Fibulin2: a negative regulator of BMSC osteogenic differentiation in infected bone fracture healing

Li Shi-Dan,Xing Wei,Wang Shao-Chuan,Li You-Bin,Jiang Hao,Zheng Han-Xuan,Li Xiao-Ming,Yang Jing,Guo De-Bin,Xie Xiao-Yu,Jiang Ren-Qing,Fan Chao,Li Lei,Xu Xiang,Fei Jun 생화학분자생물학회 2023 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.55 No.-

Bone fracture remains a common occurrence, with a population-weighted incidence of approximately 3.21 per 1000. In addition, approximately 2% to 50% of patients with skeletal fractures will develop an infection, one of the causes of disordered bone healing. Dysfunction of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) plays a key role in disordered bone repair. However, the specific mechanisms underlying BMSC dysfunction caused by bone infection are largely unknown. In this study, we discovered that Fibulin2 expression was upregulated in infected bone tissues and that BMSCs were the source of infection-induced Fibulin2. Importantly, Fibulin2 knockout accelerated mineralized bone formation during skeletal development and inhibited inflammatory bone resorption. We demonstrated that Fibulin2 suppressed BMSC osteogenic differentiation by binding to Notch2 and inactivating the Notch2 signaling pathway. Moreover, Fibulin2 knockdown restored Notch2 pathway activation and promoted BMSC osteogenesis; these outcomes were abolished by DAPT, a Notch inhibitor. Furthermore, transplanted Fibulin2 knockdown BMSCs displayed better bone repair potential in vivo. Altogether, Fibulin2 is a negative regulator of BMSC osteogenic differentiation that inhibits osteogenesis by inactivating the Notch2 signaling pathway in infected bone.

125I Seed Permanent Implantation as a Palliative Treatment for Stage III and IV Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma

Lei Li,Jie Yang,Xiaojiang Li,Xiaoli Wang,Yanxin Ren,Jimin Fei,Yan Xi,Ruimei Sun,Jing Ma 대한이비인후과학회 2016 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.9 No.3

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of percutaneous 125I seed permanent implantation for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma from toxicity, tumor response, and short-term outcome. Methods. 125I seeds implant procedures were performed under computed tomography for 34 patients with advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma. We observed the local control rate, overall survival, and acute or late toxicity rate. Results. In the 34 patients (stage III, n=6; stage IV, n=28), the sites of origin were pyriform sinus (n=29) and postcricoid area (n=5). All patients also received one to four cycles of chemotherapy after seed implantation. The post-plan showed that the actuarial D90 of 125I seeds ranged from 90 to 158 Gy (median, 127 Gy). The mean follow-up was 12.3 months (range, 3.4 to 43.2 months). The local control was 2.1–31.0 months with a median of 17.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.4 to 22.0 months). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local controls were 65.3%, 28.6%, and 9.5% respectively. Twelve patients (35%) died of local recurrence, fourteen patients (41%) died of distant metastases, and three patients (9%) died of recurrence and metastases at the same time. Five patients (15%) still survived to follow-up. At the time of analysis, the median survival time was 12.5 months (95% CI, 9.5 to 15.4 months). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 55.2%, 20.3%, and 10.9%, respectively. Five patients (15%) experienced grade 3 toxic events and nine patients (26%) have experienced grade 2 toxic events. Conclusion. This review shows relatively low toxicity for interstitial 125I seed implantation in the patients with advanced stage hypopharyngeal cancer. The high local control results suggest that 125I seed brachytherapy implant as a salvage or palliative treatment for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma merit further investigation.

Enhanced electrical conductivity of pitch-derived carbon via graphene template effects for high electrically conductive composites

Zhiping Lei,Yazhou Li,Zhao Lei,Xue Yang,Jingchong Yan,Zhanku Li,Hengfu Shui,Shibiao Ren,Zhicai Wang,Ying Kong,Shigang Kang 한국공업화학회 2023 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.117 No.-

Large-scale preparation of cheap and high-performance carbonaceous materials is in urgent need due tothe huge demand of carbonaceous materials-organic binder composites for Joule heating. Here, carbonbasedelectrothermal composites with high electrical conductivity were fabricated by adjusting the morphologyand structure of pitch-based carbonaceous materials (PC) through the use of graphene asstructure-directing agent to tune the orientation and carbonization of coal pitch. It is demonstrated thatthe addition of graphene can effectively promote the formation of graphitized carbon, increase the contentof sp2C, reduce defective carbon and increase the graphite interlayer spacing. 1% graphene-added PCPVDFcomposite exhibits 290% increase in the carrier concentration, 190% enhancement in mobility, and67% reduction in the volume resistivity compared to PC-PVDF composite. Molecular simulations elucidatethat the graphene edges favor pitch carbonization and improve the orientation factor and energy gap ofcarbon materials. This study provides clues for design of low-cost pitch-derived carbon materials-bindercomposites.

Knockdown of HMGN5 Expression by RNA Interference Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Lung Cancer Cells

Chen, Peng,Wang, Xiu-Li,Ma, Zhong-Sen,Xu, Zhong,Jia, Bo,Ren, Jin,Hu, Yu-Xin,Zhang, Qing-Hua,Ma, Tian-Gang,Yan, Bing-Di,Yan, Qing-Zhu,Li, Yan-Lei,Li, Zhen,Yu, Jin-Yan,Gao, Rong,Fan, Na,Li, Bo,Yang, Jun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.7

HMGN5 is a typical member of the HMGN (high mobility group nucleosome-binding protein) family which may function as a nucleosomal binding and transcriptional activating protein. Overexpression of HMGN5 has been observed in several human tumors but its role in tumorigenesis has not been fully clarified. To investigate its significance for human lung cancer progression, we successfully constructed a shRNA expression lentiviral vector in which sense and antisense sequences targeting the human HMGN5 were linked with a 9-nucleotide loop. Inhibitory effects of siRNA on endogenous HMGN5 gene expression and protein synthesis were demonstrated via real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. We found HMGN5 silencing to significantly inhibit A549 and H1299 cell proliferation assessed by MTT, BrdU incorporation and colony formation assays. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed that specific knockdown of HMGN5 slowed down the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and decreased the populations of A549 and H1299 cells at the S and G2/M phases. Taken together, these results suggest that HMGN5 is directly involved in regulation cell proliferation in A549 and H1299 cells by influencing signaling pathways involved in cell cycle progression. Thus, our finding suggests that targeting HMGN5 may be an effective strategy for human lung cancer treatment.

Steel scale-CaO composite catalyst for coke combustion and in-situ NO and SO2 removal

Li Zhang,Jingchong Yan,Zhiping Lei,Xianzhong Cao,Tiejun Chun,Zhanku Li,Hengfu Shui,Shibiao Ren,Zhicai Wang,Ying Kong 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.110 No.-

The performance of the steel scale (SS)-CaO composite on the combustion of coke nuts and in-situ reductionof SO2 and NO emission was investigated. Combustion experiments show that SS-CaO compositeaccelerates coke combustion and reduces SO2 and NO emissions concurrently. X-ray diffraction (XRD),scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron spin resonance (ESR) were used to investigate thecatalysis mechanism. Results show that SS and CaO have synergistic effect in in-situ denitration. Theincrease of SS and CaO fraction in the composites improve the denitration and sulfur fixation performance,respectively. The denitration activity is mainly attributed to the Fe2O3 in SS and Ca2Fe2O5 formedduring combustion. The desulfurization is due to the sulfur fixation with CaO. The increasing fraction ofCaO in the composites leads to the agglomeration of ash particles. 2%CaO is confirmed as the optimumaddition for catalytic combustion and emission reduction. This work sheds light on the cheap and effectivecatalysts that are potentially useful for iron ore sintering.

Annular folded electrowetting liquid lens

Li, Lei,Liu, Chao,Ren, Hongwen,Deng, Huan,Wang, Qiong-Hua The Optical Society 2015 Optics letters Vol.40 No.9

<P>We report an annular folded electrowetting liquid lens. The front surface of the lens is coated with a circular reflection film, while the back surface of the lens is coated with a ring-shaped reflection film. This approach allows the lens to get optical power from the liquid-liquid interface three times so that the optical power is tripled. An analysis of the properties of the annular folded electrowetting liquid lens is presented along with the design, fabrication, and testing of a prototype. Our results show that the optical power of the proposed liquid lens can be enhanced from 20.1 to 50.2??m(-1) in comparison with that of the conventional liquid lens (aperture 3.9??mm). It can reduce the operating voltage by 10??V to reach the same diopter as a conventional liquid lens. Our liquid lens has the advantages of compact structure, light weight, and improved optical resolution.</P>

Soy Protein Isolate As Fluid Loss Additive in Bentonite–Water-Based Drilling Fluids

Li, Mei-Chun,Wu, Qinglin,Song, Kunlin,Lee, Sunyoung,Jin, Chunde,Ren, Suxia,Lei, Tingzhou American Chemical Society 2015 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.7 No.44

<P>Wellbore instability and formation collapse caused by lost circulation are vital issues during well excavation in the oil industry. This study reports the novel utilization of soy protein isolate (SPI) as fluid loss additive in bentonite–water based drilling fluids (BT-WDFs) and describes how its particle size and concentration influence on the filtration property of SPI/BT-WDFs. It was found that high pressure homogenization (HPH)-treated SPI had superior filtration property over that of native SPI due to the improved ability for the plugging pore throat. HPH treatment also caused a significant change in the surface characteristic of SPI, leading to a considerable surface interaction with BT in aqueous solution. The concentration of SPI had a significant impact on the dispersion state of SPI/BT mixtures in aquesous solution. At low SPI concentrations, strong aggregations were created, resulting in the formation of thick, loose, high-porosity and high-permeability filter cakes and high fluid loss. At high SPI concentrations, intercatlated/exfoliated structures were generated, resulting in the formation of thin, compact, low-porosity and low-permeability filter cakes and low fluid loss. The SPI/BT-WDFs exhibited superior filtration property than pure BT-WDFs at the same solid concentraion, demonstrating the potential utilization of SPI as an effective, renewable, and biodegradable fluid loss reducer in well excavation applications.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/aamick/2015/aamick.2015.7.issue-44/acsami.5b07883/production/images/medium/am-2015-07883j_0012.gif'></P>

Lack of Prognostic Value of Human Epidermal Growth Factor- Like Receptor 2 Status in Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC): a Meta-analysis

Li, Xiu-Juan,Zha, Quan-Bin,Xu, Xin-Yu,Xia, Lei,Zhang, Zhe,Ren, Zhao-Jun,Tang, Jin-Hai Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.22

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer which is more likely to be her-2/neu amplified. While the her-2/neu status has been utilised to predict prognosis, the published data are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether the her-2/neu status predicts outcomes. Papers were selected from the PubMed database based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Parameters such as total patients, follow-up time and outcome statistics (i.e. overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS) were collected. The analysis included 6 studies with 2,838 IBC patients. The summary hazards ratio (HR) estimating the association of OS with HER-2-positive disease was 0.96 (95% confidence interval (95%CI: 0.85-1.10)), with similar findings for RFS (HR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.61-1.09). No obvious statistical heterogeneity was detected. This meta-analysis suggests that HER-2-positive status is not an independent adverse prognostic factor for survival among IBC patient cases.

Anti-proliferation Effects of Isorhamnetin on Lung Cancer Cells in Vitro and in Vivo

Li, Qiong,Ren, Fu-Qiang,Yang, Chun-Lei,Zhou, Li-Ming,Liu, Yan-You,Xiao, Jing,Zhu, Ling,Wang, Zhen-Grong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.7

Background: Isorhamnetin (Iso), a novel and essential monomer derived from total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides that has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction, has also shown a spectrum of antitumor activity. However, little is known about the mechanisms of action Iso on cancer cells. Objectives: To investigate the effects of Iso on A549 lung cancer cells and underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: A549 cells were treated with $10{\sim}320{\mu}g/ml$ Iso. Their morphological and cellular characteristics were assessed by light and electronic microscopy. Growth inhibition was analyzed by MTT, clonogenic and growth curve assays. Apoptotic characteristics of cells were determined by flow cytometry (FCM), DNA fragmentation, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, immunocytochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling (TUNEL). Tumor models were setup by transplanting Lewis lung carcinoma cells into C57BL/6 mice, and the weights and sizes of tumors were measured. Results: Iso markedly inhibited the growth of A549 cells with induction of apoptotic changes. Iso at $20{\mu}g/ml$, could induce A549 cell apoptosis, up-regulate the expression of apoptosis genes Bax, Caspase-3 and P53, and down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2, cyclinD1 and PCNA protein. The tumors in tumor-bearing mice treated with Iso were significantly smaller than in the control group. The results of apoptosis-related genes, PCNA, cyclinD1 and other protein expression levels of transplanted Lewis cells were the same as those of A549 cells in vitro. Conclusions: Iso, a natural single compound isolated from total flavones, has antiproliferative activity against lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanisms of action may involve apoptosis of cells induced by down-regulation of oncogenes and up-regulation of apoptotic genes.

Characterization of transcriptional responses mediated by benzo[a] pyrene stress in a new marine fish model of goby, Mugilogobius chulae

Lei Cai,Jianjun Li,Lujun Yu,Yuanzheng Wei,Zongyu Miao,Meili Chen,Ren Huang 한국유전학회 2019 Genes & Genomics Vol.41 No.1

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is one of the most studied targets among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Because of the complexity of the toxicity mechanism in BaP, little is known about the molecular mechanism at the level of transcription of BaP in marine fishes. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the molecular basis of the effects of BaP on marine fish, using Mugilogobius chulae (Smith 1932) as the model. A closed colony of M. chulae was used for the BaP toxicity test. Two fish liver samples per replicate from each group were excised and blended into one sample by pooling an equal amount of liver tissue. Total RNA of all samples was extracted separately. Equal quantities of total RNA from the three replicates of the two groups were pooled for sequencing. The sequencing cDNA libraries were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 2000 system. Differentially expressed genes were detected with the DEGSeq R package. In total, 52,364,032 and 53,771,748 clean nucleotide reads were obtained in the control and BaP-exposed libraries, respectively, with N50 lengths of 1277 and 1288 bp, respectively. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed a significant enrichment of genes related to detoxification, transportation, and lipid metabolism. We also identified, for the first time, an association between endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction and lipid metabolism resulting from BaP exposure. Using quantitative real-time PCR, some effective molecular biomarkers for monitoring of BaP-polluted seawater were identified. The results demonstrate that BaP enhanced the expression of genes involved in detoxification in M. chulae and inhibited that of genes related to lipid metabolism, possibly by suppressing the expression of numerous ER-related genes involved in fat digestion and absorption.