Given the increasing concern regarding antibacterial resistance, the antimicrobial properties of naphthoquinones have recently attracted significant attention. While 1,4-naphthoquinone and its derivatives have been extensively studied, the antibacterial properties of 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives remain relatively unexplored. This study presents a comprehensive in vitro and in vivo analysis of the antibacterial activity of 35 naturally sourced and chemically synthesized derivatives of 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone. Kirby-Bauer antibiotic testing identified three compounds with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with one compound (PNP-02) demonstrating activity comparable to vancomycin in minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill assays. Microscopic and biochemical analyses revealed that PNP-02 adversely affects the cell wall and cell membrane of MRSA. Mechanistic investigations, including proteomic sequencing analyses, Western blotting, and RT-qPCR assays, indicated that PNP-02 compromises cell membrane integrity by inhibiting arginine biosynthesis and pyrimidine metabolism pathways, thereby increasing membrane permeability and inducing bacterial death. In an in vivo mouse model of skin wound healing, PNP-02 exhibited antibacterial efficacy similar to vancomycin. The compound demonstrated low toxicity to cultured human cells and in hemolysis assays and remained stable during serum incubation. These findings suggest that PNP-02 possesses promising bioactivity against MRSA and represents a potential novel antibacterial agent.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/genetics* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry* ; Naphthoquinones/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mice ; Humans ; Staphylococcal Infections/microbiology* ; Molecular Structure

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis, despite advancements in treatment. Many patients struggle with relapse or refractory disease. Investigating the role of the super-enhancer (SE) regulated gene ubiquitin-specific protease 20 (USP20) in T-ALL could enhance targeted therapies and improve clinical outcomes. Analysis of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data from six T-ALL cell lines and seven pediatric samples identified USP20 as an SE-regulated driver gene. Utilizing the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and BloodSpot databases, it was found that USP20 is specifically highly expressed in T-ALL. Knocking down USP20 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increased apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in T-ALL cells. In vivo studies showed that USP20 knockdown reduced tumor growth and improved survival. The USP20 inhibitor GSK2643943A demonstrated similar anti-tumor effects. Mass spectrometry, RNA-Seq, and immunoprecipitation revealed that USP20 interacted with hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and stabilized it by deubiquitination. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) results indicated that USP20 co-localized with HIF1A, jointly modulating target genes in T-ALL. This study identifies USP20 as a therapeutic target in T-ALL and suggests GSK2643943A as a potential treatment strategy.

Objective·To prepare self-assembled drug-loaded nanoprobes with activatable chemical exchange saturation transfer(CEST)imaging capability,and evaluate their imaging performance and therapeutic potential for photodynamic-sensitized pyroptosis in breast cancer in vivo and in vitro.Methods·GC nanoprobes co-loaded with gemcitabine(Gem)and chlorin e6(Ce6)were constructed by using a self-assembly strategy.The physicochemical properties of the GC nanoprobes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and dynamic light scattering(DLS).The pH-/time-dependent CEST activation and drug release profiles were investigated.The 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)probe was used to detect the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS),and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the release of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 in mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells after treatment with GC nanoprobes with synergistic laser irradiation.Immunofluorescence was performed to detect immunogenic cell death(ICD)markers,including calreticulin(CRT)and high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1).The 4T1 breast cancer mouse models were established to validate tumor-specific CEST activation and evaluate anti-tumor efficacy by measuring tumor volume and detecting inflammatory factors and ICD markers.Results·SEM and DLS confirmed the uniform spherical morphology of the GC nanoprobes.The CEST imaging results showed that the nanoprobes had excellent pH-concentration and time-dependent activation imaging effects both in the simulated acidic microenvironment and at the cellular level in vitro.The drug release from this drug-loaded nanoprobe was 80％at pH 5.0,which was significantly higher than at pH 7.4(P=0.003).DCFH-DA fluorescence staining demonstrated that GC-mediated photodynamic therapy induced a significant generation of ROS.Analysis of pyroptosis-related factors revealed a marked increase in the release levels of IL-1β and IL-18(both P＜0.05),along with elevated fluorescence expression of CRT and HMGB1.The in vivo CEST imaging results showed that the CEST signal at the tumor site was significantly enhanced,peaking at 4 h with tail vein injection of GC.The GC nanoprobes with synergistic laser irradiation group showed markedly elevated inflammatory factors(IL-1β,IL-18),changed ICD biomarkers(HMGB1 and CRT),and significant tumor suppression,compared to the PBS control group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion·The GC nanoprobes enables specific CEST imaging-guided photodynamic therapy,effectively inducing pyroptosis and precise ablation of breast cancer.

Objective·To construct a pH-responsive manganese-based nanoprobe and explore the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy/ferroptosis synergistic treatment in breast cancer and the effect of pH-responsive magnetic resonance-activated imaging.Methods·BSA-MnO2@CPT(BMC)nanoprobes were prepared by biomineralization,and their physicochemical properties were characterized by transmission electron microscope(TEM)and dynamic light scattering.The magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was used to evaluate the pH-responsive MRI T1 activation and time-dependent activation efficacy at the cellular level,with quantitative analysis of MRI T1 signal intensity.The reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation and glutathione(GSH)depletion by BMC nanoprobes were respectively detected by methylene blue(MB)and DTNB in vitro.The synergistic efficacy of chemotherapy and ferroptosis mediated by the nanoprobes in 4T1 breast cancer cells was evaluated using the Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide(MTT)assay.After co-incubation 4T1 cells with BMC,intracellular ROS levels were determined through the staining of ROS fluorescence indicator 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)and the level of lipid peroxide(LPO)expression was detected by using BODIPY581/591 C11 probe.A subcutaneous xenograft tumor model of 4T1 breast cancer was established in mice,with four experimental groups:Control group(PBS group),CPT group,BSA-MnO2(BM)group,and BMC group.The pH-responsive T1 activation effect of the BMC nanoprobes was dynamically monitored in vivo,while the ferroptosis-based antitumor efficacy was evaluated by measuring tumor volume and ferroptosis biomarkers(LPO and ROS).Results·TEM revealed that the prepared BMC nanoprobes exhibited a spherical morphology with an average diameter of approximately 150 nm.The MRI results demonstrated that the nanoprobes were pH-activable,exhibiting progressively enhanced T1 signal intensity under acidic conditions,and displaying pH-dependent r1 relaxivity enhancement.These findings validated their dual pH/time-responsive activation efficacy at the cellular level.In vitro solution-level MB and DTNB assays demonstrated that the BMC nanoprobes effectively enhanced the generation of ROS and the consumption of GSH.Fluorescence staining with DCFH-DA and BODIPY581/591 C11 demonstrated that the combination of ferroptosis effect and chemotherapy significantly enhanced intracellular generation of ROS and LPO accumulation.The MTT assay demonstrated that the survival rate of tumor cells significantly decreased to 17%(P=0.003).In vivo MRI demonstrated that the T1 signal was significantly enhanced and reached its peak at 4 h after tail vein injection of the BMC nanoprobes.Furthermore,in vivo antitumor therapy showed that the BMC group exhibited upregulated levels of LPO and ROS in tumor tissues,accompanied by marked tumor suppression(P=0.009).Conclusion·The pH-responsive theranostic BMC nanoprobes enhances antitumor efficacy via the synergistic interaction of chemotherapy and ferroptosis,while enabling tumor microenvironment-activated MRI.

Objective·To construct a pH-responsive manganese-based nanoprobe and explore the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy/ferroptosis synergistic treatment in breast cancer and the effect of pH-responsive magnetic resonance-activated imaging.Methods·BSA-MnO2@CPT(BMC)nanoprobes were prepared by biomineralization,and their physicochemical properties were characterized by transmission electron microscope(TEM)and dynamic light scattering.The magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was used to evaluate the pH-responsive MRI T1 activation and time-dependent activation efficacy at the cellular level,with quantitative analysis of MRI T1 signal intensity.The reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation and glutathione(GSH)depletion by BMC nanoprobes were respectively detected by methylene blue(MB)and DTNB in vitro.The synergistic efficacy of chemotherapy and ferroptosis mediated by the nanoprobes in 4T1 breast cancer cells was evaluated using the Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide(MTT)assay.After co-incubation 4T1 cells with BMC,intracellular ROS levels were determined through the staining of ROS fluorescence indicator 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)and the level of lipid peroxide(LPO)expression was detected by using BODIPY581/591 C11 probe.A subcutaneous xenograft tumor model of 4T1 breast cancer was established in mice,with four experimental groups:Control group(PBS group),CPT group,BSA-MnO2(BM)group,and BMC group.The pH-responsive T1 activation effect of the BMC nanoprobes was dynamically monitored in vivo,while the ferroptosis-based antitumor efficacy was evaluated by measuring tumor volume and ferroptosis biomarkers(LPO and ROS).Results·TEM revealed that the prepared BMC nanoprobes exhibited a spherical morphology with an average diameter of approximately 150 nm.The MRI results demonstrated that the nanoprobes were pH-activable,exhibiting progressively enhanced T1 signal intensity under acidic conditions,and displaying pH-dependent r1 relaxivity enhancement.These findings validated their dual pH/time-responsive activation efficacy at the cellular level.In vitro solution-level MB and DTNB assays demonstrated that the BMC nanoprobes effectively enhanced the generation of ROS and the consumption of GSH.Fluorescence staining with DCFH-DA and BODIPY581/591 C11 demonstrated that the combination of ferroptosis effect and chemotherapy significantly enhanced intracellular generation of ROS and LPO accumulation.The MTT assay demonstrated that the survival rate of tumor cells significantly decreased to 17%(P=0.003).In vivo MRI demonstrated that the T1 signal was significantly enhanced and reached its peak at 4 h after tail vein injection of the BMC nanoprobes.Furthermore,in vivo antitumor therapy showed that the BMC group exhibited upregulated levels of LPO and ROS in tumor tissues,accompanied by marked tumor suppression(P=0.009).Conclusion·The pH-responsive theranostic BMC nanoprobes enhances antitumor efficacy via the synergistic interaction of chemotherapy and ferroptosis,while enabling tumor microenvironment-activated MRI.

Objective·To prepare self-assembled drug-loaded nanoprobes with activatable chemical exchange saturation transfer(CEST)imaging capability,and evaluate their imaging performance and therapeutic potential for photodynamic-sensitized pyroptosis in breast cancer in vivo and in vitro.Methods·GC nanoprobes co-loaded with gemcitabine(Gem)and chlorin e6(Ce6)were constructed by using a self-assembly strategy.The physicochemical properties of the GC nanoprobes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and dynamic light scattering(DLS).The pH-/time-dependent CEST activation and drug release profiles were investigated.The 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)probe was used to detect the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS),and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the release of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 in mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells after treatment with GC nanoprobes with synergistic laser irradiation.Immunofluorescence was performed to detect immunogenic cell death(ICD)markers,including calreticulin(CRT)and high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1).The 4T1 breast cancer mouse models were established to validate tumor-specific CEST activation and evaluate anti-tumor efficacy by measuring tumor volume and detecting inflammatory factors and ICD markers.Results·SEM and DLS confirmed the uniform spherical morphology of the GC nanoprobes.The CEST imaging results showed that the nanoprobes had excellent pH-concentration and time-dependent activation imaging effects both in the simulated acidic microenvironment and at the cellular level in vitro.The drug release from this drug-loaded nanoprobe was 80％at pH 5.0,which was significantly higher than at pH 7.4(P=0.003).DCFH-DA fluorescence staining demonstrated that GC-mediated photodynamic therapy induced a significant generation of ROS.Analysis of pyroptosis-related factors revealed a marked increase in the release levels of IL-1β and IL-18(both P＜0.05),along with elevated fluorescence expression of CRT and HMGB1.The in vivo CEST imaging results showed that the CEST signal at the tumor site was significantly enhanced,peaking at 4 h with tail vein injection of GC.The GC nanoprobes with synergistic laser irradiation group showed markedly elevated inflammatory factors(IL-1β,IL-18),changed ICD biomarkers(HMGB1 and CRT),and significant tumor suppression,compared to the PBS control group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion·The GC nanoprobes enables specific CEST imaging-guided photodynamic therapy,effectively inducing pyroptosis and precise ablation of breast cancer.

Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are more likely to experience neurocognitive impairments compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. This paper reviews recent research on the neurocognitive development of SGA children. SGA can lead to a "brain-sparing effect" due to growth restriction, which may affect cerebral blood flow and brain structure. However, this does not guarantee normal brain development. Restrictive blood flow can result in changes in brain structure, such as reduced total white matter and gray matter volume in various brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, ultimately leading to decreased head circumference. SGA children also exhibit lower scores in all neurocognitive domains, including intelligence, attention, memory, and executive function. This may result in poor academic performance and an increased risk of social, behavioral, and neurological problems, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairments, as well as comorbidities like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), autism spectrum disorder(ASD), anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Several risk factors for SGA-related neurocognitive impairments have been identified, including gestational hypertension, abnormal gestational weight, smoking, and catch-up growth. Studies have shown that the best interventions to improve cognitive dysplasia include nutrient supplementation, continued breastfeeding, high-quality education, and appropriate early intervention (responsive parenting) are effective in improving cognitive outcomes for SGA children.

This study was aimed to investigate the expression of miR-651-3p in breast cancer and its role in regulating the expression of immunosuppressive factors IL-10 and TGFβ1 as well as the apoptosis level of breast cancer cells.qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-651-3p in MCF-7 cells.miR-651-3p-over-expressng/-silencing plasmids and SP2-silencing plasmid were used to transfect MCF-7 cells.The expression levels of SP2,IL-10 and TGFβ1 were detected by Western blot assays.The apoptosis level of MCF-7 cells was detected by flow cytometry.The binding between miR-651-3p and SP2 was verified by dual luciferase gene report,and the binding of SP2 to IL-10 and TGFβ1 promoter region was verified by ChIP assay.Our results showed that miR-651-3p was down-regulated in breast cancer cells(P<0.05).The over-expression of miR-651-3p and the knockdown of SP2 significantly down-regulated the expression levels of IL-10 and TGFβ1 and promoted the apoptosis of breast cancer cells,while silenced miR-651-3p had the opposite effect.miR-651-3p binds to the SP2-3'-UTR end and down-regulates its expression.Based on the silencing of miR-651-3p,the silencing of SP2 can significantly reduce the influence of silenced miR-651-3p on the expression of IL-10 and TGFβ1 and apoptosis level in breast cancer cells.SP2 promotes the expression levels of IL-10 and TGFβ1 by binding to their promoters,respectively.Taken together,down-regulated miR-651-3p in breast cancer inhibited the expression of SP2 by binding to its 3'-UTR region,reduced the up-regulation effect of SP2 on the expression of IL-10 and TGFβ1,thus inhibiting the expression of immunosuppressive factors IL-10 and TGFβ1 and promoting apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Objective:To construct a traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation model for tinnitus using automatic machine learning technology, and to explore the key factors that affect the results of tinnitus syndrome differentiation.Methods:The clinical characteristics of 594 patients with subjective tinnitus in seven medical units in Shanghai from January 2021 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The Auto-sklearn automatic machine learning method was used to compare 15 algorithms, and the model with the best classification effect was selected to analyze the key factors affecting tinnitus.Results:The results showed that the optimal algorithm for classification results was the random forest, its accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, AUC and kappa coefficient were 87.37%, 88.34%, 89.06%, 96.63%, 88.38%, 97.50%, and 83.37%, respectively. It is concluded that the key factors affecting the classification of the pattern of kidney yin deficiency and fire effulgence, the pattern of liver fire disturbing upward, the pattern of stagnation and binding of phlegm and fire, the pattern of spleen and stomach deficiency, the pattern of wind and heat attacking the external are smooth pulse, string pulse, smooth pulse, weak tongue, and floating pulse respectively.Conclusions:Random forest can provide a good classification prediction function for structured clinical data, suggesting that machine learning technology has clinical application value in assisting the diagnosis of subjective tinnitus.

Objective: To delineate the clinical and genetic features of two pedigrees affected with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. Methods: The clinical features, family history and results of genetic testing of 2 patients with AADC deficiency were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Both patients featured hypotension, developmental delay and oculogyric crisis during infancy.Genetic testing confirmed that they have respectively carried c. 714+ 4 (IVS6) A>T/c.175(exon2)G>A compound heterozygous variants and c. 714+ 4(IVS6)A>T homozygous variant. Conclusion The clinical manifestation of children with AADC deficiency may include hypotonia, developmental delay and paroxysmal oculogyric crisis. The combination of 3-O-methyldopa testing and variant analysis is not only very useful for early diagnosis, but also important for the evaluation of treatment effect and prognosis of the disease. Discovery of the novel variants has enriched the variant spectrum of AADC deficiency.