Bismuth-based mesoporous nanoball carrying sorafenib for synergistic photothermal and molecularly-targeted therapy in an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft mouse model.

Sorafenib (SOR), a multi-kinase inhibitor for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has limited clinical application due to severe side effects and drug resistance. To overcome these challenges, we developed a bismuth-based nanomaterial (BOS) for thermal injury-assisted continuous targeted therapy in HCC. Initially, the mesoporous nanomaterial was loaded with SOR, forming the BOS@SOR nano-carrier system for drug delivery and controlled release.

Multi-Omics profiling identifies aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 as a critical mediator in the crosstalk between Treg-mediated immunosuppression microenvironment and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dysregulation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family has been implicated in various pathological conditions, including cancer. However, a systematic evaluation of ALDH alterations and their therapeutic relevance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains lacking. Herein, we found that 15 of 19 ALDHs were transcriptionally dysregulated in HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues.

Ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, from mechanism to effect.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor worldwide, characterized by high malignancy and rapid progression. Most cases are diagnosed at intermediate to advanced stages. Current treatment methods have limited efficacy, resulting in high recurrence rates and poor prognosis.

Carboxylating Elastomer via Thiol-Ene Click Reaction to Improve Miscibility with Conjugated Polymers for Mechanically Robust Organic Solar Cells with Efficiency of 19.

Incorporating flexible insulating polymers is a straightforward strategy to enhance the mechanical properties of rigid conjugated polymers, enabling their use in flexible electronic devices. However, maintaining electronic characteristics simultaneously is challenging due to the poor miscibility between insulating polymers and conjugated polymers. This study introduces the carboxylation of insulating polymers as an effective strategy to enhance miscibility with conjugated polymers via surface energy modulation and hydrogen bonding.

NiO Nanoparticles Hole-Transporting Layer Regulated by Ionic Radius-Controlled Doping and Reductive Agent for Organic Solar Cells with Efficiency of 19.18.

Nickel oxide (NiO ) has garnered considerable attention as a prospective hole-transporting layer (HTL) in organic solar cells (OSCs), offering a potential solution to the stability challenges posed by traditional HTL, PEDOT:PSS, arising from acidity and hygroscopicity. Nevertheless, the lower work function (WF) of NiO relative to donor polymers reduces charge injection efficiency in OSCs. Herein, NiO nanoparticles are tailored through rare earth doping to optimize WF and the impact of ionic radius on their electronic properties is explored.

Transferrin receptor 1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis by activating the mTOR signaling pathway.

Background: Aberrant iron metabolism is commonly observed in multiple tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, as the key regulator of iron metabolism involved in iron absorption, the role of transferrin receptor (TFRC) in HCC remains elusive.

Methods: The mRNA and protein expression of TFRC were evaluated in paired HCC and adjacent non-tumor specimens.

Synergistic Photochemo Effects Based on Light-Activatable Dual Prodrug Nanoparticles for Effective Cancer Therapy.

Ferroptosis is identified as a novel type of cell death with distinct properties involved in physical conditions and various diseases, including cancers. It is considered that ferroptosis provides a promising therapeutic strategy for optimizing oncotherapy. Although erastin is an effective ferroptosis trigger, the potential of its clinical application is largely restricted by its poor water solubility and concomitant limitations.

Near-Infrared Acceptors with Imide-Containing End Groups for Organic Solar Cells.

Near-infrared electron acceptors for organic solar cells (OSCs) mostly contain electron-withdrawing 2-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile (IC) end groups, which can be modified by but limited to phenyl, thienyl, and naphthyl units with halogenated, methyl, and methyloxy substitution. In this work, we employed an imide-containing unit to construct a new IC end group, based on which a series of new electron acceptors were synthesized. The strong electron-deficient nature of imide units enables the new acceptors to show efficient intramolecular charge transfer and hence red-shifted absorption spectra compared to their IC counterparts.

Tyrosine kinase receptor B attenuates liver fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β/SMAD signaling.

Background And Aims: Liver fibrosis is a leading indicator for increased mortality and long-term comorbidity in NASH. Activation of HSCs and excessive extracellular matrix production are the hallmarks of liver fibrogenesis. Tyrosine kinase receptor (TrkB) is a multifunctional receptor that participates in neurodegenerative disorders.

Circulating Metabolic Markers Related to the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Primary liver carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, while hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most dominant cancer type. Chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections and aflatoxin exposure are the main risk factors, while nonalcoholic fatty liver disease caused by obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome are the more common risk factors for HCC. Metabolic disorders caused by these high-risk factors are closely related to the tumor microenvironment of HCC, revealing a possible cause-and-effect relationship between the two.

A novel murine model of combined hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is a common gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide. While hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are two major pathologic types of PLC, combined HCC and ICC (cHCC-ICC) is a relatively rare subtype that shares both hepatocyte and cholangiocyte differentiation. However, the molecular feature of this unique tumor remains elusive because of its low incidence and lack of a suitable animal model.

Co-La-Based Hole-Transporting Layers for Binary Organic Solar Cells with 18.82 % Efficiency.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is a widely used hole transporting layer (HTL) in organic solar cells (OSCs), but its acidity severely reduces the stability of devices. Until now, very few HTLs were developed to replace PEDOT:PSS toward stable and high-performance OSCs. Herein, a new cobalt-lanthanum (Co-La) inorganic system was reported as HTL to show a high conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.

Sorafenib-Loaded CuSe Nanoparticles Boost Photothermal-Synergistic Targeted Therapy against Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the predominant form of liver malignancy and presents a leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Sorafenib (SOR), a first-line targeted drug for advanced HCC treatment, has a battery of untoward side effects. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been utilized as an effective adjuvant in synergy with other approaches.

Nalidixic acid potentiates the antitumor activity in sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma the tumor immune microenvironment analysis.

Sorafenib resistance is often developed and impedes the benefits of clinical therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the relationship between sorafenib resistance and tumor immune environment and adjuvant drugs for sorafenib-resistant HCC are not systemically identified. This study first analyzed the expression profiles of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells to explore immune cell infiltration levels and differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs).

CircTUBD1 Regulates Radiation-induced Liver Fibrosis Response via a circTUBD1/micro-203a-3p/Smad3 Positive Feedback Loop.

Background And Aims: Radiation-induced liver fibrosis (RILF), delayed damage to the liver (post-irradiation) remains a major challenge for the radiotherapy of liver malignancies. This study investigated the potential function and mechanism of circTUBD1 in the development of RILF.

Methods: By using a dual luciferase assay, RNA pull-down assays, RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation (known as ChIP) assays, and a series of gain- or loss-of-function experiments, it was found that circTUBD1 regulated the activation and fibrosis response of LX-2 cells induced by irradiation via a circTUBD1/micro-203a-3p/Smad3 positive feedback loop in a 3D system.

Iridium Complex-Loaded Sorafenib Nanocomposites for Synergistic Chemo-photodynamic Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Although sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, has provided noteworthy benefits in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the inevitable side effects, narrow therapeutic window, and low bioavailability seriously affect its clinical application. To be clinically distinctive, innovative drugs must meet the needs of reaching tumor tissues and cause limited side effects to normal organs and tissues. Recently, photodynamic therapy, utilizing a combination of a photosensitizer and light irradiation, was selectively accumulated at the tumor site and taken up effectively via inducing apoptosis or necrosis of cancer cells.

Mechanically and Ultraviolet Light Stable Ultrathin Organic Solar Cell via Semi-Embedding Silver Nanowires in a Hydrogen Bonds-Based Polyimide.

Ultrathin organic solar cells (OSCs) with both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and operational stability are of great significance for the industrial applications but still challenging. Here, a polyimide (PI) substrate for high-performance and stable ultrathin OSCs, which is physically crosslinked via strong hydrogen bonds (denoted as HB-PI) to enhance the mechanical, thermal, solvent-resistant, and UV filtering properties (with a cut-off wavelength of 376 nm), is synthesized. An ultrathin flexible transparent composite electrode (FTCE, ≈7 µm) is fabricated via semi-embedding AgNWs in the HB-PI substrate.

Yinzhihuang oral liquid protects against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via modulation of the gut-liver axis in mice.

Background: Yinzhihuang (YZH) oral liquid is a traditional Chinese medicine compound that has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of YZH on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Mice fed on a high-fat diet plus fructose/glucose drinking water (HFGD) were treated with YZH (30 mL/kg/d).

Prp19 Facilitated p21-Dependent Senescence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Introduction: Evidence suggests that the role of senescence in the development of cancer is context-dependent. An orthologue of human pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (Prp19) attenuates the senescence of human endothelial cells. Prp19 has been reported to be involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

microRNA-106b-5p Promotes Cell Growth and Sensitizes Chemosensitivity to Sorafenib by Targeting the BTG3/Bcl-xL/p27 Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

microRNAs (miRNAs) and miRNA-mediated regulatory networks are promising candidates in the prevention and treatment of cancer, but the role of specific miRNAs involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains to be elusive. Herein, we found that miR-106b-5p is upregulated in both HCC patients' tumor tissues and HCC cell lines. The miR-106b-5p expression level was positively correlated with -fetoprotein (AFP), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and tumor size.

Ultrathin Flexible Transparent Composite Electrode via Semi-embedding Silver Nanowires in a Colorless Polyimide for High-Performance Ultraflexible Organic Solar Cells.

Ultraflexible organic solar cells (OSCs) with both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and good mechanical robustness are still challenging, in which flexible transparent composite electrodes (FTCEs, substrate-cum-electrodes) play critical roles. Here, an ultrathin FTCE (∼9 μm) via semi-embedding a silver nanowire electrode in a colorless polyimide (CPI) substrate was developed, which simultaneously possessed outstanding performance such as low square resistance ( ∼ 12.7 Ω sq), high optical transmittance ( ∼ 86.

Pre-mRNA processing factor 19 functions in DNA damage repair and radioresistance by modulating cyclin D1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRP19) is elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, little is known about its function in DNA damage repair in HCC. In this study, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas data and our tumor models after ionizing radiation (IR) treatment indicated that increased expression of was positively correlated with DNA damage repair. Gain of PRP19 expression induced by plasmids resulted in decreases in apoptosis and double-strand breaks (DSBs), and an increase in cell survival after IR.

Upregulation of Nei-Like DNA Glycosylase 3 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Accumulating evidence has suggested that Nei-like DNA glycosylase 3 (NEIL3) is associated with human tumors. However, there are few studies on the role of NEIL3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of NEIL3 and its clinical relevance in HCC.

Tumor cell-imposed iron restriction drives immunosuppressive polarization of tumor-associated macrophages.

Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are immunosuppressive cells that contribute to impaired anti-cancer immunity. Iron plays a critical role in regulating macrophage function. However, it is still elusive whether it can drive the functional polarization of macrophages in the context of cancer and how tumor cells affect the iron-handing properties of TAM.