Colorectal cancer-associated fibroblasts promote metastasis by up-regulating LRG1 through stromal IL-6/STAT3 signaling

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been shown to play a strong role in colorectal cancer metastasis, yet the underlying mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. Using CRC clinical samples together with ex vivo CAFs-CRC co-culture models, we found that CAFs induce expression of Leucine Rich Alpha-2-Glycoprotein 1(LRG1) in CRC, where it shows markedly higher expression in metastatic CRC tissues compared to primary tumors. We further show that CAFs-induced LRG1 promotes CRC migration and invasion that is concomitant with EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) induction. In addition, this signaling axis has also been confirmed in the liver metastatic mouse model which displayed CAFs-induced LRG1 substantially accelerates metastasis. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that CAFs-secreted IL-6 (interleukin-6) is responsible for LRG1 up-regulation in CRC, which occurs through a direct transactivation by STAT3 following JAK2 activation. In clinical CRC tumor samples, LRG1 expression was positively correlated with CAFs-specific marker, α-SMA, and a higher LRG1 expression predicted poor clinical outcomes especially distant metastasis free survival, supporting the role of LRG1 in CRC progression. Collectively, this study provided a novel insight into CAFs-mediated metastasis in CRC and indicated that therapeutic targeting of CAFs-mediated IL-6-STAT3-LRG1 axis might be a potential strategy to mitigate metastasis in CRC.Subject terms: Colon cancer, Cancer microenvironment     

Stable Li Metal Anode Enabled by Space Confinement and Uniform Curvature through Lithiophilic Nanotube Arrays

The application of lithium (Li) metal anodes in rechargeable batteries is primarily restricted by Li dendrite growth on the metal's surface, which leads to shortened cycle life and safety concerns. Herein, well‐spaced nanotubes with ultrauniform surface curvature are introduced as a Li metal anode structure. The ultrauniform nanotubular surface generates uniform local electric fields that evenly attract Li‐ions to the surface, thereby inducing even current density distribution. Moreover, the well‐defined nanotube spacing offers Li diffusion pathways to the electroactive areas as well as the confined spaces to host deposited Li. These structural attributes create a unique electrodeposition manner; i.e., Li metal homogenously deposits on the nanotubular wall, causing each Li nanotube to grow in circumference without obvious sign of dendritic formation. Thus, the full‐cell battery with the spaced Li nanotubes exhibits a high specific capacity of 132 mA h g^?1 at 1 C and an excellent coulombic efficiency of ≈99.85% over 400 cycles.     

Insights into the fluoride-resistant regulation mechanism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans</Emphasis> ATCC 23270 based on whole genome microarrays

Acidophilic microorganisms involved in uranium bioleaching are usually suppressed by dissolved fluoride ions, eventually leading to reduced leaching efficiency. However, little is known about the regulation mechanisms of microbial resistance to fluoride. In this study, the resistance of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 to fluoride was investigated by detecting bacterial growth fluctuations and ferrous or sulfur oxidation. To explore the regulation mechanism, a whole genome microarray was used to profile the genome-wide expression. The fluoride tolerance of A. ferrooxidans cultured in the presence of FeSO₄ was better than that cultured with the S⁰ substrate. The differentially expressed gene categories closely related to fluoride tolerance included those involved in energy metabolism, cellular processes, protein synthesis, transport, the cell envelope, and binding proteins. This study highlights that the cellular ferrous oxidation ability was enhanced at the lower fluoride concentrations. An overview of the cellular regulation mechanisms of extremophiles to fluoride resistance is discussed.     

东北斑蚜科及蚜科新种及新纪录(同翅目:蚜总科)

本文记述我国东北地区斑蚜科一新种和蚜科一新种及一新纪录种。模式标本存中国科学院动物研究所。 椴绵叶蚜Sinishivaphis tilisucta Zhang新种(图1) 有翅孤雌蚜 活体灰绿,被白粉。体背及足股节、胫节有明显蜡片。腹部背片Ⅷ有一中瘤。喙不达中足基节。翊脉镶黑边如图所示。毛数:头背10,前胸背10,腹部背片Ⅰ—Ⅶ各4,Ⅷ6或7,触角节Ⅰ3,Ⅱ3或4,Ⅲ25—29,Ⅳ14—18,Ⅴ4或5,Ⅵ3+0,顶端3或4,喙节Ⅳ+Ⅴ10,附节Ⅰ7,尾片7,尾板15或16。触角次生感觉圈有睫:     

超低频脉冲磁场抑制癌瘤和提高细胞免疫功能的实验研究

在报道用电子显微镜观测超低频脉冲磁场(峰值磁场0.6～2.0T,磁场梯度10～100T·m^-1,脉冲宽度20～200ms,重复频率0.16～1.34Hz)抑制鼠S-180肉瘤和加强免疫细胞溶癌作用以后,报道了用Faulgen染色法测定肉瘤细胞核的DNA倍性,和用电镜技术和细胞结构的体视学分析磁场对癌细胞形态的影响,观测到磁场影响癌细胞的代谢:磁场使癌细胞的恶性程度降低,抑制其高速和异形生长;磁场抑制癌细胞的分裂和DNA的复制;磁场提高细胞免疫功能,加强淋巴细胞、浆细胞反应.     

phbA基因对拟南芥质体转化及花粉表型分析

采用来源于产碱杆菌(Alcaligenes eutrophus)的PHB合成酶基因phbA,经PCR扩增后,将验证正确的phbA插入到烟草质体表达载体pBio3-GFP中,取代载体中的gfp,形成prrn-phbA-aadA-TpsbA-ter表达盒,得到质体表达载体pCTHBA,通过基因枪介导,用包裹有质粒pCTHBA的金粉子弹轰击拟南芥无菌苗叶片,经壮观霉素筛选后获得拟南芥抗性植株12株;PCR验证初步表明,phbA已整合进拟南芥的质体基因组中;对转基因拟南芥植株的花器官表型和花粉显微观察表明,phbA基因在拟南芥中得到表达,显现出雄性不育的性状.     

陕南茶树栽培区域生态与地方品种分布

陕南秦巴山区是亚热带北缘地区。由于生态环境复杂,地区差异性大,茶树栽培与引种受到一定限制。大致以汉江谷地粮作区为界,南部大巴山北麓低山丘陵区为适栽区;北部秦岭南麓低山丘陵区则为次适栽区。地方茶树群体品种有7个,约由28个地方品种组成,呈斑、块状分布。     

Dilated cardiomyopathy caused by tissue-specific ablation of SC35 in the heart

Many genetic diseases are caused by mutations in cis-acting splicing signals, but few are triggered by defective trans-acting splicing factors. Here we report that tissue-specific ablation of the splicing factor SC35 in the heart causes dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Although SC35 was deleted early in cardiogenesis by using the MLC-2v-Cre transgenic mouse, heart development appeared largely unaffected, with the DCM phenotype developing 3-5 weeks after birth and the mutant animals having a normal life span. This nonlethal phenotype allowed the identification of downregulated genes by microarray, one of which was the cardiac-specific ryanodine receptor 2. We showed that downregulation of this critical Ca2+ release channel preceded disease symptoms and that the mutant cardiomyocytes exhibited frequency-dependent excitation-contraction coupling defects. The implication of SC35 in heart disease agrees with a recently documented link of SC35 expression to heart failure and interference of splicing regulation during infection by myocarditis-causing viruses. These studies raise a new paradigm for the etiology of certain human heart diseases of genetic or environmental origin that may be triggered by dysfunction in RNA processing.