MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expressions by binding to the 3' untranslated region of target mRNAs thereby silencing translation. Some miRNAs are key regulators of the Wnt signaling pathways, which impact developmental processes. This study investigates miRNA regulation of different isoforms of Dishevelled (Dvl/Dsh), which encode a key component in the Wnt signaling pathway. The sea urchin Dvl mRNA isoforms have similar spatial distribution in early development, but one isoform is distinctively expressed in the larval ciliary band. We demonstrated that Dvl isoforms are directly suppressed by miRNAs. By blocking miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms, we observed dose-dependent defects in spicule length, patterning of the primary mesenchyme cells, gut morphology, and cilia. These defects likely result from increased Dvl protein levels, leading to perturbation of Wnt-dependent signaling pathways and additional Dvl-mediated processes. We further demonstrated that overexpression of Dvl isoforms recapitulated some of the Dvl miRNATP-induced phenotypes. Overall, our results indicate that miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms plays an important role in ensuring proper development and function of primary mesenchyme cells and cilia.

In contrast to the recent immense attention in carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) as a heteroatom-doped carbon quantum dot (CQD), their biomedical applications have not been thoroughly investigated. Targeted cancer therapy is a prominently researched area in the biomedical field. Here, the ability of CNQDs as a selective bioimaging nanomaterial was investigated to assist targeted cancer therapy. CNQDs were first synthesized using four different precursor sets involving urea derivatives, and the characteristics were compared to select the best candidate material for bioapplications. Characterization techniques such as UV-vis, luminescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used. These CNQDs were analyzed in in vitro studies of bioimaging and labeling using pediatric glioma cells (SJGBM2) for possible selective biolabeling and nanodistribution inside the cell membrane. The in vitro cellular studies were conducted under long-wavelength emission without the interference of blue autofluorescence. Thus, excitation-dependent emission of CNQDs was proved to be advantageous. Importantly, CNQDs selectively entered SJGBM2 tumor cells, while it did not disperse into normal human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293). The distribution studies in the cell cytoplasm indicated that CNQDs dispersed into lysosomes within approximately 6 h after the incubation. The CNQDs exhibited great potential as a possible nanomaterial in selective bioimaging and drug delivery for targeted cancer therapy.

Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) fibrillation is pathologically associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and this has resulted in the development of an Aβ inhibitor which is essential for the treatment of AD. However, the design of potent agents which can target upstream secretases, inhibit Aβ toxicity and aggregation, as well as cross the blood-brain barrier remains challenging. In, this research carbon dots for AD treatment were investigated in vitro using experimental and computational methods for the first time. The results presented here demonstrate a novel strategy for the discovery of novel antiamyloidogenic agents for AD treatments.

Low toxic resorcinarene can effectively inhibit Aβ fibrillation and delay the formation of toxic Aβ 42 species.