Search

Backrground: Akkermansia muciniphila, a next-generation probiotic, is known as a cornerstone regulating the gut-organ axis in various diseases, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we revealed the neuronal and antifibrotic effects of A. muciniphila on the gut-liver-brain axis in liver injury., Results: To investigate neurologic dysfunction and characteristic gut microbiotas, we performed a cirrhosis cohort (154 patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy) and a community cognition cohort (80 participants in one region for three years) and validated the existence of cognitive impairment in a 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine-induced hepatic injury mouse model. The effects of the candidate strain on cognition were evaluated in animal models of liver injury. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin receptors was accessed in patients with fibrosis (100 patients) according to the fibrosis grade and hepatic venous pressure gradient. The proportion of A. muciniphila decreased in populations with hepatic encephalopathy and cognitive dysfunction. Tissue staining techniques confirmed gut-liver-brain damage in liver injury, with drastic expression of BDNF and serotonin in the gut and brain. The administration of A. muciniphila significantly reduced tissue damage and improved cognitive dysfunction and the expression of BDNF and serotonin. Isolated vagus nerve staining showed a recovery of serotonin expression without affecting the dopamine pathway. Conversely, in liver tissue, the inhibition of injury through the suppression of serotonin receptor (5-hydroxytryptamine 2A and 2B) expression was confirmed. The severity of liver injury was correlated with the abundance of serotonin, BDNF, and A. muciniphila., Conclusions: A. muciniphila, a next-generation probiotic, is a therapeutic candidate for alleviating the symptoms of liver fibrosis and cognitive impairment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The human microbiome contains genetic information that regulates metabolic processes in response to host health and disease. While acidic vaginal pH is maintained in normal conditions, the pH level increases in infectious vaginitis. We propose that this change in the vaginal environment triggers the biosynthesis of anti-vaginitis metabolites. Gene expression levels of Chryseobacterium gleum, a vaginal symbiotic bacterium, were found to be affected by pH changes. The distinctive difference in the metabolic profiles between two C. gleum cultures incubated under acidic and neutral pH conditions was suggested to be an anti-vaginitis molecule, which was identified as phenylacetic acid (PAA) by spectroscopic data analysis. The antimicrobial activity of PAA was evaluated in vitro, showing greater toxicity toward Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans, two major vaginal pathogens, relative to commensal Lactobacillus spp. The activation of myeloperoxidase, prostaglandin E 2 , and nuclear factor-κB, and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 were reduced by an intravaginal administration of PAA in the vaginitis mouse model. In addition, PAA displayed the downregulation of mast cell activation. Therefore, PAA was suggested to be a messenger molecule that mediates interactions between the human microbiome and vaginal health., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, we developed and validated an analytical method to evaluate the heavy metal elution from an active packaging material's oxygen absorber to a food simulant. Using water, 4% acetic acid, n-heptane, 20% ethanol, and 50% ethanol as food simulants, we quantified cobalt, copper, platinum, and iron with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The method was thoroughly validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD, and LOQ through inter-day and intra-day analysis repetitions. R 2 values ranged from 0.9986 to 1.0000, indicating excellent linearity. The LOD values ranged from 0.00002 to 0.2190 mg/kg, and the LOQ values ranged from 0.00007 to 0.6636 mg/kg. The method's accuracy was 95.14% to 101.98%, with the precision ranging from 0.58% to 10.37%. Our results confirmed the method's compliance with CODEX standards. Monitoring the oxygen absorber revealed undissolved platinum, cobalt levels from 0.10 to 19.29 μg/kg, copper levels from 0.30 to 976.14 μg/kg, and iron levels from 0.06 to 53.08 mg/kg. This study established a robust analytical approach for evaluating the heavy metal elution from oxygen absorbers, ensuring safety in the food industry.

Introduction: Growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) is known as a neuronal plasticity protein because it is widely expressed at high levels in neuronal growth cones during axonal regeneration. GAP-43 expressed in mature adult neurons is functionally important for the neuronal communication of synapses in learning and memory. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is closely related to neurodegeneration and synaptic plasticity during the aging process. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating neurodegeneration and synaptic plasticity underlying the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) still remain incompletely understood., Methods: Remarkably, the expressions of GAP-43 and BDNF perfectly match in various neurons in the Human Brain Atlas database. Moreover, GAP-43 and BDNF are highly expressed in a healthy adults' hippocampus brain region and are inversely correlated with the amyloid beta (Aβ), which is the pathological peptide of amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with AD., Results: These data led us to investigate the impact of the direct molecular interaction between GAP-43 and BDNF in hippocampal neuron fate. In this study, we show that GAP-43 and BDNF are inversely associated with pathological molecules for AD (Tau and Aβ). In addition, we define the three-dimensional protein structure for GAP-43 and BDNF, including the predictive direct binding sites via analysis using ClusPro 2.0, and demonstrate that the deprivation of GAP-43 and BDNF triggers hippocampal neuronal death and memory dysfunction, employing the GAP-43 or BDNF knock-down cellular models and 5XFAD mice., Conclusion: These results show that GAP-43 and BDNF are direct binding partners in hippocampal neurons and that their molecular signaling might be potential therapeutic targets for AD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lee, Jeong, Kang, Kang, Lee, Kim, Kang, Suh and Ahn.)

To study the distance-dependent electromagnetic field effects related to the enhancement and quenching mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) or fluorescence, it is essential to precisely control the distance from the surface of the metal nanoparticle (NP) to the target molecule by using a dielectric layer (e.g., SiO 2 , TiO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 ). However, precisely controlling the thickness of this dielectric layer is challenging. Herein, we present a facile approach to control the thickness of the silica shell on silver nanoparticle-assembled silica nanocomposites, SiO 2 @Ag NPs, by controlling the number of reacting SiO 2 @Ag NPs and the silica precursor. Uniform silica shells with thicknesses in the range 5-40 nm were successfully fabricated. The proposed method for creating a homogeneous, precise, and fine silica coating on nanocomposites can potentially contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the distance-dependent electromagnetic field effects and optical properties of metal NPs.

Background: The cholesterol biosynthesis pathway is typically upregulated in breast cancer. The role of NAD(P)-dependent steroid dehydrogenase-like (NSDHL) gene, which is involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, in breast cancer remains unknown. This study aimed to uncover the role of NSDHL in the growth and metastasis of breast cancer., Methods: After NSDHL knockdown by transfection of short interfering RNA into human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and BT-20) and human breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A), cell proliferation assay, cell cycle analysis, three-dimensional cell culture, clonogenic assay, transwell migration and invasion assays, and wound healing assay were performed. Erlotinib was used as the target drug for epidermal growth factor receptor. Immunodeficient mice (NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1wjl /SzJ) were used as orthotropic breast tumor models by injecting them with NSDHL-knockdown MDA-MB-231 cells using lentivirus-carrying NSDHL short hairpin RNA. Clinical data from 3951 breast cancer patients in Gene Expression Omnibus databases were used to investigate the potential prognostic role of NSDHL by survival analysis., Results: NSDHL knockdown in BT-20, and MDA-MB-231 resulted in a significant decrease in their viability, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol levels were observed to be significantly decreased in NSDHL-knockdown BT-20 and MDA-MB-231 (p < 0.0001). NSDHL knockdown significantly increased the rate of erlotinib-induced cell death, especially in MDA-MB-231 (p = 0.01). NSDHL knockdown led to significantly decreased tumor growth and lung metastasis in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model (p < 0.01). Clinically, high NSDHL expression in tumors of patients with breast cancer was associated with significantly reduced recurrence-free survival (p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: NSDHL might have a role in promoting breast cancer progression. The usage of NSDHL as a therapeutic target in breast cancer needs to be clarified in further studies.

Background: Despite active studies of the clinical importance of BRAF V600E , suitable research models to investigate the role of this mutation in the etiopathogenesis of human thyroid cancers are limited. Thus, we generated cell lines by transducing the simian virus (SV)-40 immortalized human thyroid cell line Nthy-ori 3-1 (Nthy) with lentiviral vectors expressing either BRAF WT (Nthy/WT) or BRAF V600E . Nthy/WT and Nthy/V600E cells were then xenografted into mice to evaluate the carcinogenic role of BRAF V600E . Methods: Each cell line was subcutaneously injected into NOD.Cg-Prkdc scid Il2rg tm1Wjl /SzJ mice, and a pathological analysis was performed. The effects of the mutation were further verified by using a BRAF V600E -selective inhibitor (PLX-4032, vemurafenib). The transcriptome was analyzed by RNA sequencing and compared with data from The Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and Gene Expression Omnibus. Results: While Nthy/WT was not tumorigenic in vivo , Nthy/V600E formed tumors reaching 2784.343 mm 3 in 4 weeks, on average. A pathological analysis indicated that Nthy/V600E tumors were dedifferentiated thyroid cancer. We found metastases in the lung, liver, and relevant lymph nodes. A transcriptomic analysis revealed 5512 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the mutant and wild-type cell lines, and more DEGs were shared with anaplastic thyroid cancer than with papillary thyroid cancer. BRAF V600E activated the cell cycle mainly by regulating G1/S phases. PLX-4032 treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis. Conclusions: Our data show that BRAF V600E plays a pivotal role in the carcinogenic transformation of an SV40-transfected immortalized normal human thyroid cell line. This xenograft model is expected to contribute to studies of the etiopathogenesis and treatment of highly malignant thyroid cancers.

Persistent reservoirs of multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDRO) that are prevalent in hospital settings and communities can lead to the spread of MDRO. Currently, there are no effective decolonization strategies, especially non-pharmacological strategies without antibiotic regimens. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for the eradication of MDRO. A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies on the use of FMT for the decolonization of MDRO. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception through January 2019. Of the 1395 articles identified, 20 studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, the efficacy of FMT for the eradication of each MDRO was 70.3% (102/146) in 121 patients from the 20 articles. The efficacy rates were 68.2% (30/44) for gram-positive bacteria and 70.6% (72/102) for gram-negative bacteria. Minor adverse events, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and ileus, were reported in patients who received FMT. FMT could be a promising strategy to eradicate MDRO in patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish a comprehensive FMT protocol for standardized treatment.Key messagesThe development of new antibiotics lags behind the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDRO). New strategies are needed.Theoretically, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) might recover the diversity and function of commensal microbiota from dysbiosis in MDRO carriers and help restore colonization resistance to pathogens.A literature review indicated that FMT could be a promising strategy to eradicate MDRO in patients.

It has been increasingly important to develop a highly sensitive and selective technique that is easy to handle in detecting levels of beneficial or hazardous analytes in trace quantity. In this study, mono-6-deoxy-6-aminopropylamino- β -cyclodextrin (pr- β -CD)-functionalized silver-assembled silica nanoparticles (SiO 2 @Ag@pr- β -CD) for flavonoid detection were successfully prepared. The presence of pr- β -CD on the surface of SiO 2 @Ag enhanced the selectivity in capturing quercetin and myricetin among other similar materials (naringenin and apigenin). In addition, SiO 2 @Ag@pr- β -CD was able to detect quercetin corresponding to a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.55 ppm. The relationship between the Raman intensity of SiO 2 @Ag@pr- β -CD and the logarithm of the Que concentration obeyed linearity in the range 3.4-33.8 ppm (R 2 = 0.997). The results indicate that SiO 2 @Ag@pr- β -CD is a promising material for immediately analyzing samples that demand high sensitivity and selectivity of detection.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have beneficial characteristics for drug delivery, including hydrophobic interior surfaces. Nanocarriers with β -CD ligands have been prepared with simple surface modifications as drug delivery vehicles. In this study, we synthesized β -CD derivatives on an Ag-embedded silica nanoparticle (NP) (SiO₂@Ag NP) structure to load and release doxorubicin (DOX). Cysteinyl- β -CD and ethylenediamine- β -CD (EDA- β -CD) were immobilized on the surface of SiO₂@Ag NPs, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. DOX was introduced into the β -CD on the SiO₂@Ag NPs and then successfully released. Neither cysteinyl- β -CD and EDA- β -CD showed cytotoxicity, while DOX-loaded cysteinyl- β -CD and EDA- β -CD showed a significant decrease in cell viability in cancer cells. The SiO₂@Ag NPs with β -CD provide a strategy for designing a nanocarrier that can deliver a drug with controlled release from modified chemical types.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is attractive in various detection analysis fields. However, the quantitative method using SERS spectroscopy remains as an area to be developed. The key issues in developing quantitative analysis methods by using SERS spectroscopy are the fabrication of reliable SERS-active materials such as nanoparticle-based structures and the acquisition of the SERS signal without any disturbance that may change the SERS signal intensity and frequency. Here, the fabrication of seamless multilayered core-shell nanoparticles with an embedded Raman label compound as an internal standard (ML RLC dots) for quantitative SERS analysis is reported. The embedded Raman label compound in the nanostructure provides a reference value for calibrating the SERS signals. By using the ML RLC dots, it is possible to gain target analyte signals of different concentrations while retaining the Raman signal of the internal standard. The ML 4-BBT dots, containing 4-bromobenzenethiol (4-BBT) as an internal standard, are successfully applied in the quantitative analysis of 4-fluorobenzenethiol and thiram, a model pesticide. Additionally, ratiometric analysis was proved practical through normalization of the relative SERS intensity. The ratiometric strategy could be applied to various SERS substrates for quantitative detection of a wide variety of targets.

Once breast cancer cells grow aggressively and become lodged in the skeleton through migration and invasion, they interact with bone microenvironment and accelerate much more tumor growth and bone destruction. We investigated whether liensinine and nuciferine, major active components in Nelumbo nucifera (lotus), could prevent breast cancer cell-mediated bone destruction. Liensinine and nuciferine inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation via cell cycle arrest. Liensinine treatment led to the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase-3, and subsequent cleavage of PARP. Liensinine also displayed significant inhibition on the migration and invasion of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells compared with nuciferine. In addition, liensinine and nuciferine inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand- (RANKL-) induced osteoclast differentiation in mouse bone marrow macrophage cells and mature osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Furthermore, oral administration of liensinine reduced the osteolysis in nude mice with intratibial injection of MDA-MB-231 cells. Collectively, liensinine and nuciferine may be promising candidates for preventing and treating breast cancer bone metastasis and the resulting osteolytic bone loss by targeting both cancer cells and osteoclasts. Liensinine has more potent anticancer and antibone resorptive activities than nuciferine.

Background: Metastatic breast cancer cells are frequently associated with osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, resulting in severe bone destruction and increased mortality in patients. Platycodin D (PD) isolated from Platycodon grandiflorum is a triterpenoid saponin with anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic potential., Methods: The in vivo activity was determined in mice with the intratibial injection of human metastatic breast cancer cells. Osteoclast formation and activity were detected using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and calcium phosphate-coated plates. The expression of osteoclastogenesis-inducing molecules was detected by RT-PCR and western blotting in RANKL-treated bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). Cell viability and DNA synthesis were measured with MTT and BrdU incorporation assays. The induction of apoptosis was estimated using TUNEL staining and a caspase-3 activity assay., Results: The oral administration of PD inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell-induced osteolysis in an intratibial mouse model. PD treatment blocked RANKL-induced osteoclast formation by inhibiting the expression and nuclear translocation of NFATc1 and c-Fos in BMMs and consequently reduced osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Furthermore, PD treatment induced apoptosis in osteoclasts and inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells., Conclusion: PD may block breast cancer-induced bone loss by suppressing the formation, activity, and survival of osteoclasts, as well as the growth of metastatic breast cancer cells.

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) are widely used to detect targeted ions in solution selectively. Application of an ISE to a small area detection system with a nanopipette requires a special measurement method in order to avoid the enhanced background signal problem caused by a cation-rich layer near the charged inner surface of the nanopipette and the selectivity change problem due to relatively fast saturation of the ISE inside the nanopipette. We developed a novel ion-selective detection system using a nanopipette that measures an alternating current (AC) signal mediated by saturated ionophores in a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane located at the conical shank of the nanopipette to solve the above problems. Small but reliable K(+) and Na(+) ionic current passing through a PVC membrane containing saturated bis(benzo-15-crown-5) and bis(12-crown-4) ionophore, respectively, could be selectively detected using the AC signal measurement system equipped with a lock-in amplifier.

Ion current rectification dependent on the concentration gradient of KCl solutions was systematically investigated in polyethyleneimine modified glass nano-pipettes with inner diameter of 105 nm. Peak shape dependence of the rectification factor on outer KCl solution concentration was observed when inner KCl solution with concentration from 1 mM to 500 mM was used. The peak shape dependence was also observed when the concentrations of the inner and outer KCl solutions were identically controlled. The peak shape in the ion current rectification could be explained by the ion conductance changes through the conical nano-pipette, which result from modulation of ion concentration.

An alternating current (AC) voltage modulation was applied to ion-selective observations with plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes in glass nanopipettes. The liquid confronting the membranes in the nanopipettes, the conditioning process, and AC voltage modulation play important roles in the ion-selective detection. In the AC detection system developed by us, where distilled water was used as the liquid within the nanopipettes, potassium ions were selectively detected in the sample solution of sodium and potassium ions because sodium ions were captured at the membrane containing bis(12-crown-4) ionophores, before the saturation of the ionophores. The membrane lost the selectivity after the saturation. On using sodium chloride as the liquid within the nanopipette, the membrane selectively detected potassium and sodium ions before and after the saturation of ionophores, respectively. The ion-selective detection of our system can be explained by the ion extraction-diffusion-dissolution mechanism through the bis(12-crown-4) ionophores with AC voltage modulation.

For cervical cancer screening, HPV-DNA test is expensive and is not easily available in all clinical situations. Thus, we investigated the role of p16(ink4a) immunostaining as another adjunct test to diagnose cervical neoplasia in equivocal liquid based cytology. Eighty-seven patients were randomly selected for this study (3 patients with normal, 84 patients with abnormal including 24 ASCUS, 30 LSIL, and 30 HSIL). We performed p16(ink4a) immunostaining on ThinPrep slide and on each case from the corresponding cervical biopsy tissues. High-risk HPV-DNA testing was also performed on all the subjects. We found that the immunoreactivity of p16(ink4a) is strongly correlated with the grade of cytologic and histologic diagnoses as well as with Hybrid Capture 2. In comparing the p16(ink4a) immunostaining with the Hybrid Capture 2 for accuracy of the diagnosis of CIN II/III or a higher-grade disease in the case of ASCUS/LSIL on ThinPrep, no significant differences were observed. Our data implies that p16(ink4a) immunocytochemical staining in liquid-based cytology specimens might be used as a good adjunct test to predict cervical histology in equivocal ThinPrep tests.