No abstract

The development of transition metal intermetallic compounds, in which active sites are incorporated in lattice frameworks, has great potential for modulating the local structure and the electronic properties of active sites, and enhancing the catalytic activity and stability. Here we report that a new copper-based intermetallic electride catalyst, LaCuSi, in which Cu sites activated by anionic electrons with low work function are atomically dispersed in the lattice framework and affords selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes with above 40-times higher turnover frequencies (TOFs up to 5084 h) than well-studied metal-loaded catalysts. Kinetic analysis utilizing isotope effect reveals that the cleavage of the H-H bond is the rate-determining step. Surprisingly, the high carrier density and low work function (LWF) properties of LaCuSi enable the activation of hydrogen molecules with extreme low activation energy (E = 14.8 kJ·mol). Furthermore, preferential adsorption of nitroarenes via a nitro group is achieved by high oxygen affinity of LaCuSi surface, resulting in high chemoselectivity. The present efficient catalyst can further trigger the hydrogenation of other oxygen-containing functional groups such as aldehydes and ketones with high activities. These findings demonstrate that the transition metals incorporated in the specific lattice site function as catalytically active centers and surpass the conventional metal-loaded catalysts in activity and stability.

Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells have shown great success in the treatment of B cell malignancies, this strategy has limited efficacy in patients with solid tumors. In mouse CAR-T cells, IL-7 and CCL19 expression have been demonstrated to improve T cell infiltration and CAR-T cell survival in mouse tumors. Therefore, in the current study, we engineered human CAR-T cells to secrete human IL-7 and CCL19 (7 × 19) and found that these 7 × 19 CAR-T cells showed enhanced capacities of expansion and migration in vitro. Furthermore, 7 × 19 CAR-T cells showed superior tumor suppression ability compared to conventional CAR-T cells in xenografts of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, primary HCC tissue samples and pancreatic carcinoma (PC) cell lines. We then initiated a phase 1 clinical trial in advanced HCC/PC/ovarian carcinoma (OC) patients with glypican-3 (GPC3) or mesothelin (MSLN) expression. In a patient with advanced HCC, anti-GPC3-7 × 19 CAR-T treatment resulted in complete tumor disappearance 30 days post intratumor injection. In a patient with advanced PC, anti-MSLN-7 × 19 CAR-T treatment resulted in almost complete tumor disappearance 240 days post-intravenous infusion. Our results demonstrated that the incorporation of 7 × 19 into CAR-T cells significantly enhanced the antitumor activity against human solid tumor. Trial registration: NCT03198546. Registered 26 June 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03198546?term=NCT03198546&draw=2&rank=1

The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of the porous nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 (n-HA/PA66) composite grafted for bone defect repair through a series of biological safety experiments, animal experiments, and a more than 5-year long clinical follow-up. The biological safety experiments, carried out in accordance with the Chinese Guo Biao and Tolerancing (GB/T)16886 and GB/T16175, revealed that porous n-HA/PA66 composite had no cytotoxicity, no sensitization effect, no pyrogenic reaction, and that its hemolysis rate was 0.59% (less than 5%). Rabbit models of tibia defects with grafted porous n-HA/PA66 composite were established. After 2 weeks, the experiment showed that osteogenesis was detected in the porous n-HA/PA66 composite; the density of new bone formation was similar to the surrounding host bone at 12 weeks. After 26 weeks, the artificial bone rebuilt to lamellar bone completely. In the clinical study, a retrospective review was carried out for 21 patients who underwent serial radiographic assessment after treatment with porous n-HA/PA66 composite grafts following bone tumor resection. All wounds healed to grade A. No postoperative infections, delayed deep infection, nonspecific inflammation, rejection, or fractures were encountered. At a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, the mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society’s (MSTS) 93 score was 29.3 points (range: 28–30 points) and mean radiopaque density ratio was 0.77±0.10. The radiologic analysis showed that porous n-HA/PA66 composite had been completely incorporated with the host bone about 1.5 years later. In conclusion, this study indicated that the porous n-HA/PA66 composite had biological safety, and good biocompatibility, osteoinduction, and osseointegration. Thus, the porous n-HA/PA66 composite is an ideal artificial bone substitute and worthy of promotion in the field.

Pheromones are critical cues for attracting mating partners for successful reproduction. Sexually mature Caenorhabditis remanei virgin females and self‐sperm‐depleted Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites produce volatile sex pheromones to attract adult males of both species from afar. The chemoresponsive receptor in males has remained unknown. Here, we show that the male chemotactic behavior requires amphid sensory neurons (AWA neurons) and the G‐protein‐coupled receptor SRD‐1. SRD‐1 expression in AWA neurons is sexually dimorphic, with the levels being high in males but undetectable in hermaphrodites. Notably, srd‐1 mutant males lack the chemotactic response and pheromone‐induced excitation of AWA neurons, both of which can be restored in males and hermaphrodites by AWA‐specific srd‐1 expression, and ectopic expression of srd‐1 in AWB neurons in srd‐1 mutants results in a repulsive behavioral response in both sexes. Furthermore, we show that the C‐terminal region of SRD‐1 confers species‐specific differences in the ability to perceive sex pheromones between C. elegans and C. remanei. These findings offer an excellent model for dissecting how a single G‐protein‐coupled receptor expressed in a dimorphic neural system contributes to sex‐specific behaviors in animals.

Background Chemo-resistance is one of the major challenges in the therapy of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Multiple mechanisms are thought to be involved in chemo-resistance during SCLC treatment, but unfortunately, these mechanisms have not been well elucidated. Herein, we investigated the role of miRNA in the resistance of SCLC cells to doxorubicin (Dox). Methods MiRNA microarray analysis revealed that several miRNAs, including miR-7-5p, were specifically decreased in Dox-resistant SCLC cells (H69AR) compared to parental cells (H69). The expression level of miR-7-5p was confirmed by qRT-PCR in Dox-resistant cells (H69AR and H446AR cells) and their parental cells. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a direct target of miR-7-5p. The binding sites of miR-7-5p in the PARP1 3′ UTR were verified by luciferase reporter and Western blot assays. To investigate the role of miR-7-5p in the chemo-resistance of SCLC cells to doxorubicin, mimic or inhibitor of miR-7-5p was transfected into SCLC cells, and the effect of miR-7-5p on homologous recombination (HR) repair was analyzed by HR reporter assays. Furthermore, the expression of HR repair factors (Rad51 and BRCA1) induced by doxorubicin was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescent staining in H446AR cells transfected with miR-7-5p mimic. Results The expression level of miR-7-5p was remarkably reduced ( -fold) in Dox-resistant SCLC cells (H69AR and H446AR cells) compared with that in parental cells (H69 and H446 cells). Poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a direct target of miR-7-5p, and PARP1 expression was downregulated by miR-7-5p. MiR-7-5p impeded Dox-induced HR repair by inhibiting the expression of HR repair factors (Rad51 and BRCA1) that resulted in resensitizing SCLC cells to doxorubicin. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that miR-7-5p targets PARP1 to exert its suppressive effects on HR repair, indicating that the alteration of the expression of miR-7-5p may be a promising strategy for overcoming chemo-resistance in SCLC therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5798-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Carbonized silk fibroin (CS), which is free of metallic elements, showed high catalytic activity for oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR). The catalytic activity of CS for ORR was greatly enhanced by steam activation forming silk-derived activated carbon (CS-AC). The surface morphology, surface area, pore structure and remaining nitrogen species of the CSs were compared with those of the CS-ACs. The open-circuit potential and the power density of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a CS900-AC, which was heat-treated at 900°C prior to the steam activation, and a platinum/C (C: carbon black) anode under pure oxygen and hydrogen gases, respectively, both at 0.2 MPa, were 0.92 V and 142 mW cm -2 at 80°C. The ORR on the 1 activated carbon, CS900-AC, proceeded with a 3.5-electron reaction at 0.6 V (vs. RHE);however, this was improved to a 3.9-electron reaction with the addition of zirconium oxide at 20 wt% to CS900-AC. Durability test of the electrode was also performed in O 2 -saturated HClO 4 solution.

Emerging evidence suggests that diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW MRI) could be useful for tumor detection with N and M staging of lung cancer in place of fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT). DW MRI at 3.0 T and FDG PET/CT were performed before therapy in 113 patients with pulmonary nodules. Mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax ) and Ki-67 scores were assessed. Quantitatively, specificity and accuracy of ADC (91.7 and 92.9%, respectively) were significantly higher than those of SUVmax (66.7 and 77.9% respectively, p < 0.05), although sensitivity was not significantly different between them (93.5 and 83.1%, p > 0.05). Qualitatively, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of DW MRI (96.1, 83.3 and 92.0%, respectively) were also not significantly different from that of FDG PET/CT (88.3, 83.3 and 86.7%, respectively, p > 0.05). Significant negative correlation was found between Ki-67 score and ADC (r = -0.66, p < 0.05), ADC and SUVmax (r = -0.37, p < 0.05), but not between Ki-67 score and SUVmax (r = -0.11, p > 0.05). In conclusion, quantitative and qualitative assessments for detection of malignant pulmonary tumors with DW MRI at 3.0 T are superior to those with FDG PET/CT. Furthermore, ADC could predict the malignancy of lung cancer.