rapid-isolation-stage-i-oocytes-zebrafish-devoid-granulosa

Rapid Isolation of Stage I Oocytes in Zebrafish Devoid of Granulosa Cells

The study of oocyte development holds significant implications in developmental biology. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been extensively used as a model ...

Sichuan University

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women. Due to the existence of a small fraction of stem cell-like subpopulations, some breast cancer subtypes exhibit very high malignancy and resistance to multiple therapies. The underlying mechanisms of how these subtypes acquire stem cell-like properties and progress more aggressively remain largely unknown. Zinc finger protein 32 (ZNF32), a newly discovered transcription factor, has been reported to be associated with breast cancer progression. However, many questions remain about its target genes and its exact mechanisms in regulating stem cell-like properties and drug resistance. In the present study, we examined the relationship between ZNF32 and GPER, a membrane-associated estrogen receptor, and we addressed their roles in stemness regulation in human breast cancer cell lines. Our results showed that ZNF32 could induce expansion of stem cell-like subpopulations and increase drug resistance by upregulating GPER expression, in which ERK activation was also implicated. We also illustrated that ZNF32 induced GPER expression via a ZNF32 binding sequence located within the GPER promoter region. A correlation between ZNF32/GPER expression and increased tumor incidence and burden was observed in xenograft mouse models. We conclude that ZNF32 can engage GPER/ERK signalling and confer breast cancer stem cell-like properties, which may indicate poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. ZNF32 and GPER targeted therapies might provide new solutions for breast cancer treatment.

Zinc finger protein 32 promotes breast cancer stem cell-like properties through directly promoting GPER transcription.

To investigate the association between alcohol drinking and all-cause death in patients with ischemic stroke.

[Association between drinking and all-cause mortality in patients with ischemic stroke].

 Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) has been demonstrated highly expressed in some cancers, but it also was downregulated in others through DNA methylation. However, the expression status of ANGPTL4 in cancer of cervix remains unclear. Thus, our present study attempts to investigate the role of ANGPTL4 in the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.  Immunohistochemistry, western blotting and qRT-PCR were performed to investigate the expressive level of ANPGTL4 in cervical cancer tissues and paired noncancer tissues. The relationship of ANGPTL4 expression and clinicopathological factors was measured by Chi-square test. Overall and disease-free survival (OS and DFS) rates were estimated and compared by using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively. To assess the prognostic significance of ANGPTL4 in cervical cancer patients, the Cox regression model was utilized to process univariate and multivariate analyses.  ANGPTL4 was upregulated in cervical cancer samples and advanced tumor stage, deep stromal invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular space invasion, as well as poor OS and DFS were shown to be tightly correlated with it. Results of Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that ANGPTL4 expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFS in cervical cancer.  Upregulated ANGPTL4 seems to be a useful marker for poor prognosis in cervical cancer.

Up-regulated of Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Cervical Cancer.

This study aimed to estimate the time of recurrent ischaemic stroke events among the first 3 years of follow-up after hospitalisation discharge.

Time to recurrence after first-ever ischaemic stroke within 3 years and its risk factors in Chinese population: a prospective cohort study.

Bisphenol A (BPA) [2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane] has attracted increasing attention over the past few decades as an endocrine-disrupting chemicals that causes low testosterone levels. Linoleic acid (LA) is an essential fatty acid and GPR120 agonist. Herein, we are the first to report that LA induces the expression of GPR120 in mouse Leydig cells to directly promote testosterone production. In addition, we demonstrated that the activated GPR120 / ERK signaling pathway was involved in upregulating the expression of 3β-HSD and StAR for testosterone production by stimulation of LA. Interestingly, although BPA failed to affect GPR120 expression, LA restored the testosterone levels decreased by BPA in Leydig cells in vitro. Furthermore, the in vivo restoration of testosterone levels and testicular structure was also observed in BPA-impaired mice fed LA. As a result, the sperm functions of BPA-impaired mice returned to normal levels. At the same time, the damaged blood-testis barrier and infertility were also resolved by LA. Our study indicates a novel and safe strategy that utilizes LA to repair reproductive damage caused by low testosterone levels through activating the GPR120/ERK pathway in Leydig cells.

Linoleic acid promotes testosterone production by activating Leydig cell GPR120/ ERK pathway and restores BPA-impaired testicular toxicity.

Naphthoquinone derivatives and metabolites are widely dispersed molecules in nature. Alkannin, a natural naphthoquinone compound, induces excellent cytotoxicity in cancer cells. However, the detailed mechanism by which alkannin inhibits cancer cell survival remains unclear. In the present study, we isolated alkannin from Arnebia euchroma and found that alkannin induced cytotoxic autophagy and apoptosis in many types of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Alkannin treatment resulted in elevated accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to mitochondrial membrane potential loss, oxidative damage and JNK and p38 MAPK pathway activation. Notably, we found an antagonistic pattern of p38 MAPK and JNK signaling in the regulation of alkannin-mediated apoptosis and autophagy. Antioxidant NAC effectively attenuated alkannin-induced cytotoxicity and activation of downstream signaling pathways. Moreover, alkannin enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. In summary, our study highlights the significant broad-spectrum antitumor effects of alkannin and reveals an important mechanism by which alkannin induces cytotoxic autophagy and apoptosis by promoting ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of the JNK pathway.

Alkannin induces cytotoxic autophagy and apoptosis by promoting ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of JNK pathway.

Multiple factors, including increasing incidence, poor knowledge of stroke and lack of effective, noninvasive and convenient stroke risk prediction tools, make it more difficult for precautions against stroke in China. Effective prediction models for stroke may assist to establish better risk awareness and management, healthier lifestyle, and lower stroke incidence for people.The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey was the development cohort. Logistic regression was applied to model's development, in which the candidate variables with statistically significant coefficient were included in the prediction model. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and 10-times cross-validation were used for internal validation. Cutoff point of high-risk group was measured by Youden index. The China Health and Nutrition Survey was the validation cohort.The development cohort and the validation cohort included 16557 and 5065 participants, and the incidence density was 358.207/100,000 person-year and 350.701/100,000 person-year, respectively. The model for 2-year new-onset stroke risk prediction included age, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and smoking. The AUC and cross-validation AUC were 0.707 (95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.664, 0.750) and the 0.710 (95% CI: 0.650, 0.736). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the cutoff point were 0.774, 0.545, and 0.319. The AUC and cross-validation AUC were 0.800 (95% CI: 0.744, 0.856) and 0.811(95% CI:0.714, 0.847), and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of cutoff point being 0.857,0.569, and 0.426 in external validation.A simple prediction tool using 5 noninvasive and easily accessible factors can assist in 2-year new-onset stroke risk prediction in Chinese people over 45 years old, which is believed to be applicable in identifying high-risk individuals and health management in China.

Development and validation of a 2-year new-onset stroke risk prediction model for people over age 45 in China.

Given the rampant HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chengdu, southwest China, Treat All policy, defined as immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation after HIV diagnosis, was implemented since 2014. Real-world research evaluating impacts of immediate ART on HIV epidemics is needed to optimize policy-making as national and international guidelines have been lowering ART eligibility threshold. The purpose of this study is to: assess temporal trends of the HIV epidemic and impacts of Treat All policy among MSM; and lay foundation for HIV-related policy evaluation using longitudinal routine data from health information systems.

Impact of immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy among men who have sex with men infected with HIV in Chengdu, southwest China: trends analysis, 2008-2018.

The relationship between exercise and stroke recurrence is controversial. This study was designed to test whether an association exists between exercise and ischemic stroke recurrence in first-ever ischemic stroke survivors. Data were collected from January 2010 to June 2016. Baseline information was obtained during face-to-face interviews, and follow-up phone interviews were conducted every 3 months. Exercise type, frequency, intensity, and duration were recorded. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to determine the relationship between exercise and stroke recurrence. 760 first-ever ischemic stroke survivors who were able to exercise were enrolled. After adjusting for covariates, patients who exercised 3.5-7 h per week and more than 7 h per week had a lower relapse risk than patients who did not exercise (3.5-7: OR 0.415; > 7: OR 0.356). Moreover, if the fluctuation of exercise duration was over 4 h, the patients had a higher risk of stroke recurrence than those with variability of less than 2 h (OR 2.153, P = 0.013). Stroke survivors who engage in long-term regular mild exercise (more than 5 sessions per week and lasting on average 40 min per session) have a lower recurrence rate. Irregular exercise increases the risk of stroke recurrence.

Association between physical exercise and stroke recurrence among first-ever ischemic stroke survivors.

This study investigated the potential perinatal risk factors associated with infantile esotropia in a Chinese population, including advanced parental age at childbirth and mode of delivery. The findings may be significant in developing better intervention strategies for infantile esotropia.

Association between Gestational Age, Birth Weight, Parental Age at Childbirth, Mode of Delivery, and Infantile Esotropia.

Congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) is a bile duct malformation often associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. Different subtypes of CBD have been noted for clinical differences, but their pathogenic mechanisms are unclear.

Article	Year
Zinc finger protein 32 promotes breast cancer stem cell-like properties through directly promoting GPER transcription. Cell death & disease\| PubMed ID: 30478301	2018
[Association between drinking and all-cause mortality in patients with ischemic stroke]. Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University\| PubMed ID: 31068285	2019
Up-regulated of Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Cervical Cancer. Journal of Cancer\| PubMed ID: 31205547	2019
Time to recurrence after first-ever ischaemic stroke within 3 years and its risk factors in Chinese population: a prospective cohort study. BMJ open\| PubMed ID: 31857306	2019
Linoleic acid promotes testosterone production by activating Leydig cell GPR120/ ERK pathway and restores BPA-impaired testicular toxicity. Steroids\| PubMed ID: 32585208	2020
Alkannin induces cytotoxic autophagy and apoptosis by promoting ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and activation of JNK pathway. Biochemical pharmacology\| PubMed ID: 32702370	2020
Development and validation of a 2-year new-onset stroke risk prediction model for people over age 45 in China. Medicine\| PubMed ID: 33031337	2020
Impact of immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy among men who have sex with men infected with HIV in Chengdu, southwest China: trends analysis, 2008-2018. BMC public health\| PubMed ID: 33832451	2021
Association between physical exercise and stroke recurrence among first-ever ischemic stroke survivors. Scientific reports\| PubMed ID: 34183726	2021
Association between Gestational Age, Birth Weight, Parental Age at Childbirth, Mode of Delivery, and Infantile Esotropia. Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry\| PubMed ID: 36413631	2022
LncRNA-mRNA coexpression analysis reveals distinct pathogenic mechanisms for subtypes of congenital biliary dilatation. Journal of hepato-biliary-pancreatic sciences\| PubMed ID: 37882150	2023
Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion in human liver transplantation: meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. The British journal of surgery\| PubMed ID: 38035799	2024
Managing hepatic portal bile-duct injury during pediatric choledochal-cyst resection using the da Vinci surgical system. Asian journal of surgery\| PubMed ID: 38311504	2024

Qianwen Zheng

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