Turning Nonmagnetic Two-Dimensional Molybdenum Disulfides into Room-Temperature Ferromagnets by the Synergistic Effect of Lattice Stretching and Charge Injection.

Exploring two-dimensional (2D) room-temperature magnetic materials in the field of 2D spintronics remains a formidable challenge. The vast array of nonmagnetic 2D materials provides abundant resources for exploration, but the strategy to convert them into intrinsic room-temperature magnets remains elusive. To address this challenge, we present a general strategy based on surface halogenation for the transition from nonmagnetism to intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetism in 2D MoS2 based on first-principles calculations. The derived 2D halogenated MoS2 are half-semimetals with a high Curie temperature (TC) of 430-589 K and excellent stability. In-depth mechanistic studies revealed that this marvelous nonmagnetism-to-ferromagnetism transition originates from the modulation of the splitting as well as the occupation of the Mo d orbitals by the synergy of lattice stretching and charge injection induced by the surface halogenation. This work establishes a promising route for exploring 2D room-temperature magnetic materials from the abundant pool of 2D nonmagnetic counterparts.

Deoxynivalenol Detoxification by a Novel Strain of Pichia kudriavzevii via Enzymatic Degradation and Cell Wall Adsorption.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that significantly threatens the food and feed industry. Corn steep liquor (CSL) is an acidic byproduct of the corn starch industry, and DON is concentrated in CSL once the material is contaminated. In this work, a Pichia kudriavzevii strain that could remove DON from CSL was isolated and characterized. The strain P. kudriavzevii E4-205 showed detoxifying activity in a pH range of 4.0~7.0 and temperature of 25~42 °C, and 39.4% DON was reduced by incubating this strain in CSL supernatant diluted by 2-fold (5 µg/mL DON) for 48 h at pH 5.0 and 30 °C. Further mechanism studies showed that P. kudriavzevii E4-205 could adsorb DON by the cell wall and degrade DON by intracellular enzymes with NADH as a cofactor. The degradation product was identified as 3,7,8,15-tetrahydroxyscirpene by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DON adsorption by inactivated cells was characterized, and the adsorption followed pseudo first-order kinetics. This study revealed a novel mechanism by which microbes degrade DON and might serve as a guide for the development of DON biological detoxification methods.

IL2-inducible T-cell Kinase is Required for HBV-induced Type T Interferon Expression and Antiviral Response.

Background and Aims: Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), and is seen as a serious global health problem. HBV infection induces the expression of type I interferon (IFN), including IFN-α and IFN-ß, which have anti-HBV activities, and have been used for HBV treatment. IL2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) is a tyrosine kinase, which regulates T-cell differentiation and activation, while its precise effects on type I IFN production during HBV infection remain unknown. Methods: We monitored the ITK expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and patients with acute and chronic HBV infection. We used ITK inhibitor ibrutinib to treat hepatocytes and evaluated the type I IFN expression after HBV infection. We also administrated ibrutinib to mice and evaluated its effect on HBV infection in vivo. We generated ITK, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) knockout and ITK/SOCS1 double knockout cells using CRISPR, and monitored the HBV-induced type I IFN production. Results: ITK and type I IFN were upregulated in patients with acute HBV infection. Inhibition of ITK by ibrutinib suppressed HBV-induced expression of type I IFN mRNA in mice. ITK knockout cells had decreased IRF3 activation but promoted the expression of SOCS1. ITK negatively regulated SOSC1 expression. The down regulation of type I IFN in ITK knockout cells after HBV stimulation was abolished in the absence of SOCS1. Conclusions: ITK regulated HBV-induced expression of type I IFN mRNA by modulating SOCS1.

Manganese Breaks the Immune Tolerance of HBs-Ag.

BACKGROUND: Manganese (Mn2+) has been shown to promote type I interferon (IFN) production and activate the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) signaling pathway, suggesting that Mn2+ could be used as an adjuvant for vaccination. METHODS: In present study, the effects of Mn2+ on vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) were evaluated. We treated mouse hepatocytes and kuppfer cells with Mn2+ with or without adeno-associated virus (AAV)-HBV infection. Expression of IFN-α and IFN-ß and activation of TBK1 and IRF3 were monitored. Wild-type and STING-/- mice were treated with Mn2+ and then infected with AAV-HBV. Serum levels of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, IFN-α, and IFN-ß were detected. Lymphocyte infiltration in the liver was evaluated. HBsAg-Tg mice were vaccinated with Mn2+ and HBsAg. The serum levels of HBsAg antibody, alanine transaminase activity, and IFN-ß were monitored after vaccination. RESULTS: Mn2+ promoted IFN-α and IFN-ß production in mouse hepatocytes and kuppfer cells. Mn2+ failed to promote IFN-α and IFN-ß production in kuppfer cells deficient in STING. Mn2+ promoted activation/phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 during AAV-HBV infection. Mn2+ decreased serum levels of HBsAG, increased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), IFN-α and IFN-ß, and enhanced lymphocyte infiltration and the percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells in the liver of AAV-HBV-infected mice. In contrast, Mn2+ treatment did not affect serum levels of HBsAG, ALT, IFN-α, or IFN-ß in STING-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS: Mn2 + promoted HBsAG antibody, ALT, and IFN-ß production after HBsAG immunization. Mn2+ promoted type I IFN production in AAV-HBV infection and HBsAG immunization and could be used as an adjuvant for vaccination.

3-Methyladenine-enhanced susceptibility to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting autophagy.

As an effective targeted therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), sorafenib resistance has been frequently reported in recent years, with the activation of autophagy by cancer cells under drug stress being one of the crucial reasons. Sorafenib treatment could enhance autophagy in HCC cells and autophagy is also considered as an important mechanisms of drug resistance. Therefore, the inhibition of autophagy is a potential way to improve the sensitivity and eliminate drug resistance to restore their efficacy. To determine whether autophagy is involved in sorafenib resistance and investigate its role in the regulation of HepG2 cells' (an HCC cell line) chemosensitivity to sorafenib, we simultaneously treated HepG2 with sorafenib and 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) (a common autophagy inhibitor). First, by performing cell counting kit 8 cell viability assay, Hoechst 33342 apoptosis staining, and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide apoptosis kit detection, we found that both sorafenib and 3-MA effectively inhibitted the proliferative activity of HepG2 cells and induced their apoptosis to a certain extent. This effect was significantly enhanced after these two drugs were combined, which was also confirmed by the increased expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Subsequently, by using AAV-GFP-LC3 transfection methods and transmission electron microscopy, we found that both the number and activity of autophagosomes in HepG2 cells in sorafenib and 3-MA group were significantly reduced, suggesting that autophagy activity was inhibited, and this result was consistent with the expression results of autophagy-related proteins. Therefore, we conclude that 3-MA may attenuate the acquired drug resistance of sorafenib by counteracting its induction of autophagy activity, thus enhancing its sensitivity to advanced HCC therapy.

An efficient high-speed countercurrent chromatography method for preparative separation of javanicin from Fusarium solani, a fungus isolated from the fruiting body of the mushroom Trametes trogii.

To develop an efficient method for large preparation of javanicin from Fusarium solani, a rapid and simple method by high-speed countercurrent chromatography was established based on average polarity (P' values) and partition coefficients (K values) of crude samples. A suitable solvent system for high-speed countercurrent chromatography was selected from many possible biphasic solvent systems. HSCCC was successfully applied to separate and purify javanicin, the main bioactive component of solid cultures of the fungus F. solani isolated from the fruiting body of Trametes trogii, with petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (4:3:2:1, v/v) as solvent system. A total amount of 40.6 mg of javanicin was obtained from 100 mg crude sample. The purity of javanicin was 92.2% with a recovery of 95.1%, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatrography. The molecular structure was identified primarily by NMR and MS methods. The results indicated that high-speed countercurrent chromatography could be a powerful technology for separating naphthoquinones from the solid cultures of the fungus F. solani. It is also of significance that the separation of javanicin from natural source was carried out for the first time utilizing high-speed countercurrent chromatography.

Combination leflunomide and methotrexate impedes the recovery of liver fibrosis, partly through inhibition of myeloid cell admittance.

The process of liver fibrosis is reversible and involves a recovery phase. In the present study, the potential side effects of combination leflunomide and methotrexate (LEF+MTX), a conventional rheumatoid arthritis therapy used in the resolution of liver fibrosis, was investigated. In a carbon tetrachloride­induced liver fibrosis model, the results of hepatic pathology demonstrated that the LEF+MTX combination delayed the recovery of fibrosis, although the activation of hepatic stellate cells in vitro was inhibited. A total of four liver fibrosis­associated indicators, hyaluronic acid, laminin, procollagen type III and collagen IV, maintained high levels in the serum of LEF+MTX­treated mice, while detection of bone marrow­driven monocytes in the blood by flow cytometry indicated that they were significantly decreased. Notably, the results of immunofluorescence staining of hepatic myeloid cells and detection of vascular growth factor A (VEGF­A) in blood and liver suggested that the reduced degeneration of collagen in liver sinusoids was associated with decreased myeloid cell adhesion and the downregulation of VEGF­A in the liver. The present results suggested that in certain cases, treatment with LEF+MTX may impede the recovery of hepatic fibrosis­associated diseases in mice.

CDCA5 regulates proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma and has potential as a negative prognostic marker.

BACKGROUND: CDCA5 plays an important role in the development of various human cancers, but the associated mechanisms have not been investigated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated expression levels and functions of CDCA5 in HCC and showed that CDCA5 is upregulated in HCC tissues compared with paired or unpaired normal liver tissues. RESULTS: Increased CDCA5 expression in HCCs was significantly associated with shorter survival of patients. Knockdown of CDCA5 using lentivirus-mediated shRNA significantly inhibited cell proliferation and suppressed cell survival, as well as induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and cell apoptosis of HCC cells. The tumor suppression effects of CDCA5 knockdown were mediated by decreased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and CyclinB1, which were increased in HCC tissues comparing with adjacent normal liver tissues. Moreover, upregulation of CDCA5 was positively associated with increased CDK1 and CyclinB1 expression in HCC tissues. CONCLUSION: The present data warrant consideration of CDCA5 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Serum Interleukin (IL)-9 and IL-10, but not T-Helper 9 (Th9) Cells, are Associated With Survival of Patients With Acute-on-Chronic Hepatitis B Liver Failure.

CD4 T helper (Th) cells are reported to be essential for initiating and maintaining an effective immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Th9 cells are a new subset of CD4 Th cells that produce interleukin (IL)-9 and IL-10. The present study aimed to investigate the percentage of Th9 cells relative to the number of CD4 cells in peripheral blood. We also measured serum IL-9 and IL-10 levels in different stages of HBV infection and their relationship with progress and prognosis of liver disease. Whole blood samples from 111 patients with HBV infection, including 39 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 25 HBV-liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC), 21 acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients, and 26 healthy controls were collected. The percentage of Th9 cells and serum IL-9 and IL-10 levels were determined. There was no significant difference in the percentage of Th9 cells and serum IL-9 and IL-10 levels among different groups, nor were these related to hepatitis B e antigen status, complications of cirrhosis, inflammation index, or prognosis indexes. There was no change in the percentage of Th9 cells before and after antiviral treatment in CHB patients. There was no correlation of Th9 cells with survival of ACLF patients. However, IL-9 and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in the nonsurvived ACLF patients compared to survived ACLF patients. Furthermore, baseline IL-9 level predicted the prognosis of ACLF patients with 87.5% sensitivity and 61.5% specificity.Thus, our data indicate that Th9 cells were unlikely involved in the pathogenesis of HBV infection, but elevation in IL-9 and IL-10 may signal poor prognosis for ACLF.

[Changes in HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load and their correlation in patients with chronic hepatitis B and HBV-related liver cirrhosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes in HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load and their correlation in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and HBV-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC). METHODS: Forty-six patients with mild to moderate CHB (CHB-LM), 24 patients with severe CHB (CHB-S), and 28 patients with HBV-LC at admission, and 51 patients with HBV-LC at 4.08 ± 3.06 months during antiviral treatment were tested for serum HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load using Abbott chemiluminescence and fluorescence quantitative PCR, respectively. RESULTS: The serum HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load gradually decreased with increased disease severity (from CHB-LM, CHB-S to HBV-LC; χ(2)=12.537 and 8.381, respectively, P<0.05). HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load were significantly higher in CHB-LM and CHB-S groups than in HBV-LC group (P<0.05), but comparable between CHB-LM and CHB-S groups (Z=-0.649 and 0.032, respectively, P>0.05). Among HBeAg-positive patients, HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load tended to decrease with increased disease severity (from CHB-LM, CHB-S to HBV-LC; χ(2)=6.146, P=0.046 and χ(2)=1.017, P>0.05; respectively), and CHB-LM group had significantly higher HBsAg titer than HBV-LC group (Z=-2.247, P=0.025). Among the HBeAg-negative patients, serum HBsAg and HBV DNA load gradually declined with the disease severity (χ(2)=8.660 and 13.581, respectively, P<0.05), and were obviously higher in CHB-LM and CHB-S groups than in HBV-LC group (P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between serum HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in CHB-LM (r=0.389, P=0.009) and HBV-LC groups (r=0.431, P=0.022), but not in CHB-S group (r=0.348, P=0.104). After antiviral therapy, the serum HBsAg titer was slightly decreased (Z=-1.050, P=0.294) while HBV DNA load markedly reduced (Z=-5.415, P<0.001), showing no correlation between them (r=0.241, P=0.111) or between the measurements before and after treatment (r=0.257, P=0.085). CONCLUSION: Serum HBsAg titer and HBV DNA load decreases progressively from CHB-LM to CHB-S and HBV-LC in both HBeAg- positive and -negative patients. The serum HBsAg titer is positively correlated with HBV DNA load, but their levels are not consistently parallel.

The Transforming Growth Factor ß1/Interleukin-31 Pathway Is Upregulated in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure and Is Associated with Disease Severity and Survival.

The transforming growth factor ß1/interleukin-31 (TGF-ß1/IL-31) pathway plays an important role in the process of cell injury and inflammation. The purpose of this work was to explore the role of the TGF-ß1/IL-31 pathway in the cytopathic process of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The quantitative serum levels of TGF-ß1, IL-9, IL-10, IL-17, IL-22, IL-23, IL-31, IL-33, and IL-35 were analyzed among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients (n = 17), ACLF patients (n = 18), and normal control (NC) subjects (n = 18). Disease severity in patients with ACLF was assessed using the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh scores. Serum TGF-ß1 levels were strongly positively correlated with IL-31 in all subjects, and both of them were positively correlated with IL-17, IL-22, and IL-33. In CHB and ACLF patients, serum levels of TGF-ß1 and IL-31 were both increased significantly compared with those in NC subjects and positively correlated with total bilirubin (TBil) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. ACLF patients showed the highest levels of TGF-ß1 and IL-31, which were positively correlated with Child-Pugh scores. Furthermore, the recovery from the liver injury in CHB was accompanied by decreased TGF-ß1 and IL-31 levels. More importantly, serum levels of TGF-ß1 and IL-31 were markedly upregulated in ACLF nonsurvivors, and IL-31 displayed the highest sensitivity and specificity (85.7% and 100.0%, respectively) in predicting nonsurvival of ACLF patients. Increasing activity of the TGF-ß1/IL-31 pathway is well correlated with the extent of liver injury, disease severity, and nonsurvival of ACLF patients, while reducing activity is detected along the recovery from liver injury in CHB, suggesting its potential role in the pathogenesis of liver injury during chronic HBV infection.

Elevated TGF-ß1/IL-31 Pathway Is Associated with the Disease Severity of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Liver Cirrhosis.

The proinflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) and interleukin (IL)-31 have been implicated in tissue injury. However, whether TGF-ß1/IL-31 are stimulated and elevated in response to liver injury that leads to fibrogenesis in hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) remains unclear. To investigate the association between TGF-ß1/IL-31 and stages of chronic HBV infection, serum TGF-ß1, IL-9, IL-10,IL-17, IL-22, IL-23, IL-31, IL-33, and IL-35 were determined among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB; n=19), HBV-LC (n=20), and a normal control population (NC; n=18). Disease severity in patients with HBV-LC was assessed using model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores. Serum TGF-ß1 and IL-31 levels were strongly positively linked in all subjects, and both correlated positively with IL-22, IL-33, and IL-17. TGF-ß1 and IL-31 levels in the blood were both significantly higher in CHB and HBV-LC patients than in NC subjects. Elevated serum TGF-ß1 and IL-31 levels were positively associated with albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, creatinine, white blood cell count, and platelet levels. Serum TGF-ß1 and IL-31 were markedly higher in HBV-LC patients who did not have esophageal varices, and IL-31 had the highest sensitivity and specificity (90.9% and 66.7%, respectively) for indicating the absence of this complication. In summary, TGF-ß1 and IL-31 were linked to progression from CHB to LC, and correlated well with the severity of HBV-LC. These findings suggest possible roles of the TGF-ß1/IL-31 pathway in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis during chronic HBV infection.

Ratios of regulatory T cells/T-helper 17 cells and transforming growth factor-ß1/interleukin-17 to be associated with the development of hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of the regulatory T cells (Treg)/T-helper (Th) 17 cells and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/interleukin-17 (IL-17) ratios with the survival and disease progression in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated liver cirrhosis (LC). METHODS: The frequencies of Treg and Th17 cells were analyzed in 28 patients with HBV-LC, 70 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 20 normal controls (NC) by flow cytometry. The levels of cytokines related to Treg/Th17 differentiation, including IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-17, and IL-23, were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with NC, Treg cells were significantly increased in CHB patients and slightly increased in HBV-LC patients, whereas Th17 cells were markedly increased both in patients with CHB and HBV-LC. HBV-LC patients, especially the nonsurvival ones, manifested a profound decrease in the Treg/Th17 ratio, which was negatively correlated with Child-Pugh and model of end-stage liver disease scores. Serum IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-17, and IL-23 levels were all significantly higher in HBV-LC patients than in NC. In addition, the TGF-ß1/IL-17 ratio was also markedly increased in patients with HBV-LC, especially in nonsurvival and decompensated liver cirrhosis patients, and positively correlated with total bilirubin, Child-Pugh, and model of end-stage liver disease scores. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased Treg/Th17 ratio and increased TGF-ß1/IL-17 ratio may be associated with the survival and disease progression in HBV-LC patients, and both of the two ratios can be used independently to predict the prognosis and disease progression of HBV-LC patients.

Changes in the balance between Treg and Th17 cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of Treg cells, Th17 cells and cytokines associated with Treg/Th17 differentiation in the occurrence, development and outcome of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). To do so, we detected populations of Treg and Th17 cells and their associated cytokines in the peripheral blood of CHB patients. The populations of Treg cells (CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low) T cells) and Th17 cells (CD3(+)CD8(-)IL-17(+) T cells) were analyzed in 46 patients with low to moderate chronic hepatitis B (CHB-LM), 24 patients with severe chronic hepatitis B (CHB-S) and 20 healthy controls (HC) using flow cytometry. The levels of cytokines associated with Treg/Th17 differentiation, including IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-17 and IL-23, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our study showed that the imbalance of Treg and Th17 cells might play an important role in the occurrence, development and outcome of CHB.

Dynamic Changes of Treg and Th17 Cells and Related Cytokines Closely Correlate With the Virological and Biochemical Response in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Undergoing Nucleos(t)ide Analogues Treatment.

BACKGROUND: The restoration of HBV-specific T-cell response during antiviral therapy is associated with CD4+T-cell activity. Treg cells and Th17 cells are subtypes of CD4+T cell. However, it has remained unknown how the Treg and Th17 cells and their associated cytokines affect nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) antiviral efficacy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to provide a new insight to evaluate the NA antiviral therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-four CHB patients hospitalized between July 2010 and August 2011 were enrolled in this study. They were received NA (entecavir, lamivudine and adefovir) treatment for 14.42 ± 13.08 weeks, and the peripheral blood was collected. The frequencies of Treg and Th17 cells were detected by flow cytometric analysis, and the levels of IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-17 and IL-23 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In complete and partial-responders, Treg cells frequencies and IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-23 levels were all decreased significantly after NA therapy, while Th17 cells and the IL-17 levels were increased slightly. Treg/Th17 ratio was only dramatically declined in complete-responders. But there was no significant difference in non-responders. Either HBV DNA decreased by at least 2 log copies /mL or ALT turned to normal level, Treg cells frequencies and IL-10, TGF-ß1, IL-23 levels were significantly reduced. Meanwhile, Treg cells were positively correlated with HBV DNA and ALT. CONCLUSIONS: The changes of Treg and Th17 cells and their associated cytokines were related to virological and biochemical responses.

Novel double-antigen sandwich immunoassay for human hepatitis B core antibody.

A novel diagnostic immunoassay testing procedure for hepatitis B virus core antibody (anti-HBc) using homogeneous purified full-length hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) capsids obtained from Escherichia coli was compared with Abbott Architect anti-HBc chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA; indirect method) against a library of specimens. A monoclonal anti-HBc neutralization confirmatory assay was then used to determine the degree of discordance between specimens. The new assay was found to be superior in both sensitivity and specificity.