Ionizable Polymeric Micelles with Phenylalanine Moieties Enhance Intracellular Delivery of Self-Replicating RNA for Long-Lasting Protein Expression In Vivo.

mRNA-based therapeutics are revolutionizing the landscape of medical interventions. However, the short half-life of mRNA and transient protein expression often limits its therapeutic potential, demanding high treatment doses or repeated administrations. Self-replicating RNA (RepRNA)-based treatments could offer enhanced protein production and reduce the required dosage.

An update on renal fibrosis: from mechanisms to therapeutic strategies with a focus on extracellular vesicles.

The increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global public health concern. Despite the complicated pathogenesis of CKD, renal fibrosis represents the most common pathological condition, comprised of progressive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the diseased kidney. Over the last several decades, tremendous progress in understanding the mechanism of renal fibrosis has been achieved, and corresponding potential therapeutic strategies targeting fibrosis-related signaling pathways are emerging.

Dietary Methylglyoxal Exposure Induces Alzheimer's Disease by Promoting Amyloid β Accumulation and Disrupting Autophagy in .

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a precursor of advanced glycation end products usually generated during cooking. The high level of MG in the brain is correlated to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is not clear if MG consumed through the diet can cause AD-related toxicity.

Identification and Functional Analysis of a Defensin CcDef2 from .

belongs to Dinidoridae, Hemiptera. Previous studies have indicated that contains abundant polypeptides with antibacterial and anticancer activities. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as endogenous peptides with immune function, play an indispensable role in the process of biological development and immunity.

Glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase gene silencing by parental RNA interference in rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Parental RNAi (pRNAi) is a response of RNA interference in which treated insect pests progenies showed a gene silencing phenotypes. pRNAi of CmGNA gene has been studied in Cnaphalocrocis medinalis via injection. Our results showed significant reduction in ovulation per female that was 26% and 35.

Identification and Functional Analysis of a Lysozyme Gene from (Hemiptera: Dinidoridae).

is a valuable medicinal insect resource in China. Previous studies have indicated that the antibacterial and anticancer effects of the extract mainly come from the active polypeptides. Lysozyme is an effective immune effector in insect innate immunity and usually has excellent bactericidal effects.

Cloning, Characterization, and RNA Interference Effect of the Gene in .

The rice leaf folder, is a major pest of rice and is difficult to control. UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) is a key enzyme in the chitin synthesis pathway in insects. In this study, the gene from () was cloned and characterized.

Characterization, Knockdown and Parental Effect of Gene of (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Revealed by RNA Interference.

Hexokinase (HK) is a key enzyme in chitin biosynthesis in insects and plays an important role in development and energy regulation. It also performs a crucial role in the synthesis of Glucose-6-phosphate and its putative functions are studied via injection of dsRNA corresponding to the gene from (). This study was designed to analyze the characteristics and expression patterns of HK-related genes in various tissues of at different developmental stages.

The single nucleotide variant at c.662A>G in human RRM2B is a loss-of-function mutation.

Background: Mitochondrial DNA maintenance defects (MDMDs) is one of the critical pediatric dysfunction. One of the recent report indicated that a severe patient of MDMDs carries the NP_056528.2:p.

Early-life long-term exposure to ZnO nanoparticles suppresses innate immunity regulated by SKN-1/Nrf and the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The widespread use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has led to their release into the environment, and they thus represent a potential risk for both humans and ecosystems. However, the negative impact of ZnO-NPs on the immune system, especially in relation to host defense against pathogenic infection and its underlying regulatory mechanisms, remains largely unexplored. This study investigated the effects of early-life long-term ZnO-NPs exposure (from L1 larvae to adults) on innate immunity and its underlying mechanisms using a host-pathogen Caenorhabditis elegans model, and this was compared with the effect of ionic Zn.

Early life exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate causes age-related declines associated with insulin/IGF-1-like signaling pathway and SKN-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is an ubiquitous and emerging contaminant that is widely present in food, agricultural crop, and the environment, posing a potential risk to human health. This study utilized the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to decipher the toxic effects of early life exposure to DEHP on aging and its underlying mechanisms. The results showed that exposure to DEHP at 0.

How to Evaluate Acne in Reproductive-Age Women: An Epidemiological Study in Chinese Communities.

Background: Acne is not only a skin condition but also a cardinal component of many systemic diseases or syndromes. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of acne in reproductive-age women in Sichuan province, China, and to evaluate acne as a skin problem alone or a symptom of gynecological/endocrinological disease.

Methods: From October 2008 to September 2009, 1043 reproductive-age women from 19 to 45 years of age from seven communities of three districts in Sichuan province completed a standardized questionnaire and a physical examination.

Chronic exposure to triadimenol at environmentally relevant concentration adversely affects aging biomarkers in Caenorhabditis elegans associated with insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway.

Triadimenol, an agricultural fungicide, is an emerging environmental concern due to its wide usage, detection in the environment, and its chemical persistency. Triadimenol has been found to disrupt endocrine signaling and alter function of several transcription factors, yet its age-related toxicity effects remain unclear. This study used Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model organism to elucidate the age-related effects of triadimenol and its underlying mechanisms.

Prolonged exposure of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate induces multigenerational toxic effects in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an emerging organic contaminant that has represented a risk for organisms present in the environment. However, there is still limited information regarding DEHP-induced multigenerational toxicity and the underlying mechanisms. In this study we investigated the multigenerational toxic effects including locomotive behaviors and reproduction upon prolonged DEHP exposure (from larval L1 to adult) and the underlying mechanisms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Genome-Wide Profiling of Long Noncoding RNA Expression Patterns in Women With Repeated Implantation Failure by RNA Sequencing.

Objectives: To compare long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels in endometrium between patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) following in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer and control women.

Materials And Methods: RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and alignments were performed to identify lncRNAs and mRNAs using endometrial samples collected from 3 patients and 3 control women. A subset of 10 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 6 mRNAs were validated in all participants using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

[Expression of HSP70 in Kunming Mouse Embryos Stimulated by Chronic Mild Anticipatory Stress].

Objective: To measure the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in mice embryos with the stimulation of chronic mild anticipatory stress (CUMS) to female Kunming mice.

Methods: Three hundreds female Kunming mice were stressed by 9 chronic mild unpredictable stress factors for 28 days and then divided into three groups of mild, moderate and severe stress. PMSG/hCG was measured to assess the induction of superovulation, and ovarian response and embryo development potential were observed.

Chronic ZnO-NPs exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations results in metabolic and locomotive toxicities in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are emerging contaminants that raise the concerns of potential risk in the aquatic environment. It has been estimated that the environmental ZnO-NPs concentration is 76 μg/l in the aquatic environment. Our aim was to determine the aquatic toxicity of ZnO-NPs with chronic exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

bFGF and VEGF improve the quality of vitrified-thawed human ovarian tissues after xenotransplantation to SCID mice.

Purpose: The aim of this research is to study whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone or in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) could improve the quality of vitrified-thawed human ovarian tissue xenotransplanted to severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mice.

Methods: After collection and cryopreservation, thawed human ovarian tissue were cultured in vitro for 2 days and then xenografted to severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mice for 7 days. The in vitro culture medium was separated into six groups, including (A) the blank control group, (B) the human recombinant bFGF (150 ng/ml) group, (C) the bFGF (150 ng/ml)+human recombinant VEGF (25 ng/ml) group, (D) bFGF (150 ng/ml)+VEGF (50 ng/ml) group, (E) bFGF (150 ng/ml)+ VEGF (75 ng/ml) group and (F) bFGF (150 ng/ml) + VEGF (100 ng/ml) group.

miRNA-592 is downregulated and may target LHCGR in polycystic ovary syndrome patients.

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder mainly associated with infertility. Abnormal regulation of relevant genes is required for follicular development in PCOS. In the current study, the expression of serum miRNAs of PCOS patients was explored using miRNA array followed by qRT-PCR assays.

HSP70 overexpression may play a protective role in the mouse embryos stimulated by CUMS.

Background: We evaluated whether heat shock protein HSP70 plays a protective role in the embryos of Kunming mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress.

Methods: Female mice were stimulated for 4 weeks with nine stressors and then divided into mild, moderate and severe stress groups. Superovulation was induced with a gonadotropin preparation (PMSG/HCG) and HSP70 expression in 2-cell embryos and day 4 embryos was detected by immunofluorescence (IF) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

In vitro culture thawed human ovarian tissue: NIV versus slow freezing method.

The aim of this study was to determine if the needle immersed vitrification method (NIV) can improve the growth potential of thawed ovarian tissue in vitro culture. Human ovarian cortical tissues were cryopreserved using NIV and slow freezing method. After 14 days of culture, the preservation outcomes of NIV and slow freezing groups were analyzed histologically using light microscope and apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay.

CYP1B1 C4326G polymorphism and susceptibility to cervical cancer in Chinese Han women.

Cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) is a key P450 enzyme, which could catalyze the formation of 4-hydroxy estrogen metabolites and play a role in estrogen-dependent cancers. We hypothesized that genetic variant in CYP1B1 may modify individual susceptibility to cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between CYP1B1 C4326G polymorphism and cervical cancer risk in Chinese women.

Transcriptome and gene expression analysis of the rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrosis medinalis.

Background: The rice leaf folder (RLF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is one of the most destructive pests affecting rice in Asia. Although several studies have been performed on the ecological and physiological aspects of this species, the molecular mechanisms underlying its developmental regulation, behavior, and insecticide resistance remain largely unknown. Presently, there is a lack of genomic information for RLF; therefore, studies aimed at profiling the RLF transcriptome expression would provide a better understanding of its biological function at the molecular level.

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) genetic polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk: a huge systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies investigating the association between X-ray repair cross-complementation group 1(XRCC1) polymorphisms and cervical cancer (CC) risk has provided inconsistent results. The aim of our study was to assess the association between the XRCC1 gene Arg399Gln, Arg194Trp, Arg280His polymorphisms and risk of CC.

Methods: Two investigators independently searched the Medline, Embase, CNKI, and Chinese Biomedicine Databases for studies published before March 2011.

Estrogen receptor-alpha gene PvuII (T/C) and XbaI (A/G) polymorphisms and endometriosis risk: a meta-analysis.

Estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) polymorphisms have been hypothesized to be associated with the risk of endometriosis (EMT) development by many epidemiological studies, however, the available results were conflicting. To derive a more precise estimation of association between the ER-α PvuII (T/C) and XbaI (A/G) polymorphisms and risk of EMT, we performed a meta-analysis. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for ER-α polymorphisms and EMT were calculated in a fixed-effects model and a random-effects model when appropriate.