An Active and Regenerable Nanometric High-Entropy Catalyst for Efficient Propane Dehydrogenation.

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is crucial for propylene production, but commercially employed Pt-based catalysts face susceptibility to deactivation due to the Pt sintering during reaction and regeneration steps. Here, we report a SiO2 supported nanometric (MnCoCuZnPt) high-entropy PDH catalyst with high activity and stability. The catalyst exhibited a super high propane conversion of 56.6% with 94% selectivity of propylene at 600 °C. The propylene productivity reached 68.5 molC3H6·gPt-1·h-1, nearly three times that of Pt/SiO2 (23.5 molC3H6·gPt-1·h-1) under a weight hourly space velocity of 60 h-1. In a high-entropy nanoparticle, Pt atoms were atomically dispersed through coordination with other metals and exhibited a positive charge, thereby showcasing remarkable catalytic activity. The high-entropy effect contributes to the catalyst a superior stability with a low deactivation constant of 0.0004 h-1 during 200 hours of reaction under the industrial gas composition at 550 °C. Such high-entropy PDH catalyst is easy regenerated through simple air combustion of deposited coke. After the fourth consecutive regeneration cycle, satisfactory catalytic stability was observed, and the element distribution of spent catalysts almost returned to their initial state, with no detectable Pt sintering. This work provides new insights into designing active, stable, and regenerable novel PDH catalysts.

Simple preparation of lignosulfonate stabilized eutectic gallium/indium liquid metal nanodroplets through ball milling process.

The combination of biomass and liquid metal (LM) makes the preparation process "greener" and application of LM composite materials more sustainable. Here we reported the solvent free preparation of lignosulfonate (LS) stabilized eutectic gallium/indium (EGaIn) LM nanodroplets through ball milling (BM), which was recognized to be efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives to solution-based methods. By regulating the BM frequency and milling time, uniform LM nanodroplets with a size <200 nm can be achieved. Moreover, the surface of the EGaIn nanodroplets was covered by LS molecules, owing to the hydrogen bond formed between Ga2O3 and LS. Hydrophilic LS shell endowed the LS@EGaIn nanodroplets excellent colloidal stability in the aqueous media. The elongation at break and fracture strength of hydrogel with the addition of LS@EGaIn significantly improved with the addition of LS@EGaIn. Besides, the conductivity and excellent stress responsibility of the LS@EGaIn composite hydrogel illustrated its potential application as s a stress sensor, flexible wearable devices and other related applications. Moreover, it was predicted that LS can be replaced by other synthesized or biological macromolecules, and induced the formation of types of LM based composite materials through such a simple method.

The impact of technology transfer on the green innovation efficiency of Chinese high-tech industry.

Promoting technology transfer is an important strategic measure for China to promote industrial innovation. However, there is little research exploring the influence of technology transfer on the green innovation efficiency (GIE) of China's high-tech industry (HTI). From the perspective of process, green innovation in HTI is a continuous three-stage system including research and development (R&D), commercialization, and diffusion. Therefore, we measure the GIE of China's HTI by using a three-stage network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) model considering environmental pollution and establish a series of regression models to investigate the role of the two main ways of technology transfer, domestic technology acquisition (DTA) and foreign technology introduction (FTI), in improving the GIE of HTI. The results show that the average GIE of China's HTI is 0.7727 from 2011 to 2020. Except for Jiangsu, Guangdong, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, green innovation in HTI in other provinces in China is inefficient. DTA has significantly promoted GIE in HTI. FTI has a positive impact on the GIE of HTI but is not statistically significant. The robustness test confirmed these results. This study is helpful to understand the differences between the effects of DTA and FTI on the GIE of China's HTI, to provide a basis for adjusting technology transfer policies.

Salt-assisted surface charge driven synthesis of large pores alumina as carbon tolerance support for propane dehydrogenation.

Porous alumina has been widely used as catalytic support for industrial processes. Under carbon emission constraints, developing a low-carbon porous aluminum oxide synthesis method is a long-standing challenge for low-carbon technology. Herein, we report a method involving the only use of elements of the aluminum-containing reactants (e.g. sodium aluminate and aluminum chloride), sodium chloride was introduced as the coagulation electrolyte to adjust the precipitation process. Noticeably, the adjustment of the dosages of NaCl would allow us to tailor the textural properties and surface acidity with a volcanic-type change of the assembled alumina coiled plates. As a result, porous alumina with a specific surface area of 412 m2/g, large pore volume of 1.96 cm3/g, and concentrated pore size distribution at 30 nm was obtained. The function of salt on boehmite colloidal nanoparticles was proven by colloid model calculation, dynamic light scattering, and scanning/transmission electron microscopy. Afterward, the synthesized alumina was loaded with PtSn to prepare catalysts for the propane dehydrogenation reaction. The obtained catalysts were active but showed different deactivation behavior that was related to the coke resistance capability of the support. We figure out the correlation between pore structure and the activity of the PtSn catalysts associated with the maximum conversion of 53 % and minimum deactivation constant occurring at the pore diameter around 30 nm of the porous alumina. This work offers new insight into the synthesis of porous alumina.

Improvement of solubility and pharmacokinetic profile of hepatoprotector icariin through complexation with HP-γ-cyclodextrin.

Icariin as a hepatoprotector from Herba epimedii can expand the cardiovascular and cerebral blood vessels, promote hematopoietic functions, enhance the immune system and show anti-liver tumor activities. However, its low solubility (0.02 mg/mL) limits its clinical applications as food and medical supplements. Through complexation with HP-γ-cyclodextrin by using a trace amount of water-soluble polymer, the water solubility of icariin was increased by 654 times, which is the best result to date for the water solubility study of icariin. In an in vitro pharmacokinetic study, the complexation increased the dissolution rate of icariin by 80 times, and the icariin complex can be 100% released in the first few minutes. Through complexation, in an in vivo dog pharmacokinetic study, the C max of icariin was increased about 5 times, the AUC0-120 was increased about 20 times and the clearance of icariin was changed from 11.17 L/h/kg to 0.65 L/h/kg. The half-life time was changed from 0.68 h to 6.38 h and the relative bioavailability was increased by nearly 20 times, indicating that less drug is needed for the same therapeutic effect by using the icariin complex, and the complex can be used as a potential potent hepatoprotector or anti-liver cancer drug.

Pharmacokinetics of tilmicosin in chicken joints based on a novel microdialysis sampling method.

Microdialysis is a continuous direct sampling technique used in live animals to study pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics of drugs directly in target organs. The antibiotic tilmicosin used to treat arthritis in chickens caused by Mycoplasma synoviae. However, the PK study of tilmicosin in chicken joint has not been reported. The aim of this study was to explore the PK characteristics and penetration of tilmicosin by microdialysis incorporated with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). An articular cavity microdialysis sampling model was established by determining in vivo and in vitro recovery results. Tilmicosin was orally administered to chickens and flow rate testing combined with retro-dialysis were used to determine tilmicosin concentration in the target synovial space. HPLC-MS/MS quantification of tilmicosin from plasma and joint dialysate indicated that recovery was negatively correlated with flow rate and the optimal perfusion rate was determined to be 1.0 µL/min. The AUC, Cmax , MRT and t1/2 in plasma were 4.6, 3.0, 2.2 and 1.6 times higher than in the joint dialysate, respectively, but Tmax did not significantly differ. The penetration of tilmicosin from plasma to joint (AUCdialysate /AUCplasma ) was 0.24 and indicated tilmicosin concentration in joints was much lower than that of plasma. Microdialysis technology provides a novel technique to study pharmacokinetics directly in target tissues and our study provides a reference for the clinical use of tilmicosin for treatment of M. synoviae infections in articular cavities.

Hydrolysis of lignocellulose to succinic acid: a review of treatment methods and succinic acid applications.

Succinic acid (SA) is an intermediate product of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and is one of the most significant platform chemicals for the production of various derivatives with high added value. Due to the depletion of fossil raw materials and the demand for eco-friendly energy sources, SA biosynthesis from renewable energy sources is gaining attention for its environmental friendliness. This review comprehensively analyzes strategies for the bioconversion of lignocellulose to SA based on the lignocellulose pretreatment processes and cellulose hydrolysis and fermentation principles and highlights the research progress on acid production and SA utilization under different microbial culture conditions. In addition, the fermentation efficiency of different microbial strains for the production of SA and the main challenges were analyzed. The future application directions of SA derivatives were pointed out. It is expected that this research will provide a reference for the optimization of SA production from lignocellulose.

The efficacy and safety of self-administered acupressure on respiratory tract infection in chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Respiratory tract infection (RTI) is associated with a higher risk of kidney failure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), without effective precautions. Self-administered acupressure (SAA) has been shown to potentially prevent RTI, but still lack of clinical evidence in CKD. The present randomized controlled trial assessed the efficacy and safety of SAA in preventing RTI recurrence in patients with CKD. Methods: Participants with CKD who had been diagnosed with RTI on more than 2 occasions in the preceding 12 months were enrolled between November 6, 2017, and August, 6, 2018. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive daily SAA combined with usual care (intervention) or usual care alone (control) for 24 months. The primary outcome was time to first RTI. Secondary outcomes were RTI rate, kidney function, proteinuria and serum immune indicators, detected by the clinical laboratory in the hospital. The study would be discontinued if the participant met the criteria of stopping the study. Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression were used to compare the primary outcome between the two groups. Results: Among the 540 patients screened, 114 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=57) or the control group (n=57). The median follow-up duration was 24.4 months. Compared with controls, participants in the intervention group did not have a significantly lower risk of RTI according to Kaplan-Meier analysis, but did have a significantly lower risk of RTI according to competing risk analysis (HR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.42-1.00; P=0.05), when considering endpoint (dialysis or death) and loss to follow-up as competing risks, and had a significantly lower rate of RTI [1.65 vs. 2.19 episodes per patient-year, respectively; incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.75, 95% CI: 0.62-0.92; P=0.006]. Apart from lower study serum IgG levels in the intervention group at 24 months (mean difference 0.68 g/L; 95% CI: 0.07-1.29; P=0.029), all other secondary outcomes and overall adverse events were comparable between the 2 groups. Conclusions: SAA is a promising effective and safe therapy for preventing RTI in patients with CKD. However, the efficacy of SAA in children and adolescents still needs further study. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ChiCTR-IOR-17012654.

Case report: Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in a parturient with Potocki-Lupski syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Potocki -Lupski syndrome is an uncommon disorder caused by a micro-duplication in chromosome 17p11.2. Variable clinical manifestations bring troubles to the general and neuraxial anesthesia, including mental retardation, facial dysmorphisms, structural cardiovascular anomalies, scoliosis, and malignant hyperthermia. Until now, the anesthesia management for cesarean section in these patients has not been reported yet. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we present a 23-year-old Chinese parturient with Potocki -Lupski syndrome who underwent elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. She was transferred to our hospital in her 40th week of gestation. She had a history of IgA nephropathy for more than three years and was diagnosed with Potocki -Lupski syndrome (17p12p11.2 segment 3.1 Mb repeat) in the 29th week of pregnancy. Amniocentesis showed the fetus had no abnormal autosomes. Preoperative multidisciplinary consultation suggested that she should terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. She was ASA II. Her BMI was 26.43 kg/m2. Her airway evaluation was normal. Her spine could bend well and her spinal interspace could be touched clearly. We did the single spinal anesthesia at L2-3 interspace and gave 0.5% bupivacaine 1.7 ml. The absolute anesthesia level reached T8. The Apgar score for the newborn infant was 10 for 1st minute, 5th minute, and 10th minute. The vital signs were steady without using any vasoactive drugs. The patient had a good prognosis, and was subsequently discharged from hospital. CONCLUSION: To date, the case may be the first reported spinal anesthesia for the parturient with Potocki -Lupski syndrome. Although its manifestations are variable, the spinal anesthesia is feasible under careful and comprehensive preoperative evaluation.

Pure Acetylene Semihydrogenation over Ni-Cu Bimetallic Catalysts: Effect of the Cu/Ni Ratio on Catalytic Performance.

Ethylene is an important chemical raw material and with the increasing consumption of petroleum resources, the production of ethylene through the calcium carbide acetylene route has important research significance. In this work, a series of bimetallic catalysts with different Cu/Ni molar ratios are prepared by co-impregnation method for the hydrogenation of calcium carbide acetylene to ethylene. The introduction of an appropriate amount of Cu effectively inhibits not only the formation of ethane and green oil, thus increasing the selectivity of ethylene, but also the formation of carbon deposits, which improves the stability of the catalyst. The ethylene selectivity of the Ni-Cu bimetallic catalyst increases from 45% to 63% compared with the Ni monometallic counterpart and the acetylene conversion still can reach 100% at the optimal conditions of 250 °C, 8000 mL·g-1·h-1 and V(H2)/V(C2H2) = 3. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the metal particles were highly dispersed on the support, High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and H2-Temperature programmed reduction proved that there was an interaction between Ni and Cu, combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations results, Cu transferred electrons to Ni changed the Ni electron cloud density in NiCux catalysts, thus reducing the adsorption of acetylene and ethylene, which is favorable to ethylene selectivity.

Catalytic performance and deactivation of Ni/MCM-41 catalyst in the hydrogenation of pure acetylene to ethylene.

Ni/MCM-41 catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method for acetylene hydrogenation to ethylene based on the calcium carbide acetylene route. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicated that Ni was uniformly dispersed on the support. Temperature-programmed reduction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated a strong interaction between Ni and MCM-41, and Ni(0) and Ni(ii) coexisted in the catalyst. We optimized the catalytic activity by optimizing the Ni loading and reaction conditions including temperature, space velocity, and hydrogen/acetylene ratio. The acetylene conversion reached 100%, the ethylene selectivity reached 47%. Additionally, we tested the catalyst stability; the acetylene conversion was maintained at 100% for 25.73 h and was then rapidly reduced. ICP, TEM, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis and BET were used to investigate the reasons for catalyst deactivation; it was found that green oil deposition on the catalyst surface was the main reason for the catalyst deactivation.

Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) as adjunctive therapy for diabetic kidney disease: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Historical literature and pharmacological studies both suggest that Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus) holds potential benefits for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is a growing burden with limited proven renal protective options. AIM OF THE STUDY: An updated systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of A. membranaceus preparations as an adjunctive therapy to conventional therapies for DKD. METHODS: Nine databases and five clinical trial registries were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of A. membranaceus preparations added to conventional therapies compared with conventional therapies alone for people with DKD. Study screening, data collection, and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Estimated effects were pooled as mean differences or standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals by using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Sixty-six studies, involving 4785 DKD participants, were included. The quality of the included studies was low due to methodological shortfalls. Meta-analysis showed that additional use of A. membranaceus injection reduced more albuminuria (32 RCTs, 2253 participants; SMD: 2.05 [-2.49, -1.61], I2 = 94%), proteinuria (26 RCTs, 1812 participants; SMD: 1.85 [-2.34, -1.37], I2 = 95%), and serum creatinine levels (32 RCTs, 2880 participants; -14.78 µmol/L [-19.22, -10.33], I2 = 97%) than conventional therapies alone did. An anti-albuminuria effect was also observed in the oral A. membranaceus preparation group (four RCTs, 236 participants; SMD: 1.27 [-1.82, -0.73], I2 = 73%). Meta-regression suggested that the treatment effect of A. membranaceus injection was associated with the baseline serum creatinine level. The adverse-events profile was similar between the additional A. membranaceus and control groups. CONCLUSION: The low quality of evidence suggested that adjunctive use of A. membranaceus preparations in addition to conventional therapies may be effective and tolerated for short-term reduction of albuminuria, proteinuria, and serum creatinine in DKD patients. The findings should be considered with caution due to the lack of high-quality RCTs and significant heterogeneity and publication bias. Further RCTs are needed to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of A. membranaceus preparations, especially of the oral form, in patient-important outcomes.

Case report: life-threatening coronary artery spasm under transversus abdominis plane block in combination with general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Many cases of coronary artery spasm (CAS) during general plus epidural anesthesia have been reported. But transversus abdominis plane(TAP) block in combination with general anesthesia has not been reported to be a cause of CAS, let alone a life-threatening CAS. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case report, we present a case of a patient with CAS accompanied by ventricular fibrillation under general anesthesia with TAP block. CONCLUSION: Coronary artery spasm, even life-threatening CAS, may occur during TAP block in combination with general anesthesia.

Evaluation of optimum conditions for Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharides encapsulated in cubosomes and immunological activity in vitro.

Cubosomes, as biocompatible carriers in drug delivery systems, consist of curved bicontinuous lipid bilayers. With a honeycombed structure divided into two internal aqueous channels, cubosomes could be used for many bioactive ingredients. Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharides (ABPs) are isolated from the roots of Achyranthes bidentata, used in Chinese herbal medicine, and present a noticeable effect as an immunomodulator. This study investigates the optimal preparation of combined cubosome-ABP (Cub-ABP) nanoparticles using response surface methodology and explores their characteristics and stability. The encapsulation efficiency of optimized Cub-ABPs was 72.59%. In-vitro stability studies demonstrated the stability of Cub-ABPs and cubosome nanoparticles without ABPs; both were stable for up to 25days. Safe concentrations of Cub-ABPs and cubosome nanoparticles without ABPs are 104.06µg/mL and 208.13µg/mL with comparatively low cytotoxicity against lymphocytes. Moreover, the feasible immunomodulatory effects of Cub-ABPs were determined by evaluating their proliferation and change of CD4+/CD8+ ratio on splenic lymphocytes in vitro. Proliferation and flow cytometry studies revealed that, compared with free ABPs and blank cubosomes, Cub-ABPs proved more effective in promoting lymphocyte proliferation and in triggering the transformation of T-lymphocytes into Th-cells.

Optimization of angelica sinensis polysaccharide-loaded Poly (lactic-co-glycolicacid) nanoparticles by RSM and its immunological activity in vitro.

In this study, angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) was encapsulated into the Poly (lactic-co-glycolicacid) (PLGA) to constitute the ASP-PLGA. The aim of the study is to obtain optimal encapsulation efficiency of ASP-PLGA by optimizing the preparation conditions and investigate the immunological enhancement activity of ASP-PLGA. To obtain the optimal processing parameters, the parameters, such as the ratio of organic phase (o) to internal water phase (w1), the ratio of external water phase (w2) to organic phase (o) and the concentration of Pluronic F68 (F68) (w/v) were examined through response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum preparation conditions of ASP-PLGA for maximizing encapsulation efficiency (EE) was as follows:ratio of organic phase (o) to internal water phase (w1) at 10:1, ratio of external water phase (w2) to organic phase (o) at 11:1, the concentration of F68 at 0.8% and the experimental EE 67.89±0.48% was achieved. In addition, the results showed that ASP-PLGA could significantly promote the lymphocytes proliferation and increase the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells compared with ASP and blank PLGA. This study provided strong evidence that the immunological enhancement of ASP was significantly improved through establishing a drug delivery system with PLGA.

Simple nanoliposomes encapsulating Lycium barbarum polysaccharides as adjuvants improve humoral and cellular immunity in mice.

The success of subunit vaccines has been hampered by the problems of weak or short-term immunity and the lack of availability of nontoxic, potent adjuvants. It would be desirable to develop safe and efficient adjuvants with the aim of improving the cellular immune response against the target antigen. In this study, the targeting and sustained release of simple nanoliposomes containing Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) as an efficacious immune adjuvant to improve immune responses were explored. LBP liposome (LBPL) with high entrapment efficiency (86%) were obtained using a reverse-phase evaporation method and then used to encapsulate the model antigen, ovalbumin (OVA). We demonstrated that the as-synthesized liposome loaded with OVA and LBP (LBPL-OVA) was stable for 45 days and determined the encapsulation stability of OVA at 4°C and 37°C and the release profile of OVA from LBPL-OVA was investigated in pH 7.4 and pH 5.0. Further in vivo investigation showed that the antigen-specific humoral response was correlated with antigen delivery to the draining lymph nodes. The LBPL-OVA were also associated with high levels of uptake by key dendritic cells in the draining lymph nodes and they efficiently stimulated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation in vivo, further promoting antibody production. These features together elicited a significant humoral and celluar immune response, which was superior to that produced by free antigen alone.

Changes in the Bispectral Index in Response to Loss of Consciousness and No Somatic Movement to Nociceptive Stimuli in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: Bispectral index (BIS) is considered very useful to guide anesthesia care in elderly patients, but its use is controversial for the evaluation of the adequacy of analgesia. This study compared the BIS changes in response to loss of consciousness (LOC) and loss of somatic response (LOS) to nociceptive stimuli between elderly and young patients receiving intravenous target-controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol and remifentanil. METHODS: This study was performed on 52 elderly patients (aged 65-78 years) and 52 young patients (aged 25-58 years), American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II. Anesthesia was induced with propofol administered by TCI. A standardized noxious electrical stimulus (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, [TENS]) was applied (50 Hz, 80 mA, 0.25 ms pulses for 4 s) to the ulnar nerve at increasing remifentanil predicted effective-site concentration (Ce) until patients lost somatic response to TENS. Changes in awake, prestimulus, poststimulus BIS, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulse oxygen saturation, predicted plasma concentration, Ce of propofol, and remifentanil at both LOC and LOS clinical points were investigated. RESULTS: BISLOCin elderly group was higher than that in young patient group (65.4 ± 9.7 vs. 57.6 ± 12.3) (t = 21.58, P < 0.0001) after TCI propofol, and the propofol Ce at LOC was 1.6 ± 0.3 µg/ml in elderly patients, which was significantly lower than that in young patients (2.3 ± 0.5 µg/ml) (t = 7.474, P < 0.0001). As nociceptive stimulation induced BIS to increase, the mean of BIS maximum values after TENS was significantly higher than that before TENS in both age groups (t = 8.902 and t = 8.019, P < 0.0001). With increasing Ce of remifentanil until patients lost somatic response to TENS, BISLOSwas the same as the BISLOCin elderly patients (65.6 ± 10.7 vs. 65.4 ± 9.7), and there were no marked differences between elderly and young patient groups in BISawake, BISLOS, and Ce of remifentanil required for LOS. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients, BIS can be used as an indicator for hypnotic-analgesic balance and be helpful to guide the optimal administration of propofol and remifentanil individually. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI Reg. No: ChiCTR-OOC-14005629; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=9875.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 induces lymphangiogenesis and facilitates lymphatic metastasis in colorectal cancer.

AIM: To investigate the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and to analyze their correlation with lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in 40 CRC specimens. The correlation between IGF-1/IGF-1R and LVD was investigated. Effects of IGF-1 on migration and invasion of CRC cells were examined using transwell chamber assays. A LoVo cell xenograft model was established to further detect the role of IGF-1 in CRC lymphangiogenesis in vivo. RESULTS: Elevated IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression in CRC tissues was correlated with lymph node metastasis (r = 0.715 and 0.569, respectively, P < 0.05) and tumor TNM stage (r = 0.731 and 0.609, P < 0.05). A higher LVD was also found in CRC tissues and was correlated with lymphatic metastasis (r = 0.405, P < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between LVD and IGF-1R expression (r = 0.437, P < 0.05). Transwell assays revealed that IGF-1 increased the migration and invasion of CRC cells. In vivo mouse studies showed that IGF-1 also increased LVD in LoVo cell xenografts. CONCLUSION: IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling induces tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis and contributes to lymphatic metastasis of CRC.