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.     

The Ethanol Extract of Syringa oblata Heartwood,a Mongolian Folk Medicine Containing Major Lignans,Exerts Analgesic and Sedative Effects on Mice

The heartwood of Syringa oblata Lindl. (SO) is one of Mongolian folk medicines to treat insomnia and pain, while its pharmacological evaluation and underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, the sedative effect of ethanol extract of SO (ESO) was evaluated with the locomotor activity test and the threshold dose of pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep test in mice, and the hot plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, and formalin test in mice were used to evaluate its analgesic effect. The underlying mechanism of ESO analgesia was explored by RT-PCR and western blot analysis, which is associated with the regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Besides, the main constituents of ESO were characterized by LC/MS data analysis and comparison with isolated pure compounds. The current findings brought evidence for clinical application and further pharmacological and phytochemical studies on SO.     

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.     

肝细胞癌组织miR-124-3p、miR-212-5p表达与PI3K/Akt信号通路和预后的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨肝细胞癌组织中微小核糖核酸（miR）-124-3p、miR-212-5p表达与磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶（PI3K）/蛋白激酶B（Akt）信号通路和预后的关系。方法：选择2017年9月至2019年9月徐州医科大学附属医院肝胆外科收治的93例肝细胞癌患者,采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）检测肝细胞癌组织中miR-124-3p、miR-212-5p、PI3K 信使RNA（mRNA）、Akt mRNA的表达。Pearson相关性分析miR-124-3p、miR-212-5p表达与PI3K/Akt信号通路相关mRNA表达的相关性。绘制Kaplan-Meier生存曲线,Log-Rank检验不同miR-124-3p、miR-212-5p表达肝细胞癌患者3年总生存率（OS）的差异。结果：肝细胞癌组织中miR-124-3p表达低于癌旁组织（P＜0.05）,miR-212-5p、PI3K mRNA、Akt mRNA表达高于癌旁组织（P＜0.05）。肝细胞癌组织中miR-124-3p表达与PI3K mRNA、Akt mRNA表达呈负相关（P＜0.05）,miR-212-5p表达与PI3K mRNA、Akt mRNA表达呈正相关（P＜0.05）。Ⅱa期、低分化患者肝细胞癌组织中miR-124-3p表达低于Ⅰa-Ⅰb期、中高分化患者（P＜0.05）,miR-212-5p表达高于Ⅰa-Ⅰb期、中高分化患者（P＜0.05）。随访期间死亡37例, miR-124-3p低表达组3年OS为42.55%,低于miR-124-3p高表达组的78.26%（P＜0.05）,miR-212-5p高表达组3年OS为50.00%,低于miR-212-5p低表达组的71.11%（P＜0.05）。结论：肝细胞癌组织中miR-124-3p表达下调,miR-212-5p表达上调,且与肝细胞癌PI3K/Akt信号通路激活,PI3K mRNA和Akt mRNA高表达,低分化,CNLC分期Ⅱa期以及低OS有关。     

宫颈癌组织miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达与临床病理特征、PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路和预后的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨宫颈癌组织微小核糖核酸（miRNA）-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达与临床病理特征、磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B/哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白（PI3K/AKT/mTOR）信号通路和预后的关系。方法：选取2016年7月～2019年6月西安市中心医院收治的123例宫颈癌患者,采用定量聚合酶链式反应（qPCR）检测癌组织与癌旁组织中miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p、PI3K信使RNA（mRNA）、AKT mRNA、mTOR mRNA表达。分析miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达与PI3K mRNA、AKT mRNA、mTOR mRNA表达的相关性及与临床病理特征的关系。采用K-M法绘制不同miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达宫颈癌患者生存曲线。结果：与癌旁组织比较,宫颈癌组织中miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达降低,PI3K mRNA、AKT mRNA、mTOR mRNA表达升高（P＜0.05）。Pearson相关性分析显示,宫颈癌组织中miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达与PI3K mRNA、AKT mRNA、mTOR mRNA表达均呈负相关,PI3K mRNA、AKT mRNA、mTOR mRNA表达呈两两相关（P＜0.05）。miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p表达与宫颈癌分化程度、国际妇产科联盟（FIGO）分期和淋巴结转移有关（P＜0.05）。随访3年,123例宫颈癌患者累积生存率为62.60%（77/123）。K-M生存曲线分析显示,miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p高表达组累积生存率分别高于miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p低表达组（P＜0.05）。结论：宫颈癌组织中miR-200b-5p、miR-424-5p低表达,与分化程度、FIGO分期、淋巴结转移、PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路和预后有关。     

Planar cell polarity regulators in asymmetric organogenesis during development and disease

The phenomenon of planar cell polarity is critically required for a myriad of morphogenetic processes in metazoan and is accurately controlled by several conserved modules. Six “core” proteins, including Frizzled, Flamingo (Celsr), Van Gogh (Vangl), Dishevelled, Prickle, and Diego (Ankrd6), are major components of the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway. The Fat/Dchs protocadherins and the Scrib polarity complex also function to instruct cellular polarization. In vertebrates, all these pathways are essential for tissue and organ morphogenesis, such as neural tube closure, left–right symmetry breaking, heart and gut morphogenesis, lung and kidney branching, stereociliary bundle orientation, and proximal–distal limb elongation. Mutations in planar polarity genes are closely linked to various congenital diseases. Striking advances have been made in deciphering their contribution to the establishment of spatially oriented pattern in developing organs and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. The challenge remains to clarify the complex interplay of different polarity pathways in organogenesis and the link of cell polarity to cell fate specification. Interdisciplinary approaches are also important to understand the roles of mechanical forces in coupling cellular polarization and differentiation. This review outlines current advances on planar polarity regulators in asymmetric organ formation, with the aim to identify questions that deserve further investigation.