Molecular Medicine Reports
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2017
·Vol. 16
·期 6
·9361-9366
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IF 1.692
Weixin Zhu,Weihong Qiu,Ailan Lu
Cerebral stroke is a kind of acute cerebrovascular disease with high incidence, morbidity and disability. Treatments against various types of cerebral stroke are limited at preventive measurements due to the lack of effective therapeutic method. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of cryptotanshinone (CPT) on cerebral stroke, and investigate the possible mechanism involved in order to develop a novel therapy against stoke. The phosphoinositide 3‑kinase membrane translocation of cerebral stroke rats pretreated with CPT at various concentrations were measured, as well as the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Additionally, the expression level of B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2), Bcl‑2‑associated X protein (Bax) and vascular endothelial growth factor were also assessed using western blotting and reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, biochemical tests were used to measure the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) in both the cerebral cortex and peripheral blood. As a result, CPT‑pretreated rats presented declined phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K) and AKT expression levels, indicating that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was inhibited. Increased Bcl‑2 and NO levels in both the cerebral cortex and peripheral blood demonstrated the anti‑apoptosis and blood vessel protection effect of CPT. Furthermore, increased SOD activity and declined MDA levels demonstrated suppressed lipid peroxidation. In conclusion, CPT exhibited a protective effect against cerebral stroke through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT‑eNOS signaling pathway. These results suggested the potential of CPT as a promising agent in the treatment of cerebral stroke.
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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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Ovarian Research
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2024
·Vol. 17
·期 1
·1-13
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IF 3.8
Jiang Nan-Xing,Zhao Wei-Jie,Shen Hao-Ran,Du Dan-feng,Li Xue-Lian
Background Investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for endometrial dysfunction in women with PCOS is essential, particularly focusing on the role of hyperinsulinemia.Methods We explored the role of insulin in the decidualization process using a synthetic decidualization assay. To dissect the effects of PI3K/AKT-NR4A signaling, we employed small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting the NR4A genes and inhibitors of the PI3K/AKT pathway. We also investigated the disruption of AKT-NR4A1 signaling in the endometrium of PCOS female rats induced with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB) analyses were utilized to evaluate gene expression regulation.Results Insulin was found to suppress the expression of decidualization markers in human endometrial stromal cells (hESC) in a dose-dependent manner, concurrently triggering an inappropriate activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Members of the NR4A family, as downstream effectors in the PI3K/AKT pathway, were implicated in the insulin-induced disruptions during the decidualization process. Moreover, the endometrium of PCOS models showed significantly elevated levels of phosphorylated (Ser473) AKT, with a corresponding reduction in Nr4a1 protein.Conclusion sOur research demonstrates that insulin negatively regulates decidualization in hESC via the PI3K/AKT-NR4A pathway. In vivo analysis revealed a significant dysregulation of the AKT-NR4A1 pathway in the endometrium of PCOS rats. These findings offer novel insights into the pathogenesis of infertility and endometrial disorders associated with hyperinsulinemia in PCOS.
研究领域:
内分泌学
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生殖生物学
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分子生物学
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妇科学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
TOHOKU JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
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2025
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IF 1.6
Shaohao Luo,Yunfei Bai,Boqian Wang,Haixia Xu,Shu Zhang,Gang Guo,Xin Li,Hongyang Sun,Xiaobo Cui
Homeobox A1 (HOXA1) is implicated in the progression of various cancers, but its biological function in laryngeal cancer (LC) remains undefined, which is the foothold of our study. Bioinformatics analysis and survival analysis were performed to predict HOXA1 expression in LC tissues, and the prognostic relationship between high HOXA1 expression and LC. Whether high HOXA1 expression correlated with the clinical characteristics and prognosis of LC patients was analyzed. LC cell viability and sensitivity to cisplatin were determined by Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The cell migration, invasion, and cell cycle after transfection were examined by Wound healing, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The corresponding mRNA and protein expressions were measured by quantitative real-time PCR or Western blot. A higher expression of HOXA1 was detected in LC tissues, which was found to be relevant to poor prognosis of LC patients. The association of high expression of HOXA1 with lymph node and clinical stage was also confirmed. Silencing of HOXA1 in LC cells enhanced the cell sensitivity to cisplatin, inhibited viability, migration, invasion and cell cycle, and reduced N-Cadherin, Vimentin, PCNA, p-AKT and p-mTOR expressions, while overexpression of HOXA1 had the opposite effects. Collectively, HOXA1 boosts migration, invasion and cell cycle, while suppressing cisplatin sensitivity of LC cells by mediating AKT/mTOR pathway, hinting that HOXA1 is a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of LC in clinical practice.
研究领域:
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
iScience
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2024
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IF 4.6
Kai Yang,Ying-yi Luan,Shan Wang,You-sheng Yan,Yi-peng Wang,Jue Wu,Yong-qing Sun,Jing Zhang,Wen-qi Chen,Yu-lan Xiang,Ze-lu Li,Dong-liang Zhang,Cheng-hong Yin
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated coupling of osteogenesis and angiogenesis is a critical phenomenon in bone formation. Herein, we investigated the role and mechanism of SGMS1 in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and, in combination with osteogenesis and angiogenesis, to discover new therapeutic targets for skeletal dysplasia and bone defects. SGMS1 addition accelerated MSC osteogenic differentiation, whereas SGMS1 silencing suppressed this process. Moreover, SGMS1 overexpression inhibited ceramide (Cer) and promoted sphingomyelin (SM) levels. SM treatment neutralized the suppressive effect of shSGMS1 on osteogenesis. SGMS1 restrained PP2A activity by regulating Cer/SM metabolism and thus enhanced the levels of phosphorylated Akt, Runx2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, SGMS1 transcription was regulated by Runx2. SGMS1 increased MSC-mediated angiogenesis by promoting VEGF expression. SGMS1 addition promoted rat bone regeneration in vivo . In conclusion, SGMS1 induces osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and osteogenic-angiogenic coupling through the regulation of the Cer/PP2A/Akt signaling pathway.
研究领域:
细胞生物学
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骨再生医学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
LIFE SCIENCES
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2025
·
IF 5.1
Qing Li,Mei Zhou,Ying Yang,Yangming Jiang,Chao Chen,Enming Hu,Jialin Chen,Daoping Wang
Overexpression of EphB3 has been documented across various cancers and essential for cell proliferation, survive and metastasis, making it a valuable therapeutic target. In this study, a series of novel penta-1,4-dien-3-one and quinoxaline conjugates were designed and synthesized using pharmacophore fusion strategies to explore potential EphB3 inhibitors. CCK-8 experiments revealed significant anti-cancer activity of most newly synthesized compounds against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, compound W8 displaying the highest inhibitory activity against MHCC97H (IC 50 = 1.87 μM), which arrests MHCC97H cells in the G0/G1 phase and induces apoptosis. Furthermore, compound W8 suppresses tumor growth in an MHCC97H xenograft model in vivo by suppressing phosphorylation level of EphB3 and down-regulating the SRC-AKT signaling pathway, leading to a dose-dependent reduction in tumor volumes and weights, with a 40 mg/kg dose achieving decreases of 68.4 % and 65.3 %, respectively. Given its ability to modulate EphB3 signaling, W8 represents a promising lead compound for further drug development, particularly for cancers characterized by EphB3 overexpression, and may offer new opportunities for targeted therapy in precision oncology.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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药物化学
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分子生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
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2024
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IF 4.8
Chen Wu,Zhongyun Zhang,Lijie Bai,Shuhui Lei,Min Zou,Zilu Bao,Zhaoxiang Ren,Kaiqun Liu,Hui-Hong Gong,Wenjun Ma,Lvyi Chen
Ethnopharmacological relevance Gout, a painful joint disease with a prevalence ranging from 0.86% to 2.2% in China over the past decade. Traditional medicine has long utilized the medicinal and edible Piper longum L. (PL) fruit spikes for treating gout and other joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. However, the exact mechanisms behind its effectiveness remain unclear. Aim of the study This study aimed to investigate the potential of alcoholic extracts from PL fruit spikes as a safe and effective treatment for gout. We used a combined network pharmacology and experimental validation approach to evaluate the mechanisms behind the anti-gout properties of PL. Materials and methods UPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis determined the major components of PL. Subsequently, network pharmacology analysis predicted potential molecular targets and related signaling pathways for the anti-gout activity of PL. Molecular docking simulations further explored the interactions between PL compounds and proteins and characterized the properties of potential bioactive secondary metabolites. Mouse models of air pouch inflammation and hyperuricemia were further established, and the anti-gout mechanism of PL was confirmed by examining the expression of proteins related to the MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways in the tissue. Results Our analysis revealed 220 bioactive secondary metabolites within PL extracts. Network pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that these metabolites primarily combat gout by modulating the PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. In vivo experiments have also proven that PL at a dose of 100 mg/kg can optimally reduce acute inflammation of gout and kidney damage caused by high uric acid. The anti-gout mechanism involves the PI3K-AKT/MAPK signaling pathway and its downstream NF-κB pathway. Conclusion This study provides compelling evidence for PL's therapeutic potential in gout management by modulating key inflammatory pathways. The findings offer a strong foundation for future clinical exploration of PL as a gout treatment option.
研究领域:
药理学
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民族药理学
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分子生物学
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炎症研究
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传统医学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
·
2022
·
IF 1.214
Zhang Rong,Huang Limin,Pan Di,Zhang Wen
Drug resistance is a crucial obstacle to achieve satisfactory chemotherapeutic effects. Numerous studies have shown that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway plays a significant role in various processes of cellular events and tumor progression, while few studies have focused on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in drug resistance of endothelial cells. The present study aims to explore the relationship of PI3K/Akt signaling and cellular resistance to anticancer drugs in human microvessel endothelial cells (HMEC-1). We established stable sunitinib-resiatant human microvessel endothelial cells (HMEC-su) after long-term exposure to sunitinib (a small-molecule tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor) for 12 months. HMEC-su showed significant alternations of cell morphology and exhibited a 2.32-fold higher IC50 of sunitinib than parental HMEC-1 cells. Expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer-resistance protein (ABCG2) which mediates drug efflux, increased significantly in HMEC-su lines compared with HMEC-1 cells by western blots assay. Our study further demonstrates that LY294002 (blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway) enhances the sensibility of HMEC-su to suntinib and inhibits the gene transcription and protein expression of P-gp, ABCG2 in HMEC-su cells. In conclusion, these results indicate that LY294002 could reverse P-gp and ABCG2 mediated-drug resistance to sunitinib in HMEC-su cells by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling.
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
Marine Drugs
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2025
·Vol. 23
·期 1
·22
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IF 5.4
Xia Zheng,Xiaofei Liu,Zhuo Wang,Rui Li,Qiaoli Zhao,Bingbing Song,Kit-Leong Cheong,Jianping Chen,Saiyi Zhong
Chondroitin sulfate (CS), a class of glycosaminoglycans covalently attached to proteins to form proteoglycans, is widely distributed in the extracellular matrix and cell surface of animal tissues. In our previous study, CS was used as a template for the synthesis of seleno-chondroitin sulfate (SeCS) through the redox reaction of ascorbic acid (Vc) and sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) and we found that SeCS could inhibit tumor cell proliferation and invasion. However, its effect on angiogenesis and its underlying mechanism are unknown. In this study, we analyzed the effect of SeCS on tube formation in vitro, based on the inhibition of tube formation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and evaluated the in vivo angiogenic effect of SeCS using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The results showed that SeCS significantly inhibited the angiogenesis of chicken embryo urothelium. Further mechanism analysis showed that SeCS had a strong inhibitory effect on VEGFR2 expression and its downstream PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which contributed to its anti-angiogenic effects. In summary, SeCS showed good anti-angiogenic effects in an HUVEC cell model and a CAM model, suggesting that it may be a potential angiogenesis inhibitor.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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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
Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
·
2018
·Vol. 17
·期 1
·393-397
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IF 1.41
Rendong Wei,Haidong Liu,Ru Chen,Yunjian Sheng,Tao Liu
Astragaloside Ⅳ (AS‑Ⅳ) in improving liver cirrhosis injury in rats and its effect on the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway were observed. Rat model of liver cirrhosis was induced by injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). A total of 36 Sprague‑Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: the normal control group (n=10), the model control group (n=13), and the AS‑Ⅳ group (n=13). The normal control group was injected with olive oil and given carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)‑Na (10 ml/kg/day), the model control group was given CMC‑Na (10 ml/kg/day), and the AS‑Ⅳ group underwent intragastric administration of AS‑Ⅳ (20 ml/kg/day). The content of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) of rats was detected. The levels of tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), interleukin (IL)‑6 and IL‑1β in serum were detected via enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was applied to observe morphological changes in liver tissues. The expression of collagens in liver tissues was detected via Masson's trichrome staining. Additionally, the expression of proteins in liver tissues was detected via western blotting. Compared with those in the blank group, the levels of AST, ALT, TNF‑α, IL‑6 and IL‑1β were higher, the expression level of collagens in liver tissues was increased, and the expression ratios of phosphorylated (p)‑PI3K/PI3K, p‑Akt/Akt and p‑mTOR/mTOR proteins were increased in the model group. Compared with the model group, AS‑Ⅳ could significantly decrease the content of AST, ALT, TNF‑α, IL‑6 and IL‑β in serum of rats, obviously inhibit the expression of collagens in liver tissues and decrease the expression ratios of p‑PI3K/PI3K, p‑Akt/Akt and p‑mTOR/mTOR proteins in liver tissues. AS‑Ⅳ can inhibit the inflammatory response so as to reduce the expression of collagens, and its mechanism may play a key role by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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肝病学
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分子生物学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
·
2020
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IF 4.96
Xuqian Deng,Jiaqi Zhao,Linlin Qu,Zhiguang Duan,Rongzhan Fu,Chenhui Zhu,Daidi Fan
Ginsenoside Rh4, as a bioactive component obtained from Panax notoginseng , has excellent pharmacological efficacy especially antitumor effects. However, its anticancer effects and target mechanisms in regulating human esophageal cancer are still poorly understood. Here, the results suggested that Rh4 exhibited potent anti-esophageal cancer effects in vivo and in vitro . Flow cytometric analysis and Western Blot showed that Rh4 significantly inhibited the growth by inducing G1 phase arrest. In parallel, Rh4 inhibited aerobic glycolysis in esophageal cancer cells by hindering lactate production, glucose uptake and ATP production; reducing the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR); suppressing aerobic glycolysis-related protein expression. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that AKT is a possible target of Rh4, which suppresses aerobic glycolysis. Rh4 administration resulted in AKT deregulation, whereas treatment with insulin abolished the inhibitory effect of Rh4 on aerobic glycolysis. In contrast, treatment with AKT inhibitors or siRNA that silenced AKT enhanced the inhibitory effect of Rh4 on aerobic glycolysis. Moreover, molecular docking results indicated that Rh4 was able to bind to the interdomain region of AKT. Interestingly, the results revealed that Rh4 also inhibited the expression of PD-L1 via the AKT/mTOR pathway. Taken together, our findings provide important insights into the anti-esophageal cancer effects of Rh4 via suppressing aerobic glycolysis and PD-L1 expression, which indicated Rh4 could be as promising drug for clinical treatment.
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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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
NEUROCHEMICAL RESEARCH
·
2020
·Vol. 45
·期 12
·2926-2938
·
IF 3.038
Tian Jun,Yang Lei,Wang Pengfei,Yang Lijun,Fan Zhenzeng
With millions of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients every year, TBI is regarded as one of the leading causes of human death and disability. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been domenstrated to be a potential therapeutic target for TBI. However, the detailed effect and underlying mechanism of CGRP on the injured brain after TBI has hardly been investigated. In this work, we established TBI models of mice and injected CGRP before and after modelling to study its effects on the brain lesion, neurological functions and behaviours, neuron apoptosis and autophagy after TBI. Impacts of introduced CGRP on the activation of Akt/mTOR signalling in the cortical tissues surrounding injured areas after TBI were also evaluated. It was found that CGRP was reduced after TBI, and gradually restored over time. CGRP administration significantly restored the brain lesion induced by TBI. The permeability of blood–brain barrier and brain edema was increased dramatically after TBI, which was ameliorated by exogenous CGRP. Moreover, several neurological behaviour tests were performed, showing that CGRP introduction also relieved the cognitive abilities of mice which were impaired after TBI. Enhancing apoptosis and autophagy of neurons in the cortical tissues of injury sites following TBI were also alleviated by CGRP administration. Besides, CGRP-treated brain cortical tissues showed increased activation of Akt/mTOR signalling after TBI. Therefore, the results suggest that exogenous CGRP plays a neuroprotective role in the injuryed brain after TBI, to relieve cell apoptosis and autophagy, at least partially through Akt/mTOR signalling pathway. This finding also provides more evidence for the treatment of TBI through introducing exogenous CGRP or its related drugs.
研究领域:
神经科学
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药理学
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分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FITOTERAPIA
·
2025
·
IF 2.6
Taoli Sun,Wei Yuan,Xinru Li,BoHou Xia,Jianhua Huang,Meihong Piao,Wen Chen,Qinhui Tuo
Atherosclerosis (AS), a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, remains a major challenge due to the lack of effective preventive and therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the anti-atherosclerotic effects and underlying mechanisms of Prunella vulgaris polyphenols (PVPs). PVPs were found to significantly reduce lipid deposition in the aorta and enhance plaque stability by increasing fibrous cap thickness and collagen content, while simultaneously reducing MMP-9 and CD68 protein expressions. Moreover, PVPs alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation by upregulating ABCA1 and downregulating SREBP1 protein expressions. The PI3K-Akt pathway was identified as a key mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of PVPs, with STAT3 predicted as a critical target involved in lipid metabolism. These predictions were further validated experimentally, demonstrating that PVPs effectively inhibited STAT3 activation while enhancing the PI3K-Akt pathway. Taken together, these findings reveal that PVPs exert anti-atherosclerotic effects by modulating lipid metabolism through the inhibition of STAT3 and activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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生物化学
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分子生物学
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心血管医学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
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