Ion Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry for Metabolomic Analysis.

Ion chromatography (IC) represents an important technique for separation of charged and polar compounds. Traditionally, IC is often used for the analysis of small inorganic ions. Due to the development of eluent suppression technology that allows continuous online desalting and conversion of high-salt eluents into pure water, IC has been coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of more diverse range of anionic and cationic analytes.

E-cigarette aerosols induce unfolded protein response in normal human oral keratinocytes.

: Since the introduction in 2004, global usage of e-cigarettes (ECs) has risen exponentially. However, the risks of ECs on oral health are uncertain. The purpose of this study is to understand if EC aerosol exposure impacts the gene pathways of normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOKs), particularly the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway.

Sox11 promotes head and neck cancer progression via the regulation of SDCCAG8.

Background: SOX11 is a transcription factor that plays an important role in mantle cell lymphoma development. However, its functional role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unknown.

Methods: Protein expression was measured with Western blotting, immunohistochemistry or quantitative proteomics, and gene expression was measured with quantitative RT-PCR.

Metabolomic analysis of human oral cancer cells with adenylate kinase 2 or phosphorylate glycerol kinase 1 inhibition.

The purpose of this study was to use liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with XCMS for a quantitative metabolomic analysis of UM1 and UM2 oral cancer cells after knockdown of metabolic enzyme adenylate kinase 2 (AK2) or phosphorylate glycerol kinase 1 (PGK1). UM1 and UM2 cells were initially transfected with AK2 siRNA, PGK1 siRNA or scrambled control siRNA, and then analyzed with LC-MS for metabolic profiles. XCMS analysis of the untargeted metabolomics data revealed a total of 3200-4700 metabolite features from the transfected UM1 or UM2 cancer cells and 369-585 significantly changed metabolites due to AK2 or PGK1 suppression.

Social Status-Dependent Shift in Neural Circuit Activation Affects Decision Making.

In a social group, animals make behavioral decisions that fit their social ranks. These behavioral choices are dependent on the various social cues experienced during social interactions. In vertebrates, little is known of how social status affects the underlying neural mechanisms regulating decision-making circuits that drive competing behaviors.

Correction: Characterization of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol and Its Induction of Oxidative Stress Response in Oral Keratinocytes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

SOX4 Promotes Progression in OLP-Associated Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: The development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a multistep process that involves in both genetic alterations and epigenetic modifications. Previous studies suggest SOX4 might function as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in different types of cancers. However, whether SOX4 involves in promoting the progression of oral precancer to cancer is unknown.

Quantum dot incorporated Bacillus spore as nanosensor for viral infection.

In this paper, we report a high-throughput biological method to prepare spore-based monodisperse microparticles (SMMs) and then form the nanocomposites of CdTe quantum dot (QD)-loaded SMMs by utilizing the endogenous functional groups from Bacillus spores. The SMMs and QD-incorporated spore microspheres (QDSMs) were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, zeta potential analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, potentiometric titrations, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The thermodynamics of QD/SMM interaction and antigen/QDSM interaction was also investigated by isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC).

Targeted Metabolomic Analysis of Head and Neck Cancer Cells Using High Performance Ion Chromatography Coupled with a Q Exactive HF Mass Spectrometer.

In this study, we have demonstrated a targeted metabolomics method for analysis of cancer cells, based on high-performance ion chromatography (IC) separation, Q Exactive HF MS for high-resolution and accurate-mass (HR/AM) measurement and the use of stable isotope-labeled internal standards for absolute quantitation. Our method offers great technical advantages for metabolite analysis, including exquisite sensitivity, high speed and reproducibility, and wide dynamic range. The high-performance IC provided fast separation of cellular metabolites within 20 min and excellent resolving power for polar molecules including many isobaric metabolites.