FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2014
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IF 3.259
Jianxia Sun,Shun Bai,Weibin Bai,Feiyan Zou,Lei Zhang,Guoqiang Li,Yunfeng Hu,Mingwei Li,Rian Yan,Zhijian Su,Yadong Huang
1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) is a well-known food processing contaminant that has been shown to impede male reproductive function. However, its mechanism of action remains elusive. In this study, the effects of 1,3-DCP on progesterone production were investigated using the R2C Leydig cell model. 1,3-DCP significantly reduced cell viability from 7.48% to 97.4% at doses comprised between 0.5 and 6 mM. Single cell gel/comet assays and atomic force microscopy assays showed that 1,3-DCP induced early phase cell apoptosis. In addition, 1,3-DCP significantly reduced progesterone production detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results from quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting demonstrated that the mRNA expression levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were significantly down-regulated in R2C cells. Particularly, the change rhythm of Star expression was highly consistent with progesterone production. Furthermore, the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and the mitochondrial membrane potential mediated by ROS, which are involved in regulating progesterone synthesis were also decreased in response to the 1,3-DCP treatment. Overall, the data presented here suggested that 1,3-DCP interferes with the male steroidogenic capacity mainly by down-regulating the level of cAMP and the key enzymes involved in the androgen synthesis pathway.
研究领域:
生殖生物学
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毒理学
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内分泌学
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PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2013
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IF 2.906
Jianxia Sun,Shun Bai,Weibin Bai,Feiyan Zou,Lei Zhang,Zhijian Su,Qihao Zhang,Shiyi Ou,Yadong Huang
3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is a well-known food processing contaminant that has been shown to impede the male reproductive function. However, its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. In this study, the effects of 3-MCPD on progesterone production were investigated using R2C Leydig cells. 3-MCPD caused concentration-dependent inhibition of cell viability at the IC25, IC50, and IC75 levels of 1.027, 1.802, and 3.160 mM, respectively. Single cell gel/comet assay and atomic force microscopy assay showed that 3-MCPD significantly induced early apoptosis. In addition, 3-MCPD significantly reduced progesterone production by reducing the expression of cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in R2C cells. The change in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression was highly consistent with progesterone production. Furthermore, the mitochondrial membrane potential and cAMP significantly decreased.
研究领域:
毒理学
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生殖生物学
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细胞生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
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2020
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IF 10.257
Yuhan Zhu,Zuwei Xu,Jie Gao,Weihao Ji,Jingdong Zhang
The progesterone (P4) level in body fluids can act as an indicator for early pregnancy diagnosis and offers insight into mammalian somatic function. In this work, we designed an antibody-aptamer based sandwich assay as a cathodic photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor for P4 detection. The composites of carbon dots and graphene oxide (CDs-GO) with favorable cathodic photocurrent response were used as photoactive materials on which the antibody (Ab) of P4 was immobilized. Meanwhile, high affinity truncated P4 aptamer was immobilized on Au–CuO–Cu 2 O to act as a bioconjugate . When P4 was present, the aptamer-Au-CuO-Cu 2 O bioconjugate could amplify the cathodic photocurrent of CDs-GO modified electrode through Ab-P4-aptamer interactions. Under optimum conditions, the cathodic photocurrent of the constructed PEC biosensor was found to increase linearly with P4 in a wide concentration range from 0.5 nM to 180 nM, with a low detection limit (3S/N) of 0.17 nΜ. The proposed cathodic PEC sensing platform demonstrated high selectivity , satisfying reproducibility, good stability. The sensor was successfully applied in the determination of P4 in human serum samples.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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分析化学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
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2024
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IF 4.8
Shu-Zhen Dai,Ri-Hong Wu,Hengyu Chen,Ming-Hui Chen,Weijing Xie,Wu-Ping Zheng,Guang-Hong Tan,Feng-Ying Huang
Background The process of NETosis is observed in a range of inflammatory conditions. Progesterone (P4) has been shown to alleviate inflammation caused by viral infections such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2. However, the precise molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect are not yet fully understood. Therefore, the present investigation aims to explore whether P4 can exert its anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting NETosis and the related molecular pathways. Methods Airway inflammation caused by rhinovirus serotype-1b (RV-1b) was induced in male BALB/c mice. The inflammation was assessed through histological examination and calculation of inflammatory cells present in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the inflammatory cells and NETotic neutrophils. Western blotting analysis was conducted to detect proteins associated with NETosis, inflammasome activation, and signaling. Furthermore, confocal microscopy was utilized to observe neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) structures in vivo tissues and in vitro neutrophils, neutrophil infiltration, and inflammasome formation. Results The administration of P4 proved to be an effective treatment for reducing airway inflammation and the production of NETs caused by RV-1b infection. The infection triggered the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in neutrophils, which led to the maturation of IL-1β and subsequent activation of both the NF-κB and p38 signaling pathways. The activation of NF-κB signaling resulted in the secretion of downstream chemokines CCL3 and IL-6, which led to an increase in neutrophil infiltration into the lung airways. Moreover, the activation of p38 signaling led to the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in NETosis. However, the administration of P4 inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which subsequently led to the deactivation of both the IL-1β-NF-κB and IL-1β-p38 axes. As a result, there was a reduction in neutrophil infiltration and NETosis. Furthermore, TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) was identified as an intermediary enzyme. P4 inhibits both the NF-κB and IL-1β-p38 pathways by suppressing the activity of TAK1. Conclusion The capacity of P4 to mitigate rhinovirus-induced airway inflammation is attributed to its ability to impede the infiltration of neutrophils and NETosis. As inflammation mediated by NETosis is widespread in diverse disorders, our findings propose that P4 could potentially function as a universal therapeutic agent in the management of such ailments.
研究领域:
免疫学
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呼吸病学
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病毒学
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药理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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2026
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IF 7.3
Qing Li,Wei Li,Liping Lu,Xiayan Wang
Cortisol is an important biomarker in response to psychological stress. Detecting its content in biological samples is crucial for gaining insights into individual stress and personalized healthcare. The limitations of traditional techniques for cortisol detection make them unsuitable for rapid and real-time analysis, thereby motivating the development of alternative sensing strategies. Herein, we report a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor based on laser-induced graphene (LIG), fabricated via a one-step electropolymerization that integrates a Cu2+-l-histidine metal complex as intrinsic redox probes and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as a conductive scaffold. The morphology, structure, electrochemical performance, and adsorption kinetics of the MIP film were systematically characterized. This MIP/LIG has a wide linear range of 0.05 to 100 μM, covering its physiological concentration range, with a detection limit as low as 5.6 nM, which is far below the lowest cortisol level in human sweat. Furthermore, it shows good selectivity for structurally similar steroid hormones and common sweat metabolites. Its excellent reproducibility, renewability, and long-term stability make it suitable for the detection of cortisol in both artificial and real human sweat, and the results are consistent with the physiological circadian rhythm changes. Importantly, this work first proposes the redox-active MIP using metal complexes, providing a new strategy for the development of electrochemical sensors for nonelectroactive substances.
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PubMed
高影响因子
ACS Sensors
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2026
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IF 10.9
Weizhuo Gao,Chuanyu Zhang,Hongcheng Xu,Xifeng Sun,Xiaoke Lu,Jing Zhang,Wanheng Zhou,Kun Wei,Hao Sun,Weixuan Jing,Zhuangde Jiang,Xueyong Wei
Biomolecular point-of-care monitoring in saliva, urine, and sweat pioneers the real-time and noninvasive biochemical analysis for personalized healthcare and precision disease therapeutics. However, the adoption of these technologies still faces challenges due to the hardly detectable targets with weak redox activity, extremely low analyte concentration, operational instability of sensors, and low scalability of the fabrication process. To address these issues, we proposed a novel core-shell multifunctional particle for the light-enhanced detection of testosterone at the nanomolar level. The particle comprises a ZnIn2S4/SiC core and a targeted molecularly imprinted polymer shell, achieving multifunctions, including visible light sensitivity, testosterone recognition, and redox activity. The printable ability of the multifunctional particle leads to inkjet-printed testosterone sensors with stable (over 50 days), reproducible, and outstanding light-promoted sensing performance (limit of detection 0.01 nM (S/N = 3) and linear range from 0.01 to 1000 nM). The effectiveness of the testosterone sensors was validated in saliva and urine lateral flow electrochemical testing strips and wearable sweat testosterone sensors, achieving testosterone point-of-care testing in multiple human biofluids. These offer great opportunities for the noninvasive biomolecular profiling, further promoting personalized healthcare and precision disease therapeutics.
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高影响因子
Soft Science
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2026
·Vol. 6
·期 2
·N
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IF 15.9
Jiang Cheng,Naihui Hou,Tengda Wang,Zhenyun Zhao,Wei Chen
With the growing global burden of chronic stress, there is an increasing need for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of cortisol dynamics. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based sensing technology is known for its cost-effectiveness and low susceptibility to deactivation. Current invasive MIP-based cortisol sensors face fundamental requirements for improving sensitivity and widening the detection range. In addition, they encounter challenges in improving wearability and portability, as well as in developing commercially viable techniques. This work designs dual-function core-shell nickel hexacyanoferrate-MIP nanocubes (NiHCF-MIP NCs) and accordingly proposes a one-step conjugate electrospinning technique to yield coaxial cortisol-sensing yarns. The core-shell architecture effectively integrates the redox signal transduction capability of NiHCF with the cortisol-specific recognition function of MIP, enabling a continuous one-step fabrication process. The utilization of conjugate electrospinning technology not only supports scalable manufacturing but also creates a coaxial yarn structure that combines the advantages of the spun nanofiber network cortex and core threads. The as-produced yarns simultaneously possess high conductivity, flexibility, wearability, and rapid body fluid absorption, collectively enhancing the sensing performance. Consequently, the electrospun yarns exhibit a high sensitivity of 2.08 μA·dec-1, and the limit of detection (LOD) is theoretically calculated to be 0.4 nmol/L. This synergistic strategy combines core-shell dual-function nanomaterials with a one-step continuous conjugate electrospinning technique. It provides an innovative pathway for developing integrated wearable biosensing textiles for personal real-time stress monitoring and telehealth applications.
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高影响因子
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
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2026
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IF 6.1
Xiping Cui,Qiyi He,Huiyi Yang,Mingxia Lin,Suqing Zhao,Yunping Mu
Background Measurement of cortisol levels is still a complex multi-step process in immunoassay. The isolation of single-chain variable fragment (scFv) from phage-display library is an effective approach to generate antibody-enzyme fusion protein, which can be used to improve the performance of immunoassay. Results In this work, the specific scFv against cortisol was isolated from native chicken-derived phage display library by the stringent bio-panning strategy. The obtained scFv was further fused with nanoluciferase (Nluc), named scFv-Nluc. Compared with scFv-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay (BLEIA) based on scFv-Nluc was conducted in one-step strategy, which could reduce the assay time. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of the one-step BLEIA was calculated to be 203 ng/mL, which was 5-fold lower than the scFv-based ELISA (IC 50 of 1139 ng/mL). When the BLEIA and ELISA are applied to serum samples subjected to 200-fold dilution, the corresponding original-serum equivalent IC 50 values are 41 μg/mL for BLEIA and 228 μg/mL for ELISA, respectively. The established BLEIA exhibited excellent selectivity for cortisol among the analogues, while the satisfactory recoveries between 85.1 % and 120.1 % were obtained. Significance The results above demonstrated that both scFv and scFv-Nluc could be utilized as useful reagents for immunoassay, but the scFv-Nluc-based BLEIA could further enhance the performance of immunoassay, which may represent the promising method for cortisol analysis.
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Andrology
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2026
·
IF 3.4
Yuxin Shen,Mingyi Wei,Weixiong Zhang,Xiaoming Li,Can Dai,Li Sun,Xiangjun Gong
Background Understanding human sperm chemotaxis is crucial for advancing assisted reproductive technologies. However, only 2%–12% of human sperm respond to chemical gradients, and traditional two-dimensional tracking cannot capture their real swimming motions in three-dimensional space. Objectives To characterize the influence of progesterone gradients on the 3D swimming patterns and kinematics of human sperm during chemotactic swim-up migration. Materials and Methods This study used a dual-chamber chemotaxis assay with progesterone (10 pM) or control medium. Three- dimensional swimming trajectories of spermatozoa from four healthy donors were tracked at 0, 20, and 40 min using digital holographic microscopy (DHM). From approximately 54,000 trajectories, we analyzed spatial distribution, orientation angles, kinematic parameters (VCL, VSL, LIN, ALH, BCF, and RPS), and classified swimming patterns (typical, helical, hyperactivated, and hyperhelical). Results Progesterone increased swim-up proportion (23.0% ± 4.0% vs. 12.2% ± 5.8% control, p < 0.05). Sperm swimming upward showed lower velocity and linearity than non-swim-up sperm. Continuous helical motion was 4.7-fold more common in progesterone conditions (13.2% vs. 2.8% control) and maintained this pattern more stably during upward migration (38.0% vs. 12.5% control). Discussion and Conclusion Spermatozoa that maintain continuous helical motion navigate more effectively within chemotactic gradients, facilitating systematic spatial exploration and stable directional alignment with progesterone. These findings reveal sophisticated 3D swimming strategies during chemotaxis, establishing helical motion as key facilitators of gradient navigation and directional persistence, with implications for understanding sperm selection mechanisms and assessing sperm functionality in clinical settings.
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高影响因子
FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2025
·
IF 9.8
Hongfei Yang,Hao Wen,Yu Si,Mingyue Ding,Yiting Liu,Ziyan Yu,Linwei Zhang,Jiacan Wang,Xiaoming Pan,Shiyun Han,Yiting Wang,Shixiang Wu,Jixiang Liang,Jiaxu Xiao,Rui Fang,Dapeng Peng
Altrenogest is one of the most commonly used steroid hormones; however, there are currently no relevant reports on monospecific molecular recognition elements and immunoassay methods for altrenogest. Herein, a computer-aided precise hapten design strategy was proposed for monospecific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) preparation. Based on this strategy, a monospecific and sensitive mAb-D7 was prepared for the first time. The mAb-D7 has the 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of 0.12 ng/mL for altrenogest and does not cross-react with other common steroid hormones. Additionally, a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) for altrenogest was constructed for the first time, which exhibits an IC 50 of 1.7 ng/mL for altrenogest. The molecular recognition mechanism studies showed the monospecific mAb-D7 to altrenogest originated from the amino acids PHE-94 and LEU-237, demonstrating the reliability of this strategy. Finally, two monospecific, rapid, and sensitive immunoassays were established for altrenogest in pork and pork liver for the first time.
研究领域:
生物化学
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免疫学
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兽医学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology
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2025
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IF 4.4
Ying Wang,Ruosi Zhang,Mingdong Yao,Wenhai Xiao,Ying Wang,Ying-Jin Yuan
Progesterone is a widely used therapeutic hormone and a common precursor for the synthesis of pharmaceutical steroids in both mammals and plants. It has been successfully produced in heterologous microorganisms, but the market demand has not been met. The low progesterone yield, possibly due to product stress, may put pressure on the growth of strains and limit product synthesis efficiency. In this study, key pathways and genes that cause changes in amino acid and lipid metabolism and protein transport were identified through omics analysis. The expression of transporters leads to increased progesterone production and alleviated growth inhibition. Two related genes (gene IDs: 2912325 and 2908366) encoding the transporters glpF and SNQ2 improved production by 29.2% and 51.7%, respectively. Isoenzymes of native and exogenous transporters were screened and overexpressed. YCF1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibited the greatest benefit, increasing progesterone synthesis by 69.6%. Our findings help reveal the impact of product stress on cellular metabolism and processes, providing research directions and literature support for the synthesis of other products.
研究领域:
生物化学
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合成生物学
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微生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ANALYTICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
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2014
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IF 2.305
Qingwen Zhang,Lijing Jing,Jinling Zhang,Yamin Ren,Yang Wang,Yi Wang,Tianxin Wei,Bo Liedberg
A novel water-compatible macroporous molecularly imprinted film (MIF) has been developed for rapid, sensitive, and label-free detection of small molecule testosterone in urine. The MIF was synthesized by photo copolymerization of monomers (methacrylic acid [MAA] and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [HEMA]), cross-linker (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, EGDMA), and polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) in combination with template testosterone molecules. The PS NPs and template molecules were subsequently removed to form an MIF with macroporous structures and the specific recognition sites of testosterone. Incubation of artificial urine and human urine on the MIF and the non-imprinted film (NIF), respectively, indicated undetectable nonspecific adsorption. Accordingly, the MIF was applied on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for the detection of testosterone in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and artificial urine with a limit of detection (LOD) down to 10 −15 g/ml. To the best of our knowledge, the LOD is considered as one of the lowest among the SPR sensors for the detection of small molecules. The control experiments performed with analogue molecules such as progesterone and estradiol demonstrated the good selectivity of this MIF for sensing testosterone. Furthermore, this MIF-based SPR sensor shows high stability and reproducibility over 8 months of storage at room temperature , which is more robust than protein-based biosensors.
研究领域:
分析化学
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生物医学工程
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传感技术
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）