Potential Therapeutic Targets for the Primary Gallbladder Carcinoma: Estrogen Receptors

Zhang, Ling-Qiang,Zhang, Xiu-De,Xu, Jia,Wan, Yong,Qu, Kai,Zhang, Jing-Yao,Wang, Zhi-Xin,Wei, Ji-Chao,Meng, Fan-Di,Tai, Ming-Hui,Zhou, Lei,Liu, Chang Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Gallbladder carcinoma, the most frequent malignant neoplasm of the biliary tract system, has always been considered to feature late clinical presentation and diagnosis, limited treatment options and an extremely poor prognosis. In recent years, while the incidence of gallbladder cancer has appeared to be on the increase, the available treatment methods have not greatly improved survival of the affected patients. Thus, exploring new therapeutic targets for this devastating disease is an urgent matter at present. Epidemical studies have demonstrated that the incidence of gallbladder carcinoma exhibits a distinct gender bias, affecting females two to three times more than males, pointing to crucial roles of estrogen. It is well known that estrogen acts on target tissues by binding to estrogen receptors (ERs), which are mainly divided into three subtypes, $ER{\alpha}$, $ER{\beta}$ and $ER{\gamma}$. $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$ appear to have overlapping but also unique even opposite biological effects. As important pathogenic mediators, ERs have been considered to relate to several kinds of tumors. In gallbladder carcinoma tissue, ERs have been shown to be positively expressed, and ERs expression levels are associated with differentiation and prognosis of this cancer. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms of estrogen inducing growth of gallbladder carcinoma remain poorly understood. On the base of the current investigations, we deduce that estrogen participates in promotion of gallbladder carcinoma by influencing the formation of gallstones, stimulating angiogenesis, and promoting abnormal proliferation. Since ERs mediate the carcinogenic actions of estrogen in gallbladder, and therapy targeting ERs may provide new directions for gallbladder carcinoma. Therefore, it should be stressed that ERs are potential therapeutic targets for gallbladder carcinoma.

Comparison of Microbial Diversity and Composition in the Jejunum and Colon of Alcohol-Dependent Rats

( Yang Fan ),( Zhao Ya-e ),( Wei Ji-dong ),( Lu Yu-fan ),( Zhang Ying ),( Sun Ya-lun ),( Ma Meng-yu ),( Zhang Rui-ling ) 한국미생물생명공학회(구 한국산업미생물학회) 2018 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.28 No.11

Alcohol dependence is a global public health problem, yet the mechanisms of alcohol dependence are incompletely understood. The traditional view has been that ethanol alters various neurotransmitters and their receptors in the brain and causes the addiction. However, an increasing amount of experimental evidence suggests that gut microbiota also influence brain functions via gut-to-brain interactions, and may therefore induce the development of alcohol use disorders. In this study, a rat model of alcohol dependence and withdrawal was employed, the gut microbiota composition was analyzed by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the metagenome function was predicted by PICRUSt software. The results suggested that chronic alcohol consumption did not significantly alter the diversity and richness of gut microbiota in the jejunum and colon, but rather markedly changed the microbiota composition structure in the colon. The phyla Bacteroidetes and eight genera including Bacteroidales S24-7, Ruminococcaceae, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, et al were drastically increased, however the genus Lactobacillus and gauvreauii in the colon were significantly decreased in the alcohol dependence group compared with the withdrawal and control groups. The microbial functional prediction analysis revealed that the proportions of amino acid metabolism, polyketide sugar unit biosynthesis and peroxisome were significantly increased in the AD group. This study demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption has a dramatic effect on the microbiota composition structure in the colon but few effects on the jejunum. Inducement of colonic microbiota dysbiosis due to alcohol abuse seems to be a factor of alcohol dependence, which suggests that modulating colonic microbiota composition might be a potentially new target for treating alcohol addiction.

Studies of the microbial metabolism of flavonoids extracted from the leaves of Diospyros kaki by intestinal bacteria

Sheng-hai Zhang,Ying-zi Wang,Fan-yun Meng,You-lin Li,Cai-xia Li,Fei-peng Duan,Qing Wang,Xiu-ting Zhang,Chun-ni Zhang 대한약학회 2015 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.38 No.5

Flavonoid glycosides are metabolized byintestinal bacteria, giving rise to a wide range of phenolicacids that may exert systemic effects in the body. Themicrobial metabolism of flavonoids extracted from theleaves of Diospyros kaki (FLDK) by intestinal bacteria wasinvestigated in vitro. High-performance liquid chromatography/linear trap quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometrywas performed to analyze the metabolites of flavonoidsin vivo using Xcalibur2.1 software. The results showed thatthe levels of flavonoid glycosides and flavonoid aglyconesdecreased rapidly in the process of microbial metabolismby intestinal bacteria in vitro, and the metabolic rate maybe related to the concentration of intestinal bacteria in theculture solution. In vivo metabolites of FLDK weredetected in rat plasma and urine after oral administration ofFLDK. Eight flavonoids were identified in the urine, andthree were identified in the plasma; however, flavonoidaglycones were not found in the plasma.

The Monocot-Specific Receptor-like Kinase SDS2 Controls Cell Death and Immunity in Rice

Fan, Jiangbo,Bai, Pengfei,Ning, Yuese,Wang, Jiyang,Shi, Xuetao,Xiong, Yehui,Zhang, Kai,He, Feng,Zhang, Chongyang,Wang, Ruyi,Meng, Xiangzong,Zhou, Jinggeng,Wang, Mo,Shirsekar, Gautam,Park, Chan Ho,Bell Elsevier 2018 Cell host & microbe Vol.23 No.4

<P><B>Summary</B></P> <P>Programmed cell death (PCD) plays critical roles in plant immunity but must be regulated to prevent excessive damage. The E3 ubiquitin ligase SPL11 negatively regulates PCD and immunity in plants. We show that <I>S</I>PL11 cell-<I>d</I>eath <I>s</I>uppressor <I>2</I> (SDS2), an S-domain receptor-like kinase, positively regulates PCD and immunity in rice by engaging and regulating SPL11 and related kinases controlling defense responses. An <I>sds2</I> mutant shows reduced immune responses and enhanced susceptibility to the blast fungus <I>Magnaporthe oryzae</I>. Conversely, <I>SDS2</I> over-expression induces constitutive PCD accompanied by elevated immune responses and enhanced resistance to <I>M. oryzae</I>. SDS2 interacts with and phosphorylates SPL11, which in turn ubiquitinates SDS2, leading to its degradation. In addition, SDS2 interacts with related receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases, OsRLCK118/176, that positively regulate immunity by phosphorylating the NADPH oxidase OsRbohB to stimulate ROS production. Thus, a plasma membrane-resident protein complex consisting of SDS2, SPL11, and OsRLCK118/176 controls PCD and immunity in rice.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> The RLK SDS2 positively regulates plant cell death and immunity in rice </LI> <LI> SDS2 phosphorylates E3 ligase SPL11, which in turn ubiquitinates SDS2 for degradation </LI> <LI> SDS2 phosphorylates receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases RLCK118 </LI> <LI> RLCK118 interacts with and phosphorylates the NADPH oxidase OsRbohB </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical Abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Comparison of diapause and non-diapause induced Orius sauteri (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) based on a two-sex life table in the laboratory

Meng Sun,Bing Lü,Zhao-yun Lyu,Yang Zhang,Yi-Fan Zhai,Hao Chen,Li Zheng,Yi Yu 한국응용곤충학회 2017 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.20 No.4

The flower bug Orius sauteri (Poppius) is commonly used as an effective biocontrol agent for controlling small pest populations in greenhouses in China. The impact of two temperature and photoperiod regimes (26 °C, L16:D8 h; 21 °C, L8:D16 h) on the life table of O. sauteri was studied in the laboratory using an age-stage, two-sex life-table method. The results showed that the low-temperature short-photoperiod regime resulted in significant increases of the developmental times of the egg, the first to fifth nymphal stages, and the total preadult stage. Female adult longevity was significantly increased, whereas male adult longevity was significantly decreased, under this regime. Furthermore, the adult preoviposition period (APOP), the total preoviposition period (TPOP), and the sex ratio were all increased under this regime. Fecundity decreased, whereas the mean generation time (T) increased, as temperature and photoperiod decreased. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and net reproductive rate (Ro) all increased as the temperature decreased under diapause induction. Based on the estimated data, the higher r value (0.06 d−1) occurred under the 26 °C, L16:D8 h regime, compared with 0.03 d−1, under the 21 °C, L8:D16 h regime. Thus, the results showed that reproductive diapause slowed O. sauteri population growth, about 50% reduction based on r. There is significant interest in using O. sauteri as a biological control agent against non-diapausing small pests, such as thrips, in greenhouses under short photoperiods. However, based on the current results, managers should consider maintaining a high temperature and long photoperiod to prevent reproductive diapause induction in O. sauteri. Such conditions should not have a detrimental effect on the greenhouse crops

Characteristics and source apportionment of fine haze aerosol in Beijing during the winter of 2013

Shang, Xiaona,Zhang, Kai,Meng, Fan,Wang, Shihao,Lee, Meehye,Suh, Inseon,Kim, Daigon,Jeon, Kwonho,Park, Hyunju,Wang, Xuezhong,Zhao, Yuxi Copernicus GmbH 2018 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Vol.18 No.4

<P>Abstract. For PM2.5 filter samples collected daily at the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (Beijing, China) from December of 2013 to February of 2014 (the winter period), chemical characteristics and sources were investigated with an emphasis on haze events in different alert levels. During the 3 months, the average PM2.5 concentration was 89 µg m−3, exceeding the Chinese national standard of 75 µg m−3 in 24 h. The maximum PM2.5 concentration was 307 µg m−3, which characterizes developed-type pollution (PM2.5 / PM10>0.5) in the World Health Organization criteria. PM2.5 was dominated by SO42−, NO3−, and pseudo-carbonaceous compounds with obvious differences in concentrations and proportions between non-haze and haze episodes. The non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) analysis provided reasonable PM2.5 source profiles, by which five sources were identified: soil dust, traffic emission, biomass combustion, industrial emission, and coal combustion accounting for 13, 22, 12, 28, and 25 % of the total, respectively. The dust impact increased with northwesterlies during non-haze periods and decreased under stagnant conditions during haze periods. A blue alert of heavy air pollution was characterized by the greatest contribution from industrial emissions (61 %). During the Chinese Lantern Festival, an orange alert was issued and biomass combustion was found to be the major source owing to firework explosions. Red-alert haze was almost equally contributed by local traffic and transported coal combustion emissions from the vicinity of Beijing (approximately 40 % each) that was distinguished by the highest levels of NO3− and SO42−, respectively. This study also reveals that the severity and source of haze are largely dependent on meteorological conditions. </P>

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel fluconazole analogues bearing 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety as potent antifungal agents

Jun Liao,Fan Yang,Lei Zhang,Xiaoyun Chai,Qing-Jie Zhao,Shichong Yu,Yan Zou,Qingguo Meng,Qiuye Wu 대한약학회 2015 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.38 No.4

A novel series of fluconazole based mimicsincorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety were designed andsynthesized. All the title compounds were characterized by1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and Q-TOF-MS. Preliminary resultsrevealed that most of analogues exhibited significant antifungalactivity against seven pathogenic fungi. Compounds9g and 9k (MIC80 B 0.125 lg/mL, respectively) werefound more potent than the positive controls itraconazoleand fluconazole as broad-spectrum antifungal agents. Theobserved docking results showed that the 1,3,4-oxadiazolemoiety enhanced the affinity binding to the cytochromeP450 14a-demethylase (CYP51).

Phase identification of $C_3N_4$ in CN films prepared by rf plasma chemical vapor deposition and dc magnetron sputtering

Fu, Dejun,Wu, Dawei,Zhang, Zhihong,Meng, Xianquan,He, Mengbing,Guo, Huaixi,Peng, Yougui,Fan, Xiangjun The Korean Vacuum Society 1998 Applied Science and Convergence Technology Vol.7 No.1

We prepared $C_3N_4$ films by rf plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition(PCVD) and alternating $C_3N_4$/TiN composite films by dc magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron diffraction (TED) revealed that the structure of the films is amorphous or polycrystalline, depending on deposition conditions and heat treatment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of $sp_3\; and sp _2$ hybridized C atoms bonded with N atoms in the tetrahedral and hexagonal configurations, respectively. Graphite-free $C_3N_4$ films were obtained by PCVD under optimal conditions. To prepare well crystallized $C_3N_4$ films by magnetron sputtering, we introduced negatively biased gratings in the sputtering system. CN films deposited at grating voltages (Vg) lower than 400V are amorphous. Crystallites of cubic and $\beta$-$C_3N_4$ were formed at increased voltages.

Comparative Analysis of Water Stress-Responsive Transcriptomes in Drought-Susceptible and -Tolerant Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Yong Chun Li,Fan Rong Meng,Chun Yan Zhang,Ning Zhang,Ming Shan Sun,Jiang Ping Ren,Hong Bin Niu,Xiang Wang,Jun Yin 한국식물학회 2012 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.55 No.5

To understand better the mechanisms that regulate the water stress response in wheat, we conducted a comparative analysis of transcript profiles in roots from two wheat genotypes -- drought-tolerant ‘Luohan No. 2’ (LH)and drought-susceptible ‘Chinese Spring’ (CS). In LH roots,3831 transcripts displayed changes in expression of at least two-fold over the well-watered control when drought treatment was applied. Of these, 1593 were induced while 2238 were repressed. Relatively fewer transcripts were drought-responsive in CS; i.e., 1404 transcripts were induced and 1493 were repressed. In common between LH and CS,569 transcripts were induced and 424 transcripts were repressed. In all, 689 transcripts (757 probe sets) identified from LH and 537 transcripts (575 probe sets) from CS were annotated and classified into 10 functional categories. Among those annotated transcripts from LH and CS that had fold-change ratios of at least 4, 92 induced transcripts were common to both, while 23 transcripts were specifically induced in LH. Gene ontology analysis of these induced genes showed highly significant enrichment for multiple terms related to abiotic stimuli, organic acid biosynthesis,and lipid metabolism. This suggests that these gene groups play important roles during the stress response in LH and CS, and might also be responsible for differences in drought tolerance between those genotypes.

Highly elastic aerogel derived from spent coffee grounds as oil removal adsorbent

Yongli Chen,Weijie Cai,Meng Zhang,Meiying Xie,Fengzhi Tan,Fan Yang 한국화학공학회 2022 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.39 No.6

In the face of increasing environmental pollution, aerogels have emerged as valuable materials for potentialoil/water separation. However, many of the currently developed aerogels have unsatisfactory compressibility, high costand a single hydrophobic modification method, which limits larger-scale application. In this work, a type of aerogelwith compressible, inexpensive, and fully biodegradable features was designed via a novel zirconium chloride modificationstrategy. Typically, a series of aerogels (HCSW-1, HCSW-2, and HCSW-3) were readily prepared from a mixture ofspent coffee grounds, waste paper and sodium alginate. The prepared aerogels exhibited good elasticity, low density(0.024 g cm3), high porosity (98.3%), efficient oil/water separation and good oil uptake (23-44 times of its weight). Inaddition, the as-prepared aerogels can be easily recycled several times, thus meeting the demand of actual oil/waterseparation. Such prominent results provide a new perspective for the development of efficient hydrophobic aerogels inthe treatment of offshore oil spills and industrial wastewater.