3 research outputs found
Sensitive and Bidirectional Detection of Urine Telomerase Based on the Four Detection-Color States of Difunctional Gold Nanoparticle Probe
Telomerase,
a valuable biomarker, is highly correlated with the
development of most of human cancers. Here, we develop a bidirectional
strategy for telomerase activity detection and bladder cancer diagnosis
based on four detection-color states of difunctional gold nanoparticle
(GNP) probes such as blue, purple, red, and precipitate. Specifically,
we define the red GNP probe as origin, which represents urine extracts
with inactive telomerase and implies normal individuals. The forward
direction is corresponding to the detection of a relatively high concentration
of active telomerase, in which system GNP probes assemble obviously
and precipitate, predicting bladder cancer samples. The negative direction
is corresponding to extracts with a relatively low concentration (purple)
and without any telomerase (blue), which can be differentiated by
naked eyes or UV–vis spectrum, indicating bladder cancer and
normal individuals, respectively. More importantly, this noninvasive
strategy shows great sensitivity and selectivity when tested by 18
urine specimens from bladder cancer patients, inflammation, and normal
individuals
Lab in a Tube: Ultrasensitive Detection of MicroRNAs at the Single-Cell Level and in Breast Cancer Patients Using Quadratic Isothermal Amplification
Through
rational design of a functional molecular probe with high
sequence specificity that takes advantage of sensitive isothermal
amplification with simple operation, we developed a one-pot hairpin-mediated
quadratic enzymatic amplification strategy for microRNA (miRNA) detection.
Our method exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity toward miR-21 with detection
limits of 10 fM at 37 °C and 1 aM at 4 °C, which corresponds
to nine strands of miR-21 in a 15 μL sample, and it is capable
of distinguishing among miRNA family members. More importantly, the
proposed approach is also sensitive and selective when applied to
crude extractions from MCF-7 and PC3 cell lines and even patient tissues
from intraductal carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast
Comparative Study of the Effects of Dietary-Free and -Bound Nε-Carboxymethyllysine on Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Barrier
Nε-carboxymethyllysine (CML)
is produced by a nonenzymatic
reaction between reducing sugar and ε-amino group of lysine
in food and exists as free and bound forms with varying digestibility
and absorption properties in vivo, causing diverse
interactions with gut microbiota. The effects of different forms of
dietary CML on the gut microbiota and intestinal barrier of mice were
explored. Mice were exposed to free and bound CML for 12 weeks, and
colonic morphology, gut microbiota, fecal short-chain fatty acids
(SCFAs), intestinal barrier, and receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling
cascades were measured. The results indicated that dietary-free CML
increased the relative abundance of SCFA-producing genera including Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Agathobacter, and Roseburia. In contrast, dietary-bound CML
mainly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia. Moreover, dietary-free and -bound CML promoted the gene and protein
expression of zonula occludens-1 and claudin-1. Additionally, the
intake of free and bound CML caused an upregulation of RAGE expression
but did not activate downstream inflammatory pathways due to the upregulation
of oligosaccharyl transferase complex protein 48 (AGER1) expression,
indicating a delicate balance between protective and proinflammatory
effects in vivo. Dietary-free and -bound CML could
modulate the gut microbiota community and increase tight-junction
expression, and dietary-free CML might exert a higher potential benefit
on gut microbiota and SCFAs than dietary-bound CML