JOURNAL OF CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND NUTRITION
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2025
·
IF 1.7
Xiaoyan Ding,Jinxi Wang,Xiangning Huang,Juan Huang
Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), a life-threatening cardiovascular complication of diabetes, manifested as progressive cardiac dysfunction mediated through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Loganic acid (LA), a natural iridoid compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has demonstrated therapeutic potential in various inflammatory disorders, but its role in DCM remains unexplored. Here, we systematically investigated LA’s cardioprotective potential and its mechanisms. Utilizing a high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model, LA (30 mg/kg, oral gavage) was administered for 8 weeks post-diabetes confirmation. Echocardiographic assay indicated that LA improved cardiac function. Histopathologic evaluation displayed that LA attenuated myocardial structural disorders, reduced collagen deposition, and suppressed cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, LA treatment normalized redox imbalance (decreased MDA and increased GSH) and reduced inflammatory cytokine levels. In vitro , a diabetic cell model was established with AC16 cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose (HG; 30 mM). The findings demonstrated that LA (25 or 50 μM) dose-dependently ameliorated HG-induced cardiomyocyte damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokine release. Mechanistically, LA treatment suppressed HG-induced activation of TLR4 signaling and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. Collectively, these findings highlight LA as a novel therapeutic candidate in DCM, targeting the TLR4/p38 MAPK axis to attenuate diabetes-induced cardiac damage.
研究领域:
心血管病学
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糖尿病学
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分子药理学
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氧化应激
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炎症生物学
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信号转导
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Biomolecules
·
2023
·Vol. 13
·期 10
·1464
·
IF 5.5
Xiaoyan Yuan,Junting Yang,Yuling Huang,Jia Li,Yuanyuan Li
There has been a growing interest in studying the communication of gut microbial metabolites between the gut and the liver as liver fibrosis progresses. Although 3-Indolepropionic acid (IPA) is regarded as a clinically valuable gut metabolite for the treatment of certain chronic diseases, the effects of oral administration of IPA on hepatic fibrosis in different animal models have been conflicting. While some mechanisms have been proposed to explain these contradictory effects, the direct impact of IPA on hepatic fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we found that IPA could directly activate LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells in vitro. IPA upregulated the expression of fibrogenic marker genes and promoted the features associated with HSCs activation, including proliferation and contractility. IPA also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria and the expression of inflammation-related genes in LX-2 cells. However, when a ROS-blocking agent was used, these effects were reduced. p38 and JNK, the downstream signaling cascades of ROS, were found to be required for the activation of LX-2 induced by IPA. These findings suggest that IPA can directly activate hepatic stellate cells through ROS-induced JNK and p38 signaling pathways.Keywords:gut–liver axis;3-Indolepropionic acid;HSCs;liver fibrosis
研究领域:
胃肠病学
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肝病学
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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
American Journal of Translational Research
·
2017
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IF 2.829
Yuanfeng Zhu,Shijun Fan,Ning Wang,Xiaoli Chen,Yongjun Yang,Yongling Lu,Qian Chen,Jiang Zheng,Xin Liu
Activation of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, both of which are essential for robust microbial clearance by phagocytes. However, it is unknown whether inhibition of NOX2 activation or ROS generation affects cellular phagocytosis. Here, we found that the classic NOX2 inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) induced uptake of E. coli by murine peritoneal macrophages through enhancing phagocytosis, and this effect was temperature-sensitive and attenuated by cytochalasin D as well as chemical inhibition of Syk and PLCγ, two downstream kinases involved in actin polymerization during phagocytosis. DPI also decreased the production of TNF-α and IL-6 resulting from E. coli stimulation. The DPI-induced enhancement of phagocytosis was independent of NOX2 inhibition or ROS generation but depended on increased intracellular calcium and activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, DPI enhanced bacterial elimination and ameliorated inflammation in E. coli -infected mice, leading to improved survival. Our results demonstrate that DPI facilitates ROS-independent bacterial phagocytosis by macrophages through activation of calcium and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.
研究领域:
免疫学
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分子生物学
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医学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
PHYTOMEDICINE
·
2024
·
IF 6.7
Heung Lam MOK,Ka Wing CHENG,Yiqi XU,Chunhua HUANG,Cheng LYU,Jiaruo XU,Die HU,Lin ZHU,Chengyuan LIN,Hor-Yue TAN,Zhaoxiang BIAN
Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with intestinal macrophage infiltration due to disruption of the mucosal barrier and bacterial invasion. Therefore, it is crucial to identify therapeutic agents capable of attenuating the macrophage-induced inflammatory response to preserve mucosal homeostasis and immune tolerance. The modified Zhenwu decoction (CDD-2103) is a novel herbal formulation developed based on the principles of Traditional Chinese medicine. To date, there are no clinically approved herbal formulations for UC with a well-known mechanism of action on macrophages. Purpose The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the inhibitory effect of the active fraction of CDD-2103 in a mouse model of chronic colitis and delineate the mechanisms underlying its inhibitory action. Methods CDD-2103 was extracted into four fractions using organic solvents with increasing polarity. A chronic 49-day dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice model, closely resembling human clinical conditions, was used to examine the effect of CDD-2103 on chronic colitis. To confirm the effect of CDD-2103 on macrophages in this chronic colitis model, adoptive macrophage transfer and CCL2 supplementation were conducted. The mechanisms of action of CDD-2103 were further elucidated utilizing bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Transcriptome analysis was conducted to gain insights into the underlying mechanism of action of CDD-2103 in BMDMs. Results Our in vitro and in vivo findings demonstrated that the ethanol-enriched fraction of CDD-2103 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects, leading to the suppression of colitis severity. This effect was associated with diminished accumulation of colonic macrophages in the lamina propria of CDD-2103-intervened colitis mice. Specifically, CDD-2103 inhibited CCR2/L2-mediated proinflammatory macrophage infiltration into the colon without affecting macrophage proliferation. Mechanistically, CDD-2103 inhibited Fyn expression-mediated p38 MAPK activation and subsequently suppressed CCR2 expression in BMDMs. Conclusions Collectively, our study supports the potential use of CDD-2103 to limit macrophage infiltration, thereby reducing inflammation during UC treatment. CDD-2103 and the components in the ethanolic fraction are promising candidates for the development of novel drugs for UC management. Additionally, our study underscores Fyn-mediated CCR2 expression as a potential therapeutic target for the management of UC.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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中医药
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炎症性肠病
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Drug Design Development and Therapy
·
2025
·
IF 5.1
Fangbin Liu,Jiyuan Chen,Chunai Gong,Minyan Chen,Gang Yang,Chun Chen,Ru Yao,Shengnan Li,Rong Wang,Yongfang Yuan
Introduction Xerostomia, commonly caused by Sjögren disease (SjD) or head and neck radiotherapy, significantly impairs patients’ quality of life, yet effective treatments remain limited. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers promising alternatives due to its favourable efficacy and low toxicity. Shatai Heji (STHJ), a compound TCM formulation designed to nourish yin and invigorate qi, shows therapeutic potential for xerostomia. This study aimed to establish quality control standards for STHJ and evaluate its pharmacodynamics, safety, and mechanisms of action in models of xerostomia.Methods A qualitative identification method was developed for the twelve herbal components of STHJ, with quantification of active constituents, focusing on quality markers for Astragalus and Rehmannia. Xerostomia was induced in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats using a muscarinic receptor antagonist, and in BALB/c mice with SjD. Histological examination of major organs and salivary glands was performed, and aquaporin-5 (AQP5) expression in submandibular glands was assessed via Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Therapeutic effects were evaluated through salivary secretion, glandular weight, and biochemical markers. In SjD mice, submandibular gland immunofluorescence and ELISA were used to assess inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, TNF-β, IFN-γ, IL-6) and autoantibodies (anti-SSA/Ro, anti-SSB/La). Western blotting was used to analyse NF-κB and MAPK p38 pathway activation. Acute toxicity was assessed in SD rats.Results STHJ significantly improved xerostomia symptoms, increased salivary output, upregulated AQP5, and preserved glandular morphology. It reduced fibrosis, suppressed inflammatory cytokine expression, and inhibited immune cell infiltration. Mechanistically, STHJ attenuated activation of NF-κB and MAPK p38 pathways. No acute toxicity was observed.Conclusion This is the first study to establish quality control standards for STHJ and to demonstrate its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in xerostomia models. The findings suggest that STHJ may serve as a safe and effective therapeutic option for xerostomia associated with SjD and other conditions.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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中医中药
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分子生物学
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风湿病学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
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2023
·
IF 2.7
Ni-Na Song,Ying Zhao,Chuang Sun,Jun Zhang,Guang-Jun Lin,Xiao-Wei Yin,Chun-Ye Ma
Neuronal apoptosis is considered one of the hallmarks of ischemic stroke . Dual specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10), a member of the dual-specificity phosphatase family, which is involved in the regulation of apoptosis process. This study aimed to investigate the effect of on apoptosis in primary cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) and mice suffered from transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R). The results showed that DUSP10 overexpression improved survival and reduced apoptosis in neurons subjected to OGD/R, which was manifested by decreased apoptotic proteins (cleaved caspase 3 and bax) and TUNEL+ cells, as well as increased the anti-apoptotic protein (bcl-2). DUSP10 overexpression inhibited the p38/JNK signaling pathway after OGD/R treatment, whilst DUSP10 knockdown had opposite effects. In addition, the p38 inhibitor SB203580 or JNK inhibitor SP600125 attenuated the increased apoptosis of OGD/R-stimulated neurons treated with DUSP10 silencing. Consistently, DUSP10 knockdown exacerbated infarct volume in MCAO/R injury. The data of Nissl staining and TUNEL-NeuN double staining revealed that DUSP10 interference aggravated neuronal damage in the ischemic penumbra of mice. Furthermore, DUSP10 inhibition activated the p38/JNK axis accompanied by enhanced phosphorylation of p38 and JNK in vivo. In summary, DUSP10 is a neuroprotective agent against ischemic stroke-induced neuronal damage via suppressing the p38/JNK signaling pathway.
研究领域:
神经科学
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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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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
·
2024
·
IF 6.9
Weicheng Qin,Qi Shang,Gengyang Shen,Bing Li,Peng Zhang,Yuzhuo Zhang,Wenhua Zhao,Honglin Chen,Huiwen Liu,Bin Xie,Zhida Zhang,Hui Ren,Xiaobing Jiang
Diabetes can lead to a disorder of bone-fat balance, a significant cause of osteoporosis due to changes in environmental factors. Baicalin (Bai), an active ingredient of Scutellaria baicalensis , has been confirmed to possess antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-osteoporotic effects. However, a comprehensive understanding of Bai's influence on diabetic osteoporosis (DOP), including its effects and underlying mechanisms, remains elusive. This study investigated Bai's impact on the bone-fat equilibrium in rats with DOP. The results indicated that Bai alleviated bone damage in DOP by promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting adipogenesis. Concurrently, through bioinformatics analysis, it was suggested that Bai's mechanism of action might involve the P38-MAPK pathway. In vitro , Bai was found to enhance the development of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) towards osteogenic lineages while suppressing their differentiation towards adipogenic lineages. It was discovered that Bai's promotion of BMSC osteogenic differentiation depends on the P38-MAPK pathway. Additionally, the synergistic effect mediated by Bai and P38-MAPK inhibitor suppressed BMSC adipogenic differentiation. Our research indicates that the P38-MAPK pathway play a role in Bai's effects on the osteogenic-adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs, showcasing the potential for DOP treatment. This study highlights Bai's ability to regulate the equilibrium between bone and fat, presenting a novel approach to adressing DOP.
研究领域:
药理学
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内分泌学
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骨科学
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分子生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
DNA AND CELL BIOLOGY
·
2025
·
IF 2.6
Lijiang Zhao,Xueqing Wu,Qiang Li,Yan Shen,Sheng Zeng,Jinbao Wang,Qian Liu
Bisphenol A (BPA) is the most common endocrine disruptor that has toxicity to the reproductive system and male infertility. However, the underlying mechanisms of BPA’s toxicity to Sertoli cells remain poorly understood. Cellular communication network factor 5 (CCN5) is reported to regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Our study demonstrated a significant elevation of CCN5 expression in the testis of nonobstructive azoospermia patients and TM4 Sertoli cells exposed to BPA. Knockdown of CCN5 reduced apoptotic cells after BPA treatment, as determined by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays. Cells exposed to BPA showed increased expressions of Bax and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, decreased expression of Bcl-2, as well as elevated activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in BPA-induced TM4 cells, which were reversed by CCN5 inhibition. Loss of CCN5 declined phosphorylation of protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A and decreased activating transcription factor 4 and C/EBP-homologous protein in BPA-treated cells. Furthermore, silencing CCN5 blocked BPA-induced phosphorylation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Administration of anisomycin, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activator, reversed the effects of CCN5 knockdown on BPA-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis. Taken together, CCN5 promotes apoptosis and ER stress in Sertoli cells exposed to BPA by activating the p38/JNK MAPK signaling pathway.
研究领域:
生殖生物学
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毒理学
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Human Cell
·
2024
·
IF 3.4
Wang Chenggang,Wang Zhanchao,Zi Ying,Dan Xuejian,Xu Jiahui,Zhao Jingwei,Xu Wei,Wu Zhourui,Liu Wei,Ma Bin
Neurogenic intermittent claudication (NIC), a classic symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), is associated with neuronal apoptosis. To explore the novel therapeutic target of NIC treatment, we constructed the rat model of NIC by cauda equina compression (CEC) method and collected dorsal root ganglion (DRG) tissues, a region responsible for sensory and motor function, for mRNA sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis of mRNA sequencing indicated that upregulated metallothionein 2A (MT2A), an apoptosis-regulating gene belonging to the metallothionein family, might participate in NIC progression. Activated p38 MAPK mediated motor dysfunction following LSS and it was also found in DRG tissues of rats with NIC. Therefore, we supposed that MT2A might affect NIC progression by regulating p38 MAPK pathway. Then the rat model of NIC was used to explore the exact role of MT2A. Rats at day 7 post-CEC exhibited poorer motor function and had two-fold MT2A expression in DRG tissues compared with rats with sham operation. Co-localization analysis showed that MT2A was highly expressed in neurons, but not in microglia or astrocytes. Subsequently, neurons isolated from DRG tissues of rats were exposed to hypoxia condition (3% O 2 , 92% N 2 , 5% CO 2 ) to induce cell damage. Gain of MT2A function in neurons was performed by lentivirus-mediated overexpression. MT2A overexpression inhibited apoptosis by inactivating p38 MAPK in hypoxia-exposed neurons. Our findings indicated that high MT2A expression was related to NIC progression, and MT2A overexpression protected against NIC through inhibiting activated p38 MAPK-mediated neuronal apoptosis in DRG tissues.
研究领域:
神经科学
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分子生物学
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病理生理学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
·
2021
·Vol. 25
·期 2
·131-137
·
IF 2.016
Jing Cheng,Chaoyang Ren,Renli Cheng,Yunning Li,Ping Liu,Wei Wang,Li Liu
Aging is the process spontaneously occurred in living organisms. Cardiac fibrosis is a pathophysiological process of cardiac aging. Mangiferin is a well-known C-glucoside xanthone in mango leaves with lots of beneficial properties. In this study, rat model of cardiac fibrosis was induced by injected with 150 mg/kg/d D-galactose for 8 weeks. The age-related cardiac decline was estimated by detecting the relative weight of heart, the serum levels of cardiac injury indicators and the expression of hypertrophic biomakers. Cardiac oxidative stress and local inflammation were measured by detecting the levels of malondialdehyde, enzymatic antioxidant status and proinflammatory cytokines. Cardiac fibrosis was evaluated by observing collagen deposition via masson and sirius red staining, as well as by examining the expression of extracellular matrix proteins via Western blot analysis. The cardiac activity of profibrotic TGF-β1/p38/MK2 signaling pathway was assessed by measuring the expression of TGF-β1 and the phosphorylation levels of p38 and MK2. It was observed that mangiferin ameliorated D-galactose-induced cardiac aging, attenuated cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis, as well as inhibited the activation of TGF-β1/p38/MK2 signaling pathway. These results showed that mangiferin could ameliorate cardiac fibrosis in D-galactose-induced aging rats possibly via inhibiting TGF-β/p38/MK2 signaling pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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心脏病学
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老年学
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分子生物学
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DOI
高影响因子
Nutrients
·
2022
·Vol. 14
·期 9
·1940
·
IF 6.706
Kuaitian Wang,Xiao Kong,Mengdi Du,Wei Yu,Zhenhua Wang,Bo Xu,Jianrong Yang,Jingru Xu,Zhili Liu,Yongqiang Cheng,Jing Gan
DEDEQIPSHPPR, the calcium-binding peptide (CBP) identified in soy yogurt, was proven to be a potential cofactor in osteoporosis prevention in our previous study, but the mechanism was unknown. In this study, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN), the regulation of RUNX2, and the expression of TβRI were investigated to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The results show that CBP upregulated ALP activity and OCN concentration and increased the expression of RUNX2 and the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Similarly, the expression of osteogenesis-related genes in osteoblasts also increased upon CBP treatment. Moreover, the CBP-induced enhancement of ALP activity and phosphorylation levels in the p38 pathway was inhibited by treatment with a p38 inhibitor (SB203538) and TβRI inhibitor (SB431542), respectively, suggesting that p38 and TβRI were involved in the osteogenic action. Based on the signaling pathways, the intracellular calcium concentration was significantly elevated by CBP, which was correlated with the increased behavioral functions and the relative fluorescence intensity of the bone mass. These findings suggest that CBP stimulates osteoblast differentiation and bone mineralization through the activation of RUNX2 via mechanisms related to the TβRI-p38-MAPK signaling pathways, further highlighting CBP’s important potential for treating osteoporosis.Keywords:bone remodeling;soy peptide CBP;osteoblast;differentiation;p38-MAPK;RUNX2
研究领域:
生物学
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生物化学
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药理学
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骨骼生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
International Journal of Nanomedicine
·
2021
·
IF 6.4
Hui Huang,Qinhui Liu,Ting Zhang,Jinhang Zhang,Jian Zhou,Xiandan Jing,Qin Tang,Cuiyuan Huang,Zijing Zhang,Yingnan Zhao,Guorong Zhang,Jiamin Yan,Yan Xia,Ying Xu,Jiahui Li,Yanping Li,Jinhan He
Background Renal fibrosis is the common pathway in chronic kidney diseases progression to end-stage renal disease, but to date, no clinical drug for its treatment is approved. It has been demonstrated that the inhibitor of proto-oncogene Ras, farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS), shows therapeutic potential for renal fibrosis, but its application was hindered by the water-insolubility and low bioavailability. Hence, in this study, we improved these properties of FTS by encapsulating it into bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (AN-FTS) and tested its therapeutic effect in renal fibrosis. Methods AN-FTS was developed using a classic emulsification-solvent ultrasonication. The pharmacokinetics of DiD-loaded albumin nanoparticle were investigated in SD rats. The biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy of AN-FTS was assessed in a mouse model of renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Results AN-FTS showed a uniform spherical shape with the size of 100.6 ± 1.12 nm and PDI < 0.25. In vitro, AN-FTS displayed stronger inhibitory effects on the activation of renal fibroblasts cells NRK-49F than free FTS. In vivo, AN-FTS showed significantly higher peak concentration and area under the concentration-time curve. After intravenous administration to UUO-induced renal fibrosis mice, AN-FTS accumulated preferentially in the fibrotic kidney, and alleviated renal fibrosis and inflammation significantly more than the free drug. Mechanistically, the improved anti-fibrosis effect of AN-FTS was associated with greater inhibition in renal epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation process via Ras/Raf1/p38 signaling pathway. Conclusion The study reveals that AN-FTS is capable of delivering FTS to fibrotic kidney and showed superior therapeutic efficacy for renal fibrosis.
研究领域:
药理学
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纳米技术
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肾脏生理学
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）