Noveland rapid self-gelation recombinant collagen-like protein hydrogel for wound regeneration: mediated by metal coordination crosslinking and reinforced by electro-oxidized tea polyphenols.

Recombinant collagen holds immense potential in the development of medical functional materials, yet its widespread application remains hindered by the absence of a suitable self-assembly strategy. In this article, we report the discovery that the bacterial-derived collagen-like (CL) protein Scl2 can rapidly self-gelation (∼1 min at pH ∼7) due to properties enabled by metal coordination crosslinking. This was achieved by fusing metal ion chelating peptides to both termini of the protein.

Mechanically tunable, antibacterial and bioactive mussel adhesive protein/hyaluronic acid coacervates as bioadhesives.

In this work a bioadhesive was developed based on coacervates composed of recombinant mussel adhesive protein (MAP) and dopamine grafted hyaluronic acid (HA). Dopamine profoundly affected rheological attributes of the coacervates, leading to reduced rigidity, enhanced chain flexibility, more sol-like and fluid character and higher tolerance against structural collapse. The coacervates were rendered flowability, injectability, and adaptability, benefiting convenient delivery and making good contact with the skin to provide firm sealing for wounds of various shape and depth.

High-Strength Collagen-Based Composite Films Regulated by Water-Soluble Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins and Water Annealing.

Spider silk has attracted extensive attention in the development of high-performance tissue engineering materials because of its excellent physical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Although high-molecular-weight recombinant spider silk proteins can be obtained through metabolic engineering of host bacteria, the solubility of the recombinant protein products is always poor. Strong denaturants and organic solvents have thus had to be exploited for their dissolution, and this seriously limits the applications of recombinant spider silk protein-based composite biomaterials.

Layer-by-Layer Deposited Hybrid Polymer Coatings Based on Polysaccharides and Zwitterionic Silanes with Marine Antifouling Properties.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) assembly is a versatile tool to construct low-fouling coatings. For application in the marine environment, their structure needs to be stabilized by covalent linkage. Here, we introduce an approach for spin coating of silane-based sol-gel chemistries using layer-by-layer assembly of polysaccharide-based hybrid polymer coatings (LBLHPs).

Effect of Multilayer Termination on Nonspecific Protein Adsorption and Antifouling Activity of Alginate-Based Layer-by-Layer Coatings.

Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly is a versatile platform for applying coatings and studying the properties of promising compounds for antifouling applications. Here, alginate-based LbL coatings were fabricated by alternating the deposition of alginic acid and chitosan or polyethylenimine to form multilayer coatings. Films were prepared with either odd or even bilayer numbers to investigate if the termination of the LbL coatings affects the physicochemical properties, resistance against the nonspecific adsorption (NSA) of proteins, and antifouling efficacy.

Degradable hyaluronic acid/chitosan polyelectrolyte multilayers with marine fouling-release properties.

Polysaccharide multilayers consisting of hyaluronic acid and chitosan were prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. To be used in seawater, the multilayers were crosslinked to a different degree using thermal or chemical methods. ATR-FTIR revealed different amide densities as a result of the crosslinking conditions.

Cytocompatibility Evaluation of a Novel Series of PEG-Functionalized Lactide-Caprolactone Copolymer Biomaterials for Cardiovascular Applications.

Although the use of bioresorbable materials in stent production is thought to improve long-term safety compared to their durable counterparts, a recent FDA report on the 2-year follow-up of the first FDA-approved bioresorbable vascular stent showed an increased occurrence of major adverse cardiac events and thrombosis in comparison to the metallic control. In order to overcome the issues of first generation bioresorbable polymers, a series of polyethylene glycol-functionalized poly-L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone copolymers with varying lactide-to-caprolactone content is developed using a novel one-step PEG-functionalization and copolymerization strategy. This approach represents a new facile way toward surface enhancement for cellular interaction, which is shown by screening these materials regarding their cyto- and hemocompatibility in terms of cytotoxicity, hemolysis, platelet adhesion, leucocyte activation and endothelial cell adhesion.

Layer-by-layer constructed hyaluronic acid/chitosan multilayers as antifouling and fouling-release coatings.

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) consisting of hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (Ch) are extensively studied for biomedical applications and suppress bacterial and protein attachment. Here, we prepared and tested HA/Ch PEMs as marine fouling-release coatings. PEMs were constructed by layer-by-layer assembly using spin coating.

MicroRNA-26a inhibits proliferation and tumorigenesis via targeting CKS2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common head and neck cancers, with high mortality and incidence. MicroRNA-26a (miR-26a) is involved in the development and progression of several tumours. However, the roles of miR-26a and its target CKS2 in LSCC progression are not yet clear.

MTA1 promotes viability and motility in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by modulating IQGAP1 expression.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is frequently seen in Chinese, especially the population that resides in southeast China. Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) is a chromatin modifier and plays a role in tumor cell metastasis. IQGAP1 is a ubiquitously expressed protein that contributes to cytoskeleton remodeling.

MiR-503 enhances the radiosensitivity of laryngeal carcinoma cells via the inhibition of WEE1.

Enhancing the sensitivity of laryngeal cells to radiation is crucial for improving the efficacy of laryngeal carcinoma. MicroRNAs are known to play a major role in regulating cellular radiosensitivity. This study was designed to explore the effect and the molecular basis of miR-503 in the radiosensitivity of laryngeal carcinoma cells.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 3 Promotes Cancer Cell Proliferation and Tumorigenesis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma by Targeting p27.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignancy of the head and neck that arises from the nasopharynx epithelium and is highly invasive. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 (CDKN3) belongs to the dual-specificity protein phosphatase family, which plays a key role in regulating cell division. Abnormal expression of CDKN3 has been found in numerous types of cancer.

Elevated expression of Nrf2 mediates multidrug resistance in CD133 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma stem cells.

Enhanced expression of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter protein ABC sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) in cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays a major role in chemotherapeutic drug efflux, which results in therapy failure and tumor relapse. In addition to downregulating apoptosis in CSCs, it has been reported that the transcriptional upregulation of the redox sensing factor Nrf2 is involved in the upregulation of ABCG2 expression and consequent chemoresistance. The current study investigated the presence of cancer stem-like side population (SP) cells from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) samples, and evaluated the Nrf2 expression profile and multidrug resistance properties of HNSCC stem cells.

MiR-132 plays an oncogenic role in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting FOXO1 and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Increasing evidence indicates that the dysregulation of microRNAs is involved in tumor progression and development. The purpose of the present study was to explore the expression of microRNA-132 (miR-132) and its function in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The results showed that miR-132 expression was markedly upregulated in LSCC tissues and cell lines.

Genetic polymorphisms in APE1 Asp148Glu(rs3136820) as a modifier of the background levels of abasic sites in human leukocytes derived from breast cancer patients and controls.

Background: Apurinic/apyrimidinic (abasic/AP) sites are among the most common endogenous DNA lesions. AP sites, if not repaired, could result in genomic instability as well as chromosome aberrations. Information regarding the direct assay of the number of abasic sites in human leukocytes and its association with risk of breast cancer has not been reported.

[The expression and clinical significance of MyD88 in laryngeal cancer].

Objective: To investigate the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) expression in laryngeal carcinoma and its clinical significance.

Method: Fifty-one patients with laryngeal carcinoma were collected, and all patients were confirmed by pathological diagnosis results. The expression of MyD88 protein was detected by immunohistochemical method in laryngeal cancer and its adjacent tissues to investigate the correlation among MyD88 expression, clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients.

MiR-340 impedes the progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting EZH2.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the otolaryngeal region and accounts for 1-2% of all malignancies diagnosed worldwide. miR-340 down-regulation and EZH2 up-regulation have been frequently identified in multiple cancers, but the role of miR-340 and EZH2 in LSCC has not been explored. In this study, we investigated the regulative role of miR-340 in EZH2 expression and LSCC progression.

MicroRNA-138 regulates the balance of Th1/Th2 via targeting RUNX3 in psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory and T cell-meditated autoimmune skin disease. A recent study found that Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a susceptibility gene for psoriasis; however, its biological role in the disease has not been studied. RUNX3 was predicted to be the target gene of microRNA-138 (miR-138).

Suppression of T-type Ca2+ channels inhibited human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation running title: roles of T-type Ca2+ channels in LSCC cell proliferation.

Background: Despite the tight correlation between T-type Ca2+ channels and a great variety of tumors, the roles of alpha1G subunit of T-type Ca2+ channels in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) have not yet been investigated.

Methods: In the present study, we examined the expression of alpha1G subunit of T-type Ca2+ channel in human LSCC tissues and cell lines. One human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line, Hep-2, was also examined for T-type channels using voltage-clamp recordings.

Laryngeal cancer risk and common single nucleotide polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair pathway genes ERCC1, ERCC2, ERCC3, ERCC4, ERCC5 and XPA.

Because the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of laryngeal cancer are not well understood, we conducted a case-control study to determine the association between eight common SNPs in NER pathway genes and risk of laryngeal cancer, and the association between genetic polymorphisms and environmental factors. A 1:1 matched case-control study of 176 cases and 176 controls was conducted. Laryngeal cancer cases were more likely to smoke and drink (all P values<0.

Cumulative body burdens of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with estrogen bioactivation in pregnant women: protein adducts as biomarkers of exposure.

The objective of this research was to simultaneously analyze protein adducts of quinonoid metabolites of naphthalene and endogenous estrogen in serum albumin (Alb) derived from healthy pregnant women in Taiwan and to explore the correlations among them. The isomeric forms of cysteinyl adducts of naphthoquinones, including 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NPQ) and 1,4-naphthoquinone (1,4-NPQ) as well as estrogen quinones, including estrogen-2,3-quinones (E2-2,3-Q) and estrogen-3,4-quinones (E2-3,4-Q), are characterized after adduct cleavage. Results showed that the median levels of cysteinyl adducts of 1,2-NPQ and 1,4-NPQ on serum albumin were 249-390 and 16.

Hemoglobin adducts as biomarkers of estrogen homeostasis: elevation of estrogenquinones as a risk factor for developing breast cancer in Taiwanese women.

The aim of this study was to establish a methodology to analyze estrogen quinone-derived adducts, including 17β-estradiol-2,3-quinone (E2-2,3-Q) and 17β-estradiol-3,4-quinone (E2-3,4-Q), in human hemoglobin (Hb). The methodology was then used to measure the levels of these adducts in Hb derived from female breast cancer patients (n=143) as well as controls (n=147) in Taiwan. Our result confirmed that both E2-2,3-Q- and E2-3,4-Q-derived adducts, including E2-2,3-Q-4-S-Hb and E2-3,4-Q-2-S-Hb, were detected in all breast cancer patients with median levels at 434 (215-1472) and 913 (559-2384) (pmol/g), respectively.

Investigation of the cumulative body burden of estrogen-3,4-quinone in breast cancer patients and controls using albumin adducts as biomarkers.

Both 17β-estradiol-2,3-quinone (E2-2,3-Q) and 17β-estradiol-3,4-quinone (E2-3,4-Q) are reactive metabolites of estrogen. Elevation of E2-3,4-Q to E2-2,3-Q ratio is thought to be an important indicator of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis. Our current study compared the cumulative body burden of these estrogen quinones in serum samples taken from Taiwanese women with breast cancer (n=152) vs healthy controls (n=75) by using albumin (Alb) adducts as biomarkers.

[Detection of ADAR1 mRNA expression in larynx carcinoma tissues].

Objective: To investigate the expressions of RNA-dependent adenosine deaminase 1(ADAR1) mRNA in larynx carcinoma tissues, and to discuss its value in the development of larynx carcinoma.

Method: The expression of ADAR1 mRNA in 51 larynx carcinoma and peri-carcinoma tissues were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Result: ADAR1 mRNA was expressed broadly; the relative intensities of its expression in larynx carcinoma, larynx peri-carcinoma samples and larynx non-carcinoma tissue samples were respectively 2.