LncRNA FAISL Inhibits Calpain 2-Mediated Proteolysis of FAK to Promote Progression and Metastasis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype in breast tumors. When re-analyzing TCGA breast cancer dataset, we found cell adhesion molecules are highly enriched in differentially expressed genes in TNBC samples, among which Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is most significantly associated with poor survival of TNBC patients. FAK is precisely modulated in the focal adhesion dynamics.

ATR/Chk1 interacting lncRNA modulates DNA damage response to induce breast cancer chemoresistance.

The ATR-Chk1 pathway is essential in cellular responses to DNA damage and replication stress, whereas the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating this pathway remains largely unknown. In this study, we identify an ATR and Chk1 interacting lncRNA (ACIL, also known as LRRC75A-AS1 or SNHG29), which promotes the phosphorylation of Chk1 by ATR upon DNA damages. High ACIL levels are associated with chemoresistance to DNA damaging agents and poor outcome of breast cancer patients.

Single exposure to anesthesia/surgery in neonatal mice induces cognitive impairment in young adult mice.

Background: The effects of a solitary neonatal exposure to anesthesia plus surgery (anesthesia/surgery) on cognitive function and the underlying mechanism in developing brains remains largely undetermined. We, therefore, set out to investigate the impact of single exposure to anesthesia/surgery in neonatal mice.

Methods: Six-day-old male and female mice received abdominal surgery under 3% sevoflurane plus 50% oxygen for 2 h.

The role of age-related sleep EEG changes in memory decline: experiments and computational modeling.

The slow oscillation (SO) observed during deep sleep is known to facilitate memory consolidation. However, the impact of age-related changes in sleep electroencephalography (EEG) oscillations and memory remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contribution of age-related changes in sleep SO and its role in memory decline by combining EEG recordings and computational modeling.

Pyroptosis by NLRP3/caspase-1/gasdermin-D pathway in synovial tissues of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

We investigated the potential involvement of pyroptosis, a proinflammatory form of regulated cell death, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Synovial fluid, synovial tissues and/or serum were compared among 32 patients with RA, 46 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 30 healthy controls. Samples were assayed for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18 and lactate hydrogenase (LDH).

LncRNA NRON promotes tumorigenesis by enhancing MDM2 activity toward tumor suppressor substrates.

The E3 ligase MDM2 promotes tumor growth and progression by inducing ubiquitin-mediated degradation of P53 and other tumor-suppressing proteins. Here, we identified an MDM2-interacting lncRNA NRON, which promotes tumor formation by suppressing both P53-dependent and independent pathways. NRON binds to MDM2 and MDMX (MDM4) via two different stem-loops, respectively, and induces their heterogenous dimerization, thereby enhancing the E3 ligase activity of MDM2 toward its tumor-suppressing substrates, including P53, RB1, and NFAT1.

Nigericin Boosts Anti-Tumor Immune Response via Inducing Pyroptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors improved the clinical outcomes of advanced triple negative breast cancer (TBNC) patients, the response rate remains relatively low. Nigericin is an antibiotic derived from . We found that nigericin caused cell death in TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 by inducing concurrent pyroptosis and apoptosis.

Perioperative probiotics attenuates postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication in elderly patients following surgery. The preventive and/or treatment strategies for the incidence remain limited.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of perioperative probiotic treatment on POCD in elderly patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty.

Insights into the loss of glucoraphanin in post-harvested broccoli--Possible involvement of the declined supply capacity of sulfur donor.

The loss of characteristic nutrient glucoraphanin during the shelf life seriously affects the nutritional quality of broccoli. Here, we monitored the changes in the levels of sulfur donors (cysteine and glutathione) required for glucoraphanin biosynthesis. Similar to glucoraphanin, cysteine content decreased sharply.

Long noncoding RNA DIO3OS induces glycolytic-dominant metabolic reprogramming to promote aromatase inhibitor resistance in breast cancer.

Aromatase inhibition is an efficient endocrine therapy to block ectopic estrogen production for postmenopausal estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer patients, but many develop resistance. Here, we show that aromatase inhibitor (AI)-resistant breast tumors display features of enhanced aerobic glycolysis with upregulation of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) DIO3OS, which correlates with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients on AI therapies. Long-term estrogen deprivation induces DIO3OS expression in ER-positive breast tumor cells, which further enhances aerobic glycolysis and promotes estrogen-independent cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo.

Phenylpropanoid metabolism in relation to peel browning development of cold-stored 'Nanguo' pears.

Cold-stored 'Nanguo' pears are susceptible to peel browning during subsequent shelf life. In this study, 'Nanguo' pears were cold-stored for different periods to elucidate the metabolism of phenylpropanoid accompanying browning. Changes in phenolics and flavonoids and the crucial enzyme activity and related gene expression involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway were monitored.

Long noncoding RNA OVAAL enhances nucleotide synthesis through pyruvate carboxylase to promote 5-fluorouracil resistance in gastric cancer.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in gastric cancer treatment, yet 5-FU resistance remains an important clinical challenge. We established a model based on five long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) to effectively assess the prognosis of gastric cancer patients; among them, lncRNA OVAAL was markedly upregulated in gastric cancer and associated with poor prognosis and 5-FU resistance. In vitro and in vivo assays confirmed that OVAAL promoted proliferation and 5-FU resistance of gastric cancer cells.

The CaMYB340 transcription factor induces chilling injury in post-harvest bell pepper by inhibiting fatty acid desaturation.

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a tradable and desirable crop; however, its perishable nature requires low-temperature handling. Paradoxically, cold causes chilling injury (CI) and post-harvest waste.

Evaluating a Panel of Autoantibodies Against Tumor-Associated Antigens in Human Osteosarcoma.

The aim of this study was to identify a panel of candidate autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens in the detection of osteosarcoma (OS) so as to provide a theoretical basis for constructing a non-invasive serological diagnosis method in early immunodiagnosis of OS. The serological proteome analysis (SERPA) approach was used to select candidate anti-TAA autoantibodies. Then, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to verify the expression levels of eight candidate autoantibodies in the serum of 51 OS cases, 28 osteochondroma (OC), and 51 normal human sera (NHS).

Long non-coding RNA and non-coding nucleic acids: Signaling players in the networks of the tumor ecosystem.

Recent findings have revealed that human genome encodes tens of thousands long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which play essential roles in broad spectrum of cellular processes. Emerging evidence has uncovered a new archetype of lncRNAs which functions as key components of cell signaling pathways. In this review, we describe how lncRNAs interact with proteins to regulate cancer intracellular signaling and intercellular signaling in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which enable cancer cells to acquire malignant hallmarks.

Exogenous glutathione alleviates chilling injury in postharvest bell pepper by modulating the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle.

We investigated the effect of exogenous glutathione (GSH) on chilling injury (CI) in postharvest bell pepper fruits stored at low temperature and explored the mechanism of this treatment from the perspective of the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle. Compared with the control, fruits treated with exogenous GSH before refrigeration displayed only slight CI symptoms and mitigated CI-induced cell damage after 10 d. Moreover, the treated peppers had lower lipid peroxidation product, HO, and O content than those did the control.

Non-coding RNAs rewire cancer metabolism networks.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are functional RNAs with limited or no protein-coding ability. These interact with their target molecules and participate in the precise regulation of disease development. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark in cancer, and is considered essential in meeting increased macromolecular biosynthesis and energy generation of tumors.

PuMYB21/PuMYB54 coordinate to activate transcription during peel browning of cold-stored "Nanguo" pears.

Refrigeration is commonly used to extend the storage life of "Nanguo" pears, but fruit in long-term refrigeration is prone to peel browning, which is related to membrane lipid degradation. To determine the mechanism of membrane lipid degradation, we identified two R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs), PuMYB21 and PuMYB54, from "Nanguo" pears, which were notably expressed in response to cold stress and during the peel-browning process. The results from yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift, and transient expression assays indicated that both PuMYB21 and PuMYB54 directly bind to the promoter of (a key enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids) and activate its expression, which probably enhances the degradation of membrane phospholipids and eventually results in peel browning.

Methyl jasmonate pretreatment improves aroma quality of cold-stored 'Nanguo' pears by promoting ester biosynthesis.

Cold storage is widely used for delaying ripening and senescence; however, fruit aroma diminishes noticeably after long-term cold storage. The esters synthesized by the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway are responsible for 'Nanguo' pear aroma. As methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is known to act on various fruit qualities, we investigated whether it acts via the LOX pathway in cold-stored 'Nanguo' pears.

Icariin Ameliorates Lower Back Pain in Rats via Suppressing the Secretion of Cytokine-Induced Neutrophil Chemoatractant-1.

Purpose: To investigate whether icariin (ICA), a well-known medicine extracted from the stem and leaf of Maxim, had analgesic effect on lower back pain (LBP) in rats.

Methods: In a puncture-induced LBP rat model, the severity of LBP was quantified using the paw/foot withdrawal threshold method after intragastric administration of ICA at a dosage of 50 mg/kg/d or 100 mg/kg/d. The pain-related peptides of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were also measured in intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue using RT-PCR after ICA treatment.

Insights into profiling of volatile ester and LOX-pathway related gene families accompanying post-harvest ripening of 'Nanguo' pears.

'Nanguo' pear is particularly renowned for its fragrance. Esters are the main components of its aroma, which are synthesized primarily by the LOX pathway. We identified the main volatile esters and critical gene family members involved in the LOX pathway by monitoring their variation accompanying post-harvest ripening and examining their roles through principal component analysis (PCA), partial least-square regression (PLSR), and correlation analysis.

Combining salicylic acid and trisodium phosphate alleviates chilling injury in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) through enhancing fatty-acid desaturation efficiency and water retention.

Chilling injury (CI) restricts the quality and shelf life of bell pepper fruits; reducing these CI-induced detrimental effects is therefore of high economic and agricultural relevance. Here, we investigated the effects of trisodium phosphate (TSP), salicylic acid (SA), and TSP + SA treatments on pepper fruits under cold stress at 4 °C for 25 d. Combined TSP + SA treatment performed an optimal effect.

Academic Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Professional Identity Among Preservice Special Education Teachers in China.

The relationship among the social support, professional identity, and academic self-efficacy (ASE) of Chinese preservice special education teachers are explored by measuring the perceived social support, professional identity, and ASE of 302 undergraduate students. Results of the multiple regression are as follows. (1) A significant positive correlation exists among ASE, social support, and professional identity.

Disorder of membrane metabolism induced membrane instability plays important role in pericarp browning of refrigerated 'Nanguo' pears.

Refrigeration is used to retard senescence and extend the storage life of 'Nanguo' pears, but fruits subjected to long-term refrigeration are prone to pericarp browning during subsequent shelf life. To uncover the potential effects of membrane lipid changes during fruit pericarp browning, changes in fruit appearance and cell ultrastructure were observed after different storage durations. Membrane lipid content as well as the activity and gene expression of enzymes involved in membrane lipid metabolism and membrane stability were analyzed.

Rac1 activates non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway to induce chemoresistance of breast cancer.

Resistance development to one chemotherapeutic reagent leads frequently to acquired tolerance to other compounds, limiting the therapeutic options for cancer treatment. Herein, we find that overexpression of Rac1 is associated with multi-drug resistance to the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Mechanistically, Rac1 activates aldolase A and ERK signaling which up-regulates glycolysis and especially the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).