Search

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies involving the urinary system. Our previous study demonstrated that cobra venom membrane toxin 12 (MT-12) could effectively inhibit BC cell growth and metastasis and induce apoptosis. However, the specific molecular mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we explored whether MT-12 inhibits BC cell proliferation by inducing autophagy cell death through mitochondrial dysfunction. As a result, MT-12 inhibited proliferation and colony formation in RT4 and T24 cells. In the BC xenograft mouse model, autophagy inhibitor 3-MA alleviated the inhibitory effect of MT-12 on tumor growth. In addition, immunostaining revealed downregulated autophagy in MT-12-treated RT4 and T24 cells. We also found that MT-12 led to dysfunctional mitochondria with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, mtDNA abundance, and increased ROS production, ultimately inducing autophagic apoptosis via the ROS/JNK/P53 pathway. MT-12 inhibits BC proliferation in vitro and in vivo by enhancing autophagy. MT-12 induces mitochondrial dysfunction and decreases autophagy, leading to increased ROS production, which in turn activates the JNK/p53 pathway, leading to BC apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Both radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are effective in controlling the condition of patients with hormone-resistant prostate cancer (HRPCa). However, there is limited research on the prognosis and quality of life of HRPCa patients after different treatment modalities. OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiotherapy (RT), when treating high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa). METHODS: Overall 103 HRPCa patients were included and were divided into RP group and RT group according to different treatment methods. The propensity score matching method (PSM) was used to balance the baseline data of the two groups and match 34 patients in each group. The prognosis, quality of life, and basic efficacy of patients were compared. RESULTS: After intervention, the disease-free survival rate of the RT group was higher than that of the RP group (79.41% vs. 55.88%, p = 0.038). Quality of life scores between the two treatment methods had no difference before intervention (p > 0.05), but higher in RT group than that of the RP group after intervention (p < 0.05). After treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in total effective rate of treatment between two groups (44.12% vs. 58.82%, p > 0.05), but the disease control rate was significantly higher in RT group (94.12% vs. 76.47%, p = 0.040). CONCLUSION: Radical radiotherapy is effective in the clinical treatment of HRPCa patients, with a higher disease-free survival rate and improved quality of life after treatment, and is worth promoting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of non‐coding RNA that plays a vital role in biology. circRNAs appear to have a role in the development and progression of several malignancies, according to research. However, circRNAs that regulate prostate cancer (PCa) progression are still largely unknown and deserve further exploration. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hsa_circ_0070512 on the function and mechanism of PCa. hsa_circ_0070512 was increased in PCa tissues and cells and was mostly found in the cytoplasm of PCa cells. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0070512 considerably increased PCa cell proliferation and migration, whereas silencing of hsa_circ_0070512 greatly decreased PCa cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, we show that hsa_circ_0070512 acts as a "molecular sponge" for miR‐338‐3p and that the miR‐338‐3p mimics partially block the pro‐tumor effects of hsa_circ_0070512. RNA sequencing analysis of PC3 cells stably overexpressing hsa_circ_0070512 revealed that hedgehog was downstream of the signaling pathways of hsa_circ_0070512 and miR‐338‐3p. Our results implied that hsa_circ_0070512 regulated the hedgehog signaling pathways through miR‐338‐3p to enhance PCa growth and migration, providing a new diagnostic and therapeutic target for PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate changes are affecting organisms and their interactions in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, such as the increase in temperature and CO2 concentration. Herbivory interaction is a very important part of nutrient cycle and energy flow in freshwater ecosystem, and climate changes may directly or indirectly affect aquatic plants, aquatic herbivores and their interactions. In this study, we explored the effects of the rising temperature, elevated CO2 concentrations and herbivory by an herbivorous snail (Radix auricularia L.) on a submerged plant (Vallisneria natans L.). Our results showed that herbivory, temperature, and CO2 had specific effects on snail and plant growth, statistically there was only one interaction-a reduction in leaf number. Under different experimental conditions, snail herbivory always has negative effects on biomass accumulation and growth of V. natans. Moreover, the increases in temperature also inhibited its growth. Snail herbivory reduced the content of total carbon and total nitrogen of V. natans in all treatments, while the total phenols content increased. Our findings indicate that the rising temperature, elevated CO2 concentrations and herbivory have interactive effects on the growth and stoichiometry of submerged macrophytes, but further research is needed between aquatic plants and aquatic herbivores to aid prediction the impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants and associated herbivores are expected to perform better under the rising atmospheric CO2 concentration brought about by climate change. However, it is not clear how increasing CO2 affects herbivory on aquatic macrophytes. In this research, we set four treatments (A group: ambient air without snails; AS group: ambient air with snails; E group: elevated CO2 without snails; and ES group: elevated CO2 with snails) and studied the effects of low (0-0.5 mg/L) and high (4-8 mg/L) CO2 concentration on the growth, morphology, and chemical traits of the macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis (Angiosperms: Hydrocharitaceae) and the snail Radix auricularia (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae), and the relationships between them in the laboratory. We found that herbivory decreased the total biomass of V. spiralis by 28.6% and 25.3% under low and high CO2 conditions, respectively. Compared with A group, ES group reduced the total plant biomass by 43.3%. Elevated CO2 and herbivory both affected the growth of V. spiralis and change its resource allocation patterns. Total nitrogen content in V. spiralis leaves decreased under herbivory condition, and total phenols increased under the interactions condition between elevated CO2 and herbivory. However, total C content of R. auricularia increased under elevated CO2 condition. These results could provide valuable insights into how climate change affects plant-herbivore interactions and food web structure in shallow inland waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) has become the highest incidence of malignant tumor among men in the world. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is necessary for tumor growth. M2 macrophages play an important role in many solid tumors. This research aimed at the role of M2 macrophages' prognosis value in PCa., Methods: Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data and mRNA expression data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Quality control, normalization, reduction, clustering, and cell annotation of scRNA-seq data were preformed using the Seruat package. The sub-populations of the tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were analysis and the marker genes of M2 macrophage were selected. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PCa were identified using limma and the immune infiltration was detected using CIBERSORTx. Then, a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was constructed to identify the M2 macrophage-related modules and genes. Integration of the marker genes of M2 macrophage from scRNA-seq data analysis and hub genes from WGCNA to select the prognostic gene signature based on Univariate and LASSO regression analysis. The risk score was calculated, and the DEGs, biological function, immune characteristics related to risk score were explored. And a predictive nomogram was constructed. CCK8, Transwell, and wound healing were used to verify cell phenotype changes after co-cultured., Results: A total of 2431 marker genes of M2 macrophage and 650 hub M2 macrophage-related genes were selected based on scRNA-seq data and WGCNA. Then, 113 M2 macrophage-related genes were obtained by overlapping the scRNA-seq data and WGCNA results. Nine M2 macrophage-related genes (SMOC2, PLPP1, HES1, STMN1, GPR160, ABCG1, MAZ, MYC, and EPCAM) were screened as prognostic gene signatures. M2 risk score was calculated, the DEGs, Immune score, stromal score, ESTIMATE score, tumor purity, and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and responses of immunotherapy and chemotherapy were identified. And a predictive nomogram was constructed. CCK8, Transwell invasion, and wound healing further verified that M2 macrophages promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration of PCa ( p  < 0.05)., Conclusions: We uncovered that M2 macrophages and relevant genes played key roles in promoting the occurrence, development, and metastases of PCa and played as convincing predictors in PCa.