Ultrasensitive Deep-Ultraviolet Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors Using Aluminum-Graphene Metasurface: a Theoretical Insight

Plasmonics - This study investigates a versatile deep-ultraviolet (DUV) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor by integrating a few graphene layers into low-cost aluminum (Al) thin film. The...     

Knockdown of DNA‐binding protein A enhances the chemotherapy sensitivity of colorectal cancer via suppressing the Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway

DNA‐binding protein A (dbpA) is reported to be upregulated in many cancers and associated with tumor progress. The present study aimed to investigate the role of dbpA in 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU)‐resistant and oxaliplatin (L‐OHP)‐resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. We found that 5‐FU and L‐OPH treatment promoted the expression of dbpA. Enhanced dbpA promoted the drug resistance of SW620 cells to 5‐FU and L‐OHP. DbpA knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, and cell cycle arrested in SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Besides, dbpA short hairpin RNA (shRNA) enhanced the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU and L‐OHP to SW620/5‐FU and SW620/L‐OHP cells. Meanwhile, dbpA shRNA inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway that induced by 5‐FU stimulation in SW620/5‐FU cells. Activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway or overexpression of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) abrogated the promoting effect of dbpA downregulation on 5‐FU sensitivity of CRC cells. Importantly, downregulation of dbpA suppressed tumor growth and promoted CRC cells sensitivity to 5‐FU in vivo. Our study indicated that the knockdown of dbpA enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5‐FU via Wnt/β‐catenin/Chk1 pathway, and DbpA may be a potential therapeutic target to sensitize drug resistance CRC to 5‐FU and L‐OHP.     

ABC转运蛋白及其在合成生物学中的应用

ABC转运蛋白(ATP-binding cassette transporter,ABC transporter)作为一种超大膜转运蛋白家族,在大多数生物体中发挥着重要作用。文中从结构特征、转运机制以及生理功能等方面论述了ABC转运蛋白的研究进展,进而着重综述了近些年来ABC转运蛋白在合成生物学领域中的应用,并为今后进一步的研究提出了展望,希望为扩展其应用提供指导。     

妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响

目的探究妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌(group B Streptococcus,GBS)的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响。方法选取2018年3月至2019年11月大连市中心医院孕检并分娩的妊娠妇女744人为对象,调查并统计B族链球菌的感染率;筛选有和没有B族链球菌感染妊娠妇女各47人,调查不良妊娠结局的发生率;选取信息匹配的妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌感染和未感染的妊娠妇女,采集粪便样本,提取菌群DNA,用16S rDNA方法分析菌群变化。结果744名妊娠妇女中B族链球菌检出49例,感染率为6.59%;B族链球菌感染组总的不良妊娠发生比例为76.6%,正常组发生比例为27.7%(χ^2=5.491,P<0.05)。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女胎膜早破(χ^2=16.177,P<0.01)、难产(χ^2=21.134,P<0.01)和羊水异常(χ^2=22.989,P<0.05)的发生率与未感染组比较显著增高。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女肠道菌群发生显著变化。结论妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染可能引起肠道菌群紊乱,增加不良妊娠结局。     

Aidi injection,a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation for gynecologic tumors: a systematic review and PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis

Aidi injection (ADI), a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation, is a promising adjuvant therapy for gynecologic tumors (GTs), including cervical cancer (CC), endometrial cancer (EC), and ovarian cancer (OC). Although studies have reported positively on ADI therapy, its exact effects and safety in GT patients remain controversial. Therefore, a wide-ranging systematic search of electronic databases was performed for this meta-analysis. Data from 38 trials including 3309 GT patients were analyzed. The results indicated that the combination of conventional treatment and ADI markedly improved the patients’ overall response rate (P<0.00001), disease control rate (P<0.00001), and quality of life (P<0.05) compared with conventional treatment alone. Furthermore, patient immunity was enhanced with combined treatment, as indicated by significantly increased percentages of CD3⁺ (P=0.005) and CD4⁺ (P<0.00001) and increased CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio (P=0.001). Most of the adverse events caused by radiochemotherapy such as gastrointestinal issues, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hepatotoxicity, (P<0.05 for all) were significantly alleviated when ADI was used in the GT patients. However, other adverse events such as nephrotoxicity, diarrhea, alopecia, and neurotoxicity did not significantly differ between the two groups. Overall, these results suggest that the combination of conventional and ADI treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone.