Animal Models and Experimental Medicine
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2026
·
IF 3.3
Yijia Wang,Xing Feng,Shuhui Zhao,Yuchong Fu,Ao Zhang,Xiaofeng Shen,Bowen Yu,Yihao Wang,Jiahui Lin,Bing Zhang,Weiping Ji,Lianpin Wu,Xiaoling Guo
Background Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of heart failure and is closely linked to myocardial remodeling, which includes myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. Chrysin (CHR) has multiple medicinal effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptosis. This research seeks to investigate whether CHR can protect against pressure overload–induced myocardial remodeling and to explore the underlying mechanism. Methods Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery was conducted to establish a model of cardiac hypertrophy on male C57BL/6J mice. A model of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in H9C2 cells induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) was also established. Results The results showed that CHR significantly improved survival and cardiac function, reduced myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, inhibited the expression of inflammatory mediators TNF-α and IL-1β, suppressed cell apoptosis rate, downregulated the levels of Bcl-2 Associated X protein (BAX) and Cleaved-Caspase-3, and upregulated B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 2 (BCL-2) expression in TAC surgical mice or Ang II-treated H9C2 cells. CHR could also upregulate the levels of antioxidant enzymes SOD1 and HO-1 by mediating the nuclear translocation and expression of NRF2 to counteract oxidative stress response. The further mechanism investigation utilizing bioinformatics analysis and western blot revealed that the disease of heart failure is associated with the phosphatidylinositol‑3‑kinase (PI3K)/serine/threonine-protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. Conclusions Collectively, our findings demonstrated that CHR might exert the improvement effects on pressure overload–induced myocardial remodeling with hypertrophy and fibrosis through regulating the PI3K/AKT/NRF2 pathway–mediated oxidative stress response to alleviate myocardial cell inflammation and apoptosis, suggesting that CHR may be a promising therapeutic agent for cardiac diseases induced by pressure overload.
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高影响因子
Pharmaceutics
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2026
·Vol. 18
·期 7
·869
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IF 6.9
Jiangtao Zhou,Yuhui Ge,Ran Li,Zhuoyang Cheng,Jianping Gao,Bin Zheng
Background: Skin photoaging, primarily induced by chronic ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, is characterized by dryness, wrinkle formation, pigmentation abnormalities, and reduced skin elasticity, resulting from oxidative stress, inflammation, and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Codonopsis pilosula , a traditional food–medicine homologous plant, is recognized for its anti-aging properties. However, its lipophilic components (designated as CP-L) remain insufficiently explored. Methods: Herein, we developed a thermosensitive nanogel encapsulating CP-L-loaded transferosomes (CP-L nanogel) to enhance topical delivery and evaluated its effects in both a UV-induced photoaging mouse model and UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Results: In UV-induced mice, topical application of the nanogel markedly reduced skin wrinkling and epidermal hyperplasia, with epidermal thickness decreased by 83.2% compared to the model group ( p < 0.01), and restored skin elasticity and collagen deposition, as evidenced by a 35.5% increase in collagen area fraction ( p < 0.01). Correspondingly, in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, it significantly increased cell viability from 53.0 ± 9.6% to 89.4 ± 1.0% ( p < 0.01) and suppressed apoptosis from 30.1 ± 0.48% to 12.4 ± 0.66% ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, the CP-L nanogel consistently attenuated oxidative stress, with SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities increased by 73.1%, 188.1%, and 18.2%, respectively ( p < 0.01), and MDA levels reduced by 71.0% ( p < 0.01), while inflammatory responses were suppressed, as TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels decreased by 28.3%, 22.6%, 12.8% and 31.9%, respectively ( p < 0.01). Mechanistically, transcriptomic and molecular analyses revealed that the nanogel potently inhibited the UV-induced activation of the FGFR/PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K signaling cascade at both transcriptional and protein levels, with the phosphorylation levels of FGFR, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and p70S6K significantly reduced by 43.9%, 30.9%, 38.8%, 34.9%, and 57.3%, respectively ( p < 0.01). Molecular docking and dynamics simulations identified isofuranodienone and aromadendrene oxide-(2) as key constituents with high-affinity, stable binding to FGFR1 and AKT1. The cytoprotective effect of the nanogel was completely abolished by co-treatment with the FGFR inhibitor PD173074 , confirming functional reliance on this pathway. Enhanced cellular delivery of the formulation was directly demonstrated by flow cytometry, showing an approximately 1.8-fold increase in cellular uptake compared to the free drug ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: Collectively, these results demonstrated that the CP-L nanogel alleviated skin photoaging through a multi-faceted mechanism involving enhanced cellular delivery, potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and specific inhibition of the FGFR/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascade, highlighting its potential as a multitargeted topical agent derived from an edible plant.
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高影响因子
Cell Death & Disease
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2026
·Vol. 17
·期 1
·750
·
IF 12.2
Luomeng Qian,Ping Chen,Bo Wang,Qing Zhang,Yuan Guo,Jie Cui,Ran Ding,Hongkai Zhang,Sihe Zhang
Sorafenib is a widely used targeting drug for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients; however, sorafenib resistance poses a significant clinical challenge. Hypoxia and extracellular vesicles (EVs) induce vasculogenic mimicry (VM) which is linked to sorafenib resistance in HCC. Migrasomes (Migs), the newly discovered large EVs, foster HCC malignant phenotypes by facilitating the intercellular transfer of functional molecules. Despite these advancements, the precise mechanism by which Migs cause sorafenib resistance is still unknown. In this study, we found that hypoxia upregulates the Migs release and CD147 expression on Migs surface, which is related to sorafenib resistance in HCC. Further investigations revealed that hypoxia-induced migrasomes (hypo-Migs) induce VM formation, thereby promoting sorafenib resistance in HCC. Notably, hypo-Migs are internalized into HCC cells through macropinocytosis, which depends on the expression of lysophosphatidic acid receptor 6 (LPAR6). Mechanistically, CD147-positive (CD147 + ) hypo-Migs activate the PI3K/AKT/TWIST1 signaling pathway, subsequently inducing VM formation and promoting sorafenib resistance. Importantly, dual blockade of CD147 + -hypo-Migs macropinocytosis and VM formation enhances the sorafenib-killing efficacy to HCC. Conclusively, our findings uncover a novel sorafenib resistance mechanism induced by CD147 + -hypo-Migs, and highlight dual-targeting of macropinocytosis and VM as a promising strategy to overcome the sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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高影响因子
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
·
2025
·
IF 6.3
Xiao-Man Ji,Xin-Xin Dong,Jia-Peng Li,Guang-Jie Tai,Shu Qiu,Wei Wei,Ceaser Wankumbu Silumbwe,Davaadagva Damdinjav,Joseph Nicolao Otieno,Xiao-Xue Li,Ming Xu
Vascular aging is a major contributor to age-related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induced early arterial aging and excessive senescent cells (SCs) burden in vessels. Inhibiting cellular senescence or eliminating SCs could effectively improve aging-related CVDs. Fisetin, a flavonoid extracted from cotinus coggygria scop, has shown potential in alleviating aging by clearing SCs. This study investigated the unexplored mechanisms and efficacy of fisetin in alleviating T2DM-related aortic aging. The T2DM mouse model was induced using a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin injection. Chronic fisetin treatment's protective effects against aortic aging were assessed via senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining, histopathology, and vasomotor function. RNA-sequencing and western blotting identified relevant signaling pathways and protein expression. Fisetin's effects on SCs and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors were evaluated through cell viability, apoptosis, and co-culture assays. Docking simulations suggested fisetin as a potential Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (Pi3k) inhibitor. In vivo, chronic fisetin treatment reduced aortic SCs burden, alleviating T2DM-related and natural aortic aging. In vitro, fisetin selectively induced apoptosis of senescent endothelial cells via regulating the Pi3k-Protein Kinase B (Akt)-B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2/Bcl-xl pathway and suppressed SASP and its detrimental effects. Furthermore, fisetin combined with metformin therapy showed superior anti-aging effects on T2DM-related aortic aging compared to metformin monotherapy. In conclusion, chronic fisetin treatment alleviates T2DM-related aortic aging via clearing the SCs burden and abrogating the SASP factors. Fisetin combined with metformin therapy might be a potential therapeutic strategy for T2DM-related CVDs.
研究领域:
药理学
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心血管疾病
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分子生物学
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MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
·
2025
·Vol. 63
·期 1
·39
·
IF 4.3
Hu Yingying,Qian Rengcheng,He Yifeng,Gao Qiqi,Wang Xun,Lin Huilin,Lin Wei,Fang Yu,Zhu Jianghu,Wang Xingyun,Nan Yan,Lin Zhenlang
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a devastating disease for which no treatments that effectively mitigate severe neurological consequences exist. Recent studies have shown that costunolide (COS), a well-known bioactive sesquiterpene lactone, possesses potent anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, but its efficacy in the context of HIBD remains unclear. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of COS in both in vivo and in vitro models of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury. In vivo, we found that COS intervention following a HI event dramatically reduced the brain infarction volume, ameliorated the inflammatory response, promoted histological recovery, and improved the prognosis. To explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, we performed an in vitro study and reported that COS protected PC12 cells from oxygen‒glucose deprivation (OGD) insult by reducing the levels of inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, COS activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to suppress NF-κB and inflammation. In contrast, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 reversed these therapeutic benefits. Our findings reveal that COS is a promising neuroprotective agent and could be used to treat HIBD and other related brain injuries.
研究领域:
神经科学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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新生儿学
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE
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2025
·Vol. 57
·期 1
·14
·
IF 5.8
Shuang Dou,Zhijun Li,Boyao Zheng,Zhenyu Ren,Hai Wang,Qing Zuo,Fang Fang,Yuehong Zhuang
The present study investigates the molecular mechanisms of peripheral nerve regeneration by examining the ROCK/PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway's role in promoting morphological and functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury (PNI). Using a mouse sciatic nerve crush (SNC) injury model and a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explant axotomy model, mice and DRG were divided the experimental (treated with DMSO) group, Y27632 group (treated with ROCK inhibitor Y27632), Y + LY group (treated with Y27632 + PI3K inhibitor LY294002), and Y + LY + SB group (treated with Y27632 + LY294002 + GSK3β inhibitor SB216763). Immunofluorescence was used to assess axon density, diameter, myelin thickness and Schwann cell proliferation, while retrograde tracing with cholera toxin subunit B evaluated peripheral-to-central reconnection. Behavioral tests measured functional recovery, and in DRG explants, axon regeneration length and growth cone size were quantified. Protein expression analysis of RhoA, ROCK, PI3K, Akt, GSK3β, and their phosphorylated forms was conducted on day 3 post-axotomy, both in vivo and in vitro . Additionally, RSC96 Schwann cell migration and proliferation were evaluated using scratch assays and EdU staining. Results showed that ROCK inhibition with Y27632 significantly enhanced axonal regeneration, growth cone expansion, retrograde transport, and reinnervation of acetylcholine receptors and Merkel cells, and promoted Schwann cell proliferation and RSC96 migration, leading to thicker myelin sheaths after SNC. These changes mitigated gastrocnemius muscle atrophy, improved muscle strength, gait, and thermal/tactile sensitivity. Co-treatment with LY294002 blocked these effects, but adding SB216763 restored them. Protein analysis indicated that ROCK inhibition increased phosphorylated PI3K, Akt and GSK3β, whereas PI3K inhibition reduced GSK3β phosphorylation. These findings suggested that ROCK inhibition promotes axon regeneration and remyelination after PNI by enhancing PI3K/Akt phosphorylation and suppressing GSK3β activity, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting the ROCK/PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway for peripheral nerve repair.
研究领域:
神经科学
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分子生物学
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再生医学
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周围神经修复
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细胞信号转导
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高影响因子
ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
·
2023
·
IF 3.9
Huaxiang Wang,Minyong Chen,Chengkai Yang,Huanzhang Hu,Yi Jiang,Fang Yang,Lizhi Lv
Background Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein Sm D1 (SNRPD1) has been reported as an oncogene in some solid cancers. Our previous study suggested that SNRPD1 has diagnostic and prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its role in tumor growth and biological behavior remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to unravel the role and mechanism of SNRPD1 in HCC. Methods We investigated the SNRPD1 mRNA level in adjacent normal liver tissues and HCC tissues with different tumor stages in the UALCAN database. The associations between SNRPD1 mRNA expression and HCC prognosis were investigated in TCGA database. Then, 52 pairs of frozen HCC tissues and corresponding adjacent normal liver tissues were collected to perform qPCR and immunohistochemistry assay. Next, we carried out a series of experiments in vitro and in vivo to investigate the effects of SNRPD1 expression on cell invasion, migration, proliferation, autophagy, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Results The bioinformatics analysis and qPCR in our patient cohort demonstrated that the SNRPD1 mRNA level in HCC tissues was higher than in adjacent normal tissues. In addition, the immunohistochemistry assay exhibited an increased SNRPD1 protein level with the tumor stage increase. Survival analysis suggested that higher expression of SNRPD1 was significantly associated with unfavorable prognosis of patients with HCC. The functional experiments in vitro indicated that SNRPD1 knockdown suppressed the cellular proliferation , migration, and invasion capacities. Furthermore, SNRPD1 inhibition induced cellular apoptosis and arrested the HCC cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated that SNRPD1 knockdown induced the increase of autophagic vacuoles and the expression of autophagy-related genes (ATG5, ATG7 , and ATG12) and blocked the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/4EBP1 pathway in vitro. Moreover, SNRPD1 inhibition suppressed tumor growth and expression of the Ki67 protein in vivo. Conclusions SNRPD1 may serve as an oncogene in HCC and promote tumor proliferation via inhibiting autophagy induced through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/4EBP1 pathway.
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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高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
·
2020
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IF 6.793
Caiying Zhang,Tianjin Lin,Gaohui Nie,Ruiming Hu,Shaoxing Pi,Zejing Wei,Chang Wang,Chenghong Xing,Guoliang Hu
Cadmium (Cd) and excess molybdenum (Mo) are harmful to animals, but the combined nephrotoxic mechanism of Cd and Mo in duck remains poorly elucidated. To assess joint effects of Cd and Mo on pyroptosis via ROS/PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis in duck renal tubular epithelial cells, cells were cultured with 3CdSO 4 ·8H 2 O (4.0 μM), (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ·4H 2 O (500.0 μM), MCC950 (10.0 μM), BHA (100.0 μM) and combination of Cd and Mo or Cd, Mo and MCC950 or Cd, Mo and BHA for 12 h, and the joint cytotoxicity was explored. The results manifested that toxicity of non-equitoxic binary mixtures of Mo and Cd exhibited synergic interaction. Mo or/and Cd elevated ROS level, PTEN mRNA and protein levels, and decreased PI3K, AKT and p-AKT expression levels. Simultaneously, Mo or/and Cd upregulated ASC, NLRP3, NEK7, Caspase-1, GSDMA, GSDME, IL-18 and IL-1β mRNA levels and Caspase-1 p20, NLRP3, ASC, GSDMD protein levels, increased the percentage of pyroptotic cells, LDH , NO , IL-18 and IL-1β releases as well as relative conductivity. Moreover, NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 and ROS scavenger BHA could ameliorate the above changed factors induced by Mo and Cd co-exposure. Collectively, our results reveal that combination of Mo and Cd synergistically cause oxidative stress and trigger pyroptosis via ROS/PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis in duck tubular epithelial cells.
研究领域:
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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动物科学
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高影响因子
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY-OXFORD
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2020
·
IF 2.521
Feng Xue,Yong Jia,Jian Zhao
Background Tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn (FYN) plays a crucial role in Src family, which participates in the signal transduction of brain nerves and the development and activation of T lymphocytes in physiological conditions. We probed into the roles and mechanisms of FYN in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods Cell activity, apoptosis , invasion, and migration were detected by CCK-8, FCM , transwell, and wound-healing assays, respectively. The angiogenesis capacity was evaluated by in vitro angiogenesis test. Relative mRNA and protein expressions were determined by qRT-PCR, Western blot , and immunohistochemistry assays, respectively. Insulin-like growth factors-I (IGF-I) was used as an agonist of PI3K/AKT pathway. Results We demonstrated that FYN expression correlated with LUAD prognosis and was down-regulated in LUAD tissues and LUAD cells. Overexpression of FYN suppressed the cell viability , together with invasion and migration abilities of A549 cells. FYN overexpression accelerated the cell apoptosis and reduced the angiogenesis capacity of A549 cells. Overexpression of FYN suppressed E-cadherin, Vimentin , Snail , and PI3K/AKT expressions in A549 cells. High expression level of FYN reduced the migration and invasion capacities of A549 cells via down-regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusion Collectively, our findings reveal that overexpression of FYN inhibits the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through down-regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway in A549 cells.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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分子生物学
·
细胞生物学
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高影响因子
Frontiers in Physiology
·
2026
·
IF 4.3
Yu Xin,Chenyu Yang,Gege Wang,Huiping Ma,Linlin Jing
IntroductionCognitive impairment is a common symptom for these people entering high altitude. Unfortunately, the potential molecular mechanisms are not totally clear. This study aimed to identify the genes and signaling pathways associated with high-altitude cognitive dysfunction (HACD) in mice.MethodsMale C57BL/6 J mice were allocated into two groups: control group and hypobaric hypoxia (HH) group. The cognitive function was assessed using novel object recognition test and Morris water maze test. The histological analysis was performed using Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining. Evans blue (EB) assay was performed to evaluate the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The gene levels in hippocampal tissue were assessed via RNA-Seq technique. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the DESeq2 R package, followed by functional and pathway enrichment analyses. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established for screening hub genes, which were subsequently validated by qRT-PCR. The related proteins were detected by Western blot.ResultsHH exposure led to pathological changes in hippocampal tissue, accompanied by increased oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and BBB disruption, and then induced impaired cognitive function in mice. In the HACD mice, 178 DEGs (70 upregulated and 108 downregulated genes) were found, in comparison to the control, and 8 hub genes were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is a significantly enriched pathway, suggesting its potential involvement in the pathogenesis of HACD. Then, we performed validation experiments via qRT-PCR for four hub genes (Vwf, Vegfa, Kdr, Spp1) closely related to the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and the results aligned with the RNA-seq data. Furthermore, Western blot analysis indicated that the PI3K/AKT pathway was substantially inhibited following HH exposure. Downstream analysis revealed significantly decreased expression of antioxidant proteins Nrf2 and HO-1, accompanied by increased phosphorylation of NF-κB, indicating enhanced neuroinflammation and impaired antioxidant defenses.ConclusionsOur results reveal a significant association between PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibition and HACD and offer potential therapeutic targets for developing novel treatment strategies for HACD.
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高影响因子
Frontiers in Immunology
·
2026
·
IF 7
Yadan Dong,Yuchen Ma,Qun Yu,Zhengmei Shi,Caiyi Wang,Yihao Che,Heng Liu,Desheng Wan,Weizai Shao,Huai Xiao
Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most common malignancies of the digestive tract, with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) constituting a major cause of CRC-related mortality, for which therapeutic options remain limited. Methods This study examined the inhibitory role of inosine in CRLM and its molecular mechanisms using in vitro and in vivo approaches. CRC cell invasion was measured in transwell assays following direct inosine treatment or incubation with conditioned medium from inosine-exposed macrophage co-cultures. A CRLM mouse model generated by intrasplenic MC-38 injection was evaluated for hepatic metastasis. Histopathological examination of liver tissues was performed using HE staining to evaluate metastatic infiltration. Furthermore, flow cytometry and ELISA were utilized to analyze macrophage polarization markers and cytokine expression levels. Through transcriptomic sequencing and analysis, potential target genes and signaling pathways were predicted and subsequently validated by RT-qPCR. Results Inosine directly suppressed the invasive abilities of MC-38, CT-26, and HT-29 cells. This inhibitory effect on MC-38 cells was further enhanced under co-culture conditions with M1-polarized macrophages. In vivo , inosine reduced the formation of hepatic metastatic nodules, downregulated TNF-α and IL-1β, increased M1 macrophage proportions, and suppressed M2 polarization. Transcriptomics and RT-qPCR indicated that inosine upregulates CYP26A1 and CYP39A1, downregulates BCL-2, PTGS2, and OLFM1, and modulates PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Inosine inhibits the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Discussion Inosine exerted an inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer liver metastasis by skewing macrophages toward an M1 phenotype, dampening pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and regulating key genes via the PI3K/AKT pathway.
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高影响因子
MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
·
2026
·
IF 3.7
Na Mi,Lili Ma,Jing Zhao,Xinxin Bu,Jing Xu,Jia Fu,Chao Zhang,Yali Zhang,Lifen Yao
Discovery of the "Gut Microbiota-BCAA" metabolic dysregulation in PD. • BCAA supplementation promotes propionate production via microbiota remodeling. • Propionate alleviates neurodegeneration via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. • Identification of the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 axis as the mediator of propionate’s protection. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron loss and systemic inflammation, with increasing evidence implicating the gut–brain axis in its pathogenesis. Altered gut microbiota composition and reduced levels of neuroprotective microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been reported in patients with PD. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), essential nutrients influenced by microbial metabolism, may contribute to neuroimmune regulation through SCFA production, particularly propionate, and modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling. In this study, we investigated whether dietary BCAA supplementation influences neurodegenerative processes in PD through gut microbiota remodeling and microbial propionate production, and examined the potential involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling pathway. We combined human clinical observations with mechanistic studies in MPTP-induced PD mouse models and MPP⁺-treated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. Gut microbiota composition was profiled using 16S rRNA sequencing, and fecal and serum metabolites were analyzed by GC–MS. Neurobehavioral performance, dopaminergic neuron integrity, apoptosis-related markers, and PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 pathway activation were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and cellular assays with or without pharmacological inhibition. PD patients exhibited gut dysbiosis, reduced BCAA levels, and depletion of SCFA-producing taxa. In mice, BCAA supplementation partially restored microbial composition and enhanced predicted propionate biosynthesis pathways. Propionate administration improved motor performance, preserved dopaminergic neurons, mitigated neuroinflammatory responses, and reduced apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, propionate restored PI3K, Akt, and mTORC1 phosphorylation, upregulated Bcl-2, and suppressed cleaved caspase-3, effects that were abolished by PI3K inhibition. Collectively, these findings identify a gut microbiota–BCAA–propionate axis that may influence neurodegenerative processes through modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling, highlighting microbial metabolites as potential modulators of gut–brain communication in PD.
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高影响因子
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