Qingchun Deng

Background: CD73, a pivotal enzyme in the purinergic signaling cascade, modulates the concentrations of adenosine and inosine. These metabolites are involved in immune responses and inflammatory processes. This study aims to investigate the function of CD73 in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and explore the potential mechanism. Methods: Dextran-Sodium-Sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice models were established by orally administering 3% DSS. CD73 was blocked by intraperitoneal injection of Adenosine 5’- (α, β-methylene) diphosphate (APCP). Inosine was supplemented by intraperitoneal injection. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), PAS and Alcian blue staining were used to evaluate the inflammation infiltration and colon damage. Serum IL-6 levels were detected by ELISA assay. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to investigate the level of inosine. Results: Blockade of CD73 by APCP aggravated disease severity in DSS-induced colitis mice models, characterized by increased weight loss, colon shortening and pathological damage, increased disease activity and IL-6 production. Blocking CD73 impairs intestinal barrier function and integrity by reducing the expression of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin and ZO-1), both in colon tissues and intestinal epithelial cell-MODE-K. In addition, APCP increased oxidative stress in colon tissue and MODE-K (increased MDA level, decreased SOD and GSH activities). Moreover, blocking CD73 reduced inosine levels in vivo and in vitro. We found that inosine treatment significantly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis in mice, as demonstrated by decreased weight loss, less colon shortening and histological injury, reduced disease activity and IL-6 production. Notably, the effects of inosine on MODE-K cells were opposite to those of APCP, including the effects on the expression of oxidative stress molecules and tight junction proteins. Conclusion: This study indicates that CD73 exerts a protective effect in the progress of DSS-induced colitis. Inosine supplementation might be a potential therapeutic strategy for colitis.

Porous materials play an important role in molecular adsorption and separation. However, understanding the mechanisms of molecular adsorption and separation into the pores remains a challenge. Herein, the adsorption of 1,3,5-tris(4-iodophenyl) benzene (TIPB) molecules onto a 2D covalent organic framework (COF) monolayer is studied by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The COF monolayers are synthesized via the on-surface Ullmann reaction. The COF films have six types of porous morphology with different pore sizes, namely tetragon, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, and nonagon lattices. The adsorption behavior of guest TIPB molecules into the host COF’s pores is in-situ probed by high-resolution LT-STM. Our results reveal that the in-plane adsorption of TIPB molecules is pore-size-dependent and influenced by the interaction with substrate, with tetragon and pentagon lattices showing no molecule adsorption due to their small pore size. Hexagon and heptagon lattices can adsorb one TIPB molecule through I-H bonding, while octagon and nonagon lattices are able to accommodate two TIPB molecules through both I-H & I-I bonding. The substrate affects the in-plane adsorption. After annealing, the adsorbed molecules can form new covalent bonds with the COF lattice, resulting in the pore-size-dependent grafting of TIPB molecules at the COF branched chains. These findings help to understand the pore-size-dependent adsorption mechanisms and the covalent grafting of guest molecules onto 2D COFs.

Cisplatin‐based chemotherapy is the standard treatment for metastatic ovarian cancer (OC). However, chemoresistance continues to pose significant clinical challenges. Recent research has highlighted the baculoviral inhibitor of the apoptosis protein repeat‐containing 5 (BIRC5) as a member of the inhibitor of the apoptosis protein (IAP) family. Notably, BIRC5, which has robust anti‐apoptotic capabilities, is overexpressed in numerous cancers. Its dysfunction has been linked to challenges in cancer treatment. Yet, the role of BIRC5 in the chemoresistance of OC remains elusive. In our present study, we observed an upregulation of BIRC5 in cisplatin‐resistant cell lines. This upregulation was associated with enhanced chemoresistance, which was diminished when the expression of BIRC5 was silenced. Intriguingly, BIRC5 exhibited a high number of N6‐methyladenosine (m⁶A) binding sites. The modification of m⁶A was found to enhance the expression of BIRC5 by recognizing and binding to the 3′‐UTR of mRNA. Additionally, the insulin‐like growth factor 2 mRNA‐binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) was shown to stabilize BIRC5 mRNA, synergizing with METTL3 and intensifying chemoresistance. Supporting these in vitro findings, our in vivo experiments revealed that tumors were significantly smaller in size and volume when BIRC5 was silenced. This reduction was notably counteracted by co‐silencing BIRC5 and overexpressing IGF2BP1. Our results underscored the pivotal role of BIRC5 in chemoresistance. The regulation of its expression and the stability of its mRNA were influenced by m⁶A modifications involving both METTL3 and IGF2BP1. These insights presented BIRC5 as a promising potential therapeutic target for addressing cisplatin resistance in OC.

Deregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contributes considerably to cancers, psychiatric disorders, macular degeneration and bone diseases. The use of humans in the development of MMPs as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets is complicated by many factors, while primate models can be useful alternatives for this purpose. Here, we performed genome-enabled identification of putative MMPs across primate species, and comprehensively investigated the genes. Phylogenetic topology of the MMP family showed each type formulates a distinct clade, and was further clustered to classes, largely agreeing with classification based on biochemical properties and domain organization. Across primates, the excess of candidate sites of positive selection was detected for MMP-19, in addition to 1-3 sites in MMP-8, MMP-10 and MMP-26. MMP-26 showed Ka/Ks value above 1 between human and chimpanzee copies. We observed two copies of MMP-19 in the old-world monkey genomes, suggesting gene duplication at the early stage of or prior to the emergence of the lineage. Furin-activatable MMPs demonstrate the most variable properties regarding Domain organization and gene structure. During human aging, MMP-11 showed gradually decreased expression in testis, so as MMP-2, MMP-14, MMP15 and MMP-28 in ovary, while MMP-7 and MMP-21 showed elevated expression, implying their distinct roles in different reproductive organs. Co-expression clusters were formed among human MMPs both within and across classes, and expression correlation was observed in MMP genes across primates. Our results illuminate the utilization of MMPs for the discovery of prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for aging-related diseases and carry new messages on MMP classification.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of cancer is the main reason for cancer chemotherapy failure, and the use of anticancer drugs usually brings about adverse side effects to patients. Therefore, the aim of developing new cancer treatments must consider overcoming MDR and abating the toxicity of drugs to normal tissues. In this work, we designed and prepared multifunctional cascade amplification delivery nanoparticles (CADNs) with a core structure composed of glucose oxidase (GOx)-attached Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, and a shell layer of PEGylated metal-phenolic networks (MPNs), in which the prodrug of doxorubicin (pDOX) was loaded. In vitro assays showed that the MPNs had dual sensitivities to acidic and reducing conditions, and the CADNs promoted the production of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of H₂O₂ and glucose. Besides, cellular experiments demonstrated that CADNs could efficiently facilitate the accumulation of pDOX in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7/Adr cells and enhance cancer cell death under the combined action of ferroptosis and chemotherapy. Furthermore, in vivo assays also showed that CADNs with a PEGylated surface could effectively target tumors, and dramatically suppress the growth of both MCF-7 and MCF-7/Adr tumors, with excellent biosafety. This work presents a novel strategy for overcoming cancer MDR by driving cascade reactions to achieve starvation/chemodynamic/chemo combination therapy.

Background: In this study we aimed to identify a prognostic signature in BRCA1/2 mutations to predict disease progression and the efficiency of chemotherapy ovarian cancer (OV), the second most common cause of death from gynecologic cancer in women worldwide. Methods: Univariate Cox proportional-hazards and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identifying prognostic factors from data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve was assessed, and the sensitivity and specificity of the prediction model were determined. Results: A signature consisting of two long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs), Z98885.2 and AC011601.1, was selected as the basis for classifying patients into high and low-risk groups (median survival: 7.2 years vs. 2.3 years). The three-year overall survival (OS) rates for the high- and low-risk group were approximately 38 and 100%, respectively. Chemotherapy treatment survival rates indicated that the high-risk group had significantly lower OS rates with adjuvant chemotherapy than the low-risk group. The one-, three-, and five-year OS were 100, 40, and 15% respectively in the high-risk group. The survival rate of the high-risk group declined rapidly after 2 years of OV chemotherapy treatment. Multivariate Cox regression associated with other traditional clinical factors showed that the 2-lncRNA model could be used as an independent OV prognostic factor. Analyses of data from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) indicated that these signatures are pivotal to cancer development. Conclusion: In conclusion, Z98885.2 and AC011601.1 comprise a novel prognostic signature for OV patients with BRCA1/2 mutations, and can be used to predict prognosis and the efficiency of chemotherapy.

Background: In this study we aimed to identify a prognostic signature in BRCA1/2 mutations to predict disease progression and the efficiency of chemotherapy ovarian cancer (OV), the second most common cause of death from gynecologic cancer in women worldwide. Methods: Univariate Cox proportional-hazards and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identifying prognostic factors from data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve was assessed, and the sensitivity and specificity of the prediction model were determined.Results: A signature consisting of two long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs), Z98885.2 and AC011601.1, was selected as the basis for classifying patients into high and low-risk groups (median survival: 7.2 years vs. 2.3 years). The three-year overall survival (OS) rates for the high- and low-risk group were approximately 38% and 100%, respectively. Chemotherapy treatment survival rates indicated that the high-risk group had significantly lower OS rates with adjuvant chemotherapy than the low-risk group. The one-, three-, and five-year OS were 100%, 40%, and 15% respectively in the high-risk group. The survival rate of the high-risk group declined rapidly after two years of OV chemotherapy treatment. Multivariate Cox regression associated with other traditional clinical factors showed that the 2-lncRNA model could be used as an independent OV prognostic factor. Analyses of data from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) indicated that these signatures are pivotal to cancer development. Conclusion: In conclusion, Z98885.2 and AC011601.1 comprise a novel prognostic signature for OV patients with BRCA1/2 mutations, and can be used to predict prognosis and the efficiency of chemotherapy.

Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) is one of the most common cancer in female worldwide. PIK3CA has been proven to be a strong prognostic biomarker in UCEC. Nevertheless, current studies have not investigated what effects PIK3CA had on tumor associated neutrophils (TANss). Kaplan-Meier methods were used to compute the survival time of TCGA UCEC patients. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis unveiled relevant pathways PIK3CA affected using DEGs between PIK3CA high expression group and PIK3CA low expression group in TCGA UCEC, as well as GSEA. immune infiltration status was calculated using TIMER. We found that PIK3CA influenced a number of pathways including immune related pathways. The fraction of TANs was certainly altered by PIK3CA expression in UCEC. Our findings suggest that PIK3CA expression may play an important role in tumor immune microenvironment and could alter fraction of TANs in UCEC.

The original article [1] contains errors in Figs. 6 and 8. The corrected figures can be shown ahead.