We present a case of COVID-19 pneumonia associated with spontaneous pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema.

Streptomyces bingchenggensis is a soil-dwelling bacterium producing the commercially important anthelmintic macrolide milbemycins. Besides milbemycins, the insecticidal polyether antibiotic nanchangmycin and some other antibiotics have also been isolated from this strain. Here we report the complete genome sequence of S. bingchenggensis. The availability of the genome sequence of S. bingchenggensis should enable us to understand the biosynthesis of these structurally intricate antibiotics better and facilitate rational improvement of this strain to increase their titers.

The activation of 17beta-estradiol (E2) to 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-HO-E2), the more genotoxic 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-HO-E2), and the oxidation to the respective quinones constitutes a risk factor in hormonal carcinogenesis. 2-HO-E2 is formed by cytochrome P450 CYP1A1, and 4-HO-E2 is formed by CYP1B1. Both are detoxified by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), whereas their quinones are inactivated by NADPH-quinone-oxidoreductase (QR). Since the soy isoflavones genistein (GEN) and daidzein (DAI) are widely consumed due to their putative protective function in breast carcinogenesis, we examined the influence of E2, GEN, and DAI on CYP1A1/1B1, COMT, and QR expression in MCF-7 cells by reverse transcription/competitive PCR. CYP1A1 and COMT enzyme activity were determined using ethoxyresorufin and quercetin as substrates. Furthermore, estrogen receptor (ER)-regulated cell proliferation was determined by E-screen. E2, GEN, and DAI inhibited the expression of CYP1A1, COMT, and QR. The maximum effect (reduction by 40-80%, depending on the gene product and compound) was obtained at 100 pM E2, 1 microM GEN, and 10 microM DAI, which also induced the most pronounced cell proliferation in the E-screen. In contrast, expression of CYP1B1 was only slightly affected. CYP1A1 and COMT mRNA levels correlated with enzyme activities. The ER antagonist ICI 182,780 reversed the E2- and isoflavone-mediated effects. Thus, GEN and DAI at estrogen-active concentrations stimulate the formation of the more E2 genotoxic metabolites and inhibit the detoxification of catechol and quinone estrogens in estrogen-responsive tumor cells.

Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors including stomach cancer (SC) and is closely associated with cancer malignant progression. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a common modification on RNA, is involved in the regulation of RNA fate and hypoxic responses in cancers. However, the interaction between m6A reader insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) and SC hypoxic microenvironment is poorly defined. In the present study, expression levels of IGF2BP3 and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF1A) were examined by bioinformatics analysis and RT-qPCR and western blot assays. Cell migratory ability was assessed through Transwell and wound healing assays. The angiogenic potential was evaluated by VEGF secretion, tube formation, and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. The interaction between IGF2BP3 and HIF1A was explored using bioinformatics analysis and RIP and luciferase reporter assays. The results showed that IGF2BP3 and HIF1A were highly expressed in SC tissues and hypoxia-treated SC cells. IGF2BP3 knockdown inhibited hypoxia-induced cell migration and angiogenesis in SC. IGF2BP3 positively regulated HIF1A expression by directly binding to a specific m6A site in the coding region of HIF1A mRNA in SC cells. HIF1A overexpression abrogated the effects of IGF2BP3 knockdown on hypoxia-induced cell migration and angiogenesis in SC. In conclusion, IGF2BP3 knockdown inhibited hypoxia-induced cell migration and angiogenesis by down-regulating HIF1A in SC.

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