Knockdown of the glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase gene by RNA interference enhances the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi against rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis.

Insect cuticle acts as a first line of defense and a physical protective barrier against entomopathogens. Chitin biosynthesis pathway plays a crucial role in chitin formation in the cuticle of insects. Glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA) is a key enzyme in insect chitin biosynthesis that regulate the chitin formation.

Identification and functional study of Fib-L, a major silk fibroin gene component in rice leaf folders.

The rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major migratory pest in rice agriculture. This pest is characterised by its larvae's ability to fold rice leaves using silk, a behaviour that culminates in the formation of a silken cocoon during the pupal stage. The fibroin light chain (CmFib-L) gene is crucial for silk production, yet its specific function in C.

Nanoenabled IL-15 Superagonist via Conditionally Stabilized Protein-Protein Interactions Eradicates Solid Tumors by Precise Immunomodulation.

Protein complexes are crucial structures that control many biological processes. Harnessing these structures could be valuable for therapeutic therapy. However, their instability and short lifespans need to be addressed for effective use.

Nanoassemblies of heptamethine cyanine dye-initiated poly(amino acid) enhance ROS generation for effective antitumour phototherapy.

Phototherapy shows great potential for pinpoint tumour treatment. Heptamethine cyanine dyes like IR783 have high potential as agents for antitumour phototherapy due to their inherent tumour targeting ability, though their effectiveness is unsatisfactory for clinical translation. To overcome this limitation, we present an innovative strategy involving IR783-based polymeric nanoassemblies that improve the dye's performance as an antitumoural photosensitizer.

Selective Intracellular Delivery of Antibodies in Cancer Cells with Nanocarriers Sensing Endo/Lysosomal Enzymatic Activity.

The differential enzymatic activity in the endo/lysosomes of particular cells could trigger targeted endosomal escape functions, enabling selective intracellular protein delivery. However, this strategy may be jeopardized due to protein degradation during endosomal trafficking. Herein, using custom made fluorescent probes to assess the endosomal activity of cathepsin B (CTSB) and protein degradation, we found that certain cancer cells with hyperacidified endosomes grant a spatiotemporal window where CTSB activity surpass protein digestion.

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.

An IL-12-Based Nanocytokine Safely Potentiates Anticancer Immunity through Spatiotemporal Control of Inflammation to Eradicate Advanced Cold Tumors.

Treatment of immunologically cold tumors is a major challenge for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Interleukin 12 (IL-12) can invigorate ICIs against cold tumors by establishing a robust antitumor immunity. However, its toxicity and systemic induction of counteracting immunosuppressive signals have hindered translation.

Age-specific random day serum antimüllerian hormone reference values for women of reproductive age in the general population: a large Chinese nationwide population-based survey.

Background: Antimüllerian hormone, the most reliable biomarker of ovarian reserve, is widely used in various clinical situations. Antimüllerian hormone levels consistently decrease with age. However, there is no standard, age-specific reference values for antimüllerian hormone in women of reproductive age, which limits its application.

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.

Changes in the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in China over the past decade.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has become a major international public health concern. However, because of controversy about the diagnostic criteria and patient selection, estimates of its absolute prevalence and change with time vary greatly.

Methods: We conducted two consecutive nationwide epidemiological surveys of the prevalence of PCOS in representative samples of reproductive-aged women in China in 2010 and 2020.

Identification and Characterization of a Double-Stranded RNA Degrading Nuclease Influencing RNAi Efficiency in the Rice Leaf Folder .

Rice leaf folder is one of the most serious pests of rice in rice-planting regions worldwide. DsRNA-degrading nucleases (dsRNases) are important factors in reducing the efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi) in different insects. In this study, a gene from () was cloned and characterized.

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.

The Genetic Association of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Risk of Endometrial Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

The association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometrial cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the causal association between genetically predicted PCOS and endometrial cancer risk in two ethnic groups through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Our study includes 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs) for PCOS in Europeans, and another 13 SNPs are used as IVs for PCOS in Asians.

The Association Between Genetically Predicted Systemic Inflammatory Regulators and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic diseases among women of reproductive age. Inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS, but its exact relationship with PCOS remains unclear. Herein, we investigate the causal association between systemic inflammatory regulators and PCOS risk through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach based on the latest and largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 41 systemic inflammatory regulators in 8293 Finnish participants and a GWAS meta-analysis consisting of 10,074 PCOS cases and 103,164 controls of European ancestry.

Effects of Metformin on Reproductive, Endocrine, and Metabolic Characteristics of Female Offspring in a Rat Model of Letrozole-Induced Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome With Insulin Resistance.

The beneficial effects of metformin, especially its capacity to ameliorate insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), explains why it is widely prescribed. However, its effect on the offspring of patients with PCOS remains uncertain. This study investigated the impact of metformin treatment on the first- and second-generation female offspring born to letrozole-induced PCOS-IR rats.

Association of Variants in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A Gene and VEGFA Serum Levels with the Risk of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: The study aimed at investigating the association between the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) genetic variants, the VEGFA serum level, and the primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) risk in Chinese Han women.

Design: An age-matched case-control study was implemented in the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University. Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods: Blood samples and clinical information were collected from 240 patients with POI and 261 healthy controls between December 2012 and December 2018 at the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University.

Swainsonine producing performance of Alternaria oxytropis was improved by heavy-ion mutagenesis technology.

Swainsonine, an indolizidine alkaloid, is a promising anti-tumorigenic compound. Biological production of swainsonine was prospective, but the low swainsonine yield of wild type Alternaria oxytropis limited its production on a large scale. In present work, a stable A.

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.