International Journal of Biological Sciences最新文献

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic vascular disease primarily affecting large and medium-sized arteries and involves various complex pathological mechanisms and factors. Previous studies have demonstrated a close association between atherosclerosis and inflammatory damage, metabolic disorders, and gut microbiota. It is also closely linked to several cellular processes, such as endothelial cell pyroptosis, ferroptosis, mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitophagy has been recognized as a previously unexplored mechanism contributing to endothelial injury in atherosclerosis. Our study aims to further elucidate the potential relationship and mechanisms between AS-induced mitophagy dysfunction and the interaction of TMBIM6 and NDUFS4. Data from the study demonstrated that atherosclerosis in AS mice was associated with substantial activation of inflammatory and oxidative stress damage, along with a marked reduction in endothelial mitophagy expression and increased pathological mitochondrial fission, leading to mitochondrial homeostasis disruption. However, under pharmacological intervention, mitophagy levels significantly increased, pathological mitochondrial fission was notably reduced, and oxidative stress and inflammatory damage were suppressed, while necroptotic pathways in endothelial cells were significantly blocked. Interestingly, the deletion of TMBIM6 or NDUFS4 in animal models or cell lines markedly impaired the therapeutic effects of the drug, disrupting its regulation of mitophagy and mitochondrial fission, and leading to the re-emergence of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress damage. Metabolomics analysis further revealed that autophagy plays a pivotal regulatory role during drug intervention and after genetic modification of TMBIM6 and NDUFS4. The activation of autophagy (macroautophagy/mitophagy) alleviated the negative effects of mitochondrial fission and inflammatory damage induced by lipid stress in endothelial cells, a regulatory mechanism likely associated with the TMBIM6-NDUFS4 axis. Subsequent animal gene modification experiments demonstrated that knocking out TMBIM6-NDUFS4 negates the therapeutic effects of the drug on lipid-induced damage and metabolic function. In summary, our research reveals a phenotypic regulatory mechanism of endothelial cell stress damage through mitophagy, influenced by the interaction of TMBIM6 and NDUFS4. Pharmacological intervention can restore mitochondrial homeostasis in endothelial cells by regulating mitophagy via the TMBIM6-NDUFS4 pathway. This novel insight suggests that TMBIM6-NDUFS4 may serve as a key therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly heterogeneous brain tumor with limited treatment options. Recent studies revealed cellular heterogeneity and the potential for interconversion between distinct cell types on the basis of RNA sequencing and single-cell analyses. The ability of different cell types to adapt to their surrounding environment and undergo transformation significantly complicates the study and treatment of GBM. In this study, we reveal that HNRNPK-SUMO1 expression is predominantly found in the GBM infiltration area. SUMOylation of the K422 residue of HNRNPK interferes with its DNA binding ability, thereby disrupting downstream transcription, and ultimately leading to transitions between different states of glioblastoma stem cells. Although the proneural subtype is considered to have a better prognosis, transitioning towards this state promotes tumor invasion. These findings serve as a reminder to exercise caution when considering treatments targeting specific cellular subtypes.

The escalation of plastic pollution represents a global environmental and health problem. Important toxic effects have been attributed to the increasing diffusion of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) derived from the degradation of plastics. These particles have been ubiquitously observed in the environment, with humans being continuously exposed via ingestion, inhalation and skin contact. Nonetheless, the cellular homeostasis imbalance induced by micro- and nano- plastics (MNPs) in human health has been only recently shown, while most evidence and molecular mechanisms derived from studies in vitro and in vivo models. To date, the majority of available results testified the accumulation of MNPs in the cardiovascular, nervous, reproductive and digestive systems, and recently clear evidence about cardiovascular toxic effects of MNPs has been provided in humans. In this context, this review aims to provide a comprehensive update about the most recent studies reporting the effects of MNPs in different models, focusing on the available evidence in the main areas of study related to human health. Hopefully, this review will contribute to raise awareness about the toxicity and oxidative alteration exerted by MNPs, supporting the elaboration of new strategies to counteract plastic pandemics.

Bone metastasis is a common cause of death in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with approximately 30-40% of NSCLC patients eventually developing bone metastases. Bone metastasis, especially the occurrence of skeletal-related events (SREs), significantly reduces overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL) in patients. Although bone-targeting agents (BTAs) have been shown to reduce SREs and improve QoL in NSCLC patients with bone metastases, the prognosis for these patients remains poor. Understanding the underlying molecular pathways of bone metastasis is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Bone metastasis is a complex, multistep process that involves interactions between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment. The bone microenvironment provides a fertile soil for tumor cells, and crosstalk among various signaling pathways and secreted factors also plays a role in regulating the occurrence and progression of bone metastasis in NSCLC. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the process, regulatory mechanisms, and clinical treatment in NSCLC bone metastasis, with the hope of assisting with clinical treatment.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are crucial in the biogenesis and maintenance of hair follicles (HFs). This study demonstrated that a fragment derived from aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multifunctional protein1 (AIMP1) secreted from HFSCs activated DPCs and maintained HF homeostasis. A histological analysis revealed that AIMP1 levels in HF decreased with hair loss. Hair regrowth in AIMP1-induced mice was faster than in non-induced mice. Deletion mapping revealed 41 amino acids (TN41, aa 6-46) as the active region of AIMP1. The N-terminal peptide fragment of AIMP1 generated by MMP1 was secreted from Wnt-treated HFSCs to activate DPCs. TN41 activated Akt and ERK, increased β-catenin, and enhanced DPC activation. TN41 promoted hair shaft elongation in cultured human HFs and improved the hair-inducing activity of cultured DPC spheroids. Our findings suggest that the AIMP1 fragment secreted from HFSCs stimulates active hair regrowth through activating DPCs.

Increasing evidence suggests that the mononuclear/macrophage system is vital in amplifying the inflammatory cascade in IgA Nephropathy (IgAN). However, the pathogenic mechanism of macrophages in IgAN and targeted treatment strategies still need to be explored. This study found that botanical triterpene celastrol (CLT) effectively alleviated renal lesions, M1-like macrophage infiltration, inflammatory factors production, and improved renal function in IgAN mice. We found that the renal macrophages of IgAN patients had high expression of ECM1, a crucial molecule involved in macrophage inflammatory polarization, positively correlated with the IgAN clinical severity. In murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cells, CLT inhibited macrophage M1-like polarization and the output of TNF-α and IL-6 by downregulating the ECM1/STAT5 pathway. Mechanistically, molecular docking, CESTA, and immunoprecipitation verified that CLT directly bound to ECM1 and increased the ubiquitination of ECM1. Collectively, these results illustrated that CLT inhibited proinflammatory macrophage in IgAN by directly targeting ECM1 to promote ubiquitination degradation of ECM1. Therefore, this study may provide a theoretical basis for exploring the pathogenesis of IgAN and identifying new perspectives for targeted therapy of IgAN.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a targeted approach for cancer treatment that employs light and photosensitizers (PSs) to induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, PDT faces obstacles including insufficient PS localization, limited light penetration, and treatment resistance. A potential solution lies in nanogenerators (NGs), which function as self-powered systems capable of generating electrical energy. Recent progress in piezoelectric and triboelectric NGs showcases promising applications in cancer research and drug delivery. Integration of NGs with PDT holds the promise of enhancing treatment efficacy by ensuring sustained PS illumination, enabling direct electrical control of cancer cells, and facilitating improved drug administration. This comprehensive review aims to augment our comprehension of PDT principles, explore associated challenges, and underscore the transformative capacity of NGs in conjunction with PDT. By harnessing NG technology alongside PDT, significant advancement in cancer treatment can be realized. Herein, we present the principal findings and conclusions of this study, offering valuable insights into the integration of NGs to overcome barriers in PDT.

Lung metastasis in breast cancer (BC) patients is one of the main reasons for their high mortality rate. The most prevalent BC small extracellular vesicles (sEVs receptor, integrin α6β4, has been found to interact with surfactant-associated protein (SFTPC) in lung epithelial cells, making BC more likely to metastasize to the lung. Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) play an essential role in BC lung metastasis as a component of the lung pre-metastatic niche (PMN) with two sides. It has been demonstrated that Toll-like Receptor4 (TLR4) can participate in signaling, such as NF-B and NLRP3, to facilitate tumor metastasis. A cellular membrane structural protein called caveolin-1 (CAV1) is associated with BC's proliferation, metastasis, and immunological control. According to our previous research, CAV1 on BC-derived sEVs facilitates the formation of the lung PMN by enhancing tenascin-C (TnC) secretion in lung fibroblasts to promote the deposition of ECM, by increasing the expression of PMN marker genes and inflammatory chemokines in lung epithelial cells, and by supporting N2-type polarization of lung macrophages via inhibiting the PTEN/CCL2/VEGF-A axis. More research is needed to determine how sEVs-mediated CAV1 facilitates BC-targeted metastasis to the lungs. By creating a stable-translocating cell line that stably interfered with CAV1 and a mouse model of BC lung metastasis, we investigated how sEVs-mediated CAV1 promotes BC lung metastasis and TAN recruitment and polarization in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we showed that CAV1 increases the likelihood that BC lung metastasis would occur by controlling the expression of integrin α6β4 and via boosting TANs recruitment and polarization through activating the TLR4-NF-B-IL-6/CCL2 and TLR4/NF-B/NLRP3 signaling pathways. According to our findings, CAV1 regulates integrin α6β4 and modulates TLR4 signaling, both of which are critical for BC lung metastasis. This finding may open new avenues for BC lung metastasis prevention and treatment.

Background: Tumor progression and limited benefits of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy have been two major challenges in the clinical management of colorectal cancer (CRC). The objective of our research was to explore the role of PLCG2 in CRC progression, tumor microenvironment, and potentiating ICB therapy. Methods: Based on bioinformatics analysis and a prospective clinical observational study, the expression, prognostic significance, and clinical relevance of PLCG2 in CRC were unveiled. The single-cell and spatial transcriptome revealed the role of PLCG2 in shaping the heterogeneity of the CRC tumor microenvironment. The biological function of PLCG2 was validated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. The underlying mechanisms were elucidated by RNA-seq, western blotting, qRT-PCR, and multicolor immunofluorescence. The multiplex immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were adopted to clarify the immunomodulatory role of PLCG2 in facilitating CRC immune escape. The translational value of targeting PLCG2 to potentiate the efficacy of ICB therapy and synergistic therapy to improve prognosis was explored in the preclinical animal models. Results: In CRC, PLCG2 exhibited high expression levels and was strongly associated with poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological characteristics of patients. The single-cell transcriptome shed light on its important role in cell communication and the development and differentiation of immune cells. The spatial transcriptome described the spatial distribution of PLCG2 in CRC tissues. Further mechanistic analysis demonstrated that PLCG2 could promote proliferation, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cell cycle regulation and inhibit apoptosis of CRC cells via the Akt-mTOR pathway activation. Furthermore, PLCG2 was found to contribute greatly to the immunosuppressive microenvironment and enhanced immune escape as it significantly suppressed the infiltration and functional activation of CD8⁺ T cells and promoted the infiltration of Treg cells as well as PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. Meanwhile, knockdown of PLCG2 could potentiate the efficacy of ICB therapy. Conclusion: In summary, we have identified for the first time that PLCG2 could be considered a precise biomarker and promising therapeutic target for predicting CRC prognosis, optimizing individualized treatment, reversing CRC immune escape, and overcoming resistance to ICB therapy.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a spectrum of chronic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, notably ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Both UC and CD result from the interplay between genetic and environmental factors that trigger an exacerbated immune response against gut microorganisms, leading to non-resolving inflammatory damage in the mucosa of specific zones in the intestine. Despite extensive research, current treatments often entail invasive interventions with considerable adverse effects on patient well-being. Consequently, there is a pressing need to find alternative and complementary therapeutic strategies aimed at ameliorating chronic inflammation and restoring intestinal barrier integrity. Polyphenols are plant-based compounds formed naturally or as semi-synthetic/synthetic derivatives with proven health-promoting effects and translational applications in a broad spectrum of chronic diseases. Preclinical models of IBD largely support the efficacy of a broad variety of polyphenols due to their well-documented antioxidant and modulatory properties on the immune system and gut microbiota. Likewise, a growing number of studies using distinct types of polyphenols are being conducted in humans, although more efforts are still warranted. In the present review, the main polyphenols investigated in vitro and in vivo models of IBD will be summarized, as well as the available trials or observational data accessible in humans. Finally, the role of polyphenols in the clinical context of IBDs, along with the main problematics regarding their translational issues and concerns will be discussed, including bioavailability, their inclusion in healthy dietary patterns and foods, interaction with other drugs, and other important points to be addressed by future research.