Eu-doped carbon quantum dot as a selective probe for visualizing and monitoring sulfite in biological systems.

The detection of SO3 2- in complex environments and its visualization at the cellular level are critical for understanding its role in biological processes. In this study, we developed an Eu-doped long-wavelength fluorescent carbon quantum dot (CD2) and investigated the detection mechanism, interference effects and cellular imaging applications of the fluorescent probe CD2. The results show that the addition of SO3 2- induces an electronic rearrangement that restores CD2 to its original structure, leading to a rapid increase in fluorescence intensity. Selectivity experiments showed that CD2 has excellent selectivity to SO3 2-, with minimal interference from common anions. In addition, CD2 shows good biocompatibility for cellular imaging applications, as evidenced by the high cell viability observed in HeLa cells. Using confocal microscopy, we detected a significant enhancement of red fluorescence in HeLa cells after addition of exogenous SO3 2-, demonstrating the potential of CD2 as a probe for monitoring cellular SO3 2- levels. These findings highlight the promise of CD2 as a selective SO3 2- detection probe in complex environments and its utility in cellular imaging studies. Further studies are necessary to fully exploit the potential of CD2 in various biological and biomedical applications.

CHSY1 is upregulated and acts as tumor promotor in gastric cancer through regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration.

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumors, with rapid progression and poor prognosis. The role of chondroitin sulfate synthase 1 (CHSY1) in the development and progression of gastric cancer was explored and clarified in this study. The immunohistochemistry analysis of clinical tissue samples as well as data mining of public database showed that CHSY1 was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer and associated with more advanced tumor stage and poorer prognosis. In vitro loss-of-function experiments demonstrated the inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration, as well as the promoted cell apoptosis by CHSY1 knockdown. Moreover, recovery of CHSY1 expression could attenuate the regulatory effects induced by CHSY1 knockdown. Correspondingly, gastric cancer cells with CHSY1 knockdown showed reduced tumorigenicity and slower tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, this study identified CHSY1 as a tumor promotor in gastric cancer, which may be utilized as a novel indicator of patients' prognosis and therapeutic target for developing more effective drug for GC treatment.

Highly expressed IFITM10 is associated with early diagnosis and T stage of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are a family of proteins which functions mainly include controlling cell proliferation, promoting homotypic cell adhesion, and preventing viral infection. This research study attempts to elucidate the association between IFITM10 expression level and gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: Transcriptome sequencing and clinical information on GC and normal tissues was obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. R and related statistical packages were used to analyze the relationship between IFITM10 and survival in GC patients based on available clinical information. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were constructed using the SPSS software package. IFITM10 expression levels in patients tissue samples were examined by qPCR and association between IFITM10 expression and clinic characteristics was analyzed using SPSS. The signaling pathway associated with IFITM10 was analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RESULTS: In the TCGA database, IFITM10 was highly expressed in GC tissues (P<0.001). Area under the curve (AUC) value for IFITM10 in all samples was 0.813, while AUC value in the paired GC and adjacent tissues was 0.955. In the sample of surgical patients, IFITM10 was highly expressed in GC tissues (P<0.001). IFITM10 expression was higher in T1 and T2 tissues (P=0.042), male patients (P=0.031), and tissues without neuro infiltration (P=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: IFITM10 is highly expressed in GC and can serve as an early diagnostic indicator. High expression of IFITM10 was related to a low T stage in GC.

A meta-analysis: Does vitamin D play a promising role in sleep disorders?

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders, one of the most common problems in the general population, have been related to a series of harmful health consequences. Vitamin D appears to be associated with sleep disorders. However, the difference in vitamin D levels between sleep disorder subjects and people without a sleep disorder is unclear. Simultaneously, the influence of vitamin D replenishment on sleep disorders remains controversial. METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for literatures published until October 2019. Using a random effects model, a meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the standard mean difference to evaluate the difference in vitamin D concentrations between sleep disorder subjects and normal people and the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on sleep disorders. RESULTS: Our study found that the serum vitamin D levels in the sleep disorder subjects were lower than that in the normal people (SMD = -0.75 ng/ml, 95% CI = -0.93, -0.57 ng/ml). Moreover, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)in the subjects with vitamin D supplementation was lower than that in the controls (SMD = -0.45, 95% CI = -0.76, -0.13). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D could play a promising role in sleep disorders. More data are required to confirm the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for improving sleep disorders.

Effects of probiotic supplementation on the regulation of blood lipid levels in overweight or obese subjects: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a risk factor for many deadly diseases. Meanwhile, the prevalence of obesity has been continuously increasing in many countries. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits on hosts. Probiotic supplementation could reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI) and fat percentage. However, it is unclear whether supplementation with probiotics is beneficial to lower blood lipid levels for obese or overweight people. METHODS: In this study, a comprehensive search across multiple databases was performed to identify studies that focused on the effects of probiotics on blood lipid levels in overweight or obese subjects. The meta-analysis included studies that compared the variations in blood lipid (total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG)) concentrations between overweight and obese subjects who were supplemented with probiotics versus the controls who were not supplemented with probiotics. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that probiotic supplementation in obese or overweight people was associated with significantly larger reductions in TC and LDL levels compared to a lack of probiotic supplementation in the control subjects. However, there was no significant difference in the variations between HDL and TG concentrations. CONCLUSION: Probiotic supplementation reduced TC and LDL concentrations in obese or overweight people. Additional data from large clinical trials are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of probiotics in the regulation of blood lipid levels in obese or overweight people.