1.0-1.9)were 39%more likely to have PDAC(OR:1.39,95%CI:1.03-1.84,P=0.031).A positive trend was observed(P trend=0.0006).CONCLUSION GRS based on PDAC-associated SNPs could provide independent information on PDAC risk and may be used to predict a high risk PDAC population.

Towards key scientific questions in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases: Summary from the 297th Meeting of the Shuangqing Forum

In China,rare diseases are defined as having a birth incidence of less than 1/10000,or a prevalence of less than 1/10000 or less than 140000 patients.Over 7000 rare diseases affect more than 20 million people in China.Many conditions are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed and most have no treatment,resulting in a huge burden on patients,their families,and the national economy.At the 297th Shuangqing Forum of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,we highlighted the challenges and potential solutions to achieve precision medicine for undiagnosed and rare diseases.

The Xu＇s chart for prostate biopsy： a visual presentation of the added value of biomarkers to prostate-specific antigen for estimating detection rates of prostate cancer

Elevated serum prostate-specific antigen （PSA） level is the primaryindication for prostate biopsy for detection of prostate cancer （PCa） in the modern era. The detection rate of PCa from biopsy is typically below 30%, especially among patients with PSA levels at 4-10 ng ml-1. In the past several years, additional biomarkers, such as Prostate Health Index, PCA3 and genetic risk score （GRS） derived from multiple PCa risk-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms （SNPs） have been shown to provide added value to PSA in discriminating prostate biopsy outcomes. However,

The relationship among amyloid-βdeposition,sphingomyelin level,and the expression and function of P-glycoprotein in Alzheimer’s disease pathological process

In Alzheimer’s disease,the transporter P-glycoprotein is responsible for the clearance of amyloid-βin the brain.Amyloid-βcorrelates with the sphingomyelin metabolism,and sphingomyelin participates in the regulation of P-glycoprotein.The amyloid cascade hypothesis describes amyloid-βas the central cause of Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology.Better understanding of the change of P-glycoprotein and sphingomyelin along with amyloid-βand their potential association in the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease is critical.Herein,we found that the expression of P-glycoprotein in APP/PS1 mice tended to increase with age and was significantly higher at 9 and 12 months of age than that in wild-type mice at comparable age.The functionality of P-glycoprotein of APP/PS1 mice did not change with age but was significantly lower than that of wild-type mice at 12 months of age.Decreased sphingomyelin levels,increased ceramide levels,and the increased expression and activity of neutral sphingomyelinase 1 were observed in APP/PS1 mice at 9 and 12 months of age compared with the levels in wild-type mice.Similar results were observed in the Alzheimer’s disease mouse model induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-β1-42 and human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells treated with amyloid-β1-42.In human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells,neutral sphingomyelinase 1 inhibitor interfered with the changes of sphingomyelin metabolism and P-glycoprotein expression and functionality caused by amyloid-β1-42 treatment.Neutral sphingomyelinase 1 regulated the expression and functionality of P-glycoprotein and the levels of sphingomyelin and ceramide.Together,these findings indicate that neutral sphingomyelinase 1 regulates the expression and function of P-glycoprotein via the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway.These studies may serve as new pursuits for the development of anti-Alzheimer’s disease drugs.

Peripheral actions and direct central-local communications of melanocortin 4 receptor signaling

Melanocortin 4 receptor(MC4R),the most important monogenetic cause of human metabolic disorders,has been of great interest to many researchers in the field of energy homeostasis and public health.Because MC4R is a vital pharmaceutical target for maintaining controllable appetite and body weight for professional athletes,previous studies have mainly focused on the central,rather than the peripheral,roles of MC4R.Thus,the local expression of MC4R and its behavioral regulation remain unclear.In an attempt to shed light on different directions for future studies of MC4R signaling,we review a series of recent and important studies exploring the peripheral functions of MC4R and the direct physiological interaction between peripheral organs and central MC4R neurons in this article.

Road of no return——loss of TP53 paves a defined evolution path from gastric preneoplasia-to-cancer

Gastric cancer(GC),the fifth-and fourth-leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide,still lacks effective diagnoses and treatment.Moreover,China accounts for nearly 50%of the newly diagnosed and death cases of GC globally1.Being directly exposed to external food intake,extremely acidic content,and microorganisms,such as Helicobacter pylori and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV),stomach homeostasis is easily perturbed and disrupted.Importantly,the gastric epithelium is composed of multiple cell types,including chief,parietal,pit,and stem cells.The lineages of these gastric epithelial cells are rather plastic,giving rise to a high degree of GC heterogeneity.

Phylogenetic analysis of bacteria in sea ice brine sampled from the Canada Basin,Arctic Ocean

Bacterial diversity in sea ice brine samples which collected from four stations located at the Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean was analyzed by PCR-DGGE. Twenty-three 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria obtained from DGGE bands were cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis clustered these sequences within γ-proteobacteria, Cytophaga-Flexlbacter-Bacteroides （CFB） group, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. The phylotype of Pseudoalteromonas in the γ-proteobacteria was predominant and members of the CFB group and γ-proteobacteria were highly abundant in studied sea ice brine samples.

Facile suspension culture protocol of the liver biliary organoids

Introduction Why do we focus on human liver biliary organoids?The three-dimensional(3D)organoid approach is emerging as a powerful tool for basic study and biomedical applications due to its excellent recapitulation of the structure and functions of the primary tissues[1-3].Liver biliary organoids are derived from the biliary tree,which includes the intrahepatic bile duct(IHBD)and extrahepatic bile duct(EHBD).

Ginsenoside compound-K attenuates OVX-induced osteoporosis via the suppression of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis and oxidative stress

Osteoporosis(OP),a systemic and chronic bone disease,is distinguished by low bone mass and destruction of bone microarchitecture.Ginsenoside Compound-K(CK),one of the metabolites of ginsenoside Rb1,has anti-aging,anti-inflammatory,anti-cancer,and hypolipidemic activities.We have demonstrated CK could promote osteogenesis and fracture healing in our previous study.However,the contribution of CK to osteoporosis has not been examined.In the present study,we investigated the effect of CK on osteoclastogenesis and ovariectomy(OVX)-induced osteoporosis.The results showed that CK inhibited receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL)-mediated osteoclast differentiation and reactive oxygen species(ROS)activity by inhibiting the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and oxidative stress in RAW264.7 cells.In addition,we also demonstrated that CK could inhibit bone resorption using bone marrow-derived macrophages.Furthermore,we demonstrated that CK attenuated bone loss by suppressing the activity of osteoclast and alleviating oxidative stress in vivo.Taken together,these results showed CK could inhibit osteoclastogenesis and prevent OVX-induced bone loss by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway.

A Case Report of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treated by Herbal Food Homology Therapy

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common and severe complication among patients with diabetes. There are hundreds of natural products derived from herbs that have been identified and proven to be effective for glucose-lowering and wound-healing effects, such as flavones. In this case study, we reported that a 76-year-old male patient with severe traumatic DFU was cured after drinking yellow tea (dehydrogenated Camellia sinensis) as a postprandial auxiliary treatment for six months. Previously, the patient was required to be hospitalized, but the wound deteriorated after five months. The patient drank yellow tea at approximately 12:30 pm (the active time of heart meridian) after lunch every day. Five grams of yellow tea were boiled in one liter of water and covered above 70°C for approximately 30 minutes. He experienced profuse sweating on his back after drinking yellow tea, with no other adverse effects. His lifestyle and healthcare remained constant except for replacing green tea with yellow tea. After six months, the ulcer had completely healed, and after one year of follow-up, no new abnormalities or side effects were found. This self-controlled case study indicates that flavone-enriched yellow tea or other herbs may be an auxiliary therapy for diabetes and its complications.

Modeling human gastric cancers in immunocompetent mice

Gastric cancer(GC)is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide.GC is determined by multiple(epi)genetic and environmental factors;can occur at distinct anatomic positions of the stomach;and displays high heterogeneity,with different cellular origins and diverse histological and molecular features.This heterogeneity has hindered efforts to fully understand the pathology of GC and develop efficient therapeutics.In the past decade,great progress has been made in the study of GC,particularly in molecular subtyping,investigation of the immune microenvironment,and defining the evolutionary path and dynamics.Preclinical mouse models,particularly immunocompetent models that mimic the cellular and molecular features of human GC,in combination with organoid culture and clinical studies,have provided powerful tools for elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying GC pathology and immune evasion,and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.Herein,we first briefly introduce current progress and challenges in GC study and subsequently summarize immunocompetent GC mouse models,emphasizing the potential application of genetically engineered mouse models in antitumor immunity and immunotherapy studies.

Cardiovascular risk burden,dementia risk and brain structural imaging markers:a study from UK Biobank

Background Cardiovascular risk burden is associated with dementia risk and neurodegeneration-related brain structure,while the role of genetics and incident cardiovascular disease(CVD)remains unclear.Aims To examine the association of overall cardiovascular risk burden with the risk of major dementia subtypes and volumes of related brain regions in a large sample,and to explore the role of genetics and CVD onset.Methods A prospective study among 354 654 participants free of CVD and dementia(2006-2010,mean age 56.4 years)was conducted within the UK Biobank,with brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRl)measurement availablefor 15104participants since 2014.CVD risk burden was evaluated by the Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score(FGCRS).Dementia diagnosis was ascertained from inpatient and death register data.Results Overamedian 12.0-yearfollow-up,3998 all-cause dementia cases were identified.Higher FGCRS was associated with increasedall-cause dementia risk after adjusting for demographic,major lifestyle,clinical factors and the polygenic risk score(PRS)of Alzheimer's disease.Comparing the high versus low tertile of FGCRS,the odds ratios(ORs)and 95%confidence intervals(Cls)were 1.26(1.12 to 1.41)for all-cause dementia,1.67(1.33 to 2.09)for Alzheimer's disease and 1.53(1.07 to 2.16)for vascular dementia(all p_(treng)<0.05).Incident stroke and coronary heart disease accounted for 14%(95%Cl:9% to 21%)of the association between FGCRS and all-cause dementia.Interactions were not detected for FGCRS and PRS on the risk of any dementia subtype.We observed an 83%(95%Cl:47%to 128%)higher all-cause dementia risk comparing the high-high versus low-low FGCRS-PRS category.For brain volumes,higher FGCRS was associated with greater log-transformed white matter hyperintensities,smaller cortical volume and smaller grey matter volume.Conclusions Our findings suggest that the positive association of cardiovascular risk burden with dementia risk also applies to major dementia subtypes.The association of cardiovascular risk burden with all-cause dementia is largely independent of CVD onset and genetic predisposition to dementia.

Blocking of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V induces cellular endoplasmic reticulum stress in human hepatocarcinoma 7721 cells

N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V （GnT-V） is an important tumorigenesis and metastasis-associated enzyme. To study its biofunction, the GnT-V stably suppressed cell line （GnT-V-AS/7721） was constructed from 7721 hepatocarcinoma cells in previous study. In this study, cDNA array gene expression profiles were compared between GnT-V-AS/7721 and parental 7721 cells. The data indicated that GnT-V-AS/7721 showed a characteristic expression pattern consistent with the ER stress. The molecular mechanism of the ER stress was explored in GnT-V-AS/7721 by the analysis on key molecules in both two unfolded protein response （UPR） pathways. For ATF6 and Irel/XBP-1 pathway, it was evidenced by the up-regulation of BIP at mRNA and protein level, and the appearance of the spliced form ofXBP-1. As for PERK/eIF2α pathway, the activation of ER eIF2α kinase PERK was observed. To confirm the results from GriT-V-AS/7721 cells, the key molecules in the UPR were examined again in 7721 cells interfered with the GnT-V by the specific RNAi treatment. The results were similar with those from GnT-V-AS/7721, indicating that blocking of GnT-V can specifically activate ER stress in 7721 cells. Rate of 3H-Man incorporation corrected with rate of 3H-Leu incorporation in GnT-V-AS/7721 was down-regulated greatly compared with the control, which demonstrated the deficient function of the enzyme synthesizing N-glycans after GnT-V blocking. Moreover, the faster migrating form of chaperone GRP94 associated with the underglycosylation, and the extensively changed N-glycans structures of intracellular glycoproteins were also detected in GnT-V-AS/7721. These results supported the mechanism that blocking of GnT-V expression impaired functions of chaperones and N-glycan-synthesizing enzymes, which caused UPR in vivo.