Constructing a Prognostic Model of Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma and Predicting Drug-Sensitivity Responses Using Programmed Cell Death-Related Pathways.

Background: Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) is the most common type of cancer that develops in the uterus, specifically originating from the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a highly regulated process that eliminates damaged, aged, or unwanted cells in the body. Dysregulation of PCD pathways can contribute to the formation and progression of various cancers, including UCEC. Methods: Fourteen PCD pathways (autophagy-dependent cell death, alkaliptosis, apoptosis, cuproptosis, entotic cell death, ferroptosis, immunogenic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, MPT-driven necrosis, necroptosis, netotic cell death, oxeiptosis, parthanatos, and pyroptosis) were involved in building a prognostic signature. The model was trained and tested using data from the TCGA-UCEC and validated with the GSE119041 dataset. Results: A 12-gene PCD signature (DRAM1, ELAPOR1, MAPT, TRIM58, UCHL1, CDKN2A, CYFIP2, AKT2, LINC00618, TTPA, TRIM46, and NOS2) was established and validated in an independent dataset. UCEC patients with a high PCD score (PCDS) exhibited worse prognosis. Furthermore, PCDS was found to be associated with immune related cells and key tumor microenvironment components through multiple methods. It was observed that UCEC patients with a high PCD score may not benefit from immunotherapy, but some chemo drugs like Bortezomib may be useful. Conclusion: In conclusion, a novel PCD model was established by comprehensively analyzing diverse cell death patterns. This model accurately predicts the clinical prognosis and drug sensitivity of UCEC. The findings suggest that the PCD signature can serve as a valuable tool in assessing prognosis and guiding treatment decisions for UCEC patients.

Shikonin reduces M2 macrophage population in ovarian cancer by repressing exosome production and the exosomal galectin 3-mediated ß-catenin activation.

BACKGROUND: Shikonin (SK), a naphthoquinone with anti-tumor effects, has been found to decrease production of tumor-associated exosomes (exo). This study aims to verify the treatment effect of SK on ovarian cancer (OC) cells, especially on the production of exo and their subsequent effect on macrophage polarization. METHODS: OC cells SKOV3 and A2780 were treated with SK. The exo were isolated from OC cells with or without SK treatment, termed OC exo and SK OC exo, respectively. These exo were used to treat PMA-induced THP-1 cells (M0 macrophages). M2 polarization of macrophages was determined by measuring the M2 specific cell surface markers CD163 and CD206 as well as the secretion of M2 cytokine IL-10. The functions of galectin 3 (LGALS3/GAL3) and ß-catenin in macrophage polarization were determined by gain- or loss-of-function assays. CB-17 SCID mice were subcutaneously injected with SKOV3 cells to generate xenograft tumors, followed by OC exo or SK OC exo treatment for in vivo experiments. RESULTS: SK suppressed viability, migration and invasion, and apoptosis resistance of OC cells in vitro. Compared to OC exo, SK OC exo reduced the M2 polarization of macrophages. Regarding the mechanism, SK reduced exo production in cancer cells, and it decreased the protein level of GAL3 in exo and recipient macrophages, leading to decreased ß-catenin activation. M2 polarization of macrophages was restored by LGALS3 overexpression but decreased again by the ß-catenin inhibitor FH535. Compared to OC exo, the SK OC exo treatment reduced the xenograft tumor growth in mice, and it decreased the M2 macrophage infiltration within tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that SK reduces M2 macrophage population in OC by repressing exo production and blocking exosomal GAL3-mediated ß-catenin activation.

Clear cell carcinoma arising in an ovarian remnant 19 years after oophoerctomy: case report.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is a rare complication that occurs after oophorectomy, characterized by residual ovarian tissue causing pelvic pain, masses, and various symptoms. The clinical manifestations of ORS are nonspecific, and its diagnosis relies on histological examination. Since ORS typically represents a benign ovarian lesion, there have been few reported cases of malignant transformation. In this report, we presented a unique case of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) arising from an ovarian remnant following salpingo-oophorectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a 47-year-old female initially diagnosed with uterine myoma. She had previously undergone cesarean section and unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Transvaginal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a soft tissue mass adjacent to the right lateral wall of the myometrium. The patient opted for transabdominal hysterectomy, left adnexal resection, laparoscopic omentectomy, appendectomy, and pelvic and abdominal lymphadenectomy. The final pathology results confirmed the diagnosis of OCCC, consistent with ORS. The patient subsequently received six cycles of intravenous chemotherapy using the carboplatin/paclitaxel (TC) regimen (paclitaxel liposomes 175 mg/m², carboplatin AUC 5). After 3 years of follow-up, the patient's condition remained normal. CONCLUSION: ORS can significantly impact patients' quality of life and pose challenges for clinicians. Complete excision of ovarian tissue during the initial surgery is crucial in preventing ORS recurrence and potential malignant transformation of ovarian remnants.

The role of inflammatory factors and T-cell subsets in the diagnosis of recurrence in epithelial ovarian cancer patients and the effect of olaparin treatment on them.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to investigate the role of serum inflammatory factors and T-cell subsets in the diagnosis of recurrence in epithelial ovarian cancer patients and the effect of olaparib on inflammatory factor and T-lymphocyte subsets in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: In this study, 100 patients diagnosed as recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer in our hospital and 100 patients without recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer in the same period were selected. According to the treatment plan, the recurrent patients were divided into conventional therapy group (Paclitaxel and Carboplatin) and combined therapy group (Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and olaparib). The levels of serum inflammatory factors were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets in each group were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared with nonrecurrent patients, recurrent patients have higher serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels (p < .05), and lower interferon-γ (IFN-γ) level and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio. After adjusting for confounding factors, the results showed that the serum IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α levels were influencing factors of recurrence in epithelial ovarian cancer patients. The area under the receiver operating curve and the sensitivity of serum TNF-α in predicting ovarian cancer recurrence were higher than those of IL-6 and IFN-γ. After secondary chemotherapy and/or olaparib maintenance treatment, the IL-6 (p < .001) and TNF-α (p < .001) levels in combined therapy group were lower than those in the conventional therapy, whereas the IFN-γ level (p < .001), the CD4+ T-cell proportion (p = .0069) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p = .0201) were higher than those in the conventional therapy. CONCLUSION: The serum IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were closely related to the recurrence of ovarian cancer. Olaparib maintenance treatment can significantly decrease the IL-6 and TNF-α level, and increase IFN-γ level and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

CT radiomics prediction of CXCL9 expression and survival in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9), which is involved in the pathological processes of various human cancers, has become a hot topic in recent years. We developed a radiomic model to identify CXCL9 status in ovarian cancer (OC) and evaluated its prognostic significance. METHODS: We analyzed enhanced CT scans, transcriptome sequencing data, and corresponding clinical characteristics of CXCL9 in OC using the TCIA and TCGA databases. We used the repeat least absolute shrinkage (LASSO) and recursive feature elimination(RFE) methods to determine radiomic features after extraction and normalization. We constructed a radiomic model for CXCL9 prediction based on logistic regression and internal tenfold cross-validation. Finally, a 60-month overall survival (OS) nomogram was established to analyze survival data based on Cox regression. RESULTS: CXCL9 mRNA levels and several other genes involving in T-cell infiltration were significantly relevant to OS in OC patients. The radiomic score (rad_score) of our radiomic model was calculated based on the five features for CXCL9 prediction. The areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC-ROC) for the training cohort was 0.781, while that for the validation cohort was 0.743. Patients with a high rad_score had better overall survival (P < 0.001). In addition, calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA) showed good consistency between the prediction and actual observations, demonstrating the clinical utility of our model. CONCLUSION: In patients with OC, the radiomics signature(RS) of CT scans can distinguish the level of CXCL9 expression and predict prognosis, potentially fulfilling the ultimate purpose of precision medicine.

Gelling properties of lysine-amidated citrus pectins: The key role of pH in both amidation and gelation.

The amidation of pectin by amino acids has been widely applied due to its safety and excellent gelling properties. This study systematically examined the effects of pH on the gelling properties of lysine-amidated pectin during amidation and gelation. Pectin was amidated over the range of pH 4-10, and the amidated pectin obtained at pH 10 showed the highest degree of amidation (DA, 27.0 %) due to the de-esterification, electrostatic attraction, and the stretching state of pectin. Moreover, it also exhibited the best gelling properties due to its greater numbers of calcium-binding regions (carboxyl groups) and hydrogen bond donors (amide groups). During gelation, the gel strength of CP (Lys 10) at pH 3-10 first increased and then decreased, with the highest gel strength at pH 8, which was due to the deprotonation of carboxyl groups, protonation of amino groups, and ß-elimination. These results show that pH plays a key role in both amidation and gelation, with distinct mechanisms, and would provide a basis for the preparation of amidated pectins with excellent gelling properties. This will facilitate their application in the food industry.

Caseinate-reinforced pectin hydrogels: Efficient encapsulation, desirable release, and chemical stabilization of (-)-epigallocatechin.

(-)-Epigallocatechin (EGC) has good health benefits, but its chemical stability is low. Pectin hydrogels have potential for the encapsulation and delivery of EGC, but they are limited by porous networks and poor mechanical properties. In this study, protein (whey protein isolate and caseinate)-reinforced pectin hydrogel beads (HBPEC-WPI and HBPEC-CAS) were developed to overcome these limitations. The results showed that HBPEC-CAS was a superior delivery system for EGC. HBPEC-CAS had a compact network structure, mainly because of the hydrogen bonds that formed between caseinate and pectin. Moreover, the EGC encapsulation efficiency of HBPEC-CAS (2.4%) reached 92.23 %; HBPEC-CAS (2.4%) could also delay the release of EGC in an aqueous environment, while ensuring its sufficient release in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. Notably, EGC was chemically stabilized in HBPEC-CAS (2.4%) during a 6-day storage period at 37 °C through the inhibition of its epimerization, oxidation, dimerization, and trimerization. The numerous hydroxyl groups in EGC readily interacted with the exposed amino acid residues in caseinate and created more protective sites. This study developed a strategy for protein-reinforced pectin hydrogel development and approaches for the protection of tea polyphenols; the findings offer useful insights for the tea-based food and beverage industry.

Expression and significance of serum vitamin D and LL-37 levels in infants with bacterial pneumonia.

Objective: To investigate the significance of vitamin D and human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in the occurrence and development of bacterial pneumonia in infants. Methods: From January 2021 to January 2022, 80 infants with bacterial pneumonia were selected, including 33 cases of gram-positive bacterial infection (GP) and 47 cases of gram-negative bacterial infection (GN). During the same period, 40 infants who underwent health examination in The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University served as the healthy control group. On the day of admission, peripheral blood was collected from pneumonia patients, and during physical examination of controls; and serum LL-37 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence. The differences in serum LL-37 and 25(OH)D levels and their correlation with disease severity were compared. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between serum 25(OH)D and LL-37 levels in infants with bacterial pneumonia. Results: The levels of 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D deficiency were significantly lower in patients than in controls (all P < 0.05), and the levels of serum LL-37 were significantly higher in pneumonia patients than in controls (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum 25(OH)D and LL-37 levels between cases with GP and GN (all P > 0.05). The serum 25(OH)D level was lower in the severe pneumonia group than in the mild pneumonia group and controls, and the 25(OH)D deficiency rate was higher; the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The LL-37 level in the severe pneumonia group was lower than that in the mild pneumonia group but higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The 25(OH)D level was positively correlated with the LL-37 level (r = 0.8, P < 0.05), and the 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with procalcitonin (PCT) and length of hospital stay (rs = -0.3, -0.3, P < 0.05); the LL-37 level was negatively correlated with PCT and length of hospital stay (rs = -0.4, -0.2, P < 0.05) in infants with bacterial pneumonia. Conclusion: A low level of vitamin D is present in infants with bacterial pneumonia, and its status affects the severity and outcome of pneumonia. The level of LL-37 is increased in infants with bacterial pneumonia, but it shows a downward trend with progression of the disease.

IGF2BP2 promotes the progression of ovarian endometriosis by regulating m6A-modified MEIS2 and GATA6.

BACKGROUND: m6A-RNA modification mediated by the N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation-related molecule methyltransferase-like 3 has been implicated in the progression of endometriosis. However, the functions of other m6A regulators, especially in ovarian endometriosis, remain unknown. METHODS: Three datasets (GSE7305, GSE7307, and GSE37837) with diagnosed ovarian endometriosis were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Using bioinformatics methods such as Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, protein-protein interaction, and correlation, hub genes were identified. Using dot blot and N6-methyladenosine-IP-qPCR, the total and individual N6-methyladenosine gene levels were quantified. On clinical ovarian ectopic and eutopic endometrium tissues, N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation sequencing was performed. To authenticate protein localization and expression level, immunohistochemical staining and western blot were conducted, respectively. The database Connectivity Map was used to predict small molecules with potential therapeutic effects. RESULTS: In ovarian endometriosis, the N6-methyladenosine "reader" molecule IGF2BP2 and related target genes MEIS2 and GATA6 were highly expressed. IGF2BP2 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ectopic endometrial stromal cells by stabilizing the mRNA of MEIS2 and GATA6. Synergistically, METTL3 and IGF2BP2 increased the N6-methyladenosine methylation of MEIS2 and GATA6. We developed five molecules (Mercaptopurine, MK-886, CP-863187, Canadine, and Securinine) that could be used to treat ovarian endometriosis based on IGF2BP2. CONCLUSION: Our findings provided additional support for a systematized understanding of the role of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in endometriosis and confirmed for the first time the mechanism of IGF2BP2 in promoting ovarian endometriosis. This provides the molecular foundation for potential future therapies for ovarian endometriosis. DATA AVAILABILITY: The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Serum Exosomes MicroRNAs Are Novel Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy.

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is closely related to the occurrence of adverse outcomes. Currently, total bile acids (TBAs) are the only diagnostic index for ICP, and its sensitivity and specificity have certain limitations. In this study, we aimed to develop potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of ICP. Methods: Sixty pregnant women diagnosed with ICP and 48 healthy pregnant controls were enrolled in this study. We used the Agilent microRNA (miRNA) array followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays to identify and validate the serum exosome miRNA profiles in ICP and healthy pregnant controls. We employed bioinformatics to identify metabolic processes associated with differentially expressed serum exosome miRNAs. Results: The expression levels of hsa-miR-4271, hsa-miR-1275, and hsa-miR-6891-5p in maternal serum exosomes were significantly lower in ICP patients compared to controls; the diagnostic accuracy of hsa-miR-4271, hsa-miR-1275, and hsa-miR-6891-5p was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of 0.861, 0.886, and 0.838, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a combination of the levels of hsa-miR-4271and hsa-miR-1275 afforded a significantly higher AUC (0.982). The non-error rate of a combination of all three exosome miRNAs was the highest (95%), thus more reliable ICP diagnosis. The expression levels of all three exosome miRNAs were negatively associated with TBAs. Furthermore, according to bioinformatics analysis, the three exosome miRNAs were related to lipid metabolism, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Conclusions: This study may identify the novel non-invasive biomarkers for ICP and provided new insights into the important role of the exosome miRNA regulation in ICP.

Significant winter CO2 uptake by saline lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Direct measuring of CO2  flux remains challenging for global lakes. The traditional sampling and gas transfer models used to estimate lake CO2  fluxes are variable and uncertain, and ice-covered periods are often excluded from the annual carbon budget. Here, the first longtime (2013-2017) direct measurement of CO2  flux by eddy covariance system over the largest saline lake (Qinghai lake) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) revealed that ice-covered period draws large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere (-0.87 ± 0.38 g C m-2 d-1 ), a value more than twice the CO2  flux rate during the ice-free period (-0.41 ± 0.35 g C m-2 d-1 ). The total CO2 uptake by all saline lakes on the QTP was estimated to -10.28 ± 1.65 Tg C yr-1 , an equivalent to approximately one third of the net terrestrial ecosystems carbon sink in QTP. Our results indicate large sink for CO2 in winter is controlled by both seasonal hydrochemistry processes and lake ice absorption in saline lakes. This research also demonstrates decreasing CO2 uptake from the atmosphere by saline lakes on the QTP, which may turn carbon sinks to carbon sources with future warming.

Use of targeted therapy and immunotherapy for the treatment of yolk sac tumors in extragonadal pelvic sites: two case reports.

We present the clinicopathologic features and treatments of two cases of extragonadal yolk sac tumor (EGYST) detected in young females, including one in the myometrium admitted in 2013 and another in the serosal layer of the anterior wall of uterus admitted in 2019. The following details were recorded: patient age, clinical presentation, tumor location, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (where applicable), histologic patterns including Schiller-Duval (SD) bodies, other germ cell or somatic components, immunoperoxidase results, treatment, and outcome. The patients were aged 18 and 32 years old, both displayed the clinical manifestation of pain in the lower abdomen, tumor sizes were 10 and 8 cm, respectively, and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was significantly increased (1,210-20,251.0 ng/mL). Both participants underwent surgery and typical SD bodies were observed in postoperative pathology. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results indicated that they were AFP positive (+) and Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) (+). Both patients received multi-line chemotherapy after surgery, and participant 2 received targeted therapy and immunotherapy. At 36 months after surgery, one patient died, and the other was still receiving treatment. The benefit of germ cell appropriate chemotherapy in somatically derived EGYST has not been fully elucidated. Our report first showed that it is possible to reduce the recurrence rate and improve the prognosis of patients with EGYST by adding targeted therapy and immunotherapy (bevacizumab + tislelizumab) to traditional chemotherapy regimens.

Studies on Novel Diagnostic and Predictive Biomarkers of Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy Through Metabolomics and Proteomics.

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) usually occurs in the third trimester and is associated with increased risks in fetal complications. Currently, the exact mechanism of this disease is unknown. The purpose of this study was to develop potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of ICP. Methods: We enrolled 40 pregnant women diagnosed with ICP and 40 healthy pregnant controls. The number of placental samples and serum samples between the two groups was 10 and 40 respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to analyze placental metabolomics. Then, we verified the differentially expressed proteins and metabolites, both placental and blood serum, in the first, second, and third trimesters. Results: Metabolomic analysis of placental tissue revealed that fatty acid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis were enriched. In the integrated proteomic and metabolomic analysis of placental tissue, peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1), L-palmitoylcarnitine, and glycocholic acid were found to be three potential biomarkers. In a follow-up analysis, expression levels of both placental and serum ACOX1, L-palmitoylcarnitine, and glycocholic acid in both placenta and serum were found to be significantly higher in third-trimester ICP patients; the areas under the ROC curves were 0.823, 0.896, and 0.985, respectively. Expression levels of serum ACOX1, L-palmitoylcarnitine, and glycocholic acid were also significantly higher in first- and second-trimester ICP patients; the areas under the ROC curves were 0.726, 0.657, and 0.686 in the first trimester and 0.718, 0.727, and 0.670 in the second trimester, respectively. Together, levels of the three aforementioned biomarkers increased the value for diagnosing and predicting ICP (AUC: 0.993 for the third, 0.891 for the second, and 0.932 for the first trimesters). Conclusions: L-palmitoylcarnitine, ACOX1, and glycocholic acid levels taken together may serve as a new biomarker set for the diagnosis and prediction of ICP.

Factors influencing vitamin D levels in women attending the fertility clinic and the effect on assisted fertility outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Several factors affect vitamin D levels, such as sunshine, region, diet, obesity and so on. The primary objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) among infertile women in China and the contribution of VDD to the risk of infertility in women. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective case-control study included 2,456 infertile women. We investigated the vitamin D levels in all patients in the different seasons and across different ages. The clinical data of 411 patients who were in the assisted fertilization programs [in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ICSI] were also analyzed, as well as the correlation between vitamin D status and IVF clinical outcome. RESULTS: There were significant differences in 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in different seasons (P<0.01). The proportions of severe VDD in spring, winter, summer, and autumn were 18.5%, 18.6%, 7.8%, and 8.8%, respectively. The normal levels of 25(OH)D concentration (50-74.9 nmol/L) in summer, autumn, spring, and winter were 28.5%, 26.4%, 13.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. The 25(OH)D concentrations in 3 months (July, August, and September) had the highest levels, with levels over 40 nmol/L in these months. Compared with winter, the risk of severe VDD was lower in summer and autumn (P<0.01). Serum 25(OH)D concentration significantly correlated with female infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Inference from these results shows that vitamin D may minimize the risk of female infertility and may be related to the seasons and age.

Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues.

Endometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pelvic pain and infertility, severely impacts the health and life quality of many women worldwide. Since phytoestrogens are commonly found in a variety of foods, and estrogen is a major pathological factor for the pathogenesis of endometriosis, their possible involvement cannot be ignored. This review summarizes data on the relationship between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk, and analyzes the findings from in vitro experiments, rodent endometriotic models, and human intervention trials. While favorable results were often obtained from endometrial primary cultures and animal models for resveratrol, isoflavones and puerarin, only resveratrol showed promising results in human intervention trials. Critical issues concerning the current study efforts are discussed: the possible reasons beneath the discrepant observations of estrogenic/anti-estrogenic effects by phytoestrogens; the complicated interplays between phytoestrogens and endogenous estrogens; the shortage of currently used animal models; the necessity to apply reasonable doses of phytoestrogens in experiments. It is expected that the analyses would help to more properly assess the phytoestrogens' effects on the endometriosis pathogenesis and their potential values for preventive or therapeutic applications.

Effects of High-Pressure Homogenization on Pectin Structure and Cloud Stability of Not-From-Concentrate Orange Juice.

Not-from-concentrate (NFC) juice is popular with consumers due to its similarity to fresh fruit juice in taste, flavor, and beneficial nutrients. As a commonly used technology in fruit juice production, high-pressure homogenization (HPH) can enhance the commercial value of juice by improving the color, flavor, taste, and nutrient contents. In this study, the effects of HPH on the pectin structural properties and stability of NFC orange juice were investigated. The correlations between HPH-induced changes in the structure of pectin and the stability of orange juice were revealed. Compared with non-homogenized orange juice, HPH increased the galacturonic acid (GalA) content and the linearity of pectin, while decreasing the molecular weight (Mw), pectin branching, and rhamnogalacturonan (RG) contribution, and cracks and pores of different sizes formed on the surface of pectin, implying depolymerization. Meanwhile, with increasing pressure and number homogenization of passes, HPH effectively improved the stability of NFC orange juice. HPH can effectively prevent the stratification of orange juice, thereby promoting consumer acceptance and endowing a higher commercial value. The improvement of the stability of NFC orange juice by HPH was related to the structural properties of pectin. Turbidity was significantly (P < 0.01) positively correlated with GalA and pectin linearity, but was significantly (P < 0.01) negatively correlated with Mw, RG contribution, and pectin branching. Modification of pectin structure can improve the stability of NFC orange juice. In this work, the relationship between the pectin structure and stability of NFC orange juice is elucidated, providing a path toward improving consumer acceptance and enhancing the palatability and nutritional and functional qualities of orange juice. Manufacturers can use this relationship to modify pectin directionally and produce high-quality NFC orange juice beverages.

STK17B promotes the progression of ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Protein kinase is increasingly receiving widespread attention because of its role in the tumor progression. Serine/threonine protein kinase (STK) is an important family involved in the development of a variety of cancers. Many studies have shown that serine/threonine kinase 17B (STK17B) is highly expressed in a variety of malignant tumors and participate in proliferation and metastasis. However, the exact function of STK17B remains uncertain in ovarian cancer. Our study aims to investigate whether STK17B plays a role in the occurrence and development of epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: We employed quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to detect the relative expression of STK17B in ovarian cancer tissues. STK17B was down-regulated and up-regulated in ovarian cancer cell lines by small interfering RNA and overexpressed plasmid, respectively. The effects of STK17B on proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells in vitro were analyzed by CCK-8 test, Transwell test, scratch test and EDU test. The tumorigenicity of subcutaneous xenograft tumor in nude mice to study the role of STK17B in tumorigenesis in vivo. Western Blotting analysis revealed that STK17B and EMT. RESULTS: STK17B expression was significantly increased in ovarian cancer tissues. The STK17B silencing suppressed cell progression, while the overexpression of STK17B promoted progression in vivo or in vitro. Western bolt showed that STK17B increased the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cell by promoting the EMT process. CONCLUSIONS: STK17B was highly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues and increased the proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells by promoting EMT process.

Upper digestion fate of citrus pectin-stabilized emulsion: An interfacial behavior perspective.

Citrus pectin can serve as a naturally digestion-resistant emulsifier, although how it achieves this effect is still unknown. In this study, the upper digestion fate of an emulsion stabilized by different concentrations of citrus pectin, and changes in its interfacial properties during digestion, were investigated. Emulsions stabilized by high-concentration citrus pectin (3 %) were relatively stable during digestion and had a lower free fatty acid (FFA) release rate than emulsions stabilized by low-concentration citrus pectin (1 %). At the low concentration, the citrus pectin interface had a thin absorbing layer and was largely replaced by bile salts, while at high concentration the citrus pectin interface possessed a uniform and thick adsorbing layer that resisted the replacement of bile salts and enabled lipase adsorption. This study has improved our understanding of the digestion of emulsion from the interface and will be useful for designing emulsion-based functional foods that can achieve targeted release.

Osthole Inhibits Breast Cancer Progression through Upregulating Tumor Suppressor GNG7.

Osthole (OST) is a plant-derived compound that can inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells and has a tumor-suppressive effect in multiple types of cancers. However, the mechanisms of OST-mediated breast cancer (BrCa) inhibition were still largely unknown. In this study, we made full use of the GSE85871 dataset to identify potential targets of OST in BrCa via multiple bioinformatics analysis. Next, a series of in vitro experiments were conducted to check the role of GNG7 in BrCa and the relationship between OST and GNG7. Through a series of bioinformatics analyses, GNG7 was identified as a potential target of OST, which could be significant upregulated by OST exposure in BrCa cells. Besides, GNG7 was lowly expressed in BrCa tissues compared with normal breast tissues, and BrCa patients with low GNG7 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) compared with those with high GNG7 expression. Moreover, GNG7 silencing significantly enhanced cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis, and exogenous overexpression of GNG7 showed reverse effects on BrCa cells. Last but not least, GNG7 inhibition could notably rescue OST-mediated cytotoxic effects. In summary, we identified GNG7 as a novel target for OST in BrCa and a potential tumor suppressor. Thus, OST could be therapeutically beneficial for BrCa through a GNG7-dependent mechanism.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Long Noncoding RNAs as Potential Novel Biomarkers in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of important regulators participating in various pathological processes. Until now, the role of lncRNAs in the occurrence and development of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) has rarely been investigated. The data from microarray screening revealed 58 upregulated and 85 downregulated lncRNAs and 47 upregulated and 71 downregulated mRNAs in ICP patients compared to healthy controls. Bioinformatics analysis revealed biological processes focused on lipid metabolism, apoptosis, cell cycle, cell differentiation, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the expressions of three lncRNAs (ENST00000505175.1, ASO3480, and ENST00000449605.1) chosen for verification were significantly decreased and showed the diagnostic and prognostic value for ICP based on ROC analysis. This is the first study to report the specific role of lncRNAs in ICP, which may be helpful for the diagnosis and prognosis of ICP clinically.