Honokiol Suppresses Renal Cancer Cells’ Metastasis via Dual-Blocking Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem Cell Properties through Modulating miR-141/ZEB2 Signaling

Weidong Li,Qian Wang,Qiaozhen Su,Dandan Ma,Chang An,Lei Ma,Hongfeng Liang 한국분자세포생물학회 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.5

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is associated with a high frequency of metastasis and only few therapies substantially prolong survival. Honokiol, isolated from Magnolia spp. bark, has been shown to exhibit pleiotropic anticancer effects in many cancer types. However, whether honokiol could suppress RCC metastasis has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we found that honokiol suppressed renal cancer cells’ metastasis via dual-blocking epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. In addition, honokiol inhibited tumor growth in vivo. It was found that hono-kiol could up-regulate miR-141, which targeted ZEB2 and modulated ZEB2 expression. Honokiol reversed EMT and suppressed CSC properties partly through the miR-141/ZEB2 axis. Our study suggested that honokiol may be a suitable therapeutic strategy for RCC treatment.

Honokiol Suppresses Renal Cancer Cells' Metastasis via Dual-Blocking Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem Cell Properties through Modulating miR-141/ZEB2 Signaling

Li, Weidong,Wang, Qian,Su, Qiaozhen,Ma, Dandan,An, Chang,Ma, Lei,Liang, Hongfeng Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.5

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is associated with a high frequency of metastasis and only few therapies substantially prolong survival. Honokiol, isolated from Magnolia spp. bark, has been shown to exhibit pleiotropic anticancer effects in many cancer types. However, whether honokiol could suppress RCC metastasis has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we found that honokiol suppressed renal cancer cells' metastasis via dual-blocking epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. In addition, honokiol inhibited tumor growth in vivo. It was found that honokiol could upregulate miR-141, which targeted ZEB2 and modulated ZEB2 expression. Honokiol reversed EMT and suppressed CSC properties partly through the miR-141/ZEB2 axis. Our study suggested that honokiol may be a suitable therapeutic strategy for RCC treatment.

The infertile individual analysis based on whole-exome sequencing in chinese multi-ethnic groups

Zhao Qiongzhen,Li Yanqi,Liang Qi,Zhao Jie,Kang Kai,Hou Meiling,Zhang Xin,Du Renqian,Kong Lingyin,Liang Bo,Huang Weidong 한국유전학회 2023 Genes & Genomics Vol.45 No.4

Background Infertility is a common and rapidly growing health issue around the world. The genetic analysis based on the infertile population is crucial for intervention and treatment. Objective To find candidate gene locus led to azoospermia in Chinese multi-ethnic groups and provide theoretical guidance for the diagnosis of genetic diseases to progressively aggravated infertility patients and sterile offspring with ART. Methods The study based on whole-exome sequencing (WES) was presented for genetic characteristic analysis of multi-ethnics and identification of variants related to infertility in Xinjiang area of China. Results The frequency of pathogenic variants showed significant ethnic differences among four main ethnics in Xinjiang. The population structure analysis confirmed that the Hui was close to the Han population, the Kazak was close to the Uygur population, and there are three ancestry components in the four ethnics. In addition, ten candidate variants potentially regulated azoospermia were detected, and KNTC1 (rs7968222: G > T) was chosen to validate the association. Through the analysis in the valid group, the frequency of rs7968222 (G > T) has a significant difference in the azoospermia population (11.76%, 8/68) and normospermia population (4.63%, 35/756) (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the proportion of people with abnormal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in the group carrying rs7968222 (G > T) was significantly higher than non-carriers (P < 0.05). Therefore, rs7968222 may regulate spermatogenesis through affecting hormone level. Conclusion Our study establishes the genetics analysis of Northwest China and finds a candidate gene locus KNTC1 (rs7968222: G > T), which is one of the genetic susceptibility factors for male azoospermia.

Identification of Zygosaccharomyces mellis strains in stored honey and their stress tolerance

Gongliang Liu,Changli Tao,Baosheng Zhu,Weidong Bai,Liangliang Zhang,Zengpeng Wang,Xingting Liang 한국식품과학회 2016 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.25 No.6

To screen yeast with high sugar tolerance and evaluate their stress tolerance, six yeast strains were selected from 17 stored honey samples. The species were identified through 26S rRNA sequencing. Their stress tolerance was determined via the Durham fermentation method and ethanol production ability was determined via flask fermentation. The results demonstrated that all the six strains were Zygosaccharomyces mellis. Their sugar, ethanol, and acid tolerance ranges were 500–700 g/L, 10–12% (v/v), and pH 2.5–4.5, respectively. The SO2 tolerance was 250 mg/L. Among the six strains, 6-7431 had the best stress tolerance with sugar tolerance of 700 g/L, ethanol tolerance of 12% (v/v), and acid tolerance of pH 2.5. Furthermore, the strain of 6-7431 had the highest percentage of ethanol production at the same initial sugar content as the other strains. Therefore, the selected six yeast strains would be promising fermentation yeasts for wine-making, ethanol production, or other fermentation purposes.

Identification of Zygosaccharomyces mellis strains in stored honey and their stress tolerance

Liu, Gongliang,Tao, Changli,Zhu, Baosheng,Bai, Weidong,Zhang, Liangliang,Wang, Zengpeng,Liang, Xingting 한국식품과학회 2016 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.25 No.6

To screen yeast with high sugar tolerance and evaluate their stress tolerance, six yeast strains were selected from 17 stored honey samples. The species were identified through 26S rRNA sequencing. Their stress tolerance was determined via the Durham fermentation method and ethanol production ability was determined via flask fermentation. The results demonstrated that all the six strains were Zygosaccharomyces mellis. Their sugar, ethanol, and acid tolerance ranges were 500-700 g/L, 10-12% (v/v), and pH 2.5-4.5, respectively. The $SO_2$ tolerance was 250 mg/L. Among the six strains, 6-7431 had the best stress tolerance with sugar tolerance of 700 g/L, ethanol tolerance of 12% (v/v), and acid tolerance of pH 2.5. Furthermore, the strain of 6-7431 had the highest percentage of ethanol production at the same initial sugar content as the other strains. Therefore, the selected six yeast strains would be promising fermentation yeasts for wine-making, ethanol production, or other fermentation purposes.

Preparation of biomass-based yam solar absorber for enhanced solar evaporation application

Ting Li,Juan Jia,Yanqing Wang,Hanxue Sun,Jiyan Li,Zhaoqi Zhu,Weidong Liang 한국화학공학회 2023 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.40 No.11

The solar evaporation system has become a research hotspot in the field of photothermal conversion technology in recent years because of its high photothermal conversion efficiency and practicality of promotion. Biomass solar absorbers have excellent solar absorption properties and high solar-water vapor conversion, but they have the limitations of long feedstock production cycle and high carbonization temperature. As a kind of biomass materials, yam is not only inexpensive, but also has a short production cycle and rich pore structures. Therefore, in this paper, a yam based solar absorber with rich pore structure was prepared, and the photothermal conversion efficiency of the absorber was further investigated. The yam was treated with freeze-dried method and carbonized at different temperatures to obtain yam solar absorbers. Then the thermal stability and porosity of solar absorber was found to gradually rise as the treatment temperature increased. The solar absorption rate of the carbonized yam was close to 90% in the near UV-visible region. Solar-water vapor control experiments with different treatments of the solar absorber of the yam were carried out in simulated solar-driven interface steam generation system (SISGS). An absorber treated at 200 °C in the sun was found to have the best performance with a solar-water vapor conversion of about 90% and a water evaporation rate of 1.3164 kg m−2 h−1.