Aptamer-functionalized quantum dots as theranostic nanotools against cancer and bacterial infections: A comprehensive overview of recent trends

Aptamers (Apts) are synthetic nucleic acid ligands that can be engineered to target various molecules, including amino acids, proteins, and pharmaceuticals. Through a series of adsorption, recovery, and amplification steps, Apts are extracted from combinatorial libraries of synthesized nucleic acids. Using aptasensors in bioanalysis and biomedicine can be improved by combining them with nanomaterials. Moreover, Apt-associated nanomaterials, including liposomes, polymeric, dendrimers, carbon nanomaterials, silica, nanorods, magnetic NPs, and quantum dots (QDs), have been widely used as promising nanotools in biomedicine. Following surface modifications and conjugation with appropriate functional groups, these nanomaterials can be successfully used in aptasensing. Advanced biological assays can use Apts immobilized on QD surfaces through physical interaction and chemical bonding. Accordingly, modern QD aptasensing platforms rely on interactions between QDs, Apts, and targets to detect them. QD-Apt conjugates can be used to directly detect prostate, ovarian, colorectal, and lung cancers or simultaneously detect biomarkers associated with these malignancies. Tenascin-C, mucin 1, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, nucleolin, growth factors, and exosomes are among the cancer biomarkers that can be sensitively detected using such bioconjugates. Furthermore, Apt-conjugated QDs have shown great potential for controlling bacterial infections such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. This comprehensive review discusses recent advancements in the design of QD-Apt bioconjugates and their applications in cancer and bacterial theranostics.     

Piper longum Constituents Induce PANC-1 Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Death under Nutrition Starvation

Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive form of cancer with a poor prognosis, partly due to ‘austerity’, a phenomenon of tolerance to nutrient deprivation and survival in its hypovascular tumor microenvironment. Anti-austerity agents which preferentially diminish the survival of cancer cells under nutrition starvation is regarded as new generation anti-cancer agents. This study investigated the potential of Piper longum constituents as anti-austerity agents. The ethanolic extract of Piper longum was found to have preferential cytotoxicity towards PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells in a nutrient-deprived medium (NDM). Further investigation led to the identification of pipernonaline ( 3 ) as the lead compound with the strongest anti-austerity activity, inducing cell death and inhibiting migration in a normal nutrient medium, as well as strongly inhibiting the Akt/mTOR/autophagy pathway. Therefore, pipernonaline ( 3 ) holds promise as a novel antiausterity agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.     

Pan-Cancer analyses of Necroptosis-Related genes as a potential target to predict immunotherapeutic outcome

Necroptosis is a unique programmed death mechanism of necrotic cells. However, its role and specific mechanism in cancer remain unclear, and a systematic pan-cancer analysis of necroptosis is yet to be conducted. Thus, we performed a specific pan-cancer analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression databases to analyse necroptosis expression in terms of cancer prognosis, DNA methylation status, tumour mutative burden, microsatellite instability, immune cell infiltration in different types of cancer and molecular mechanisms. For the first time, we explored the correlation between necroptosis and immunotherapy prognosis. Thus, our study provides a relatively comprehensive understanding of the carcinogenicity of necroptosis in different types of cancer. It is suggested that necroptosis can be used to evaluate the sensitivity of different patients to immunotherapy and may become a potential target for tumour immunotherapy.     

Monocarbonyl Analogs of Curcumin with Potential to Treat Colorectal Cancer

Curcumin has a plethora of biological properties, making this compound potentially effective in the treatment of several diseases, including cancer. However, curcumin clinical use is compromised by its poor pharmacokinetics, being crucial to find novel analogs with better pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties. Here, we aimed to evaluate the stability, bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles of monocarbonyl analogs of curcumin. A small library of monocarbonyl analogs of curcumin 1a–q was synthesized. Lipophilicity and stability in physiological conditions were both assessed by HPLC-UV, while two different methods assessed the electrophilic character of each compound monitored by NMR and by UV-spectroscopy. The potential therapeutic effect of the analogs 1a–q was evaluated in human colon carcinoma cells and toxicity in immortalized hepatocytes. Our results showed that the curcumin analog 1e is a promising agent against colorectal cancer, with improved stability and efficacy/safety profile.     

Quantitative Detection of 15 Serum Bile Acid Metabolic Products by LC/MS/MS in the Diagnosis of Primary Biliary Cholangitis

To determine 15 bile acid metabolic products in human serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and value their diagnostic outcome in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Serum from 20 healthy controls and 26 patients with PBC were collected and went LC/MS/MS analysis of 15 bile acid metabolic products. The test results were analyzed by bile acid metabolomics, and the potential biomarkers were screened and their diagnostic performance was judged by statistical methods such as principal component and partial least squares discriminant analysis and area under curve (AUC). 8 differential metabolites can be screened out: Deoxycholic acid (DCA), Glycine deoxycholic acid (GDCA), Lithocholic acid (LCA), Glycine ursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), Taurolithocholic acid (TLCA), Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), Taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), Glycine chenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA). The performance of the biomarkers was evaluated by the AUC, specificity and sensitivity. In conclusion, DCA, GDCA, LCA, GUDCA, TLCA, TUDCA, TDCA and GCDCA were identified as eight potential biomarkers to distinguish between healthy people and PBC patients by multivariate statistical analysis, which provided reliable experimental basis for clinical practice.     

Applying single-cell highly multiplexed secretome proteomics to characterize immunotherapeutic products and predict clinical responses

Genetically and phenotypically identical immune cell populations can be highly heterogenous in terms of their immune functions and protein secretion profiles. The microfluidic chip-based single-cell highly multiplexed secretome proteomics enables characterization of cellular heterogeneity of immune responses at different cellular and molecular layers. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that polyfunctional T cells that simultaneously produce 2+ proteins per cell at the single-cell level are key effector cells that contribute to the development of potent and durable cellular immunity against pathogens and cancers. The functional proteomic technology offers a wide spectrum of cellular function assessment and can uniquely define highly polyfunctional cell subsets with cytokine signatures from live individual cells. This high-dimensional single-cell analysis provides deep dissection into functional heterogeneity and helps identify predictive biomarkers and potential correlates that are crucial for immunotherapeutic product design optimization and personalized immunotherapy development to achieve better clinical outcomes.     

Circ_0021573 acts as a competing endogenous RNA to promote the malignant phenotypes of human ovarian cancer cells

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to be implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of ovarian cancer. Here, the study was designed to explore the activity of human circ_0021573 in ovarian cancer pathogenesis and its regulation through the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) crosstalk. Circ_0021573, microRNA (miR)? 936, and cullin 4B (CUL4B) were quantified by qRT-PCR and western blot. Cell proliferation ability was detected by XTT, 5-Ethynyl-2′-Deoxyuridine (EdU), and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed by flow cytometry, wound-healing, and transwell assays, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were used to evaluate the direct relationship between miR-936 and circ_0021573 or CUL4B 3′UTR. Xenograft studies were applied to assess the role of circ_0021573 in tumor growth. Our data showed that circ_0021573 expression is enhanced in human ovarian cancer. Inhibition of circ_0021573 impedes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promotes apoptosis in vitro, as well as diminishes tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0021573 contains a miR-936 binding site, and miR-936 is a relevant mediator of circ_0021573 regulation. MiR-936 direct targets and inhibits CUL4B. MiR-936-mediated suppression of CUL4B hinders cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and accelerates apoptosis in vitro.. These data suggested that circ_0021573 might promote the malignant phenotypes of ovarian cancer cells by functioning as a ceRNA for miR-936 to induce CUL4B, which provided a promising target for the prevention and inhibition of ovarian cancer.     

比较CSPO和ISR治疗超低位直肠癌的保肛效果

摘要 目的：比较适形切除保肛术（CSPO）和经内外括约肌间切除术（ISR）治疗超低位直肠癌的保肛效果。方法：选择2020年6月至2022年3月选择在本院诊治的超低位直肠癌患者63例作为研究对象,根据随机分配原则把患者分为ISR组31例与CSPO组32例,ISR组予经内外括约肌间切除术治疗,CSPO组予适形切除保肛术治疗,记录与随访患者的近期与远期预后。结果：所有患者都顺利完成保肛,两组的术中出血量、淋巴结清扫数目对比无差异（P>0.05）,CSPO组的手术时间、术后肠道功能恢复时间、术后住院时间明显少于ISR组（P<0.05）。CSPO组的术后7 d的切口感染、泌尿系感染、吻合口狭窄、吻合口瘘等并发症发生率为6.3 %,明显低于ISR组的29.0 %（P<0.05）。CSPO组术后1 d、3 d、7 d的血清降钙素原（PCT）、超敏C-反应蛋白（hs-CRP）含量都明显少于ISR组（P<0.05）。ISR组术后3个月的满意度为80.6 %,明显低于CSPO组100.0 %（P<0.05）。结论：相对经内外括约肌间切除术,适形切除保肛术治疗超低位直肠癌能有效抑制血清PCT与hs-CRP的表达,具有很好的保肛效果,能减少并发症的发生,还可促进患者康复,从而持续提高患者的随访生存率。     

三七总皂苷联合顺铂对胃癌大鼠肾损伤的改善作用及机制分析

摘要 目的：探讨三七总皂苷联合顺铂对胃癌大鼠肾损伤的改善作用并分析潜在机制。方法：选择60只健康SD雄性大鼠分为对照组、胃癌模型组、顺铂组及三七总皂苷组,各15只。除对照组外,其余组大鼠采用皮下接种胃癌BGC823细胞悬液法建立胃癌模型。建模成功后,给予对照组和胃癌模型组大鼠生理盐水腹腔注射和灌胃,给予顺铂组大鼠腹腔注射25 mg/kg顺铂注射液并灌胃生理盐水,给予三七总皂苷组大鼠腹腔注射25 mg/kg顺铂注射液并灌胃30 mg/kg三七总皂苷。分别于建模成功时、药物处理28 d时采用酶联免疫吸附法检测血清肌酐（SCr）、尿素氮（BUN）和尿液β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶（NAG）、肾损伤分子1（KIM-1）水平。处死大鼠后取肾脏,分别测定肾脏组织匀浆中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、丙二醛（MDA）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）水平,制备肾脏组织石蜡切片并行苏木精-伊红染色后观察大鼠肾组织的病理学变化。采用TUNEL染色法检测肾脏组织细胞凋亡情况,采用Western Blotting法检测肾脏组织中LC3、HIF-1α和Beclin1 蛋白表达情况。结果：顺铂组和三七总皂苷组大鼠血清SCr、BUN和尿液NAG、KIM-1水平均显著高于对照组和模型组（P<0.05）,三七总皂苷组大鼠血清SCr、BUN和尿液NAG、KIM-1水平显著高于顺铂组（P<0.05）。三七总皂苷组大鼠肾脏组织SOD、GSH水平显著低于模型组但显著高于顺铂组,MDA显著高于模型组但显著低于顺铂组（P＜0.05）,CAT与模型组无显著差异（P＜0.05）,但显著高于顺铂组（P>0.05）。顺铂组大鼠肾小管明显扩张、管腔狭窄,基底层上皮细胞水肿、坏死并形成空泡,肾小管。三七总皂苷组大鼠肾脏病理学改变程度显著轻于顺铂组。顺铂组和三七总皂苷组大鼠肾脏组织细胞凋亡指数显著增加,三七总皂苷组大鼠肾脏组织细胞凋亡指数显著低于顺铂组（P＜0.05）。顺铂组大鼠肾脏组织中LC3、HIF-1α和Beclin1蛋白水平均显著高于模型组,但显著低于三七总皂苷组（P＜0.05）。结论：三七总皂苷可能通过减轻过氧自由基和过氧化水平、增强线粒体自噬水平减少肾组织细胞凋亡,减轻顺铂引起的胃癌大鼠肾损伤。     

食管癌患者放射治疗中照射体积和时间与外周血淋巴细胞绝对值的相关性研究

摘要 目的：探究照射体积和时间与食管癌患者外周血淋巴细胞绝对值的相关性。方法：本研究方案将纳入2019年1月~2019年12月蚌埠医学院第一附属医院放疗科收治的放疗或同步放化疗食管癌患者84例,其中单独放疗患者24例,同步放化疗患者60例,采用血液细胞分析仪测定患者放疗期间每周复查外周血白细胞（WBC）、中性粒细胞（N）、淋巴细胞（L）、血红蛋白（HB）及血小板（PLT）计数等指标。Pearson相关性分析照射时间、剂量及体积与外周血指标之间的相关性。结果：食管癌放疗患者,包括同步放化疗及单纯放疗亚组,在治疗1-6周,照射时间与外周血指标均无相关性（P>0.05）。但在放疗第5-6周,患者放疗剂量与WBC、N、L、HB呈负相关（P<0.05）,同步放化疗亚组患者照射剂量与WBC、N、L、HB呈负相关（P<0.05）。在治疗1-4周,不同照射剂量下各梯度照射剂量对应照射体积与外周血指标均无相关性（P>0.05）。但在第5-6周时,患者不同梯度照射剂量下各照射体积与WBC、N呈负相关（P<0.05）,同时在20Gy-60Gy照射剂量,尤其20Gy和30Gy照射剂量下照射体积与L呈负相关（P<0.05）。同步放化疗亚组患者不同照射剂量下各照射体积与WBC、N呈负相关（P<0.05）,同时在20Gy-60Gy照射剂量下照射体积与L呈负相关（P<0.05）,而且在60Gy照射剂量下照射体积与HB呈负相关（P<0.05）。结论：放疗患者特别是同步放化疗亚组患者照射体积、照射剂量与食管癌患者外周血淋巴细胞计数成负相关,基线淋巴细胞与食管癌患者外周血淋巴细胞计数成正相关,而照射时间与食管癌患者外周血淋巴细胞计数无相关性。