PDA modification and properties of α-AlH3.

We present a novel surface coating to resolve the stability of α-AlH3. Inspired by the strong chemical adhesion of mussels, the polymerization of dopamine was first introduced to coat α-AlH3 through simple situ polymerization. The α-AlH3 was used as a substrate. In-depth characterizations confirmed the formation of polydopamine (PDA) on the α-AlH3 surface. The coated α-AlH3 sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction X-ray photoelectron spectrometry and Scanning Electron Microscope. The results show that a strong PDA film is formed on the surface of α-AlH3, and PDA@α-AlH3 retains its primary morphology. The crystal form of α-AlH3 does not change after coating with PDA. The XPS analysis results show that N1 s appears on the material after coating with PDA, indicating that polydopamine is formed on the surface of α-AlH3. The moisture absorption tests show that the moisture absorption rate of α-AlH3 is greatly reduced after being coated with PDA. The excellent intact ability of PDA prevents α-AlH3 from reacting with water in air. The thermal stability of α-AlH3 before and after coating was analyzed by DSC. This work demonstrates the successful applications of dopamine chemistry to α-AlH3, thereby providing a potential method for metastable materials.

Reciprocal regulation between O-GlcNAcylation and tribbles pseudokinase 2 (TRIB2) maintains transformative phenotypes in liver cancer cells.

TRIB2 has been identified as an onco-protein, and O-GlcNAcylation of target proteins has been reported to stimulate transformative phenotypes in liver cancer cells. However, the relationships between TRIB2 and O-GlcNAcylation are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how O-GlcNAcylation and TRIB2 regulate each other. We found that stimulation of O-GlcNAcylation elevates TRIB2 by enhancing its protein stability. TRIB2 can be O-GlcNAcylated by the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP). Also, O-GlcNAcylation boosting of transformative phenotypes of liver cancer cells might occur in a TRIB2-dependent manner. Interestingly, TRIB2 stimulated the metabolism of HBP, demonstrating that TRIB2 has positive feedback on O-GlcNAcylation. Notably, TRIB2 was found to maintain the stability of guanylate cyclase 1 alpha 3 (GUCY1A3), a key component of HBP, by interacting GUCY1A3 and reducing its ubiquitination. Importantly, TRIB2-dependent regulation of metabolism, transformative phenotypes, and O-GlcNAcylation all rely on GUCY1A3. Mouse experiments demonstrate that O-GlcNAcylation of TRIB2 is much higher in the livers of diabetic mice compared to control mice, suggesting that O-GlcNAcylation of TRIB2 might be critical for diabetes-associated liver cancer. Collectively, we have uncovered a positive auto-regulatory feedback between O-GlcNAcylation and TRIB2, which might be regarded as a promising therapeutic target for liver cancer.

Association between Affinity of Anti-HCV Antibodies and Viral Load in Patients with HCV Infection: a New Method to Estimate Patients' Immune Status.

BACKGROUND: The status of immune response to HCV infection cannot be accurately predicted by the HCV antibody test alone. Our paper aims to explore differences in total activity, quantity, and affinity of anti-HCV antibodies in patients with HCV infection, proposing a novel measurement of antibody affinity and providing a promising understanding into immune response to HCV. METHODS: Serum samples from 106 patients with HCV infection were collected. Anti-HCV antibodies, HCV RNA, ALT, and AST were measured. The samples were divided into three groups based on ALT, AST level (both normal, one abnormal, and both abnomal) and HCV-RNA level (negative, low viral load, and high viral load). Differences in total activity, quantity, and affinity of anti-HCV antibodies were analyzed. RESULTS: The quantity of anti-HCV antibodies in the normal ALT and AST groups were significantly lower than that of the other two groups (p < 0.05). In contrast, the antibody affinity of the normal ALT and AST groups was significantly higher than that detected in the other two groups (p < 0.05). The total activity and quantity of anti-bodies in the low and high viral load groups were significantly higher than those measured in the HCV RNA-negative group (p < 0.05). The HCV RNA-negative group had a significantly higher antibody affinity than the other two groups (p < 0.05). HCV-RNA level was negatively correlated with affinity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the total activity, quantity, and affinity of anti-HCV antibodies may reflect viral load in patients infected with HCV and could serve as valuable information for clinical applications.