Long Non-Coding RNA XLOC_006753 Promotes the Development of Multidrug Resistance in Gastric Cancer Cells Through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Background/Aims: The development of multidrug resistance (MDR), which results in disease recurrence and metastasis, is a crucial obstacle to successful chemotherapy for patients with gastric cancer (GC). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play various roles in cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of XLOC_006753 on the development of MDR in GC cells. Methods: The expression levels of XLOC_006753 in GC patients and MDR GC cell lines (SGC-7901/5-FU and SGC-7901/DDP cell line) were assessed by qRT-PCR. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between XLOC_006753 expression and clinical features and to assess the prognostic value of XLOC_006753 for overall survival and progression-free survival. Then, a CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability and chemosensitivity. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle and cell apoptosis. A wound-healing assay and transwell assay were used to detect cell migration. The expression of markers for MDR, G1/S transition, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and PI3K/ AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were examined by western blot. Results: XLOC_006753 was highly expressed in GC patients and MDR GC cell lines (SGC-7901/5-FU and SGC-7901/DDP cell lines), and its high expression was positively associated with metastasis, TNM stage, tumor size, and poor survival in GC patients. Moreover, XLOC_006753 was an independent prognostic biomarker of overall survival and progression-free survival for gastric cancer patients. Knocking down XLOC_006753 in the two MDR GC cell lines significantly inhibited cell proliferation, cell viability, cell cycle G1/S transition, and migration. XLOC_006753 knockdown also promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, western blots showed that XLOC_006753 knockdown decreased some markers of MDR, G1/S transition, and EMT expression, while increasing caspase9 expression and inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in SGC-7901/5-FU and SGC-7901/DDP cells. Conclusion: High expression of XLOC_006753 promoted the development of MDR, which was activated by the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in GC cells

A novel molecular signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in osteosarcoma based on tumor-infiltrating cell marker genes

BackgroundTumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), the main component in the tumor microenvironment, play a critical role in the antitumor immune response. Few studies have developed a prognostic model based on TILs in osteosarcoma.MethodsScRNA-seq data was obtained from our previous research and bulk RNA transcriptome data was from TARGET database. WGCNA was used to obtain the immune-related gene modules. Subsequently, we applied LASSO regression analysis and SVM algorithm to construct a prognostic model based on TILs marker genes. What’s more, the prognostic model was verified by external datasets and experiment in vitro. ResultsEleven cell clusters and 2044 TILs marker genes were identified. WGCNA results showed that 545 TILs marker genes were the most strongly related with immune. Subsequently, a risk model including 5 genes was developed. We found that the survival rate was higher in the low-risk group and the risk model could be used as an independent prognostic factor. Meanwhile, high-risk patients had a lower abundance of immune cell infiltration and many immune checkpoint genes were highly expressed in the low-risk group. The prognostic model was also demonstrated to be a good predictive capacity in external datasets. The result of RT-qPCR indicated that these 5 genes have differential expression which accorded with the predicting outcomes.ConclusionsThis study developed a new molecular signature based on TILs marker genes, which is very effective in predicting OS prognosis and immunotherapy response

Genetic Variation of the Human α-2-Heremans-Schmid Glycoprotein (AHSG) Gene Associated with the Risk of SARS-CoV Infection

Genetic background may play an important role in the process of SARS-CoV infection and SARS development. We found several proteins that could interact with the nucleocapsid protein of the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). α-2-Heremans-Schmid Glycoprotein (AHSG), which is required for macrophage deactivation by endogenous cations, is associated with inflammatory regulation. Cytochrome P450 Family 3A (CYP4F3A) is an ω-oxidase that inactivates Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in human neutrophils and the liver. We investigated the association between the polymorphisms of these two inflammation-associated genes and SARS development. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) maps of these two genes were built with Haploview using data on CHB+JPT (version 2) from the HapMap. A total of ten tag SNPs were selected and genotyped. In the Guangzhou cohort study, after adjusting for age and sex, two AHSG SNPs and one CYP4F3 SNP were found to be associated with SARS susceptibility: rs2248690 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30-4.51); rs4917 (AOR 1.84; 95% CI 1.02-3.34); and rs3794987 (AOR 2.01; 95% CI 1.10–3.68). To further validate the association, the ten tag SNPs were genotyped in the Beijing cohort. After adjusting for age and sex, only rs2248690 (AOR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.30–2.04) was found to be associated with SARS susceptibility. The combined analysis of the two studies confirmed tag SNP rs2248690 in AHSG as a susceptibility variant (AOR 1.70; 95% CI 1.37–2.09). The statistical analysis of the rs2248690 genotype data among the patients and healthy controls in the HCW cohort, who were all similarly exposed to the SARS virus, also supported the findings. Further, the SNP rs2248690 affected the transcriptional activity of the AHSG promoter and thus regulated the AHSG serum level. Therefore, our study has demonstrated that the AA genotype of rs2268690, which leads to a higher AHSG serum concentration, was significantly associated with protection against SARS development

Influence of the Gas Volume in the Void Tube Connecting Compressor and Inertance Tube on the Oscillating Flow in an Inertance Tube Phase Shifting System

AbstractInfluencesof thegas volumein the void tube (connecting tube), connecting compressor and inertance tube, on the oscillating flowcharacteristics are experimentally investigated. Four void tubes, whose volumes are different from each other, are chosen to connect the compressor and the inertance tube respectively. Piston displacement of the compressor and dynamic pressure at the outlet of the compressor are measured by a laserdisplacement sensor and a quartz pressure sensor respectively. This investigation focuses on the piston displacement and mass flows at three special positions of the experimental system.The change of the amplitudes and phase angles of the piston displacement and the three mass flows caused by varying the void tubes with different dynamic pressures and frequencies are studied. This investigation is helpful to study the influence ofthe gas volumein the connecting parts of an inertance tube pulse tube cryocooler, such as transfer tube, cold finger and pulse tube, on oscillating characteristics of the cooler

Instability failure criterion of debris landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area based on the sliding zone integrity index

The stability evaluation of landslide is one of the key issues in the field of landslide prevention and control. The research on the landslide failure criterion can provide the support for the stability evaluation of landslides. In order to enhance the accuracy of landslide stability evaluation, the landslide failure criterion based on the monitoring data of deep displacement is an effective approach. Therefore, based on the deep displacement monitoring data of landslide, the sliding zone integrity index is introduced, and a directly proportional relationship between the integrity index of the sliding zone and the shear strength parameters of the landslide is deduced. By using the calculation method of landslide stability and the simplified model of debris landslide, a directly proportional relationship between the integrity index of the sliding zone and the stability coefficient of the landslide can be obtained. The instability failure criterion of the debris landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area considering the integrity index of the sliding zone is established accordingly. In the case of the integrity index of the sliding zone is greater than the critical value, the landslide is in a stable state. Otherwise, in the case of the integrity index of the sliding zone is less than the critical value, the landslide is unstable. A typical debris landslide e.g. Wuchiba landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area is analyzed in detailed as an example.It is found that the failure criterion is reliable and applicable for the Wuchiba landslide. The results show that the failure criterion of slip zone integrity index can be used to evaluate the stability of landslide, which can provide a new approach for the study of landslide failure criterion

Studies on the Dual-Templating Function of TBA for the Formation of ZSM-11 Intergrowth Morphology

Hierarchically structured ZSM-11 microspheres with an intergrowth morphology have been hydrothermally synthesized using only one organic templating molecule (TBABr). An investigation of the effects of the structure-directing agent on the zeolite particle morphology and textural properties was performed. It was found that the template tetraalkylammonium ions TBA⁺ (or TPA⁺) not only were located in the channel intersections of ZSM-11 (or ZSM-5), but were also attached to the external surface of the precursors, which prevented these precursors from further condensation. Finally, a morphology of numerous nanocrystals inserting into each other was formed, and the voids among these intergrowth crystals endowed these materials with mesoporosity

Insight into Influence of Glycerol on Preparing α‑CaSO₄·1/2H₂O from Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum in Glycerol–Water Solutions with Succinic Acid and NaCl

The conversion of CaSO₄·2H₂O (DH) to CaSO₄·1/2H₂O (HH) was facilitated by increasing glycerol content from 55% to 85% in glycerol–water mixtures; the average length and diameter of produced α-HH crystals decreased from 60.97 to 7.21 μm and from 15.21 to 5.17 μm, respectively, resulting in a decrease in the average aspect ratio from 4.06 to 1.41. The phase transformation was reduced dramatically from 30 to 3 h. As glycerol content increased in the mixtures, an increase in α-HH maximal relative supersaturation and decrease of ion diffusion rate were hypothesized as explanations for the morphology change in the alpha-hemihydrate (α-HH) produced. The kinematic feasibility of FGD gypsum transition to α-HH in the mixed solutions with the increase of glycerol should also be attributed to the enhancement of maximal relative supersaturation for α-HH precipitation

Mechanism of activity enhancement of the Ni based hydrotalcite-derived materials in carbonyl sulfide removal

In this paper, a series of Ni based hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLCs) were prepared by co-precipitation method. Carbonyl sulfide (COS) removal was investigated over the hydrotalcite-derived oxides (HTO). The properties of desulfurizer and its changes in the desulfurization process were systematically characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, CO2-TPD, XPS, XAFS and In-situ DRIFTS. The results showed that the activity series for removal of COS decrease in the following sequence: Ni3A1-HTO > Ni3Fe-HTO > Ni3Cr-HTO. In situ DRIFTS and quantum chemistry study implied that carbonate and sulfate was formed on the desulfurizer surface. Lewis basic sites and hydroxyl was determined to play a pivotal role for the COS removal. The enhanced activity after trivalent cations substitution is attributed to their high ability to provide electrons as evidenced by results of CO2-TPD, XPS and XAFS. This work is useful to explore feasible routes to improve the performance of desulfurization material for the feed gas purification. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved