Targeting Hepatic Stellate Cell PD-L1 Alters Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis in CCl Liver Injury Mouse Model.

Background & Aims: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is required for HSC activation and suppressing T and B lymphocytes. We tested whether targeting HSC PD-L1 influenced liver inflammation and fibrosis in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl) injury mouse model.

Methods: HSC-specific PD-L1 knockout (PD-L1) mice were created by crossing Cd274 floxed mice to Collagen1A1-Cre mice.

Dynamic Rhizodeposition in the Woody Perennial Populus trichocarpa.

Plants undergo physiological and metabolic changes that release specific molecules into the surrounding soil, a process collectively known as rhizodeposition. These compounds play crucial roles in plant-microbe-soil interactions, such as supporting plant development and resilience in changing environments. Under nutrient-limited conditions, these plant-derived compounds modify the rhizosphere environment, mobilizing otherwise inaccessible nutrients and recruiting stress-adaptive microbial communities that support stress resilience.

Polaron-Polariton Bose-Einstein Condensation Lasing via Longitudinal Optical Phonon Scattering in GaN-Based Microcavity.

Exciton-polaritons, hybrid states composed of excitons and photons under strong coupling, play a crucial role in investigating Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) and optoelectronics. However, the relaxation bottleneck in exciton-polaritons, arising from reduced scattering efficiency with acoustic phonons, hinders the achievement of thermal equilibrium Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC). Here, by invoking the polaronic effect of the exciton, we present the first observation of polaron-polariton BEC in a GaN-based microcavity.

Overexpressed Rv0222 in M. smegmatis suppresses host innate immunity by downregulating miR-9 target SIRT1.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most fatal infectious diseases, the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has a thick wall to resist the invasion of extracellular substances and secretes a variety of virulence proteins to antagonize host innate immunity. Rv0222, a protein encoded by the gene Rv0222 in the RD4 region of Mtb, is a critical virulence factor in the pathogenicity of Mtb. However, the mechanism of its regulation of miRNAs during bacterial infection is unclear.

Low-threshold colloidal quantum dot polariton lasing a strong coupling microcavity at room temperature.

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are excellent optical gain media that can be synthesized through low-cost and easily controlled techniques, holding significant promise for applications in semiconductor laser devices. In this study, we demonstrated polariton coherent lasing based on a CdSe-based CQD microcavity device at room-temperature (RT) for the first time. The dispersion behaviors of CQD polaritons with different excitation powers were comprehensively analyzed using angle-resolved spectroscopy techniques.

MS-RT: A Method for Evaluating MS/MS Clustering Performance for Metabolomics Data.

The clustering of tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) is a crucial computational step to deduplicate repeated acquisitions in data-dependent experiments. This technique is essential in untargeted metabolomics, particularly with high-throughput mass spectrometers capable of generating hundreds of MS/MS spectra per second. Despite advancements in MS/MS clustering algorithms in proteomics, their performance in metabolomics has not been extensively evaluated due to the lack of database search tools with false discovery rate control for molecule identification.

PKMζ, a Brain-specific PKCζ Isoform, is Required for Glycolysis and Myofibroblastic Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells.

Background & Aims: Transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 induces plasma membrane (PM) accumulation of glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) required for glycolysis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and HSC activation. This study aimed to understand how Glut1 is anchored/docked onto the PM of HSCs.

Methods: HSC expression of protein kinase M zeta isoform (PKMζ) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescence.

CMTM6 mediates the Warburg effect and promotes the liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death among cancer patients. The overexpression of glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) and enhanced glucose uptake that are associated with the Warburg effect are frequently observed in CRC liver metastases, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing protein 6 (CMTM6) regulates the intracellular trafficking of programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1); therefore, we investigated whether CMTM6 regulates Glut1 trafficking and the Warburg effect in CRC cells.

Network Topology Evaluation and Transitive Alignments for Molecular Networking.

Untargeted tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is an essential technique in modern analytical chemistry, providing a comprehensive snapshot of chemical entities in complex samples and identifying unknowns through their fragmentation patterns. This high-throughput approach generates large data sets that can be challenging to interpret. Molecular Networks (MNs) have been developed as a computational tool to aid in the organization and visualization of complex chemical space in untargeted mass spectrometry data, thereby supporting comprehensive data analysis and interpretation.

Targeting Src SH3 domain-mediated glycolysis of HSC suppresses transcriptome, myofibroblastic activation, and colorectal liver metastasis.

Background And Aims: Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFβ1) induces HSC activation into metastasis-promoting cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), but how the process is fueled remains incompletely understood. We studied metabolic reprogramming induced by TGFβ1 in HSCs.

Approaches And Results: Activation of cultured primary human HSCs was assessed by the expression of myofibroblast markers.

Janus Z-scheme heterostructure of ZnInS/MoSe/InSe for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Artificial manipulation of charge separation and transfer are central issues dominating hydrogen evolution reaction triggered via photocatalysis. Herein, through elaborate designing on the architecture, band alignment, and interface bonding mode, a sulfur vacancy-rich ZnInS-based (Vs-ZIS) multivariate heterostructure ZnInS/MoSe/InSe (Vs-ZIS/MoSe/InSe) with specific Janus Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism is constructed through a two-step hydrothermal process. Steering by the Janus Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism, photogenerated electrons in the conduction band of MoSe transfer synchronously to the valence band of Vs-ZIS and InSe, resulting in abundant highly-active photogenerated electrons reserved in the conduction band of Vs-ZIS and InSe, therefore significantly enhancing the photocatalytic activity of hydrogen evolution.

Metabolic reprogramming and its clinical implication for liver cancer.

Cancer cells often encounter hypoxic and hypo-nutrient conditions, which force them to make adaptive changes to meet their high demands for energy and various biomaterials for biomass synthesis. As a result, enhanced catabolism (breakdown of macromolecules for energy production) and anabolism (macromolecule synthesis from bio-precursors) are induced in cancer. This phenomenon is called "metabolic reprogramming," a cancer hallmark contributing to cancer development, metastasis, and drug resistance.

N-nitrosamines-mediated downregulation of LncRNA-UCA1 induces carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous by regulating the alternative splicing of FGFR2.

Concerns are raised over the risk to digestive system's tumors from the N-nitrosamines (NAs) exposure in drinking water. Albeit considerable studies are conducted to explore the underlying mechanism responsible for NAs-induced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the exact molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown, especially at the epigenetic regulation level. In this study, it is revealed that the urinary concentration of N-Nitrosodiethylamine is higher in high incidence area of ESCC, and the lncRNA-UCA1(UCA1) is significantly decreased in ESCC tissues.

Higher-Order Multiphoton Absorption Upconversion Lasing Based on ZnO/ZnMgO Multiple Quantum Wells.

In the progress of nonlinear optics, multiphoton absorption (MPA) upconversion lasing enables many vital applications in bioimaging, three-dimensional optical data storage, and photodynamic therapy. Here, efficient four-photon absorption upconversion lasing from the ZnO/ZnMgO multiple quantum wells (MQWs) at room temperature is realized. Moreover, the MPA upconversion lasing and third-harmonic generation peak generated in the MQWs under the excitation of a femtosecond (fs) laser pulse were observed concurrently, and the essential differences between each other were studied comprehensively.

PD-L1 promotes myofibroblastic activation of hepatic stellate cells by distinct mechanisms selective for TGF-β receptor I versus II.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) contains abundant myofibroblasts derived from hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) through an activation process mediated by TGF-β. To determine the role of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in myofibroblastic activation of HSCs, we disrupted PD-L1 of HSCs by shRNA or anti-PD-L1 antibody. We find that PD-L1, produced by HSCs, is required for HSC activation by stabilizing TGF-β receptors I (TβRI) and II (TβRII).

Interfacial chemical bond and internal electric field modulated Z-scheme S-ZnInS/MoSe photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution.

Construction of Z-scheme heterostructure is of great significance for realizing efficient photocatalytic water splitting. However, the conscious modulation of Z-scheme charge transfer is still a great challenge. Herein, interfacial Mo-S bond and internal electric field modulated Z-scheme heterostructure composed by sulfur vacancies-rich ZnInS and MoSe was rationally fabricated for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Molybdenum sulfide-modified metal-free graphitic carbon nitride/black phosphorus photocatalyst synthesized via high-energy ball-milling for efficient hydrogen evolution and hexavalent chromium reduction.

Improving the photocatalytic property of metal-free photocatalyst is still a challenging work. Herein, a novel high-efficiency molybdenum sulfide (MoS)-modified metal-free graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN)/black phosphorus (BP) photocatalyst (MCN/BP/MS) was synthesized on a large scale via high-energy ball milling process. The optimized MCN/BP/MS exhibits the excellent hydrogen evolution rate of 2146.

Protein diaphanous homolog 1 (Diaph1) promotes myofibroblastic activation of hepatic stellate cells by regulating Rab5a activity and TGFβ receptor endocytosis.

TGFβ induces the differentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) into tumor-promoting myofibroblasts but underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Because endocytosis of TGFβ receptor II (TβRII), in response to TGFβ stimulation, is a prerequisite for TGF signaling, we investigated the role of protein diaphanous homolog 1 (known as Diaph1 or mDia1) for the myofibroblastic activation of HSCs. Using shRNA to knockdown Diaph1 or SMIFH2 to target Diaph1 activity of HSCs, we found that the inactivation of Diaph1 blocked internalization and intracellular trafficking of TβRII and reduced SMAD3 phosphorylation induced by TGFβ1.

Focal Adhesion Kinase Promotes Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation by Regulating Plasma Membrane Localization of TGFβ Receptor 2.

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) induces hepatic stellate cell (HSC) differentiation into tumor-promoting myofibroblast, although underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is activated in response to TGFβ stimulation, so it transmits TGFβ stimulus to extracellular signal-regulated kinase and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. However, it is unknown whether FAK can, in return, modulate TGFβ receptors.

Novel-miR-4885 Promotes Migration and Invasion of Esophageal Cancer Cells Through Targeting CTNNA2.

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. It is critical to find early diagnostic biomarkers for esophageal cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important regulatory roles in occurrence and development of esophageal cancer, which has the diagnostic and prognostic values.

LincRNA-ROR promotes metastasis and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating miR-145/FSCN1.

Background And Objective: In an attempt to discover a new biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the regulation mechanism of large intergenic non-coding RNA-regulator of reprogramming (lincRNA-ROR) as a microRNA (miRNA) sponge was studied.

Patients And Methods: ROR expression in 91 pairs of ESCC tissue samples and matched adjacent tissues was quantified with real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The ROR-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was built with 161 esophageal cancer (EC) tissues and 11 adjacent tumor tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Identification of extracellular matrix protein 1 as a potential plasma biomarker of ESCC by proteomic analysis using iTRAQ and 2D-LC-MS/MS.

Purpose: This study was aimed to conduct a proteomics profiling analysis on plasma obtained from ESCC patients with the goal of identifying appropriate plasma protein biomarkers in the progression of ESCC.

Experimental Design: Plasma from 28 ESCC patients and 28 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by iTRAQ combined with 2D-LC-MS/MS. ProteinPilot software was used to identify the differentially expressed plasma proteins in ESCC compared to HC.

lncRNA UCA1 inhibits esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma growth by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway.

Esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide. Recent studies suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) might play a key role in regulating cellular processes and cancer progression. One of the lncRNAs, urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1), is known to be dysregulated in several cancers, including bladder carcinoma, colorectal, melanoma, breast, gastric, and ESCC.