Cell Hybrids Research Articles

Overexpression of FRA1 (FOSL1) Leads to Global Transcriptional Perturbations, Reduced Cellular Adhesion and Altered Cell Cycle Progression.

FRA1 (FOSL1) is a transcription factor and a member of the activator protein-1 superfamily. FRA1 is expressed in most tissues at low levels, and its expression is robustly induced in response to extracellular signals, leading to downstream cellular processes. However, abnormal FRA1 overexpression has been reported in various pathological states, including tumor progression and inflammation. To date, the molecular effects of FRA1 overexpression are still not understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the transcriptional and functional effects of FRA1 overexpression using the CGL1 human hybrid cell line. FRA1-overexpressing CGL1 cells were generated using stably integrated CRISPR-mediated transcriptional activation, resulting in a 2-3 fold increase in FRA1 mRNA and protein levels. RNA-sequencing identified 298 differentially expressed genes with FRA1 overexpression. Gene ontology analysis showed numerous molecular networks enriched with FRA1 overexpression, including transcription-factor binding, regulation of the extracellular matrix and adhesion, and a variety of signaling processes, including protein kinase activity and chemokine signaling. In addition, cell functional assays demonstrated reduced cell adherence to fibronectin and collagen with FRA1 overexpression and altered cell cycle progression. Taken together, this study unravels the transcriptional response mediated by FRA1 overexpression and establishes the role of FRA1 in adhesion and cell cycle progression.

A hybrid breast cancer/mesenchymal stem cell population enhances chemoresistance and metastasis.

Patients with triple negative breast cancer remain at risk for metastatic disease despite treatment. The acquisition of chemoresistance is a major cause of tumor relapse and death, but the mechanisms are far from understood. We have demonstrated that breast cancer cells (BCCs) can engulf mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), leading to enhanced dissemination. Here, we show that clinical samples of primary invasive carcinoma and chemoresistant breast cancer metastasis contain a unique hybrid cancer cell population co-expressing pan-cytokeratin and the MSC marker fibroblast activation protein-alpha. We show that hybrid cells form in primary tumors and that they promote breast cancer metastasis and chemoresistance. Using single cell microfluidics and in vivo models, we found that within the hybrid cell population are polyploid senescent cells that contribute to metastatic dissemination. Our data reveal that WNT5A plays a crucial role in supporting the chemoresistance properties of hybrid cells. Furthermore, we identify that WNT5A mediates hybrid cell formation through a phagocytosis-like mechanism that requires BCC-derived Interleukin 6 and MSC-derived C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2. These findings reveal hybrid cell formation as a novel mechanism of chemoresistance and suggest that interrupting this mechanism may be a potential strategy to overcome breast cancer drug resistance.

Discrimination of cell-intrinsic and environment-dependent effects of natural genetic variation on Kupffer cell epigenomes and transcriptomes

Noncoding genetic variation drives phenotypic diversity, but underlying mechanisms and affected cell types are incompletely understood. Here, investigation of effects of natural genetic variation on the epigenomes and transcriptomes of Kupffer cells derived from inbred mouse strains identified strain-specific environmental factors influencing Kupffer cell phenotypes, including leptin signaling in Kupffer cells from a steatohepatitis-resistant strain. Cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous effects of genetic variation were resolved by analysis of F1 hybrid mice and cells engrafted into an immunodeficient host. During homeostasis, non-cell-autonomous trans effects of genetic variation dominated control of Kupffer cells, while strain-specific responses to acute lipopolysaccharide injection were dominated by actions of cis-acting effects modifying response elements for lineage-determining and signal-dependent transcription factors. These findings demonstrate that epigenetic landscapes report on trans effects of genetic variation and serve as a resource for deeper analyses into genetic control of transcription in Kupffer cells and macrophages in vitro.

Cancer-Erythrocyte Membrane-Mimicking Fe3O4 Nanoparticles and DHJS for Ferroptosis/Immunotherapy Synergism in Tumors.

Ferroptosis is characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. However, a clinical dose of Fe3O4 nanoparticles could not cause effective ferroptosis in tumors, and the mechanism is yet to be completely understood. In this study, using RNA-seq data, we found that tumor cells could feedback-activate the antioxidant system by upregulating Nrf-2 expression, thus avoiding ferroptosis caused by Fe3O4 nanoparticles. We also found that DHJS (a probe for ROS generation) can antagonize Nrf-2 expression when it synergizes with Fe3O4 nanoparticles, thus inducing ferroptosis in tumor cells. Considering these findings, we created a biomimetic hybrid cell membrane camouflaged by PLGA-loaded Fe3O4 and DHJS to treat osteosarcoma. The hybrid cell membrane endowed the core nanoparticle with the extension of blood circulation life and enhanced homologous targeting ability. In addition, DHJS and Fe3O4 in nanoparticles prompted synergistically lethal ferroptosis in cancer cells and induced macrophage M1 polarization as well as the infiltration of CD8(+) T cells and dendritic cells in tumors. In summary, this study provides novel mechanistic insights and practical strategies for ferroptosis induction of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Meanwhile, the synthesized biomimetic nanoparticles exhibited synergistic ferroptosis/immunotherapy against osteosarcoma.

OS07.7.A GLIOBLASTOMA HYBRID CELL STATE CONVEYS RESISTANCE TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPIES

Abstract BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GB) is a deadly disease and no therapeutic improvements have been made in the last 20 years. High phenotypic plasticity has been recognized as a major obstacle to the efficient treatment of GB. Single-cell sequencing revealed the coexistence of four different cell states within the same tumor. The transition from one subtype (or state) to another, such as from proneural (PN) to mesenchymal (MES), has been suggested as a mechanism for resistance to therapies. However, there is no prognostic value of the current GB states for patients, meaning that mechanisms of resistance may not lie in hardwire identities but in the transition from one subtype to another. Therefore, we investigated the role of the hybrid cell states in GB resistance to therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS To dynamically follow spatiotemporal changes in GB plasticity in real time, we transduced patient-derived GB cells (patient-derived cell lines with different mutational and phenotypic landscapes) using two specific GB-subtype fluorescent synthetic genetic tracing cassettes. To follow the hybrid cell state dynamics and features, we functionally and transcriptionally investigated GB cells labeled with activated reporters for both the PN and MES subtypes. Using a combination of cytofluorimetry, live imaging, preclinical models, bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing, we visualized the single-cell GB plasticity and studied the changes in the hybrid state subpopulation proportion over time and under therapeutic stress. RESULTS We discovered that the PN/MES hybrid state (GB-hybrid) has a definite molecular and phenotypic identity and that it is strongly induced after conventional therapies. The GB-hybrid cell state is highly resistant to therapy and more proliferative. Importantly, when implanted in mice the GB-hybrid cells were more aggressive than the rest of the cells, which is consistent with the marked prognostic power for the GB-hybrid geneset signature when tested in the TCGA database. Mechanistically, we showed that GB-hybrid cells were characterized by broad chromatin remodeling, an important increase in overall mRNA quantity per cell and intensification of the nuclear import/export machinery. CONCLUSION Here, we present a novel GB transition cell state between PN and MES subtypes/states. The GB-hybrid is at the same time highly proliferative and resistant to therapy, making it an interesting target to slow down GB recurrence after therapy.

SARS-CoV-2-Specific CD8+ T-Cells in Blood but Not in the Lungs of Vaccinated K18-hACE2 Mice after Infection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 enters the host by infecting nasal ciliated cells. Then, the virus can spread towards the oropharyngeal cavity and the pulmonary tissues. The antiviral adaptive immunity is promptly induced in response to the virus's detection, with virus-specific T-lymphocytes appearing before antiviral antibodies. Both the breadth and potency of antiviral CD8+ T-cell immunity have a key role in containing viral spread and disease severity. Current anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines do not impede the virus's replication in the upper respiratory tract, and there is consensus on the fact that the best potency of the antiviral immune response in both blood and the upper respiratory tract can be reached upon infection in vaccinees (i.e., breakthrough infection). However, whether the antiviral CD8+ T-cells developing in response to the breakthrough infection in the upper respiratory tract diffuse to the lungs is also still largely unknown. To fill the gap, we checked the CD8+ T-cell immunity elicited after infection of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice both at 3 weeks and 3 months after anti-spike vaccination. Virus-specific CD8+ T-cell immunity was monitored in both blood and the lungs before and after infection. By investigating the de novo generation of the CD8+ T-cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins, we found that both membrane (M) and/or nucleocapsid (N)-specific CD8+ T-cells were induced at comparable levels in the blood of both unvaccinated and vaccinated mice. Conversely, N-specific CD8+ T-cells were readily found in the lungs of the control mice but were either rare or absent in those of vaccinated mice. These results support the idea that the hybrid cell immunity developing after asymptomatic/mild breakthrough infection strengthens the antiviral cell immunity in the lungs only marginally, implying that the direct exposition of viral antigens is required for the induction of an efficient antiviral cell immunity in the lungs.

Electrochemical Characterization of Thiophosphate- Ionic Liquid Hybrid Lithium Electrolytes Against Li Metal

(Almost) solid-state batteries that utilize thiophosphate solid electrolytes (SE) are an exciting technology emerging as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries. When used alongside a lithium metal anode they can offer the high energy densities [1] required to meet the increasing demand for energy storage. However, they suffer from numerous issues which predominately occur at the cathode- or anode-SE interface. Issues include dendrite propagation through gaps, pores and grain boundaries of the solid electrolyte which can eventually puncture electrolyte crystallites and lead to cell failure. [2] Thiophosphate electrolytes are also unstable both chemically and electrochemically. As a result of the SEs having a low electrochemical stability window reduction or oxidation can occur at the anode or cathode interface, forming a resistive solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). [3] Finally, the ionic contact between Li metal anode and electrolyte is poor and thus high interfacial impedances can arise. These impedances can be dynamic which increase during stripping of the lithium and decrease during plating. [4] To solve some of the interfacial issues there is the option to add a small of amount of liquid electrolyte at the lithium metal-electrolyte interface. The liquid electrolyte can fill in the gaps and pores at the interface thus improving the ionic contact whilst allowing a more stable interface. Whilst the ionic contact can be improved the inherent instability of thiophosphate electrolytes against the liquid electrolyte means that a new interphase known as the solid-liquid electrolyte interphase (SLEI) can form. The presence of this interphase can therefore lower the energy density and round-trip efficiencies of cells which utilize hybrid electrolytes meaning that minimizing the SLEI resistance and maximizing total ionic conductivities is important in hybrid cells. [5]In this work a hybrid of the thiophosphate argyrodite Li6PS5Cl and the ionic liquid x-LiTFSI-1-butyl 1-methylpiperidinium TFSI (BMPipTFSI) with LiTFSI concentrations of 0.25 M and 0.5 M was studied. The choice of SE and liquid electrolyte boils down to the high ionic conductivity of the SE and the electrochemical and thermal stability of the ionic liquid. Temperature-dependent ionic conductivity measurements showed that hybrid systems exhibit lower in room temperature ionic conductivities and higher total activation energies. This hints at the presence of a SLEI forming between the LE and SE. To study how the SLEI resistances changes over time, ion blocking potential impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed. These measurements were performed at 10 °C to allow for the resistance contributions to be better resolved and showed a SLEI resistance of around 45-50 Ω cm2 for both hybrids. Over the period of 130 hours this resistance changed minimally (around 5 Ω cm2 on average) indicating good stability of the SLEI. To further test the suitability of this hybrid alongside lithium metal anodes impedance measurements in symmetrical lithium cells (Li0|LE|LPCL|LE|Li0) were undertaken. In this case galvanostatic impedance spectroscopy (GEIS) with an applied current density of ±0.4 mA cm-2 was used to probe the changes in resistance contributions in the system over the period of stripping (positive current) and plating (negative current). For cells with just SE a large change in the resistance owing to the electrochemical reaction (ECR) (Li0 ↔ Li+ + e-) occurred during stripping and plating indicating the dynamic nature of the ionic contact at the interface. For the hybrid electrolyte cells, this ECR resistance is decreased and becomes more stable however a larger interphase resistance is present. This resistance is a combination of the resistances of both the SLEI (the interphase between the LE and SE) and the SEI (the interphase between LE and Li anode) and it changes over stripping and plating showing that the S(L)EIs which are present are dynamic. Finally, post-mortem SEM/EDX of the surface of samples show a change in morphology and the presence of decomposition products from both the liquid and solid electrolytes. These studies show that the LPCL-BMPipTFSI hybrid is stable and improve ionic contact at the lithium metal anode interface. Further testing in half Li-S cells will determine the suitability of the use of the ionic liquid at the cathode side of the cell.

Organic Cathode for Lithium Batteries, Enabled by Solid-State LLZO Separator

Small organic molecule quinones are promising as cathode active materials for Li batteries. They have high theoretical capacity (up to ~500 mAh/g) at moderate voltage (2 to 3V vs. Li/Li+). However, in conventional Li-ion batteries with liquid electrolyte, they dissolve and cross through the membrane, leading to reaction with the Li anode. To solve this issue, we employ a dense lithium garnet solid electrolyte (LLZO) as the separator to block transport of the organic cathode material. This work demonstrates solid electrolyte/liquid catholyte hybrid battery cells with metallic Li alloy as the anode and lawsone, a biologically-derived quinone, as the cathode. LLZO is used as a separator and effectively prevents dissolved cathode material from meeting the anode. Lawsone LLZO hybrid cells reached cathode utilization of up to 67% based on lithiation of both carbonyl groups, and had little self-discharge compared to liquid cells. A side-reaction at low voltage is identified as the main source of capacity fade. Nevertheless, use of a solid electrolyte is shown to be a promising approach to enable use of soluble organic cathode active materials.

Simulation of Hybrid All-Solid-State Battery Performance Under Consideration of Ceramic-Polymer Phase Boundaries Using a Physicochemical Modelling Approach

With the growing interest in all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology for high-energy and high-power applications, the electrochemical performance of cell components and production-related characteristics must be improved to achieve reliable and cost-effective scale-up of laboratory cell concepts [1]. Combining inorganic ceramic and polymer solid electrolytes (SEs) serves to tune the ionic transport and the mechanical properties of composite cathodes [2, 3]. A polymer electrolyte share in the composite cathode is expected to improve the mechanical contact between the cathode active material (CAM) and the SE, resulting in facilitated charge transfer and improved cell performance. Furthermore, polymer SEs serve to overcome the challenges of co-sintering dense composites of CAM and inorganic SE [4, 5].In hybrid cell concepts with polymer- and inorganic ceramic SE, the ionic transport path crosses a ceramic-polymer phase boundary, which leads to additional polarization through charge transfer and ohmic resistance. State-of-the-art literature discusses the influence of ceramic particles in polymer electrolytes, but falls short on the impact of ceramic-polymer phase boundaries on the total cell performance of ASSBs [6, 7, 8].To allow for the simulation of hybrid full cells, a pseudo-two-dimensional (p2D) physicochemical model is introduced within this work. The model is based on the Newman approach, modified with a description for the ceramic-polymer phase boundary [9]. In equilibrium state, the potential drop across the ceramic-polymer boundary was modeled with the Donnan-potential condition as recently proposed by Kim et al. [10]. Under current flow, additional polarization occurs at the interface due to electrochemical charge transfer, which was modeled by the Butler-Volmer equation, and ohmic contact resistance. The conservation of mass and charge over the phase boundary was secured with a current, flux, and a potential boundary condition. A model cell was defined (see figure 1) and parametrized using material-specific values for the ionic and electronic transport characteristics as well as the interface and charge transfer properties. Since the focus of this study was on the ceramic-polymer phase boundary, ideal plating and stripping behavior at the Li-metal anode were assumed neglecting irregular lithium deposition, e.g., lithium dendrite formation. As separator material, the well-known ceramic LLZO SE was modeled. A composite cathode with NMC-622 as CAM and PEO/LiTFSI as polymer electrolyte was assumed. The lower part of figure 1 shows the reduced 1D-model geometry and the ion transport mechanisms in each model domain.The established physicochemical model was applied to identify performance-limiting effects in hybrid ASSBs to conclude on cell designs achieving high energy and power densities.To quantify and localize the polarization contributions in each domain, arising from SE ionic conductivity, diffusion or charge-transfer processes, as well as phase boundaries, the method proposed by Nyman et al. was used [11]. Figure 2 a) shows the results of polarization analysis when simulating a 0.1C charge, while figure 2 b) depicts the results for a 1C charge. Diffusion limitation in the polymer electrolyte led to high concentration gradients in the polymer-phase of the composite cathode, resulting in high diffusion polarization at elevated charging rates as shown in figure 2 b). This determined a critical current density at cell level, which was caused by large Li-ion concentration gradients and a possible depletion of Li-ions near the ceramic separator.The overall cell polarization was further enhanced by the ceramic-polymer phase boundary. For the contact case of LLZO versus PEO/LiTFSI considered here, the equilibrium potential between the phases was calculated according to the theory of Donnan to 31 mV.Since a wide range of values for the contact resistance at the ceramic-polymer interface is reported in the literature [6, 7], ohmic polarization could be important and was therefore evaluated as a function of different contact resistances. A critical contact resistance was determined to achieve the requirements for future battery technologies regarding energy and power density. Figure 1

A logical model of Ewing sarcoma cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition supports the existence of hybrid cellular phenotypes.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a highly aggressive pediatric tumor driven by the RNA-binding protein EWS (EWS)/friend leukemia integration 1 transcription factor (FLI1) chimeric transcription factor, which is involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT stabilizes a hybrid cell state, boosting metastatic potential and drug resistance. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of this hybrid phenotype in ES remain elusive. Our study proposes a logical EMT model for ES, highlighting zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2), miR-145, and miR-200 circuits that maintain hybrid states. The model aligns with experimental findings and reveals a previously unknown circuit supporting the mesenchymal phenotype. These insights emphasize the role of ZEB2 in the maintenance of the hybrid state in ES.

A Multifunctional Delivery System for Remodulating Cell Behaviors of Circulating Malignant Cells to Prevent Cell Fusion.

Cell fusion plays a critical role in cancer progression and metastasis. However, effective modulation of the cell fusion behavior and timely evaluation on the cell fusion to provide accurate information for personalized therapy are facing challenges. Here, it demonstrates that the cancer cell fusion behavior can be efficiently modulated and precisely detected through employing a multifunctional delivery vector to realize cancer targeting delivery of a genome editing plasmid and a molecular beacon-based AND logic gate. The multifunctional delivery vector decorated by AS1411 conjugated hyaluronic acid and NLS-GE11 peptide conjugated hyaluronic acid can specifically target circulating malignant cells (CMCs) of cancer patients to deliver the genome editing plasmid for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) knockout. The cell fusion between CMCs and endothelial cells can be detected by the AND logic gate delivered by the multifunctional vector. After EGFR knockout, the edited CMCs exhibit dramatically inhibited cell fusion capability, while unedited CMCs can easily fuse with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to form hybrid cells. This study provides a new therapeutic strategy for preventing cancer progression and a reliable tool for evaluating cancer cell fusion for precise personalized therapy.

Promotive effect of phytosulfokine - peptide growth factor - on protoplast cultures development in Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn

BackgroundFagopyrum tataricum (Tartary buckwheat) is a valuable crop of great nutritional importance due to its high level of bioactive compounds. Excellent opportunities to obtain plants with the high level or the desired profile of valuable metabolites may be provided by in vitro cultures. Among known in vitro techniques, protoplast technology is an exciting tool for genetic manipulation to improve crop traits. In that context, protoplast fusion may be applied to generate hybrid cells between different species of Fagopyrum. To apply protoplast cultures to the aforementioned approaches in this research, we established the protoplast-to-plant system in Tartary buckwheat.ResultsIn this work, cellulase and pectinase activity enabled protoplast isolation from non-morphogenic and morphogenic callus (MC), reaching, on average, 2.3 × 106 protoplasts per g of fresh weight. However, to release protoplasts from hypocotyls, the key step was the application of driselase in the enzyme mixture. We showed that colony formation could be induced after protoplast embedding in agarose compared to the alginate matrix. Protoplasts cultured in a medium based on Kao and Michayluk supplemented with phytosulfokine (PSK) rebuilt cell walls, underwent repeated mitotic division, formed aggregates, which consequently led to callus formation. Plating efficiency, expressing the number of cell aggregate formed, in 10-day-old protoplast cultures varied from 14% for morphogenic callus to 30% for hypocotyls used as a protoplast source. However plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis occurred only during the cultivation of MC-derived protoplasts.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the applied protoplast isolation approach facilitated the recovery of viable protoplasts. Moreover, the embedding of protoplasts in an agarose matrix and supplementation of a culture medium with PSK effectively stimulated cell division and further development of Tartary buckwheat protoplast cultures along with the plant regeneration. Together, these results provide the first evidence of developing a protoplast-to-plant system from the MC of Fagopyrum tataricum used as source material. These findings suggest that Tartary buckwheat’s protoplast cultures have potential implications for the species’ somatic hybridization and genetic improvement.

Hybrid spheroids containing mesenchymal stem cells promote therapeutic angiogenesis by increasing engraftment of co-transplanted endothelial colony-forming cells in vivo

BackgroundPeripheral artery disease is an ischemic vascular disease caused by the blockage of blood vessels supplying blood to the lower extremities. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) have been reported to alleviate peripheral artery disease by forming new blood vessels. However, the clinical application of MSCs and ECFCs has been impeded by their poor in vivo engraftment after cell transplantation. To augment in vivo engraftment of transplanted MSCs and ECFCs, we investigated the effects of hybrid cell spheroids, which mimic a tissue-like environment, on the therapeutic efficacy and survival of transplanted cells.MethodsThe in vivo survival and angiogenic activities of the spheroids or cell suspension composed of MSCs and ECFCs were measured in a murine hindlimb ischemia model and Matrigel plug assay. In the hindlimb ischemia model, the hybrid spheroids showed enhanced therapeutic effects compared with the control groups, such as adherent cultured cells or spheroids containing either MSCs or ECFCs.ResultsSpheroids from MSCs, but not from ECFCs, exhibited prolonged in vivo survival compared with adherent cultured cells, whereas hybrid spheroids composed of MSCs and ECFCs substantially increased the survival of ECFCs. Moreover, single spheroids of either MSCs or ECFCs secreted greater levels of pro-angiogenic factors than adherent cultured cells, and the hybrid spheroids of MSCs and ECFCs promoted the secretion of several pro-angiogenic factors, such as angiopoietin-2 and platelet-derived growth factor.ConclusionThese results suggest that hybrid spheroids containing MSCs can serve as carriers for cell transplantation of ECFCs which have poor in vivo engraftment efficiency.

Оценка метастатических характеристик клеток с гибридным фенотипом при раке молочной железы

Nowadays, great attention is paid to the study of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) due to their key role in distant metastasis. At the same time there is little data on the properties of circulating cells showing simultaneous expression of the leukocyte and epithelial markers and their possible role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance. The study was aimed to assess subpopulations of cells with hybrid epithelial/leukocyte phenotype and estimate the features of stemness, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and integrin interface, which determine the cells’ possible metastatic properties in breast cancer (BC). The survey data from 128 patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type were included. Multicolor flow cytometry was used to assess the population structure and metastatic potential of the cells circulating in blood and primary tumor cells with hybrid phenotype. The primary tumor cell suspension was prepared by mechanical disaggregation. The high degree of heterogeneity was noted in the population of cells with hybrid phenotype, including the combination of the stemness and EMT features, and diverse integrin interface. Cells with hybrid phenotype are involved in the mechanisms underlying lymph node and distant metastasis. In lymph node metastasis, metastatic potential of these cells is associated with the stemness features (р = 0.0422) and co-expression of β3-, β4-, and αVβ5-integrins (р = 0.0338). In distant metastasis, metastatic potential of hybrid cells is associated with the stemness features (р = 0.015) and is not associated with the EMT features and integrin expression.

Features of ALA-induced metabolism of protoporphyrin IX in cytoplasmic hybrid cells

Features of ALA-induced metabolism of protoporphyrin IX in cytoplasmic hybrid cells

Recent Advances in III–V Compounds/Polymer Hybrid Solar Cells

The combination of III–V compound semiconductor materials and organic semiconductor materials to construct hybrid solar cells is a potential pathway to resolve the problems of conventional doped p–n junction solar cells, such as complexities in fabrication process and high costs. This review presents the recent progress of organic–inorganic hybrid solar cells based on polymers and III–V semiconductors, from materials to devices. The available growth process for planar/nanostructured III–V semiconductor materials, along with patterning and etching processes for nanostructured materials, are reviewed. As an emphasis of this review, advanced device structure designs are reviewed for facilitation of carrier collection and high efficiency, at planar structure level and nanowire structure level, respectively. Optimization pathways for efficiency enhancement are discussed with respect to polymer layers and surface/interface passivation, respectively. Finally, perspectives on the future development of such hybrid cells are presented.

Bioprinted hASC-laden cell constructs with mechanically stable and cell alignment cue for tenogenic differentiation.

3D bioprinting is a technology that enables the precise and controlled deposition of cells and an artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) to create functional tissue constructs. However, current 3D bioprinting methods still struggle to obtain mechanically stable and unique cell-morphological structures, such as fully aligned cells. In this study, we propose a new 3D bioprinting approach that utilizes a high concentration of bioink without cells to support mechanical properties and drag flow to fully align cells in a thin bath filled with cell-laden bioink, resulting in a hybrid cell-laden construct with a mechanical stable and fully aligned cell structure. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, we used it to fabricate a cell-laden construct using human adipose stem cells (hASCs) for tendon tissue engineering. To achieve appropriate processing conditions, various factors such as the bioink concentration, nozzle moving speed, and volume flow rate were considered. To enhance the biocompatibility of the cell-laden construct, we used porcine decellularized tendon ECM.In vitrocellular responses, including tenogenic differentiation of the fabricated hybrid cell structures with aligned or randomly distributed cells, were evaluated using hASCs. In addition, the mechanical properties of the hybrid cell-laden construct could be adjusted by controlling the concentration of the mechanically reinforcing strut using methacrylated tendon-decellularized extracellular matrix. Based on these results, the hybrid cell-laden structure has the potential to be a highly effective platform for the alignment of musculoskeletal tissues.

Cascade Defluorination of Perfluoroalkylated Catholytes Unlocks High Lithium Primary Battery Capacities

AbstractExceeding the energy density of lithium−carbon monofluoride (Li−CFx), today's leading Li primary battery, requires an increase in fluorine content (x) that determines the theoretical capacity available from C−F bond reduction. However, high F‐content carbon materials face challenges such as poor electronic conductivity, low reduction potentials (<1.3 V versus Li/Li+), and/or low C−F bond utilization. This study investigates molecular structural design principles for a new class of high F‐content fluoroalkyl‐aromatic catholytes that address these challenges. A polarizable conjugated system—an aromatic ring with an alkene linker—functions as electron acceptor and redox initiator, enabling a cascade defluorination of an adjacent perfluoroalkyl chain (RF = −CnF2n+1). The synthesized molecules successfully overcome premature deactivation observed in previously studied catholytes and achieve close‐to‐full defluorination (up to 15/17 available F), yielding high gravimetric capacities of 748 mAh g−1fluoroalkyl‐aromatic and energies of 1785 Wh kg−1fluoroalkyl‐aromatic. The voltage compatibility between fluoroalkyl‐aromatics and CFx enables design of hybrid cells containing C−F redox activity in both solid and liquid phases, with a projected enhancement of Li–CFx gravimetric energy by 35% based on weight of electrodes+electrolyte. With further improvement of cathode architecture, these “liquid CFx” analogues are strong candidates for exceeding the energy limitations of today's primary chemistries.

A erythrocyte-platelet hybrid membrane coated biomimetic nanosystem based on ginsenosides and PFH combined with ultrasound for targeted delivery in thrombus therapy

Thrombus is one of the culprits for global health problems. However, most current antithrombotic drugs are limited by restricted targeting ability and a high risk of systemic bleeding. A hybrid cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanosystem (PM/RM@PLGA@P/R) was constructed in this paper to fulfil the targeted delivery of ginsenoside (Rg1) and perfluorohexane (PFH). Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is used as carriers to coat Rg1 and PFH. Thanks to the camouflage of erythrocyte membrane (RM) and platelet membrane (PM), the nanosystem in question possesses remarkable features including immune escape and self-targeting. Therefore, a compact nano-core with PLGA@P/R was formed, with a hybrid membrane covering the surface of the core, forming a “core-shell” structure. With its “core-shell” structure, this nanoparticle fancifully combines the advantages of both PFH (the low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU)-responsive phase-change thrombolysis) and Rg1(the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant abilities). Meanwhile, PM/RM@PLGA@P/R nanoparticles exhibits superior in-vitro performance in terms of ROS scavenging, anticoagulant activity and immune escape compared with those without cell membranes (PLGA@P/R). Furthermore, in the animal experiment in which the tail vein thrombosis model was established by injecting k-carrageenan, the combined treatment of LIFU and PM/RM@PLGA@P/R showed a satisfactory antithrombotic efficiency (88.20 %) and a relatively higher biological safety level. This strategy provides new insights into the development of more effective and safer targeted biomimetic nanomedicines for antithrombotic treatments, possessing potential application in synergistic therapy field.

A hybrid cell image segmentation method based on the multilevel improvement of data

Over the years, several methods have been developed for the segmentation of cell images. Most of the related techniques operate directly on the raw data (noisy cell samples) of the medical image which leads to adverse effects on the structure of leucocytes because the medical images are affected by multiple distortions (varying illumination, deficient background light intensity, and non-uniform staining). To overcome these problems, we came up with an improved solution that performs the qualitative enhancement of cell images for the smooth extraction of cell-nucleus. Although various segmentation methods have adopted an image improvement operation in practice. These methods also amplify the magnitude of image noise which leads to over-sampling and under-sampling of data points. This mis-labelling of data points is minimized by the developed approach which adopts a collaborative fusion strategy (CNN and Nuclear-norm approach) for the qualitative improvement of cell images. The enhanced cell samples were forwarded to the U-net (deep learning model) model for the semantic segmentation of cell images. The performance evaluation of the model was performed on three biomedical cell imaging datasets, which include the ALL-IDB (99.89% accuracy, 99.51% recall, and 99.01% precision), CellaVision (99.68% accuracy, 98.75% precision, and 97.94% specificity) and JTSC (98.45% accuracy, 97.42% precision, and 97.21% specificity) dataset. The results were compared with the state-of-art methods in which the adopted hybrid approach has overpowered the related techniques in the quantitative and qualitative domains.