A molecular approach to triple-negative breast cancer: targeting the Notch signaling pathway

ABSTRACT Introduction Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression. This phenotype renders triple-negative breast cancer cells refractory to conventional therapies, resulting in poor clinical outcomes and an urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Recent studies have implicated dysregulation of the Notch receptor signaling pathway in the development and progression of triple-negative breast cancer. Objective This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive literature review to identify potential therapeutic targets of the Notch pathway. Our analysis focused on the upstream and downstream components of this pathway to identify potential therapeutic targets. Results Modulating the Notch signaling pathway may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to treat triple-negative breast cancer. Several potential therapeutic targets within this pathway are in the early stages of development, including upstream (such as Notch ligands) and downstream (including specific molecules involved in triple-negative breast cancer growth). These targets represent potential avenues for therapeutic intervention in triple-negative breast cancer. Comments Additional research specifically addressing issues related to toxicity and improving drug delivery methods is critical for the successful translation of these potential therapeutic targets into effective treatments for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

The role and treatment strategy of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) is one of the most serious late complications after nuclear radiation accident, bone marrow transplantation pretreatment and thoracic tumor radiotherapy. The formation process of RIPF is complicated and the pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Recent studies have shown that radiation-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lung epithelial cells is an indispensable segment of RIPF. This article reviews the role of radiation-induced lung EMT in the occurrence and development of RIPF and related drugs with EMT as a potential therapeutic target, providing ideas for the development of therapeutic drugs for RIPF in the future.

Expression of decoy receptor 3 and its signaling pathway in ankylosing spondylitis and its clinical significance / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) and its signal pathway-related molecules in PBMCs of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods:Peripheral blood samples, clinical data and laboratory test results were collected from 100 patients with ankylosing spondylitis [50 patients with AS activity (ASA), 50 patients with AS stability (ASS)], 30 patients with osteoarthritis and 30 patients with gouty arthritis (as disease control group), and 60 healthy controls (HC). The mRNA expression levels of DcR3 and its signal pathway related genes (DR3, TL1A, Fas, FasL, LIGHT, LIGHTR, LTβR) were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Measurement data among the three groups in normal distribution were analyzed by t test or one-way analysis of variance, pairwise comparisons using LSD- t test, non-normal distribution data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis H test, χ2 test was used for correlation analysis of categorical variables. Correlation analysis between variables were analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. Results:① By comparing the AS group, disease control group and HC group, the expression levels of DcR3 mRNA and DR3 mRNA in the AS group were lower than those in disease control group and HC group, and DcR3 mRNA and DR3 mRNA in disease control group were lower than those in the HC group {DcR3mRNA: [6.21 (3.89, 10.70)]×10 -4vs [9.51 (5.89, 16.65)]×10 -4vs [17.81 (11.27, 24.20)]×10 -4, H=55.28, P<0.001; DR3 mRNA: [41.05 (24.09, 66.95)]×10 -4vs [58.28 (28.41, 94.38)]×10 -4vs [94.79 (54.07, 144.51)]×10 -4, H=37.10, P<0.001}. The expression level of TL1A mRNA in the AS group was higher than that in disease control group {[14.71(4.91, 42.22)]×10 -4vs [4.00(1.07, 16.60)]×10 -4vs [7.70 (3.52, 27.83)]×10 -4, H=17.71, P<0.001}; The expression level of Fas mRNA in AS group and disease control group was lower than that in HC group {[20.99(4.63, 62.89)]×10 -4vs [23.97(15.82, 38.99)]×10 -4vs [78.45 (27.32, 146.46)]×10 -4, H=31.17, P<0.001}. The expression level of FasL mRNA in AS group was higher than that in disease control group and HC group {[42.87(6.57, 91.21)]×10 -4vs [5.45(2.83, 10.32)]×10 -4vs [6.88 (4.57, 23.79)]×10 -4, H=46.42, P<0.001}. The expression level of LIGHTR mRNA in AS group was lower than that in disease control group {[52.66 (7.20, 143.21)]×10 -4vs [98.80 (53.11, 166.24)]×10 -4vs [63.47(40.85, 138.07)]×10 -4, H=11.96, P<0.001}. There were no significant differences in LIGHT mRNA and LTβR mRNA among all groups ( H=0.86, P>0.05; H=3.18, P>0.05). ②The expression levels of DcR3 mRNA, DR3 mRNA and Fas mRNA in ASA group and ASS group were lower than those in HC group. DcR3 mRNA in ASA group was higher than that in ASS group, and DR3 mRNA in ASA group was lower than that in ASS group {DcR3 mRNA: [7.28 (4.92, 16.56)]×10 -4vs [4.59 (2.49, 7.03)]×10 -4vs [17.81 (11.27, 24.20)]×10 -4, H=62.63, P<0.001; DR3 mRNA: [30.93(16.18, 66.66)]×10 -4vs [47.17(29.91, 67.40)]×10 -4vs [94.79(54.07, 144.51)]×10 -4, H=41.48, P<0.001; Fas mRNA: [20.04(3.29, 62.30)]×10 -4vs [22.49(5.63, 64.79)]×10 -4vs [78.45(27.32, 146.46)]×10 -4, H=23.54, P<0.001}. The expression levels of TL1A mRNA and LTβR mRNA in the ASA group were higher than those in the ASS group and the HC group {TL1A mRNA: [32.36(10.09, 97.84)]×10 -4vs [9.98(1.29, 21.63)]×10 -4vs [7.70(3.52,27.83)]×10 -4, H=21.14, P<0.001; LTβR mRNA: [6.13(2.16,20.06)×10 -4vs [2.13(0.53,8.04)]×10 -4vs [2.72 (1.24,5.73)]×10 -4, H=12.86, P<0.001}. The expression level of FasL mRNA in the ASA group and the ASS group was higher than that in the HC group {[60.70 (8.16, 106.16)]×10 -4vs [30.14 (5.37, 78.40)]×10 -4vs [6.88 (4.57, 23.79)]×10 -4, H=18.99, P<0.001}. The expression level of LIGHTR mRNA in ASS group was lower than that in HC group {[49.79(10.75, 168.48)]×10 -4vs [15.92(3.27, 105.91)]×10 -4vs [63.47(40.85, 138.07)]×10 -4, H=11.80, P<0.001]. There was no significant difference in LIGHT mRNA among all groups ( H=4.15, P>0.05). ③Spearman correlation analysis showed that DcR3 level was positively correlated with BASDAI score and hsCRP in AS patients ( r=0.52, P<0.001; r=0.35, P<0.01), and DR3 level was negatively correlated with BASDAI score, ESR and hsCRP level ( r=-0.28, P<0.001; r=-0.25, P<0.001; r=-0.31, P<0.001). TL1A was positively correlated with BASDAI score, ESR and hsCRP level ( r=0.23, P=0.046; r=0.26, P=0.015; r=0.25, P=0.017). Conclusion:DcR3 and its signal pathway-related molecules are differentially expressed in PBMCs of patients with AS, suggesting that they may participate in the occurrence and development of AS.

Research advances in targeted therapy for gallbladder carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

Gallbladder carcinoma （GBC） is a type of malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis， and at present， surgical operation is the most effective treatment method for this disease. Unfortunately， due to a lack of typical symptoms in the early stage， most patients have progressed to the advanced stage at the time of confirmed diagnosis and lost the opportunity for radical surgery. Among the currently available adjuvant treatments， targeted therapy has higher specificity and fewer side effects and has improved the prognosis of a variety of malignancies. With reference to the latest research advances in targeted therapy for GBC， this article reviews the current research status， potential targets， and targeted medications of targeted therapy for GBC， in order to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of GBC patients.

Research advances in signaling pathways associated with potential anti-liver fibrosis drugs and targets / 临床肝胆病杂志

Liver fibrosis is a key step in the progression of chronic liver diseases to liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer. In recent years， a large number of studies have shown the necessity of intervening in the process of liver fibrosis， and various anti-liver fibrosis drugs and active ingredients have been discovered. Non-coding RNAs also play an important role in the process of liver fibrosis， and searching for upstream non-coding RNAs that can regulate signaling pathways can provide new insights for anti-liver fibrosis treatment. This article introduces the process of liver fibrosis mediated by the TGF-β， Wnt/β-catenin， PI3K/Akt/mTOR， NF-κβ， Hippo， and MAPK signaling pathways， lists the latest anti-liver fibrosis drugs or active components in each signaling pathway， and summarizes the research advances in anti-liver fibrosis targets and drugs mediated by related non-coding RNAs， so as to provide new research ideas and treatment methods for anti-liver fibrosis treatment.

Current research status of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive tract and seriously threatens the life of patients due to a high incidence rate， a high degree of malignancy， strong invasion and metastasis， and poor prognosis. At present， the main methods for the prevention and treatment of HCC include drugs， surgery， and interventional treatment， but all of these methods have certain adverse reactions and side effects. As an important intracellular signal transduction pathway in the human body， the JAK/STAT signaling pathway mainly exerts an anti-HCC effect by regulating cell invasion， metastasis， proliferation， growth， apoptosis， autophagy， angiogenesis， inflammation/immune response， iron metabolism， and drug resistance. Therefore， targeting the JAK/STAT signaling pathway plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of the development and progression of HCC. Traditional Chinese medicine has attracted wide attention due to its advantages of multiple targets， pathways， components， and levels in the treatment of HCC， and many cell or animal experiments on traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of HCC have shown that the JAK/STAT signaling pathway is an important target for the prevention and treatment of HCC， with the effects of improving liver function， reducing HCC recurrence， and improving immunity. Based on this， this article analyzes the mechanism of action of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in HCC， as well as the intervention effect of traditional Chinese medicine monomers， traditional Chinese medicine extracts， and traditional Chinese medicine compounds on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway， in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for the prevention and treatment of HCC and the research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine drugs.

Role of Cytokines and Related Signaling Pathways in Intervention of Chinese Medicine in Radiation-induced Lung Injury： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Radiation-induced lung injury （RILI）， one of the common complications caused by radiotherapy， encompasses two phases： an early phase known as radiation pneumonitis （RP） and a late phase called radiation fibrosis （RF）， threatening the life and life quality of patients， with poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence has shown that the occurrence of RILI is related to a variety of cytokines and signaling pathways. This paper summarized the research on the effects of Chinese medicine on RILI from the perspective of cytokines and signaling pathways. Cytokines include transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）， interleukins （ILs）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， platelet-derived growth factor （PDGF）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， and high mobility group box-1 （HMGB1）. Related signaling pathways are phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway， Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， Notch1/Jagged1 signaling pathway， and nuclear factor-E2-related factor2/antioxidant response element （Nrf2/ARE） signaling pathway. Cytokines may interfere with RILI progression by initiating various downstream signaling pathways， such as TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway， TGF-β1/VEGF signaling pathway， TNF-α/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and HMGB1/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） signaling pathway. In recent years， many scholars have attempted to delay RILI progression by down-regulating the expression of cytokines， antagonizing the effect of cytokines or regulating signaling pathways. It has been verified that many Chinese medicines， Chinese medicine monomers， and compound Chinese medicine prescriptions can inhibit the release of some cytokines or regulate some signaling pathways to reduce the incidence/severity of RILI， with satisfactory therapeutic effects， which have attracted the interest of scholars.

Network pharmacology-based prediction of potential effective components of traditional Chinese medicine and their molecular mechanisms of action in the anti-angiogenic treatment of Kaposi′s sarcoma / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate potential effective components of traditional Chinese medicine and their molecular mechanisms of action in the anti-angiogenic treatment of Kaposi′s sarcoma based on network pharmacology, and to predict key targets and signal pathways in the anti-angiogenic treatment of Kaposi′s sarcoma with traditional Chinese medicine.Methods:According to the previous network pharmacology-based analysis results, main chemical components and targets of Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati, Cortex Mori, Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae and Fructus Perillae were obtained by using the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP); potential therapeutic targets for angiogenesis and Kaposi′s sarcoma were obtained by searching the GeneCard, OMIM, DrugBank and TTD databases, and a Venn diagram was constructed to obtain targets for the interaction between Kaposi′s sarcoma and anti-angiogenic drug components; a protein-protein interaction model was constructed using the STRING 11.5 platform; the Cytoscape 3.6.0 software was used to construct the component-target visual network. Meanwhile, the Metascape platform was used to analyze the Gene Ontology (GO) functions and the enrichment of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) -based pathways. The main active ingredients and core targets obtained through the above analyses were then verified by molecular docking. Results:The core components of anti-Kaposi′s sarcoma angiogenesis drugs were resveratrol (degree: 142), quercetin (degree: 141), kaempferol (degree: 56), luteolin (degree: 56), β-sitosterol (degree: 37), arachidonic acid (degree: 36), naringenin (degree: 36), etc., and the core target was prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2). KEGG analysis revealed that the cancer signaling pathways were the important pathways related to the inhibiton of angiogenesis in Kaposi′s sarcoma; functional enrichment analysis showed that the positive regulation of cell migration was the most significantly enriched GO term in the biological process category. Molecular docking results showed that resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin had good affinity with PTGS2, especially quercetin and luteolin exhibited the strongest binding abilities to PTGS2, with the binding energies being -9.4 and -9.5 kcal/mol, respectively.Conclusion:This study showed that the 4 traditional Chinese medicines recorded in TCMSP (including Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati., Cortex Mori, Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae and Fructus Perillae) may play an anti-angiogenic role by regulating cancer signaling pathways and acting on targets such as PTGS2, and predicted the possible anti-angiogenesis mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines in Kaposi′s sarcoma.

Naringenin attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response via the activation of SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway in vitro

Purpose: To explore the protection of naringenin against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced HT22 cell injury, a cell model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vitro, focusing on SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway. Methods: Cytotoxicity, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (4-HNE) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities were measured by commercial kits. Inflammatory cytokines levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The protein expressions were monitored by Western blot analysis. Results: Naringenin significantly ameliorated OGD/Rinduced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HT22 cells. Meanwhile, naringenin promoted SIRT1 and FOXO1 protein expressions in OGD/R-subjected HT22 cells. In addition, naringenin attenuated OGD/R-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, oxidative stress (the increased ROS, MDA and 4-HNE levels, and the decreased SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activities) and inflammatory response (the increased tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-1ß, and IL-6 levels and the decreased IL-10 level), which were blocked by the inhibition of the SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway induced by SIRT1-siRNA transfection. Conclusion: Naringenin protected HT22 cells against OGD/R injury depending on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities via promoting the SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathway.

Role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway in alcoholic liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

The incidence rate of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is increasing year by year China, and there is a gradual increase in disease burden among Chinese people. Oxidative stress response in hepatocytes is an important pathogenic mechanism of ALD. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway is an important endogenous anti-oxidative stress pathway in the body, and Nrf2 is activated in response to oxidative stress and exerts its transcriptional activity to induce high HO-1 expression. HO-1 is an important oxidative stress response protein and plays a role in anti-inflammation, anti- oxidation, and cell apoptosis regulation together with heme hydrolysis products (bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and iron). This article reviews the research advances in the role of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in ALD in recent years, so as to find a theoretical basis for the development and progression of ALD and an entry point for treatment.

Role and mechanism of action of the Mongolian medicine / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of action of Scabiosa atropurea in inhibiting the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells using cell experiment. Methods A total of 20 Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and administration group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the control group were given normal saline by gavage, and those in the administration group were given Scabiosa atropurea by gavage to prepare drug-containing serum. HSC-T6 cells were incubated with the serum from the control group (10%) or the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea (10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively). MTT assay was used to observe the effect of different drug concentrations on cells in different periods of time; flow cytometry was used to measure cell apoptosis; qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of fibrosis markers (α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ) and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related factors in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t - test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had a significant reduction in the OD value of cells (all P < 0.05) and a significant increase in the overall apoptosis rate of cells (all P < 0.05). The results of qRT-PCR showed that compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels of α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ, PI3K, and Akt and a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05); Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had significant reductions in the protein expression levels of α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ, PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt and a significant increase in the protein expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05). Conclusion The Mongolian medicine Scabiosa atropurea can inhibit the proliferation of HSC-T6 cells and promote their apoptosis, possibly by regulating fibrosis markers and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to exert an anti-liver fibrosis effect.

Role of the Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway in intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the expression and role of the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway in intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham-operation group (Sham group), SAP model group (SAP group), SAP+Shh signaling pathway-specific agonist purmorphamine group (PUR+SAP group), and SAP+Shh signaling pathway-specific antagonist cyclopamine group (CYC+SAP group) using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group, and each group was further divided into 12-hour and 24-hour subgroups, with 6 rats in each subgroup. Rats were given retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic and bile ducts to establish a model of SAP, and rats in the intervention groups were given intraperitoneal injection of 0.69 mg/kg purmorphamine and 0.69 mg/kg cyclopamine before modeling. Related samples were collected at 12 and 24 hours after modeling. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the pancreas and the ileum; ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of amylase, lipase, diamine oxidase (DAO), and endotoxin-core antibody (EndoCAb); the TUNEL method was used to observe the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells; Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of Shh, Ptch1, and Gli1 in ileal tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for further comparison between two groups; the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups and further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the Sham group, the SAP group had significant increases in the pathological scores of pancreatic and ileum tissue, the serum levels of lipase, amylase, DAO, and EndoCAb, the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, and the protein expression levels of Shh, Ptch1, and Gli1 in ileal tissue (all P < 0.05). Compared with the SAP group, the PUR+SAP group had significantly alleviated pathological injury and dysfunction of the pancreas and intestine, a significant reduction in the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, and significant increases in the protein expression levels of Shh, Ptch1, and Gli1 in ileal tissue (all P < 0.05). Compared with the SAP group, the CYC+SAP group had significant aggravation of the pathological injury and dysfunction of the pancreas and intestine, a significant increase in the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, and significant reductions in the protein expression levels of Shh, Ptch1, and Gli1 in ileal tissue (all P < 0.05). Conclusion The Shh signaling pathway may be involved in intestinal mucosal barrier injury in SAP and exerts a protective effect.

Research advances in effective constituents of traditional Chinese medicine in intervention of autoimmune hepatitis-related signaling pathways / 临床肝胆病杂志

As a chronic liver inflammation disease caused by the lack of immune tolerance, autoimmune hepatitis is regulated by various signaling pathways, such as the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, the Hippo-YAP/TAZ pathway, the JAK/STAT pathway, the PI3K/Akt pathway, and the TRAF6/JNK pathway. These pathways can play a role against autoimmune hepatitis by participating in the processes including the proliferation and apoptosis of cytokines, immune response, and oxidative stress. In view of the problems of suboptimal response, obvious adverse reactions, and high recurrence rate in the clinical application of hormones and immune preparations for the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis, this article summarizes the research articles on autoimmune hepatitis-related signaling pathways and the mechanism of effective constituents (glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, quinones, and phenols) in traditional Chinese medicine intervening against the disease process of autoimmune hepatitis through the above signaling pathways, in order to provide a theoretical basis for scientific and effective utilization of effective constituents in traditional Chinese medicine to develop anti-autoimmune hepatitis drugs.

Roles of focal adhesion proteins in skeleton and diseases

The skeletal system, which contains bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and other elements, plays a wide variety of roles in body shaping, support and movement, protection of internal organs, production of blood cells and regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism. The prevalence of skeletal diseases and disorders, such as osteoporosis and bone fracture, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and intervertebral disc degeneration, increases with age, causing pain and loss of mobility and creating a huge social and economic burden globally. Focal adhesions (FAs) are macromolecular assemblies that are composed of the extracellular matrix (ECM), integrins, intracellular cytoskeleton and other proteins, including kindlin, talin, vinculin, paxillin, pinch, Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and integrin-linked protein kinase (ILK) and other proteins. FA acts as a mechanical linkage connecting the ECM and cytoskeleton and plays a key role in mediating cell-environment communications and modulates important processes, such as cell attachment, spreading, migration, differentiation and mechanotransduction, in different cells in skeletal system by impacting distinct outside-in and inside-out signaling pathways. This review aims to integrate the up-to-date knowledge of the roles of FA proteins in the health and disease of skeletal system and focuses on the specific molecular mechanisms and underlying therapeutic targets for skeletal diseases.

Transcription factor EB attenuates neuronal damage following cerebral ischemia via regulating autophagy-lysosomal pathway / 国际脑血管病杂志

The disorder of autophagy lysosomal pathway (ALP) is an important pathogenesis of neuronal damage after cerebral ischemia, and the restoration of ALP may alleviate neuronal damage after cerebral ischemia. As the main transcription factor regulating ALP, transcription factor EB (TFEB) can directly regulate autophagosome generation, autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and autophagic flux by regulating the expression of autophagic genes and lysosomal genes. Therefore, regulating TFEB can alleviate ALP dysfunction and thereby reduce cerebral ischemic damage. This article reviews the structure, biological function of TFEB and its role in regulating ALP to alleviate neuronal damage after cerebral ischemia.

Short chain fatty acid: a messenger of gut-organ axis for disease regulation / 药学学报

Gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic system, and is essential for the health of the body. As the "second genome" of the body, it can establish communication with the important organs by regulating intestinal nerves, gastrointestinal hormones, intestinal barrier, immunity and metabolism, thus affecting host′s physiological functions. Short chain fatty acid (SCFA), known as one important metabolite of intestinal microbiota, is regarded as a significant messenger of the gut-organ communication, due to its extensive regulation in the body′s immunity, metabolism, endocrine and signal transduction. In this review, we summarize the interaction between gut-liver/brain/kidney/lung axis and diseases, and focus on the role and mechanism of SCFA in the gut-organ communication, hoping to provide new ideas for the treatment of the related diseases.

Effect of Dahuang Lingxian prescription on the scf/c-kit signaling pathway in gallbladder interstitial cells of Cajal in a guinea pig model of cholesterol gallstone / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the expression levels of scf and c-kit under the regulation of Dahuang Lingxian prescription and the possible mechanism of its effect on gallbladder dynamics, and to provide a theoretical basis for Dahuang Lingxian prescription in preventing the development and recurrence of cholesterol gallstone. Methods A total of 45 specific pathogen-free healthy male guinea pigs were randomly divided into normal group, model group, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group. The guinea pigs in the normal group were fed with normal diet, and those in the model group and the TCM group were fed with high-fat lithogenic diet. After 8 weeks of feeding, 5 guinea pigs were randomly selected from each group, and successful modeling was determined if gallstone was observed with the naked eye in more than 4 guinea pigs. After successful modeling, the guinea pigs in the TCM group were given Dahuang Lingxian prescription by gavage, and those in the model group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. After 8 consecutive weeks of administration by gavage, gallbladder tissue samples were collected, and HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of gallbladder tissue; Western blot was used to measure the expression level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in gallbladder tissue; immunohistochemistry was used to measure the protein expression levels of scf and c-kit in gallbladder smooth muscle tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference multiple comparison method was used for further comparison between two groups. Results HE staining showed marked inflammation of gallbladder tissue in the model group, and compared with the model group, the TCM group had a significantly lower degree of inflammation. Western blot showed that the model group had the highest expression level of TNF-α in gallbladder tissue, followed by the TCM group and the normal group ( P < 0.05); immunohistochemistry showed that compared with the model group, the normal group and the TCM group had significantly higher protein expression levels of scf and c-kit in gallbladder smooth muscle tissue ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Dahuang Lingxian prescription can enhance the dynamic function of the gallbladder, possibly by upregulating the scf/c-kit signaling pathway in interstitial cells of Cajal in gallbladder.

Research progress in strigolactones and application prospect in medicinal plants / 中国中药杂志

Strigolactones(SLs) are a class of sesquiterpenoids derived from the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway with the core carbon skeleton consisting of tricyclic lactone(ABC tricyclic ring) and α,β-unsaturated furan ring(D ring). SLs are widely distributed in higher plants and are symbiotic signals between plants and Arbuscular mycorrhiza(AM), which play key roles in the evolution of plant colonizing terrestrial habitats. As a new type of plant hormone, SLs possess such important biological functions as inhibiting shoot branching(tillers), regulating root architecture, promoting secondary growth, and improving plant stress resistance. Therefore, SLs have attracted wide attention. The biological functions of SLs are not only closely related to the formation of "excellent shape and quality" of Chinese medicinal materials but also have important practical significance for the production of high-quality medicinal materials. However, SLs have been currently widely studied in model plants and crops such as Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana, and few related studies have been reported on SLs in medicinal plants, which need to be strengthened. This review focused on the latest research progress in the isolation and identification, biological and artificial synthesis pathways, biosynthesis sites and transport modes, signal transduction pathways and mechanisms, and biological functions of SLs, and prospected the research on the regulation mechanism of SLs in the growth and development of medicinal plants and their related application on targeted regulation of Chinese herbal medicine production, which is expected to provide some references for the in-depth research on SLs in the field of Chinese medicinal resources.

Organoides: fundamentos, presente y futuro / Organoids: fundamentals, present and future

RESUMEN Los organoides son estructuras miniaturizadas, generadas principalmente a partir de células madre pluripotentes inducidas, que se cultivan en el laboratorio conservando sus características innatas o adquiridas. Tienen el potencial de reproducir procesos de desarrollo biológico, modelar procesos patológicos que permitirán el descubrimiento de nuevos fármacos y propicien la medicina regenerativa. Sin embargo, estas experiencias requieren perfeccionamiento constante porque pueden haberse realizado variaciones en la constitución de estos órganos. Por ello, el presente artículo tiene como objetivo revisar la información actualizada sobre organoides y sus procesos experimentales básicos y recientes, empezando por la gastrulación, para tratar de imitar, en lo posible, la formación de las tres capas: ectodermo, mesodermo y endodermo, incluyendo los factores que intervienen en la inducción, diferenciación y maduración en la generación de estos organoides. Asimismo, el diseño y preparación de medios de cultivo altamente especializados que permitan obtener el órgano seleccionado con la mayor precisión y seguridad. Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos originales y de revisión publicados en PubMed, Nature y Science. Los artículos se seleccionaron por sus resúmenes y por su texto completo. Las conclusiones de este articulo destacan las ventajas futuras en el uso y aplicaciones de los organoides.

ABSTRACT Organoids are tiny structures, mainly generated from induced pluripotent stem cells, which are cultured in the laboratory while retaining their innate or acquired characteristics. They have the potential to reproduce biological development processes, model pathological processes that will enable the discovery of new drugs and promote regenerative medicine. However, these processes require constant improvement because variations may have occurred in the constitution of the organs. Therefore, this article aims to review updated information on organoids and their basic and recent experimental processes, starting with gastrulation, in an attempt to mimic, as much as possible, the formation of the three layers: ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm; as well as the information regarding the factors involved in the induction, differentiation and maturation during the generation of organoids. Likewise, the design and preparation of highly specialized culture media that allow obtaining the selected organ with the highest precision and safety. We searched for original and review articles published in PubMed, Nature and Science. Articles were selected for their abstracts and full text. The conclusions of this article highlight the future advantages in the use and applications of organoids.

RhoA/ROCK-1 Signaling Pathway and Oxidative Stress in Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Abstract Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an ischemic condition that occurs as a result of partial or complete interruption of blood flow by narrowing or complete blockage of the vessels supplying the heart, which are called coronary arteries. Our objective in this study is to investigate the RhoA/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK)-1 signaling pathway and oxidative stress in CAD patients. Methods: A total of 81 individuals aged between 40-70 years - including 45 patients (15 females and 30 males) who were admitted to the Artvin State Hospital Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic and were diagnosed with CAD and 36 healthy volunteers (15 females and 21 males) - participated in this study. Serum samples were tested for total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), RhoA, and ROCK-1 values. Results: Serum RhoA, MDA levels, and ROCK-1 activity in the CAD group were found to be statistically significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.001). Concordantly, serum SOD activity was found to be statistically significantly lower in the CAD group than in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Inhibition of the activity of RhoA/ROCK-1 pathway would be beneficial in treating cardiovascular diseases since this pathway plays an important role in the development of these diseases.