Jie Weng,Songlian Liu,Yajun Tong,Kewei Tang,Leilan Yin,Site Bai,Ludi Ou,Qinghua Yin,Qiang Zhou
Introduction Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth most common malignancy among women worldwide. It is closely associated with the dysregulation of numerous genes and signaling pathways. Conventional treatments for cervical cancer often lead to adverse side effects and the development of drug resistance. Methods In this study, network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components and potential targets of Crocus sativus L. Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance analyses were used to validate the interaction between lauric acid and a key target. Lauric acid‐modified gold nanoparticles (Au@LA) were synthesized and characterized. Results Twenty‐three active components and 819 potential targets of Crocus sativus L. were identified, with PTGS2 being the main target. Au@LA selectively inhibited HeLa cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, downregulated SLC7A11 and GPX4, and modulated oxidative stress markers. In macrophages, Au@LA shifted M2 polarization to the pro‐inflammatory M1 phenotype and modulated the PGE2/EP2/cAMP‐PKA signaling axis. Conclusion Our findings indicate that Au@LA has dual anti‐cervical cancer properties through inducing ferroptosis in HeLa cells and reprogramming macrophage polarization. It shows promise as a candidate for natural product‐based nanomedicine in cervical cancer therapy, potentially opening new avenues for more effective and targeted treatments in the future.
Dun Liu,Runyan Niu,Siliang Wang,Lihua Shao,Xian Yang,Xuexue Liu,Xiaolong Ma,Zezhang Zhu,Jinping Zhang,Benlong Shi,Huanyu Ni,Xiao Du
Neural stem cell (NSCs) transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI), but its efficacy is greatly limited by the local inhibitory microenvironment. In this study, based on l-arginine (l-Arg)-loaded mesoporous hollow cerium oxide (AhCeO2) nanospheres, we constructed an injectable composite hydrogel (AhCeO2-Gel) with microenvironment modulation capability. AhCeO2-Gel protected NSCs from oxidative damage by eliminating excess reactive oxygen species while continuously delivering Nitric Oxide to the lesion of SCI in a pathological microenvironment, the latter of which effectively promoted the neural differentiation of NSCs. The process was confirmed to be closely related to the up-regulation of the cAMP-PKA pathway after NO-induced calcium ion influx. In addition, AhCeO2-Gel significantly promoted the polarization of microglia toward the M2 subtype as well as enhanced the regeneration of spinal nerves and myelinated axons. The prepared bioactive hydrogel system also efficiently facilitated the integration of transplanted NSCs with host neural circuits, replenished damaged neurons, alleviated neuroinflammation, and inhibited glial scar formation, thus significantly accelerating the recovery of motor function in SCI rats. Therefore, AhCeO2-Gel synergized with NSCs transplantation has great potential as an integrated therapeutic strategy to treat SCI by comprehensively reversing the inhibitory microenvironment.
Yu Qiao,Guoqiang Fan,Jun Guo,Shixing Gao,Ruqian Zhao,Xiaojing Yang
Zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) has been demonstrated to play a role in stimulating lipid mobilization under normal conditions. However, further studies are required to determine whether ZAG overexpression can alleviate the reduction in plasma lipid levels under stress conditions. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ZAG on lipometabolism in white adipose tissue (WAT) after dexamethasone (DEX) stimulation using C57BL/6 male mice as the experimental models. Transcript and protein levels of genes associated with the β-adrenoreceptor (β-AR)/cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase a (PKA) pathway, lipid mobilization, and energy metabolism were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Plasma levels of nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Results indicated that plasma NEFA levels were decreased in the DEX group, but NEFA levels were rescued by ZAG overexpression. ZAG overexpression resulted in the upregulation of β3-AR and phosphorylated PKA protein relative to those of the DEX group. Analysis of lipometabolism showed that protein levels of phosphorylated hormone-sensitive lipase was reduced upon DEX treatment but were restored by ZAG overexpression. For energy metabolism, ZAG significantly upregulated the protein expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase1a and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 relative to those of the DEX group. In conclusion, ZAG could alleviate DEX-induced decrease in plasma NEFA levels and this could be associated with the promoting lipid mobilization in WAT.
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