ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2024
·
IF 8.3
Jinlong Qin,Min Sun,Jiajing Cheng,Huici Jiang,Mingchen Lv,Jianxing Jing,Ran Chen,Zhen Fan,Jianzhong Du
Unavoidable damage to the basal layer of the endometrium has a huge negative impact on a woman’s reproductive health and menstrual cycle. However, it is difficult for medicine to penetrate a series of biological barriers toward the basal layer in the deeper area of the endometrium. To meet this challenge, we developed an ultrasound-responsive hydrogel incorporated with a transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) mimetic peptide to enhance pregnancy outcomes by restoring the function of a wounded endometrium due to its deep-tissue-penetration capability. In vitro studies revealed that the TGF-β-mimetic-peptide-loaded hydrogel could achieve 64.35% of cell migration under ultrasound stimulation even in phosphate-buffered saline of pH 6.0. Upon in situ sonication at the uterus, carboxymethyl chitosan can be released from degraded hydrogel to open tight junctions with reduced interstitial pressure by ultrasound to promote deep penetration. Rat studies revealed that the penetration capability of TGF-β-mimetic-peptide-loaded hydrogel with sonication was 1.6 times higher than that of the control group. Besides the rat uterine model, ex vivo human uterine tissue was also collected and imaged, demonstrating up to ∼700 μm of tissue penetration depth. In addition, compared to control groups, effective uterus recovery without intrauterine stenosis and endometrial cavity fluid was observed from rats with severe uterine injury treated by TGF-β-mimetic-peptide-loaded hydrogel. In addition, fertility restoration in the endometrial injury model was observed after treatment with such an ultrasound-responsive hydrogel incorporated with TGF-β mimetic peptides. Overall, this work provides an effective approach to treating endometrial injury for enhanced pregnancy outcomes.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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生殖医学
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组织工程
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药学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
·
2025
·
IF 11.3
Run Ling,Xin Yin,Liyao Ma,Yan Zhang,Yidan Ma,Rufei Gao,Yanqing Geng,Xinyi Mu,Xuemei Chen,Fangfang Li,Junlin He
Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) is a brominated flame retardant widely used for its high flame retardancy and low bioavailability. However, DBDPE exhibits bioaccumulative potential. The placental vasculature, critical for the exchange between maternal and fetal circulation, is susceptible to environmental factors. We aimed to understand the potential toxicity of DBDPE to the placental vasculature. Gestational CD-1 mice and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to 0, 0.5, 5, 50 mg/kg·bw·day or 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 μmol/L DBDPE, respectively. DBDPE exposure impaired placental angiogenesis and inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HUVECs by activating the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) through the TGF-β1/Smad pathway, in vivo and in vitro . DBDPE upregulated the transcription factor TWIST2 and mRNA acetyltransferase NAT10. Knockdown or overexpression of TWIST2 reversed the vascular dysfunction and EndMT mechanism. DBDPE facilitated the recruitment of NAT10 by TWIST2, promoting N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) RNA modifications and stabilizing the TGF-β1 mRNA. NAT10 inhibition rescued the effects caused by DBDPE. These findings uncover molecular mechanisms linking DBDPE exposure to adverse pregnancy outcomes, highlighting potential risks to pregnant women.
研究领域:
毒理学
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生殖生物学
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分子生物学
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环境健康
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细胞生物学
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RNA修饰
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发育生物学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2023
·
IF 8.2
Zihui Tang,Xiaojuan Li,Le Tian,Yuhao Sun,Xinyan Zhu,Fei Liu
Early intervention of liver fibrosis can prevent its further irreversible progression. Both excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (SMADS) pathway balance disorder promote the progression of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, but existing therapeutic strategies failed to focus on those two problems. A new biomimetic mesoporous polydopamine nandrug (MPO) was constructed for liver fibrosis therapy with multiple targets and reliable biosafety. The MPO was formed by mesoporous polydopamine (mPDA) which has the effect of ROS elimination and encapsulated with anti-fibrotic drug -oxymatrine (OMT) which can intervene liver fibrosis targeting TGF-β/SMADSpathway. Particularly, the nanodrug was completed by macrophage-derived exosome covering. The MPO was confirmed to possess a desired size distribution with negative zeta potential and exhibite strong ROS scavenger ability. Besides, in vitro studies, MPO showed efficient endocytosis and superior intracellular ROS scavenging without cytotoxicity; in vivo studies, MPO effectively cleared the excessive ROS in liver tissue and balanced the TGF-β/SMADS pathways, which in turn inhibited HSC activation and showed superior anti-liver fibrosis therapeutic efficiency with good biological safety. Taken together, this work showed highlights the great potential of the MPO for ameliorating liver fibrosis via ROS elimination and TGF-β/SMADS balancing.
研究领域:
纳米医学
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药理学
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肝病学
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生物医学工程
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
·
2019
·
IF 3.361
Chunyan Li,Xiao Sun,Ang Li,Min Mo,Zhongxi Zhao
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a disease characterized by diffusing alveolar inflammation and alveolar structural disorders that ultimately lead to pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) as a water-soluble organosulfur garlic derivative exhibits efficient anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. In this study, we attempted to explore the function of SAMC in inhibiting bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. 0.035 U/g of BLM was intraperitoneally injected into mice twice per week for 4 weeks to induce fibrosis. SAMC (25 and 50 mg/kg) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 600 mg/kg) were given to mice for 28 days. The results indicate that SAMC could significantly ameliorate the pathological structure, and decrease inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice. SAMC showed an anti-fibrosis effect by increasing anti-oxidants like HO-1, GSH and SOD as well as decreasing hydroxyproline (HYP) in BLM-induced mice. Mechanistic studies suggested that SAMC alleviated oxidative stress probably by impacting the Nox4/Nrf2 pathways, and played an anti-fibrosis role with decreasing the expression of α-SMA, collagen III, collagen I by suppressing the TGF-β1/Smad pathway. These findings indicate that SAMC may be partially responsible for the therapeutic effect on PF patients.
研究领域:
药理学
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肺科学
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免疫学
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病理学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
KAOHSIUNG JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
·
2023
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IF 3.3
Peng-Cheng Zhong,Zhi-Wen Liu,Qi-Chang Xing,Jia Chen,Rui-Pei Yang
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~85% of all lung cancer cases. Neferine is used as a traditional Chinese medicine with many pharmacological effects, including antitumor properties; however, it has not been reported whether neferine plays an anticancer role by causing pyroptosis in NSCLC cells. We used two typical lung cancer cell lines, A549 and H1299, and 42 lung cancer tissue samples to investigate the regulatory effects of neferine on TGF-β and MST1. We also treated lung cancer cells with different concentrations of neferine to study its effects on lung cancer cell survival, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as on pyroptosis. Lentivirus-mediated gain-of-function studies of TGF-β and MST1 were applied to validate the roles of TGF-β and MST1 in lung cancer. Next, we used murine transplanted tumor models to evaluate the effect of neferine treatment on the metastatic capacity of lung cancer tissues. With increasing neferine concentration, the viability, migration, invasion, and EMT capacity of A549 and H1299 cells decreased, whereas pyroptosis increased. Neferine repressed TGF-β expression to modulate the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by MST1. Overexpression of TGF-β in either in vitro or mouse-transplanted A549 cells restored the inhibitory effect of neferine on tumor development. Overexpression of MST1 clearly enhanced pyroptosis. Neferine contributed to pyroptosis by regulating MST1 expression through downregulation of TGF-β to induce ROS formation. Therefore, our study shows that neferine can serve as an adjuvant therapy for NSCLC patients.
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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分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FEBS Open Bio
·
2023
·
IF 2.6
Yu Zhu,Longmei Wang,Rui Liu,Xiurong Ding,Song Yin,Yuankun Chen,Chuanlong Zhu,Zheng Wang,Wenting Li
Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (SI-AKI) causes renal dysfunction and has a high mortality rate. Protein arginine methyltransferase-1 (PRMT1) is a key regulator of renal insufficiency. In this study, we explored the potential involvement of PRMT1 in SI-AKI. A murine model of SI-AKI was induced by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). The expression and localization of PRMT1 and molecules involved in the TGF-β1/Smad3 and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected in mouse kidney tissues by western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. The association of PRMT1 with downstream molecules of the TGF-β1/Smad3 and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathways were further verified in vitro in mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTECs). CLP caused epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and inflammation in renal tissues, and this was alleviated by inhibition of PRMT1. Inhibition of PRMT1 in SI-AKI mice decreased the expression of TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad3 in the renal cortex, and downregulated the expression of sIL-6R and phosphorylation of STAT3 in the medulla. Knockdown of PRMT1 in mRTECs restricted the expression of Cox-2, E-cad, Pro-caspase3 and p-Smad3 (involved in the TGF-β1-mediated signaling pathway), and blocked IL-6/sIL-6R, inducing the expression of Cox-2 and p-STAT3. In conclusion, our findings suggest inhibition of PRMT1 mitigates SI-AKI by inactivating the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway in the cortex and IL-6/STAT3 pathway in the medulla. Our findings may aid in the identification of potential therapeutic target molecules for SI-AKI.
研究领域:
肾病学
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免疫学
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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
Molecular Medicine Reports
·
2018
·Vol. 19
·期 2
·841-850
·
IF 1.922
Guangwei Liu,Jiangkai Liu,Linping Pian,Songlin Gui,Baoping Lu
α‑lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring antioxidant with protective effects against various hepatic injuries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms by which ALA protects the liver from carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‑induced liver cirrhosis. The widely used liver cirrhosis rat model was established via an intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg/kg 50% CCl4, three times/week for 8 weeks. Simultaneously, 50 or 100 mg/kg ALA was orally administrated to the rats every day for 8 weeks. The activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was detected in the serum. The pathological liver injuries were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The principal factors involved in the transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β)/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 9 (Smad3) and protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways and in autophagy were examined using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction or western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that the administration of ALA alleviated CCl4‑induced liver injury, as demonstrated by decreased ALT and AST activity, improved pathological injuries and reduced collagen deposition. The CCl4‑induced increase in TGF‑β and phosphorylated‑Smad3 expression levels was additionally inhibited by treatment with ALA. Furthermore, the administration of ALA reversed the CCl4‑induced upregulation of light chain 3II and Beclin‑1, and downregulation of p62. The CCl4‑induced suppression of the AKT/mTOR pathway was additionally restored following treatment with ALA. In combination, the results of the present study demonstrated that ALA was able to protect CCl4‑induced liver cirrhosis, an effect that may be associated with inactivation of the TGF‑β/Smad3 pathway and suppression of autophagy.
研究领域:
肝病学
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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
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
·
2021
·
IF 9.381
Chunfan Huang,Xiaoqi Jing,Qianhu Wu,Kan Ding
Renal fibrosis is the final common result of a variety of progressive injuries leading to chronic renal failure. However, there are no effective clinical available drugs for the treatment. Notoginsenoside from Panax notoginseng could ameliorate renal fibrosis. We hypothesized that polysaccharide from this herb might have similar bioactivity. Here, we elucidated structure of a novel pectin-like polysaccharide designed SQD4S2 with a netty antenna backbone of glucogalacturonan substituted by glucoarabinan, glucurogalactan and galactose residues from this herb. Interestingly, SQD4S2 could reverse the morphological changes of human renal tubular HK-2 cells induced by TGF-β. Mechanism study suggested that this bioactivity might associate with N-cadherin (CDH2), Snail (SNAI1), Slug (SNAI2) depression and E-cadherin (CDH1) enhancement. In addition, SQD4S2 could impede critical fibrogenesis associated molecules such as α-SMA, fibronectin , vimentin , COL1A1, COL3A1, FN1 and ACTA2 expression induced by TGF-β in HK-2 cells. Current findings outline a novel leading polysaccharide for against renal fibrosis new drug development.
研究领域:
药理学
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肾病学
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分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
PHYTOMEDICINE
·
2024
·
IF 6.7
Canchao Jia,Minjuan Yang,Guanlin Xiao,Zhihao Zeng,Lingjie Li,Yangxue Li,Jieyi Jiang,Aili Xu,Jinyan Qiu,Ruiyin Tang,Dongmei Li,Dezheng Jia,Canhui Xie,Guangying Wu,Dake Cai,Xiaoli Bi
Backgrounds Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a persistent and advanced pulmonary ailment. The roles of innate immunity and adaptive immunity are pivotal in the evolution of IPF. An ill-adjusted interaction between epithelial cells and immune cells is responsible for initiating the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and sustaining chronic inflammation, thereby fostering fibrosis progression. The intricacy of IPF pathogenesis has hindered the availability of efficacious agents. Elephantopus scaber Linn. (ESL) is a canonical Chinese medicine with significant immunoregulatory effects, and its aqueous extract has been proven to attenuate IPF symptoms in bleomycin (BLM)-induced mice. However, the underlying mechanism through which ESL relieves IPF remains unclear. Aim To validate whether ESL reverses IPF by mediating the immune response and EMT. Methods : Ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) and UPLC were used to identify the components and determine the concentrations of the specific compounds in the ESL. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to predict the potential mechanism underlying the anti-IPF effect of ESL. BLM-induced IPF mice were used to validate the anti-IPF effect of ESL, and lung tissue was collected to test putative pathways involved in inflammation and EMT via immunohistochemistry (ICH), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR) and Western blotting. Results Sixty-one compounds were identified, and thirteen main ingredients were quantified in the ESL. In silico experiments predicted that the IPF-mediated reversal of adverse effects by ESL would be related to interruption of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-k-gene binding (NF- ĸ B) inflammatory pathway and the transforming growth factor-beta l (TGF-β1)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/forkhead box O3 (FOXO3a) fibrosis pathway. In vivo experiments showed that ESL alleviates BLM-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by reducing neutrophil aggregation and fibroblast foci, similar to the effects of the positive control drug pirfenidone (PFD). ESL markedly inhibited the transcription of TNF-α, IL-1 β, and IL-6, which are downstream genes of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, the protein levels of TLR4 and p-NF- κ B were correspondingly inhibited in response to ESL treatment. Additionally, ESL reverses BLM-induced changes in the expression of EMT-related biological characteristic indicators (collagen I [COLIA1], E-cadherin, and alpha smooth muscle actin [ α -SMA]) at the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level and markedly inhibits the expression of EMT-related upstream proteins (TGF- β 1, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-FOXO3a). Conclusion Our research suggested that ESL attenuates BLM-induced IPF through mediating the EMT process via the TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt/FOXO3a signaling pathway and inhibiting inflammation through the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, highlighting that ESL can serve as an immunoregulator for relieving the abnormal immune response and reversing the EMT in IPF.
研究领域:
药理学
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免疫学
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呼吸医学
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分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
·
2021
·
IF 4.432
Fujing Wang,Rong Hu,Jiaxing Zhang,Tingting Pei,Zhuo'en He,Liliang Ju,Zhongxiao Han,Mingqing Wang,Wei Xiao
Renal fibrosis is the pathological consequence of progressive chronic kidney disease . Although it has been reported that vitamin D3 exerts antifibrotic effects, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the effects and molecular mechanisms in high-dose vitamin D3 treatment on renal fibrosis. A model of chronic kidney disease was established by 5/6 nephrectomy in rats characterised by high levels of serum creatine, urea nitrogen, and urinary protein. Serum 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, calcium and parathormone levels were measured to evaluate vitamin D levels. Hematoxylin and eosin , periodic acid Schiff and Mallory's Trichrome staining were used to evaluate histopathological changes in rats. Moreover, the expression of vimentin , collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin and E-cadherin were analyzed at molecular and histopathological levels. Our results showed that exposure to vitamin D3 decreased the levels of serum creatine, urea nitrogen and urine protein and restored the homeostasis of calcium and parathormone. Vitamin D3 also downregulated the expression of vimentin, collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin and attenuated renal fibrosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the kidney. Importantly, vitamin D3 treatment increased the expression of the vitamin D receptor and inhibited Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad3 signaling pathway in rats kidneys with chronic kidney disease. Mechanistically, the upregulation of TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad3 induced by vitamin D3 was reversed by activation of the vitamin D receptor. Our findings indicated that vitamin D3 is a potential antifibrotic drug in chronic kidney disease via the vitmin D receptor and inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.
研究领域:
肾病学
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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
International Journal of Nanomedicine
·
2025
·
IF 6.5
Jinxia Zhang,Xinxin Xie,Yuanjing Li,Haonan Wang,Lijuan Zhang,Peiqi Shi,Jing Wei,Ling Zhang,Yingdong Lu,Ligang Cui,Xiaoning Liu,Xiaolong Liang
Introduction Emodin alleviates renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) and reduces inflammation by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad pathway, thus improving CKD outcomes. However, its clinical use is limited due to poor solubility and side effects. This study developed a targeted drug delivery system using αKIM-1 modified microbubbles carrying Emodin to enhance accumulation in renal tissues with high KIM-1 expression.Methods Emo@KP MBs were characterized by TEM and DLS, and their drug loading and encapsulation rates were measured by UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy. Biocompatibility was assessed in vitro with HK-2 cells and in vivo via hematological and pathological markers. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and fluorescence imaging were used for real-time visualization of treatment. Therapeutic experiments were performed on a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model treated with Emo@KP MBs + US on days 1 and 3 post-surgery. Renal function, cytokine levels, and histological analysis were detected to evaluate therapeutic effects.Results Emo@KP MBs exhibited spherical structures (2 ~ 4 μm) with good stability. Ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) enabled controlled release of Emodin. CEUS and fluorescence imaging showed enhanced drug accumulation in diseased kidneys. In the UUO + Emo@KP MBs/US group, renal function was improved, inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) were decreased, and renal lesions and collagen deposition were reduced. Immunohistochemistry revealed the downregulation of TGF-β, Smad2/3, and α-SMA, and upregulation of E-cadherin.Conclusion Emo@KP MBs enhanced drug delivery efficiency and therapeutic efficacy through αKIM-1 targeting and UTMD, while providing real-time imaging capabilities, suggesting good potential as a therapeutic approach to reduce renal inflammation and fibrosis in UUO.
研究领域:
药理学
·
肾脏病学
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分子生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Biomaterials Science
·
2020
·Vol. 9
·期 6
·2090-2102
·
IF 6.183
Rui Shi,Jingshuang Zhang,Kun Niu,Weiyang Li,Ni Jiang,Jianlin Li,Qingsong Yu,Chengai Wu
Deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator regarded as a hypoxic analogue, has been reported to be involved in angiogenesis and osteogenic differentiation. In this study, DFO was loaded into nanospheres, Then, DFO-loaded NPs and free DFO were co-encapsulated in nanofibers through coaxial electrospinning and its effects on cell viability, migration, and osteogenic differentiation, and the potential mechanisms were investigated. The results suggested that DFO maintained cell viability and promoted the migration of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and MC3T3-E1 cells. ALP activity, calcium deposition, and expression of osteogenesis-related markers, including collagen, osteocalcin, and osteopontin, were all increased with DFO. Moreover, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, transforming growth factor-β, and Smad2 were upregulated with DFO, which indicated activation of the TGF-β1/Smad2 signalling pathway. This may contribute to osteogenic differentiation of cells.
研究领域:
生物材料
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组织工程
·
再生医学
·
细胞生物学
✓ 已验证
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）