Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
·
2022
·
IF 2.65
Guanghua Sun,Yahua Zeng,Fu Luo,Lixian Zhang,Jinqu Tan,Jie Tong,Lu Yang,Danni Liu,Liu Liu,Jun Zhou
Our study aimed to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture pretreatment on the inflammatory response and expression levels of LC3-II/I and Beclin 1 using a model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC, n = 6), LSP modeling group (LM, n = 6), and electroacupuncture group (EA, n = 6). Rats in the EA group received electroacupuncture pretreatment at bilateral Zusanli (ST36) and Chize (LU5) points for five days (30 min each time daily, frequency; 3 Hz/15 Hz, intensity; 1 mA). Rats in the EA and LM groups were then injected with 5 mg/kg LPS (Beijing, Solarbio Company, concentration; 5 mg/mL) through the tail vein, while those in the NC group were injected with 5 mg/kg saline. The animals were sacrificed six hours after LPS or saline injection through cervical vertebrae by dislocation under deep anesthesia. Orbital blood was collected for the analysis of serum inflammatory factors including interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The lower left lung was excised, stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), and subjected to histopathological analysis. The mRNA and protein expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 II/I in the lower right lung tissues were detected via RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses, respectively. The results showed that lung injury score was significantly higher in the LM group than that of the NC group () and EA group (). The IL-1β contents were significantly decreased in the EA group () than in the LM group. In contrast, the GF-β contents were increased in the EA group significantly when compared with the LM group (). RT-qPCR and Western blot detection showed that the relative gene expression of LC3‐II/I and Beclin 1 was significantly lower in the EA group than in the LM group (). However, the relative protein expression level of LC3‐II/I and Beclin 1 was slightly lower in the EA group than the in LM group (). These results show that electroacupuncture pretreatment reduces the inflammatory response in ALI and can protect lung tissue by inhibiting the gene and protein expression levels of LC3‐II/I and Beclin 1.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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肺病学
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中医
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
·
2019
·
IF 3.17
Qi Wan,Hui Chen,Guirun Xiong,Rui Jiao,Yun Liu,Xiaolei Li,Yu Sun,Jingcheng Wang,Lianqi Yan
Intraarticular fibrosis following knee surgery is a troublesome complication and remains a challenging problem for clinicians. Artesunate (ART), a classical anti-malarial drug extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Artemisia annua L, has been associated with some fibrosis-related diseases. However, its effect and underlying mechanism on knee arthrofibrosis are still obscure. In the present study, we found that ART induced cellular autophagy flux and inhibited cell proliferation in fibroblasts. Intriguingly, genetic depletion of Beclin-1 abolished ART-triggered cellular autophagy and further attenuated the inhibitory effect of ART on fibroblasts proliferation. Moreover, at molecular level, our results demonstrated that ART-induced autophagy activation was associated with the inhibition of mTOR signaling through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and AMPK/mTOR pathway. In vivo, ART treatment triggered autophagy activation and alleviated the severity of surgery-induced knee arthrofibrosis. Taken together, we concluded that ART exhibited anti-proliferation efficacy in fibroblasts and alleviated the severity of knee arthrofibrosis in rabbits by inducing Beclin-1-mediated autophagy via inhibition of mTOR signaling. These findings indicated that ART might be a potential therapeutic agent for preventing the progression of surgery-induced intraarticular fibrosis of knee.
研究领域:
药理学
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骨科
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细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
·
2024
·
IF 4.7
Zhiqiang Zhang,Qinglong Wang,Haibo Zhang,Shengchao Wang,Xia Ma,Hui Wang
Mitophagy is a distinct physiological process that can have beneficial or deleterious effects in particular tissues. Prior research suggests that mitophagic activity can be triggered by CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs, yet the specific role that mitophagy plays in hepatic injury induced by CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs has yet to be established. Accordingly, in this study a series of mouse model- and cell-based experiments were performed that revealed the ability of CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs to activate mitophagic activity. Golm1 was upregulated in response to CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs treatment, and overexpressing Golm1 induced autophagic flux in the murine liver and hepatocytes, whereas knocking down Golm1 had the opposite effect. CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs were also able to Golm1 expression, in turn promoting the degradation of P53 and decreasing the half-life of this protein. Overexpressing Golm1 was sufficient to suppress the apoptotic death of hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo, whereas the knockdown of Golm1 had the opposite effect. The ability of Golm1 to promote p53-mediated autophagy was found to be associated with the disruption of Beclin-1 binding to Bcl-2, and the Golm1 N-terminal domain was determined to be required for p53 interactions, inducing autophagic activity in a manner independent of helicase activity or RNA binding. Together, these results indicate that inhibiting Golm1 can promote p53-dependent autophagy via disrupting Beclin-1 binding to Bcl-2, highlighting a novel approach to mitigating liver injury induced by CaO2-PM-CsPbBr3 QDs.
研究领域:
细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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药理学
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毒理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JCI Insight
·
2021
·
IF 8.315
Tonghui Xu,Jialin Guo,Maozeng Wei,Jiali Wang,Kehui Yang,Chang Pan,Jiaojiao Pang,Li Xue,Qiuhuan Yuan,Mengyang Xue,Jian Zhang,Wentao Sang,Tangxing Jiang,Yuguo Chen,Feng Xu
The mitochondrial enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) catalyzes the detoxification of acetaldehyde and endogenous lipid aldehydes. Approximately 40% of East Asians, accounting for 8% of the human population, carry the E504K mutation in ALDH2 that leads to accumulation of toxic reactive aldehydes and increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer disease, among others. However, the role of ALDH2 in acute kidney injury (AKI) remains poorly defined and is therefore the subject of the present study using various cellular and organismal sources. In murine models, in which AKI was induced by either the contrast agent iohexol or renal ischemia/reperfusion, KO, activation/overexpression of ALDH2 were associated with increased and decreased renal injury, respectively. In murine renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs), ALDH2 upregulated Beclin-1 expression, promoted autophagy activation, and eliminated ROS. In vivo and in vitro, both 3-MA and Beclin-1 siRNAs inhibited autophagy and abolished ALDH2-mediated renoprotection. In mice with iohexol-induced AKI, ALDH2 knockdown in RTECs using AAV-shRNA impaired autophagy activation and aggravated renal injury. In human renal proximal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells exposed to iohexol, ALDH2 activation potentiated autophagy and attenuated apoptosis. In mice with AKI induced by renal ischemia/reperfusion, ALDH2 overexpression or pretreatment regulated autophagy mitigating apoptosis of RTECs and renal injury. In summary, our data collectively substantiate a critical role of ALDH2 in AKI via autophagy activation involving the Beclin-1 pathway.
研究领域:
肾病学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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药理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
·
2024
·Vol. 25
·期 21
·11695
·
IF 4.9
Jiachen Shi,Zeping Ji,Xu Yao,Yujie Yao,Chengyun Li,Qijun Liang,Xiaohui Zhang
Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is recognized for its protective effects against heat stress damage; however, the specific functions and underlying molecular mechanisms of HSP90 in heat-stressed cardiomyocytes remain largely unexplored, particularly in tropical species. In our study, Wenchang chickens (WCCs) were classified into two groups: the heat stress survival (HSS) group and the heat stress death (HSD) group, based on their survival following exposure to heat stress. Heat stress resulted in significant cardiomyocyte damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis in the HSD group, while the damage was less pronounced in the HSS group. We further validated these findings in primary cardiomyocytes derived from Wenchang chickens (PCWs). Additionally, heat stress was found to upregulate Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, which was accompanied by an increase in HSP90 expression in both cardiomyocytes and PCWs. Our results demonstrated that HSP90 overexpression enhances PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, ultimately inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress in heat-stressed PCWs. However, the application of Geldanamycin (GA) reversed these effects. Notably, we discovered that HSP90 interacts with Beclin-1 through mitochondrial translocation and directly regulates mitophagy levels in PCWs. In summary, we have elucidated a novel role for HSP90 and mitophagy in regulating heat stress-induced acute cardiomyocyte injury.
研究领域:
分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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应激生理学
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兽医学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
·
2022
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IF 4.336
Xueru Wang,Ruiming Hu,Chang Wang,Zejing Wei,Shaoxing Pi,Yong Li,Guyue Li,Fan Yang,Caiying Zhang
Excessive molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) have toxic effects on animals. However, hepatotoxicity co-induced by Mo and Cd in ducks is still unclear. To evaluate the effects of Cd and Mo co-exposure on autophagy by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant defense and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in duck livers, 40 healthy 7-day-old ducks were randomly assigned to 4 groups and fed diets containing different doses of Mo and/or Cd for 16 weeks, respectively. The results verified that Mo and/or Cd induced oxidative stress via decreasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities and increasing hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations; inhibited Nrf2 axis by downregulating the pathway-related genes and proteins expression levels , and activated ERS through upregulating the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2a (eIF2a), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) pathway-related genes and proteins expression levels, which triggered autophagy via increasing autophagosomes , light chain 3 (LC3) puncta, LC3A, LC3B, autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5), Bcl-2-interacting protein (Beclin-1) mRNA levels and Beclin-1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 II/I (LC3II/LC3I) protein levels, decreasing Dynein, p62 , mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA levels and p62 protein level. Additionally, the changes in Mo and Cd group were the most obvious. Briefly, our study reveals that autophagy induced by Mo and/or Cd may be associated with the activation of crosstalk between Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense response and ERS in duck livers. Mo and Cd may aggravate toxic damage to the liver.
研究领域:
毒理学
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分子生物学
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兽医学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY
·
2025
·Vol. 39
·期 9
·e70455
·
IF 2.8
Lihan Xie,Weinan Li,Shiqi Fan,Jinsong Jin
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common complication of diabetes, often characterized by podocyte injury, proteinuria, and eventual renal failure. Sinomenine hydrochloride (SH), an active component derived from traditional Chinese medicine, is clinically effective in treating kidney diseases. This study investigates the protective effects of SH on podocytes under high-glucose conditions and its mechanism of action. Mouse podocytes (MPC-5) were treated with SH at concentrations of 50, 200, and 600 μg/mL under high-glucose conditions (30 mmol/L) for 24 h to establish a DKD model. Cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assays, and apoptosis rates were measured using flow cytometry. Autophagy levels were evaluated by detecting LC3-II, Beclin-1, and P62 proteins via Western blot analysis, while the involvement of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was analyzed by examining phosphorylated AKT and mTOR. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe autophagosomes. SH improved podocyte viability, reduced apoptosis, and enhanced autophagic activity by increasing LC3-II and Beclin-1 expression while decreasing P62 levels. SH also downregulated p-AKT and p-mTOR, indicating inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Electron microscopy confirmed increased autophagosomes in SH-treated groups. SH protects podocytes in a high-glucose environment by enhancing autophagy through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These findings provide insights into SH as a potential therapeutic agent for DKD management.
研究领域:
药理学
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细胞生物学
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肾病学
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分子生物学
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中医学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
·
2025
·
IF 5.6
Sijia Weng,Hongmei Chen,Junli Wang,Jianjun Yang,Shuoyu Qiu,Yufeng Liu,Tongbo Zhu
Over the past four decades, efforts to improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer have yielded limited progress, largely due to the complex genetic mutations, a desmoplastic tumor microenvironment, and the rapid metabolic rewiring that enables pancreatic cancer cells to adapt to cellular stress. Recent studies have demonstrated the critical reliance of pancreatic cancer cells on autophagy for survival, fitness, and the development of resistance to various clinical therapies. These findings position autophagy as a potential therapeutic vulnerability for the development of novel neoadjuvant treatments. However, conventional autophagy inhibition often leads to the accumulation of p62, which activates p62-dependent pathways that promote tumor growth and metastasis, thereby limiting the efficacy of autophagy-targeting therapies. In this study, we demonstrate that the atypical protein kinase C isoform zeta (PKCζ) plays a pivotal role in maintaining intracellular homeostasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Inhibition of PKCζ downregulates BCL-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3), reduces the expression of key autophagy-related proteins, autophagy related 5 (ATG5) and Beclin-1, and attenuates autophagic flux. Notably, PKCζ-mediated autophagy suppression does not result in p62 accumulation, circumventing the pro-tumorigenic effects associated with conventional autophagy inhibition. Furthermore, PKCζ inhibition enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of other chemotherapeutic agents, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors, in PDAC. These findings identify PKCζ as a promising therapeutic target and provide a foundation for the development of innovative treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer.
研究领域:
癌症生物学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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肿瘤学
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药理学
·
信号转导
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
·
2026
·Vol. 46
·期 3
·594
·
IF 2.6
Feng HAO,Jiajia SANG,Chuanyu PENG,Jun HU,Zijian WU,Ling HU,Yihuang GU
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) on ferroptosis-related proteins in synovial inflammation of rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and verify the mechanism by cell experiments. METHODS: A RA rat model was established using a "disease-syndrome integration" modeling method. The rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (Control group) and a model replication group. Rats with successfully replicated RA models were further divided into a model control group (RA group) and a moxibustion treatment group (RA + Mox group). After intervention, the rats' ankle swelling degree and small animal ultrasound examination were conducted and synovial tissue was examined for pathology, lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, ferrous ion Fe 2+ double staining, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Serum from three groups of rats were extracted and used for cellular assays, cell counting kit-8 and Western blot validation. RESULTS: (a) Compared to Control group rats, RA rats showed significantly increased footpad swelling ( P < 0.01) and joint inflammation levels ( P < 0.001); compared to RA group, the RA + Mox rats showed significantly decreased footpad swelling ( P < 0.05) and joint inflammation levels ( P < 0.01). (b) There was no difference in lipid ROS levels in the synovial tissue of RA rats compared to Control group rats ( P > 0.05), but the lipid ROS levels in the synovial tissue of RA + Mox rats were significantly increased ( P < 0.01). Compared to Control group rats, RA rats had significantly lower Fe 2+ levels ( P < 0.05); compared to RA rats, the Fe 2+ levels in RA+Mox rats were significantly increased ( P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in beclin 1(BECN1) expression in the synovial tissue of RA rats compared to Control group rats ( P > 0.05), but BECN1 expression in the synovial tissue of RA + Mox rats was significantly increased ( P < 0.01) compared to RA rats. Compared to Control group rats, RA rats had significantly higher Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 Gene (SLC7A11) levels in synovial tissue ( P < 0.05); compared to RA rats, the SLC7A11 levels in RA + Mox rats were significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). (c) In the lipopolysaccharides (10 ng/mL) model, 50% concentration of RA rats serum promoted human RA fibroblast-like synovial cell line (MH7A) proliferation (48 h) ( P < 0.05) and 50% concentration of RA + Mox rat serum inhibited MH7A proliferation (48, 72 h) ( P < 0.001). Both 25% and 50% concentrations of RA + Mox rat serum upregulated BECN1 and downregulated SLC7A11 expression in MH7A. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) suggests a potential to relieve footpad swelling and synovial inflammation in RA rats, alleviate synovial tissue hyperplasia and thickening. It may induce lipid ROS accumulation in synovial tissue, upregulating Fe 2+ levels, upregulating BECN1 expression, and downregulating SLC7A11 expression in RA rats. Moreover, 50% concentration of rat serum after moxibustion inhibited the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts and regulated the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.
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DOI
高影响因子
Molecular Medicine Reports
·
2021
·Vol. 25
·期 2
·1-9
·
IF 2.952
Fa-Xiu Chen,Qin Wan,Qing-Ling Li,Jing Fang,Le Peng,Jian Hu
The function of substance P (SP) in myocardial ischemia is well understood, but its effects on congestive heart failure are unclear. The present study aimed to use in vitro and in vivo approaches to investigate the effects of SP on doxorubicin‑induced cardiomyocyte injury. Pathological changes, apoptosis, cardiomyocyte ultrastructure and molecular mechanisms were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The effects of SP on cell viability of H9c2 myocardial cells were evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit‑8 and flow cytometry. B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2), Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax), Beclin‑1 and microtubule‑associated protein 1A/1B‑light chain 3 (LC3) were detected by western blotting. Heart failure in rats was established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin. The in vitro data demonstrated that SP at concentrations of 1 µg/ml inhibited doxorubicin‑induced apoptosis of H9c2 cells. Administration of doxorubicin reduced Bcl‑2, Beclin‑1 and LC3 expression levels in H9c2 cells, while having no effect on Bax levels. Administration of SP to these doxorubicin‑treated cells did not affect Bcl‑2 or Bax expression, but further reduced Beclin‑1 while inhibiting the reduction in LC3 expression. In vivo, food intake was significantly increased in rats in the SP group compared with the model group. Cardiomyocytes in the heart‑failure group underwent dysfunctional autophagy as ascertained by transmission electron microscopy. Compared with the heart‑failure group, these pathological changes, including loss of striations and vacuolation, were inhibited by SP treatment, which promoted Bax expression, reduced Beclin‑1 expression and inhibited the reduction in LC3 expression. Taken together, SP reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in doxorubicin‑induced cardiomyocyte injury, likely by promoting autophagy, which suggested that SP is a potential therapeutic target for doxorubicin‑induced heart failure.
研究领域:
药理学
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心脏病学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Nanoscale
·
2018
·Vol. 10
·期 18
·8796-8805
·
IF 7.233
Yimin Wang,Zhao Zhao,Fujing Wei,Zewei Luo,Yixiang Duan
Autophagic degradation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER-phagy) has been found to play a critical role in human sensory neuropathy. So far, however, specific and efficient intervention means for ER-phagy remain unexplored. Herein, brefeldin A (BFA), a blocking agent on protein transport between the ER and Golgi, was screened from ER stress inducers. BFA was then delivered to the perinuclear area co-localized with the ER by a mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based drug-carrier functionalized with autophagy-inducing peptides of TAT-beclin 1 (MSNs-BFA), to evoke a perturbation of ER-phagy. The molecular mechanism of ER-phagy regulated by BFA was explored by biochemical evaluation including time-lapse live-cell fluorescence imaging. We found that MSNs-BFA treatment caused a lower mRNA/protein expression level of FAM134b even under a compensation of autophagic flux in U2OS cells, and resulted in ER-expansion. The fragmentation of the ER was blocked as a response to ER stress mediated by inactivation of the AKT/TSC/mTOR pathway. Our work developed an efficient external manipulation strategy to regulate ER-phagy and may contribute to the therapeutic application of autophagy-related major human diseases.
研究领域:
细胞生物学
·
分子生物学
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药学
·
纳米技术
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOMATERIALS
·
2019
·
IF 10.273
Zhengjie Zhou,Yang Yan,Li Wang,Qiang Zhang,Yiyun Cheng
Photothermal therapy efficiently ablates tumors via hyperthermia but inevitably induces serious side effects including thermal damage to normal tissues, inflammations and enhanced risk of tumor metastasis. In this study, we fabricated a dual peptide decorated melanin-like nanoparticle for tumor-targeted and autophagy-promoted photothermal therapy in pursuit of improved cancer treatment. The multifunctional nanoparticle was composed of dual peptide RGD- and beclin 1-modified and PEGylated melanin-like polydopamine nanoparticles. Beclin 1-derived peptide modified on the nanoparticle up-regulated autophagy in cancer cells and further sensitized the tumors to photothermal ablation. RGD decorated on the particle surface enhanced the selectivity and cellular uptake of polydopamine nanoparticles by breast cancer cells. In vivo therapeutic experiments revealed that the tumor-targeted and autophagy promotion-associated photothermal therapy efficiently regressed tumors at a low temperature around 43 °C. The study provides a novel and efficient strategy to improve the efficiency of photothermal therapy via the up-regulation of autophagy in tumor cells.
研究领域:
纳米技术
·
癌症治疗
·
生物医学工程
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药学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）