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Reticulocalbin 1 (RCN1), a calcium-binding protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, contains six conserved regions. Its main functions include maintaining intracellular homeostasis and regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis, and it plays an important role in the development of various tumours. However, the exact function of RCN1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of RCN1 on the biological behaviour of OSCC and the regulation of tumour-associated macrophage (TAM) polarization. The expression of RCN1 in OSCC and normal oral mucosa was evaluated through bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical staining. The growth, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells were observed after knockdown of RCN1 using CCK-8 and Transwell assays. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The effect of tumour cell-derived RCN1 on the polarization of THP-1 macrophages was investigated by establishing a coculture model of THP-1 macrophages and OSCC cells. Additionally, changes in the expression levels of relevant proteins were detected using Western blotting. The upregulation of RCN1 in tumour tissues compared to normal oral mucosal tissues is associated with a poor prognosis and can be utilized as a prognostic indicator for OSCC. Knockdown of RCN1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. Additionally, knockdown of RCN1 in Cal-27 and SCC-25 cells resulted in inhibition of the M2 polarization of THP-1 macrophages. RCN1 knockdown inhibits OSCC progression and M2 macrophage polarization. Targeting RCN1 may be a promising approach for OSCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The time of a paclitaxel (PTX) concentration remains above 0.05 μM (Tc > 0.05) has been associated with PTX-induced adverse effects in Caucasians, while limited studies were reported in Asians. This study was aimed to explore the characteristics of Tc > 0.05 and the relationship between PTX exposure and toxicity in East-Asian patients.Methods: This study was based on two prospective phase II clinical trials and patients with advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were naïve to PTX were included independently. Eligible patients receive PTX (175 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC = 5) treatment every 3 weeks. PTX pharmacokinetic analysis was accessed. The relationship between PTX exposure and toxicities after first cycle as well as clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results: A total of 93 NPC and 40 NSCLC patients were enrolled. PTX exposure was consistent in two trials with average Tc > 0.05 duration of 38.8 h and 38.4 h, respectively. Average Tc > 0.05 in patients with grade 3/4 neutropenia was significantly higher than those without severe neutropenia in NPC patients (P = 0.003) and NSCLC patients (P = 0.007). Cut-off value of Tc > 0.05 were identified from the NPC cohort and then verified in the NSCLC cohort, dividing patients into high exposure Tc > 0.05 group (> 39 h) and low exposure group (≤ 39 h). Incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia were significantly higher in the high exposure group in NPC cohort (43.3% vs 10.0%, P < 0.001) and NSCLC cohort (42.1% vs 9.5%, P = 0.028). No significant relationship between Tc > 0.05 and efficacy were observed.Conclusion: Patients with PTX Tc > 0.05 duration above 39 h experience more severe neutropenia than those under 39 h. Prospective studies are needed to verify this threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, microgels with different crosslink density were prepared using the hydrophilic sodium alginate (ALG), and the interfacial adsorption, emulsion formation and lipid digestion profiles of these microgels were comparatively analyzed. Results showed that the microgels with different crosslink density exhibited different hardness, particle size, and surface hydrophobicity, but similar interfacial tension. The ALG microgels could stabilize an oil-in-water emulsion through the "Mickering mechanisms", that the particle size and hardness of the microgels have strong effects on their emulsifying behaviors, while the effects from surface hydrophobicity and interfacial tension were unconspicuous. A temperate crosslink density (e. g. 3 mM to 5 mM Ca2+) was benefit to the emulsifying capacity of the microgels at neutral (pH 7.0) and acidic (pH 4.0) environments. Moreover, the temperately crosslinked microgels stabilized oil droplets were more resistant to the displacement of bile salt and the followed lipid digestion. Our results provided important information for the development of polysaccharide-based food emulsifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was focused on the fabrication of a stable O/W Pickering emulsion by using cellulose-rich composites that prepared by selectively oxidation with sodium periodate firstly, and followed by grafting dodecylamine to the 2,3-dialdehyde cellulose particles. The structure and properties of the modified cellulose microparticles were characterized, and the performance for the stabilization of O/W Pickering emulsions was investigated. The surface wettability, rheological behavior of the cellulose microparticles before and after being modified had been compared. The results indicated that the hydrophobically modified cellulose microparticles were more effective in emulsifying oil than that of the pristine cellulose microparticles. The contents of oil and cellulose microparticles used had an influence on the size of emulsion droplets, however, the responsiveness of the emulsions towards pH changed slightly, and oil was not leaked from the droplets at decreased pH. This could be explained by the amphiphilicity of the hydrophobically modified cellulose particles. This work provided a facile method for the modification of cellulose microparticles with amphiphilic properties and enhanced emulsifying capacity. The cellulose based particles with biocompatible and environmentally friendly characteristics would be attractive for the applications in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Semiconductor photocatalysts with suitable band gap for fair response to visible light and efficient separation of electron-hole pairs, are the key to practical application of photocatalytic technology. Magnetically separable hierarchical ZnFe2O4/g-C3N4 composite photocatalysts were prepared by a facile solvothermal method combined with a subsequent annealing process. The composite microspheres were composed of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles, whose diameter was restricted due to the confined space effect from g-C3N4 nanosheets. ZnFe2O4/g-C3N4 heterojunction structures led to the improvement of the efficiency for photodegrading methylene blue and rhodamine B under visible light, where the kinetic constant over ZnFe2O4/CN-150 photocatalyst was more than ten times larger than that over pure ZnFe2O4. The photogenerated electrons from g-C3N4 surfaces could easily migrate to ZnFe2O4, leading to efficient separation of electron-hole pairs. Also, the composite photocatalyst possessed a chemical stability against photocorrosion and a magnetic property, which made it magnetically separable and reusable conveniently.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-based film has a poor water vapor barrier property, which limits its applications in food packaging. The hydrophobic modification of cellulose materials has attracted increasing interests. In this work, UV curable polyfluoro resin was incorporated into the cellulose matrix for superhydrophobic modification of the cellulose matrix. Results showed that the loaded polyfluoro resin had an obvious influence on the composites’ microstructure, the thermal stability of the composites changed slightly with the incorporation of polyfluoro resin, and the transmittance of the composites containing the resin with high content of 14.68% could be kept to 50% at 550 nm wavelength. Furthermore, the surface properties of the composites could be changed from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic by increasing the polyfluoro resin content. Moreover, UV-initiated polymerization was used to modify the cellulose matrix, the process was green and facile, which showing potential for cellulose matrix modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of breast epithelial cells is influenced by their microenvironment which includes stromal cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). During cancer progression, the tissue microenvironment fails to control proliferation and differentiation, resulting in uncontrolled growth and invasion. Upon invasion, the ECM encountered by breast cancer cells changes from primarily laminin and collagen IV to primarily collagen I. We show here that culturing invasive breast cancer cells in 3-dimensional (3D) collagen I inhibits proliferation through direct regulation of cyclin E1, a G/S regulator that is overexpressed in breast cancer. When the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was cultured within 3D collagen I gels, the G/S transition was inhibited as compared to cells cultured on conventional 2D collagen or plastic dishes. Cells in 3D collagen downregulated cyclin E1 protein and mRNA, with no change in cyclin D1 level. Cyclin D1 was primarily cytoplasmic in 3D cultures, and this was accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of Rb, a nuclear target for both cyclin E1- and cyclin D1-associated kinases. Positive regulators of cyclin E1 expression, the transcription factor c-Myc and cold-inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP), were decreased in 3D collagen cultures, while the collagen I receptor β1 integrin was greatly increased. Inhibition of β1 integrin function rescued proliferation and cyclin E1 expression as well as c-Myc expression and Rb phosphorylation, but cyclin D1 remained cytoplasmic. We conclude that cyclin E1 is repressed independent of effects on cyclin D1 in a 3D collagen environment and dependent on β1 integrin interaction with collagen I, reducing proliferation of invasive breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]