12 research outputs found
Identification of candidate genes and clarification of the maintenance of the green pericarp of weedy rice grains
The weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) pericarp has diverse colors (e.g., purple, red, light-red, and white). However, research on pericarp colors has focused on red and purple, but not green. Unlike many other common weedy rice resources, LM8 has a green pericarp at maturity. In this study, the coloration of the LM8 pericarp was evaluated at the cellular and genetic levels. First, an examination of their ultrastructure indicated that LM8 chloroplasts were normal regarding plastid development and they contained many plastoglobules from the early immature stage to maturity. Analyses of transcriptome profiles and differentially expressed genes revealed that most chlorophyll (Chl) degradation-related genes in LM8 were expressed at lower levels than Chl a/b cycle-related genes in mature pericarps, suggesting that the green LM8 pericarp was associated with inhibited Chl degradation in intact chloroplasts. Second, the F2 generation derived from a cross between LM8 (green pericarp) and SLG (white pericarp) had a pericarp color segregation ratio of 9:3:4 (green:brown:white). The bulked segregant analysis of the F2 populations resulted in the identification of 12 known genes in the chromosome 3 and 4 hotspot regions as candidate genes related to Chl metabolism in the rice pericarp. The RNA-seq and sqRT-PCR assays indicated that the expression of the Chl a/b cycle-related structural gene DVR (encoding divinyl reductase) was sharply up-regulated. Moreover, genes encoding magnesium-chelatase subunit D and the light-harvesting Chl a/b-binding protein were transcriptionally active in the fully ripened dry pericarp. Regarding the ethylene signal transduction pathway, the CTR (encoding an ethylene-responsive protein kinase) and ERF (encoding an ethylene-responsive factor) genes expression profiles were determined. The findings of this study highlight the regulatory roles of Chl biosynthesis- and degradation-related genes influencing Chl accumulation during the maturation of the LM8 pericarp
Detection and Direct Readout of Drugs in Human Urine Using Dynamic Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Support Vector Machines
A new,
novel, rapid method to detect and direct readout of drugs in human
urine has been developed using dynamic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
(D-SERS) with portable Raman spectrometer on gold nanorods (GNRs)
and a classification algorithm called support vector machines (SVM).
The high-performance GNRs can generate gigantic enhancement and the
SERS signals obtained using D-SERS on it have high reproducibility.
On the basis of this feature of D-SERS, we have obtained SERS spectra
of urine and urine containing methamphetamine (MAMP). SVM model was
built using these data for fast identified and visual results. This
general method was successfully applied to the detection of 3, 4-methylenedioxy
methamphetamine (MDMA) in human urine. To verify the accuracy of the
model, drug addicts’ urine containing MAMP were detected and
identified correctly and rapidly with accuracy more than 90%. The
detection results were displayed directly without analysis of their
SERS spectra manually. Compared with the conventional method in lab,
the method only needs a 2 ÎĽL sample volume and takes no more
than 2 min on the portable Raman spectrometer. It is anticipated that
this method will enable rapid, convenient detection of drugs on site
for the police
Sustained release ivermectin-loaded solid lipid dispersion for subcutaneous delivery: in vitro and in vivo evaluation
This work aimed to develop a sustained release solid dispersion of ivermectin (IVM-SD) in a lipid matrix (hydrogenated castor oil, HCO) for subcutaneous delivery. Solvent-melting technology was employed to prepare IVM-SDs using HCO. The physicochemical properties of the IVM-SDs were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The release of IVM from IVM-SDs was evaluated with HPLC in vitro. Pharmacokinetics of IVM was studied in rabbits following a single subcutaneous administration of IVM-SD formulations. The efficacy of IVM-SD against the ear mange mite was evaluated in rabbits. IVM was completely dispersed in HCO in an amorphous state at a drug:carrier ratio lower than 1:3. No chemical interactions between drug and carrier were found besides hydrogen bonding for the amorphous IVM-SDs. The amorphous IVM-SDs formulations exhibited a sustained release of IVM versus physical mixtures (PMs) of IVM and HCO. The drug release decreased as the drug:carrier ratios decreased, and the release kinetics of IVM were controlled via diffusion. Cytotoxicity of IVM-SD to MDCK cells was lower than native IVM. The IVM plasma concentration of SD1:3 remained above 1 ng/mL for 49 d. Higher AUC, MRT, and Tmax values were obtained at a SD1:3 relative to the IVM group. The IVM-SD improved almost 1.1-fold bioavailability of drug compared with IVM in rabbits. IVM-SD could provide longer persistence against rabbit’s ear mites than a commercial IVM injection. This study shows that these solid lipid dispersions are a promising approach for the development of subcutaneous IVM formulations
Three-Dimensional Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Hotspots in Spherical Colloidal Superstructure for Identification and Detection of Drugs in Human Urine
Rapid component separation and robust
surface-enhanced Raman scattering
(SERS) identification of drugs in real human urine remain an attractive
challenge because of the sample complexity, low molecular affinity
for metal surface, and inefficient use of hotspots in one- or two-dimensional
(2D) geometries. Here, we developed a 5 min strategy of cyclohexane
(CYH) extraction for separating amphetamines from human urine. Simultaneously,
an oil-in-water emulsion method is used to assemble monodisperse Ag
nanoparticles in the CYH phase into spherical colloidal superstructures
in the aqueous phase. These superstructures create three-dimensional
(3D) SERS hotspots which exist between every two adjacent particles
in 3D space, break the traditional 2D limitation, and extend the hotspots
into the third dimension along the <i>z</i>-axis. In this
platform, a conservative estimate of Raman enhancement factor is larger
than 10<sup>7</sup>, and the same CYH extraction processing results
in a high acceptability and enrichment of drug molecules in 3D hotspots
which demonstrates excellent stability and reproducibility and is
suitable for the quantitative examination of amphetamines in both
aqueous and organic phases. Parallel ultraperformance liquid chromatography
(UPLC) examinations corroborate an excellent performance of our SERS
platform for the quantitative analysis of methamphetamine (MA) in
both aqueous solution and real human urine, of which the detection
limits reach 1 and 10 ppb, respectively, with tolerable signal-to-noise
ratios. Moreover, SERS examinations on different proportions of MA
and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in human urine demonstrate
an excellent capability of multiplex quantification of ultratrace
analytes. By virtue of a spectral classification algorithm, we realize
the rapid and accurate recognition of weak Raman signals of amphetamines
at trace levels and also clearly distinguish various proportions of
multiplex components. Our platform for detecting drugs promises to
be a great prospect for a rapid, reliable, and on-spot analyzer
Optimal Hotspots of Dynamic Surfaced-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Drugs Quantitative Detection
Surface-enhanced
Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a powerful qualitative
analysis method has been widely applied in many fields. However, SERS
for quantitative analysis still suffers from several challenges partially
because of the absence of stable and credible analytical strategy.
Here, we demonstrate that the optimal hotspots created from dynamic
surfaced-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (D-SERS) can be used for quantitative
SERS measurements. In situ small-angle X-ray scattering was carried
out to in situ real-time monitor the formation of the optimal hotspots,
where the optimal hotspots with the most efficient hotspots were generated
during the monodisperse Au-sol evaporating process. Importantly, the
natural evaporation of Au-sol avoids the nanoparticles instability
of salt-induced, and formation of ordered three-dimensional hotspots
allows SERS detection with excellent reproducibility. Considering
SERS signal variability in the D-SERS process, 4-mercaptopyridine
(4-mpy) acted as internal standard to validly correct and improve
stability as well as reduce fluctuation of signals. The strongest
SERS spectra at the optimal hotspots of D-SERS have been extracted
to statistics analysis. By using the SERS signal of 4-mpy as a stable
internal calibration standard, the relative SERS intensity of target
molecules demonstrated a linear response versus the negative logarithm
of concentrations at the point of strongest SERS signals, which illustrates
the great potential for quantitative analysis. The public drugs 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine
and α-methyltryptamine hydrochloride obtained precise analysis
with internal standard D-SERS strategy. As a consequence, one has
reason to believe our approach is promising to challenge quantitative
problems in conventional SERS analysis
Sustained release ivermectin-loaded solid lipid dispersion for subcutaneous delivery: in vitro
Sustained release ivermectin-loaded solid lipid dispersion for subcutaneous delivery: <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> evaluation
<p>This work aimed to develop a sustained release solid dispersion of ivermectin (IVM-SD) in a lipid matrix (hydrogenated castor oil, HCO) for subcutaneous delivery. Solvent-melting technology was employed to prepare IVM-SDs using HCO. The physicochemical properties of the IVM-SDs were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The release of IVM from IVM-SDs was evaluated with HPLC <i>in vitro.</i> Pharmacokinetics of IVM was studied in rabbits following a single subcutaneous administration of IVM-SD formulations. The efficacy of IVM-SD against the ear mange mite was evaluated in rabbits. IVM was completely dispersed in HCO in an amorphous state at a drug:carrier ratio lower than 1:3. No chemical interactions between drug and carrier were found besides hydrogen bonding for the amorphous IVM-SDs. The amorphous IVM-SDs formulations exhibited a sustained release of IVM versus physical mixtures (PMs) of IVM and HCO. The drug release decreased as the drug:carrier ratios decreased, and the release kinetics of IVM were controlled via diffusion. Cytotoxicity of IVM-SD to MDCK cells was lower than native IVM. The IVM plasma concentration of SD1:3 remained above 1 ng/mL for 49 d. Higher AUC, MRT, and <i>T</i><sub>max</sub> values were obtained at a SD1:3 relative to the IVM group. The IVM-SD improved almost 1.1-fold bioavailability of drug compared with IVM in rabbits. IVM-SD could provide longer persistence against rabbit’s ear mites than a commercial IVM injection. This study shows that these solid lipid dispersions are a promising approach for the development of subcutaneous IVM formulations.</p
Proliferative and Survival Effects of PUMA Promote Angiogenesis
The p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) is known as an essential apoptosis inducer. Here, we report the seemingly paradoxical finding that PUMA is a proangiogenic factor critically required for the proliferation and survival of vascular and microglia cells. Strikingly, Puma deficiency by genetic deletion or small hairpin RNA knockdown inhibited developmental and pathological angiogenesis and reduced microglia numbers in vivo, whereas Puma gene delivery increased angiogenesis and cell survival. Mechanistically, we revealed that PUMA plays a critical role in regulating autophagy by modulating Erk activation and intracellular calcium level. Our findings revealed an unexpected function of PUMA in promoting angiogenesis and warrant more careful investigations into the therapeutic potential of PUMA in treating cancer and degenerative diseases
m6A methylation reader IGF2BP2 activates endothelial cells to promote angiogenesis and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma
Abstract Background Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common type of lung cancer with a high risk of metastasis, but the exact molecular mechanisms of metastasis are not yet understood. Methods This study acquired single-cell transcriptomics profiling of 11 distal normal lung tissues, 11 primary LUAD tissues, and 4 metastatic LUAD tissues from the GSE131907 dataset. The lung multicellular ecosystems were characterized at a single-cell resolution, and the potential mechanisms underlying angiogenesis and metastasis of LUAD were explored. Results We constructed a global single-cell landscape of 93,610 cells from primary and metastatic LUAD and found that IGF2BP2 was specifically expressed both in a LUAD cell subpopulation (termed as LUAD_IGF2BP2), and an endothelial cell subpopulation (termed as En_IGF2BP2). The LUAD_IGF2BP2 subpopulation progressively formed and dominated the ecology of metastatic LUAD during metastatic evolution. IGF2BP2 was preferentially secreted by exosomes in the LUAD_IGF2BP2 subpopulation, which was absorbed by the En_IGF2BP2 subpopulation in the tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, IGF2BP2 improved the RNA stability of FLT4 through m6A modification, thereby activating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and eventually promoting angiogenesis and metastasis. Analysis of clinical data showed that IGF2BP2 was linked with poor overall survival and relapse-free survival for LUAD patients. Conclusions Overall, these findings provide a novel insight into the multicellular ecosystems of primary and metastatic LUAD, and demonstrate that a specific LUAD_IGF2BP2 subpopulation is a key orchestrator promoting angiogenesis and metastasis, with implications for the gene regulatory mechanisms of LUAD metastatic evolution, representing themselves as potential antiangiogenic targets