IMMUNOBIOLOGY
·
2025
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IF 2.3
Yu-yao Qin,Zi-yi Qin,Tao Liang,Dong-er Qin,Sheng-yi Hua,Ming-hui Tan,Shun Guo,Fan Yang,Le Shi,Yun Yu,Guang-ji Zhang
Background Phellodendrine, a primary bioactive constituent of Phellodendron chinense Schneid (PCS), is crucial in its pharmacological profile. Phellodendrine exhibits potent anti-nephritic properties and demonstrates a marked inhibitory effect on the cellular immune response. However, the effects of phellodendrine on proteoglycan depletion and cartilage degeneration in gouty arthritis remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, the objective of this study is to elucidate the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms of phellodendrine chloride (PC) in the treatment of gouty arthritis. Methods A monosodium urate (MSU)-induced arthritis model in rats, along with a peritonitis model in mice, was developed, in combination with a chondrocyte model. Neutrophil proportions were quantified using flow cytometry. The expression levels of MMP-3, STAT3, and phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) in chondrocytes were determined by Western blot analysis. Proteoglycan levels in chondrocytes were assessed using toluidine blue staining and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Joint swelling rates were monitored at 0–24 h in rats, and histopathological changes in joint tissues were subsequently analyzed. Results Phellodendrine chloride mitigated the rise in neutrophil proportions within MSU-induced peritoneal lavage fluid in mice and decreased inflammatory cell infiltration in rat ankle tissues. Treatment with phellodendrine chloride led to a downregulation of MMP-3 protein levels and inhibited IL-1β-induced proteoglycan degradation in chondrocytes. Additionally, results from experiments combining IL-1β with AG490 or IL-6 demonstrated that phellodendrine chloride attenuated IL-1β-induced MMP-3 expression and proteoglycan degradation. Conclusion Our findings suggest that phellodendrine chloride mitigates gouty arthritis (GA) by modulating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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风湿病学
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PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
·
2025
·
IF 3.1
Jiahui Sun,Luyao Shi,Fan Xu,Hanyan Sun,Yitong Liu,Jiangyun Sun,Qingxin Zhou
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide health issue. It causes illness and death in millions of people each year. A positive correlation has been observed between the intake of dietary fat and the development of CRC. The composition of gut microbiota exhibits a significant correlation with pathophysiologic processes in intestine. Clinical treatment remains inadequate due to the complex pathogenic mechanisms of CRC triggered by a high-fat diet (HFD). Naringenin, a flavonoid from grapefruit, has anti-cancer activity. Our findings suggest that naringenin enhances gut microbiota diversity by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacterial species while reducing opportunistic pathogenic bacteria. The fecal microbiota transplantation assay (FMT) demonstrated that the anti-HFD-CRC activity of naringenin depended on the gut microbiota. Furthermore, naringenin antagonized the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. These results suggest that naringenin may be a potential treatment for HFD-CRC.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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营养学
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微生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
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2019
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IF 4.328
Dandan Chen,Zhe Li,Peiqing Bao,Miao Chen,Miao Zhang,Fangrong Yan,Yitao Xu,Caoyu Ji,Xinyue Hu,Daniel Sanchis,Yubin Zhang,Junmei Ye
Background NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor playing cytoprotective effects in various pathological processes including oxidative stress and cardiac hypertrophy. Despite being a potential therapeutic target to treat several cardiomyopathies, the signaling underlying Nrf2-dependent cardioprotective action remains largely uncharacterized. Aim This study aimed to explore the signaling mediating the role of Nrf2 in the development of hypertensive cardiac pathogenesis by analyzing the response to Angiotensin II (Ang II) in the presence or absence of Nrf2 expression, both in vivo and in vitro. Results Our results indicated that Nrf2 deficiency exacerbated cardiac damage triggered by Ang II infusion. Mechanistically, our study shows that Ang II-triggered hypertrophy and inflammation is exacerbated in the absence of Nrf2 expression and points to the involvement of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in this event. Indeed, our results show that IL-6 abundance triggered by Ang II is increased in the absence of Nrf2 and demonstrate the requirement of IL-6 in STAT3 activation and cardiac inflammation induced by Ang II. Conclusion Our results show that Nrf2 is important for the protection of the heart against Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation by mechanisms involving the regulation of IL-6/STAT3-dependent signaling.
研究领域:
心脏病学
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分子生物学
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药理学
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PubMed
高影响因子
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
·
2022
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IF 10.753
Chenxi Zhao,Ruihui Xie,Qiuhui Qian,Jin Yan,Huili Wang,Xuedong Wang
As a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, triclosan (TCS) has been confirmed to possess potential immunotoxicity to organisms, but the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Herein, with the aid of transgenic zebrafish strains Tg ( coro 1A: EGFP) and Tg ( rag 2: DsRed), we intuitively observed acute TCS exposure caused the drastic differentiation, abnormal development and distribution of innate immune cells, as well as barriers to formation of adaptive immune T cells. These abnormalities implied occurrence of the cytokine storm, which was further evidenced by expression changes of immune-related genes, and functional biomarkers. Based on transcriptome deep sequencing, target gene prediction and dual luciferase validation, the highly conservative and up-regulated miR-19a was chosen as the research target. Under TCS exposure, miR-19a up-regulation triggered down-regulation of its target gene socs3b , and simultaneously activated the downstream IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Artificial over-expression and knock-down of miR-19a was realized by microinjecting agomir and antagomir, respectively, in 1–2-cell embryos. The miR-19a up-regulation inhibited socs3b expression to activate IL-6/STAT3 pathway, and yielded abnormal changes in the functional cytokine biomarkers, along with the sharp activation of immune responses. These findings disclose the molecular mechanisms regarding TCS-induced immunotoxicity, and offer important theoretical guidance for healthy safety evaluation and disease early warning from TCS pollution.
研究领域:
毒理学
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分子生物学
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免疫学
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环境科学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Annals of Medicine and Surgery
·
2023
·Vol. 85
·期 11
·5469
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IF 1.7
Ren Yuzhe,Li Xing,Zhang Yuanjie,Yan Zilong
Xiaoqinglong decoction (XQLD) is widely used clinically in the treatment of childhood cough variant asthma (CVA). However, its potential mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, the authors investigate the biological network and signalling pathway of XQLD in treatment of childhood CVA using network pharmacology-based analysis and experimental validation. By using the Bioinformatics Analysis Tool Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM) database, the authors confirmed the correlation between XQLD and asthma, and the authors screened 1338 potential target genes of Mahuang and Guizhi, the most active herbs in XQLD. By overlapping “Childhood asthma-related genes” of DisGeNET database, the authors identified 58 intersecting genes of Childhood asthma and 1338 target genes of Mahuang and Guizhi. The intersecting genes were used to construct the protein-to-protein interaction and performed Gene Ontology (GO) functional and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis demonstrated 359 Biological Process terms, 16 Cellular Component terms, and 26 Molecular Function terms. Meantime, 75 terms of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signalling pathway were involved in enrichment analysis. These candidates showed a significant correlation with inflammatory response and positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein. In addition, XQLD treatment significantly upregulated serum interferon-γ expression, and downregulated serum interlukin-6 expression of CVA mice. XQLD treatment significantly inhibited phosphorylation of STAT3 in bronchial-lung tissues. Our data suggest that XQLD effectively alleviated bronchial-lung tissue damage in CVA mice and inhibited the body inflammatory response by regulating interlukin-6/STAT3 signalling pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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分子生物学
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中医
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PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
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2022
·Vol. 23
·期 18
·10887
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IF 6.208
Jing Jie,Guomu Liu,Jingyue Feng,Desheng Huo,Yixuan Wu,Hongyan Yuan,Guixiang Tai,Weihua Ni
Our previous study found that CpG oligodeoxynucleotides 1826 (CpG 1826), combined with mucin 1 (MUC1)-maltose-binding protein (MBP) (M-M), had certain antitumor activity. However, this combination is less than ideal for tumor suppression (tumors vary in size and vary widely among individuals), with a drawback being that CpG 1826 is unstable. To solve these problems, here, we evaluate MF59/CpG 1826 as a compound adjuvant with M-M vaccine on immune response, tumor suppression and survival. The results showed that MF59 could promote the CpG 1826/M-M vaccine-induced tumor growth inhibition and a Th1-prone cellular immune response, as well as reduce the individual differences of tumor growth and prolonged prophylactic and therapeutic mouse survival. Further research showed that MF59 promotes the maturation of DCs stimulated by CpG1826/M-M, resulting in Th1 polarization. The possible mechanism is speculated to be that MF59 could significantly prolong the retention time of CpG 1826, or the combination of CpG 1826 and M-M, as well as downregulate IL-6/STAT3 involved in MF59 combined CpG 1826-induced dendritic cell maturation. This study clarifies the utility of MF59/CpG 1826 as a vaccine compound adjuvant, laying the theoretical basis for the development of a novel M-M vaccine.Keywords:MF59;CpG 1826;compound adjuvant;tumor vaccine;MUC1-MBP;dendritic cells
研究领域:
免疫学
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肿瘤学
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疫苗学
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细胞生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY
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2026
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IF 3.1
Yanping Lu,Yaqi Li,Yuqi Tong,Lian Huang,Zhaohui Zhang
Beryllium is widely used in nuclear technology, aerospace, and defense. Long-term beryllium exposure causes chronic beryllium disease (CBD) characterized predominantly by pulmonary fibrosis. Cellular senescence is an important mechanism underlying pulmonary fibrosis, and the IL-6/STAT3 pathway has been implicated as a central axis linking inflammation, senescence, and tissue remodeling. However, whether this pathway promotes beryllium sulfate (BeSO 4 )–induced pulmonary fibrosis through regulation of senescence remains unclear. Herein, Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to BeSO 4 , and hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining were used to assess lung injury and fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were used to assess fibrosis-related factors, pathway molecules, and senescence markers in the lung tissues. In vitro, A549 cells were pretreated with the IL-6/STAT3 inhibitor LMT-28 before BeSO 4 exposure, and alterations in cell morphology, proliferation, senescence-related markers, and fibrosis-related markers were evaluated. The results demonstrated that BeSO 4 exposure promoted cellular senescence and pulmonary fibrogenesis via activating IL-6/STAT3 signaling, whereas LMT-28 treatment significantly attenuated these processes. These findings elucidate the molecular mechanism by which BeSO 4 induces pulmonary fibrosis through cellular aging, providing a basis for the discovery of potential therapeutic targets.
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高影响因子
Nanomedicine-Nanotechnology Biology and Medicine
·
2026
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IF 4.3
Mifang Yang,Jingjing Wu,Yuan Jing,Siyu Chen,Rongrong Cao,Heming Wu,Hongming Du,Zhirui Guo,Fan Zhang,Wei Shu,Yi Yuan
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common oral malignancy, requires innovative therapeutic strategies. We developed a magnetic nanoparticle carrying verbascoside (VB-Fe 3 O 4 ) to enhance the bioavailability and antitumor efficacy of VB, a bioactive compound from Rehmannia glutinosa. VB-Fe 3 O 4 demonstrated superior tumor-targeting capabilities, achieving higher drug accumulation compared with free VB. In the human OSCC cell line HSC-3, VB-Fe 3 O 4 markedly induced apoptosis, inhibited proliferation and invasion through IL-6/STAT3 pathway. Mechanistic studies screened out intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) as the primary target of VB, with VB-Fe 3 O 4 suppressing IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation. VB-Fe 3 O 4 downregulated metastasis-related genes, such as vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, mucin 1, ezrin, and invasion factor matrix metalloproteinase-9, were markedly decreased by VB-Fe 3 O 4 . VB-Fe 3 O 4 showed greater tumor suppression in OSCC transplanted tumors and experimental metastasis tumors compared with free VB. This nanoplatform synergistically combines precision delivery and molecular targeting, offering a promising treatment for OSCC management.
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高影响因子
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
·
2025
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IF 5.4
Yichong Wang,Danyan Li,Luqing Zhao,Jixiang Liu,Dan Dou,Nian Liu,Yudi Zhuo,Shengsheng Zhang
Ethnopharmacological relevance Yinxu Weitong Capsule (YXWTC) is a Chinese patent medicine used to treat chronic gastritis. However, its efficacy and mechanisms of action in treating precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) remain unclear. Aim of the study To evaluate the effects of YXWTC on PLGC and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methods YXWTC components were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry. A PLGC animal model was established and the protective effects of YXWTC on the gastric mucosa in PLGC rats were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff and Alcian blue-high iron diamine staining, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The vital organs of the rats were examined using H&E staining to evaluate biosafety. Network pharmacology identified potential targets and pathways of YXWTC in PLGC treatment, followed by molecular docking validation. Various techniques, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, apoptosis detection, and reactive oxygen species fluorescence staining were employed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Results In total, 340 YXWTC components were identified. YXWTC effectively improves gastric mucosal pathology in rats with PLGC. Network pharmacology identified 403 targets common to PLGC and YXWTC. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses identified 2,323 biological processes and 206 signaling pathways, respectively. Molecular docking revealed that the primary target proteins and major drug molecules exhibited strong binding affinities. Animal studies demonstrated that YXWTC inhibited the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, promoted mitochondrial apoptosis, and induced ROS release. Conclusions We verified the pharmacodynamic effects of YXWTC in PLGC. In summary, the effects are mediated by inhibition of the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, promotion of mitochondrial apoptosis, and induction of ROS release.
研究领域:
药理学
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肿瘤学
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FEBS Open Bio
·
2023
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IF 2.6
Yu Zhu,Longmei Wang,Rui Liu,Xiurong Ding,Song Yin,Yuankun Chen,Chuanlong Zhu,Zheng Wang,Wenting Li
Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (SI-AKI) causes renal dysfunction and has a high mortality rate. Protein arginine methyltransferase-1 (PRMT1) is a key regulator of renal insufficiency. In this study, we explored the potential involvement of PRMT1 in SI-AKI. A murine model of SI-AKI was induced by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). The expression and localization of PRMT1 and molecules involved in the TGF-β1/Smad3 and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected in mouse kidney tissues by western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. The association of PRMT1 with downstream molecules of the TGF-β1/Smad3 and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways were further verified in vitro in mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTECs). CLP caused epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and inflammation in renal tissues, and this was alleviated by inhibition of PRMT1. Inhibition of PRMT1 in SI-AKI mice decreased the expression of TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad3 in the renal cortex, and downregulated the expression of sIL-6R and phosphorylation of STAT3 in the medulla. Knockdown of PRMT1 in mRTECs restricted the expression of Cox-2, E-cad, Pro-caspase3 and p-Smad3 (involved in the TGF-β1-mediated signaling pathway), and blocked IL-6/sIL-6R, inducing the expression of Cox-2 and p-STAT3. In conclusion, our findings suggest inhibition of PRMT1 mitigates SI-AKI by inactivating the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway in the cortex and IL-6/STAT3 pathway in the medulla. Our findings may aid in the identification of potential therapeutic target molecules for SI-AKI.
研究领域:
肾病学
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免疫学
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分子生物学
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病理生理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
·
2024
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IF 5.4
Xiaodan Su,Huashuai Zhong,Yongzhu Zeng,Yuyan Zhang,Bo Zhang,Wei Guo,Qiujie Huang,Yong Ye
Background Liver fibrosis is a common stage of various chronic liver diseases, often developing into liver cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. Activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) have been shown to promote the development of liver fibrosis. Therefore, dual-targeted combination therapy for liver may be an effective strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Purpose In this study, the novel nanostructured lipid carriers (GA&GalNH 2 -DC-NLCs) were prepared for Dehydrocavidine (DC), glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and galactose-PEG 2000 -NH 2 (GalNH 2 ) were selected as targeted ligand-modified nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), which enables dual-targeting to the liver for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Study design To study the targeting effect of GA&GalNH 2 -DC-NLCs on liver and its therapeutic effect on liver fibrosis, we established aHSC-T6 cell model and rat model of liver fibrosis for study. Results GA&GalNH 2 -DC-NLCs promoted drug liver targeting efficiency and apoptosis rate by upregulating the expression of Bax. It showed that compared with no and/or GA-modified NLCs and GalNH 2 -modified NLCs, GA&GalNH 2 -DC-NLCs exhibited less extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, induced apoptosis of aHSCs, and stronger anti-fibrosis effects in vivo. This may be due the fact that GA or GalNH 2 -modifified NLCs simultaneously block HSCs activation and inhibit the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. Conclusion GA&GalNH 2 -DC-NLCs is thus a potential strategy for liver fibrosis treatment.
研究领域:
药学
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生物技术
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药理学
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细胞生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
MOLECULAR CARCINOGENESIS
·
2019
·Vol. 58
·期 7
·1155-1167
·
IF 3.411
Sinan Wang,Wenxiao Dong,Li Liu,Mengque Xu,Yu Wang,Tianyu Liu,Yujie Zhang,Bangmao Wang,Hailong Cao
The gut microbiota and the bile acid pool play pivotal roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Bile acids are produced in the liver from cholesterol and metabolized in the intestine by the gut microbiota. Gut dysbiosis has been reported to be associated with colorectal cancer. However, the interplay between bile acid metabolism and the gut microbiota during intestinal carcinogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the potential roles of bile acids and the gut microbiota in the cholic acid (CA; a primary bile acid)-induced intestinal adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence. Apc min/+ mice, which spontaneously develop intestinal adenomas, were fed a diet supplemented with 0.4% CA for 12 weeks. Mice that were fed a normal diet were regarded as untreated controls. In CA-treated Apc min/+ mice, the composition of the gut microbiota was significantly altered, and CA was efficiently transformed into deoxycholic acid (a secondary bile acid) by the bacterial 7α-dehydroxylation reaction. The intestinal adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence was observed in CA-treated Apc min/+ mice and was accompanied by an impaired intestinal barrier function and IL-6/STAT3-related low-grade inflammation. More importantly, microbiota depletion using an antibiotic cocktail globally compromised CA-induced intestinal carcinogenesis, suggesting a leading role for the microbiota during this process. Overall, our data suggested that the crosstalk between bile acids and the gut microbiota mediated intestinal carcinogenesis, which might provide novel therapeutic strategies against intestinal tumor development.
研究领域:
癌症生物学
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胃肠病学
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微生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子