Dexmedetomidine promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through hepatic stellate cell activation

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an anesthetic that is widely used in the clinic, and it has been reported to exhibit paradoxical effects in the progression of multiple solid tumors. In this study, we sought to explore the mechanism by which DEX regulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression underlying liver fibrosis. We determined the effects of DEX on tumor progression in an orthotopic HCC mouse model of fibrotic liver. A coculture system and a subcutaneous xenograft model involving coimplantation of mouse hepatoma cells (H22) and primary activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) were used to study the effects of DEX on HCC progression. We found that in the preclinical mouse model of liver fibrosis, DEX treatment significantly shortened median survival time and promoted tumor growth, intrahepatic metastasis and pulmonary metastasis. The DEX receptor (ADRA2A) was mainly expressed in aHSCs but was barely detected in HCC cells. DEX dramatically reinforced HCC malignant behaviors in the presence of aHSCs in both the coculture system and the coimplantation mouse model, but DEX alone exerted no significant effects on the malignancy of HCC. Mechanistically, DEX induced IL-6 secretion from aHSCs and promoted HCC progression via STAT3 activation. Our findings provide evidence that the clinical application of DEX may cause undesirable side effects in HCC patients with liver fibrosis.Subject terms: Cancer microenvironment, Cell growth     

The assemble,grow and lift-off (AGLO) strategy to construct complex gold nanostructures with pre-designed morphologies

The construction of metallic nanostructures with customizable morphologies and complex shapes has been an essential pursuit in nanoscience. DNA nanotechnology has enabled the fabrication of increasingly complex DNA nanostructures with unprecedented specificity, programmability and sub-nanometer precision, which makes it an ideal approach to rationally organize metallic nanostructures. Here we report an Assemble, Grow and Lift-Off (AGLO) strategy to construct robust standalone gold nanostructures with pre-designed customizable shapes in solution, using only a simple 2D DNA origami sheet as a versatile transient template. Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) seeds were firstly assembled onto the pre-designed binding sites of the DNA origami template and then additional gold was slowly deposited onto the AuNP seeds. The growing seed surfaces eventually merge with adjacent seeds to generate one continuous gold nanostructure in a pre-designed shape, which can then be lifted off the origami template. Diverse customized patterns of templated AuNP seeds were successfully transformed into corresponding gold nanostructures with the target structure transformation percentage over 80%. Moreover, the AGLO strategy can be incorporated with a magnetic bead separation platform to enable the easy recycling of the excess AuNP seeds and DNA components.

The AGLO strategy generates complex gold nanostructures with user-designed morphologies in solution, using only a simple 2D DNA origami sheet as a versatile transient template. The products are robust and stable as standalone gold nanostructures.     

Micro-Determination of Protein Containing SH– and –S–S– Groups Based on the Polarographic wave of an Electroactive Derivative

This paper presents a new simple and sensitive method for the micro-determination of protein containing SH– and –S–S– groups based on the single sweep polarographic wave of an electroactive derivative. In 0.04molL^–1 Na₃PO₄ and 0.2% ascorbic acid solution, protein is heated in a boiling water bath for 15min, the reaction product giving a sensitive reduction wave at –0.70V (vs. SCE). The wave height is linearly proportional to the concentration of protein. The calibration curves of bovine serum albumin (BSA), human serum albumin (HSA), ovalbumin (OVA) and lysozyme (Lyso) are constructed under the optimal conditions. For BSA and HSA, the linear ranges and detection limits are 0.05–24mgL^–1 and 0.02mgL^–1, respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of protein in human serum samples with satisfactory results. The mechanism of the polarographic wave was also studied, and the results show that S^2– ion is released from the protein molecule during the derivatization reaction, the wave being attributed to the reduction of HgS.     

Spectrophotometric determination of microamounts of scandium with o-chlorophenylfluorone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The reaction of scandium(III) with o-chlorophenylfluorone (o-CIPF) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) has been studied. In an acetate buffer at pH 4.4, a red-purple complex is obtained, with maximum absorption at 569 nm and a molar absorptivity of 1.31 x 10(5)1.mole(-1).cm(-1). The composition of the complex is found to be 1:2:2 Sc-o-CIPF-CTMAB. Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0-12 mug/25 ml scandium. The proposed method has been used for determination of trace scandium in tungsten ores after its prior separation by solvent extraction.     

催化动力学光度法测定痕量锆

研究了在弱酸性介质中，锆（Ⅳ）催化过氧化氢氧化铬蓝黑Ｒ这一新的指示反应及其动力学条件，建立了一种高灵敏、高选择性测定痕量锆的新方法，方法检出限为３．７４×１０－１１ｇ／ｍＬ，线性范围０～１．１μｇ／２５ｍＬＺｒ（Ⅳ）．用于合金钢中痕量锆的测定，结果满意．     

Zn—TppS4极谱络合物吸附波的研究：中草药天麻,川芎,当归中锌的测定

锌是人体必需的微量元素之一。它具有重要的生理功能和营养作用,是合成脱氧核糖核酸(DNA),核糖核酸(RNA)和蛋白质必需的金属离子。锌是DNA,RNA聚合酶等80多种酶的组成成分及激剂,直接影响细胞代谢,免疫过程,细胞分裂和再生。最近美国有人提出缺     

A new method for inversion of hydroxyl group of carbocyclic nucleosides

The hydroxyl group of carbocyclic nucleosides was inversed when the compounds were treated with Me_3SiCl,KCN and a catalytic amount of NaI in DMF/CH_3CN.     

氧化藏红T褪色催化荧光法测定痕量钒

研究了在酸性介质中柠檬酸存在下，痕量钒（Ｖ）催化溴酸钾氧化藏红Ｔ的褪色反应及其动力学条件，建立了催化荧光测定痕量钒的新方法。催化反应在沸水浴中进行８ｍｉｎ，为假零级反应，反应的表观活化能力为９９．２１ｋＪ／ｍｏｌ，反应速度常数为０．１２／ｓ；该方法的检出限为２．２×１０＾－８ｇ／Ｌ；线性范围为０．２￣２．４μｇ／Ｌ研究了共存离子的影响，用于人发和煤灰中痕量钒的测定，结果令人满意。     

Sequential Injection Photometric Determination of Molybdenum Using Organic Wetting Film Extraction

Wetting film extraction was combined with colorimetry to determine nanogram amounts of molybdenum(VI). The simple extraction procedure enhanced sensitivity and selectivity while maintaining a high sample throughput. Extraction and back extraction steps were exploited to exclude interference from the 31 metal species and 11 anions tested. In the first step, molybdenum(VI) was extracted into a toluene film as an ion paired complex. Molybdenum(VI) reacted with thiocyanate to form anionic molybdenum(V) and/or molybdenum(VI) thiocyanate complexes. The complexes were extracted into a toluene film containing tetraheptylammonium bromide as ion pairing reagent. The thiocyanate ligands were displaced by 1,5-diphenylcarbazone (DPC) to form a more intensely colored complex (λ_max= 540 nm). DPC was introduced in the back extraction solvent, methanol. The relative standard deviation was 2.5% for 50 ng ml⁻¹of molybdenum(VI) (n= 10) at a rate of 25 samples h⁻¹. The detection limit (3 × baseline noise) was 2.5 × 10⁻⁸M.     

The pH-dependent role of superoxide in riboflavin-catalyzed photooxidation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine

[reaction: see text]. The riboflavin-catalyzed photooxidation of 2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyl-8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine generates a radical intermediate that is competitively trapped by H(2)O, O2(-)(*), or O(2). The products of H(2)O trapping have been previously described as the spiroiminodihydantoin (pH >or= 7) and iminoallantoin/guanidinohydantoin (pH < 7) nucleosides. Trapping by O2(-)(*) leads to the oxaluric acid (pH or= 8.6) pathways (R' ', R' ' = H or 2,3,5-tri-O-Ac-ribofuranosyl). The pH-dependent role of superoxide was probed using Mn-SOD and compared to guanosine and 8-methoxyguanosine photooxidation.