Construction and evaluation of glycoprotein-based nucleic acid vaccines for Marburg virus.

Marburg virus (MARV) is a zoonotic virus that can infect humans and non-human primates (NHPs) and lead to a fatal Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF), while there is no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for MHF. The nucleic acid vaccine has unique advantages, including fast and simple preparation, easy to follow the virus mutation situation, and less adverse reactions. Therefore, we constructed the DNA and mRNA candidate vaccines based on codon-optimized MARV glycoprotein sequence, and evaluated the immune effect in mice through ELISA, ELISpot, and Flow cytometry.

Metabolic Reprogramming of Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Metabolic reprogramming of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in shaping tumor progression and responses to therapy. The intricate interplay between tumor cells and immune cells within this ecosystem influences their metabolic landscapes, thereby modulating the immune evasion tactics employed by tumors and the efficacy of immunotherapeutic interventions. This review delves into the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in tumor cells and a spectrum of immune cells, including T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), within the TME.

Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein Targeting Strategy Improved Immunogenicity of Glycoprotein-Based DNA Vaccine for Marburg Virus.

Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is a fatal infectious disease caused by Marburg virus (MARV) infection, and MARV has been identified as a priority pathogen for vaccine development by the WHO. The glycoprotein (GP) of MARV mediates viral adhesion and invasion of host cells and therefore can be used as an effective target for vaccine development. Moreover, DNA vaccines have unique advantages, such as simple construction processes, low production costs, and few adverse reactions, but their immunogenicity may decrease due to the poor absorption rate of plasmids.

Simultaneous Targeting of NQO1 and SOD1 Eradicates Breast Cancer Stem Cells via Mitochondrial Futile Redox Cycling.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) contains the highest proportion of cancer stem-like cells (CSC), which display intrinsic resistance to currently available cancer therapies. This therapeutic resistance is partially mediated by an antioxidant defense coordinated by the transcription factor NRF2 and its downstream targets that include NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). In this study, we identified the antioxidant enzymes NQO1 and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) as therapeutic vulnerabilities of ALDH+ epithelial-like CSCs and CD24-/loCD44+/hi mesenchymal-like CSCs in TNBC.

Improvement of Lung Function by Micronutrient Supplementation in Patients with COPD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: A healthy, well-balanced diet plays an essential role in respiratory diseases. Since micronutrient deficiency is relatively common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), micronutrient supplementation might have the beneficial health effects in those patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to demonstrate the impact of micronutrient supplementation on the lung function of patients with COPD.

Atomic-Level Catalyst Coupled with Metal Oxide Heterostructure for Promoting Kinetics of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Despite the low competitive cost and high theoretical capacity of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, their practical application is severely hindered by the lithium polysulfide (LiPS) shuttling and low conversion efficiency. Herein, the electronic structure of hollow Titanium dioxide nanospheres is tunned by single Iron atom dopants that can cooperatively enhance LiPS absorption and facilitate desired redox reaction in practical Li-S batteries, further suppressing the notorious shuttle effect, which is consistent with theoretical calculations and in situ UV/vis investigation. The obtained electrode with massive active sites and lower energy barrier for sulfur conversions exhibits exceptional cycling stability after 500 cycles and high capacity under the sulfur loading of 10.

IGF2BP3 enhances lipid metabolism in cervical cancer by upregulating the expression of SCD.

Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy, which seriously threatens the health of women. Lipid metabolism is necessary for tumor proliferation and metastasis. However, the molecular mechanism of the relationship between CC and lipid metabolism remains poorly defined.

Genome-Wide Association Study on Seedling Phenotypic Traits of Wheat under Different Nitrogen Conditions.

Nitrogen fertilizer input is the main determinant of wheat yield, and heavy nitrogen fertilizer application causes serious environmental pollution. It is important to understand the genetic response mechanism of wheat to nitrogen and select wheat germplasm with high nitrogen efficiency. In this study, 204 wheat species were used to conduct genome-wide association analysis.

Near-Infrared Triggered Self-Accelerating Nanozyme Camouflaged with a Cancer Cell Membrane for Precise Targeted Imaging and Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.

Although cancer immunotherapy has made encouraging progress, clinical therapeutic efficiency is often modest due to inadequate immunogenicity and immune resistance. Developing promising nanoagents for simultaneously activating tumor-specific immunity and suppressing immune resistance to achieve efficient immunotherapy is still challenging. Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanozyme consisting of a gold nanorod@mesoporous ceria core-shell scaffold with gold nanoparticle deposition and cancer cell membrane camouflage.

Exploring the relationship between abnormally high expression of and the clinicopathological characteristics, immune microenvironment, and prognostic value of lower-grade glioma.

Nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a major transport pivot for nucleocytoplasmic molecule exchange. Nucleoporin 205 (NUP205)-a main component of NPC-plays a key regulatory role in tumor cell proliferation; however, few reports document its effect on the pathological progression of lower-grade glioma (LGG). Therefore, we conducted an integrated analysis using 906 samples from multiple public databases to explore the effects of on the prognosis, clinicopathological characteristics, regulatory mechanism, and tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) formation in LGG.

IGF2BP2 promotes colorectal cancer progression by upregulating the expression of TFRC and enhancing iron metabolism.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system, ranking third for morbidity and mortality worldwide. At present, no effective control method is available for this cancer type. In tumor cells, especially iron metabolization, is necessary for its growth and proliferation.

[Knockdown of IGF2BP2 inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation, migration and promotes tumor immunity by down-regulating MYC expression].

Objective To investigate the effect of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) on the proliferation, migration and tumor immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer cells and its possible molecular mechanism. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the expression levels of IGF2BP2 and MYC in colorectal cancer and adjacent tissues. The expression of IGF2BP2 in HCT-116 and SW480 human colorectal cancer cells was silenced by RNA interference (RNAi), and the silencing effect was detected by quantitative real-time PCR.

Downregulation of cardiac PIASy inhibits Cx43 SUMOylation and ameliorates ventricular arrhythmias in a rat model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Background: Dysfunction of the gap junction channel protein connexin 43 (Cx43) contributes to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Cx43 can be regulated by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification. Protein inhibitor of activated STAT Y (PIASy) is an E3 SUMO ligase for its target proteins.

An efficient biomimetic nano-regulator inducing simultaneous calcium ion/nitric oxide/energy metabolism triple homeostasis disruption for synergetic cancer therapy.

Inducing homeostasis disruption in cancer cells will cause severe cytotoxicity and apoptosis for cancer therapy. However, comprehensive intracellular active homeostatic mechanisms make it still a daunting challenge. Reported herein is a biomimetic nano-regulator for mutually reinforcing Ca/NO/energy metabolism triple homeostasis disruption cascade reactions.

miR-145 inhibits aerobic glycolysis and cell proliferation of cervical cancer by acting on MYC.

Nearly half a million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer (CC) each year, with the incidence of CC stabilizing or rising in low-income and middle-income countries. Cancer cells use metabolic reprogramming to meet the needs of rapid proliferation, known as the Warburg effect, but the mechanism of the Warburg effect in CC remains unclear. microRNAs (miRNAs) have a wide range of effects on gene expression and diverse modes of action, and they regulate genes for metabolic reprogramming.

TrDosePred: A deep learning dose prediction algorithm based on transformers for head and neck cancer radiotherapy.

Background: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) has been the standard of care for many types of tumors. However, treatment planning for IMRT is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

Purpose: To alleviate this tedious planning process, a novel deep learning based dose prediction algorithm (TrDosePred) was developed for head and neck cancers.

Harnessing Reconstructed Macrophage Modulation of Infiltration-Excluded Immune Microenvironments To Delineate Glioma Infiltrative Region.

High invasiveness of glioma produces residual glioma cells in the brain parenchyma after surgery and ultimately causes recurrence. Precise delineation of glioma infiltrative region is critical for an accurate complete resection, which is challenging. The glioma-infiltrating area constitutes infiltration-excluded immune microenvironments (I-E TIMEs), which recruits endogenous or adoptive macrophages to the invasive edge of glioma.

Photoredox-Catalyzed and Silane-Mediated Hydrofluoromethylation of Unactivated Alkenes with Fluoroiodomethane in Water.

The first hydrofluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes with fluoroiodomethane and hydrosilanes is developed by merging photoredox catalysis and silane-mediated deiodination processes. The key to the success of this reaction is the use of water as the solvent to enhance the activity of CHF radical toward unactivated alkenes.

Papillary thyroid cancer organoids harboring BRAF mutation reveal potentially beneficial effects of BRAF inhibitor-based combination therapies.

Backgrounds: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which is often driven by acquired somatic mutations in BRAF genes, is the most common pathologic type of thyroid cancer. PTC has an excellent prognosis after treatment with conventional therapies such as surgical resection, thyroid hormone therapy and adjuvant radioactive iodine therapy. Unfortunately, about 20% of patients develop regional recurrence or distant metastasis, making targeted therapeutics an important treatment option.

Elevated ubiquitination contributes to protective immunity against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The crosstalk between the ubiquitin-proteasome and the immune system plays an important role in the health and pathogenesis of viral infection. However, there have been few studies of ubiquitin activation in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Methods: We investigated the effect of ubiquitination on SARS-CoV-2 infection and patient prognosis by integrating published coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) multi-transcriptome data and bioinformatics methods.

LncRNA Airn alleviates diabetic cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting activation of cardiac fibroblasts via a m6A-IMP2-p53 axis.

Background: Cardiac fibrosis is a leading cause of cardiac dysfunction in patients with diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of the long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) Airn in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and its underlying mechanism.

Cardiac-targeted PIASy gene silencing mediates deSUMOylation of caveolin-3 and prevents ischemia/reperfusion-induced Na1.5 downregulation and ventricular arrhythmias.

Background: Abnormal myocardial Na1.5 expression and function cause lethal ventricular arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Protein inhibitor of activated STAT Y (PIASy)-mediated caveolin-3 (Cav-3) SUMO modification affects Cav-3 binding to the voltage-gated sodium channel 1.

First Nerve-Related Immunoprobe for Guidance of Renal Denervation through Colocalization of NIR-II and Photoacoustic Bioimaging.

Nerve-related fluorophores generally locate in the visible or near-infrared region with shallow penetration depth and easy uptake by surrounding tissues. Prolonging the optical window promotes resolution by minimizing photoscattering and eliminating autofluorescence for NIR-II (second near infrared; 1000-1700 nm) and photoacoustic bioimaging. In addition, combination of the two could help in colocalization of targets at the 3D level.