Association between Fecal Bile Acids and Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

Jin Lu Tong,Jun Shen,Guo Quan Fan,Shu Dong Xiao,Zhi Hua Ran 연세대학교의과대학 2008 Yonsei medical journal Vol.49 No.5

Purpose: To provide a systematic review with meta-analysis for addressing the relationship between fecal bile acids (FBAs) and colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: Electronic databases were searched for all observational studies that examined the relationship between FBAs and colorectal cancer or adenoma, and calculated weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Publication bias was assessed with funnel plot. Results: Twenty case-control or cohort studies were identified. All studies were pooled to assess the relationship between total FBAs and cancer/adenoma of the large bowel, however, no association was seen (WMD 0.61mg/g freeze-dried feces; 95% CI: -0.35-1.57). Significantly increased concentration of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) was seen while pooling to assess the relationship between CDCA and cancer/adenoma of the large bowel (WMD 0.13 mg/g freeze-dried feces; 95% CI: 0.01-0.25), especially for colorectal cancer (WMD 0.28mg/g freeze-dried feces; 95% CI: 0.10-0.46). However, no significant differences in deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), and primary and secondary bile acids, were seen between patients with cancer and patients with matched controls regardless of fixed and random effects models. Conclusion: CDCA might play a role in the etiology of colorectal cancer.

Mechanism of E2F1 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of endometrial carcinoma cells via the regulation of BMI1 transcription

Lu Yanyang,Wei Ying,Shen Xiaoqin,Tong Yixi,Lu Jin,Zhang Yahui,Ma Yun,Zhang Rong 한국유전학회 2023 Genes & Genomics Vol.45 No.11

Background Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is the most prevalent gynecological cancer. Transcription factor (TF) regulates a large number of downstream target genes and is a key determinant of all physiological activities, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. The transcription factor E2F1 shows prominent roles in EC. BMI1 is a member of Polycomb suppressor Complex 1 (PRC1) and has been shown to be associated with EC invasiveness. It is currently unclear whether E2F1 can participate in the proliferation, migration, and invasion processes of EC cells by regulating BMI1 transcription. Objective We investigated whether E2F1 could participate in the proliferation, migration, and invasion processes of EC cells by regulating BMI1 transcription, in order to further clarify the pathogenesis and etiology of EC, and provide reference for identifying potential therapeutic targets and developing effective prevention and treatment strategies for this disease. Methods Human endometrial epithelial cells (hEECs) and human EC cell lines were selected. E2F1 expression was assessed by Western blot. E2F1 was silenced in AN3CA or overexpressed in HEC-1 by transfections, or E2F1 was silenced and BMI1 was overexpressed in AN3CA by cotransfection. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected by MTT, wound healing, and Transwell assays. The binding sites between E2F1 and BMI1 promoters were predicted through JASPAR website, and the targeted binding was verified by dual-luciferase report and ChIP assays. Results E2F1 was up-regulated in human EC cell lines, with its expression highest in AN3CA, and lowest in HEC-1. AN3CA invasion, migration, and proliferation were repressed by E2F1 knockdown, while those of HEC-1 cells were promoted by E2F1 overexpression. E2F1 overexpression increased the activity of wild type BMI1 reporter vector promoter, while this promotion was weakened after mutation of the predicted binding site in the BMI1 promoter. In the precipitated E2F1, BMI1 promoter site level was higher than that of IgG immunoprecipitant. BMI1 silencing suppressed AN3CA cell growth. BMI1 overexpression partially abrogated E2F1 silencing-inhibited EC cell growth. Conclusion E2F1 promoted EC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration by promoting the transcription of BMI1.

Identification and expression analysis of grape LRK10L-2 genes during grape fruit development

Ma Jin-Ping,Yin Xue-Ren,Wei Tong-Lu,Liu Hai-Nan,Pei Mao-Song,Yang Sheng-Di,Jin Hui-Ying,He Guang-Qi,Guo Da-Long 한국식물생명공학회 2022 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.16 No.1

LRK10L-2 is known to be related to the plant disease response, little information is available about the relationship of LRK10L-2 and fruit ripening. The protein physicochemical properties, conserved domains, gene structures, subcellular locali- zation, expression patterns during grape fruit development and promoter activity of the members of grape LRK10L-2 gene family were explored in this study. A total of 109 LRK10L-2 family gene members were identified, and mainly distributed on chromosome 16. Almost all of them were located in the plasma membrane. Most of the LRK10L-2 genes contain four or five motifs, ranging from 0 to 5 introns and have the cis-acting elements related to hormones in their promoter regions. There were 20 pairs of tandem duplicates and 293 pairs of segmental duplication in LRK10L-2 family genes. It was proved that the expression of LRK10L-2 gene varied at the different fruit development stages of 'Kyoho' and its early-ripening bud mutant, ‘Fengzao’. The subcellular localization of VIT_16s0098g00160 and VIT_16s0098g00400 were in the plasma membrane, and had a significant enrichment of the GUS signal in N.benthamiana leaves for the promoter. The results lay a solid basis for the further functional researches of the LRK10L-2 genes for grape fruit ripening.

Superfast Preparation of SWNT Sponge by Flame Burning Method and Its Adsorptive, Elastic and Electrochemical Properties

Liang Lu,Hao Tong,Fengqiao Jin,Shihong Yue,Qing Meng,Xiaogang Zhang 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2018 NANO Vol.13 No.7

A compressible single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) sponge was developed by a superfast flame burning method in less than 20 s by moving polyurethane (PU) sponge template coated with SWNTs through an ethanol flame. By adjusting the geometries of the templates, the arbitrary shapes of the SWNT sponges composed of a unique network structure could be prepared as required. The SWNT sponges possessing good hydrophobicity and outstanding organic solvent adsorption capacity could adsorb various organic solvents and oils with high adsorption rate and good adsorption–volatilization and adsorption–combustion recycling performance. The SWNT sponges present good elasticity and compression stability even after a compressive strain of 80% and the 1000th loading/unloading cycle due to the stable skeleton structures. The SWNT sponges as flexible electrodes could also achieve high-specific capacitance of 126.8 F g -1 at 1Ag -1 and 95% capacitance retention after 10 000 charge/discharge cycles. Owing to the availability of the flame, easy decomposition of the PU sponge and flame resistance of SWNTs, this facile flame burning method was demonstrated to be a practical approach to prepare the SWNT sponges on a large scale with controllable shape and density, moderate organic liquid adsorption capability, good elasticity and decent electromechanical properties.

Associations of racial and ethnic discrimination with adverse changes in exercise and screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

Xia Tong,Gee Gilbert C.,Jian Li,Liu Xinyue,Dai Jin,Shi Lu,Zhang Donglan,Chen Zhuo,Han Xuesong,Li Yan,Li Hongmei,Wen Ming,Su Dejun,Chen Liwei 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

Objectives: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a growing prevalence of racial and ethnic discrimination occurred when many Americans struggled to maintain healthy lifestyles. This study investigated the associations of racial and ethnic discrimination with changes in exercise and screen time during the pandemic in the United States (US). Methods: We included 2,613 adults who self-identified as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, or Hispanic from the Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic (HEAP) study, a cross-sectional survey conducted among a nationally representative sample of US adults between October and November 2020. We assessed self-reported racial and ethnic discrimination by measuring COVID-19-related racial and ethnic bias and examined its associations with changes in exercise and screen time using multivariable logistic regression models. We analyzed data between September 2021 and March 2022.Results: COVID-19-related racial and ethnic bias was associated with decreased exercise time among non-Hispanic Asian (odds ratio [OR]=1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–1.89) and Hispanic people (OR=1.91; 95% CI, 1.32–2.77), and with increased screen time among non-Hispanic Black people (OR=1.94; 95% CI, 1.33–2.85), adjusting for age, gender, education, marital status, annual household income, insurance, and employment status. Conclusions: Racial and ethnic discrimination may have adversely influenced exercise and screen time changes among racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms through which racial and ethnic discrimination can impact lifestyles and to develop potential strategies to address racial and ethnic discrimination as a barrier to healthy lifestyles.

NANOSEEDING EFFECT IN ZSM-5CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS

YI LU,NAI-QIAN ZHANG,JIN-KU LIU,QIN TONG,DAN-JING HONG 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2013 NANO Vol.8 No.3

ZSM-5 zeolites were hydrothermally synthesized in three different seeding pathways under the direction of tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPABr) template. In order to investigate the seeding effect in ZSM-5 crystallization process, ZSM-5 crystals and pre-fabricated MFI-type nanoseeds were added into the original self-induction system, respectively. The final ZSM-5 zeolites were systematically investigated based on XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron micrograph), TEM (transmission electron micrograph), nitrogen adsorption characterizations and NH3-TPD (ammonia-temperature programmed desorption). The self-induction system produced ca. 20 μm ZSM-5 zeolite displaying hexagonally uniform prisms. After the addition of ZSM-5 crystal seeds, the crystal sizes were decreased greatly to ca. 5 μm. When MFI-type nanoseeds were adopted, irregular aggregate particles consisting of 20–50 nm primary particles were rapidly synthesized. The varied hydrothermal crystallization kinetics of the three synthesis system was also explored. Adjusting the seed agents alone, ZSM-5 crystals with diverse structural, morphological, textural and hydrothermal behaviors could be fabricated conveniently. The three ZSM-5 zeolites loaded by 0.05 wt.% Pt were assessed for the xylene isomerization reaction to investigate the particle size effect on the catalytic properties.

Ginsenoside Rh2 attenuates microglial activation against toxoplasmic encephalitis via TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway

Xiang Xu,Lan Jin,Tong Jiang,Ying Lu,Fumie Aosai,Hu-Nan Piao,Guang-Hua Xu,Cheng-Hua Jin,Xue-Jun Jin,Juan Ma,Lian-Xun Piao 고려인삼학회 2020 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.44 No.5

Background: Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a characterized component in red ginseng widely used in Korea and China. GRh2 exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, its effects on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection have not been clarified yet. Methods: The effect of GRh2 against T. gondii was assessed under in vitro and in vivo experiments. The BV2 cells were infected with tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain, and the effects of GRh2 were evaluated by MTT assay, morphological observations, immunofluorescence staining, a trypan blue exclusion assay, reverse transcription PCR, and Western blot analyses. The in vivo experiment was conducted with BALB/c mice inoculated with lethal amounts of tachyzoites with or without GRh2 treatment. Results and conclusion: The GRh2 treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of T. gondii under in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, GRh2 blocked the activation of microglia and specifically decreased the release of inflammatory mediators in response to T. gondii infection through TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway. In mice, GRh2 conferred modest protection from a lethal dose of T. gondii. After the treatment, the proliferation of tachyzoites in the peritoneal cavity of infected mice markedly decreased. Moreover, GRh2 also significantly decreased the T. gondii burden in mouse brain tissues. These findings indicate that GRh2 exhibits an antieT. gondii effect and inhibits the microglial activation through TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway, providing the basic pharmacological basis for the development of new drugs to treat toxoplasmic encephalitis.

Screening test of Chinese herbal medicines for Varroa mites controlling

Yong Soo Choi,Dong Won Kim,Eun Jin Kang,Pingli Dai,Jing Gao,Tong Wu,Qingyun Diao,Bo Han,Yin Lu,Pinghong Wang,Li Zhang 한국응용곤충학회 2022 한국응용곤충학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2022 No.10

Expression profiling of the mitogen-activated protein kinase gene family reveals their diverse response pattern in two different salt-tolerant Glycyrrhiza species

Cao Aiping,Gao Ling,Wang Fei,Tong Xuechen,Xie Shuangquan,Chen Xifeng,Lu Tianxin,Shen Haitao,Liu Hailiang,Jin Xiang,Li Hongbin 한국유전학회 2022 Genes & Genomics Vol.44 No.7

Background: Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) play important role in response to environmental stress as crucial signal receptors or sensors. Our previous study indicated that salt stress acts as a positive factor to stimulate the production of pharmacodynamic metabolites in the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Currently, little is known about the MPK gene family and their functions in the medicinal plant G. uralensis. Objective: Identification, comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, expression profiling, and response pattern under salt stress of the G. uralensis GuMPK gene family. Methods: Genome-wide investigation and expression profiling of the MPK gene family in G. uralensis, and their phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary characteristics, gene structure, motif distribution, promoter cis-acting element, and expression pattern under salt stress in two different salt-tolerant Glycyrrhiza species were performed. Results: A total of 20 G. uralensis GuMPK genes were identified and categorized into five groups, and had conserved gene structure and motif distribution. Expression profiling of GuMPK genes suggested their potentially diverse functions in plant growth and in response to phytohormones and environmental stress, particularly GuMPK1, 2, 5, and 10 as key components for G. uralensis in response to abiotic stress. Further expression analysis under NaCl treatment in two different salt-tolerant Glycyrrhiza species displayed the MPKs' different response patterns, emphasizing the role of MPK2, 5, 7, and 16 as potentially crucial genes for Glycyrrhiza to respond to salt stress. Conclusion: Our results provide a genome-wide identification and expression profiling of MPK gene family in G. uralensis, and establish the foundation for screening key responsive genes and understanding the potential function and regulatory mechanism of GuMPKs in salt responsiveness.

Glia maturation factor beta deficiency protects against diabetic osteoporosis by suppressing osteoclast hyperactivity

Shi Si,Gu Huijie,Xu Jinyuan,Sun Wan,Liu Caiyin,Zhu Tong,Wang Juan,Gao Furong,Zhang Jieping,Ou Qingjian,Jin Caixia,Xu Jingying,Chen Hao,Li Jiao,Xu Guotong,Tian Haibin,Lu Lixia 생화학분자생물학회 2023 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.55 No.-

Excessive osteoclast activation, which depends on dramatic changes in actin dynamics, causes osteoporosis (OP). The molecular mechanism of osteoclast activation in OP related to type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains unclear. Glia maturation factor beta (GMFB) is considered a growth and differentiation factor for both glia and neurons. Here, we demonstrated that Gmfb deficiency effectively ameliorated the phenotype of T1D-OP in rats by inhibiting osteoclast hyperactivity. In vitro assays showed that GMFB participated in osteoclast activation rather than proliferation. Gmfb deficiency did not affect osteoclast sealing zone (SZ) formation but effectively decreased the SZ area by decreasing actin depolymerization. When GMFB was overexpressed in Gmfb-deficient osteoclasts, the size of the SZ area was enlarged in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, decreased actin depolymerization led to a decrease in nuclear G-actin, which activated MKL1/SRF-dependent gene transcription. We found that pro-osteoclastogenic factors (Mmp9 and Mmp14) were downregulated, while anti-osteoclastogenic factors (Cftr and Fhl2) were upregulated in Gmfb KO osteoclasts. A GMFB inhibitor, DS-30, targeting the binding site of GMFB and Arp2/3, was obtained. Biocore analysis revealed a high affinity between DS-30 and GMFB in a dose-dependent manner. As expected, DS-30 strongly suppressed osteoclast hyperactivity in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our work identified a new therapeutic strategy for T1D-OP treatment. The discovery of GMFB inhibitors will contribute to translational research on T1D-OP.