The ketogenic diet modulates tumor-associated neutrophil polarization via the AMOT-YAP/TAZ axis to inhibit colorectal cancer progression.

Despite significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), the prognosis for late-stage patients remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for new preventive and therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have focused on the ketogenic diet (KD) and its metabolite, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), for their tumor-suppressive effects and modulation of inflammatory responses. Using the azoxymethane (AOM) / dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse CRC model, we found that the ketogenic diet and BHB inhibit pro-tumor N2-type tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) while promoting the polarization of TANs towards the anti-tumor N1 type.

Effect of L-HSL on biofilm and motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its mechanism.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilm formation is a crucial cause of enhanced antibiotic resistance. Quorum sensing (QS) is involved in regulating biofilm formation; QS inhibitors block the QS signaling pathway as a new strategy to address bacterial resistance.

RFC5, regulated by circ_0038985/miR-3614-5p, functions as an oncogene in the progression of colorectal cancer.

Replication factor C 5 (RFC5) is involved in a variety of biological functions of cancer. However, the expression pattern of RFC5 and the underlying mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain elusive. Here, we show that RFC5 is significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and cells.

Laparoscopic-Assisted Colorectal Resection Can Reduce the Inhibition of Immune Function Compared with Conventional Open Surgery: A Retrospective Clinical Study.

Background: Immune function is an important indicator for assessing postoperative recovery and long-term survival in patients with malignancy, and laparoscopic surgery is thought to have a less suppressive effect on the immune response than open surgery. This study aimed to investigate this effect in a retrospective clinical study.

Methods: In this retrospective clinical study, we enrolled 63 patients with colorectal cancer in the Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and assessed the changes in their postoperative immune function by measuring CD3T, CD4T, CD8T lymphocytes, and CD4/CD8 ratio.

STING promotes proliferation and induces drug resistance in colorectal cancer by regulating the AMPK-mTOR pathway.

Background: In recent years, reports regarding stimulator of interferon genes (STING) and the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) have emerged rapidly, yet their association remains controversial. This research was aimed to provide an insight into the prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target significance of STING in CRC.

Methods: CRC Cell lines of HCT116 and SW480, as well as 32 paired CRC specimens were chosen for this study.

Pretreatment blood biomarkers combined with magnetic resonance imaging predict responses to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the value of pretreatment blood biomarkers combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods: This study involved patients with LARC who received NCRT and subsequently underwent total mesenteric excision from June 2015 to June 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. Patients with incomplete courses of neoadjuvant therapy, comorbidities with other malignancies or diseases that affect the study outcome, and those who underwent unplanned surgery were ultimately excluded.

TBK1 Facilitates GLUT1-Dependent Glucose Consumption by suppressing mTORC1 Signaling in Colorectal Cancer Progression.

Intestinal inflammation is a vital precipitating factor of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the underlying mechanisms are still elusive. TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a core enzyme downstream of several inflammatory signals. Recent studies brought the impacts of TBK1 in malignant disease to the forefront, we found aberrant TBK1 expression in CRC is correlated with CRC progression.

Partial restoration of spinal cord neural continuity via vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation using spinal cord fusion technique.

Aims: Our team tested spinal cord fusion (SCF) using the neuroprotective agent polyethylene glycol (PEG) in different animal (mice, rats, and beagles) models with complete spinal cord transection. To further explore the application of SCF for the treatment of paraplegic patients, we developed a new clinical procedure for SCF called vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation (vSCT) and tested this procedure in eight paraplegic participants.

Methods: Eight paraplegic participants (American Spinal Injury Association, ASIA: A) were enrolled and treated with vSCT (PEG was applied to the sites of spinal cord transplantation).

Partial Restoration of Spinal Cord Neural Continuity Sural Nerve Transplantation Using a Technique of Spinal Cord Fusion.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause paralysis and serious chronic morbidity, and there is no effective treatment. Based on our previous experimental results of spinal cord fusion (SCF) in mice, rats, beagles, and monkeys, we developed a surgical protocol of SCF for paraplegic human patients. We designed a novel surgical procedure of SCF, called sural nerve transplantation (SNT), for human patients with lower thoracic SCI and distal cord dysfunction.

TCGA database analysis of the tumor mutation burden and its clinical significance in colon cancer.

Background: Colon cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, with high rates of incidence and death. The tumor mutational burden (TMB), which is characterized by microsatellite instability, has been becoming a powerful predictor which can show tumor behavior and response to immunotherapy.

Methods: In this study, we analyzed 437 mutation data of colon cancer samples obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and divided patients into low- and high-TMB groups according to the TMB value.

MiR-15a-3p regulates ferroptosis via targeting glutathione peroxidase GPX4 in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer-related deaths throughout the world. Ferroptosis is a recently regulated form of cell death, lately gains attention. MicroRNA-15a-3p (miR-15a-3p) plays a regulatory role in various kinds of cancers.

Multi‑faceted role of cancer‑associated adipocytes in the tumor microenvironment (Review).

Adipocytes are a type of stromal cell found in numerous different tissues that serve an active role in the tumor microenvironment. Cancer‑associated adipocytes (CAAs) display a malignant phenotype and are found at the invasive tumor front, which mediates the crosstalk network between adipocytes (the precursor cells that will become cancer‑associated adipocytes in the future) and cancer cells. The present review covers the mechanisms of adipocytes in the development of cancer, including metabolic reprogramming, chemotherapy resistance and adipokine regulation.

DAB2IP decreases cell growth and migration and increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs in colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide with high rates of invasiveness and mortality. DAB2IP (DOC2/DAB2 interactive protein) is a member of the RAS-GTPase-activating protein (RAS-GAP) family that shows a suppressive effect on cancer progression, is downregulated in several cancers. However, the role of DAB2IP in CRC remains elusive.

The predictive value of RNA binding proteins in colon adenocarcinoma.

Background: RNA binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in regulating post-transcriptional gene expression and have been reported to be closely associated with the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the effect of RBPs in colon cancer remains unclear.

Methods: We downloaded clinical information and transcriptome data of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) database.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting PD-L1 suppress tumor growth.

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) therapy has been well recognized for treating B cell-derived malignancy. However, the efficacy of CAR-T cells against solid tumors remains dissatisfactory, partially due to the heterogeneity of solid tumors and T cell exhaustion in tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 is up-regulated in multiple solid tumors, resulting in T cell exhaustion upon binding to its receptor PD-1.

Cellular localization of the FMRP in rat retina.

The fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is a regulator of local translation through its mRNA targets in the neurons. Previous studies have demonstrated that FMRP may function in distinct ways during the development of different visual subcircuits. However, the localization of the FMRP in different types of retinal cells is unclear.

Famine Exposure during the Fetal Period Increased the Risk of Dyslipidemia in Female Adults.

Chronic diseases are gradually becoming public health challenges around the world. This study was designed to explore the relationship between early life exposure to famine in China and the risk of dyslipidemia during adulthood. A total of 604 subjects born from 1955 to 1965 received a health checkup and completed a questionnaire survey at the health management center of the tertiary hospital in Hefei, China, in 2013.

Mesothelin is a target of chimeric antigen receptor T cells for treating gastric cancer.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common cancer in Asia and currently lacks a targeted therapy approach. Mesothelin (MSLN) has been reported to be expressed in GC tissue and could be targeted by chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Mesothelin targeting CAR-T has been reported in mesothelioma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and pancreas cancer.

Establishment of peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived humanized lung cancer mouse models for studying efficacy of PD-L1/PD-1 targeted immunotherapy.

Animal models used to evaluate efficacies of immune checkpoint inhibitors are insufficient or inaccurate. We thus examined two xenograft models used for this purpose, with the aim of optimizing them. One method involves the use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell line-derived xenografts (PBMCs-CDX model).

Sex-specific Alterations in Serology and the Expression of Liver FATP4 Protein in Offspring Exposed to High-Fat Diet during Pregnancy and/or Lactation.

Changes in dietary composition will have a significant impact on the nutritional status of the mother and the offspring. To examine the relevant hormone level changes during lactation and the expression of fatty acid transporters in the placenta and liver under the condition of a high-fat (HF) diet, we established HF animal models and conducted a cross-fostering program to mimic the shift in diet. On gestation day (GD)18, the weight of placenta in the HF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.

Quantitative evaluation of the immunodeficiency of a mouse strain by tumor engraftments.

Background: The mouse is an organism that is widely used as a mammalian model for studying human physiology or disease, and the development of immunodeficient mice has provided a valuable tool for basic and applied human disease research. Following the development of large-scale mouse knockout programs and genome-editing tools, it has become increasingly efficient to generate genetically modified mouse strains with immunodeficiency. However, due to the lack of a standardized system for evaluating the immuno-capacity that prevents tumor progression in mice, an objective choice of the appropriate immunodeficient mouse strains to be used for tumor engrafting experiments is difficult.

Fluorescence and electronic action spectroscopy of mass-selected gas-phase fluorescein, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein, and 2',7'-difluorofluorescein ions.

2',7'-Dichloro- and 2',7'-difluorofluoresceins are superior alternatives to underivatized fluorescein. Although several studies characterizing their condensed-phase photophysical properties have been reported, little is known about their intrinsic characteristics. Here, the gas-phase properties of three charge states of each fluorescein are characterized using a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer which has been modified for spectroscopy.

Infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectroscopy and computational studies of mass-selected gas-phase fluorescein and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein ions.

Fluorescein (FL) and its derivative 2',7'-dichlorofluoroescein (DCF) are well-known fluorescent dyes used in many biological and biochemical applications. Although extensive studies have been carried out to investigate their chemical and photophysical properties in different solvent media, little is known about their intrinsic behaviors in the gas phase. Here, infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectra are reported for the three charged prototropic forms of FL and DCF and compared with computed IR spectra from electronic structure calculations.