Analysis of age-related differences in hypoxia-related factors in yak brain tissue

The brain is an important part of the mammalian nervous system, is highly sensitive to hypoxia, and plays an important role in the adaptation of the body to hypoxic environments. This study was conducted to study the distribution and expression of hypoxia-related factors (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, HIF-1α; erythropoietin, EPO; vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF; vascular cell adhesion molecule, VCAM) in the cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata, and corpora quadrigemina in yaks of different ages (4d, 6-months-old and adult). Paraffin sections were obtained from the cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata, and corpora quadrigemina of healthy yak for 4-day-old, 6-months-old and adult yaks. Histological characteristics were assessed by haematoxylin staining. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the distribution and expression of HIF-1α, EPO, VEGF and VCAM proteins. Immunohistochemical results showed that HIF-1α, EPO, VEGF, and VCAM were expressed in the pyramidal cell layer of the yak cerebrum, and distributed in the cerebellum granulose cell layer, Purkinje cell layer and medulla layer, and were mainly positive in Purkinje cells and medulla. It is expressed in the cell bodies of the medulla oblongata and the quadrimatous neurons. The expression level in the medulla oblongata was higher, indicating may play a crucial role in functional cohesion. The expression of HIF-1α in 4 d cerebellar tissues was higher than that in other age groups, and the expression of HIF-1α in the medulla oblongata increased with age. In addition, the expression levels of EPO and VEGF in the 6-month-old group were slightly higher than those in the other age groups. It is speculated that EPO and VEGF have obvious protective effects on brain tissue in the 6-month-old age group; VCAM showed no significant differences in the cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, or corpora quadrigemina of the yaks. This study provides basic data for further exploration of the adaptive mechanism of plateau yak brain tissue

Effect of SiC Particle Contents and Size on the Microstructure and Dissolution of SiC-Hydroxyapatite Coatings

Carbon/carbon composites, when used as bone implant materials, do not adhere well to the bone tissues because of their non-bioactive characteristics. Therefore, we electro-deposited SiC-hydroxyapatite coatings (with an ultrasound-assisted step) on carbon/carbon composites. We analyzed how the content and size of the SiC particles affected the structure, morphology, bonding strength and dissolution of the SiC-hydroxyapatite coatings. The hydroxyapatite coating dissolution properties were assessed by the released Ca2+ and the weight loss. The SiC-hydroxyapatite coating on naked carbon/carbon composites showed a more compact microstructure in comparison to the hydroxyapatite coating on carbon/carbon composites. The reasons for the changes in the microstructure and the improvement in the adhesion of the coatings on C/C were discussed. Moreover, the addition of SiC particles increased the binding strengths of the hydroxyapatite coating on C/C composite, as well as reduced the dissolution rate of the hydroxyapatite coating

The value of mediastinoscopy in the staging of lung cancer with clinical N2 disease

Background and objective To determine the value of mediastinoscopy in the mediastinal staging of lung cancer with clinical N2 disease. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 87 patients received mediastinoscopy for known or suspected lung cancer, including 83 cervical mediastinoscopies and 4 parasternal mediastinoscopies. All patients were staged clinical N2 for enlarged ipsilateral mediastinal and/or subcarinal lymph nodes (short axis > 1.0 cm)on computed tomography scan. Results Of the 87 patients, 61 cases proved N2 disease on mediastinoscopy. The other 26 mediastinoscopy-negative patients underwent thoracotomy for lung resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection in the same operative session. Final pathologic N staging were consistent for mediastinoscopic sampling and surgical dissection in 24 patients. N2 disease was found in 2 patients (false-negative of mediastinoscopy). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of mediastinoscopy were 96.8%, 100%, and 97.7%, respectively. There was no mortality and only 1 complication(1.1%) for all 87 mediastinoscopic procedures. Conclusion Mediastinoscopy is a highly effective and safe procedure for the mediastinal staging of lung cancer with clinical N2 disease

Physiological and proteomic analyses reveal the important role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on enhancing photosynthesis in wheat under cadmium stress

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important in the phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd). Improving photosynthesis under Cd stress helps to increase crop yields. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of AMF on photosynthetic processes in wheat (Triticum aestivum) under Cd stress remain unclear. This study utilized physiological and proteomic analyses to reveal the key processes and related genes of AMF that regulate photosynthesis under Cd stress. The results showed that AMF promoted the accumulation of Cd in the roots of wheat but significantly reduced the content of Cd in the shoots and grains. The photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration rates, chlorophyll content, and accumulation of carbohydrates under Cd stress were increased by AMF symbiosis. Proteomic analysis showed that AMF significantly induced the expression of two enzymes involved in the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway (coproporphyrinogen oxidase and Mg-protoporphyrin IX chelatase), improved the expression of two proteins related to CO2 assimilation (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and malic enzyme), and increased the expression of S-adenosylmethionine synthase, which positively regulates abiotic stress. Therefore, AMF may regulate photosynthesis under Cd stress by promoting chlorophyll biosynthesis, carbon assimilation, and S-adenosylmethionine metabolism

Physio-Biochemical and Transcriptomic Features of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Relieving Cadmium Stress in Wheat

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve plant cadmium (Cd) tolerance, but the tolerance mechanism in wheat is not fully understood. This study aimed to examine the physiological properties and transcriptome changes in wheat inoculated with or without Glomus mosseae (GM) under Cd stress (0, 5, and 10 mg·kg−1 CdCl2) to understand its role in wheat Cd tolerance. The results showed that the Cd content in shoots decreased while the Cd accumulation in roots increased under AMF symbiosis compared to the non-inoculation group and that AMF significantly promoted the growth of wheat seedlings and reduced Cd-induced oxidative damage. This alleviative effect of AMF on wheat under Cd stress was mainly attributed to the fact that AMF accelerated the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, promoted the production of GSH and metallothionein (MTs), improved the degradation of methylglyoxal (MG), and induced GRSP (glomalin-related soil protein) secretion. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the transcriptomes of the symbiotic group and the non-symbiotic group revealed multiple differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ‘metal ion transport’, ‘glutathione metabolism’, ‘cysteine and methionine metabolism’, and ‘plant hormone signal transduction’ terms. The expression changes of these DEGs were basically consistent with the changes in physio-biochemical characteristics. Overall, AMF alleviated Cd stress in wheat mainly by promoting immobilization and sequestration of Cd, reducing ROS production and accelerating their scavenging, in which the rapid metabolism of GSH may play an important role

The Novel Protein ADAMTS16 Promotes Gastric Carcinogenesis by Targeting IFI27 through the NF-κb Signaling Pathway

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 16 (ADAMTS16) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of solid cancers. However, its role in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. In this study, the role of ADAMTS16 in gastric cancer was investigated. The effects of ADAMTS16 on cell migration, invasion, and proliferation were investigated by functional experiments in vivo and in vitro. Downstream signal pathways of ADAMTS16 were confirmed by using bioinformatics analysis, co-immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. Meanwhile, bioinformatics analysis, qRT-PCR, western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter gene analysis assays were used to identify ADAMTS16 targets. The expression of ADAMTS16 in GC was analyzed in public datasets. The expression of ADAMTS16 and its correlations with the clinical characteristics of GC were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Ectopic ADAMTS16 expression significantly promoted tumor cell migration, invasion, and growth. Bioinformatics analysis and western blot showed that ADAMTS16 upregulated the IFI27 protein through the NF-κb pathway, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence and western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter gene analysis identified a binding site between P65 and IFI27 that may be directly involved in the transcriptional regulation of IFI27. IFI27 knockdown reversed the promoting effect of ADAMTS16 on cell invasion, migration, and proliferation indicating that ADAMTS16 acts on GC cells by targeting the NF-κb/IFI27 axis. ADAMTS16 was associated with poor prognosis in clinical characteristics. ADAMTS16 promotes cell migration, invasion, and proliferation by targeting IFI27 through the NF-κB pathway and is a potential progressive and survival biomarker of GC

LAD1 promotes malignant progression by diminishing ubiquitin-dependent degradation of vimentin in gastric cancer

Abstract Background Ladinin-1 (LAD1), an anchoring filament protein, has been associated with several cancer types, including cancers of the colon, lungs, and breast. However, it is still unclear how and why LAD1 causes gastric cancer (GC). Methods Multiple in vitro and in vivo, functional gains and loss experiments were carried out in the current study to confirm the function of LAD1. Mass spectrometry was used to find the proteins that interact with LAD1. Immunoprecipitation analyses revealed the mechanism of LAD1 involved in promoting aggressiveness. Results The results revealed that the LAD1 was overexpressed in GC tissues, and participants with increased LAD1 expression exhibited poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Functionally, LAD1 promotes cellular invasion, migration, proliferation, and chemoresistance in vivo and in vitro in the subcutaneous patient-and cell-derived xenograft (PDX and CDX) tumor models. Mechanistically, LAD1 competitively bound to Vimentin, preventing it from interacting with the E3 ubiquitin ligase macrophage erythroblast attacher (MAEA), which led to a reduction in K48-linked ubiquitination of Vimentin and an increase in Vimentin protein levels in GC cells. Conclusions In conclusion, the current investigation indicated that LAD1 has been predicted as a possible prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC due to its ability to suppress Vimentin–MAEA interaction