Tongji University

About: Tongji University is a education organization based out in Shanghai, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Population. The organization has 76116 authors who have published 81176 publications receiving 1248911 citations. The organization is also known as: Tongji & Tóngjì Dàxué.

Exosomal circRNA-100338 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via enhancing invasiveness and angiogenesis

Abstract: Exosomes play crucial roles in regulating the crosstalk between normal and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment, and in regulating cancer proliferation, migration and invasion through their cargo molecules. We analyzed the pro-invasiveness of exosomal circRNA-100,338 in HCC using the transwell invasion assay. The co-culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and exosomes derived from HCC cell lines were used to evaluate the impact of HCC derived exosomes on HUVEC. Nude mice models were used to validate the findings in vitro. Clinically, quantitative RT-PCR was used to quantify the expression of serum exosomal circRNA-100,338 in HCC patients at both pre-surgery within one week and post-surgery within three weeks. We aim to investigate the pro-invasive role of exosomal circRNA-100,338 in HCC metastasis. We for the first time demonstrated that circRNA-100,338 was highly expressed in both highly metastatic HCC cells and their secreted exosomes. The transwell invasion assay showed that the overexpression or knockdown of exosomal circRNA-100,338 significantly enhanced or reduced the invasive abilities of HCC cells. Subsequently, in vitro and in vivo assays showed that exosomal circRNA-100,338 affected the cell proliferation, angiogenesis, permeability, and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and tumor metastasis. Furthermore, we also observed that the persistent high expression of exosomal circRNA-100,338 in serum of HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy may be a risk indicator of pulmonary metastasis and poor survival. Our findings indicated that metastatic ability of HCC cells could be enhanced by transferring exosomal circRNA-100,338 to recipient HUVECs, which could affect proangiogenic activity by regulating angiogenesis.

Determination of Urinary 1-Hydroxypyrene for Biomonitoring of Human Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Carcinogens by a Lanthanide-functionalized Metal-Organic Framework Sensor

Abstract: 1-Hydroxypyrene (1-HP), which is a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) carcinogens and represents the internal dose of PAHs exposure in the human body, is detected by a newly designed luminescent Eu-functionalized metal-organic framework (1a) sensor. The luminescence of 1a can be effectively quenched by 1-HP via a fluorescent resonant energy transfer process, thus achieving its recognition of 1-HP. This is the first use of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) as chemical sensors for 1-HP. The probe exhibits outstanding performances for sensing 1-HP, such as high selectivity, excellent sensitivity, fast response, and good reusability. Importantly, the sensing system enables the detection of 1-HP in real human urine specimens, and a portable 1-HP urine test paper is also developed. Hence, the reported 1-HP sensing platform has promising application potential for clinical diagnosis of the intoxication level of PAHs.

Highly Stretchable and Transparent Double-Network Hydrogel Ionic Conductors as Flexible Thermal–Mechanical Dual Sensors and Electroluminescent Devices

Abstract: The latest generation flexible devices feature materials that are conductive, highly stretchable, and transparent to meet the requirements of a reliable performance. However, the existing conductors are mostly electronic conductors, which cannot satisfy these high-performance challenges. A robust hydrogel ionic conductor was rapidly fabricated with a facile one-pot approach by employing bioinspired agar with a physically cross-linked network, polyacrylamide (PAM) with a photoinitiated cross-linked network under appropriate UV intensity, and Li+ as conductive ions. The resulting Li+/agar/PAM ionic double-network hydrogels could be fabricated into various shapes through injection. The unique ionic hydrogel showed a remarkable stretchability with over 1600% extension, high tension/compression strength (0.22 MPa/3.5 MPa), and toughness (2.2 MJ/m3). Furthermore, it was demonstrated to possess dual sensory capabilities through the combination of both temperature and mechanical deformation. This hydrogel ionic conductor exhibited high stretching sensitivity with a gauge factor of 1.8 at strain 1100% and bending sensitivity in a broad angle range of 30-150°, respectively. Such highly optical transparency and elasticity endow the hydrogel-phosphor composites with promising luminescent properties. The multifunctional ionic hydrogel can be used as soft conductors for application in flexible devices such as ionic skin for wearable sensors and luminescence display.