Combining single-cell transcriptomics and CellTagging to identify differentiation trajectories of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have attracted great attention in the application of cell-based therapy because of their pluripotent differentiation and immunomodulatory ability. Due to the limited number of MSCs isolated from donor tissues, a large number of MSCs need to be expanded in a traditional two-dimensional cell culture device to obtain a sufficient therapeutic amount. However, long-term cultivation of MSCs in vitro has been proven to reduce their differentiation potential and change their immunomodulatory characteristics.

Gastric microbiota in gastric cancer: Different roles of and other microbes.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The gastric microbiota plays a critical role in the development of GC. First, () infection is considered a major risk factor for GC.

Associations of metals and metals mixture with lipid profiles: A repeated-measures study of older adults in Beijing.

Metals inevitably and easily enter into human bodies and can induce a series of pathophysiological changes, such as oxidative stress damage and lipid peroxidation, which then may further induce dyslipidemia. However, the effects of metals and metals mixture on the lipid profiles are still unclear, especially in older adults. A three-visits repeated measurement of 201 older adults in Beijing was conducted from November 2016 to January 2018.

Association of environmental exposure to chromium with differential DNA methylation: An epigenome-wide study.

Previous studies have reported that chromium (Cr)-induced epigenetic alterations and DNA methylation play a vital role in the pathogenesis of diseases induced by chromium exposure. Epigenomic analyses have been limited and mainly focused on occupational chromium exposure; their findings are not generalizable to populations with environmental Cr exposure. We identified the differential methylation of genes and regions to elucidate the mechanisms of toxicity related to environmental chromium exposure.

The SFT2D2 gene is associated with the autoimmune pathology of schizophrenia in a Chinese population.

Background: The relative risk of GWAS-confirmed loci strongly associated with schizophrenia may be underestimated due to the decay of linkage disequilibrium between index SNPs and causal variants. This study is aimed to investigate schizophrenia-associated signals detected in the 1q24-25 region in order to identify a causal variant in LD with GWAS index SNPs, and the potential biological functions of the risk gene.

Methods: Re-genotyping analysis was performed in the 1q24-25 region that harbors three GWAS index SNPs associated with schizophrenia (rs10489202, rs11586522, and rs6670165) in total of 9801 case-control subjects of Chinese Han origin.

Independent, combine and interactive effects of heavy metal exposure on dyslipidemia biomarkers: A cross-sectional study in northeastern China.

Dyslipidemia is a common disease in the older population and represents a considerable disease burden worldwide. Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated associations between heavy metal exposure and dyslipidemia; few studies have investigated the effects of heavy metal mixture and interactions between metals on dyslipidemia. We recruited 1121 participants living in heavy metal-contaminated and control areas in northeast China from a cross-sectional survey (2017-2019).

Association Between Blood Calcium, Magnesium, and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adults: a Cohort-Based Case-Control Study.

Previous studies have shown that calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and Ca/Mg ratio are associated with inflammation and metabolic disorders, but their relationship with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unclear. Thus, we aimed to explore the association between Ca, Mg, Ca/Mg ratio, and NAFLD in Chinese adults. We conducted a case-control study based on the Kailuan Cohort in China, including 1816 cases and 1111 gender- and age-matched controls.

Integrated multi-omics profiling yields a clinically relevant molecular classification for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Integrated molecular analysis of human cancer has yielded molecular classification for precise management of cancer patients. Here, we analyzed the whole genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data of 155 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs). Multi-omics analysis led to the classification of ESCCs into four subtypes: cell cycle pathway activation, NRF2 oncogenic activation, immune suppression (IS), and immune modulation (IM).

KHSRP combines transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms to regulate monocytic differentiation.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are widely involved in the transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of multiple biological processes. The transcriptional regulatory ability of RBPs was indicated by the identification of chromatin-enriched RBPs (Che-RBPs). One of these proteins, KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KHSRP), is a multifunctional RBP that has been implicated in mRNA decay, alternative splicing, and miRNA biogenesis and plays an essential role in myeloid differentiation by facilitating the maturation of miR-129.

cAMP Agonist Forskolin Disrupts Mitochondrial Metabolism and Induces Senescence in Human Mesenchymal Cells.

Adult-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be used in therapies for the treatment of various diseases. The MSCs derived from aging tissues or long-term MSC cultures could have diminished therapeutic effects compared with MSCs derived from younger tissues, but the underlying mechanism has not been completely established. Dysfunction of energy metabolism is one of the main mechanisms underlying cell senescence.

m A Reader YTHDF1-Targeting Engineered Small Extracellular Vesicles for Gastric Cancer Therapy via Epigenetic and Immune Regulation.

N -methyladenosine (m A) modulators decide the fate of m A-modified transcripts and drive cancer development. RNA interference targeting m A modulators promise to be an emerging cancer therapy but is challenging due to its poor tumor targeting and high systematic toxicity. Here engineered small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) with high CD47 expression and cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic (c(RGDyC)) modification are developed for effective delivery of short interfering RNA against m A reader YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1) to treat gastric cancer via epigenetic and immune regulation.

Pan-cancer surveys indicate cell cycle-related roles of primate-specific genes in tumors and embryonic cerebrum.

Background: Despite having been extensively studied, it remains largely unclear why humans bear a particularly high risk of cancer. The antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis predicts that primate-specific genes (PSGs) tend to promote tumorigenesis, while the molecular atavism hypothesis predicts that PSGs involved in tumors may represent recently derived duplicates of unicellular genes. However, these predictions have not been tested.

Characteristics, Long-term Survival, and Risk Assessment of Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in China: Insights From a National Multicenter Prospective Registry.

Background: Registry-based studies of pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PPAH) are scarce in developing countries, including China. The PPAH risk assessment tool needs further evaluation and improvement.

Research Question: What are the characteristics and long-term survival of PPAH in China and what is the performance of the PPAH risk model in Chinese patients?

Study Design And Methods: Patients with PAH were enrolled in the national prospective multicenter registry from August 2009 through December 2019.

Trace elements and Alzheimer dementia in population-based studies: A bibliometric and meta-analysis.

Alterations in the concentrations of trace elements may play a vital role in Alzheimer dementia progression. However, previous research results are inconsistent, and there is still a lack of review on the relationship between all the studied-trace elements and AD from various perspectives of population-based studies. In this study, we systematically reviewed previous population-based studies and identified the altered trace elements in AD patients.

Investigating adolescent mental health of Chinese students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Multicenter cross-sectional comparative investigation.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant challenges for adolescent mental health.

Aim: To survey adolescent students in China to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health.

Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional comparative investigation was conducted in March 2022.

ALKBH5 in mouse testicular Sertoli cells regulates Cdh2 mRNA translation to maintain blood-testis barrier integrity.

Background: RNA N-methyladenosine (mA) is involved in mammalian spermatogenesis. In both germ cells and Leydig cells, ALKBH5 regulates spermatogenesis and androgen synthesis in an mA-dependent manner. However, it is unclear whether ALKBH5 plays a role in testicular Sertoli cells, which constitute the blood-testis barrier (BTB) through cell junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells.

Biodistribution and Toxicological Effects of Ultra-Small Pt Nanoparticles Deposited on Au Nanorods (Au@Pt NRs) in Mice with Intravenous Injection.

Purpose: Pt-based nanostructures are one of the promising nanomaterials for being used in catalysts, sensors, and therapeutics. However, their impacts on the health and biological systems are not adequately understood yet.

Methods: In this work, nanorods composed of ultrasmall platinum (Pt) nanoparticles deposited on the surface and gold nanorod as the core (Au@Pt NRs) were synthesized, and the distribution and toxic effects of Au@Pt NRs were investigated in C57BL/6 mice with intravenous injection by using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and blood cell analyzer.

Promoting oral mucosal wound healing using a DCS-RuBA hydrogel based on a photoreactive antibacterial and sustained release of BMSCs.

The high occurrence rate and difficulties in symptom control are listed as the major problems of oral mucosal disease by medical professionals. Following the development of oral mucosal lesions, the oral microenvironment changes, immunity declines, and continuous bacterial stimulation causes wound infection. Traditional antibacterial drugs are ineffective for oral mucosal lesions.

Evaluation of culture conditions for osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells.

Osteoclasts are the only multinucleated cells in vivo responsible for bone resorption and are vital for regulating bone remodeling and maintaining bone mass. The RAW264.7 cell line is widely used to study osteoclastic differentiation and biological molecular mechanism.

Protocol to knock in or out target genes in mouse epidydimal white adipose tissue by spot injecting adeno-associated viruses.

Visceral fat obesity is more strongly associated with ectopic fat deposition, lipotoxicity, and metabolic disease compared to generalized obesity. To study the function of visceral fat tissue, we describe steps to knock in or out target genes by spot injecting adeno-associated viruses (AAV) in visceral fat tissue. We provide details on anesthesia, incision, and spot injection into the epidydimal white adipose tissue (eWAT) of live anesthetized mice.

Chronic constriction injury-induced changes in circular RNA expression profiling of the dorsal root ganglion in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

Background: The pathogenesis of neuropathic pain (NP) has not been fully elucidated. Gene changes in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) may contribute to the development of NP. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs that form covalently closed loop structures and are crucial for genetic and epigenetic regulation.

Dissecting Heterogeneity Reveals a Unique BAMBI MFGE8 Subpopulation of Human UC-MSCs.

Mixed human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) are widely applied in clinical trials to treat various diseases due to their multipotent differentiation potential and immune regulatory activities. However, the lack of a clear understanding of their heterogeneity hampers their application to precisely treat diseases. Moreover, few studies have experimentally authenticated the functions of so-called UC-MSC subpopulations classified from scRNA-seq samples.

Polyurea-Modified Magnetic Particles with Versatile Probes for Chemoselective Capture of Carbonyl Metabolites and Biomarker Discovery.

Playing a great role in human physiologies and pathologies, carbonyl metabolites are intimately associated with a variety of diseases, though the effective analysis method of them remains a challenge. A hydrazide-terminated polyurea-modified magnetic particle (HPMP) with versatile probes is developed to address this issue. The capture ability of HPMPs for carbonyl metabolite is more than 1200 µmol g , which is increased by 4 orders of magnitude via the introduction of polyurea.