Effects of gingipain extract on the biological characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell HN6

Objective·To observe the effects of gingipain extract on the biological characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell HN6.Methods·The HN6 cell line was selected, cultivated, and divided into different groups based on the protein concentration of gingipain extract from Porphyromonas gingivalis: control group, 3.125 μg/mL group, 6.25 μg/mL group, 12.5 μg/mL group, 25 μg/mL group, 50 μg/mL group, and 100 μg/mL group. After 24 and 48 h of cultivation, CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effects of gingipain extract on HN6 cell proliferation activity. Subsequent experiments were divided into control group, 25 μg/mL group and 50 μg/mL group. Flow cytometry was used to examine the effects of gingipain extract on cell cycle. Scratch assay and Transwell assay were performed to evaluate cell migration and invasion ability. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to measure the expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins and genes in cells.Results·Stimulated with gingipain extract for 24 h, the HN6 cells showed significantly increased proliferation activity in the 25 μg/mL (P=0.025), 50 μg/mL (P=0.000), and 100 μg/mL (P=0.049) groups compared to the control group. After 48 h, proliferation activity was significantly higher in the 6.25 μg/mL(P=0.024), 12.5 μg/mL (P=0.006), 25 μg/mL (P=0.000), 50 μg/mL (P=0.000), and 100 μg/mL (P=0.000) groups compared to the control group. Cell cycle analysis revealed that, after 24 h of gingipain stimulation, the proportion of HN6 cells in the G1 phase decreased, while the proportion in the S+G2 phase significantly increased compared to the control group (25 μg/mL group: P=0.024; 50 μg/mL group: P=0.001). Compared to the control group, the scratch assay demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of scratch closure as the concentration of gingipain extract increased (P=0.001). Compared to the control group, the Transwell invasion assay showed a significant increase in the number of cells passing through the bottom of the chamber as the concentration of gingipain extract increased. RT-PCR and Western blotting results indicated that as the concentration of gingipain extract increased, the expression levels of N-cadherin mRNA and protein in HN6 cells significantly increased, while the expression levels of E-cadherin mRNA and protein significantly decreased compared to the control group.Conclusion·Gingipain extract could promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma HN6 cells

Short-term wind power prediction based on extreme learning machine with error correction

Introduction: Large-scale integration of wind generation brings great challenges to the secure operation of the power systems due to the intermittence nature of wind. The fluctuation of the wind generation has a great impact on the unit commitment. Thus accurate wind power forecasting plays a key role in dealing with the challenges of power system operation under uncertainties in an economical and technical way. Methods: In this paper, a combined approach based on Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and an error correction model is proposed to predict wind power in the short-term time scale. Firstly an ELM is utilized to forecast the short-term wind power. Then the ultra-short-term wind power forecasting is acquired based on processing the short-term forecasting error by persistence method. Results: For short-term forecasting, the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) doesn’t perform well. The overall NRMSE (Normalized Root Mean Square Error) of forecasting results for 66 days is 21.09 %. For the ultra-short term forecasting after error correction, most of forecasting errors lie in the interval of [−10 MW, 10 MW]. The error distribution is concentrated and almost unbiased. The overall NRMSE is 5.76 %. Conclusion: The ultra-short-term wind power forecasting accuracy is further improved by using error correction in terms of normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE)

Brag2 differentially regulates β1- and β3-integrin-dependent adhesion in endothelial cells and is involved in developmental and pathological angiogenesis

β1-Integrins are essential for angiogenesis. The mechanisms regulating integrin function in endothelial cells (EC) and their contribution to angiogenesis remain elusive. Brag2 is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small Arf-GTPases Arf5 and Arf6. The role of Brag2 in EC and angiogenesis and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. siRNA-mediated Brag2-silencing reduced EC angiogenic sprouting and migration. Brag2-siRNA transfection differentially affected α5β1- and αVβ3-integrin function: specifically, Brag2-silencing increased focal/fibrillar adhesions and adhesion on β1-integrin ligands (fibronectin and collagen), while reducing the adhesion on the αVβ3-integrin ligand, vitronectin. Consistent with these results, Brag2-silencing enhanced surface expression of α5β1-integrin, while reducing surface expression of αVβ3-integrin. Mechanistically, Brag2-mediated αVβ3-integrin-recycling and β1-integrin endocytosis and specifically of the active/matrix-bound α5β1-integrin present in fibrillar/focal adhesions (FA), suggesting that Brag2 contributes to the disassembly of FA via β1-integrin endocytosis. Arf5 and Arf6 are promoting downstream of Brag2 angiogenic sprouting, β1-integrin endocytosis and the regulation of FA. In vivo silencing of the Brag2-orthologues in zebrafish embryos using morpholinos perturbed vascular development. Furthermore, in vivo intravitreal injection of plasmids containing Brag2-shRNA reduced pathological ischemia-induced retinal and choroidal neovascularization. These data reveal that Brag2 is essential for developmental and pathological angiogenesis by promoting EC sprouting through regulation of adhesion by mediating β1-integrin internalization and link for the first time the process of β1-integrin endocytosis with angiogenesis.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Transregional Collaborative Research Centre. (SFB/TR23)Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Transregional Collaborative Research Centre. (Project A2)Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Transregional Collaborative Research Centre.(Project Z5)Else Kroner-Fresenius-Stiftung (2013_A2

Inhibiting Phase Transfer of Protein Nanoparticles by Surface Camouflage-A Versatile and Efficient Protein Encapsulation Strategy

Engineering a system with a high mass fraction of active ingredients, especially water-soluble proteins, is still an ongoing challenge. In this work, we developed a versatile surface camouflage strategy that can engineer systems with an ultrahigh mass fraction of proteins. By formulating protein molecules into nanoparticles, the demand of molecular modification was transformed into a surface camouflage of protein nanoparticles. Thanks to electrostatic attractions and van der Waals interactions, we camouflaged the surface of protein nanoparticles through the adsorption of carrier materials. The adsorption of carrier materials successfully inhibited the phase transfer of insulin, albumin, β-lactoglobulin, and ovalbumin nanoparticles. As a result, the obtained microcomposites featured with a record of protein encapsulation efficiencies near 100% and a record of protein mass fraction of 77%. After the encapsulation in microcomposites, the insulin revealed a hypoglycemic effect for at least 14 d with one single injection, while that of insulin solution was only ∼4 h.Peer reviewe

Role of VEGFR2 in Mediating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Under Glucose Deprivation and Determining Cell Death, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Factor Expression

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a postmitotic monolayer located between the neuroretina and choroid, supports the retina and is closely associated with vision loss diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) upon dysfunction. Although environmental stresses are known to play critical roles in AMD pathogenesis and the roles of other stresses have been well investigated, glucose deprivation, which can arise from choriocapillary flow voids, has yet to be fully explored. In this study, we examined the involvement of VEGFR2 in glucose deprivation-mediated cell death and the underlying mechanisms. We found that VEGFR2 levels are a determinant for RPE cell death, a critical factor for dry AMD, under glucose deprivation. RNA sequencing analysis showed that upon VEGFR2 knockdown under glucose starvation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) are reduced. Consistently, VEGFR2 overexpression increased ER stress under the same condition. Although VEGFR2 was less expressed compared to EGFR1 and c-Met in RPE cells, it could elicit a higher level of ER stress induced by glucose starvation. Finally, downregulated VEGFR2 attenuated the oxidative stress and inflammatory factor expression, two downstream targets of ER stress. Our study, for the first time, has demonstrated a novel role of VEGFR2 in RPE cells under glucose deprivation, thus providing valuable insights into the mechanisms of AMD pathogenesis and suggesting that VEGFR2 might be a potential therapeutic target for AMD prevention, which may impede its progression

Survival effect of PDGF-CC rescues neurons from apoptosis in both brain and retina by regulating GSK3β phosphorylation

Platelet-derived growth factor CC (PDGF-CC) is the third member of the PDGF family discovered after more than two decades of studies on the original members of the family, PDGF-AA and PDGF-BB. The biological function of PDGF-CC remains largely to be explored. We report a novel finding that PDGF-CC is a potent neuroprotective factor that acts by modulating glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) activity. In several different animal models of neuronal injury, such as axotomy-induced neuronal death, neurotoxin-induced neuronal injury, 6-hydroxydopamine–induced Parkinson’s dopaminergic neuronal death, and ischemia-induced stroke, PDGF-CC protein or gene delivery protected different types of neurons from apoptosis in both the retina and brain. On the other hand, loss-of-function assays using PDGF-C null mice, neutralizing antibody, or short hairpin RNA showed that PDGF-CC deficiency/inhibition exacerbated neuronal death in different neuronal tissues in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that the neuroprotective effect of PDGF-CC was achieved by regulating GSK3β phosphorylation and expression. Our data demonstrate that PDGF-CC is critically required for neuronal survival and may potentially be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Inhibition of the PDGF-CC–PDGF receptor pathway for different clinical purposes should be conducted with caution to preserve normal neuronal functions

A miR-327–FGF10–FGFR2-mediated autocrine signaling mechanism controls white fat browning

Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating beige adipocyte formation may lead to the development of new therapies to combat obesity. Here, we report a miRNA-based autocrine regulatory pathway that controls differentiation of preadipocytes into beige adipocytes. We identify miR-327 as one of the most downregulated miRNAs targeting growth factors in the stromal-vascular fraction (SVF) under conditions that promote white adipose tissue (WAT) browning in mice. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments reveal that miR-327 targets FGF10 to prevent beige adipocyte differentiation. Pharmacological and physiological β-adrenergic stimulation upregulates FGF10 levels and promotes preadipocyte differentiation into beige adipocytes. In vivo local delivery of miR-327 to WATs significantly compromises the beige phenotype and thermogenesis. Contrarily, systemic inhibition of miR-327 in mice induces browning and increases whole-body metabolic rate under thermoneutral conditions. Our data provide mechanistic insight into an autocrine regulatory signaling loop that regulates beige adipocyte formation and suggests that the miR-327–FGF10–FGFR2 signaling axis may be a therapeutic targets for treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases

Impairment of angiogenesis by fatty acid synthase inhibition Involves mTOR malonylation

The role of fatty acid synthesis in endothelial cells (ECs) remains incompletely characterized. We report that fatty acid synthase knockdown (FASNKD) in ECs impedes vessel sprouting by reducing proliferation. Endothelial loss of FASN impaired angiogenesis in vivo, while FASN blockade reduced pathological ocular neovascularization, at >10-fold lower doses than used for anti-cancer treatment. Impaired angiogenesis was not due to energy stress, redox imbalance, or palmitate depletion. Rather, FASNKD elevated malonyl-CoA levels, causing malonylation (a post-translational modification) of mTOR at lysine 1218 (K1218). mTOR K-1218 malonylation impaired mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase activity, thereby reducing phosphorylation of downstream targets (p70S6K/4EBP1). Silencing acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (an enzyme producing malonyl-CoA) normalized malonyl-CoA levels and reactivated mTOR in FASNKD ECs. Mutagenesis unveiled the importance of mTOR K1218 malonylation for angiogenesis. This study unveils a novel role of FASN in metabolite signaling that contributes to explaining the anti-angiogenic effect of FASN blockade