Membrane Arrays Research Articles

Chlorophyll-Inspired Magnesium Porphyrin Array Membrane for Vis-Light-Enhanced Osmotic Energy Conversion.

Osmotic energy, a renewable clean energy, can be directly converted into electricity through ion-selective membranes. Inspired by the magnesium porphyrin (MgP) in plant chlorophyll, which absorbs vis-light and promotes photoelectric conversion, we demonstrate a MgP array membrane, realizing vis-light-enhanced ion transport regulation ability and osmotic energy conversion. The MgP arrays are self-assembled by a MgP-cored block copolymer under the coordination effect of block copolymer self-assembly and MgP π-π stacking, providing chloride-selective transport channels. Due to the unique photochemical properties of MgP, the chloride ion transport conductance and selectivity can be simultaneously increased under visible-light irradiation, benefiting the osmotic energy conversion. Specifically, the maximum power density increases from 26.7 to 34.5 W·m-2 after visible-light illumination, representing approximately a 30% increase. The construction of MgP arrays realizes photofacilitated osmotic energy conversion, providing an idea for designing an efficient photoelectric conversion system.

Lipid Priming of Adipose Mesenchymal Stromal Cells with Docosahexaenoic Acid: Impact on Cell Differentiation, Senescence and the Secretome Neuroregulatory Profile.

Priming strategies that improve the functionality of MSCs may be required to address issues limiting successful clinical translation of MSC therapies. For conditions requiring high trophic support such as brain and spinal cord injuries, priming MSCs to produce higher levels of trophic factors may be instrumental to facilitate translation of current MSC therapies. We developed and tested a novel molecular priming paradigm using docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to prime adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) to enhance the secretome neuroregulatory potential. Comprehensive dose-response and time-course assays were carried to determine an optimal priming protocol. Secretome total protein measurements were taken in association with cell viability, density and morphometric assessments. Cell identity and differentiation capacity were studied by flow cytometry and lineage-specific markers. Cell growth was assessed by trypan-blue exclusion and senescence was probed over time using SA-β-gal, morphometry and gene expression. Secretomes were tested for their ability to support differentiation and neurite outgrowth of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs). Neuroregulatory proteins in the secretome were identified using multiplex membrane arrays. Priming with 40µM DHA for 72h significantly enhanced the biosynthetic capacity of ASCs, producing a secretome with higher protein levels and increased metabolic viability. DHA priming enhanced ASCs adipogenic differentiation and adapted their responses to replicative senescence induction. Furthermore, priming increased concentrations of neurotrophic factors in the secretome promoting neurite outgrowth and modulating the differentiation of hNPCs. These results provide proof-of-concept evidence that DHA priming is a viable strategy to improve the neuroregulatory profile of ASCs.

The angiogenic role of the alpha 9-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in triple-negative breast cancers.

Nicotine acts as an angiogenic factor by stimulating endogenous cholinergic pathways. Several subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have been demonstrated to be closely correlated to the formation and progression of different types of cancers. Recently, several studies have found that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors α9 (α9-nAChRs) are highly expressed in breast tumors, especially in tumors derived from patients diagnosed at advanced stages. In vitro studies have demonstrated that activation of α9-nAChRs is associated with increased proliferation and migration of breast cancer. To study the tumor-promoting role of α9-nAChRs in breast cancers, we generated a novel anti-α9-nAChR and methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG) bispecific antibody (α9 BsAb) for dissecting the molecular mechanism on α9-nAChR-mediated tumor progression. Unexpectedly, we discovered the angiogenic role of α9-nAChR in nicotine-induced neovascularization of tumors. It revealed α9 BsAbs reduced nicotine-induced endothelial cell tube formation, blood vessel development in Matrigel plug assay and angiogenesis in microtube array membrane murine model (MTAMs). To unbraid the molecular mechanism of α9-nAChR in nicotine-mediated angiogenesis, the α9 BsAbs were applied and revealed the inhibitory roles in nicotine-induced production of hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), phosphorylated vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (p-VEGFR2), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) from triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), suggesting α9-nAChRs played an important role in nicotine-induced angiogenesis. To confirm our results, the shRNA targeting α9-nAChRs was designed and used to silence α9-nAChR expression and then evaluated the angiogenic role of α9-nAChRs. The results showed α9 shRNA also played an inhibitory effect in blocking the nicotine-induced angiogenic signaling. Taken together, α9-nAChR played a critical role in nicotine-induced angiogenesis and this bispecific antibody (α9 BsAb) may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for treatments of the α9 positive cancers.

Lack of glycemic control in type two diabetes mellitus patients is associated with reduced serum epidermal growth factor level and increased insulin resistance.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is steadily increasing worldwide in an alarming fashion. Importantly, poor glycemic control is associated with development of various health sequalae's due to glucolipotoxicity, oxidative stress and increased inflammatory cytokines. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of glycemic control on the relative abundance of inflammatory markers in patients with controlled and uncontrolled T2DM, and to test their association with the glycemic status in diabetic patients in Jordan. An observational cross-sectional study design was used. Patients with T2DM with controlled diabetes [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≤7.0%, n=110] and age-, sex- and body mass index (BMI)-matched uncontrolled diabetic patients (HbA1c >7.0%, n=105) were recruited. An antibody membrane array was used to examine the relative abundance of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in the sera of the study subjects, followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to confirm the results. Fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, triglyceride and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score were significantly elevated in the uncontrolled T2DM group (P<0.05). Antibody membrane array showed that serum epidermal growth factor (EGF) is significantly decreased in the uncontrolled T2DM group, and this was confirmed by ELISA (158.77±111.7 vs. 95.9±82.7 pg/ml, P=0.002). The binary logistic model was used to predict the likelihood of being uncontrolled diabetic based on EGF levels. After controlling for age, sex and BMI, EGF was statistically associated with diabetes control, where lower EGF levels predicted uncontrolled diabetes. Additionally, Pearson's product-moment correlation showed a statistically significant negative correlation between EGF and HbA1c (r=-0.25, P<0.0001), and a positive correlation between HOMA-IR and HbA1c, (r=0.32, P<0.0001). The current data identify a novel link between serum EGF levels and the status of HbA1c indicative of diabetic control.

Sensitive and real-time monitoring of microbial growth using a dielectric sensor with a 65-GHz LC-oscillator array and polytetrafluoroethylene membrane

In this study, we report a sensitive real-time microbial growth monitoring technique using a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) dielectric sensor with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane. The sensor comprised an LC oscillator array operating at 65-GHz, whose resonant frequency was altered according to the dielectric properties of the region approximately 15 μm from the surface. We previously reported the rapid detection of viable Escherichia coli suspended in a liquid medium using the dielectric sensor; however, sensing growing cells was challenging owing to their tendency to float outside the effective sensing area in the suspended medium. To address this, we propose a new method to enhance the sensitivity of the device using a PTFE membrane that retains cells inside the effective area during measurement. Experiments using Escherichia coli suggested that the use of the membrane more than doubled sensitivity, reducing inspection times for practical applications. Furthermore, experiments with Lactococcus lactis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae demonstrated that this method can be used to monitor the growth of various microbes. In addition, variations in the output values of each oscillator facilitated the determination of microbial characteristics, such as cell size and growth distribution. This microbial growth monitoring technique is expected to find applications across a wide range of fields, such as food inspection, environmental hygiene monitoring, antibiotic susceptibility testing, new drug discovery, and the exploration of beneficial microbes.

High-throughput capture and in situ protein analysis of extracellular vesicles by chemical probe-based array.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small particles with phospholipid bilayers that carry a diverse range of cargoes including nucleic acids, proteins and metabolites. EVs have important roles in various cellular processes and are increasingly recognized for their ubiquitous role in cell-cell communications and potential applications in therapeutics and diagnostics. Although many methods have been developed for the characterization and measurement of EVs, analyzing them from biofluids remains a challenge with regard to throughput and sensitivity. Recently, we introduced an approach to facilitate high-throughput analysis of EVs from trace amounts of sample. In this method, an amphiphile-dendrimer supramolecular probe (ADSP) is coated onto a nitrocellulose membrane for array-based capture and to enable an in situ immunoblotting assay. Here, we describe the protocol for our array-based method of EV profiling. We describe an enhanced version of the method that incorporates an automated printing workstation, ensuring high throughput and reproducibility. We further demonstrate the use of our array to profile specific glycosylations on the EV surface using click chemistry of an azide group introduced by metabolic labeling. In this protocol, the synthesis of ADSP and the fabrication of ADSP nitrocellulose membrane array can be completed on the same day. EVs are efficiently captured from biological or clinical samples through a 30-min incubation, followed by an immunoblotting assay within a 3-h window, thus providing a high-throughput platform for EV isolation and in situ targeted analysis of EV proteins and their modifications.

Design and demonstration of a roll-out membrane antenna based on thin-walled deployable composite booms

The thin-walled deployable composite boom (DCB) features the advantages of high deployment-to-package envelope ratio and elastic self-development, which is an enduring topic of interest in the field of lightweight aerospace structures. The structural design and performance demonstration was proposed herein for a roll-out membrane antenna (ROMA) based on DCBs. Firstly, a simplified analytical algorithm was formulated for approximate fundamental frequencies of the ROMA frame structure, and the two types of first-order torsional modal shapes of the frame structure was investigated with respect to configurational design parameters. In sequentially, the bending, swing and the two distinct torsional fundamental frequencies of the ROMA frame were estimated comparatively. Furthermore, the effects of the equilibrated tension from the membrane array on the bending fundamental frequency of the ROMA structure was investigated by assuming a simplified mass distribution model for the thin-film structures. Finally, The simplified analytical algorithm was used for structural design of an AIS/VDE (automatic identification system/VHF data exchange system) ROMA and its performance was validated through numerical simulations and ground tests. The successful deployment and operation of the AIS/VDE ROMA on the Pujiang-2 satellite further demonstrated the practical aerospace application significance of thin-walled DCBs.

Design and discovery of carboxamide-based pyrazole conjugates with multifaceted potential against Triple-Negative Breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

We report the design, synthesis, and validation of carboxamide-based pyrazole and isoxazole conjugates with a multifaceted activity against Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231. The study established that amongst the series, N-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide (5g) exhibits the highest potency in inhibiting Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 with an IC50 value of 15.08 ± 0.04 µM. The MDA‐MB‐231 cells, upon treatment with compound 5g, exhibited characteristic apoptotic specific activities such as nuclear fragmentation, phosphatidylserine translocation to the outer plasma membrane, release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and upregulation of caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities. Also, the modulation of pro and antiapoptotic proteins in 5g treated MDA-MB-231 cells was revealed by membrane array analysis. More importantly, the combination of paclitaxel and compound 5g has exhibited improved activity by several folds via their synergistic effects.

Structure and dynamics of cholesterol-mediated aquaporin-0 arrays and implications for lipid rafts

Aquaporin-0 (AQP0) tetramers form square arrays in lens membranes through a yet unknown mechanism, but lens membranes are enriched in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Here, we determined electron crystallographic structures of AQP0 in sphingomyelin/cholesterol membranes and performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to establish that the observed cholesterol positions represent those seen around an isolated AQP0 tetramer and that the AQP0 tetramer largely defines the location and orientation of most of its associated cholesterol molecules. At a high concentration, cholesterol increases the hydrophobic thickness of the annular lipid shell around AQP0 tetramers, which may thus cluster to mitigate the resulting hydrophobic mismatch. Moreover, neighboring AQP0 tetramers sandwich a cholesterol deep in the center of the membrane. MD simulations show that the association of two AQP0 tetramers is necessary to maintain the deep cholesterol in its position and that the deep cholesterol increases the force required to laterally detach two AQP0 tetramers, not only due to protein–protein contacts but also due to increased lipid–protein complementarity. Since each tetramer interacts with four such ‘glue’ cholesterols, avidity effects may stabilize larger arrays. The principles proposed to drive AQP0 array formation could also underlie protein clustering in lipid rafts.

Structure and dynamics of cholesterol-mediated aquaporin-0 arrays and implications for lipid rafts.

Aquaporin-0 (AQP0) tetramers form square arrays in lens membranes through a yet unknown mechanism, but lens membranes are enriched in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Here, we determined electron crystallographic structures of AQP0 in sphingomyelin/cholesterol membranes and performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to establish that the observed cholesterol positions represent those seen around an isolated AQP0 tetramer and that the AQP0 tetramer largely defines the location and orientation of most of its associated cholesterol molecules. At a high concentration, cholesterol increases the hydrophobic thickness of the annular lipid shell around AQP0 tetramers, which may thus cluster to mitigate the resulting hydrophobic mismatch. Moreover, neighboring AQP0 tetramers sandwich a cholesterol deep in the center of the membrane. MD simulations show that the association of two AQP0 tetramers is necessary to maintain the deep cholesterol in its position and that the deep cholesterol increases the force required to laterally detach two AQP0 tetramers, not only due to protein-protein contacts but also due to increased lipid-protein complementarity. Since each tetramer interacts with four such 'glue' cholesterols, avidity effects may stabilize larger arrays. The principles proposed to drive AQP0 array formation could also underlie protein clustering in lipid rafts.

Novel biomarkers in the saliva of healthy young males and females in a randomized crossover study on sedentary time: An exploratory analysis.

Several known biomarkers have been used to understand the physiological responses of humans to various short and long-term interventions such as exercise or dietary interventions. However, little exploratory work has been conducted to identify novel biomarkers in human saliva that could enable non-invasive physiological research to understand acute responses to interventions such as reducing sedentary time. The purpose of this study was to identify novel biomarkers in the saliva (cytokines, growth factors and vascular factors) that respond to prolonged (4 hours) and interrupted sitting (4 hours of sitting interrupted by 3 minutes of walking at 60% of maximal heart rate every 27 minutes) in young, healthy males and females. We also sought to determine whether responsive biomarkers would differ by sex. Participants (n = 24, 21.2 ± 2.2 years, 50% female) completed a prolonged sitting (PS) session and an interrupted sitting (IS) session in random order. Individual saliva samples were pooled into a male sample and a female sample to identify responsive biomarkers using a human cytokine antibody membrane array (42 targets). Several novel biomarkers were responsive in both sexes (e.g., IL-8, Angiogenin, VEGF, and EGF), in females only (e.g., TNF-α and IL-13), and in males only (e.g., IL-3, RANTES, and IL-12p40/p70). Importantly, several biomarkers appear to be responsive to the 4-hour prolonged and interrupted sitting sessions (e.g., TNF-α, IL-8, IL-3, RANTES, EGF, Angiogenin, and VEGF). This work highlights new directions for researchers aiming to investigate the effect of short-term or acute interventions on different physiological pathways using non-invasive methods. Our work clearly indicates that human saliva samples can provide a wealth of insight into physiological responses, and that a number of biomarkers can be used to understand changes induced by acute interventions such as interrupting prolonged sitting.

Highly sensitive disposable test strips for sweat chloride detection using silver nanoparticles decorated reduced graphene oxide

The quantification of chloride ions in sweat by a point-of-care test system is a useful strategy in the early screening of cystic fibrosis. In this context, silver nanoparticles decorated reduced graphene oxide were synthesized by one-pot reduction method in this work. This reaction in situ produces silver nanoparticles spread across thin sheets of rGO with high surface area. This helps in the electrochemical detection of chloride ions by conversion of silver to silver chloride and formation of a thin layer of silver chloride on the surface of nanocomposite. The validity of this strategy has been demonstrated by voltammetric analysis of chloride ions using the screen-printed Ag-rGO nanocomposite. For electrodes tested in buffer, the sensitivity was 37.66 ± 0.99 mA (log mM)−1 cm−2 with a high selectivity and detection range from 30 to 400 mM chloride concentration. The lower detection limit is 1.02 mM (S/N = 3), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of sensor response is 4.77 %. Disposable sensor test strips fabricated with screen printing of the catalyst followed by layer by layer array of electrolyte and hydrophilic membrane shows a sensitivity of 165.2 ± 4.3 µA mM−1 cm−2, a linear detection range upto 210 mM, and a LOD of 2.46 ± 0.06 µM. The quantification of the developed sensor strips were confirmed by comparing the values from clinical laboratories. This finding confirms the potentiality of the developed method and its possible application in the rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care devices. Notable advantages of the Ag-rGO nanocomposite is its reversibility due to the regeneration of fresh silver nanoparticles on the rGO surface and increased electrochemical response. This feature realizes a high stability even at multiple trials with a RSD of 2.63 % and long-time storage tested upto 3 months. Using this superior performance, the developed sensor test strip demonstrates a disposable, non-invasive, reproducible, reversible, highly selective, and sensitive monitoring of chloride ions.

(Invited) Challenges and Opportunities in the Integration of CO2 Capture and Conversion

Over the past 15 years or so, the electroreduction of CO2 for the synthesis of intermediates for the chemical industry as well as for the synthesis of small molecule fuels has become a very active area of research. Activities span the whole value chain from electro-catalyst synthesis and characterization, to electrode and cell design and optimization, as well as studies on techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment of envisioned overall processes. In the vast majority of these studies, >98% pure CO2 is being used as the feed. In reality, CO2 feeds captured from industrial flue gasses or even those captured from air may not be close to 100% in CO2.This presentation will explore the integration of a nanomembrane-based CO2 capture method with different CO2 electrolysis approaches. The nano-membrane-based CO2 capture is based on work by Fujikawa and Selyanchyn (Polymer J. 2021, 53, 111), using polydimethylsiloxane-derived membranes that are preferentially permeable to CO2 over nitrogen. Multistage arrangement of modules comprised of arrays of membranes allows for efficient concentration of CO2 from air, from 420 ppm to tens of percent, using just vacuum pumps to drive the process. We explore the use of these concentrated CO2 streams that still contain nitrogen and some oxygen as the feed in subsequent CO2 electrolysis conversions to CO, to methane, or to other products, depending on catalyst choice. We study the effects of feed composition, catalyst chosen, and cell configuration on product speciation, conversion efficiency, etc.

Investigating dialysis membrane surface charge and hydrophobicity effects on fibrinogen adsorption using synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-CT)

Hemodialysis, a critical treatment for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), efficiently eliminates toxic metabolic waste from the bloodstream. This study probes the complex interactions among surface charge, wettability, and roughness of Polyethersulfone (PES) membranes and their influence on fibrinogen (FB) adsorption, a key culprit in membrane fouling that compromises the dialysis efficacy. Utilizing non-invasive X-ray synchrotron-based micro-tomography (SR-CT), we analyzed an array of PES membranes—ranging from unmodified to superhydrophobic surfaces achieved via surface hydrophobization or hydrophobic mixed matrix methods, heparin-immobilized versions, zwitterionically coated with sulfobetaine and carboxibetaine, and uremic metabolite-modified membranes, each with intensified coatings. Our findings highlight that superhydrophobic membranes, particularly hydrophobic mixed matrix membrane, significantly repel FB, reducing fouling due to their high contact angle. Additionally, membranes with lower surface charges corresponded with lower protein adsorption, emphasizing the pivotal role of electrostatic interactions. Intriguingly, hydrophobic membranes outperformed their hydrophilic counterparts despite having higher surface roughness, suggesting that peak hemodialysis membrane performance is achieved through a synergistic balance of reduced surface charge and enhanced hydrophobicity. These insights drive home the importance of integrating charge, wettability, and texture considerations in membrane design to foster the next generation of low-fouling, high-performance hemodialysis membranes.

Bioinspired Suspended Sensing Membrane Array with Modulable Wedged-Conductive Channels for Crosstalk-Free and High-Resolution Detection.

High spatial-resolution detection is essential for biomedical applications and human-machine interaction. However, as the sensor array density increases, the miniaturization will lead to interference between adjacent units and deterioration in sensing performance. Here, inspired by the cochlea's sensing structure, a high-density flexible pressure sensor array featuring with suspended sensing membrane with sensitivity-enhanced customized channels is presented for crosstalk-free and high-resolution detection. By imitating the basilar membrane attached to spiral ligaments, a sensing membrane is fixed onto a high-stiffness substrate with cavities, forming a stable braced isolation to provide an excellent crosstalk-free capability (crosstalk coefficient: 47.24dB) with high-density integration (100 units within 1 cm2). Similar to the opening of ion channels in hair cells, the wedge-type expansion of the embedded cracks introduced by stress concentration structures enables a high sensitivity (0.19 kPa-1) and a large measuring range (400kPa). Finally, it demonstrates promising applications in distributed displays and the condition monitoring of medical-surgical intubation.

Exceptionally Fast Separation of Xylene Isomers with Zeolitic Nanotube Array Membranes.

The separation of xylene isomers is of vital importance in chemical industry but remains challenging due to their similar structure and overlapping physiochemical properties. Membrane-based separations using the zeolite MFI, graphene oxide, and metal-organic frameworks have been intensively studied for this application, but the performance is limited by the well-known rule that the filtrate permeance scales inversely with the membrane thickness. We propose a novel membrane design that is capable of breaking this rule, based on an array of recently discovered zeolite nanotubes. Each zeolite nanotube possesses a 3.6-nm-wide central channel, connecting to dense, uniform 0.8-nm-wide holes on its wall that act as selective pores. Comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations show that this membrane exhibits permeance exceeding current state-of-the-art membranes by at least an order of magnitude while simultaneously maintaining an acceptable selectivity. In particular, a thicker membrane featuring longer zeolite nanotubes exhibits a higher permeance due to the presence of more selective pores. The proposed membrane design is expected to be broadly applied to other gas separations and even desalination as long as zeolitic nanotubes with customized pores are available.

Efficient EVs separation and detection by an alumina-nanochannel-array-membrane integrated microfluidic chip and an antibody barcode biochip

BackgroundSmall endosome-derived lipid nanovesicles (30–200 nm) are actively secreted by living cells and serve as pivotal biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis. However, the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) requires isolation and purification from various body fluids. Although traditional EVs isolation and detection technologies are mature, they usually require large amount of sample, consumes long-time, and have relatively low-throughput. How to efficiently isolate, purify and detect these structurally specific EVs from body fluids with high-throughput remains a great challenge in in vitro diagnostics and clinical research. ResultsHerein, we suggest a nanosized microfluidic device for efficient and economical EVs filtration based on an alumina nanochannel array membrane. We evaluated the filtration device performance of alumina membranes with different diameters and found that an optimized chamber array with a hydrophilic-treated channel diameter of 90 nm could realize a filtration efficiency of up to 82% without any assistance from chemical or physical separation methods. Importantly, by integrating meticulously designed multichannel microfluidic biochips, EVs can be captured in-situ and monitored by antibody barcode biochip. The proposed filtration chip together with the high-throughput detection chip were capable of filtration of a few tens of μL samples and recognition of different phonotypes. The practical filtration and detection of EVs from clinical samples demonstrated the high performance of the device. SignificantOverall, this work provides a cost-effective, highly efficient and automated EVs filtration chip and detection dual-function integrated chip platform, which can directly separate EVs from serum or cerebrospinal fluid with an efficiency of 82% and conduct in-situ detection. This small fluidic device can provide a powerful tool for highly efficient identifying and analyzing EVs, presenting great application potential in clinical detection.

The Effect and Mechanism of Astragalus Polysaccharides on T Cells and Macrophages in Inhibiting Prostate Cancer

BackgroundThe impact and underlying mechanisms of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on prostate cancer, particularly its role in immunomodulation, remain inadequately elucidated. MethodsThis study employed the XTT assay for assessing proliferation in prostate cancer cells and macrophages. T cell proliferation was determined using the Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester labeling assay. APS's effect on T cells and macrophages was scrutinized via flow cytometry, Western blot analysis, ELISA, quantitative PCR and cytokine membrane arrays. The effect of APS on interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 was investigated by the PD-L1/PD-1 homogeneous assay. Additionally, the impact of conditioned medium from T cells and macrophages on PC-3 cell migration was explored through migration assays. ResultsIt was observed that APS at concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/mL enhanced the proliferation of CD8+ T cells. At a concentration of 5 mg/mL, APS activated both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, attenuated PD-L1 expression in prostate cancer cells stimulated with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) or oxaliplatin, and moderately decreased the population of PD-1+ CD4+ and PD-1+ CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, APS at this concentration impeded the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1, inhibited the promotion of prostate cancer migration mediated by RAW 264.7 cells, THP-1 cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells, and initiated apoptosis in prostate cancer cells treated with conditioned medium from APS (5 mg/mL)-treated CD8+ T cells, RAW 264.7 cells, or THP-1 cells. ConclusionThe findings indicate a potential role of 5 mg/mL APS in modulating the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and influencing the immune response, encompassing T cells and macrophages. Consequently, further in vivo research is recommended to assess the efficacy of APS.

Isolation and identification of olive tree leaf phenols through a resin adsorption/desorption process

Agricultural by-products contain substantial amounts of phenolics with significant antioxidant properties. In this work, a method to recover high concentrations of phenolic substances from a typical agricultural by-product, such as olive tree leaves, was investigated. Phenolic compounds previously separated through extraction and fractionated on a membrane array: Ultrafiltration (UF)-Nanofiltration (NF)-Reverse Osmosis (RO), were examined, alongside standard compounds. More specifically, the NF concentrate fraction, which contained the low molecular weight organics (simple phenols, carbohydrates) was treated by sorption/desorption processes in a cylindrical column packed with XAD16 N resin. The aim of this study was to optimize the isolation and the enrichment of phenolic compounds through their selective adsorption on resin grains. Standard compounds such as gallic acid and glucose were tested to study the sorption and desorption kinetics of phenol and carbohydrate families and the sorption parameters were estimated using the Thomas model. The results showed that XAD16 N resin selectively adsorbed phenolic compounds over carbohydrates. This was evident by the adsorption capacity exhibited by the resin when treating the glucose and gallic acid solutions. Regarding the NF concentrate fraction of olive leaf phenols, after the adsorption step, the adsorbed hydrophilic carbohydrates were removed by desorption using pure water. Immediately afterwards, an alcohol/water mixture was introduced to recover and extract the phenolic compounds. To identify the distinct phenols, a thorough liquid chromatography study was performed on the sorption and desorption samples collected at the outlet of the packed column, identifying the different time frame each phenol left the system.

Methanol recovery: potential of nanolaminate organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes.

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough by merging the energy-saving attribute of organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) with the remarkable solvent permeance and solute rejection of two-dimensional (2D) laminated membranes. This innovative approach brings forth a new era of sustainable and cost-effective separation techniques, presenting a promising solution to the issue of industrial solvents contaminating the environment. This development paves the way for new opportunities in building a sustainable future. Specifically, our mini-review has cast a spotlight on the separation and recovery of methanol-a solvent abundantly used in industrial processes. We systematically evaluated a diverse array of free-standing 2D nanolaminate OSN membranes. The analysis encompasses the assessment of pure methanol permeance, solute rejection capabilities, and the simultaneous evaluation of methanol permeance and solute rejection performance. Notably, this study sheds light on the considerable potential of 2D laminated OSN membranes in revolutionizing separation processes for the industrial use of methanol.