No abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death. Particularly, inflammation is crucial for the progression of NSCLC. In the past few decades, the anti-tumor effects of some traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have caused much attention. This study was designed to investigate the effects of polydatin in the progression of NSCLC. CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay and western blot assay were used to assess the anti-cancer property. Consequently, we showed that polydatin inhibited proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells (A549 and H1299 cells) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, polydatin suppressed the expression of NLRP3, ASC and pro-caspase-1in NSCLC cells. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome counteracted the inhibitory effect of polydatin on proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells, suggesting that polydatin suppressed progression of NSCLC through inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, polydatin was found to down-regulate relative expression of phosphor-NF-κB p65 and activation of NF-κB pathway by TNF-α also abolished the inhibitory effect of polydatin on proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells. In conclusion, our data showed that polydatin acted as an anti-tumor agent to suppress proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells. The anti-tumor effect of polydatin was possibly related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammation via the NF-κB pathway. Our finding suggested that polydatin might be a potential therapeutic candidate in the treatment of NSCLC.

The long term effect of biochar application on soil microbial biomass is not well understood. We measured soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) in a field experiment during a winter wheat growing season after four consecutive years of no (CK), 4.5 (B4.5) and 9.0 t biochar ha−1 yr−1 (B9.0) applied. For comparison, a treatment with wheat straw residue incorporation (SR) was also included. Results showed that biochar application increased soil MBC significantly compared to the CK treatment, and that the effect size increased with biochar application rate. The B9.0 treatment showed the same effect on MBC as the SR treatment. Treatments effects on soil MBN were less strong than for MBC. The microbial biomass C∶N ratio was significantly increased by biochar. Biochar might decrease the fraction of biomass N mineralized (K N), which would make the soil MBN for biochar treatments underestimated, and microbial biomass C∶N ratios overestimated. Seasonal fluctuation in MBC was less for biochar amended soils than for CK and SR treatments, suggesting that biochar induced a less extreme environment for microorganisms throughout the season. There was a significant positive correlation between MBC and soil water content (SWC), but there was no significant correlation between MBC and soil temperature. Biochar amendments may therefore reduce temporal variability in environmental conditions for microbial growth in this system thereby reducing temporal fluctuations in C and N dynamics.