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Research Question: lncRNA IGF2-AS may be related to early pregnancy loss. Does lncRNA IGF2-AS affect trophoblast cell growth? The aim of the present study was to verify that lncRNA IGF2-AS encodes a polypeptide, IGF2-AS-168aa, and to study its role in the pathogenesis of trophoblasts., Design: A small interfering RNA targeted to the IGF2-AS gene (si-IGF2-AS) was designed and transfected into JEG-3 and JAR cells for in-vitro gene silencing. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine lncRNA IGF2-AS levels in experimental cells. After IGF2-AS suppression, MTT assay was used to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Target gRNA IGF2-AS-gRNA was designed for knockout conducted the corresponding mRNA. HEK293T cells were transfected with the identified positive clone vectors. Finally, IGF2-AS-168aa was analysed by western blotting after the protein-coding region of the IGF2-AS gene was knocked out by CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology., Results: lncRNA IGF2-AS and IGF2-AS-168aa were significantly downregulated in JEG-3 and JAR cells transfected with si-IGF2-AS (lncRNA IGF2-AS: JAR: NC versus small interfering RNA (siRNA)-1: P = 0.019 NC versus siRNA-2: P = 0.013; JEG-3: NC versus siRNA-1: P = 0.001 NC versus siRNA-2: P = 0.004) (IGF2-AS-168aa: JAR: NC versus siRNA-1: P = 0.030 NC versus siRNA-2: P = 0.018; JEG-3: NC versus siRNA-1: P = 0.004 NC versus siRNA-2: P = 0.001). IGF2-AS gene was incapable of encoding IGF2-AS-168aa after the coding region was successfully knocked out in HEK293T cells. Flow cytometry and the MTT assay revealed that IGF2-AS gene silencing led to cell cycle block in the G1 phase, markedly decreasing cell proliferation and increasing apoptosis., Conclusion: The IGF2-AS gene encoded a peptide with a potential function in trophoblast cell cycle arrest., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Spectral surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor with a time-resolved charge-coupled device (CCD) detector is a powerful analytical tool for label-free detection of biomolecular interaction at the liquid/solid interface and for in situ study of molecular adsorption behavior. In this work, the layer-by-layer self-assembly processes for three nanocomposite films were monitored in real time using a broadband spectral SPR sensor with a large dynamic range. Kinetics studies suggest that cytochrome c (Cyt c) and deoxy ribonucleic acid (DNA) adsorptions obey the Langmuir-isotherm theory, while gold nanoparticle (GNP) adsorption follows the Diffusion-controlled model. Using poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride) (PDDA) as the positively charged agents, three kinds of multilayer films such as the PSS/Cyt c, GNP/Cyt c and PDDA/DNA binary nanocomposites were fabricated on the SPR chips by the electrostatic attraction based on self-assemble. The SPR response in terms of ΔλR was measured to linear increase with increasing the number of layers for a six-bilayer PSS/Cyt c nanocomposite film, indicating that every PSS/Cyt c layer has equal mass coverage. In contrast, the nonlinear dependences of ΔλR on the number of bilayers were observed for the GNP/Cyt c and PDDA/DNA nanocomposite multilayer films., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A new steroid, vernoanthelsterone A (1), and five known steroids were isolated from the aerial parts of Vernonia anthelmintica Willd. Compound 1 possesses a Δ(8(14))-15-one moiety. To our best knowledge, few steroids with this moiety have been reported before. Compounds 1-6 were tested for their antibacterial activities and their effects on estrogen biosynthesis in human ovarian granulosa-like cells (KGN cells). Compound 2 showed the ability to promote estrogen biosynthesis with EC(50) of 56.95 μg/mL and also exhibited the antibacterial activities against Bacillus cereus, Staphyloccocus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli with MICs ranging from 3.15 to 15.5 μg/mL. The structures of 1-6 were determined on the basis of IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)