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Background: The systematic expression characteristics and functions of collagen genes in gastric cancer (GC) have not been reported. Through public data integration, combined with bioinformatics analysis, we identified a panel of collagen genes overexpressed in GC. The functions of these genes were analyzed and validated in a GC-related cohort. microRNAs that may potentially target such genes were investigated in vitro. Methods: Four GC-related datasets retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were used to extract differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GC. Functional annotation was performed to identify the potential roles of the identified DEGs. The association of candidate genes involved in the prognosis of GC patients (n=876) was determined using data provided by the Kaplan–Meier-plotter database, The Cancer Genome Atlas Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) repository, and a GC-related dataset (GSE15459). The expression characteristics of candidate genes and their associations with clinical parameters were validated in our in-house cohort (n=58). MicroRNAs able to target the identified candidate genes were predicted and confirmed using qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and dual-luciferase reporter assays in vitro. Results: After the integration of four GEO datasets, 76 DEGs were identified. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated that these DEGs were significantly enriched in ECM-related functions and pathways. A group of collagen genes was significantly upregulated in the GC tissues and constituted a protein–protein interaction network as important nodes. Some of these collagen genes were closely associated with poor prognosis in GC patients. Overexpression of COL1A1 and COL4A1 was confirmed in our in-house cohort, and this was related to prognosis and certain clinicopathological parameters. We found that microRNA-29c-3p could directly target COL1A1 and COL4A1 in BGC-823 cells. Conclusions: Collagen genes identified in this study were associated with patient prognosis in GC and may represent diagnostic markers or potential therapeutic targets. Aberrant expression of such candidate genes may be induced by microRNA-29c-3p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light blue crest (LBC) signs could be seen in the innominate grooves and crypt openings. b The long, linear, LBCs could be seen in tangential view of colonic mucosa (arrowheads). c Dot- or rod-like LBCs could be seen in partial crypt openings. 1 Normal colonic mucosa by magnifying endoscopy and narrow-band imaging. a The colon was partially collapsed and innominate grooves reappeared. [Extracted from the article]

Microvesicles (MVs) derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC MVs) were demonstrated to ameliorate inflammation in lungs. We have found their content of mRNA for keratinocyte growth factor was partly involved in their therapeutic effects. As MSC MVs also contained a substantial quantity of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) mRNA, which plays an essential role in vascular stabilization and resolving inflammation, we hypothesized that Ang-1 mRNA might similarly account for a part of their therapeutic effects. We downregulated Ang-1 mRNA expression in MVs, using a lentivirus vector carrying Ang-1 short hairpin RNA to transfect MSCs. A mouse model of lipopolysaccharide induced acute lung injury (ALI) was used in vivo. We also studied in vitro interactions between Ang-1 mRNA deficient MVs on macrophages and human lung microvascular endothelial cells. Compared with negative control, Ang-1 mRNA deficient MVs increased the influx of neutrophils and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid by 136% and 105%, respectively, suggesting a deteriorative lung inflammation and a failure to restore pulmonary capillary permeability assessed by Evan's blue dye and bronchoalveolar lavage albumin level. In vitro, the addition of Ang-1 mRNA deficient MVs failed to maintain the integrity of endotoxin-stimulated microvascular endothelial cells and abrogated the decrease in tumor necrosis factor-α level and the increase in interleukin-10 level mediated by negative control in RAW 264.7 cells. In summary, the therapeutic effects of MVs in ALI, and their immunomodulatory properties on macrophages were partly mediated through their content of Ang-1 mRNA. S tem C ells 2017;35:1849-1859 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance is one of the most formidable obstacles for treatment of glioma. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein ( 4E-BP1), a key component in the rate-limiting step of protein translation initiation, is closely associated with poor prognosis in multiple tumor types. However, it is unclear whether 4E-BP1 is involved in the drug resistance of human glioma. Herein we show that the expression of 4E-BP1 in human SWOZ2- BCNU drug-resistant glioma cells is significantly lower than that of the parent SWOZ2 cell line. Moreover, down-regulation of 4E-BP1 by short interfering RNA significantly impaired the sensitivity of SWOZ2 and U251 cells to carmustine ( BCNU). Furthermore, overexpression of 4E-BP1 with plasmid transfection regained this sensitivity. Clinical studies showed that the expression levels of 4E-BP1 in primary glioma tissues were markedly higher than those of recrudescent glioma tissues. Taken together, our results suggest that 4E-BP1 is a novel protein that contributes to acquired drug resistance and it may be a potential target for reversing drug resistance in human glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using the first-principles calculations, structural and electronic properties of Au and Ti adsorbed WS2 monolayers are studied systematically. For Au-adsorbed WS2, metallic interface states are induced in the middle of the band gap across the Fermi level. These interface states origin mainly from the Au-6s states. As to the Ti adsorbed WS2, some delocalized interface states appear and follow the bottom of conduction band. The Fermi level arises into the conduction band and leads to the n-type conducting behavior. The n-type interface states are found mainly come from the Ti-3d and W-5d states due to the strong Ti–S hybridization. The related partial charge densities between Ti and S atoms are much higher and increased by an order of magnitude as compared with that of Au-adsorbed WS2. Therefore, the electron transport across the Ti-adsorbed WS2 system is mainly by the resonant transport, which would further enhances the electronic transparency when monolayer WS2 contacts with metal Ti. These investigations are of significant importance in understanding the electronic properties of metal atom adsorption on monolayer WS2 and offer valuable references for the design and fabrication of 2D nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]