PLACENTA
·
2025
·
IF 2.5
Caiqun Huang,E Fen Cheng,Jinping Ni,Ying Lyu
Introduction Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) involves multifactorial etiologies, with regulatory T cells (Tregs) playing a pivotal role in maintaining immune tolerance during pregnancy. Baicalein, a flavonoid from Scutellaria baicalensis, exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. This study evaluates baicalein's therapeutic potential in mitigating URSA via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods A URSA mouse model was used, and baicalein was administered intraperitoneally. Pregnancy outcomes, abortion rates, and placental morphology were assessed on gestational day 14 (G14). Treg cells were quantified via flow cytometry, and gene/protein expression levels were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time PCR. In vitro experiments on ihESCs further investigated the role of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Results Baicalein reduced abortion rates from 33.3 % in URSA mice to 21.6 % (low dose) and 14.8 % (high dose), improved embryonic development by altering placental structure and decidual morphology, and reduced inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. It expanded Treg cells and enhanced the expression of IGFBP-1 and PRL, markers of endometrial decidualization, and decreased TLR4, p-P65, and P65 expression. In vitro, baicalein's effects were abrogated by TLR4 inhibition, confirming pathway specificity. Discussion Baicalein improved pregnancy outcomes by enhancing Treg function and promoting decidualization via TLR4/NF-κB pathway inhibition. These findings highlight baicalein's potential as a therapeutic agent for URSA.
研究领域:
生殖医学
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免疫学
·
药理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY AND IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY
·
2022
·
IF 3.712
Fan Zhang,Jingxing Li,Chengxiong Gu,Haibo Zhang
Background The role and function of microRNA (miRNA, miR)-140-5p in the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) have been explored in this study.Methods The calcium nodules formed in transfected and β-glycerophosphate (β-GP)-treated VSMCs were observed using Alizarin Red S staining, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was determined. VSMC apoptosis was detected with flow cytometry assay. The target gene of miR-140-5p was predicted and confirmed with dual-luciferase reporter assay. Relative expressions of miR-140-5p, toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and vascular calcification-related proteins (α-smooth muscle actin, α-SMA; Msh Homeobox 2, MSX2; bone morphogenetic protein 2, BMP2; Kruppel-like factor 4, KLF4; Runt-related transcription factor 2, RUNX2) were measured through quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot.Results MiR-140-5p upregulation reversed the effects of β-GP on downregulating miR-140-5p and α-SMA expressions, enhancing ALP activity, calcium nodule formation and cell apoptosis, and upregulating levels of MSX2, BMP2, KLF4 and RUNX2. TLR4 was the target of miR-140-5p, and offset the effects of miR-140-5p on β-GP-induced VSMCs.Conclusions MiR-140-5p upregulation represses β-GP-induced calcification of VSMCs via targeting TLR4, providing a potential therapeutic method for vascular calcification.
研究领域:
分子生物学
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心血管疾病
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细胞生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
·
2025
·
IF 8.4
Ye Cui-fang,Wu Jia-di,Li Lin-rong,Sun Shu-guo,Wang Yu-gang,Jiang Tian-an,Long Xin,Zhao Jun
Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a local ablative treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer. During the IRE procedure, high-intensity electric pulses are released intratumorally to disrupt plasma membranes and induce cell death. Since the intensity of the pulsed electric field (PEF) can be decreased by the tumor microenvironment, some cancer cells are subjected to a sublethal PEF and may survive to cause tumor recurrence later. Autophagy activation induced by anticancer therapies is known to promote treatment resistance. In this study, we investigated whether autophagy is activated in residual cancer cells after IRE and assessed the roles it plays during tumor recurrence. Subcutaneous KPC-A548 or Panc02 murine pancreatic cancer cell line xenograft mouse models were established; once the tumors reached 7 mm in one dimension, the tumor-bearing mice were subjected to IRE. For in vitro sublethal PEF treatment, the pancreatic cancer cell suspension was in direct contact with the electrodes and pulsed at room temperature. We showed that autophagy was activated in surviving residual cells, as evidenced by increased expression of LC3 and p62. Suppression of autophagy with hydroxychloroquine (60 mg/kg, daily intraperitoneal injection) markedly increased the efficacy of IRE. We demonstrated that autophagy activation can be attributed to increased expression of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1); co-inhibition of two HMGB1 receptors, receptor for advanced glycosylation end products (RAGE) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), suppressed autophagy activation by upregulating the PI3K/AKT/p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70S6K) axis and sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to PEF. We prepared a polymeric micelle formulation (M-R/T) encapsulating inhibitors of both RAGE and TLR4. The combination of IRE and M-R/T (equivalent to RAGE inhibitor at 10.4 mg/kg and TLR4 inhibitor at 5.7 mg/kg, intravenous or intraperitoneal injection every other day) significantly promoted tumor apoptosis, suppressed cell cycle progression, and prolonged animal survival in pancreatic tumor models. This study suggests that disruption of HMGB1-mediated autophagy with nanomedicine is a promising strategy to enhance the response of pancreatic cancer to IRE.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
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癌症生物学
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分子生物学
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药理学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Immunology Research
·
2021
·
IF 4.818
Lin Zhang,Lukun Yang,Xiaowei Xie,Hongyue Zheng,Hangsheng Zheng,Lizong Zhang,Cuizhe Liu,Ji-Gang Piao,Fanzhu Li
Baicalin (BA) magnesium salt (BA-Mg) is a good water-soluble ingredient extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. This study is aimed at investigating whether BA-Mg could exert a better protective effect on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and illuminate the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Mice were intraperitoneally administrated with equimolar BA-Mg, BA, and MgSO4 before LPS inducing ALI. Lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected for lung wet/dry ratio, histological examinations, cell counts, and biochemical analyses at 48 h post-LPS exposure. Meanwhile, the protein expressions of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and proinflammatory cytokines in lung tissues and lung bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were detected. The results showed BA-Mg pronouncedly ameliorated LPS-induced inflammatory response and histopathological damages, elevated antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD), and downregulated myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels through the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activation. Moreover, the effect of BA-Mg was significantly better than that of BA and MgSO4 in ameliorating symptoms. Overall, BA-Mg can effectively relieve inflammatory response and oxidative stress triggered by LPS, indicating it may be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating ALI.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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肺病学
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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 CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
·
2025
·Vol. 29
·期 14
·e70659
·
IF 4.2
Hao Wang,Chi Zhang,Jinyue He,Zhuoen He,Shihua Yan,Yuan Zhang,Shiyin Huang,Yangtian Yan,Yuchi Chen,Zhiqiang Xian,Rong Hu,Yanjing Wang,Wei Xiao,Mingqing Wang
Skeletal muscle atrophy is a prevalent complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD), and its pathogenesis is closely related to inflammation and oxidative stress. P-Coumaric acid (PCA) is a phenolic acid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pharmacological actions. This research aims to investigate the effect of PCA on CKD-induced muscle atrophy and its underlying mechanism. In our study, in vivo and in vitro models were established by using 5/6 nephrectomized rats and LPS-induced C2C12 myoblasts. The experimental results showed that PCA ameliorated kidney injury in CKD rats and increased skeletal muscle weight and the cross-sectional area of muscle fibres. In both CKD rats and LPS-induced C2C12 myoblasts, PCA also exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Network pharmacology studies have identified 165 common targets between PCA and skeletal muscle atrophy. Furthermore, the experimental results also demonstrated that PCA decreased the expression of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65, MurF1 and MAFbx at both the protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, in vitro experiments showed that the use of TLR4 agonists could reverse the muscle-protective effect of PCA. In summary, this study illustrated that PCA ameliorated skeletal muscle atrophy in CKD rats by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.
研究领域:
药理学
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分子生物学
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肾脏病学
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生物化学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
MOLECULAR THERAPY
·
2023
·
IF 12.4
Jiaxin Li,Yuqi Chen,Rui Li,Xianglong Zhang,Tao Chen,Fengyi Mei,Ruofan Liu,Meiling Chen,Yue Ge,Hongbin Hu,Rongjuan Wei,Zhenfeng Chen,Hongying Fan,Zhenhua Zeng,Yongqiang Deng,Haihua Luo,Shuiwang Hu,Shumin Cai,Feng Wu,Nengxian Shi,Zhang Wang,Yunong Zeng,Ming Xie,Yong Jiang,Zhongqing Chen,Wei Jia,Peng Chen
Sepsis, a critical condition resulting from the systemic inflammatory response to a severe microbial infection, represents a global public health challenge. However, effective treatment or intervention to prevent and combat sepsis is still lacking. Here, we report that hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA) has excellent anti-inflammatory properties in sepsis. We discovered that the plasma concentration of HDCA was remarkably lower in patients with sepsis and negatively correlated with the severity of the disease. Similar changes in HDCA levels in plasma and cecal content samples were observed in a mouse model of sepsis, and these changes were associated with a reduced abundance of HDCA-producing strains. Interestingly, HDCA administration significantly decreased systemic inflammatory responses, prevented organ injury, and prolonged the survival of septic mice. We demonstrated that HDCA suppressed excessive activation of inflammatory macrophages by competitively blocking lipopolysaccharide binding to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation factor 2 receptor complex, a unique mechanism that characterizes HDCA as an endogenous inhibitor of inflammatory signaling. Additionally, we verified these findings in TLR4 knockout mice. Our study highlights the potential value of HDCA as a therapeutic molecule for sepsis.
研究领域:
免疫学
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传染病学
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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
·
2017
·Vol. 15
·期 1
·897-903
·
IF 1.261
Jing Chen,Chenli Yang,Xiang Xu,Yonglin Yang,Bo Xu
The present study analyzed the change of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression in focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury model. A sample of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected and divided into sham operation group (group S), control group (group C) and Chrysanthemum ester group (NF-κB inhibitor, group CE), each group consisted of 12 rats. The rat model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion was established. The physiological indexes and neurological severity score of rats was recorded by a double-blind method. The cerebral infarction area was evaluated by triphenyltetrazole oxide (TTC) staining on brain slices. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining. Semi-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis was used to measure the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB. The neurological severity score of rats in group C and CE were found to be significantly lower than group S (P<0.01). The TTC staining results showed that group C and CE had different levels of cerebral infarction but the area of infarction in group CE was significantly lower than group C (P<0.01). In addition, the number of TUNEL positive cells in group CE was significantly lower than group C (P<0.01). Semi-quantitative PCR and westernblot analysis results showed that the expression of NF-κB and TLR4 of group S was significantly lower than that of group C and group CE (P<0.01), the relative expression of NF-κB and TLR4 of group CE was significantly lower than that of group C (P<0.01). Moreover, the expression of NF-κB p65/p50 of group CE and group C was significantly higher than that of group S (P<0.01). This study concludes that the focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats can cause brain damage and cell apoptosis. This effect might be associated to the increased expression of NF-κB and TLR4, and the activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
研究领域:
神经科学
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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
Foods
·
2025
·Vol. 14
·期 7
·1270
·
IF 5.1
Jiali Tang,Mengyao Zhang,Jiaying Wang,Haijing Zhang,Zhong Wang,Ziteng Lei,Chengtao Wang,Wei Chen
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including genetics, environmental, and gut microbiota. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of the natural polyphenolic compound hydroxytyrosol (HT) in modulating dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The findings demonstrate that oral administration of HT significantly alleviated colitis symptoms, as evidenced by a reduction in the disease activity index and improvements in colonic pathology. HT was found to inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhance antioxidant status, and mitigate oxidative stress. Furthermore, HT contributed to the restoration of the gut barrier by reinstating tight junction proteins, reducing the inflammatory marker lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and suppressing inflammation-related genes. This compound also modulated the NLRP3-Cas-1-GSDMD-IL-1β inflammatory pathway and inhibited the NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) pathway, thereby alleviating colitis. Gut microbial analysis revealed that HT enriched the abundance of Bacteroidota and altered the balance between Bacteroidota and Firmicutes in mice. Correlation analysis between bacterial microbiota and inflammatory factors suggested that HT may alleviate colitis by modulating the relative abundance of Alistipes , Bacteroides , and unclassified_f__ Muribaculaceae . These findings underscore the potential of HT as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of colitis.
研究领域:
免疫学
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消化病学
·
微生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
·
2022
·
IF 6.064
Ding Qiteng,Liu Wencong,Liu Xinglong,Ding Chuanbo,Zhao Yingchun,Dong Ling,Chen Huiying,Sun Shuwen,Zhang Yiwen,Zhang Jinping,Wu Ming
Taxifolin (TAX) is a hepatoprotective flavanol compound, which is severely limited by poor solubility and low bioavailability. Liposomes (Lips) are used as well-recognized drug carrier systems that improve the water solubility and bioavailability of drugs, but are easily damaged by gastric juice after oral administration, resulting in the release of drugs in the gastric juice. Therefore, it is important to find materials that modify liposomes and avoid the destruction of the liposomal phospholipid bilayer structure by the gastrointestinal environment. Taxifolin liposomes (TAX-Lips) were modified by polyvinylpyrrolidone-k30 (PVP-TAX-Lips) and manufactured using a thin-film hydration technique. Particle size (109.27 ± 0.50 nm), zeta potential (−51.12 ± 3.79 mV), polydispersity coefficient (PDI) (0.189 ± 0.007), and EE (84.7 ± 0.2%) of PVP-TAX-Lips were studied. In addition, the results of in vitro release experiments indicated that the cumulative release rates of TAX-Lips and PVP-TAX-Lips were 89.73 ± 5.18% and 65.66 ± 4.86% in the simulated gastric fluid after 24 h, respectively, while the cumulative release rates were 68.20 ± 4.98% and 55.66 ± 3.92% in the simulated intestinal fluid after 24 h, respectively. Moreover, PVP-TAX-Lips were able to reverse lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) by inducing autophagy to inhibit the expression levels of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and inflammatory factors, which suggested that PVP-TAX-Lips played an important role in the prevention of ALI and also provided a promising drug delivery system for the application of TAX.
研究领域:
药理学
·
药物递送系统
·
分子生物学
·
肝病学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
·
2022
·
IF 7.129
Sihong Li,Ruimeng Liu,Shun Xia,Gaoqiang Wei,Muhammad Ishfaq,Yixin Zhang,Xiuying Zhang
This study set out to assess the mitigative effects of curcumin on AFB1-induced necroptosis and inflammation in chicken liver. Ninety-six one-day-old AA broiler chickens were separated into four groups, including control group, AFB1 (1 mg/kg) group, curcumin (300 mg/kg) + AFB1 (1 mg/kg) group and curcumin (300 mg/kg) group. After 28 days treatment, livers were collected for different experimental analyses. The morphological observation results showed obvious necrotic characteristics, including cell swelling, rupture of cell and mitochondrial membranes and inflammation in chicken livers. AFB1 exposure increased oxidative stress index (ROS and MDA) and decreased the antioxidant activity markers (SOD, CAT and GSH) and ATPase activities in chickens’ liver. ELISA results showed that AFB1 exposure significantly induced the cytokines (TNF-α, iNOS, IL-6 and IL-1β) release from the liver tissues. While, western blot and qRT-PCR results showed that the protein and mRNA expressions of inflammatory (TLR4/myd88/NF-κB) and necroptosis (RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL) genes were up-regulated by AFB1 exposure. We suspect that signal crosstalk between TLR4 and TNF-α triggers inflammation and RIPK1/RIPK3 mediating necroptosis in AFB1-induced chicken liver injury. Curcumin can regulate the TLR4/RIPK signaling pathway, reduced oxidative stress biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines levels and attenuated the expression of necroptosis and inflammation genes altered by AFB1 to reduce necroptosis of chicken liver tissue. In conclusion, curcumin can protect against AFB1-induced necroptosis and inflammation by TLR4/RIPK pathway in chicken liver.
研究领域:
兽医学
·
毒理学
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分子生物学
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免疫学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
·
2021
·
IF 4.432
Guanghui Xu,Huiqi Wan,Litao Yi,Wei Chen,Youhua Luo,Yiqi Huang,Xiaojuan Liu
Accumulating evidence showed that berberine possessed the anti-inflammatory action in various diseases caused by inflammation. However, it was still unclear whether both inhalation and injection with berberine produced pulmonary protective role in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of both administration routes including inhalation and injection with berberine in ARDS induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation. Histopathological examination and weight of lung were evaluated. Phosphorylation of NF-κB, JAK2 and STAT3 were measured to assess the activity of inflammation related signaling pathways. Proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were also detected. The results showed that LPS caused the lung injury, while both administration routes with berberine attenuated the injury and improved the pulmonary morphology. In addition, the primary TLR4/NF-κB and secondary JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways which were activated by LPS in lung were totally inhibited by berberine administration. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokines in both BALF and serum were decreased by berberine. Considering that molecular docking simulation indicated that berberine could bind with TLR4, the present suggested that the inhibition of the inflammation related TLR4/NF-κB and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways might be involved in the pulmonary protective effect of berberine in LPS-induced ARDS.
研究领域:
药理学
·
呼吸医学
·
免疫学
·
分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
TOXICOLOGY AND APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY
·
2023
·
IF 3.8
Yiheng Quan,Pengchao Su,Chenhong Shangguan,Hao Hao,Lijuan Yue,Chen Chen
Bergenin (BG) is a polyphenolic substance which has therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN), a common complication of type II diabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. We studied the protective effects and mechanisms of BG in DN mice, focusing on the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signalling pathway. C57BL/6J mice were used as experiments (n=60), and 10 animals were randomly selected as normal control. The DN model was developed by administering an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg BW for three days) and a high-fat diet (n=50). BG (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg BW, once a day) was administered orally for four weeks. After BG treatment, the food and water intake of DN mice decreased, blood glucose levels decreased, and insulin resistance reduced. As a result, serum LDL-C, TC, and TG levels decreased; HDL-C levels increased; SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px levels decreased; and MDA levels increased. BG administration reduced AST, ALT, BUN, and CRE levels and inflammatory factors (including TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-1β, and IL-6). Histopathology revealed a significant improvement in pathological damage to the liver, kidney, and spleen of mice treated with BG, and TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65 were down-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels in the BG-treated group. Based on these results, BG therapeutic type II DN by hypoglycaemia, improving liver and kidney function, and anti-oxidative stress; reducing inflammation; and inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signalling pathway. The results of this study suggest that BG can be used as an effective treatment for type II DN.
研究领域:
药理学
·
内分泌学
·
分子生物学
·
病理学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
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