The comprehensive analysis of the prognostic and functional role of N-terminal methyltransferases 1 in pan-cancer

Background NTMT1, a transfer methylase that adds methyl groups to the N-terminus of proteins, has been identified as a critical player in tumor development and progression. However, its precise function in pan-cancer is still unclear. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of its role in cancer, we performed a thorough bioinformatics analysis. Methods To conduct our analysis, we gathered data from multiple sources, including RNA sequencing and clinical data from the TCGA database, protein expression data from the UALCAN and HPA databases, and single-cell expression data from the CancerSEA database. Additionally, we utilized TISIDB to investigate the interaction between the tumor and the immune system. To assess the impact of NTMT1 on the proliferation of SNU1076 cells, we performed a CCK8 assay. We also employed cellular immunofluorescence to detect DNA damage and used flow cytometry to measure tumor cell apoptosis. Results Our analysis revealed that NTMT1 was significantly overexpressed in various types of tumors and that high levels of NTMT1 were associated with poor survival outcomes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that NTMT1 may contribute to tumor development and progression by regulating pathways involved in cell proliferation and immune response. In addition, we found that knockdown of NTMT1 expression led to reduced cell proliferation, increased DNA damage, and enhanced apoptosis in HNSCC cells. Conclusion High expression of NTMT1 in tumors is associated with poor prognosis. The underlying regulatory mechanism of NTMT1 in cancer is complex, and it may be involved in both the promotion of tumor development and the inhibition of the tumor immune microenvironment

Magnetic Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) Microspheres with Grafted Polypyrrole Chains for the High-Capacity Adsorption of Congo Red Dye from Aqueous Solutions

In this study, novel magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres with grafted polypyrrole chains (magnetic PGMA-g-PPy) were developed for the high-capacity adsorption of Congo red (CR) from aqueous solutions. The magnetic PGMA-g-PPy was synthesized by the typical dispersion polymerization method and the ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups, producing abundant hydroxyls for the grafting polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of FeCl3 as an oxidizing agent on the surface of the microspheres. The characterization results showed that magnetic PGMA-g-PPy was successfully fabricated. The adsorption equilibrium data of the adsorbents could be well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model, showing a high maximum adsorption capacity of 502.5 mg/g for CR. The adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with a fast speed. The adsorbents had no leaching of Fe in the solution at pH 1.0–11.0 for 24 h. The adsorption process was strongly pH-dependent and weakly ionic-strength-dependent. Furthermore, the magnetic microspheres could be easily regenerated, rapidly separated from the solution, and reused for wastewater treatment. The results suggest that magnetic PGMA-g-PPy microspheres are a promising efficient adsorbent for the removal of CR from wastewater

Comparative study of the volatile fingerprints of roasted and unroasted oolong tea by sensory profiling and HS-SPME-GC-MS

Roasting plays important roles in shaping the volatile profile of oolong tea. In this study, the sensory attributes and volatile compositions of 153 roasted or unroasted oolong tea samples, belonging to four typical types, namely, High Mountain oolong tea (HMT), Tieguanyin tea (TGYT), Dongding oolong tea (DDT) and Wuyi rock tea (WRT), were studied in detail. Based on the sensory evaluation by tea evaluation experts, their respective sensory profiles were established and compared. Unroasted teas had more pronounced fresh and green flavors, while roasted teas had higher scores in pungent and caramel flavors. In particular, WRT demonstrated a unique fragrance of floral fruity flavors. By using HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis, a total of 128 compounds were identified across all samples. Notably, it was found that roasting largely increased the variety of volatile compounds in oolong tea. Furthermore, the characteristic volatile compounds of each type of tea were identified by PLS-DA modeling. Linalool and geraniol were the characteristic volatiles of HMT. Four volatiles, including (E)-nerolidol, jasmin lactone, benzeneacetaldehyde, and 4-methyl benzaldehyde oxime were identified as the characteristic volatiles of TGYT. Seven volatiles, including N-ethyl pyrrole, 3-(hydroxy methyl) pyridine, 4-pyridylcarbinol, 1-methyl pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 4-amino-2,3-xylenol, and 4,6-dimethyl pyrimidine were the characteristic volatiles of DDT. For WRT, 2,2,6-trimethyl cyclohexan-1-one, hexanoic acid, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, β-cyclocitral, (E)-β-ionone, α-ionone, and octanoic acid were the characteristic volatiles. These findings expand our knowledge of the volatile fingerprints of oolong tea