PHYTOMEDICINE
·
2025
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IF 8.3
Zheng-Meng Jiang,Zhi-Yue Fang,Xing Yang,Xing-Xing Ji,Yuan-Yuan Zhao,Bin-Yan Lin,Ze-Bin Weng,E-Hu Liu
Background Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is pivotal in the development of gastric mucosa injury (GMI). Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is a bioactive triterpenoid compound abundantly present in licorice roots. Although GA's potential in mitigating GMI is recognized, its precise mechanism remains elusive, particularly concerning the role of gut microbiota. Purpose This study aimed to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of GA in preventing HCl/ethanol-induced GMI in rats. Results This study demonstrated the protective effects of GA on gastric mucosa, evidenced by enhanced morphology and structure as revealed through H&E staining. Utilizing fecal microbiota transplantation, GA was found to significantly mitigate oxidative damage, inflammation, and expression of apoptosis-related genes in GMI rats by a gut microbiota-dependent mechanism. 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics profiling revealed that GA ameliorated HCl/ethanol-triggered intestinal dysbiosis and imbalances in sphingolipid, arginine, and tryptophan metabolism. By promoting the prevalence of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis ( B. infantis ) in the gut microbiota, GA improved metabolic disturbances linked to injury. Furthermore, its action mechanism was related to the inhibition of the Thbs1/PI3K-Akt/p53 signaling pathway. Conclusion The administration of GA improves GMI by mitigating intestinal dysbiosis and fostering colonization of B. infantis . GA offers therapeutic potential for GMI by modulating the Thbs1/PI3K-Akt/p53 pathway, thus alleviating inflammatory responses associated with gut microbiota imbalance.
研究领域:
药理学
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微生物学
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分子生物学
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PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
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2024
·
IF 3.2
Zihan Wei,Ying Lu,Cheng Qian,Jing Li
Background Atrial fibrosis is associated with the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aims to discuss the function of circ_0079480 in atrial fibrosis and its underlying mechanism. Methods In vitro and in vivo models of atrial fibrosis were established by using angiotensin II (Ang II) to treat human atrial fibroblasts (HAFs) and C57/B6J mice. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to examine the mRNA and protein expression levels. CCK-8, EdU, cell strach, and transwell assays were performed to determine the proliferation and migration of HAFs. Dual-luciferase reporter and RIP/RNA pull-down assays were explored to identify the interaction of miR-338-3p and circ_0079480/THBS1. HE and Masson's trichrome staining experiments were performed to analyze the histopathological change in mice atrial tissues. Results Circ_0079480 expression was increased in AF patients' atrial tissues and Ang II-treated HAFs. Silencing circ_0079480 inhibited cell proliferation and migration and reduced fibrosis-associated gene expression in Ang II-treated HAFs. Circ_0079480 could target miR-338-3p to repress its expression. MiR-338-3p inhibitor blocked the inhibitory effects of circ_0079480 knockdown on HAFs proliferation, migration, and fibrosis. Thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) was confirmed as a downstream target of miR-338-3p, and circ_0079480 could sponge miR-338-3p to upregulate THBS1 expression. Moreover, silencing THBS1 suppressed Ang II-induced proliferation, migration, and fibrosis in HAFs. More importantly, depletion of circ_0079480 inactivated the THBS1/TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling by upregulating miR-338-3p. Mice experiments also confirmed the suppression of circ_0079480 knockdown on atrial fibrosis. Conclusion Circ_0079480 acts as a sponge of miR-338-3p to upregulate THBS1 expression and activate the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling, finally promoting Ang II-induced atrial fibrosis.
研究领域:
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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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Redox Biology
·
2024
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IF 10.7
Wei Li,Qingwen Zeng,Bing Wang,Chao Lv,Haoan He,Xi Yang,Bin Cheng,Xiaoan Tao
Although oxidative stress is closely associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, its’ exact role and mechanism in the initial stage of oral cancer remain ambiguous. Glutamine uptake mediated by alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) participates in glutathione synthesis to resolve oxidative stress. Currently, we firstly found that ASCT2 deletion caused oxidative stress in oral mucosa and promoted oral carcinogenesis induced by 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) using transgenic mice of ASCT2 knockout in oral epithelium. Subsequently, we identified an upregulated gene Thbs1 linked to macrophage infiltration by mRNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry. Importantly, multiplex immunohistochemistry showed M1-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were enriched in cancerous area. Mechanically, targeted ASCT2 effectively curbed glutamine uptake and caused intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, which upregulated Thbs1 in oral keratinocytes and then activated p38, Akt and SAPK/JNK signaling to polarize M1-like TAMs via exosome-transferred pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated M1-like TAMs promoted malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) both in vitro and in vivo by a DOK transformed cell line induced by 4-NQO. All these results establish that oxidative stress triggered by ASCT2 deletion promotes oral carcinogenesis through Thbs1-mediated M1 polarization, and indicate that restore redox homeostasis is a new approach to prevent malignant progression of oral potentially malignant disorders.
研究领域:
癌症生物学
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免疫学
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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
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
·
2023
·
IF 4.8
Liqun Chen,Wei Fang,Weizhi Chen,Yiliu Wei,Jinwang Ding,Jiafeng Li,Jun Lin,Qiaoyi Wu
Glioma stem cells (GSCs) are thought to be responsible for the initiation and progression of glioblastoma (GBM). GBM presents highly invasive growth with a very high recurrence rate, so it has become a clinical problem to be solved urgently. RNAseq demonstrates that thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) acts not only in the angiogenic core of glioma but also with a high degree of invasiveness and infiltration. Nevertheless, defects in the signaling pathway research lead to a poor prognosis in glioma patients. To investigate the relevant molecular mechanism and signal pathway of glioma stem cell behavior mediated by THBS1 , U251 astroglioma cells and GSCs were taken as model cells for in vitro experiments. The biological effects of THBS1 on glioma proliferation, migration, and adhesion were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK8) assays, EdU incorporation assays, migration assays, Transwell assays, Western blotting , and RNAseq. We found that the knockout of the THBS1 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 promoted proliferation and migration in U251 cells and GSCs, as well as influencing cell cycle progression by regulating the TNF/MAPK/NF-κB and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. Moreover, U251 cells and GSCs showed different responses to THBS1 knockout, suggesting specific and potential targets for GSCs in signaling pathways mediated by THBS1 .
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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分子生物学
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细胞生物学
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癌症研究
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Acta Physiologica
·
2026
·Vol. 242
·期 10
·e70299
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IF 5.7
Wan Yu,Yanteng Wang,Na Li,Difei Wang
Aim Skeletal muscle atrophy is tightly associated with maladaptive alterations in mitochondrial function and morphology. Itchy E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase (ITCH) modulates mitochondria, and thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) positively regulates muscle atrophy, but their roles in muscle atrophy are unclear. Methods A muscle atrophy model was established in C57BL/6 mice via daily intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (Dex, 20 mg/kg). ITCH overexpression in skeletal muscle was achieved by adeno-associated virus serotype 9 injection. C2C12 cells were treated with 50 μM Dex to mimic in vitro muscle atrophy. Skeletal muscle atrophy in mice was evaluated using hematoxylin–eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining. Mitochondrial damage was assessed via transmission electron microscopy, succinate dehydrogenase staining, and JC-1 staining. Immunoprecipitation-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, molecular docking, and co-immunoprecipitation were used to investigate the interaction between ITCH and THBS1. Phosphoproteomics analysis was performed to detect the THBS1 downstream proteins. Results Dex treatment downregulated ITCH expression in skeletal muscle. ITCH overexpression increased body weight, muscle mass, and muscle strength, downregulated the expression of atrophy-related genes (Atrogin-1, Mstn, MuRF-1), and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis. The results of the C2C12 cells were consistent with those obtained in vivo. Proteomic profiling and Co-IP confirmed ITCH–THBS1 interaction and subsequent THBS1 ubiquitination. THBS1 knockdown reduced the expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 and inhibited the phosphorylation of JUN and Map3k7, whereas THBS1 overexpression reversed the ITCH-mediated improvement in mitochondrial biogenesis. Conclusion ITCH enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and mitigates Dex-induced muscle atrophy by promoting the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of THBS1 and subsequent inhibition of downstream JUN/Map3k7 phosphorylation. Practitioner Points This study clarifies a novel regulatory mechanism of skeletal muscle atrophy, confirming that the E3 ubiquitin ligase ITCH plays a protective role in dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy. THBS1 acts as a critical downstream effector of ITCH, promoting muscle atrophy via activation of the JUN/Map3k7 phosphorylation signaling pathway. Targeting ITCH-dependent THBS1 ubiquitination may represent a potential strategy to mitigate skeletal muscle loss.
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