Publications by authors named "Feng Cai"

Lung cancer exhibits altered metabolism, influencing its response to radiation. To investigate the metabolic regulation of radiation response, we conducted a comprehensive, metabolic-wide CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screen using radiation as selection pressure in human non-small cell lung cancer. Lipoylation emerged as a key metabolic target for radiosensitization, with lipoyltransferase 1 (LIPT1) identified as a top hit.

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Rapid diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases is critical, particularly in cases without bacteriologically confirmed disease, as it enables timely treatment initiation and can thus interrupt further disease transmission. In this study, the utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) as a diagnostic tool was evaluated using samples of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from 300 bacteriologically negative PTB (BN-PTB) patients hospitalized from January 2020 through December 2023.

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Regulating potato tuber dormancy is crucial for crop productivity and food security. We conducted the first comprehensive physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic investigations of two varieties of long and short dormant potato tubers in order to clarify the mechanisms of dormancy release. In the current study, three different dormant stages of UGT (ungerminated tubers), MGT (minimally germinated tubers), and GT (germinated tubers) were obtained by treatment with the germination promoter gibberellin A and the germination inhibitor chlorpropham.

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Recurrent IDH mutations catalyze NADPH-dependent production of oncometabolite R-2HG for tumorigenesis. IDH inhibition provides clinical response in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases; however, most patients develop resistance, highlighting the need for more effective IDH-targeting therapies. By comparing transcriptomic alterations in isogenic leukemia cells harboring CRISPR base-edited IDH mutations, we identify the activation of adhesion molecules including CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein, as a shared feature of IDH-mutant leukemia, consistent with elevated CD44 expression in IDH-mutant AML patients.

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The extracellular matrix (ECM) stores signaling molecules and facilitates mechanical and biochemical signaling in cells. However, the influence of biomimetic "rejuvenation" ECM structures on aging- and degeneration-related cellular activities and tissue repair is not well understood. We combined physical extrusion and precise "on-off" alternating cross-linking methods to create anisotropic biomaterial microgels (MicroRod and MicroSphere) and explored how they regulate the cell activities of the nucleus pulposus (NP) and their potential antidegenerative effects on intervertebral discs.

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Neutrophil membrane vesicles (NMVs) have been successfully applied to control the inflammatory cascade after spinal cord injury (SCI) by acting as an inflammatory factor decoy to front-load the overall inflammation regulatory window; however, the mechanisms by which NMVs regulate macrophage phenotypic shifts as well as their outcomes have rarely been reported. In this study, we demonstrated the "efferocytosis-like" effect of NMVs endocytosed by macrophages, supplementing the TCA cycle intermediate metabolite α-KG by promoting glutamine metabolism, which in turn facilitates oxidative phosphorylation and inhibits the NF-κB signaling pathway to reprogram inflammatory macrophages to the pro-regenerative phenotype. Based on these findings, a "Trojan horse" composite fiber scaffold was constructed; this comprised a carboxylated poly-l-lactic acid shell encapsulated with NMVs and a core loaded with brain-derived neurotrophic factor to spatiotemporally modulate the inflammatory microenvironment by 39.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the effectiveness and safety of anti-angiogenic combination therapy in driver gene-negative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases, comparing a group receiving this therapy (AT) to one receiving standard treatment (NAT).
  • Results show that the AT group had higher initial objective response rates (iORR) and longer progression-free survival rates compared to the NAT group, indicating better clinical efficacy of the combined therapy.
  • Despite the longer progression-free intervals, the overall survival rate (OS) did not significantly improve with anti-angiogenic therapy, and while the AT group experienced more hypertension, there was no significant increase in radiation-induced brain necrosis.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Benthic diatoms are key primary producers on sandy coasts, playing a critical role in the micro-food web and marine ecosystems; changes in their structure and biomass can significantly affect these environments.
  • - A study at four beaches in southern China found that factors like elevation, salinity, sediment composition, and hydrodynamics influence the distribution of benthic diatom communities, with elevation being the most crucial factor.
  • - Results revealed that diatom abundance varies by tidal zones, with mid-tidal areas on certain beaches promoting higher growth, while low tidal terrace beaches have distinct patterns of abundance related to their specific landforms.
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Metabolic requirements vary during development, and our understanding of how metabolic activity influences cell specialization is incomplete. Here, we describe a switch from glutamine catabolism to synthesis required for erythroid cell maturation. Glutamine synthetase (GS), one of the oldest functioning genes in evolution, is activated during erythroid maturation to detoxify ammonium generated from heme biosynthesis, which is up-regulated to support hemoglobin production.

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Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of urinary Wilms' tumour-1 (WT-1) and mu-glutathione S-transferase (Mu-GST) gene expression for detecting kidney injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: Patients treated between October 2022 and June 2023 were divided into two groups: a diabetic nephropathy (DN) group (105 patients) and a diabetes mellitus (DM) group (100 patients). Additionally, 100 healthy individuals undergoing routine medical check-ups were selected as the control group.

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Introduction: To explore PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) expression and its clinical value in diabetic nephropathy.

Methods: Ninety patients with diabetic nephropathy were recruited and divided into metformin hydrochloride monotherapy group, telmisartan monotherapy group and combination therapy (metformin and telmisartan) group. Renal function indices and PINK1 expression, inflammatory factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels were detected.

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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most complex diseases. After SCI, severe secondary injuries can cause intense inflammatory storms and oxidative stress responses, leading to extensive neuronal apoptosis. Effective regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress after SCI remains an unresolved challenge.

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Article Synopsis
  • Some fracking fluids can help extract coalbed methane while potentially lowering greenhouse gas emissions, but they also pose risks like toxicity and groundwater contamination.
  • The study developed five clean composite fracturing fluids using a starch solution, which were tested to understand their effects on coal sample microstructure and methane adsorption.
  • Results indicated that the new fracturing fluid enhanced aromatic ring condensation and pore size while significantly reducing methane adsorption, providing valuable insights for cleaner coalbed methane production.
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Objective: Proteus syndrome, a rare disorder with an incidence of one in a million, is characterized by connective tissue nevi, asymmetric limb overgrowth, and abnormal subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution. Limited awareness of this condition often hinders accurate clinical diagnosis. We report a case of Proteus syndrome with concurrent progressive paralysis in the unilateral lower limb, aiming to enhance understanding of the disease and its associated complications.

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Ferroptosis, caused by disorders of iron metabolism, plays a critical role in various diseases, making the regulation of iron metabolism essential for tissue repair. In our analysis of degenerated intervertebral disc tissue, we observe a positive correlation between the concentration of extracellular iron ions (ex-iron) and the severity of ferroptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Hence, inspired by magnets attracting metals, we combine polyether F127 diacrylate (FDA) with tannin (TA) to construct a magnetically attracting hydrogel (FDA-TA).

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Most kidney cancers are metabolically dysfunctional, but how this dysfunction affects cancer progression in humans is unknown. We infused C-labelled nutrients in over 80 patients with kidney cancer during surgical tumour resection. Labelling from [U-C]glucose varies across subtypes, indicating that the kidney environment alone cannot account for all tumour metabolic reprogramming.

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Parasitism is an important lifestyle in the genus but has not been studied in a genus-wide way toward and hosts. Our approach screened a genus-wide set of 30 species in dual culture assays with two soil-borne and three plant-parasitic species and used exo-proteomic analyses, with the aim to correlate antagonism with potential strategies for attacking and . The spp.

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As a key mechanism of belt conveyor, the health status and working state of its parts have a profound impact on whether the belt conveyor can run normally and safely. In the composition of the standard belt conveyor, the number of rollers is numerous and scattered. At the same time, under the complex environment of the work site, the fault detection of each roller is particularly difficult.

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Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a deadly cancer in the world. Histone demethylase Jmjd2c is a key epigenetic regulator in various tumors, while the molecular mechanism underlying Jmjd2c regulatory in LSCC is still unclear. We used the aldehyde dehydrogenasebright (ALDH) subtype as a research model for cancer stem cells (CSCs) in LSCC and detected the sphere formation ability and the proportion of ALDH CSCs with Jmjd2c interference and caffeic acid (CA) treatment.

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Porous materials possess advantages such as rich pore structures, a large surface area, low relative density, high specific strength, and good breathability. They have broad prospects in the development of a high-performance Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) and self-powered sensing fields. This paper elaborates on the structural forms and construction methods of porous materials in existing TENG, including aerogels, foam sponges, electrospinning, 3D printing, and fabric structures.

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Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with concurrent mutations in KRAS and the tumour suppressor LKB1 (KL NSCLC) is refractory to most therapies and has one of the worst predicted outcomes. Here we describe a KL-induced metabolic vulnerability associated with serine-glycine-one-carbon (SGOC) metabolism. Using RNA-seq and metabolomics data from human NSCLC, we uncovered that LKB1 loss enhanced SGOC metabolism via serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT).

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Article Synopsis
  • Mitochondria play a key role in metabolic processes necessary for cell health and growth.
  • Researchers studied how human cells react to mitochondrial dysfunction by examining metabolomics in fibroblasts from patients with mitochondrial disorders and cancer cells with disrupted electron transport chains (ETC).
  • The findings showed that ETC defects lower de novo purine synthesis while increasing purine salvage, highlighting a shift in metabolism, particularly in lung cancer cells expressing high levels of the enzyme HPRT1, which is crucial for purine salvage.
  • Targeting HPRT1 makes cancer cells more sensitive to ETC inhibition, revealing a new potential weakness in tumors with low oxidative metabolism.
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Mitochondria are critical for proper organ function and mechanisms to promote mitochondrial health during regeneration would benefit tissue homeostasis. We report that during liver regeneration, proliferation is suppressed in electron transport chain (ETC)-dysfunctional hepatocytes due to an inability to generate acetyl-CoA from peripheral fatty acids through mitochondrial β-oxidation. Alternative modes for acetyl-CoA production from pyruvate or acetate are suppressed in the setting of ETC dysfunction.

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Purine nucleotides are vital for RNA and DNA synthesis, signaling, metabolism, and energy homeostasis. To synthesize purines, cells use two principal routes: the de novo and salvage pathways. Traditionally, it is believed that proliferating cells predominantly rely on de novo synthesis, whereas differentiated tissues favor the salvage pathway.

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Lipids are essential for tumours because of their structural, energetic, and signaling roles. While many cancer cells upregulate lipid synthesis, growing evidence suggests that tumours simultaneously intensify the uptake of circulating lipids carried by lipoproteins. Which mechanisms promote the uptake of extracellular lipids, and how this pool of lipids contributes to cancer progression, are poorly understood.

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