Multiple factors influence bacterial community diversity and composition in soils with rare earth element and heavy metal co-contamination.

The effects of long-term rare earth element (REE) and heavy metal (HM) contamination on soil bacterial communities remains poorly understood. In this study, soil samples co-contaminated with REEs and HMs were collected from a rare-earth tailing dam. The bacterial community composition and diversity were analyzed through Illumina high-throughput sequencing with 16S rRNA gene amplicons.

Enrichment of Type I Methanotrophs with nirS Genes of Three Emergent Macrophytes in a Eutrophic Wetland in China.

The pmoA gene, encoding particulate methane monooxygenase in methanotrophs, and nirS and nirK genes, encoding bacterial nitrite reductases, were examined in the root and rhizosphere sediment of three common emergent macrophytes (Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, and Scirpus triqueter) and unvegetated sediment from eutrophic Wuliangsuhai Lake in China. Sequencing analyses indicated that 334 out of 351 cloned pmoA sequences were phylogenetically the most closely related to type I methanotrophs (Gammaproteobacteria), and Methylomonas denitrificans-like organisms accounted for 44.4% of the total community.

Piperlongumine selectively kills hepatocellular carcinoma cells and preferentially inhibits their invasion via ROS-ER-MAPKs-CHOP.

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) are highly malignant and aggressive tumors lack of effective therapeutic drugs. Piperlongumine (PL), a natural product isolated from longer pepper plants, is recently identified as a potent cytotoxic compound highly selective to cancer cells. Here, we reported that PL specifically suppressed HCC cell migration/invasion via endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-MAPKs-CHOP signaling pathway.

Piperlongumine induces apoptotic and autophagic death of the primary myeloid leukemia cells from patients via activation of ROS-p38/JNK pathways.

Aim: To investigate the effects of piperlongumine (PL), an anticancer alkaloid from long pepper plants, on the primary myeloid leukemia cells from patients and the mechanisms of action.

Methods: Human BM samples were obtained from 9 patients with acute or chronic myeloid leukemias and 2 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) were isolated and cultured.

Piperlongumine inhibits migration of glioblastoma cells via activation of ROS-dependent p38 and JNK signaling pathways.

Piperlongumine (PL) is recently found to kill cancer cells selectively and effectively via targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS) responses. To further explore the therapeutic effects of PL in cancers, we investigated the role and mechanisms of PL in cancer cell migration. PL effectively inhibited the migration of human glioma (LN229 or U87 MG) cells but not normal astrocytes in the scratch-wound culture model.

Neuroglobin promotes neurite outgrowth via differential binding to PTEN and Akt.

Neuroglobin, the third mammalian globin with a hexa-coordinated heme, exists predominantly in neurons of the brain. Neuroglobin plays an important role in neuronal death upon ischemia and oxidative stress. The physiological function of neuroglobin remains unclear.

Piperlongumine selectively kills glioblastoma multiforme cells via reactive oxygen species accumulation dependent JNK and p38 activation.

Piperlongumine (PL), a natural alkaloid isolated from the long pepper, may have anti-cancer properties. It selectively targets and kills cancer cells but leaves normal cells intact. Here, we reported that PL selectively killed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells via accumulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to activate JNK and p38.

Neuroglobin, a novel intracellular hexa-coordinated globin, functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma via Raf/MAPK/Erk.

Hypoxia and oxidative stress are critical factors in carcinogenesis and exist throughout cancer development; however, the underlying mechanisms are far from clear. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we reported that neuroglobin (Ngb), an intracellular hexa-coordinated globin serving as an oxygen/reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensor, functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC). Ngb protein and mRNA expression were significantly down-regulated in tumor tissues, compared with its adjacent non-tumor tissues of human HCC samples and normal liver tissues.

Korean red ginseng improves blood pressure stability in patients with intradialytic hypotension.

Introduction. Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common complication during hemodialysis which may increase mortality risks. Low dose of Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been reported to increase blood pressure.