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FNDC3B (fibronectin type III domain containing 3B) is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other cancer types, and fusion genes involving FNDC3B have been identified in HCC and leukemia. Growing evidence suggests the significance of FNDC3B in tumorigenesis, particularly in cell migration and tumor metastasis. However, its regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we employed bioinformatic, gene regulation, and protein‐DNA interaction screening to investigate the transcription factors (TFs) involved in regulating FNDC3B. Initially, 338 candidate TFs were selected based on previous chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)‐seq experiments available in public domain databases. Through TF knockdown screening and ChIP coupled with Droplet Digital PCR assays, we identified that E2F1 (E2F transcription factor 1) is crucial for the activation of FNDC3B. Overexpression or knockdown of E2F1 significantly impacts the expression of FNDC3B. In conclusion, our study elucidated the mechanistic link between FNDC3B and E2F1. These findings contribute to a better understanding of FNDC3B in tumorigenesis and provide insights into potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Thermoelectric power plants account for approximately 40% of total U.S. water withdrawals each year. In 2022, 48.5 trillion gallons of water were withdrawn for cooling systems in electricity production, of which 962.9 billion gallons of water were consumed and no longer available for downstream use. Conventional steam coal plants, in particular, withdrew 18.3 trillion gallons of water for once-through and recirculating cooling systems in 2022 while contributing to 19.7% of total U.S. net electricity generation. As coal-fueled electricity production becomes less competitive, cases of coal-to-gas retrofits occur to avoid stranded assets. Two retrofitting methods are adopted in practice: coal-fired power plants are repurposed and replaced by natural gas combined-cycle plants, or the boiler of a coal plant is converted to burn natural gas. In this study, we construct panel data and employ an event study framework to examine changes in water withdrawal, water consumption, water discharge, and carbon emissions resulting from coal-to-gas retrofits in the continental United States from 2013 to 2022. Seventeen coal-fired power plants have been replaced with natural gas combined-cycle plants, and 167 coal steam units in 85 plants have undergone coal-to-gas boiler conversions. We find a sharp and sustained reduction in water withdrawal of 40.2–53.9 thousand gallons per megawatt-hour of net electricity produced when a coal plant transitioned to a natural gas combined-cycle plant. Water discharge was also reduced by 30.7 thousand gallons, and carbon emissions decreased by 0.59 short tons per megawatt-hour. Yet, boiler conversion did not lead to statistically significant changes in per megawatt-hour water withdrawal, water consumption, water discharge, or carbon emissions. Spatial assessment further informs resource planning of projected water-stressed regions, as 204.6 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants remain operable in the United States in 2022. Fuel transition should adopt a nexus approach and account for the interdependence between water resources and electricity production to realize sustainable development commitments.

Stomatin is a component of lipid rafts. Here, Wu et al. show that stomatin modulates the differentiation and functions of adipocytes by regulating adipogenesis signaling and fatty acid influx such that with excessive calorie intake, increased stomatin induces adiposity.

Abstract Background Aging leads to decreased skeletal muscle function in mammals and is associated with a progressive loss of muscle mass, quality and strength. Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) is an important health problem associated with the aged population. Results We investigated the alteration of genome-wide transcription in mouse skeletal muscle tissue (rectus femoris muscle) during aging using a high-throughput sequencing technique. Analysis revealed significant transcriptional changes between skeletal muscles of mice at 3 (young group) and 24 (old group) months of age. Specifically, genes associated with energy metabolism, cell proliferation, muscle myosin isoforms, as well as immune functions were found to be altered. We observed several interesting gene expression changes in the elderly, many of which have not been reported before. Conclusions Those data expand our understanding of the various compensatory mechanisms that can occur with age, and further will assist in the development of methods to prevent and attenuate adverse outcomes of aging.

Abstract The sinoatrial node regulates the heart rate throughout life. Failure of this primary pacemaker results in life-threatening, slow heart rhythm. Despite its critical function, the cellular and molecular composition of the human sinoatrial node is not resolved. Particularly, no cell surface marker to identify and isolate sinoatrial node pacemaker cells has been reported. Here we use single-nuclei/cell RNA sequencing of fetal and human pluripotent stem cell-derived sinoatrial node cells to reveal that they consist of three subtypes of pacemaker cells: Core Pacemaker, Sinus Venosus, and Transitional Cells. Our study identifies a host of sinoatrial node pacemaker markers including MYH11, BMP4, and the cell surface antigen CD34. We demonstrate that sorting for CD34+ cells from stem cell differentiation cultures enriches for sinoatrial node cells exhibiting a functional pacemaker phenotype. This sinoatrial node pacemaker cell surface marker is highly valuable for stem cell-based disease modeling, drug discovery, cell replacement therapies, and the targeted delivery of therapeutics to sinoatrial node cells in vivo using antibody-drug conjugates.

Abstract Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent and fatal oral cancers. Mitochondria-targeting therapies represent promising strategies against various cancers, but their applications in treating OSCC are limited. Alantolactone (ALT) possesses anticancer properties and also regulates mitochondrial events. In this study, we explored the effects of ALT on OSCC and the related mechanisms. Methods The OSCC cells were treated with varying concentrations and duration of ALT and N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). The cell viability and colony formation were assessed. The apoptotic rate was evaluated by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. We used DCFH-DA and flow cytometry to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DAF-FM DA to investigate reactive nitrogen species (RNS) level. Mitochondrial function was reflected by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ATP levels. KEGG enrichment analyses determined the mitochondrial-related hub genes involved in OSCC progression. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) overexpression plasmids were further transfected into the cells to analyze the role of Drp1 in OSCC progression. Immunohistochemistry staining and western blot verified the expression of the protein. Results ALT exerted anti-proliferative and pro-apoptosis effects on OSCC cells. Mechanistically, ALT elicited cell injury by promoting ROS production, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and ATP depletion, which were reversed by NAC. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Drp1 played a crucial role in OSCC progression. OSCC patients with low Drp1 expression had a higher survival rate. The OSCC cancer tissues presented higher phosphorylated-Drp1 and Drp1 levels than the normal tissues. The results further showed that ALT suppressed Drp1 phosphorylation in OSCC cells. Moreover, Drp1 overexpression abolished the reduced Drp1 phosphorylation by ALT and promoted the cell viability of ALT-treated cells. Drp1 overexpression also reversed the mitochondrial dysfunction induced by ALT, with decreased ROS production, and increased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level. Conclusions ALT inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells via impairment of mitochondrial homeostasis and regulation of Drp1. The results provide a solid basis for ALT as a therapeutic candidate for treating OSCC, with Drp1 being a novel therapeutic target in treating OSCC.

Backgrounds and aimsImmunotherapies have formed an entirely new treatment paradigm for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) has been associated with good response to immunotherapy in most solid tumors. Nonetheless, the role of TLS in human HCC remains controversial, and recent studies suggest that their functional heterogeneity may relate to different locations within the tumor. Exploring factors that influence the formation of TLS in HCC may provide more useful insights. However, factors affecting the presence of TLSs are still unclear. The human gut microbiota can regulate the host immune system and is associated with the efficacy of immunotherapy but, in HCC, whether the gut microbiota is related to the presence of TLS still lacks sufficient evidence.MethodsWe performed pathological examinations of tumor and para-tumor tissue sections. Based on the location of TLS in tissues, all patients were divided into intratumoral TLS (It-TLS) group and desertic TLS (De-TLS) group. According to the grouping results, we statistically analyzed the clinical, biological, and pathological features; preoperative gut microbiota data; and postoperative pathological features of patients.ResultsIn a retrospective study cohort of 60 cases from a single center, differential microbiota analysis showed that compared with the De-TLS group, the abundance of Lachnoclostridium, Hungatella, Blautia, Fusobacterium, and Clostridium was increased in the It-TLS group. Among them, the enrichment of Lachnoclostridium was the most significant and was unrelated to the clinical, biological, and pathological features of the patients. It can be seen that the difference in abundance levels of microbiota is related to the presence of TLS.ConclusionOur findings prove the enrichment of Lachnoclostridium-dominated gut microbiota is associated with the presence of It-TLS in HCC patients.

Myopia is the most common refractive disorder in Eastern Asia. The development of myopia is associated with the cooperation of various ocular tissues. Exosomes in the aqueous humor (AH) have been implicated to modulate intracellular communications by transferring exosomal miRNAs and proteins between cells. These exosomal miRNAs and proteins are likely involved in the pathogenesis of various eye diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore human exosomal miRNA profiles and their roles in myopia development. AH samples were collected from 16 patients (8 myopia and 8 control) undergoing routine cataract surgeries. Exosomes were isolated from AH of each individual using the ExoQuick solution. The numbers and sizes of exosomes were not significantly different between the myopia and control groups. The individual exosomes of the same group were pooled to purify RNA. Unexpectedly, the myopia group contained 2.78-fold total RNA amount than that in the control group. Thereafter, miRNA profiles were analyzed using the OpenArray system. We thus found 15 myopia-specific miRNAs and four myopia-absent miRNAs. By using bioinformatics analysis, we identified six well-known myopia-associated genes that are potential targets of five myopia-specific miRNAs (has-miR-582-3p, has-miR-17-5p, has-miR-885-3p, has-miR-19b-3p, and has-miR-450b-5p). These genes are cholinergic receptor muscarinic 2 (CHRM2), cyclic nucleotide-gated channel beta 3 (CNGB3), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), adenosine A2a receptor (ADORA2A), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and lumican (LUM). Moreover, CHRM2 may be a target of myopia-absent miRNA (has-miR-378a-5p). In conclusion, we show the expression profiles of AH-derived exosomal miRNAs and their potential roles in myopia development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim This study aimed to explore the mechanism of LncRNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) promoting cisplatin resistance in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Method The UCA1 expression level in LUAD cell lines was detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR). We overexpressed UCA1 in A549 cells and downregulated UCA1 in A549/DDP cells by the lentivirus‑mediated technique. Subsequently, in vitro, and in vivo functional experiments were performed to investigate the functional roles of UCA1 in the growth and metastasis of LUAD cell lines. Furthermore, RNA pulldown, mass spectrometry, and RNA immunoprecipitation technique were performed to analyze various downstream target factors regulated by UCA1. Results The results revealed a higher UCA1 expression level in A549/DDP cells and LUAD tissues than in A549 cells and adjacent cancer tissues. UCA1 expression was significantly associated with distant metastasis, clinical stage, and survival time of patients with LUAD. UCA1 overexpression significantly increased the proliferation, invasion, clone formation, and cisplatin resistance ability and enhanced the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and excision repair cross-complementing gene 1 in A549 cells. However, these trends were mostly reversed after the knockdown of UCA1 in A549/DDP cells. Tumorigenic assays in nude mice showed that UCA1 knockdown significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced cisplatin resistance. Enolase 1 was the RNA-binding protein (RBP) of UCA1. Conclusion Based on the results, we concluded that UCA1 promoted LUAD progression and cisplatin resistance and hence could be a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target in patients with LUAD.

Despite the evidences of elevated expression of Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) in multiple human cancers, mechanisms underlying the oncogenic roles of MerTK in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains undefined. We explored the functional effects of MerTK and N-Glycosylated MerTK on HCC cell survival and tumor growth. Here, we show that MerTK ablation increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and promotes the switching from glycolytic metabolism to oxidative phosphorylation in HCC cells, thus suppressing HCC cell proliferation and tumor growth. MerTK is N-glycosylated in HCC cells at asparagine 294 and 454 that stabilizes MerTK to promote oncogenic transformation. Moreover, we observed that nuclear located non-glycosylated MerTK is indispensable for survival of HCC cells under stress. Pathologically, tissue microarray (TMA) data indicate that MerTK is a pivotal prognostic factor for HCC. Our data strongly support the roles of MerTK N-glycosylation in HCC tumorigenesis and suggesting N-glycosylation inhibition as a potential HCC therapeutic strategy.

BackgroundGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common malignant brain tumor with high mortality. It is urgently necessary to develop a new treatment because traditional approaches have plateaued.PurposeHere, we identified an immune-related gene (IRG)-based prognostic signature to comprehensively define the prognosis of GBM.MethodsGlioblastoma samples were selected from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA). We retrieved IRGs from the ImmPort data resource. Univariate Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analyses were used to develop our predictive model. In addition, we constructed a predictive nomogram integrating the independent predictive factors to determine the one-, two-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) probabilities of individuals with GBM. Additionally, the molecular and immune characteristics and benefits of ICI therapy were analyzed in subgroups defined based on our prognostic model. Finally, the proteins encoded by the selected genes were identified with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and western blotting (WB).ResultsSix IRGs were used to construct the predictive model. The GBM patients were categorized into a high-risk group and a low-risk group. High-risk group patients had worse survival than low-risk group patients, and stronger positive associations with multiple tumor-related pathways, such as angiogenesis and hypoxia pathways, were found in the high-risk group. The high-risk group also had a low IDH1 mutation rate, high PTEN mutation rate, low 1p19q co-deletion rate and low MGMT promoter methylation rate. In addition, patients in the high-risk group showed increased immune cell infiltration, more aggressive immune activity, higher expression of immune checkpoint genes, and less benefit from immunotherapy than those in the low-risk group. Finally, the expression levels of TNC and SSTR2 were confirmed to be significantly associated with patient prognosis by protein mass spectrometry and WB.ConclusionHerein, a robust predictive model based on IRGs was developed to predict the OS of GBM patients and to aid future clinical research.

We have previously identified large megabase-sized hypomethylated zones in the genome of the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using the TspRI-ExoIII technique. In this report, we used a more convenient high throughput method for mapping the hypomethylated zones in a number of human tumor genomes simultaneously. The method was validated by the bisulfite sequencing of 39 randomly chosen sites in a demethylated domain and by bisulfite genome-wide sequencing of the MCF-7 genome. This showed that the genomes of the various tumor cell lines, as well as some primary tumors, exhibit common hypomethylated domains. Interestingly, these hypomethylated domains are correlated with low CpG density distribution genome-wide, together with the histone H3K27Me3 landscape. Furthermore, they are inversely correlated with the H3K9Ac landscape and gene expression as measured in MCF-7 cells. Treatment with drugs resulted in en-bloc changes to the methylation domains. A close examination of the methylation domains found differences between non-invasive and invasive tumors with respect to tumorigenesis related genes. Taken together these results suggest that the human genome is organized in epigenomic domains that contain various different types of genes and imply that there are cis- and trans-regulators that control these domain-wide epigenetic changes and hence gene expression in the human genome. The hypomethylated domains are located in gene deserts that contain mainly tissue-specific genes and therefore we hypothesize that tumor cells keep these regions demethylated and silenced in order to save energy and resources and allow higher levels of cell proliferation and better survival (a thrifty tumor genome hypothesis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Baicalin, an important flavonoid in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extracts, exerts a variety of pharmacological effects. In this study, we explored the effects of baicalin on chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and investigated the mechanism underlying these effects. Moreover, we examined whether the inflammatory response was mediated by the A2A receptor (A2AR) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4)-induced phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling in vivo. Methods We established a hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) mouse model by subjecting wild-type (WT) and A2AR knockout (A2AR−/−) animals to chronic hypoxia, and we examined the effects of a 4-week treatment with baicalin or the A2AR agonist CGS21680 in these animals. Invasive hemodynamic parameters, the right ventricular hypertrophy index, pulmonary congestion, the pulmonary arterial remodeling index, blood gas parameters, A2AR expression, and the expression of SDF-1/CXCR4/PI3K/protein kinase B (PKB; AKT) signaling components were measured. Results Compared with WT mice, A2AR−/− mice exhibited increased right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricle-to-left ventricle plus septum [RV/(LV + S)] ratio, RV weight-to-body weight (RV/BW) ratio, and lung wet weight-to-body weight (Lung/BW) ratio in the absence of an altered mean carotid arterial pressure (mCAP). These changes were accompanied by increases in pulmonary artery wall area and thickness and reductions in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) and hydrogen ion concentration (pH). In the HPH model, A2AR−/− mice displayed increased CXCR4, SDF-1, phospho-PI3K, and phospho-AKT expression compared with WT mice. Treating WT and A2AR−/− HPH mice with baicalin or CGS21680 attenuated the hypoxia-induced increases in RVSP, RV/(LV + S) and Lung/BW, as well as pulmonary arterial remodeling. Additionally, baicalin or CGS21680 alone could reverse the hypoxia-induced increases in CXCR4, SDF-1, phospho-PI3K, and phospho-AKT expression. Moreover, baicalin improved the hypoxemia induced by 4 weeks of hypoxia. Finally, we found that A2AR levels in WT lung tissue were enhanced by hypoxia and that baicalin up-regulated A2AR expression in WT hypoxic mice. Conclusions Baicalin exerts protective effects against clinical HPH, which are partly mediated through enhanced A2AR activity and down-regulated SDF-1/CXCR4-induced PI3K/AKT signaling. Therefore, the A2AR may be a promising target for baicalin in treating HPH.

Abstract Background The metastatic cascade is a complex and multistep process with many potential barriers. Recently, miR-193a has been reported to be a suppressive miRNA in multiple types of cancers, but its underlying anti-oncogenic activity in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is not fully elucidated. Methods The expressions of miR-193a (miR-193a-5p) in human lung cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time PCR. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the direct target of miR-193a. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis were assessed by CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay, respectively. Results The expression of miR-193a in lung cancer tissues was decreased comparing to adjacent non-tumor tissues due to DNA hypermethylation in lung cancer tissues. Ectopic expression of miR-193a inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in A549 and H1299 cells. Moreover, overexpression of miR-193a partially reversed tumor growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, miR-193a reduced the expression of WT1, which negatively regulated the protein level of E-cadherin, suggesting that miR-193a might prevent EMT via modulating WT1-E-cadherin axis. Importantly, knockdown of WT1 resembled the anti-cancer activity by miR-193a and overexpression of WT1 partially reversed miR-193a-induced anti-cancer activity, indicating that WT1 plays an important role in miR-193a-induced anti-cancer activity. Finally, overexpression of miR-193a decreased the growth of tumor xenografts in mice. Conclusion Collectively, our results have revealed an important role of miR-193a-WT1-E-cadherin axis in metastasis, demonstrated an important molecular cue for EMT, and suggested a therapeutic strategy of restoring miR-193a expression in NSCLC.

Background/Aims: In liver fibrosis, the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is considered as a pivotal event. It is well known that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is the main stimuli factor responsible for HSC activation. microRNAs (miRNAs), regulating various biological processes, have recently been shown to be involved in HSC activation. A recent study reported that deficiency of miR-378a contributes to cardiac fibrosis via TGF-β1-dependent paracrine mechanism. However, the involvement of miR-378a and its roles in TGF-β1-induced HSC activation remains largely unknown. Methods: miR-378a expression was detected in TGF-β1-treated cells and patients with cirrhosis. Then, effects of miR-378a overexpression on cell proliferation and HSC activation were analyzed. We also analyzed the binding of miR-378a to the 3′-untranslated region of TGF-β2. Results: In response to TGF-β1, miR-378a expression was down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. miR-378a overexpression suppressed both cell proliferation and cell cycle in TGF-β1-treated LX-2 cells. Moreover, miR-378a overexpression inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation including the reduction of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen. Similarly, miR-378a resulted in a reduction in cell proliferation, and the expressions of α-SMA and Col1A1 in TGF-β1-treated primary HSCs. Notably, TGF-β2 was confirmed as a target of miR-378a by luciferase reporter assays. Interestingly, miR-378a promoter methylation may be responsible for miR-378a down-regulation in TGF-β1-treated LX-2 cells and TGF-β1-treated primary HSCs. Further studies confirmed that reduced miR-378a was associated with promoter methylation in patients with cirrhosis compared with healthy controls. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that miR-378a expression is associated with its methylation status in TGF-β1-treated cells, and epigenetically-regulated miR-378a inhibits TGF-β1-induced HSC activation, at least in part, via TGF-β2.