Table_2_Mendelian randomization analysis reveals an independent causal relationship between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris.xlsx

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested a correlation between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris; however, no specific causal link has been explored.Materials and methodsTo investigate the possible causal relationship between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris, this study employed a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic. Initially, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was utilized to identify the specific gut microflora responsible for acne vulgaris. We used the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method as the main MR analysis method. Additionally, we assessed heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, while also examining the potential influence of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the analysis results. In order to eliminate gut microbiota with reverse causal associations, we conducted reverse MR analysis. Multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis (MVMR) was then employed to verify the independence of the causal associations. Finally, we performed SNP annotation on the instrumental variables of independent gut microbiota and acne vulgaris to determine the genes where these genetic variations are located. We also explored the biological functions of these genes through enrichment analysis.ResultThe IVW method of forward MR identified nine gut microbes with a causal relationship with acne vulgaris (p ConclusionOur study found independent causal relationships between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris, and revealed a genetic association between acne vulgaris patients and gut microbiota. Consider preventing and treating acne vulgaris by interfering with the relative content of these four gut microbes.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Mendelian randomization analysis reveals an independent causal relationship between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris.docx

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested a correlation between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris; however, no specific causal link has been explored.Materials and methodsTo investigate the possible causal relationship between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris, this study employed a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic. Initially, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was utilized to identify the specific gut microflora responsible for acne vulgaris. We used the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method as the main MR analysis method. Additionally, we assessed heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, while also examining the potential influence of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the analysis results. In order to eliminate gut microbiota with reverse causal associations, we conducted reverse MR analysis. Multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis (MVMR) was then employed to verify the independence of the causal associations. Finally, we performed SNP annotation on the instrumental variables of independent gut microbiota and acne vulgaris to determine the genes where these genetic variations are located. We also explored the biological functions of these genes through enrichment analysis.ResultThe IVW method of forward MR identified nine gut microbes with a causal relationship with acne vulgaris (p ConclusionOur study found independent causal relationships between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris, and revealed a genetic association between acne vulgaris patients and gut microbiota. Consider preventing and treating acne vulgaris by interfering with the relative content of these four gut microbes.</p

Image_1_Mendelian randomization analysis reveals an independent causal relationship between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris.TIFF

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested a correlation between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris; however, no specific causal link has been explored.Materials and methodsTo investigate the possible causal relationship between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris, this study employed a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic. Initially, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was utilized to identify the specific gut microflora responsible for acne vulgaris. We used the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method as the main MR analysis method. Additionally, we assessed heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, while also examining the potential influence of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the analysis results. In order to eliminate gut microbiota with reverse causal associations, we conducted reverse MR analysis. Multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis (MVMR) was then employed to verify the independence of the causal associations. Finally, we performed SNP annotation on the instrumental variables of independent gut microbiota and acne vulgaris to determine the genes where these genetic variations are located. We also explored the biological functions of these genes through enrichment analysis.ResultThe IVW method of forward MR identified nine gut microbes with a causal relationship with acne vulgaris (p ConclusionOur study found independent causal relationships between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris, and revealed a genetic association between acne vulgaris patients and gut microbiota. Consider preventing and treating acne vulgaris by interfering with the relative content of these four gut microbes.</p

Table_1_Mendelian randomization analysis reveals an independent causal relationship between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris.xlsx

BackgroundNumerous studies have suggested a correlation between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris; however, no specific causal link has been explored.Materials and methodsTo investigate the possible causal relationship between gut microbiota and acne vulgaris, this study employed a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic. Initially, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was utilized to identify the specific gut microflora responsible for acne vulgaris. We used the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method as the main MR analysis method. Additionally, we assessed heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, while also examining the potential influence of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the analysis results. In order to eliminate gut microbiota with reverse causal associations, we conducted reverse MR analysis. Multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis (MVMR) was then employed to verify the independence of the causal associations. Finally, we performed SNP annotation on the instrumental variables of independent gut microbiota and acne vulgaris to determine the genes where these genetic variations are located. We also explored the biological functions of these genes through enrichment analysis.ResultThe IVW method of forward MR identified nine gut microbes with a causal relationship with acne vulgaris (p ConclusionOur study found independent causal relationships between four gut microbes and acne vulgaris, and revealed a genetic association between acne vulgaris patients and gut microbiota. Consider preventing and treating acne vulgaris by interfering with the relative content of these four gut microbes.</p

Shikonin induces apoptosis and autophagy via downregulation of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase1 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Shikonin(SK) is a natural small molecule naphthoquinone compound, which has anti-cancer activity in various human malignant tumors. Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1(PYCR1) is involved in tumorigenesis and regulates various cellular processes, including growth, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. However, the effect of SK and PYCR1 on apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma are unclear. Our goal is to determine the internal molecular mechanism of the interaction between SK and PYCR1 and its role in the occurrence and development of liver cancer. The CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assays show that SK and siPYCR1(gene silence PYCR1) inhibited the malignant phenotype of HCC cells, including cell viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion, respectively. The flow cytometry assays and immunofluorescence show that SK and siPYCR1 activated apoptosis and autophagy, respectively. SK induces apoptosis and autophagy in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, HCC cells were transfected with small interference fragment PYCR1 siRNA to construct siPYCR1 and SK single treatment group and co-treatment group to verify the interaction between SK and PYCR1. The Western blot identified that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway protein expression was significantly downregulated in HCC cells treated with SK and siPYCR1 together. Collectively, SK may induce apoptosis and autophagy by reducing the expression of PYCR1 and suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR. Thus, SK may be a promising antineoplastic drug in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SK downregulating PYCR1 might supply a theoretical foundation for the potential therapeutic application in hepatocellular carcinoma.</p

Facile Preparation and Characterization of Modified Polyurethane Sponge for Oil Absorption

Oil spills have devastating effects on the environment. Utilization of absorbents for oil spill cleanup has been practiced; however, the development of cheap, reliable, environmentally friendly absorbents is both desirable and urgent. In this study, we illustrate a novel oil absorbent fabricated by modifying polyurethane (PU) sponges with TiO2 sol. The attachment of TiO2 nanoparticles reduced the hydrophilicity of the modified PU sponge significantly by increasing its surface roughness and changing the chemical composition of the surface. The modified PU sponges exhibited oil absorption capacity of 95–110 g/g with negligible water uptake under both static and dynamic conditions. The modified PU sponge was found to be reusable up to 12 cycles holding 70% of its initial uptake capacity. The modified PU sponges can be effectively used in oil spill cleanup

Table_2_DNA methylation mediated genetic risk in severe acne in a young men population.XLSX

BackgroundAcne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects the pilosebaceous follicle and is influenced by heredity, hormones, inflammation, and the environment. At present, the recognized pathogenesis mainly includes four categories: excessive sebum secretion, excessive Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, excessive keratinization of sebaceous glands in hair follicles, and inflammatory mechanisms. Previous studies have found that DNA methylation is closely related to some chronic inflammatory skin diseases, and there is evidence that DNA methylation is controlled by genetic factors, making us want to know the relationship between DNA methylation, genetic variation and acne.Materials and methodsIn our previous study, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in peripheral blood samples from 44 patients with severe acne and 44 unaffected normal subjects, and identified 23 differentially methylated probes (DMPs). In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with severe acne by genome-wide association analysis in these 88 samples. To test the association between SNPs and DMPs, we conducted DNA methylation quantitative trait loci (methQTL) analysis. Next, causal inference testing (CIT) was used to determine whether genetic variation influences DNA methylation, which impacts disease phenotypes.ResultWe found 38,269 SNPs associated with severe acne. By methQTL analysis, we obtained 24 SNP-CpG pairs that reached the threshold (FDR ConclusionDuring this study, the DNA methylation of certain genes was found to be influenced by genetic factors and mediated the risk of severe acne in a young Chinese male population, providing a new perspective on the pathogenesis of severe acne.</p

Table_3_DNA methylation mediated genetic risk in severe acne in a young men population.XLSX

BackgroundAcne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects the pilosebaceous follicle and is influenced by heredity, hormones, inflammation, and the environment. At present, the recognized pathogenesis mainly includes four categories: excessive sebum secretion, excessive Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, excessive keratinization of sebaceous glands in hair follicles, and inflammatory mechanisms. Previous studies have found that DNA methylation is closely related to some chronic inflammatory skin diseases, and there is evidence that DNA methylation is controlled by genetic factors, making us want to know the relationship between DNA methylation, genetic variation and acne.Materials and methodsIn our previous study, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in peripheral blood samples from 44 patients with severe acne and 44 unaffected normal subjects, and identified 23 differentially methylated probes (DMPs). In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with severe acne by genome-wide association analysis in these 88 samples. To test the association between SNPs and DMPs, we conducted DNA methylation quantitative trait loci (methQTL) analysis. Next, causal inference testing (CIT) was used to determine whether genetic variation influences DNA methylation, which impacts disease phenotypes.ResultWe found 38,269 SNPs associated with severe acne. By methQTL analysis, we obtained 24 SNP-CpG pairs that reached the threshold (FDR ConclusionDuring this study, the DNA methylation of certain genes was found to be influenced by genetic factors and mediated the risk of severe acne in a young Chinese male population, providing a new perspective on the pathogenesis of severe acne.</p

Table_1_DNA methylation mediated genetic risk in severe acne in a young men population.XLSX

BackgroundAcne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects the pilosebaceous follicle and is influenced by heredity, hormones, inflammation, and the environment. At present, the recognized pathogenesis mainly includes four categories: excessive sebum secretion, excessive Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, excessive keratinization of sebaceous glands in hair follicles, and inflammatory mechanisms. Previous studies have found that DNA methylation is closely related to some chronic inflammatory skin diseases, and there is evidence that DNA methylation is controlled by genetic factors, making us want to know the relationship between DNA methylation, genetic variation and acne.Materials and methodsIn our previous study, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in peripheral blood samples from 44 patients with severe acne and 44 unaffected normal subjects, and identified 23 differentially methylated probes (DMPs). In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with severe acne by genome-wide association analysis in these 88 samples. To test the association between SNPs and DMPs, we conducted DNA methylation quantitative trait loci (methQTL) analysis. Next, causal inference testing (CIT) was used to determine whether genetic variation influences DNA methylation, which impacts disease phenotypes.ResultWe found 38,269 SNPs associated with severe acne. By methQTL analysis, we obtained 24 SNP-CpG pairs that reached the threshold (FDR ConclusionDuring this study, the DNA methylation of certain genes was found to be influenced by genetic factors and mediated the risk of severe acne in a young Chinese male population, providing a new perspective on the pathogenesis of severe acne.</p

Comparison of the Structural Characteristics of Cellulolytic Enzyme Lignin Preparations Isolated from Wheat Straw Stem and Leaf

Lignin structure has been considered to be an important factor that significantly influences the biorefinery processes. In this work, the effect of ball milling on the structural components and extractable lignin in enzymatic residues was evaluated, and the structural characteristics of the cellulolytic enzyme lignin preparations isolated from wheat straw stem (SCEL) and leaf (LCEL) were comparatively investigated by a combination of nitrobenzene oxidation (NBO), ozonation, infrared spectroscopy, and 1H–13C heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance (2D HSQC NMR). The results showed that 4 h ball-milled samples were good enough for structural analysis with high lignin yield. Both CELs are typical p-hydroxyphenyl-guaiacyl-syringyl lignins which are associated with p-coumarates and ferulates. However, the structure of lignin in wheat straw stem is rather different from that in leaf. Compared to stem lignin, leaf lignin has lower product yields of NBO and ozonation, lower erythro/threo ratio, and higher condensation degree. The analysis of 2D HSQC NMR indicated that the S/G ratio of SCEL was 0.8, which is about twice as much as that of LCEL. The flavone tricin is incorporated into both stem and leaf lignins. The content of tricin in LCEL is higher than that in SCEL