2-Methyl 2-butanol suppresses human retinoblastoma cells through cell cycle arrest and autophagy

<div><p>2-Methyl-2-butanol (MBT) is a chemical compound from the group of alcohols more specifically pentanols, which has shown an excellent anti-cancer activity in our previous study. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the anti-cancer effect of MBT on human retinoblastoma cells. The results showed that the use of MBT leads to HXO-RB44 cell death but is cytotoxic to normal cells at higher concentrations. It showed a dose- as well as a time-dependent inhibition of HXO-RB44 cells. P27 is a cell cycle inhibitory protein, which plays an important role in cell cycle regulation whereas cyclin-B1 is a regulatory protein involved in mitosis. MBT increased the cell cycle arrest in a dose-dependent manner by augmenting p27 and reducing cyclin B1 expression. Moreover, it also accelerated apoptosis, increased light chain-3 (LC-3) conversion in a dose-dependent manner, and helped to debulk cancerous cells. LC3 is a soluble protein, which helps to engulf cytoplasmic components, including cytosolic proteins and organelles during autophagy from autophagosomes. In order to verify the effect of MBT, bafilomycin A1, an autophagy inhibitor, was used to block the MTB-induced apoptosis and necrosis. Additionally, a specific Akt agonist, SC-79, reversed the MBT-induced cell cycle arrest and autophagy. Thus, from the present study, it was concluded that MBT induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy through the PI3K/Akt pathway in HXO-RB44 cells.</p></div

Optimization of Photoelectrochemical Response on TiO₂ Nanotube Arrays Treated by H₃PO₄ and Mechanism Analysis of the Slowing Down Effect during Preparation

The process control of anodization has been a hot topic for a long time. In this study, the addition of phosphoric acid to the traditional electrolyte changed the ion distribution on the reaction interface and the composition of the anion contamination layer so as to achieve the slowing down effect on anodization, the mechanism and theoretical model of which are also given in this paper. TiO2 is a common material in photoelectrocatalysis, but there are few studies on the photoelectrochemical performance of TiO2 nanotube arrays. The stability and rapidity of the photoelectrochemical response of TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared in phosphoric acid containing an electrolyte were effectively optimized in this study

Additional file 2: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S2. Differentially expressed genes and functions in photosynthesis. (DOCX 22 kb

Additional file 5: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S4. Differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) in response to cold treatment of SCZ and YH 9 leaves. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease of transcript abundance is highlighted in blue and bold, significant transcript increase is highlighted in red and bold. (XLSX 28 kb

Additional file 7: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S6. Differentially expressed genes related to free radical scavengers and flavonoid in response to cold treatment of SCZ and YH9 leaves. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease of transcript abundance is highlighted in blue and bold, significant transcript increase is highlighted in red and bold. (XLSX 19 kb

Additional file 9: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S8. Differentially expressed genes related to osmoprotectans in response to cold treatment of SCZ and YH9 leaves. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease of transcript abundance is highlighted in blue and bold, significant transcript increase is highlighted in red and bold. (XLSX 15 kb

Superwetting Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabrics Modified by a Catechol-Based Biomimetic Strategy for Oil/Water Separation

The superwetting membrane with superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic properties is one of the ideal materials for treating oily wastewater. We combined a catechol/silane biomimetic composite coating system and a metal-phenolic network structure to co-deposit a dopamine-like superhydrophilic coating on polypropylene nonwoven fabrics. The modified fabric separated oil–water mixtures with a filtration efficiency of up to 99%. Besides, the as-prepared material has the property of nonstick oil underwater and outstanding stability. After 30 cycles of separation tests, the pure water flux can be restored to 94.5% of the initial value after rinsing with deionized water. It maintained underwater superoleophobic properties after being immersed in a harsh environment of pH 1 or 13 for 1 h. Compared with dopamine hydrophilic modification, this method was more economical and time-consuming and could fabricate a full-scale separation material

Additional file 1: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S1. Summary of RNA-seq, assembly and annotation. (DOCX 25 kb

Additional file 3: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Figure S1. RT-qPCR validation of selected DEG. (DOCX 452 kb

Additional file 8: of Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals gene expression associated with cold adaptation in the tea plant Camellia sinensis

Table S7. Differentially expressed genes related to fatty acid in response to cold treatment of SCZ and YH9 leaves. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease of transcript abundance is highlighted in blue and bold, significant transcript increase is highlighted in red and bold. (XLSX 13 kb