BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle handles about 80% of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and become the major organ occurring insulin resistance (IR). Many studies have confirmed the interactions between macrophages and skeletal muscle regulated the inflammation and regeneration of skeletal muscle. However, despite of the decades of research, whether macrophages infiltration and polarization in skeletal muscle under high glucose (HG) milieus results in the development of IR is yet to be elucidated. C2C12 myoblasts are well-established and excellent model to study myogenic regulation and its responses to stimulation. Further exploration of macrophages\' role in myoblasts IR and the dynamics of their infiltration and polarization is warranted.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate interactions between myoblasts and macrophages under HG, and its effects on inflammation and IR in skeletal muscle.
METHODS: We detected the polarization status of macrophages infiltrated to skeletal muscles of IR mice by hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Then, we developed an in vitro co-culture system to study the interactions between myoblasts and macrophages under HG milieus. The effects of myoblasts on macrophages were explored through morphological observation, CCK-8 assay, Flow Cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mediation of macrophages to myogenesis and insulin sensitivity were detected by morphological observation, CCK-8 assay, Immunofluorescence, and 2-NBDG assay.
RESULTS: The F4/80 and co-localization of F4/80 and CD86 increased, and the myofiber size decreased in IR group (P < 0.01, g = 6.26). Compared to Mc group, F4/80+CD86+CD206- cells, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), inerleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 decreased, and IL-10 increased in McM group (P < 0.01, g > 0.8). In McM + HG group, F4/80+CD86+CD206- cells, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 were increased, and F4/80+CD206+CD86- cells and IL-10 were decreased compared with Mc + HG group and McM group (P < 0.01, g > 0.8). Compered to M group, myotube area, myotube number and E-MHC were increased in MMc group (P < 0.01, g > 0.8). In MMc + HG group, myotube area, myotube number, E-MHC, GLUT4 and glucose uptake were decreased compared with M + HG group and MMc group (P < 0.01, g > 0.8).
CONCLUSIONS: Interactions between myoblasts and macrophages under HG milieus results in inflammation and IR, which support that the macrophage may serve as a promising therapeutic target for skeletal muscle atrophy and IR.

Plesiomonas shigelloides, a Gram-negative bacillus, is the only member of the Enterobacteriaceae family able to produce polar and lateral flagella and cause gastrointestinal and extraintestinal illnesses in humans. The flagellar transcriptional hierarchy of P. shigelloides is currently unknown. In this study, we identified FlaK, FlaM, FliA, and FliAL as the four regulators responsible for polar and lateral flagellar regulation in P. shigelloides. To determine the flagellar transcription hierarchy of P. shigelloides, the transcriptomes of the WT and ΔflaK, ΔflaM, ΔfliA, and ΔfliAL were carried out for comparison in this study. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and luminescence screening assays were used to validate the RNA-seq results, and the Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) results revealed that FlaK can directly bind to the promoters of fliK, fliE, flhA, and cheY, while the FlaM protein can bind directly to the promoters of flgO, flgT, and flgA. Meanwhile, we also observed type VI secretion system (T6SS) and type II secretion system 2 (T2SS-2) genes downregulated in the transcriptome profiles, and the killing assay revealed lower killing abilities for ΔflaK, ΔflaM, ΔfliA, and ΔfliAL compared to the WT, indicating that there was a cross-talk between the flagellar hierarchy system and bacterial secretion system. Invasion assays also showed that ΔflaK, ΔflaM, ΔfliA, and ΔfliAL were less effective in infecting Caco-2 cells than the WT. Additionally, we also found that the loss of flagellar regulators causes the differential expression of some of the physiological metabolic genes of P. shigelloides. Overall, this study aims to reveal the transcriptional hierarchy that controls flagellar gene expression in P. shigelloides, as well as the cross-talk between motility, virulence, and physiological and metabolic activity, laying the groundwork for future research into P. shigelloides\' coordinated survival in the natural environment and the mechanisms that infect the host.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum, and curcumin (CUR) is a natural polyphenolic compound found in turmeric. However, the combined treatment of CUR and DON to explore the mitigating effect of CUR on DON and their combined mechanism of action is not clear. Therefore, in this study, we established four treatment groups (CON, CUR, DON and CUR + DON) to investigate their mechanism in the porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). In addition, the cross-talk and alleviating potential of CUR interfering with DON-induced cytotoxic factors were evaluated by in vitro experiments; the results showed that CUR could effectively inhibit DON-exposed activated TNF-α/NF-κB pathway, attenuate DON-induced apoptosis, and alleviate DON-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress through PERK/CHOP pathways, which were verified at both mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, these promising findings may contribute to the future use of CUR as a novel feed additive to protect livestock from the harmful effects of DON.

UNASSIGNED: PM2.5 is closely linked to vascular endothelial injury and has emerged as a major threat to human health. Our previous research indicated that exposure to PM2.5 induced an increased release of miR-421 from the bronchial epithelium. However, the role of miR-421 in PM2.5-induced endothelial injury remains elusive.
UNASSIGNED: We utilized a subacute PM2.5-exposure model in mice in vivo and an acute injury cell model in vitro to simulate PM2.5-associated endothelial injury. We also used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the role of miR-421 in PM2.5-induced endothelial injury.
UNASSIGNED: Our findings reveal that inhibition of miR-421 attenuated PM2.5-induced endothelial injury and hypertension. Mechanistically, miR-421 inhibited the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and upregulated the expression of the downstream molecule inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), thereby exacerbating PM2.5-induced endothelial injury.
UNASSIGNED: Our results indicate that PM2.5 exposure facilitates crosstalk between bronchial epithelial and endothelial cells via miR-421/ACE2/iNOS signaling pathway, mediating endothelial damage and hypertension. MiR-421 inhibition may offer a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of PM2.5-induced vascular endothelial injury.

Despite advanced clinical treatment, the mortality rate of cancer patients is high. Recent studies have linked the development of cancer to inflammation. Many cancers are exacerbated by the emergence of inflammatory responses, and non-coding RNAs play an important role in inflammation. Non-coding RNAs include microRNAs, circular RNAs, long-chain noncoding RNAs, etc. The non-coding RNA regulatory network composed of microRNAs, circular RNAs and long-chain non-coding RNAs is involved in the regulatory process of multiple gene expression. They can act on various signaling pathways, such as wnt/β-catenin, nuclear factorkappa B, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/ AKT, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and so on. These signaling pathways can control the occurrence of inflammatory response to some extent, such as regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin-6, interferongamma, tumor necrosis factor-α, and so on), making them upregulated or down-regulated. Therefore, it is important to study the role of non-coding RNAs in inflammation to contribute to the future of cancer.

The mechanisms underlying the complex correlation between immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the optimal cross-talk genes, potential pathways, and mutual immune-infiltrating microenvironments between IBD and IgAN to elucidate the linkage between patients with IBD and IgAN. The IgAN and IBD datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Three algorithms, CIBERSORTx, ssGSEA, and xCell, were used to evaluate the similarities in the infiltrating microenvironment between the two diseases. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was implemented in the IBD dataset to identify the major immune infiltration modules, and the Boruta algorithm, RFE algorithm, and LASSO regression were applied to filter the cross-talk genes. Next, multiple machine learning models were applied to confirm the optimal cross-talk genes. Finally, the relevant findings were validated using histology and immunohistochemistry analysis of IBD mice. Immune infiltration analysis showed no significant differences between IBD and IgAN samples in most immune cells. The three algorithms identified 10 diagnostic genes, MAPK3, NFKB1, FDX1, EPHX2, SYNPO, KDF1, METTL7A, RIDA, HSDL2, and RIPK2; FDX1 and NFKB1 were enhanced in the kidney of IBD mice. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed 15 mutual pathways between the two diseases, with lipid metabolism playing a vital role in the cross-talk. Our findings offer insights into the shared immune mechanisms of IgAN and IBD. These common pathways, diagnostic cross-talk genes, and cell-mediated abnormal immunity may inform further experimental studies.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a significant risk factor for development of gastric cancer (GC), one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. However, the mechanism by which H. pylori induces gastric oncogenesis remains unclear. Here, we investigated the function of IL-6 in gastric oncogenesis and macrophage-epithelial cell interactions.
We analyzed publicly available datasets to investigate the expression of IL-6 and infiltration of M2 macrophages in GC tissues, and determine the inter-cellular communication in the context of IL-6. Human gastric epithelial and macrophage cell lines (GES-1 and THP-1-derived macrophages, respectively) were used in mono- and co-culture experiments to investigate autocrine-and paracrine induction of IL-6 expression in response to H. pylori or IL-6 stimulation.
We found that IL-6 is highly expressed in GC and modulates survival. M2 macrophage infiltration is predominant in GC and drives an IL-6 mediated communication with gastric epithelium cells. In vitro, IL-6 triggers its own expression in GES-1 and THP-1-derived macrophages cells. In addition, these cell lines are able to upregulate each other\'s IL-6 levels in an autocrine fashion, which is enhanced by H. pylori stimulation.
This study indicates that IL-6 in the tumor microenvironment is essential for intercellular communication. We show that H. pylori enhances an IL-6-driven autocrine and paracrine positive feedback loop between macrophages and gastric epithelial cells, which may contribute to gastric carcinogenesis.

Sodium butyrate (SB), an essential nutritional additive for livestock, has drawn notable interest for its potential for enhancing microbiota development in ruminant animals. This study aimed to assess SB\'s effects on ruminal and intestinal microbiota when added to milk for preweaning dairy calves nearing 45 days old. We administered SB in the calves\' milk at four levels: 0 g/d (control), 4.4 g/d (low), 8.8 g/d (medium), and 17.6 g/d (high). After a six-week trial with ten replicates per group, ruminal fluid and fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing, specifically targeting the V3-V4 regions to analyze microbiota. The results indicated an enhancement in ruminal microbiota, particularly in community richness, with low-level SB supplementation but minimal benefits from medium and high levels of supplementation. Increasing the level of SB supplementation had a negative impact on intestinal microbiota, affecting community richness and some potentially beneficial bacterial genera. However, low SB supplementation could positively adjust the communication between ruminal and intestinal microbiota. Overall, this study suggests feeding milk supplemented with a low level of SB to suckling calves close to an older age to promote ruminal microbiota development.

Insects are one of the most successful animals in nature, and entomopathogenic fungi play a significant role in the natural epizootic control of insect populations in many ecosystems. The interaction between insects and entomopathogenic fungi has continuously coevolved over hundreds of millions of years. Many components of the insect innate immune responses against fungal infection are conserved across phyla. Additionally, behavioral responses, which include avoidance, grooming, and/or modulation of body temperature, have been recognized as important mechanisms for opposing fungal pathogens. In an effort to investigate possible cross-talk and mediating mechanisms between these fundamental biological processes, recent studies have integrated and/or explored immune and behavioral responses. Current information indicates that during discrete stages of fungal infection, several insect behavioral and immune responses are altered simultaneously, suggesting important connections between the two systems. This review synthesizes recent advances in our understanding of the physiological and molecular aspects influencing cross-talk between behavioral and innate immune antifungal reactions, including chemical perception and olfactory pathways.

We optimized and fabricated an ultra-bend-resistant 4-core simplex cable (SXC) employing 4-core multicore fiber (MCF) suitable for short-reach dense spatial division multiplexing (DSDM) optical transmission in the O-band. The characteristics of transmission loss, macro-bending and cross-talk (XT) between adjacent cores after cabling were firstly clarified. By introducing the trapezoid index and optimizing the cabling process, the maximum values of added XT of 1.17 dB/km due to 10 loops with a bending radius of 6 mm imposed over the 4-core SXC and a macro-bending loss of 0.37 dB/10 turns were, respectively, achieved.P Then, the optical transmission with low bit error rate (BER) was presented using a 100GBASE-LR4 transceiver over the 1.2 km long 4-core SXC. The excellent bending resistance of the 4-core SXC may pave the way for a reduction in space pressure and increase in access density on short-reach optical interconnect (OI) based on DSDM.