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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is suggested to participate in the pathogenesis and progress of some cancers via inducing low-grade systemic inflammation. However, the influence of MetS on patients with gastric cancer (GC) remains not fully determined. A systematic review and meta-analysis was therefore performed to evaluate the influence of MetS on clinical outcomes of patients with GC. A search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang, and CNKI retrieved relevant cohort studies from the inception of the databases to October 11, 2022. We pooled the results using a random-effects model that incorporates heterogeneity. In the meta-analysis, 6649 patients with GC were included, and all of them received gastrectomy. A total of 1248 (18.8%) patients had MetS at baseline. Pooled results showed that MetS was associated with higher risks of postoperative complications [risk ratio (RR): 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.85 to 3.14, p0.05). In patients with GC after gastrectomy, MetS may be a predictor of high incidence of postoperative complications, cancer recurrence, and overall mortality.

Glycan microarrays have played important roles in detection and specificity assignment of glycan recognition by proteins. However, the size and diversity of glycan libraries in current microarray systems are small compared to estimated glycomes, and these may lead to missed detection or incomplete assignment. For microarray construction, covalent and noncovalent immobilization are the two types of methods used, but a direct comparison of results from the two platforms is required. Here we develop a chemical strategy to prepare lipid-linked probes from both naturally derived aldehyde-terminating and synthetic amino-terminating glycans that addresses the two aspects: expansion of sequence-defined glycan libraries and comparison of the two platforms. We demonstrate the specific recognition by plant and mammalian lectins, carbohydrate-binding modules and antibodies and the overall similarities from the two platforms. Our results provide new knowledge on unique glycan-binding specificities for the immune receptor Dectin-1 toward β-glucans and the interaction of rotavirus P[19] adhesive protein with mucin O-glycan cores.

R-10G antigen of human iPS and ES cells has been assigned as a unique mono-sulfated glycan. We highlight its relationship to a known bioactive glycan sequence, the ligand on high endothelial venules for the lymphocyte homing receptor, L-selectin. Details of the sequences of four other glycan antigens on the podocalyxin are re-evaluated and ambiguities resolved. Regulation of biosynthesis and possible involvements of these glycans in podocalyxin-signaling in stem cells are discussed., Graphical Abstract Highlights R-10G is a mono-sulfated glycan antigen of human iPS and ES cells on podocalyxin. R-10G and nonsulfated i are reciprocal antigens on type 2 glycan backbones. TRA-1–60 and -81 and FC10.2 are antigens expressed on unsulfated type 1 backbones. These assignments open the way to probing their roles in podocalyxin-signaling., Glycan antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies have served as stem cell markers. To understand regulation of their biosynthesis and their roles in stem cell behavior precise assignments are required. We have applied state-of-the-art glycan array technologies to compare the glycans bound by five antibodies that recognize carbohydrates on human stem cells. These are: FC10.2, TRA-1–60, TRA-1–81, anti-i and R-10G. Microarray analyses with a panel of sequence-defined glycans corroborate that FC10.2, TRA-1–60, TRA-1–81 recognize the type 1-(Galβ-3GlcNAc)-terminating backbone sequence, Galβ-3GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc, and anti-i, the type 2-(Galβ-4GlcNAc) analog, Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc, and we determine substituents they can accommodate. They differ from R-10G, which requires sulfate. By Beam Search approach, starting with an antigen-positive keratan sulfate polysaccharide, followed by targeted iterative microarray analyses of glycan populations released with keratanases and mass spectrometric monitoring, R-10G is assigned as a mono-sulfated type 2 chain with 6-sulfation at the penultimate N-acetylglucosamine, Galβ-4GlcNAc(6S)β-3Galβ-4GlcNAcβ-3Galβ-4GlcNAc. Microarray analyses using newly synthesized glycans corroborate the assignment of this unique determinant raising questions regarding involvement as a ligand in the stem cell niche.

Gangliosides, as plasma membrane-associated sialylated glycolipids, are antigenic structures and they serve as ligands for adhesion proteins of pathogens, for toxins of bacteria, and for endogenous proteins of the host. The detectability by carbohydrate-binding proteins of glycan antigens and ligands on glycolipids can be influenced by the differing lipid moieties. To investigate glycan sequences of gangliosides as recognition structures, we have underway a program of work to develop a “gangliome” microarray consisting of isolated natural gangliosides and neoglycolipids (NGLs) derived from glycans released from them, and each linked to the same lipid molecule for arraying and comparative microarray binding analyses. Here, in the first phase of our studies, we describe a strategy for high-sensitivity assignment of the tetrasaccharide backbones and application to identification of eight of monosialylated glycans released from bovine brain gangliosides. This approach is based on negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation (ESI-CID-MS/MS) of the desialylated glycans. Using this strategy, we have the data on backbone regions of four minor components among the monosialo-ganglioside-derived glycans; these are of the ganglio-, lacto-, and neolacto-series. Graphical abstract Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13361-018-1944-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective : The beneficial effects of icariin (ICA) in ameliorating atherosclerosis (AS) are well known, but the underlying protective mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate altered long noncosing RNA (lncRNA) and mRNA expression profiles in ApoE−/− mice after ICA treatment. Method : The atherosclerotic plaque area was evaluated on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ApoE−/− mice treated with either ICA or vehicle. LncRNA and mRNA integrated microarrays was performed on aortic tissues. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were utilized to explore the significant function and pathway of the differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, global signal transduction network were constructed to select key mRNAs, and lncRNA–mRNA co-expression network was built to find out the interactions between lncRNA and mRNA. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to further validate the expressions of selected lncRNAs and mRNAs. Results : Administration of ICA significantly reduced plaque size after 12 weeks (P Conclusion : Taken together, our study highlights a panel of DE lncRNAs and mRNAs that could explain the molecular mechanism of ICA’s anti-atherosclerotic effects. The work lays a foundation for subsequent genes functional researches, which could contribute to provide new therapeutic targets for AS.

The objectives of this epidemiological study were to evaluate the prevalence of farmer's lung disease (FLD) and to explore the potential risk factors for FLD among Chinese greenhouse farmers. A total of 835 plastic film greenhouses, including 5,880 active farmers who engaged in crop cultivation or poultry farming, were randomly selected from the rural regions of Northeastern China. These farmers participated in the study by answering a medical questionnaire. 5,420 greenhouse farmers accepted and answered questionnaires in full (response rate, 92.18 %). Prevalence of FLD among these farmers was 5.7 % (308/5,420). Besides, a number of classic risk factors for FLD were identified, such as years of age, shorter time interval for re-entry greenhouse, ventilation frequency of greenhouse more than once per 4 h, the area of greenhouses greater than 30 m(2) but without a ventilation facility, ventilation duration less than 30 min every time, greenhouse with height less than 1.8 m, greenhouse with humidity greater than 65 %, frequent exposure to moldy materials in greenhouse, living inside greenhouse, and et al. FLD is and will continue to be a real health problem for Chinese farmers. If these preventive measures are implemented, the prevalence of FLD in Chinese greenhouse farmers might be greatly reduced.

Type 1 (Galβ1-3GlcNAc) and type 2 (Galβ1-4GlcNAc) sequences are constituents of the backbones of a large family of glycans of glycoproteins and glycolipids whose branching and peripheral substitutions are developmentally regulated. It is highly desirable to have microsequencing methods that can be used to precisely identify and monitor these oligosaccharide sequences with high sensitivity. Negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation has been used for characterization of branching points, peripheral substitutions, and partial assignment of linkages in reducing oligosaccharides. We now extend this method to characterizing entire sequences of linear type 1 and type 2 chain-based glycans, focusing on the type 1 and type 2 units in the internal regions including the linkages connecting type 1 and type 2 disaccharide units. We apply the principles to sequence analysis of closely related isomeric oligosaccharides and demonstrate by microarray analyses distinct binding activities of antibodies and a lectin toward various combinations of type 1 and 2 units joined by 1,3- and 1,6-linkages. These sequence-specific carbohydrate-binding proteins are in turn valuable tools for detecting and distinguishing the type 1 and type 2-based developmentally regulated glycan sequences.

Ammonium-based alkali-catalyzed β-elimination under nonreducing conditions was investigated in detail for the stability of the released mucin-type O-glycan chains with β1,3-linked cores. In contrast to the previously studied β1,4-linkage of the N-glycan-type, which was shown to be stable under the ammonium-based alkaline conditions, the β1,3-linkage is labile toward alkaline treatment and considerable peeling was observed with both model heptasaccharides and standard glycoproteins. The former include eight reducing glucoheptasaccharides with different and commonly occurring linkages (α1,2-, β1,2-, α1,3-, β1,3-, α1,4-, β1,4-, α1,6-, and β1,6-linkages), and the latter include mucin-type bovine submaxillary mucin and bovine fetuin, which contains both O- and N-glycans. The results indicated that complete prevention of peeling under nonreducing alkali-catalyzed hydrolysis conditions remains difficult. The yields of released O- and N-glycans were also assessed by use of the two glycoproteins as models. Compared with conventional procedures, Carlson degradation for O-glycan release and PNGase F digestion for N-glycan release, the nonreducing ammonium-based alkaline hydrolysis gave lower yields. Great care has to be taken when employing such nonreducing alkaline conditions in glycomic analysis and in obtaining glycoprotein glycans for functional studies.

Optical sensors have been investigated and widely deployed in industrial and scientific measurement and control processes, mainly due to their accuracy, high sensitivity and immunity to electromagnetic interference and other unique characteristics. They are especially suited for harsh environments applications, where no commercial electrical sensors are available for long-term stable operations. This paper reports a novel contact optical high temperature sensor targeting at harsh environments. Utilizing birefringent single crystal sapphire as the sensing element and white light interferometric signal processing techniques, an optical birefringence based temperature sensor was developed. With a simple mechanically structured sensing probe, and an optical spectrum-coded interferometric signal processor, it has been tested to measure temperature up to 1600 °C with high accuracy, high resolution, and long-term measurement stability.

We have isolated a nonfucosylated and three variously fucosylated neutral oligosaccharides from human milk that are based on the iso-lacto-N-octaose core. Their structures were characterized by the combined use of electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) and NMR spectroscopy. The branching pattern and blood group-related Lewis determinants, together with partial sequences and linkages of these oligosaccharides, were initially elucidated by high-sensitivity ES-MS/MS analysis, and then their full structure assignment was completed by methylation analysis and 1H-NMR. Three new structures were identified. The nonfucosylated iso-lacto-N-octaose, Galβ1–3GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–6[Galβ1–3GlcNAcβ1–3]Galβ1–4Glc, has not previously been reported as an individual oligosaccharide. The monofucosylated and trifucosylated iso-lacto-N-octaose, Galβ1–3GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4(Fucα1–3) GlcNAcβ1–6[Galβ1–3GlcNAcβ1–3]Galβ1–4Glc and Galβ1–3(Fucα1–4)GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4(Fucα1–3)GlcNAcβ1–6[Galβ1–3(Fucα1–4)GlcNAcβ1–3]Galβ1–4Glc, both containing an internal Lex epitope, are also novel structures.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of hypothermia on S100B and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in serum and hippocampus CA1 area in asphyxiated rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A total of 100 SD rats were designated into four groups: group A, sham operation group; group B, rats received conventional resuscitation; group C, rats received conventional resuscitation and hypothermia at cardiac arrest; group D, rats received conventional resuscitation and hypothermia at 30 min after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Rats were then killed by cardiac arrest at 2 and 4 h after ROSC; brain tissue was taken to observe dynamic changes of S100B and GFAP in serum and hippocampus CA1 area. Following ROSC, S100B levels increased from 2 to 4 h in group B, C, and D. In addition, S100B in serum and hippocampus CA1 area was all significantly increased at different time points compared with group A (P0.05). Following ROSC, serum S100B level at 2 h in group C was significantly decreased compared with group B, but the difference was not statistically significant (P0.05). Moreover, S100B in serum at 4 h after ROSC was significantly decreased (P0.05), S100B in cortex was significantly decreased (P0.05). The expression of GFAP was also examined. GFAP level in hippocampus CA1 area was significantly decreased in group B, C, and D at 4 h after ROSC compared with group A (P0.05). S100B and GFAP were expressed in rat serum and hippocampus CA2 area at early stage after ROSC, which can be used as sensitive markers for brain injury diagnosis and prognosis prediction. Hypothermia is also shown to reduce brain injury after CPR.

Blood-group antigens, such as those containing fucose and bearing the ABO(H)- and Lewis-type determinants expressed on the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids, and also on unconjugated free oligosaccharides in human milk and other secretions, are associated with various biological functions. We have previously shown the utility of negative-ion electrospay ionization tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced dissociation (ESI-CID-MS/MS) for typing of Lewis (Le) determinants, for example, Le(a), Le(x), Le(b), and Le(y) on neutral and sialylated oligosaccharide chains. In the present report, we extended the strategy to characterization of blood-group A-, B-, and H-determinants on type 1 and type 2 and also on type 4 globoside chains to provide a high sensitivity method for typing of all the major blood-group antigens, including the A, B, H, Le(a), Le(x), Le(b), and Le(y) determinants, present in oligosaccharides. Using the principles established, we identified two minor unknown oligosaccharide components present in the products of enzymatic synthesis by bacterial fermentation. We also demonstrated that the unique fragmentations derived from the D- and (0,2)A-type cleavages observed in ESI-CID-MS/MS, which are important for assigning blood-group and chain types, only occur under the negative-ion conditions for reducing sugars but not for reduced alditols or under positive-ion conditions.

In this chapter, we describe the key steps of the "designer" oligosaccharide microarray approach we followed to prove the carbohydrate binding activity and define the oligosaccharide ligands for Dectin-1, an atypical C-type lectin-like signaling receptor of the mammalian innate immune system with a key role in anti-fungal immunity. The term "designer" microarray, which we introduced in the course of the Dectin-1 study refers to a microarray of oligosaccharide probes generated from ligand-bearing glycoconjugates to reveal the oligosaccharide ligands they harbor, so that these can be isolated and characterized. Oligosaccharide probes were generated from two polysaccharides, one that was bound by Dectin-1 and known to be rich in β1,3-glucose sequence and another that was not bound and was rich in β1,6-glucose sequence and served as a negative control. The approach involved: classic ELISA-type binding assays to select the polysaccharides; partial depolymerization of the polysaccharides by chemical hydrolysis; fractionation by size of the glucan oligosaccharides obtained and determination of their chain lengths by mass spectrometry; detection of Dectin-1 ligand-positive and ligand-negative oligosaccharides using the neoglycolipid (NGL) technology; methylation analysis of oligosaccharides to derive glucose linkage information, and incorporation of the newly generated glucan oligosaccharide probes into microarrays encompassing diverse mammalian-type and exogenous sequences for microarray analysis of Dectin-1.

The effects of vanadium-enriched and wild Inonotus obliquus were tested on hyperglycemic mice. The vanadium content of the culture medium was 0.6%, reaching a concentration of 3.0 mg/g in the cultured mushroom while in the wild variety is 1/100 of that amount. The toxicity of vanadium at the 3.0 mg/g level is negligible, but its anti-diabetic effects are significantly different to those of the wild variety (p < 0.05). Due to its high bioavailability and low toxicity, vanadium-enriched I. obliquus could be used as a means of vanadium supplementation, with expectation of obtaining higher bioavailability and lower toxicity in animals.

In this chapter, we describe the key procedures for isolation of the oligosaccharides and the preparation of neoglycolipid probes together with expression of malectin that have enabled the discovery of the highly selective binding of this newly described protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to a diglucosyl high-mannose N-glycan. This is the first indication of a bioactivity for a diglucosyl high-mannose N-glycan of the type that occurs in the ER of eukaryotic cells and which is an intermediate in the early steps of the N-glycosylation pathway of nascent proteins. The malectin story is an example of a powerful convergence of disciplines in biological sciences: (i) developmental biology, (ii) bioinformatics, (iii) recombinant protein expression, (iv) protein structural studies, (v) glucan biochemistry, and (vi) drug-assisted engineering of oligosaccharide biosynthesis, culminating in (vii) oligosaccharide "designer" microarrays, to clinch the remarkable selectivity of the binding of this newly discovered ER protein. Thus, the way is open to the identification of the role of malectin in the N-glycosylation pathway.

Dectin-1 is a C-type lectin-like receptor on leukocytes that mediates phagocytosis and inflammatory mediator production in innate immunity to fungal pathogens. Dectin-1 lacks residues involved in calcium ligation that mediates carbohydrate-binding by classical C-type lectins; nevertheless, it binds zymosan, a particulate beta-glucan-rich extract of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and binding is inhibited by polysaccharides rich in beta1,3- or both beta1,3- and beta1,6-linked glucose. The oligosaccharide ligands on glucans recognized by Dectin-1 have not yet been delineated precisely. It is also not known whether Dectin-1 can interact with other types of carbohydrates. We have investigated this, since Dectin-1 shows glucan-independent binding to a subset of T-lymphocytes and is involved in triggering their proliferation. Here we assign oligosaccharide ligands for Dectin-1 using the neoglycolipid-based oligosaccharide microarray technology, a unique approach for constructing microarrays of lipid-linked oligosaccharide probes from desired sources. We generate "designer" microarrays from three glucan polysaccharides, a neutral soluble glucan isolated from S. cerevisiae and two bacterial glucans, curdlan from Alcaligenes faecalis and pustulan from Umbilicaria papullosa, and use these in conjunction with 187 diverse, sequence-defined, predominantly mammalian-type, oligosaccharide probes. Among these, Dectin-1 binding is detected exclusively to 1,3-linked glucose oligomers, the minimum length required for detectable binding being a 10- or 11-mer. Thus, the ligands assigned so far are exogenous rather than endogenous. We further show that Dectin-1 ligands, 11-13 gluco-oligomers, in clustered form (displayed on liposomes), mimic the macromolecular beta-glucans and compete with zymosan binding and triggering of tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion by a Dectin-1-expressing macrophage cell line.

We have isolated and characterised two neutral oligosaccharides, one nonfucosylated and the other monofucosylated, from human milk that are based on the doubly branched lacto-N-decaose core. Their structures have been determined by a combined use of electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS/MS) and NMR spectroscopy. The sequences of the three branches resulted from the double-branching, including the identity and location of the blood-group-related Lewis determinant and partial linkages, were elucidated by the unique method of high sensitivity negative-ion ES-MS/MS analysis. Their full structure assignment was completed by methylation analysis and 1H NMR. The monofucosylated lacto-N-decaose, Galbeta1-4(Fucalpha1-3)GlcNAcbeta1-6(Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-3)Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-6(Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-3)Galbeta1-4Glc is a novel sequence, whereas the nonfucosylated lacto-N-decaose, Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-6(Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-3)Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-6(Galbeta1-3GlcNAcbeta1-3)Galbeta1-4Glc, has not been isolated and identified as an individual oligosaccharide.

SummaryNeoglycolipid technology is the basis of a microarray platform for assigning oligosaccharide ligands for carbohydrate-binding proteins. The strategy for generating the neoglycolipid probes by reductive amination results in ring opening of the core monosaccharides. This often limits applicability to short-chain saccharides, although the majority of recognition motifs are satisfactorily presented with neoglycolipids of longer oligosaccharides. Here, we describe neoglycolipids prepared by oxime ligation. We provide evidence from NMR studies that a significant proportion of the oxime-linked core monosaccharide is in the ring-closed form, and this form selectively interacts with a carbohydrate-binding protein. By microarray analyses we demonstrate the effective presentation with oxime-linked neoglycolipids of (1) Lewisx trisaccharide to antibodies to Lewisx, (2) sialyllactose analogs to the sialic acid-binding receptors, siglecs, and (3) N-glycans to a plant lectin that requires an intact N-acetylglucosamine core.