Polydatin (PD) is a natural compound with anticancer activities, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. To understand how PD inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we studied PD treatments in HCC HepG2 and SK-HEP1 cells, and normal liver HL-7702 cells. PD selectively blocked the proliferation of HCC cells but showed low toxicity in normal cells, while the effects of doxorubicin (DOX) and cisplatin (DDP) on HCC and normal liver cells were opposite. In the cotreatment studies, PD synergistically improved the inhibitory activities of DOX and DDP in HCC cells but alleviated their toxicity in HL-7702 cells. Furthermore, RNA-seq studies of PD-treated HepG2 cells revealed multiple altered signaling pathways. We identified 1679 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) with over a 2.0-fold change in response to PD treatment. Integrative analyses using the DEGs in PD-treated HepG2 cells and DEGs in a TCGA dataset of HCC patients revealed five PD-repressed DEGs regulating mitotic spindle midzone formation. The expression of these genes showed significantly positive correlation with poor clinical outcomes of HCC patients, suggesting that mitotic machinery was likely a primary target of PD. Our findings improve the understanding of PD’s anticancer mechanisms and provide insights into developing effective clinical approaches in HCC therapies.

Cold and freezing stress is one of the most harmful environmental stresses, especially in temperate and subtropical areas, that adversely affects plant growth, development, and yield production. Betula platyphylla Sukaczev, also known as white birch, is one of the most valuable, important, and widely distributed tree species in East Asia. This study explored the effects of cold acclimation (CA) in reducing the destructive effect of freezing stress in B. platyphylla seedlings. We measured the physiological and biochemical characteristics of B. platyphylla seedlings, such as chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), and proline content before and after freezing stress to observe the contribution of CA in reducing the detrimental effects of freezing stress. The results showed that CA increased physiological and biochemical characteristics of B. platyphylla seedlings before and after freezing stress, except for chlorophyll content. Antioxidant enzymes were significantly positively correlated with proline, MDA, and EL content, and negatively correlated with chlorophyll content. Moreover, histochemical detection (H₂O₂ and O₂⁻) and cell death were revealed to be induced by cold stress in B. platyphylla seedlings. Furthermore, it was revealed that increased time and decreased temperature of the CA process significantly influenced the physiological and biochemical parameters. Overall, the CA process significantly reduced the detrimental effects of freezing stress compared to the control treatment in B. platyphylla seedlings. Taken together, these findings provide beneficial information toward understanding the mechanism of CA and freezing stress in B. platyphylla. Furthermore, the substantial activity of physiological and biochemical results could be used as selection criteria for screening time and temperature points of cold/freezing stress in further omics analyses. In addition, the combination of current study results, further omics analyses, and genetic engineering techniques directly contribute to sustainable forest management systems, tree plantations, and conservation of tree species, especially non-cold/non-freezing tolerant tree species.

Background: Wound infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria challenge treatment and infection control, particularly in healthcare settings of underdeveloped regions, such as Shantou. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed bacterial spectrum and antimicrobial resistance patterns of wound isolates collected from January 2015 to December 2023 at the Skin and Venereal Disease Prevention and Control Hospital, Shantou, China. Patient data (type, age, sex, infection site) were extracted independently by two researchers. Bacteria were identified using the MALDI Biotyper System or VITEK 2 COMPACT System. Data were analyzed with GraphPad Prism 8.0.2, using the chi-square test for comparisons; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 790 wound specimens were processed using standard microbiological techniques. Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent pathogen (39.4%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.89%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (6.21%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (5.88%) and Escherichia coli (5.21%). Of these, male patients accounted for 363 of 420 (86.4%) cases, more than females, who accounted for 232 of 370 (62.7%). The highest incidence occurred in the 2– 17-year age group (25.0%), followed by those aged 51– 60 years (14.9%). Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was noted in 41.9% of E. coli and 29.7% of K. pneumoniae. Among the Gram-positive multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates, S. haemolyticus (91.8%), S. epidermidis (91.4%), and S. aureus (73.9%) were the most resistant. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounted for 68.5% of S. aureus, with high resistance to penicillin (97.3%) and erythromycin (73.5%). MR-CoNS, mainly S. epidermidis, was resistant to erythromycin (88.5%) and oxacillin (77.1%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of MRSA (68.5%) and MDR S. aureus (73.6%) may reflect widespread antibiotic misuse, emphasizing the need for culture-guided therapy and robust antibiotic stewardship.

The transcriptional co-factor cell-cycle-related and expression-elevated protein in tumors (CREPT) has emerged as a critical driver of the cell cycle and a significant contributor to tumorigenesis. The aberrant expression or upregulation of CREPT boosts multiple signaling pathways, including Wnt/β-catenin, STAT3 and NF-κB/TNFR2, which are frequently dysregulated in various cancers and are associated with poor overall survival. In preclinical studies, CREPT knockdown via shRNA has demonstrated sustained tumor growth regression. Recent researches have uncovered additional functions of CREPT, including roles in metabolic regulation, tissue repair, and microenvironmental remodeling, further establishing it as a pleiotropic transcriptional regulator. Currently, there is no therapeutic agent that directly inhibits CREPT expression in clinic. However, miRNAs and other methods have been used to target CREPT, which have yielded useful results in inhibiting tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the role of CREPT in the hallmarks of cancer and propose that targeting CREPT will reverse tumor growth and may improve the immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination in CREPT-driven cancers.