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Real-time detection of glycosylation on label-free cancer cell surfaces is of significance for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this work, we have successfully developed a novel dynamic reversible sensor based on pH-sensitive phenylboronic esters to determine in real-time the binding kinetics of protein-carbohydrate interactions on suspension cancer cell surfaces using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat waves and ozone on hypertensive rats. Heat wave and ozone pollution were simulated on the Shanghai Meteorological and Environmental Animal Exposure System. Eighteen hypertensive rats were randomly divided into a control group, an ozone group, and a heat wave plus ozone group. The experimental groups were transferred to the exposure system for exposure to the ozone and heat wave plus ozone. After exposure, blood samples were collected from the abdominal aorta, and the hearts were harvested in all groups. The concentrations of inflammatory factors, vasomotion factors, cardiovascular risk factors, oxidative stress and thrombosis factors and heat stress factors in heart tissue were measured in each rat. Ozone exposure and heat wave plus ozone exposure increased the levels of inflammatory factors, thrombosis factors, vasomotion factors and cardiovascular risk factors, except for HDL-C, which was reduced. Moreover, experimental exposure increased the heat stress factors and oxidative stress, except for SOD, which was decreased. These data demonstrated that both ozone exposure and heat wave plus ozone exposure could adversely affect hypertensive rats, and that heat wave may enhance the toxic effect of ozone exposure.

We aimed to explore the potential biomarkers and susceptible population for early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Ten hub differentially expressed TB-related genes (DETRGs) from GSE83456 dataset were screened with the "limma" package and the GeneCards database. Unsupervised clustering was utilized to identify susceptible population among TB patients based on 10 hub DETRGs. TRANSFAC, MirTarbase, miRanda and TargetScan was used to predict microRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) and construct TF-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. The results showed that a total of 266 DEGs were identified. Functional analysis mainly enriched in interferon pathway, cytokine and receptor interaction and host defense response to virus, while the four-module genes screened were closely related to interferon-γ signal transduction pathway as well. Based on 10 DETRGs, TB patients were divided into two clusters with significant differences in neutrophil function and 16 hub miRNAs and 10 hub TFs were predicted. Finally, NFATc1- (miR145) - STAT1 regulatory pathway was identified as the critical regulatory pathway, which mediates cytokine receptor binding, interleukin-1 receptor binding and TNF signaling pathway. Hence, we concluded that immunoheterogeneity exists among TB patients and NFATC1-(miR145)-STAT1 regulatory pathway might be associated with tuberculosis infection, which may be valuable targets for prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.

The purpose of this study is to verify the hypothesis that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model rat is more susceptible to cold stress and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure than the healthy rat, and explore the related mechanism. COPD rat model, established with cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide intratracheal instillation, were exposed to cold stress (0 °C) and PM2.5 (0, 3.2, 12.8 mg/ml). After that, the levels of superoxide dismutase, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang-Ⅱ) in lung were measured, as well as the expression levels of lung 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). There were significant positive relationships between PM2.5 and lung level of iNOS, TNF-α, MCP-1 and Ang-Ⅱ, lung function and pathologic damage in COPD rats. The HO-1, NF-κB and 8-OHdG were found highly expressed in COPD rat lung, particularly at the higher PM2.5 dose of cold stress groups, while Nrf2 was found declined. Thus, COPD rats may be more susceptible to cold stress and PM2.5 exposure. Cold stress may aggravate PM2.5-induced toxic effects in the lung of COPD rats through increasing Ang-Ⅱ/NF-κB signaling pathway and suppressing Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Angiotensin II (ANG II) might play an important role in the co-effects of cold stress and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of valsartan in alleviating COPD following co-exposure to cold stress and PM2.5. Both the two intervention factors are carried out upon COPD rats with the intervention of valsartan. Blockade of angiotensin receptor by valsartan decreases the levels of malondialdehyde in the normal temperature and tumor necrosis factor-α under cold stress significantly. When treated with valsartan and PM2.5 simultaneously, the expression of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, nuclear factor kappa B and heme oxygenase-1 decrease significantly in the group of cold stress. In conclusion, these results indicate that valsartan might relieve the co-effects of cold stress and PM2.5 on COPD rat lung to some degree.

Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) has been widely applied for functionalizing various material surfaces through a simple and versatile approach. Several studies have demonstrated the adhesion-promotion properties of the PDA surface for adherent cells. However, few reports are associated with suspension cells. In this study, the attachment property of suspension cells on the PDA surface was investigated for the first time, where we found that the suspension cells can be directly attached to the PDA coating without any secondary modifications. To exemplify the potential of this property, a PDA-based suspension-cell QCM biosensor was fabricated. The biosensor showed a high degree of repeatability and stability as well as low nonspecific binding to the irrelevant protein. The real-time and label-free evaluation of the binding of a diverse range of lectins on three different types of suspension cells indicated the variation of the glycosylation on these cell surfaces. Furthermore, the kinetic evaluation of the protein-carbohydrate interactions on the suspension cell surface was also performed. This work reports a new strategy for fabrication of PDA-based suspension-cell QCM biosensor via simple and efficient immobilization of suspension cells, which provides a simple way for the study of the complex molecular recognition on suspension cell surfaces.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a considerable health problem worldwide, and the prevalence of OA varies in different regions. In this study, the prevalence of OA in Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and non-KBD endemic areas was examined, respectively. According to monitoring data, 4 types of regions (including none, mild, moderate and high KBD endemic areas) in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces were selected. All local residents were eligible for inclusion criteria have undergone X-ray images of hands and anteroposterior image of knees. A total of 1673 cases were collected, 1446 cases were analyzed after removing the KBD patients (227). The overall hand OA and knee OA detection rates were 33.3% (481/1446) and 56.6% (818/1446), respectively. After being standardized by age, the detection rate of hand OA in the KBD endemic areas was significantly higher than that in the non-endemic endemic areas. Differently, there was no significant difference in the detection rates of knee OA between the KBD endemic areas and the non-endemic area. The correlation coefficient between the severity of OA and the severity of knee OA was 0.358 and 0.197 in the KBD and non-KBD endemic areas, respectively. Where the KBD historical prevalence level was higher, the severity of the residents' hand OA was more serious. The detection rates of hand OA and knee OA increased with age. The detection rate of knee OA increased with the increase in body mass index. The prevalence of hand OA was closely related to the pathogenic factors of Kashin-Beck disease, and the prevalence of knee OA had no significant correlation with KBD pathogenic factors.

The purpose of this study is to verify the hypothesis that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model rat is more susceptible to cold stress and fine particulate matter (PM

A universal photochemical method to prepare carbohydrate sensors based on perfluorophenylazide (PFPA) modified polydopamine (PDA) for the study of carbohydrate&ndash, lectin interactions by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor was developed. The PFPA was immobilized on PDA-coated gold sensors via Schiff base reactions. Upon light irradiation, the underivatized carbohydrates were inserted into the sensor surface, including mannose, galactose, fucose and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Carbohydrate sensors were evaluated for the binding to a series of plant lectins. A kinetic study of the interactions between mannose and concanavalin A (Con A), fucose and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) were performed. This method can eliminate the tedious modification of carbohydrates, improve the experimental efficiency, and reduce the experimental cost, which is of great significance for the development of QCM biosensors and the study of biomolecular interactions.