CircCCL22 Regulates CDC25A via Sponging miR-543 and Promotes Proliferation and Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecological tumor. Circular RNAs are a novel type of non-coding RNA that have important regulatory functions, particularly in the pathogenic progression of cancer. In this study, we investigated the function of circCCL22, and elucidated its molecular mechanism in EC progresssion. The expression of circCCL22, miR-543 and CDC25A in EC tissues and cells were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. Cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, wound healing and transwell assays were executed to assess the cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion. Dual-luciferase report assay was utilized to investigate the interaction of miR-543 with circCCL22 and CDC25A. The role of circCCL22 in EC in vivo was investigated by xenograft assay. CircCCL22 was notably upregulated in EC tissues and cells. Functionally, circCCL22 knockdown suppressed EC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circCCL22 acted as "miR-543 sponges" to regulate its targeted gene CDC25A expression in EC cells. The inhibiting effect induced by circCCL22 knockdown on EC cell proliferation, migration and invasion was greatly reversed by miR-543 inhibition or CDC25A overexpression. Our results revealed that circCCL22 regulated EC progression through targeting miR-543/CDC25A axis, and it could be a novel therapeutic target of EC.

The role of spectrin breakdown products in patients with traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spectrin Breakdown Products (SBDPs) accumulate in the brain after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and are expected to become a potentially promising biomarker of TBI. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to evaluate the role of SBDPs in the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI. METHODS: We systematically searched the following databases up to 31 October 2022: Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science Database, and studies were only included if they had sufficient data on SBDP concentrations in TBI patients. We calculated the standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for continuous outcomes and assessed the potential publication bias by using Egger's test and funnel plots. The statistical analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17. RESULTS: Of 1429 identified studies, 10 studies involving 417 participants were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) SBDP concentrations were significantly increased in TBI compared to controls (SBDP120: SMD = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.71 ~ 2.12, P < 0.00001; SBDP145: SMD = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.78 ~ 1.86, P < 0.00001; SBDP150: SMD = 1.39, 95% CI = 0.97 ~ 1.80, P < 0.00001), and CSF SBDPs were significantly associated with poor functional outcomes (PFO) (SBDP145: SMD = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.37 ~ 2.13, P < 0.00001; SBDP150: SMD = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.75 ~ 1.52, P < 0.00001). In addition, CSF and serum SBDP145 are valuable in diagnosing TBI (AUC = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80 ~ 0.99, P < 0.00001), and CSF SBDP145 also has diagnostic value for PFO (AUC = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.76 ~ 0.84, P < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: The limited evidence supports that the SBDPs can be employed as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI.

Effects of 'Healthy' Fecal Microbiota Transplantation against the Deterioration of Depression in Fawn-Hooded Rats.

Depression is a recurrent, heterogeneous mood disorder occurring in more than 260 million people worldwide. Gut microbiome dysbiosis is associated with the development of depressive-like behaviors by modulating neuro-biochemical metabolism through the microbiome-gut-brain (MGB) axis. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been proposed as a potential therapeutic solution for depression, but the therapeutic efficiency and mechanism are unknown. Here, we performed an FMT from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats ('healthy' controls) to Fawn-hooded (FH) rats (depression model). Pre-FMT, the FH rats exhibited significantly elevated depressive-like behaviors and distinct neurotransmitter and cytokine levels compared with SD rats. Post-FMT, FH recipients receiving FH fecal microbiota (FH-FH rats) showed aggravated depressive-like behaviors, while the ones receiving SD microbiota (FH-SD rats) had significantly alleviated depressive symptoms, a significant increase in hippocampal neurotransmitters, and a significant decrease of some hippocampal cytokines than FH-FH rats. SD-FMT resulted in the FH-SD rats' gut microbiome resembling the SD donors, and a significant shift in the serum metabolome but not the hippocampal metabolome. Co-occurrence analysis suggests that SD-FMT prevented recipients' depression development via the significant decrease of gut microbial species such as Dialister sp., which led to the recipients' metabolic modulation in serum and hippocampus through the enteric nervous system, the intestinal barrier, and the blood-brain barrier. Our results provided new data pointing to multiple mechanisms of interaction for the impact of gut microbiome modulation on depression therapy. IMPORTANCE Depression is a chronic, recurrent mental disease, which could make the patients commit suicide in severe cases. Considering that gut microbiome dysbiosis could cause depressive symptoms in animals through the MGB axis, the modification of gut microbiota is expected to be a potential therapy for depression, but the daily administration of probiotics is invalid or transient. In this study, we demonstrated that the gut microbiome transferred from a healthy rat model to a depressive rat model could regulate the recipient's neurobiology and behavior via the systematic alternation of the depressive gut microbiota followed by the serum and hippocampal metabolism. These results underline the significance of understanding the impact of gut microbiota on mental disorders and suggest that 'healthy' microbiota transplantation with the function to solve the host's cerebral inflammation may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for depression.

Reduction-responsive shell cross-linked micelles derived from amphiphilic triblock copolymer as anticancer drug delivery carrier.

Stimuli-responsive crosslinked micelles are attractive carriers for in vivo delivery of water-insoluble therapeutic drugs due to their excellent stability during the blood circulation and high therapeutic effect resulting from the intelligent break-up of the crosslinked structure triggered by intracellular conditions as well as the subsequent fast drug release. Herein, novel amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(allyl glycidyl ether/propanedithiol)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLLA-b-P(AGE-SH)-b-PEG) was designed and synthesized by combining two successive ring-opening polymerizations and subsequent "thio-ene" reaction. Due to their unique amphiphilic architecture, copolymer PLLA-b-P(AGE-SH)-b-PEG could self-assemble into core-shell micelles, and the stimuli-responsive crosslinked micelles (SCMs) were obtained by crosslinking the P(AGE-SH) segments in the micellar shell under redox condition. The SCMs exhibited good stability against extensive dilution and slow sustained drug release in a simulated normal physiologycal environment, but fast release in the presence of GSH. As revealed by the cytotoxicity assay, the micelles from the copolymer PLLA-b-P(AGE-SH)-b-PEG showed excellent biocompatibility against HEK293T cells. Due to these combined good properties, the stimuli-responsive crosslinked micelles from PLLA-b-P(AGE-SH)-b-PEG are proposed to be an ideal carrier for the in vivo delivery of water-insoluble therapeutics.

Similar Fecal Microbiota Signatures in Patients With Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Patients With Depression.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often have psychiatric comorbidities. Alterations in the intestinal microbiota have been associated with IBS and depression, but it is not clear if there is a microbial relationship between these disorders. We studied the profiles of fecal microbiota samples from patients with IBS, depression, or comorbidities of IBS and depression; we determined the relationships among these profiles and clinical and pathophysiological features of these disorders. METHODS: We used 454 pyrosequencing to analyze fecal microbiota samples from 100 subjects (40 with diarrhea-predominant IBS [IBS-D], 15 with depression, 25 with comorbidities of IBS and depression, and 20 healthy individuals [controls]), recruited at Peking University. Abdominal and psychological symptoms were evaluated with validated questionnaires. Visceral sensitivity was evaluated using a barostat. Colonic mucosal inflammation was assayed by immunohistochemical analyses of sigmoid tissue biopsy specimens. RESULTS: Fecal microbiota signatures were similar between patients with IBS-D and depression in that they were less diverse than samples from controls and had similar abundances of alterations. They were characterized by high proportions of Bacteroides (type I), Prevotella (type II), or nondominant microbiota (type III). Most patients with IBS-D or depression had type I or type II profiles (IBS-D had 85% type I and type II profiles, depression had 80% type I and type II profiles). Colon tissues from patients with type I or type II profiles had higher levels of inflammatory markers than colon tissues from patients with type III profiles. The level of colon inflammation correlated with the severity of IBS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IBS-D and depression have similar alterations in fecal microbiota; these might be related to the pathogenesis of these disorders. We identified 3 microbial profiles in patients that could indicate different subtypes of IBS and depression or be used as diagnostic biomarkers.

Chinese medicinal plants for advanced endometriosis after conservative surgery: a prospective, multi-center and controlled trial.

The trial was to explore the effects of Chinese medicinal plants (CMP) treatment on the advanced endometriosis (stage III-IV) after conservative surgery. A prospective, multi-center and controlled trial was conducted from June 2012 to September 2013. Sixty-five post-operative women with advanced endometriosis (stage III-IV) after conservative surgery were included in the trial. They had undergone laparoscopic surgical excision of the endometriosis lesions and the diagnosis of endometriosis was confirmed by pathological examination. The patients received either CMP treatment or goserelin acetate sustained-release depot treatment (as comparison) according to the willingness of the patients. In the post-treatment follow-up visit at 6 and 12 months, the patients were respectively undergone ultrasonic and gynecological examinations. The serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and interleukin 18 (IL-18) were also detected in the post-treatment follow-up visit at 12 months. We found that in the post-treatment follow-up visit at 6 months, the recurrence rate of CMP group and comparison group was 1/31 (3.23%) and 1/34 (2.94%), respectively. In the post-treatment follow-up visit at 12 months, the recurrence rate of CMP group and comparison group was 5/31 (16.13%) and 6/34 (17.65%), respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The serum levels of CA-125 and IL-18 significantly decreased in both of the two groups (P<0.05) and no marked differences existed between them on the serum levels of IL-18 (P>0.05). The serum CA-125 levels of CMP group were significantly lower than those of the comparison group (P<0.05). No adverse effect was reported in both of the two groups during the research and the follow-up period. It concluded that CMP showed promise in preventing the recurrence of stage III-IV endometriosis after conservative surgery, although the conclusion is somewhat limited due to the small size of the trial.

Defluviimonas alba sp. nov., isolated from an oilfield.

Two Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strains, cai42T and b45, were isolated from oil-production water taken from Xinjiang Oilfield, China. Optimum growth was observed at 30 °C, at pH 8 and with 1-3% (w/v) NaCl. According to phylogenetic analyses, the two strains were members of the genus Defluviimonas, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 95.5-96.3 % with the type strains of species of the genus. The major cellular fatty acids of strains cai42T and b45 were C10 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 0 and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c), and the predominant ubiquinone was Q-10, all of these data being typical for the genus Defluviimonas. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified lipids. The mean genomic DNA G+C contents of strains cai42T and b45 were 60.8±1.1 and 60.4±1.0 mol%, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic analyses, strains cai42T and b45 represent a novel species of the genus Defluviimonas, for which the name Defluviimonas alba sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is cai42T ( = CGMCC 1.12518T = LMG 27406T).

Marinobacter shengliensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil.

Two moderately halophilic strains, designated SL013A34A2(T) and SL013A24A, were isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil from Shengli Oilfield, eastern China. Cells were found to be Gram-staining negative, aerobic, rod-shaped with a single polar flagellum. The isolates were found to grow at 10-40 °C (optimum 35 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 8.0), and NaCl concentrations of 0.5-18.0 % (w/v) (optimum 3.0-6.0 NaCl). The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolates belong to the genus Marinobacter. Strain SL013A34A2(T) shares the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with strain SL013A24A (99.3 %), followed by M. hydrocarbonoclasticus CGMCC 1.7683(T) (97.8 %), M. vinifirmus CGMCC 1.7265(T) (97.8 %), and M. excellens KMM 3809(T) (97.4 %), respectively, but low similarities (93.8-96.4 %) with type strains of the other numbers of genus Marinobacter. DNA-DNA relatedness values of strain SL013A34A2(T) with strains SL013A24A, M. hydrocarbonoclasticus CGMCC 1.7683(T), M. vinifirmus CGMCC 1.7265(T) and M. excellens KMM 3809(T) were 88.7, 29.2, 33.4 and 29.4 %, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain SL013A34A2(T) were identified as C18:1 ω9c, C16:0, C12:03-OH, C12:0, C16:1 ω9c and 10-methyl C18:0. The major respiratory quinone of strain SL013A34A2(T) was found to be ubiquinone-9, and its predominant polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and unidentified glycolipid. The genomic DNA G + C content was found to be 56.1 mol %. Based on the phenotypic, genetic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, these two isolates are representatives of a novel species of the genus Marinobacter, for which the name Marinobacter shengliensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SL013A34A2(T)(=LMG 27740(T) = CGMCC 1.12758(T)).

Plastorhodobacter daqingensis gen. nov., sp. nov.: a non-phototrophic bacterium isolated from Daqing Oilfield.

Two aerobic Gram staining negative, non-motile, and rod-shaped strains, DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1, were isolated from an oil production mixture from Daqing Oilfield, northeastern China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1 were members of family Rhodobacteraceae, which showed 95.6-95.9 % of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Pararhodobacter aggregans DSM 18938(T), Rhodobacter veldkampii CGMCC 1.5006(T), and Roseinatronobacter thiooxidans DSM 13087(T), and lower similarities (<95.1 %) with all the left type species. Growth of strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1 occurred at pH 7-8, 15-45 °C, and 0-4 % (w/v) of NaCl. The strains could grow both in dark and in light, but neither photosynthetic pigments nor photosynthetic reaction center gene pufM were detected in the strains. These photosynthesis-related features of the two isolates were different from those of Rhodobacter and Roseinatronobacter bacteria, but similar with those of Pararhodobacter. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1 were 66.9 and 63.7 mol%, respectively. The predominant ubiquinone was Q-10 for both the strains. The major polar lipids of strain DQW12E81-30(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, unidentified aminolipid, unidentified glycolipid, and unidentified phospholipid. The two strains had C18:1 ω7c, C18:0, and C18:1 ω7c 11-methyl as the major fatty acids. In addition, the strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1 had C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c, C12:0, C14:0, C14:0 3-OH/C16:1 iso I, C10:0 3-OH, which were remarkably different from those of Pararhodobacter and Roseinatronobacter. The results of phenotypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic characteristics analyses indicated that strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1 were readily different from their most phylogenetically closely related genera. Plastorhodobacter daqingensis gen. nov, sp. nov. is proposed for strains DQW12E81-30(T) and DQW12E6-37-1. The type strain is DQW12E81-30(T) (=LMG 27732(T)=CGMCC 1.12750(T)).

Halodurantibacterium flavum gen. nov., sp. nov., a non-phototrophic bacterium isolated from an oil production mixture.

Three Gram-negative bacterial strains, DQW12E6-69-1(T), DQW12E61-22-1, and DQW12E6-22-1-1, were isolated from an oil production mixture from Daqing Oilfield, northeastern China. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the three strains formed a stable cluster different from the known genus in Rhodobacteraceae of Alphaproteobacteria. In addition, they were most closely related to species in genera Pararhodobacter, Rhodobacter ,and Rhodobaca with the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities being 95.1-95.9 %. Cells of the three strains were aerobic; they do not require salt to grow but are resistant to high salinity. They could conduct chemoorganoheterotrophic growth on various carbon sources, with non-phototrophic growth observed. The genomic DNA G+C contents of the strains DQW12E6-69-1(T), DQW12E6-22-1-1, and DQW12E61-22-1 were 63.8, 63.7, and 63.6 mol%, respectively. The predominant respiratory ubiquinone of DQW12E6-69-1(T) was Q-10, and the major fatty acids were C18:1 ω7c, C(18:0), and C(10:0) 3-OH. Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthetic reaction center gene pufM were not detected. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, unidentified glycolipid, and unidentified phospholipid. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic, and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strains DQW12E6-69-1(T), DQW12E61-22-1, and DQW12E6-22-1-1 represent a novel genus and a novel species of the family Rhodobacteraceae. The name Halodurantibacterium flavum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed with strain DQW12E6-69-1(T) (=LMG 27742(T) = CGMCC 1.12756(T)) as the type strain.

Seohaeicola nanhaiensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from the benthic sediment of South China Sea.

An aerobic, Gram-staining negative, non-motile, and rod-shaped bacterial strain, SS011A0-7#2-2(T), was isolated from the sediment of South China Sea with the depth of 1,500 m. Optimum growth occurred at pH 8.0, 30 °C, and 6 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain SS011A0-7#2-2(T) did not synthesize bacteriochlorophyll a or carotenoid, neither possess photosynthesis genes. Its genome DNA G+C content was 67.9 mol%. It contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18:1 ω7c (52.3 %) as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, unidentified phospholipid, and unidentified aminolipid. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that it was closely related to Seohaeicola saemankumensis SD-15(T), Phaeobacter gallaeciensis BS 107(T) and Roseovarius pacificus 81-2(T) in Rhodobacteraceae, with the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities being 96.5, 95.7, and 95.6 %, respectively. However, the phylogeny of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SS011A0-7#2-2(T) was a member of the genus Seohaeicola. Strain SS011A0-7#2-2(T) was moderately halophilic which was different from Seohaeicola saemankumensis SD-15(T), and it showed the enzyme activities and carbon source spectrum significantly different from Seohaeicola saemankumensis SD-15(T). As its physiological and chemotaxinomic properties were different from those of Seohaeicola saemankumensis SD-15(T), strain SS011A0-7#2-2(T) represents a novel species of the genus Seohaecola. The name Seohaeicola nanhaiensis sp. nov. is proposed, with strain SS011A0-7#2-2(T) (=LMG 27733(T) = CGMCC 1.12759(T)) as the type strain.

Glycocaulis albus sp. nov., a moderately halophilic dimorphic prosthecate bacterium isolated from petroleum-contaminated saline soil.

Two novel bacterial strains, SLG210-30A1(T) and SLG210-19A2, which shared 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with each other, were isolated from petroleum-contaminated saline soil in Shengli Oilfield, eastern China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, motile, aerobic, mesophilic and moderately halophilic. They could grow chemoheterotrophically with oxygen as an electron acceptor. Morphologically, cells were typical Caulobacteria-type dimorphic prosthecate bacteria. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains SLG210-30A1(T) and SLG210-19A2 were 61.8 mol% and 61.6 mol% respectively. Strain SLG210-30A1(T) had Q10 as the predominant respiratory ubiquinone, and C16 : 0 (28.4 %), C17 : 0 (11.6 %), C18 : 0 (22.1 %) and C18 : 1ω7c (14.0 %) as the major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipids of the two isolates were some glycolipids, a lipid, a phospholipid, an aminoglycolipid and an aminophospholipid (all unidentified). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains SLG210-30A1(T) and SLG210-19A2 showed the highest similarities with Glycocaulis abyssi MCS 33(T) (99.8-99.9 %), but low sequence similarities (<94.7 %) with type strains of other members of the family Hyphomonadaceae. However, the DNA-DNA relatedness of G. abyssi MCS 33(T) to strains SLG210-30A1(T) and SLG210-19A2 was 37.4±4.4 % and 36.1±1.1 %, respectively. Based on different physiological, biochemical, and phylogenetic characteristics, strains SLG210-30A1(T) and SLG210-19A2 represent a novel species of the genus Glycocaulis. The name Glycocaulis albus is therefore proposed with strain SLG210-30A1(T) ( = LMG 27741(T) = CGMCC 1.12766(T)) as the type strain. An emended description of the genus Glycocaulis is also provided.