Transferrin receptor 1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis by activating the mTOR signaling pathway.

Background: Aberrant iron metabolism is commonly observed in multiple tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, as the key regulator of iron metabolism involved in iron absorption, the role of transferrin receptor (TFRC) in HCC remains elusive.

Methods: The mRNA and protein expression of TFRC were evaluated in paired HCC and adjacent non-tumor specimens.

Alterations in gut microbiome and metabolomics in chronic hepatitis B infection-associated liver disease and their impact on peripheral immune response.

Gut dysbiosis has been reported in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, however its role in CHB progression and antiviral treatment remains to be clarified. Herein, the present study aimed to characterize gut microbiota (GM) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection-associated liver diseases (HBV-CLD) by combining microbiome with metabolome analyses and to evaluate their effects on peripheral immunity. Fecal samples from HBV-CLD patients (n = 64) and healthy controls (n = 17) were collected for 16s rRNA sequencing.

Shengmai San for Treatment of Cardiotoxicity from Anthracyclines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Shengmai San in patients with cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase Databases from the inceptions until December 2020. The Cochrane Handbook was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies.

TMA/TMAO in Hypertension: Novel Horizons and Potential Therapies.

Hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease and a risk factor for various diseases. Although its mechanisms and therapies are constantly being updated and developed, they are still not fully clarified. In recent years, novel gut microbiota and its metabolites have attracted widespread attention.

Nonomuraea cavernae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from a karst cave sample.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated SYSU K10005, was isolated from a soil sample collected from a karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-west China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were aerobic and Gram-stain-positive.

Nocardia cavernae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from a karst cave sample.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated YIM A1135T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from a karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-western China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were aerobic, Gram-stain-positive and partially acid-alcohol-fast.

Lentzea cavernae sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from a karst cave sample, and emended description of the genus Lentzea.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated SYSU K10001T, was isolated from a limestone sample collected from a karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-western China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were aerobic and Gram-stain-positive.

Nocardioides cavernae sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from a karst cave.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated YIM A1136T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from a karst cave in Xingyi county, Guizhou province, south-western China. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the strain were aerobic, Gram-staining-positive and rod-shaped.

Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Peptide Protects Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans from β-Amyloid Toxicity.

Scorpion venom heat-resistant peptide (SVHRP) is a component purified from Buthus martensii Karsch scorpion venom. Our previous studies found SVHRP could enhance neurogenesis and inhibit microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in vivo. Here, we use the transgenic CL4176, CL2006, and CL2355 strains of Caenorhabditis elegans which express the human Aβ1-42 to investigate the effects and the possible mechanisms of SVHRP mediated protection against Aβ toxicity in vivo.

Streptomyces xinjiangensis sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from Lop Nur region.

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated LPA192(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from Lop Nur, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Northwest China. A polyphasic approach was used to investigate the taxonomic position of strain LPA192(T). The isolate showed morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics typical of members of the genus Streptomyces.

Stackebrandtia cavernae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from a karst cave sample.

A novel actinobacterial strain, YIM ART06T, was isolated from a rock sample of karst cave located at Guizhou province, south-west China, and was characterized by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties of strain YIM ART06T were in accordance with those of the genus Stackebrandtia. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain YIM ART06T showed highest similarity to Stackebrandtia nassauensis JCM 14905T (98.

[The alterations of apoptosis factor Bcl-2/Bax in the early Parkinson's disease rats and the protective effect of scorpion venom derived activity peptide].

Objective: To explore the alterations of apoptosis factor Bcl-2/Bax in the early Parkinson's disease (PD) rats and the protective effect of scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide.

Methods: Healthy male SD rats (180-220 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10): early PD model group, sham operation group, scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide control group, scorpion venom derived bioactive peptide therapy group. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was used to prepare the early PD rat model.

Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Peptide Attenuates Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expression via c-Jun/AP-1.

Scorpion venom has been used in the Orient to treat central nervous system diseases for many years, and the protein/peptide toxins in Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK) venom are believed to be the effective components. Scorpion venom heat-resistant peptide (SVHRP) is an active component of the scorpion venom extracted from BmK. In a previous study, we found that SVHRP could inhibit the formation of a glial scar, which is characterized by enhanced glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, in the epileptic hippocampus.

Neuroprotection by scorpion venom heat resistant peptide in 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Neuroprotective effect of scorpion venom on Parkinson's disease (PD) has already been reported. The present study was aimed to investigate whether scorpion venom heat resistant peptide (SVHRP) could attenuate ultrastructural abnormalities in mitochondria and oxidative stress in midbrain neurons of early-stage PD model. The early-stage PD model was established by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (20 μg/3 μL normal saline with 0.

Scorpion venom heat-resistant peptide (SVHRP) enhances neurogenesis and neurite outgrowth of immature neurons in adult mice by up-regulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Scorpion venom heat-resistant peptide (SVHRP) is a component purified from Buthus martensii Karsch scorpion venom. Although scorpions and their venom have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat chronic neurological disorders, the underlying mechanisms of these treatments remain unknown. We applied SVHRP in vitro and in vivo to understand its effects on the neurogenesis and maturation of adult immature neurons and explore associated molecular mechanisms.

[The protective effect of nicotine on dopaminergic neuron of Parkinson's disease mice].

Aim: To investigate the protective effect of nicotine on dopaminergic neurons and its mechanisms in mice with Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were injected with MPTP for 8 days to establish PD model. Nicotine was given for 10 days in the pretreatment group.

[Effects of scorpion venom heat-resistant protein on kainic acid induced-damage of cultured primitive rat hippocampal neuropeptide Y-nergic neurons].

Aim: To investigate the effects of scorpion venom heat-resistant protein (SVHRP) on kainic acid induced-damage of cultured primitive rat hippocampal neuropeptide Y-nergic neurons.

Methods: We observed morphological changes, celluar vigor, NPY-immunoreactivity and NPY mRNA expression by means of Thionine staining, MTT assay, immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively, on the primitively cultured Sprague-Dawley rat hippocampal neuron treated with KA and SVHRP for 24 h.

Results: MTT assay and morphologic analysis showed that SVHRP markedly increased neuron survival-rate, and protected them from kA-induced damage.

[Inhibition of sodium channels in acutely isolated hippocampal neurons by scorpion venom heat resistant protein].

The effects of scorpion venom heat resistant protein (SVHRP) on sodium channel were studied in freshly isolated hippocampal neurons in rat using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The results indicated that tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-dependent sodium current in hippocampal neurons was inhibited by SVHRP in a dose-dependent manner. The half-inhibition concentration (IC(50)) was (0.

Inhibitory effects of scorpion venom heat resistant protein on the excitability of acutely isolated rat hippocampal neurons.

The effects of scorpion venom heat resistant protein (SVHRP) (National invention patent of China, 2004-10-20, No. ZL01 1 06166.92) on the excitability of acutely isolated rat hippocampal neurons were observed by whole-cell recording and the potential molecular mechanisms underlying its antiepileptic effect were investigated further.

[The rate of hepatitis B virus resistance to adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) and the evolution of hepatitis B virus in lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B patients with ADV monotherapy].

Objective: To study the resistant rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to ADV and the dynamic evolution of HBV in lamivudine (Lam)-resistant chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods: Twenty-three Lam-resistant CHB patients were assigned to a 10mg/d ADV monotherapy for 68-116 weeks. The baseline and different time point blood samples after ADV monotherapy were analyzed for ADV-resistant mutations using direct sequencing of PCR products; the evolution of HBV mutations was examined by clonal analysis of serial samples from one patient infected with ADV-associated resistant HBV strains.

The role of microglia in paraquat-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity.

The herbicide paraquat (PQ) has been implicated as a potential risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease. In this study, PQ (0.5-1 microM) was shown to be selectively toxic to dopaminergic (DA) neurons through the activation of microglial NADPH oxidase and the generation of superoxide.