MicroRNA: Crucial modulator in purinergic signalling involved diseases

Both microRNAs (miRNAs) and purinergic signalling are widely and respectively expressed in various tissues of different organisms and play vital roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Here, we reviewed the current publications contributed to the relationship of miRNAs and purinergic signalling in cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic diseases. We tried to decode the miRNAs-purinergic signalling network of purinergic signalling involved diseases. The evidence indicated that more than 30 miRNAs (miR-22, miR-30, miR-146, miR-150, miR-155, miR-187, etc.) directly or indirectly modulate P1 receptors (A₁, A_2A, A_2B, A₃), P2 receptors (P2X1, P2X3, P2X4, P2X7, P2Y2, P2Y6, P2Y12), and ecto-enzymes (CD39, CD73, ADA2); P2X7 and CD73 could be modulated by multiple miRNAs (P2X7: miR-21, miR-22, miR-30, miR-135a, miR-150, miR-186, miR-187, miR-216b; CD73: miR-141, miR-101, miR-193b, miR-340, miR-187, miR-30, miR-422a); miR-187 would be the common miRNA to modulate P2X7 and CD73.     

Discovery of novel mRNA demethylase FTO inhibitors against esophageal cancer

A series of 1,2,3-triazole analogues as novel fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) inhibitors were synthesised in this study. Among all 1,2,3-triazoles, compound C6 exhibited the most robust inhibition of FTO with an IC₅₀ value of 780 nM. It displayed the potent antiproliferative activity against KYSE-150, KYSE-270, TE-1, KYSE-510, and EC109 cell lines with IC₅₀ value of 2.17, 1.35, 0.95, 4.15, and 0.83 μM, respectively. In addition, C6 arrested the cell cycle at G2 phase against TE-1 and EC109 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of cellular mechanisms demonstrated that C6 concentration-dependently regulated epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway against TE-1 and EC109 cells. Molecular docking studies that C6 formed important hydrogen-bond interaction with Lys107, Asn110, Tyr108, and Leu109 of FTO. These findings suggested that C6 as a novel FTO inhibitor and orally antitumor agent deserves further investigation to treat esophageal cancer.     

A secreted ribonuclease effector from Verticillium dahliae localizes in the plant nucleus to modulate host immunity

The arms race between fungal pathogens and plant hosts involves recognition of fungal effectors to induce host immunity. Although various fungal effectors have been identified, the effector functions of ribonucleases are largely unknown. Herein, we identified a ribonuclease secreted by Verticillium dahliae (VdRTX1) that translocates into the plant nucleus to modulate immunity. The activity of VdRTX1 causes hypersensitive response (HR)‐related cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana and cotton. VdRTX1 possesses a signal peptide but is unlikely to be an apoplastic effector because its nuclear localization in the plant is necessary for cell death induction. Knockout of VdRTX1 significantly enhanced V. dahliae virulence on tobacco while V. dahliae employs the known suppressor VdCBM1 to escape the immunity induced by VdRTX1. VdRTX1 homologs are widely distributed in fungi but transient expression of 24 homologs from other fungi did not yield cell death induction, suggesting that this function is specific to the VdRTX1 in V. dahliae. Expression of site‐directed mutants of VdRTX1 in N. benthamiana leaves revealed conserved ligand‐binding sites that are important for VdRTX1 function in inducing cell death. Thus, VdRTX1 functions as a unique HR‐inducing effector in V. dahliae that contributes to the activation of plant immunity.     

Fibroblast growth factor-9 expression in airway epithelial cells amplifies the type I interferon response and alters influenza A virus pathogenesis

Influenza A virus (IAV) preferentially infects conducting airway and alveolar epithelial cells in the lung. The outcome of these infections is impacted by the host response, including the production of various cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Fibroblast growth factor-9 (FGF9) is required for lung development, can display antiviral activity in vitro, and is upregulated in asymptomatic patients during early IAV infection. We therefore hypothesized that FGF9 would protect the lungs from respiratory virus infection and evaluated IAV pathogenesis in mice that overexpress FGF9 in club cells in the conducting airway epithelium (FGF9-OE mice). However, we found that FGF9-OE mice were highly susceptible to IAV and Sendai virus infection compared to control mice. FGF9-OE mice displayed elevated and persistent viral loads, increased expression of cytokines and chemokines, and increased numbers of infiltrating immune cells as early as 1 day post-infection (dpi). Gene expression analysis showed an elevated type I interferon (IFN) signature in the conducting airway epithelium and analysis of IAV tropism uncovered a dramatic shift in infection from the conducting airway epithelium to the alveolar epithelium in FGF9-OE lungs. These results demonstrate that FGF9 signaling primes the conducting airway epithelium to rapidly induce a localized IFN and proinflammatory cytokine response during viral infection. Although this response protects the airway epithelial cells from IAV infection, it allows for early and enhanced infection of the alveolar epithelium, ultimately leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Our study illuminates a novel role for FGF9 in regulating respiratory virus infection and pathogenesis.     

Caveolin-1 identified as a key mediator of acute lung injury using bioinformatics and functional research

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a potentially life-threatening, devastating disease with an extremely high rate of mortality. The underlying mechanism of ALI is currently unclear. In this study, we aimed to confirm the hub genes associated with ALI and explore their functions and molecular mechanisms using bioinformatics methods. Five microarray datasets available in GEO were used to perform Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the key genes were identified via the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Lipopolysaccharide intraperitoneal injection was administered to establish an ALI model. Overall, 40 robust DEGs, which are mainly involved in the inflammatory response, protein catabolic process, and NF-κB signaling pathway were identified. Among these DEGs, we identified two genes associated with ALI, of which the CAV-1/NF-κB axis was significantly upregulated in ALI, and was identified as one of the most effective targets for ALI prevention. Subsequently, the expression of CAV-1 was knocked down using AAV-shCAV-1 or CAV-1-siRNA to study its effect on the pathogenesis of ALI in vivo and in vitro. The results of this study indicated that CAV-1/NF-κB axis levels were elevated in vivo and in vitro, accompanied by an increase in lung inflammation and autophagy. The knockdown of CAV-1 may improve ALI. Mechanistically, inflammation was reduced mainly by decreasing the expression levels of CD3 and F4/80, and activating autophagy by inhibiting AKT/mTOR and promoting the AMPK signaling pathway. Taken together, this study provides crucial evidence that CAV-1 knockdown inhibits the occurrence of ALI, suggesting that the CAV-1/NF-κB axis may be a promising therapeutic target for ALI treatment.Subject terms: Cell signalling, Respiratory tract diseases     

Microbial farming

Does the production of proteinaceous food by extensive cultivation of baker’s yeast in England and Germany during the recent war presage an eventual source of supplementary food for the world through the utilization of microorganisms?     

Endotoxin-induced cytokine gene expression in vivo. III. IL-6 mRNA and serum protein expression and the in vivo hematologic effects of IL-6

Endotoxin (LPS) at sublethal doses injected i.v. into rats was found to induce IL-6 mRNA expression peaking at 1 to 2 h in whole organ RNA preparations of the spleen, liver, lung, bowel, and kidney. IL-6 serum protein levels also peaked at 2 h. TNF and IL-1, generally considered to be among the most rapidly released cytokines, also induced IL-6 expression. IL-6 in turn inhibited TNF and IL-1 expression, suggesting that IL-6 may be part of a negative feedback mechanism in the cytokine cascade. Dexamethasone down-regulated and Corynebacterium parvum up-regulated IL-6 expression, although the possibility cannot be excluded that these immunomodulating factors may in part have exerted their effects indirectly via the up- and down-regulation of TNF and IL-1. IL-6 injected i.v. at a pathophysiologically relevant dose caused a peripheral neutrophilia and mild myeloproliferative effect in the bone marrow.     

典型温带雨养泥炭沼泽湿地地下部二氧化碳和甲烷浓度变化规律及其影响因素

为研究北方泥炭沼泽湿地二氧化碳(CO₂)和甲烷(CH₄)浓度随深度的变化规律及其影响因素,选取欧洲北部典型雨养泥炭地贝尔山湿地(BBM)和舒特兹山湿地(SBM)两个采样点,通过原位采集泥炭剖面温室气体、孔隙水以及土壤样品,结合傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)技术、碳氮同位素技术,探讨泥炭土壤的分解程度及温室气体浓度变化的关系。研究结果表明:(1)BBM采样点地下部的CO₂浓度变化规律总体呈现随深度波动减少趋势,值多在3000μmol/L附近波动,最大值为4210.74μmol/L(120 cm),SBM采样点的CO₂浓度随深度先增后减,60 cm以上在1800μmol/L附近波动,60 cm以下在3000μmol/L附近波动,最大值为4191.94μmol/L(90 cm);BBM和SBM地下部CH₄浓度都随深度增大,并且在60cm以下浓度增加较快,BBM最大值为735.90μmol/L(260 cm),SBM最大值为543.51μmol/L(170 cm)。(2)BBM和SBM...     

中国人前列腺癌VEGF-C mRNA、VEGFR-3和CD31表达与肿瘤转移的关系

研究前列腺癌组织VEGF-C mRNA、VEGFR-3和CD31的表达与前列腺癌中血管、淋巴管的生成及肿瘤转移的关系。取34例前列腺癌组织和12例癌周正常组织标本,应用原位杂交法检测VEGF-C mRNA表达,并经VEGFR-3和CD31免疫组织化学标记及图像分析,采用Weidner最高血管密度计数法,计数癌组织中阳性淋巴管数(MLC)和微血管密度(MVD)。前列腺癌VEGF-C mRNA阳性15例(44.12%),VEGF-C mRNA表达与前列腺癌淋巴结转移、TNM分期相关;MLC (8.26±2.73/mm~2)和MVD(74.82±11.76/mm~2)显著高于癌周正常组织的MLC(4.82±3.48/mm~2)和MVD(32.86±5.41/mm~2),两者比较具有显著性差异。VEGFR-3和CD31表达之间存在正相关。有淋巴转移和TNM分期Ⅲ、Ⅳ期的前列腺癌患者VEGF-C mRNA阳性表达和MLC、MVD分别高于无淋巴转移和Ⅰ、Ⅱ期患者,均具有显著性差异;VEGF-C mRNA表达阳性者VEGFR-3和CD31高于表达阴性者,两者比较具有显著性差异;前列腺癌在不同的组织学分级的差异无统计学意义。VEGF-C促进了肿瘤诱导的淋巴管新生和血管新生,在前列腺癌的淋巴转移中起重要作用;前列腺癌组织中的VEGFR-3和CD31表达水平与肿瘤的转移密切相关;前列腺癌组织MLC和MVD的显著增高,提示肿瘤组织有新淋巴管和血管的生成,也可作为判断肿瘤转移的生物学指标。