Up-regulation of CNDP2 facilitates the proliferation of colon cancer

BACKGROUND: Cytosolic nonspecific dipetidase (CN2) belongs to the family of M20 metallopeptidases. It was stated in previous articles that higher expression levels of CN2 were observed in renal cell carcinoma and breast cancer. Our study explored the correlation between CN2 and colon carcinogenesis. METHODS: We analysed the relationship between 183 patients clinicopathological characteristics and its CN2 expression. To detect the levels of CN2 in colon cancer cell lines and colon cancer tissues by western blot. To verify cell proliferation in colon cancer cells with knockdown of CNDP2 and explore the causes of these phenomena. RESULTS: The expression levels of CN2 in clinical colon tumors and colon cancer cell lines were significantly higher than that in normal colon mucosa and colon cell lines. The difference in CN2 levels was associated with tumor location (right- and left-sided colon cancer), but there was no significant association with age, gender, tumor size, tumor grade, tumor stage or serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Knockdown of CNDP2 inhibited cell proliferation, blocked cell cycle progression and retarded carcinogenesis in an animal model. The signaling pathway through which knockdown of CNDP2 inhibited cell proliferation and tumorigenesis involved in EGFR, cyclin B1 and cyclin E. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of CNDP2 can inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer in vitro and retarded carcinogenesis in vivo

Performance and Mechanism of Alkylimidazolium Ionic Liquids as Corrosion Inhibitors for Copper in Sulfuric Acid Solution

The addition of corrosion inhibitors is an economic and environmental protection method to prevent the corrosion of copper. The adsorption, performance, and mechanism of three 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([BMIM]HSO4, [HMIM]HSO4, and [OMIM]HSO4) ionic liquids (ILs) on the copper surface in 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions were studied by quantum chemical calculation, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), and molecular dynamics simulation. It is found that the main reactive site is located on the imidazolium ring (especially the C2, N4, and N7 groups). When the alkyl chain of the imidazolium ring is increasing, the molecular reactivity of the ILs and the interaction between the ILs inhibitor and copper surface are enhanced. The imidazole ring of the ILs tends to be adsorbed on Cu (111) surface in parallel through physical adsorption. The order of adsorption energy is [Bmim]HSO4 < [Hmim]HSO4 < [OMIM]HSO4, which is in agreement with the experimental order of corrosion efficiency. On the imidazole ring, the interaction between the copper surface and the C atom is greater than that between the copper surface and the N atom. It is found that ILs addition can hinder the diffusion of corrosion particles, reduce the number density of corrosion particles and slow down the corrosion rate. The order of inhibition ability of three ILs is [Bmim]HSO4 < [Hmim]HSO4 < [OMIM]HSO4,which agree well with experimental results. A reliable QSAR correlation between the inhibition corrosion efficiency and molecular reactivity parameters of the ILs was established

Mechanotransduction in T Cell Development, Differentiation and Function

Cells in the body are actively engaging with their environments that include both biochemical and biophysical aspects. The process by which cells convert mechanical stimuli from their environment to intracellular biochemical signals is known as mechanotransduction. Exemplifying the reliance on mechanotransduction for their development, differentiation and function are T cells, which are central to adaptive immune responses. T cell mechanoimmunology is an emerging field that studies how T cells sense, respond and adapt to the mechanical cues that they encounter throughout their life cycle. Here we review different stages of the T cell’s life cycle where existing studies have shown important effects of mechanical force or matrix stiffness on a T cell as sensed through its surface molecules, including modulating receptor–ligand interactions, inducing protein conformational changes, triggering signal transduction, amplifying antigen discrimination and ensuring directed targeted cell killing. We suggest that including mechanical considerations in the immunological studies of T cells would inform a more holistic understanding of their development, differentiation and function

Conventional Mercury Penetration and Constant Velocity Mercury Penetration Experiments Are Used to Quantitatively Characterize the Difference in Micropore Structure in Low Permeability Reservoirs and Its Influence on Movable Fluid Saturation

There are many research methods and experimental means for quantitative and semiquantitative evaluation of low permeability reservoirs. Generally, people do not use a single means to study them but use a variety of experimental means to verify and complement each other. Conventional mercury penetration and constant velocity mercury penetration are two important experimental methods for the quantitative evaluation of tight reservoirs. The micro characteristic parameters of reservoirs obtained by them are quite different, which bring some difficulties to people’s research. This paper first analyzes the reasons for the differences between the two from the aspects of experimental theory and model, experimental conditions, and experimental process. Taking C 6 and C 7 reservoirs in Ordos Basin as an example, a total of 13 representative pairs of samples were selected to analyze the difference in capillary pressure curve shape and pore throat distribution characteristics between the two experiments and to clarify the reasons for the difference in microscopic pore characteristic parameters measured by the two experiments. Finally, the correlation between the microscopic pore characteristic parameters and the movable fluid saturation parameters is analyzed. The results show that the theoretical model of conventional mercury penetration experiment is a capillary tube bundle model with different radii. The maximum injection pressure of experimental mercury is high and the experimental speed is fast. The theoretical model of constant velocity mercury penetration experiment is the pore and throat capillary model with different radii. The maximum injection pressure is low, the experimental speed is very slow, and the process is quasistatic. The parameters such as displacement pressure, total mercury saturation, and separation coefficient obtained by the latter are smaller than those measured by the former; however, the maximum throat radius, average throat radius, and other parameters obtained by the latter are larger than those measured by the former. According to the correlation chart drawn, it can be concluded that the correlation between the microscopic pore throat characteristic parameters and the movable fluid saturation in the constant velocity mercury penetration experiment is better than that in the conventional mercury penetration experiment. The influencing factors mainly include permeability, porosity, displacement pressure, maximum pore throat radius, and sorting coefficient. The maximum mercury injection saturation has little correlation

Increased Expression of Estrogen Receptor α-36 by Breast Cancer Oncogene IKKε Promotes Growth of ER-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Background/Aims: The expression of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is one of the most important diagnostic and prognostic factors of breast cancer. Recently, ERα-36 has been identified as a novel variant of ER-α. ERα-36 lacks intrinsic transcription activity and mainly mediates non-genomic estrogen signaling. The noncanonical IKK family member IKKε is essential for regulating antiviral signaling pathways and is recently discovered as a breast cancer oncogene. IKKε interacts with and phosphorylates ERα on serine 167, induces ERα transactivation activity and enhances ERα binding to DNA in ER-positive breast cancer cells. However, the correlation between IKKε and the ERα-36 signaling pathway in ER-negative breast cancer cells remains unclear. Methods and Results: In this study, we show that IKKε interacts with ERα-36 and increases its expression in breast cancer cells. As shown by western blot assays, the upregulation of ERα-36 by IKKε was significant. In MDA-MB-231 cells which are ER-negative, IKKε was able to increase the expression of ERα-36 in a dose-dependent manner, and the RNA interference assay indicated the correlation between IKKε and ERα-36 expression. Moreover, IKKε enhanced the growth of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that IKKε increases ERα-36 expression and is involved in ERα-36 mediated non-genomic estrogen signaling

Comparison of acidic deep eutectic solvents in production of chitin nanocrystals

Abstract Five different acidic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of choline chloride and organic acids were applied to fabricate chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs). All DESs resulted in high transmittance and stable ChNCs suspensions with very high mass yield ranging from 78 % to 87.5 % under proper reaction conditions. The acidic DESs had a dual role in ChNCs fabrication, i.e. they promoted hydrolysis of chitin and acted as an acylation reagent. Physicochemical characterization of chitin revealed that the removal of amorphous area during DES treatments led to increased crystallinity of ChNCs and a dimension diversity correlated the DES used. The average diameter and length of individual ChNCs ranged from 42 nm to 49 nm and from 257 nm to 670 nm, respectively. The thermal stability of ChNCs was comparable to that of pristine chitin. Thus, acidic DESs showed to be non-toxic and environmentally benign solvents for production of functionalized chitin nanocrystals

Efficient hydrolysis of chitin in a deep eutectic solvent synergism for production of chitin nanocrystals

Abstract A deep eutectic solvent (DES) derived from ferric chloride hexahydrate and betaine chloride (molar ratio of 1:1) was used as hydrolytic media for production of chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs) with a high yield (up to 88.5%). The synergistic effect of Lewis acid and released Brønsted acid from betaine hydrochloride enabled the efficient hydrolysis of chitin for production of ChNCs coupled with ultrasonication with low energy consumption. The obtained ChNCs were with an average diameter of 10 nm and length of 268 nm, and a crystallinity of 89.2% with optimal synthesis conditions (at 100 °C for 1 h with chitin-to-DES mass ratio of 1:20). The ChNCs were further investigated as efficient emulsion stabilizers, and they resulted in stable o/w emulsions even at a high oil content of 50% with a low ChNC dosage of 1 mg/g. Therefore, a potential approach based on a DES on the production of chitin-based nanoparticles as emulsifiers is introduced

Enhancement of the nanofibrillation of birch cellulose pretreated with natural deep eutectic solvent

Abstract n this study, we demonstrate a new bio-derived and non-toxic deep eutectic solvent composed of betaine hydrochloride (Bh) and glycerol (Gl) as a pretreatment medium for birch cellulose (Betula pendula) to prepare cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) using microfluidization. The co-solvent could readily penetrate into cellulose to swell the fibrillar structure and weaken the interaction within the hydrogen bond network. Moreover, the cationization of glycerol and cellulose by betaine hydrochloride further enhances the swelling process. All of these effects promote the nanofibrillation of cellulose and reduce the energy demand in CNF production. A high CNF mass yield of up to 72.5 % was obtained through co-solvent pretreatment using a Bh-to-Gl mole ratio of 1:2 at 150 °C for 1 h. The mole amount of betaine hydrochloride was noted to affect the nanofibrillation process and stability of the CNF suspension. The obtained CNFs possessed a cationic charge of 0.05–0.06 mmol/g, a diameter of 17–20 nm, and a degree of crystallinity of 67.7–74.4 %. The CNFs displayed good thermal stability comparable to that of the pristine cellulose. Thus, this study provides a green and efficient swelling strategy for producing CNFs with a low cationic charge density