Perspectives on the nanocarriers with miRNAs for targeting melanoma stemness through epigenetic regulation

Several research reports delineated the significant role of miRNAs in cancer proliferation, and their modulatory role in cancer mitigation, and drug resistance. Melanoma cells have been acquiring stemness to several chemotherapeutic agents through drug efflux proteins, epigenetic modulation, and DNA repair. miRNAs could be applied as novel therapeutic modalities for treating several kinds of cancers to modulate these mechanisms involved in stemness. Nanocarriers to carry these tumor-targeting miRNAs to modulate stemness are a prominent strategy to overcome their low penetrability, minimal stability, and nonspecificity. We have searched several public databases such as PubMed, Medline, Google scholar, and NLM and obtained the information pertinent to the miRNA-based nanocarrier systems to target stemness through epigenetic modulation in melanomas. This review delineates that various miRNAs can modulate the stemness in melanomas by specific intricate epigenetic signaling, and other cell-based signaling mechanisms. Specific nanocarrier formulations with specific miRNAs are optimal methods to deliver these miRNAs in order to achieve significant entrapment efficiency, loading efficiency, and stability. Furthermore, the combinatorial regimen of FDA-approved chemotherapeutic molecules with tumor-targeting miRNAs and chemotherapy combined with nanocarriers can efficiently deliver the utmost therapeutic window by targeting tumor matrix, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis in melanomas. Substantial research should focus on the clinical application of this gene therapy in melanomas using these low immunogenic, highly degradable, and biocompatible combinatorial nanotherapeutic regimens.     

Critical roles of non-coding RNAs in lifecycle and biology of Marek’s disease herpesvirus

Science China Life Sciences - Over the past two decades, numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified in different biological systems including virology, especially in large DNA viruses...     

A NEW SPECIES OF GENUS GRYPOCENTRUS RUTHE (HYMENOPTERA: ICHNEUMONIDAE)

Abstract  One new species of Grypocentrus , namely G. kasparyani , collected in Shenyang, China, is described.     

Harnessing synthetic biology for mushroom farming

Recent advances in synthetic biology have transformed mushroom farming from a focus on traditional cultivation to comprehensive applications based on cutting-edge biotechnologies. Synthetic biology has promising applications in this field, including precision breeding, mining biosynthetic gene clusters, developing mushroom chassis cells, and constructing cell factories for high value-added products.     

Chronic Exposure to Diquat Causes Reproductive Toxicity in Female Mice

Diquat is a bipyridyl herbicide that has been widely used as a model chemical for in vivo studies of oxidative stress due to its generation of superoxide anions, and cytotoxic effects. There is little information regarding the toxic effects of diquat on the female reproductive system, particularly ovarian function. Thus, we investigated the reproductive toxic effects of diquat on female mice. Chronic exposure to diquat reduced ovary weights, induced ovarian oxidative stress, resulted in granulosa cell apoptosis, and disrupted oocyte developmental competence, as shown by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, decreased polar body extrusion rates and increased apoptosis-related genes expression. Additionally, after diquat treatment, the numbers of fetal mice and litter sizes were significantly reduced compared to those of control mice. Thus, our results indicated that chronic exposure to diquat induced reproductive toxicity in female mice by promoting the ROS production of gruanousa cells and ooctyes, impairing follicle development, inducing apoptosis, and reducing oocyte quality. In conclusion, our findings indicate that diquat can be used as a potent and efficient chemical for in vivo studies of female reproductive toxicity induced by oxidative stress. Moreover, the findings from this study will further enlarge imitative research investigating the effect of ovarian damage induced by oxidative stress on reproductive performance and possible mechanisms of action in large domestic animals.     

Pseudo-disesquiterpenoids from seeds of Vernonia anthelmintica and their biological activities

Three new pseudo-disesquiterpenoids, vernodalidimer F – H (1 – 3), which are formed by esterification of two sesquiterpenoids, along with a new sesquiterpenoid (4) and two known sesquiterpeonids (5, 6) were isolated from the seeds of Vernonia anthelmintica. Their structures were elucidated by NMR data. The absolute configurations of 1–3 and 5 were determined by comparison of the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against four human tumor cell lines were assayed. 5 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HCT-15, PC-3, A549 and Hela cells lines with IC₅₀ values of 5.3, 5.6, 6.2, and 8.2 μM, respectively. 2 showed non-concentration dependent cytotoxicity against HCT-15, PC-3, and A549 cells lines with inhibition rate of 56.1%, 55.3%, and 50.1%, respectively. 1 and 3 showed moderate cytotoxicity against four cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 12.2 ± 5.1 to 28.6 ± 2.5 μM. The influence of melanin content in B16 melanoma cells of 1, 5, and 6 were tested, and they increased melanin content by 43.6%, 28.1%, and 37.0% higher than positive control 8-methoxypsoralen.     

Vegetation maps based on remote sensing are informative predictors of habitat selection of grassland birds across a wetness gradient

Vegetation is a major environmental factor influencing habitat selection in bird species. High resolution mapping of vegetation cover is essential to model the distribution of populations and improve the management of breeding habitats. However, the task is challenging for grassland birds because microhabitat variations relevant at the territory scale cannot be measured continuously over large areas to delineate areas of higher suitability. Remote sensing may help to circumvent this problem. We addressed this issue by using SPOT 5 imagery and phytosociological data. We mapped grassland vegetation in a floodplain using two methods. We (i) mapped the continuous Ellenberg index of moisture and (ii) identified 5 vegetation classes distributed across the wetness gradient. These two methods produced consistent output maps, but they also provided complementary results. Ellenberg index is a valuable proxy for soil moisture while the class approach provided more information about vegetation structure, and possibly trophic resources. In spite of the apparent uniformity of meadows, our data show that birds do not settle randomly along the moisture and vegetation gradients. Overall birds tend to avoid the driest vegetation classes, i.e. the highest grounds. Thus, vegetation maps based on remote sensing could be valuable tools to study habitat selection and niche partition in grassland bird communities. It is also a valuable tool for conservation and habitat management.