Drug Design Development and Therapy
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2022
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IF 4.319
Nianxiu Tian,Yanbin Gao,Xiaolei Wang,Xiaoming Wu,Dawei Zou,Zhiyao Zhu,ZheJi Han,Tao Wang,Yimin Shi
Background Endoplasmic reticulum stress is associated with podocyte apoptosis in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). A previous study has demonstrated that emodin has a protective effect in the kidney by suppressing proliferation of mesangial cells and inhibiting the renal tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. However, the effects of emodin on the podocyte apoptosis in DN and its mechanisms are unknown.Aim This study aimed to explore the effect of emodin on DN model KK-Ay mice and high glucose induced podocytes apoptosis via the PERK–eIF2α pathway.Methods KK-Ay mice model of DN were treated with emodin at dose of 40 and 80 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. Urine albumin, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen levels and the renal histopathology in mice were performed. In vitro, conditionally immortalized mouse podocytes exposed to HG (30mM) were incubated with emodin. Cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. Additionally, we performed RNA interference and measured the apoptosis in cultured podocytes treated with emodin. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blot, and real-time PCR were used to detect gene and protein expression both in vivo and in vitro.Results The results showed that emodin treatment ameliorated urine albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen of DN mice. The pathological damage of kidney tissue was also improved after treatment with emodin. Moreover, emodin increased nephrin expression. Podocytes apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress markers (GRP78) were significantly reduced upon emodin treatment. Furthermore, emodin treatment decreased the expression of phosphorylated protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (P-PERK), phosphorylated P-eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP. In vitro, emodin treatment was further found to decrease the GRP78 level induced by high glucose or tunicamycin (TM). Besides, emodin and PERK knockdown inhibited the apoptosis of podocytes cultured in high glucose by counteracting the upregulation of phosphorylated PERK, phosphorylated eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP.Conclusion Overall, the findings indicate that emodin mitigates podocytes apoptosis by inhibiting the PERK-eIF2α signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro, and, therefore, exerts a protective action on podocytes in DN.
研究领域:
药理学
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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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PubMed
高影响因子
Pharmaceutics
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2023
·Vol. 15
·期 10
·2503
·
IF 5.4
Yuchen Zhou,Jie Liu,Peng Xue,Jianjun Zhang
GSK2606414 is a new, effective, highly selective PERK inhibitor with adenosine-triphosphate-competitive characteristics. It can inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress and has the possibility of treating periodontitis. However, owing to its strong hydrophobicity and side effects, highly efficient pharmaceutical formulations are urgently needed to improve the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of GSK2606414 in the treatment of periodontitis. Herein, a novel local GSK2606414 delivery system was developed by synthesizing GSK2606414 nanoparticles (NanoGSK) and further loading NanoGSK into a collagenase-responsive hydrogel. The drug release results showed that the drug-loaded hydrogels had outstanding enzymatic responsive drug release profiles under the local microenvironment of periodontitis. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed that the drug-loaded hydrogel exhibited good cellular uptake and did not affect the growth and proliferation of normal cells, while the drug-loaded hydrogel significantly improved the osteogenic differentiation of inflammatory cells. In the evaluations of periodontal tissue repair, the drug-loaded hydrogels showed a great effect on inflammation inhibition, as well as alveolar bone regeneration. Therefore, this work introduces a promising strategy for the clinical treatment of periodontitis.Keywords:GSK2606414;nanoparticles;PERK;hydrogel;periodontitis
研究领域:
药学
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牙科材料
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组织工程
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PubMed
高影响因子
Translational Cancer Research
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2025
·Vol. 14
·期 11
·7641
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IF 1.7
Yuan Cheng,Liu Ruiwen,Xu Xinming,Sun Jun,Zhu Yi,Lu Rongzhu,Liu Yueyu,Chen Jian
Background Because of the high malignancy and subtle early symptoms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), most patients lose the opportunity for surgery and opt for drug therapy. However, the current drugs for HCC treatment remain suboptimal, underscoring the urgent need to develop a novel anti-HCC agent. Curcumin is a natural chemical compound that has anti-cancer effects on various tumor cells, attracting sustained attention from researchers and clinicians. The present study aims to further elucidate curcumin’s anti-HCC mechanisms, thereby offering a promising therapeutic candidate for HCC patients. Methods The viability of HCC cells was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total iron in the cells were detected by biochemical kits. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe 2+ in the cells were detected by fluorescent probes. The protein expressions of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in the cells were detected by western blotting. Results Curcumin exerted a notably suppressive impact on HCC cells, which could be reversed by ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and desferrioxamine (DFO). By detecting cellular metabolic products, we observed an increase in total iron, Fe 2+ , MDA, ROS, and a reduction in GSH levels in HCC cells after treatment with curcumin, and these effects could be attenuated by Fer-1. Western blot analysis showed that curcumin significantly downregulated GPX4 levels in HCC cells while upregulating PERK, Nrf2 and HO-1 expression. Additionally, using PERK inhibitor, HO-1 inhibitor, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor could partially reverse the inhibition of HCC cells viability by curcumin and alleviate the reduction of GPX4 expression caused by curcumin. Conclusions Curcumin may induce ferroptosis in HCC cells through the PERK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, thereby exerting its anti-cancer effects, suggesting that curcumin could potentially be used as a drug for treating HCC.
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高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY
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2023
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IF 4.5
Zhihui Li,Yan Shi,Yougang Wang,Haomin Qi,Haiyu Chen,Jinquan Li,Li Li
Cadmium (Cd) is a hypertoxic heavy metal that may be exposed to environmental pollutants by humans and animals. It can lead to cognitive disfunction, and is linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Cadmium reportedly can induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, but few studies have concentrated on it in nerve cells, and the connection between ER stress and neuroinflammation. In this study, in vitro experiments on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were carried out. We aimed at exploring whether Cd attributed to the cell pyroptosis and the role of PERK in promoting this form of cell damage which can induce strong inflammatory responses. Our results demonstrated that CdCl 2 treatment induced excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, caused significant modifications in the expression of PERK and increased TXNIP, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, and caspase1 in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, scavenging ROS with N -acetylcysteine or inhibiting the expression of PERK by using GSK2606414, rescued the SH-SY5Y cells from cadmium-induced pyroptosis. In conclusion, the results suggest that Cd induces pyroptotic death of SH-SY5Y cells through ER stress, and this may be the potential mechanism of Cd incurring neurological diseases.
研究领域:
神经毒理学
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细胞生物学
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分子生物学
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环境毒理学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Drug Design Development and Therapy
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2022
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IF 4.319
Shujuan Xu,Lianjun He,Keke Ding,Lingling Zhang,Xinhui Xu,Sheng Wang,Xueyi Qian
Purpose Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), a compound extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, can improve type II diabetes, while the molecular mechanisms underlying Tan IIA-mediated protective effects in diabetic nephropathy are unclear. This study explored the protective actions of Tan IIA on renal tissues in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy.Materials and Methods Tan IIA (2, 4, 8 mg/kg/day) was daily administered to STZ-treated rats by intraperitoneal injection for 42 days. The morphologic pathology was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining, and transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression levels in renal tissues were evaluated by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry; the mRNA expression level was determined by quantitative real-time PCR.Results Tan IIA at 2 and 4 mg/kg attenuated the increase in the levels of uric acid and blood urea nitrogen and restored the reduction in the superoxide dismutase activity in the serum of the diabetic rats. Tan IIA at 2 and 4 mg/kg, but not 8 mg/kg, ameliorated the thickening of renal tubule in the diabetic rats; Tan IIA at 2 and 4 and 8 mg/kg attenuated the thickening of glomerular basement membrane and the collagen deposition in the renal tissues of the diabetic rats. Tan IIA treatment at 2, 4, 8 mg/kg decreased the expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta1, TSP-1, Grp78 and CHOP in the diabetic rats. Tan IIA at 2 and 4 and 8 mg/kg attenuated the increase in the protein levels of p-PERK, p-elf2α and ATF-4 from the renal tissues of diabetic rats, while the protein level of AFT-6 and the mRNA expression levels of XBP-1t, XBP-1s and p58IPK in the renal tissues were not affected by STZ or Tan IIA treatment.Conclusion Tan IIA-mediated protective effects on the STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy may be associated with the reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress via attenuating PERK signaling activities.
研究领域:
药理学
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肾病学
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糖尿病研究
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分子生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
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2025
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IF 5.6
Xiaolong Li,Lanlan Ma,Jueshuo Guo,Yaya Wei,Shijie Ma,Yaping Mai,Guojing Gou,Wenbao Zuo,Jianhong Yang
Melanoma is a highly aggressive form of skin cancer. mRNA vaccines deliver genetic material encoding specific antigens into cells, thereby triggering the host immune system to produce the antigen. Gp-100, an antigenic protein expressed on the surface of melanoma cells, serves as a target mRNA to stimulate the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response. However, the absence of natural killer (NK) cells can lead to significant tumor cell proliferation. Gardiquimod, a TLR7 agonist, enhances NK cell cytotoxicity, promoting tumor clearance. In advanced melanoma, the unfolded protein response (UPR) often becomes dysregulated. By inhibiting protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), the UPR can be disrupted, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells and shifting the tumor microenvironment (TME) towards an increased M1/M2 macrophage ratio. This study developed a cationic liposome-based mRNA vaccine (GD-LPR) using DOTMA to co-deliver gp-100 mRNA and the TLR7 agonist Gardiquimod, combined with the PERK inhibitor GSK2656157 (GSK), for synergistic melanoma immunotherapy. GD-LPR achieved 95 % mRNA encapsulation efficiency and demonstrated enhanced dendritic cell maturation and NK cell activation both in vitro and in vivo. In subcutaneous melanoma models, GD-LPR+GSK reduced tumor volume and prolonged survival by modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME): increasing CD8 + T cells (Fig. 3 f), repolarizing M2 to M1 macrophages (Fig. 4 f), and suppressing IL-10 while elevating pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α). Mechanistically, GSK inhibited PERK/ATF-4 signaling, synergizing with GD-LPR to suppress lung metastasis. The combination of the GD-LPR vaccine and GSK provides new potential strategies for treating melanoma, particularly in subcutaneous tumors and lung metastases.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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免疫学
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分子生物学
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转化医学
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药理学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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2023
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IF 1.7
Hou Xiaochao,Jiang Yujie,Xu Guiping
Background Colon cancer is a malignancy from digestive tract and remains the third most common cancer worldwide. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) can be used for postoperative analgesia in patients with colon cancer and also has biological activities such as anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer. Objective This study was designed to explore the functions and mechanism of DEX in regulating colon cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. Results Dex reduced LoVo and HCT116 cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent way. Additionally, DEX suppressed colon cancer cell proliferation while promoting cell apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, chloroquine (a compound used for inhibition of autophagy) reversed the promoting effect of DEX on colon cancer cell apoptosis. Furthermore, DEX activated the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α)/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) signaling pathway. PERK silencing inhibited DEX-induced cell apoptosis and autophagy. Conclusion This work revealed the anti-cancer effect of DEX treatment by inhibiting colon cancer cell proliferation while promoting cancer cell apoptosis and autophagy via the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 pathway.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
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细胞生物学
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DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
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2024
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IF 8.3
Ziteng Yu,Xingpei Fan,Xinyi Zhao,Tianyue He,Xiaoyan Li,Haining Du,Meimei Zhao,Ruijiao Zhu,Mengcong Li,Ziyi Zhang,Fang Han
In recent years, the study of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) and their effects on human health has gained significant attention. The impacts of NPs on lipid metabolism and the specific mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. To address this, we utilized high-throughput sequencing and molecular biology techniques to investigate how endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress might affect hepatic lipid metabolism in the presence of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs). Our findings suggest that PS-NPs activate the PERK-ATF4 signaling pathway, which in turn upregulates the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis via the ATF4-PPARγ/SREBP-1 pathway. This activation leads to an abnormal accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver. 4-PBA, a known ER stress inhibitor, was found to mitigate the PS-NPs-induced lipid metabolism disorder. These results demonstrate the hepatotoxic effects of PS-NPs and clarify the mechanisms of abnormal lipid metabolism induced by PS-NPs.
研究领域:
环境科学
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分子生物学
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毒理学
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PubMed
高影响因子
Molecular Medicine Reports
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2017
·Vol. 16
·期 6
·9189-9196
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IF 1.692
Xin Wang,Dalin Jia,Juncheng Zhang,Wei Wang
The aim of the present study was to observe the protective effect of grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress‑mediated apoptosis caused by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in H9C2 cardiomyocytes along with its potential mechanisms. H9C2 cardiomyocytes underwent hypoxia for 3 h followed by reoxygenation for 3 h. Different doses of GSPs (50, 100 and 200 µg/ml) were administered 30 min before hypoxia. Cell viability was assessed, as well as lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, cell apoptosis rate, expression levels of glucose‑regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/EBP‑homologous protein (CHOP), protein kinase RNA‑like ER kinase (PERK), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor‑2 (eIF2α) mRNA and protein. The results revealed that GSPs improved cell viability, reduced LDH activity and reduced the apoptosis rate in cells subjected to H/R, and that the protective effect was most significant when 100 µg/ml in GSPs was administered. GSPs treatment also decreased mRNA and protein expression of GRP78, CHOP, eIF2α and the level of the phosphorylated form of PERK. Furthermore, GSPs displayed a similar protective effect to that of established ER stress inhibitor 4‑phenyl butyric acid. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that GSPs may protect H9C2 cardiomyocytes from H/R injury by decreasing ER stress‑mediated apoptosis through the suppression of the PERK/eIF2α signaling pathway.
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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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
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2024
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IF 6.9
Linhao Xu,Yuxin Jiang,Yanli Bi,Senwen Zheng,Yirong Wu,Yihao Wu,Yizhou Xu,Jian Chen
Chinese herbs have been used to treat small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) due to their low toxicity and significant efficacy. This study focused on oridonin, a natural compound extracted from Rabdosia rubescens, and aimed to investigate its potential antitumor activity on SCLC and to evaluate the synergistic effect of combining oridonin with other small molecules. In this study, oridonin exhibited a dual effect. At lower concentrations, it suppressed the cell viability of SCLC cells (H1688 and H446). At high concentrations, oridonin induced SCLC cell apoptosis, damaged HBE cells in vitro and compromised the function of the liver and heart in vivo . The lower concentration of oridonin induced autophagy by enhancing the expression of p62 and the LC3B-II/LC3B-I ratio. This phenomenon might be associated with the activation of the protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α)/growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene 153 (CHOP/GAD153) pathway. Therefore, the combined effect of oridonin with GSK2606414 or 3- methyladenine increased apoptosis in SCLC cells and reduced tumor growth. A similar phenomenon was observed after oridonin was combined with p62 or CHOP RNA interference treatment. Simultaneously, the combination of oridonin and GSK2606414 exhibited therapeutic efficacy without manifesting adverse effects. Our findings suggest that oridonin at lower concentrations can induce autophagy by activating the PERK/eIF2α/CHOP signaling pathway. The inhibition of the PERK/eIF2α/CHOP pathway could enhance oridonin therapeutic responses by triggering apoptosis. The novel therapeutic approach of combining oridonin with a PERK inhibitor is promising as a strategy for the treatment of SCLC.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Frontiers in Endocrinology
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2025
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IF 4.6
Congrong Wu,Maomao Sun,Yue He,Jie Jiang,Luran Wang,Yanni Wang,Yonghui Yu
Background: Clinical research has identified a correlation between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and subclinical hypothyroidism during gestation. But the potential influence of HDP on thyroid hormone synthesis remains undetermined.Aims: This study aims to elucidate the impact of HDP on thyroid hormone synthesis and to delineate the underlying mechanisms.Methods: 20 pregnancy SD rats were stratified at random into the HDP group and the Control group. The HDP group was subjected to NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methylester administration from gestational days 13 to 20, while the Control group received saline. Subsequent assessments encompassed serum FT4, FT3, and TSH concentrations, morphological examination of the thyroid, as well as quantification of essential proteins pivotal to thyroid hormone synthesis and markers indicative of endoplasmic reticulum stress.Results: The HDP group exhibited a statistically significant augmentation in serum TSH concentrations (p<0.05), while FT3 and FT4 levels manifested no discernible statistical variations. H&E staining highlighted a pronounced hyperplasia of the follicular epithelial cells and a diminution in the follicle lumen area. Electron microscopy unveiled pronounced endoplasmic reticulum markedly swelling and expansion within the HDP group. Molecular evaluations revealed a decrement in Tg expression within thyroid tissue, concomitant with an upregulated expression of p-PERK, P-eIF2α, and ATF4.Conclusion: This investigation suggests that HDP might modulate Tg expression within thyroid tissue, possibly mediated through the PERK/eIF2α signaling cascade. This perturbation may compromise thyroid hormone synthesis, thereby predisposing pregnant rats to subclinical hypothyroidism.
研究领域:
内分泌学
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生殖医学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY
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2025
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IF 3.9
Chuang Cui,Hao Liu,Yun-Fei Zhang,Ling-Ke Liu,Hai-Peng Liu
As obligate intracellular pathogens, viruses rely on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of host cells for viral protein synthesis and processing, leading to increased ER loading, which in turn triggers ER stress and activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). And this process is intricately linked to both viral infection and the host's immune response. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is one of the most detrimental viral pathogens affecting farmed crustaceans such as shrimp and crayfish, but the interaction between WSSV-induced ER stress and viral infection has not been comprehensively investigated. Here, we demonstrated that WSSV infection activated all three UPR pathways, including IRE1 pathway, ATF6 pathway and PERK-eIF2α pathway in crayfish hematopoietic tissue cells. In contrast to the promoted WSSV infection by IRE1 pathway and ATF6 pathway, the activated PERK-eIF2α pathway exhibited an inhibitory effect on viral infection, which was achieved via attenuation of global protein translation of host cells mediated by phosphorylation of eIF2α. Whereas, the continuous expression of WSSV proteins appeared to bypass this translational repression. Collectively, these results emphasized the key role of the PERK-eIF2α pathway, activated by WSSV-induced ER stress, in regulating viral infection, which might constitute an important aspect of the host cell's immune response to viral infection.
研究领域:
病毒学
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免疫学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子