In order to provide a scientific basis for the establishment of a Daphnes Cortex medicinal material fungus library and the screening of endophytic fungi that promote the growth of Daphnes Cortex and increase the content of daphnetin, we used Illumina high-throughput testing technology to analyze 9 Daphnes Cortex samples from Gansu and Shanxi provinces. A total of 632 766 valid sequences were obtained, including 348 OTUs, 4 phyla, 20 classes, 48 orders, 108 families, 154 genera, and 208 species. The sum of the first 3 fungal genera account for more than 65% of the total abundance, with the highest reaching 98.4%. Alternaria and Phoma are the main genuses of Daphne giraldii Nitsche, and Altemaria is the dominant genus. The endophytic fungi community of Daphnes Cortex is rich in diversity, and the order of fungal diversity in different producing areas is: Gangu County > Wutai County > Tanchang County.

Objective:To understand the current situation of knowledge, attitude and practice about target temperature management (TTM) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) among intensive care unit ICU nurses and analyze the influencing factors, so as to provide a reference for conducting ICU nurses′ TTM training for patients with STBI.Methods:Applying the method of cross-sectional study, from November to December 2022, a stratified whole-group sampling method was used, stratified by first-, second-, and third-level hospitals, and a self-designed questionnaire on the current status of ICU nurses′TTM for patients with STBI was used to investigate the current status of knowledge, attitude, and practice of neurosurgical ICU, emergency ICU, and comprehensive ICU nurses in 22 second- and third-level hospitals in 11 cities in Gansu Province, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing ICU nurses′ knowledge, attitude, and practice scores.Results:A total of 543 valid questionnaires were returned, and the scores of ICU nurses on the TTM total score, knowledge, attitude and practice dimensions of STBI patients were (76.75 ± 10.42), (7.38 ± 2.74), (39.57 ± 4.87), (29.80 ± 7.18) points respectively. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the factor influencing ICU nurses′ scores on the TTM knowledge dimension for STBI patients was having attended TTM-related training ( t = 2.16, P<0.05); the factors influencing ICU nurses′ scores on the TTM attitude dimension for STBI patients were college, bachelor′s degree and the position of nurse practitioner ( t = 2.65, 2.91, 2.14, all P<0.05); and the factors influencing ICU nurses′ scores on the TTM practice dimension for STBI patients were the age group of 36 to 45 years old, the department having TTM-related criteria and having knowledge of TTM-related guidelines ( t = -2.46, 2.64, 3.85, all P<0.05). Conclusions:ICU nurses have a more positive attitude toward TTM in patients with STBI, but the level of knowledge and practice needs to be improved. Managers should conduct relevant training according to the current situation and influencing factors to improve ICU nurses′ knowledge and practice of TTM in patients with STBI, ensuring the effectiveness and safety of TTM.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Tanshinone II A on the expression of epidermal growth facter (EGF) and epidermal growth facter recepter (EGFR) in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721.

METHODSThe human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells cultured in vitro was treated with different concentrations of Tanshinone II A. The proliferation of the cells was measured by MTT assay, and the apoptosis of the cells was investigated by flow cytometry and cytochemical staining with Hoechst 33342. The expression of EGF and EGFR was detected by immunocytochemistry method. The levels of EGF in medium were measured by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTTanshinone II A inhibited the growth of SMMC-7721 cells remarkably in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory rate reached the peak (72.5%) after 0.5 microg/ml Tanshinone II A was used for 48 h, which was significantly higher than that in the controls (P<0.05). FCM analysis showed that when SMMC-7721 cells were treated with 0.5 microg/ml Tanshinone II A, the apoptosis rates for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h were (4.06+/-0.27)%, (7.58+/-0.56)% and (5.23+/-0.13)%, respectively which were markedly higher than those in the controls (all P<0.01). SMMC-7721 cell apoptosis with cell shrinkage, nuclear chromatin concentration and fragmentation as well as the formation of apoptotic bodies were observed by cytochemical staining when treated with Tanshinone II A. The immunocytochemistry showed that the expressions of EGF and EGFR were down regulated while the concentration of Tanshinone II A was increasing. The high expression rates for EGF and EGFR were 10%, 20%, respectively, and the gray scale was 181.52+/-1.63, 179.37+/-1.59, which were markedly higher than those in the controls (all P<0.05). The levels of EGF in medium measured by radioimmunoassay were decreased significantly after Tanshinone II A treatment.

CONCLUSIONTanshinone II A can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721, which may be related to the down-regulation of EGF and EGFR protein expression.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the induction of microRNA (microRNA-106a,miR-106a)on the peritoneal metastasis of human gastric cancer cell BGC-823 by regulating matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2,TIMP2).Methods Human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 was cultured to the logarithmic growth phase. The cells were divided into three groups: BGC-823, BGC-823/anti-miR-106a (antagomir)and BGC-823/negative control.Real-time PCR was used to identify the effect of antagomir.Transwell assay was used to detect the cell migratory and invasive abilities of these three groups in vitro .With small incision, the cells were injected into the abdominal cavity of nude mice to prepare a xenograft model.The animals were divided into two groups:miR-antagomir and miR-NC.The tumor growth in the nude mice was generally observed and estimated.Immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods were used to detect the expression of metastasis-associated protein TIMP2 on the several abdominal organs.Results The expression level of miR-106a was down- regulated in BGC-823/anti-miR-106a group,with the fold change of 0.05±0.01,which was significantly different from that in NC group (t=-18.001,P＜0.001).In vitro exogenously silencing of miR-106a gene,the numbers of invasive and migratory cells in BGC-823/anti-miR-106a group were both significantly lower than those in BGC-823 and BGC-823/negative control groups (P＜0.001).In vivo xenograft model showed that the down-regulation of miR-106a weakened the peritoneal metastasis ability of BGC-823 cells in nude mice abdominal cavity,which was reflected by the decrease of tumor number and tumor size.With the inhibition of miR-106a,the expression of TIMP2 in miR-antagomir group was significantly higher than that in miR-NC group (P＜0.05).Conclusion BGC-823 cell has the tumorigenicity in nude mice.Silencing of miR-106a inhibits gastric cancer cell metastasis, which suggests that it has the oncogenic function.MiR-106a may induce the strengthened peritoneal metastasis ability of BGC-823 cell through acting on TIMP2.

Objective: To study the expression and effect of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein-associated protein B (SNRPB) on proliferation and metastasis of liver cancer tissues and cells. Methods: The bioinformatics database starBase v3.0 and GEPIA were used to analyze the expression of SNRPB in liver cancer tissue and normal liver tissue, as well as the survival and prognosis of liver cancer patients. The expression of SNRPB mRNA and protein in liver cancer cell lines were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. RNA interference technique (siRNA) was used to determine SNRPB protein expression down-regulation. The proliferation effect on hepatocellular carcinoma cells was observed by MTT assay. Transwell invasion and migration assay was used to detect the changes in the metastatic ability of liver cancer cells after SNRPB down-regulation. Western blot was used to detect the changes of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in liver cancer cells after down-regulation of SNRPB expression. Data were compared between two groups and multiple groups using t-test and analysis of variance. Results: The expression of SNRPB was significantly higher in liver cancer tissue than normal liver tissue, and its expression level was correlated with the prognosis of liver cancer patients. Compared with the immortalized hepatocyte LO(2), the expression of SNRPB was significantly increased in the liver cancer cells (P < 0.01). siRNA-SNRPB had significantly inhibited the expression of SNRPB mRNA and protein in liver cancer cells. MTT results showed that the absorbance value was lower in SNRPB knockdown group than negative control group, and the difference at 96 h after transfection was most significant (P < 0.01). Transwell assay results showed that compared with the negative control group, the SNRPB knockdown group (MHCC-97H: 121.27 ± 8.12 vs. 46.38 ± 7.54; Huh7: 126.50 ± 6.98 vs. 41.10 ± 8.01) invasion and migration (MHCC-97H: 125.20 ± 4.77 vs. 43.18 ± 7.32; Huh7: 132.22 ± 8.21 vs. 38.00 ± 6.78) ability was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in liver cancer cells. Western blot showed that the expression level of epithelial phenotype marker E-cadherin was decreased after down-regulation of SNRPB, while the expression levels of mesenchymal phenotype markers N-cadherin and vimentin was increased, suggesting that down-regulation of SNRPB inhibited EMT in liver cancer cells. Conclusion: SNRPB expression is significantly increased in liver cancer tissues and cells, and it is involved in regulating the proliferation, metastasis and EMT of liver cancer cells.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; snRNP Core Proteins

In this paper, the correlation between the chemical constituents of Chinese herbal medicines Daphnes Cortex and the ecological factors and soil factors was studied, which provided a reference for the selection of suitable areas for artificial cultivation of Daphne giraldii and wild tending. The geographic information system(GIS) was applied to obtain the ecological factor information of 23 collection sites of Daphnes Cortex, and the soil factor information was determined by the standard procedure in the soil test standard manual. Combining the information of 93 chemical constituents of Daphnes Cortex in 23 collection sites the correlation between components and ecological factors and soil factors was analyzed by statistical methods. The correlation analysis showed that the longitude, annual average rainfall, annual sunshine intensity, annual average temperature in the ecological factors, soil type, effective copper and pH value were the dominant factors affecting the chemical composition of Daphnes Cortex.
China ; Copper ; Daphne/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Geographic Information Systems ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; Rain ; Soil/chemistry* ; Sunlight ; Temperature

The identification and use of molecular biomarkers have greatly improved the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. However, a much deeper understanding of oncogenic proteins is needed for the benefit to cancer patients. The lipid raft marker proteins, flotillin-1 and flotillin-2, were first found in goldfish retinal ganglion cells during axon regeneration. They have since been found in a variety of cells, mainly on the inner surface of cell membranes, and not only act as a skeleton to provide a platform for protein-protein interactions, but also are involved in signal transduction, nerve regeneration, endocytosis, and lymphocyte activation. Previous studies have shown that flotillins are closely associated with tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. In this article, we review the functions of flotillins in relevant cell processes, their underlying mechanisms of action in a variety of tumors, and their potential applications to tumor molecular diagnosis and targeted therapy.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Endocytosis ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins/physiology* ; Neoplasms/etiology* ; Nerve Regeneration

GGGGCC repeat expansions in the C9ORF72 gene are the most common cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (c9ALS/FTD). It has been reported that hexanucleotide repeat expansions in C9ORF72 produce five dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins by an unconventional repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation. Within the five DPR proteins, poly-PR and poly-GR that contain arginine are more toxic than the other DPRs (poly-GA, poly-GP, and poly-PA). Here, we demonstrated that poly-PR peptides transferred into cells by endocytosis in a clathrin-dependent manner, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell death. In SH-SY5Y cells and primary cortical neurons, poly-PR activated JUN amino-terminal kinase (JNK) and increased the levels of p53 and Bax. The uptake of poly-PR peptides by cells was significantly inhibited by knockdown of clathrin or by chlorpromazine, an inhibitor that blocks clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Inhibition of clathrin-dependent endocytosis by chlorpromazine significantly blocked the transfer of poly-PR peptides into cells, and attenuated poly-PR-induced JNK activation and cell death. Our data revealed that the uptake of poly-PR undergoes clathrin-dependent endocytosis and blockade of this process prevents the toxic effects of synthetic poly-PR peptides.