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Corilagin (CLG) has antitumor activities in certain human malignant cancers. Herein, the effects and mechanisms of CLG on osteosarcoma (OS) were investigated. OS cell viability and proliferation were detected by MTT and colony formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined using flow cytometry. The interaction between TRAF6 and FLT3 was investigated using a co-immunoprecipitation assay. Results demonstrated that CLG treatment inhibited OS cell viability and proliferation but promoted OS cell autophagy and apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Mechanically, CLG inhibited TRAF6-mediated FLT3 ubiquitination degradation. TRAF6 overexpression abolished the effects of CLG on OS cell proliferation, autophagy, and apoptosis. Finally, CLG administration inhibited OS tumor growth in mice by inducing autophagy-dependent apoptosis. Taken together, CLG inhibited OS progression by facilitating mTOR/ULK1 pathway-mediated autophagy through inhibiting TRAF6-mediated FLT3 ubiquitination, which indicated that CLG was a promising candidate for the treatment of OS.
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We constructed a rapid infection risk assessment model for contacts of COVID-19. The improved Wells-Riley model was used to estimate the probability of infection for contacts of COVID-19 in the same place and evaluate their risk grades. We used COVID-19 outbreaks that were documented to validate the accuracy of the model. We analyzed the relationship between controllable factors and infection probability and constructed common scenarios to analyze the infection risk of contacts in different scenarios. The model showed the robustness of the fitting (mean relative error = 5.89%, mean absolute error = 2.03%, root mean squared error = 2.03%, R2 = 0.991). We found that improving ventilation from poorly ventilated to naturally ventilated and wearing masks can reduce the probability of infection by about two times. Contacts in places of light activity, loud talking or singing, and heavy exercise, oral breathing (e.g., gyms, KTV, choirs) were at higher risk of infection. The model constructed in this study can quickly and accurately assess the infection risk grades of COVID-19 contacts. Simply opening doors and windows for ventilation can significantly reduce the risk of infection in certain places. The places of light activity, loud talking or singing, and heavy exercise, oral breathing, should pay more attention to prevent and control transmission of the epidemic.
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Osteosarcoma is a primary solid bone malignancy, and surgery + chemotherapy is the most commonly used treatment. However, chemotherapeutic drugs can cause a range of side effects. Casticin, a polymethoxyflavonoid, has anti-tumor therapeutic effects. This study is aim to investigate the anti-osteosarcoma activity of casticin and explore the mechanism. Crystal violet staining, MTT assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, hoechst 33,258 staining, and flow cytometry analysis were used to investigate the effects of casticin on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in vitro. The intracellular Fe2+, ROS, MDA, GSH/GSSG content changes were detected using the corresponding assay kits. The mRNA sequencing + bioinformatics analysis and western blot were used to detect the possible mechanism. We found that casticin caused G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in human osteosarcoma cells, inhibited the migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. Mechanistic studies showed the ferroptosis pathway was enriched stronger than apoptosis. Casticin up-regulated the expression of HMOX1, LC3 and NCOA4, meanwhile it activated MAPK signaling pathways. Animal experiments proved that casticin also inhibited the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma cell xenograft tumor in vivo. In conclusion, casticin can induce ferroptosis in osteosarcoma cells through Fe2+ overload and ROS production mediated by HMOX1 and LC3-NCOA4. This provides a new strategy for osteosarcoma treatment.
Subject(s)
Ferroptosis , Heme Oxygenase-1 , Osteosarcoma , Reactive Oxygen Species , Animals , Humans , Male , Mice , Bone Neoplasms/drug therapy , Bone Neoplasms/metabolism , Bone Neoplasms/pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , Ferroptosis/drug effects , Ferroptosis/physiology , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism , Heme Oxygenase-1/genetics , Iron/metabolism , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Nude , Osteosarcoma/drug therapy , Osteosarcoma/metabolism , Osteosarcoma/pathology , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention. This review identifies the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants on planetary health, emphasizing the importance of adopting a One Health approach. Strategies for monitoring and addressing these pollutants are discussed, underscoring the need for robust and socially equitable environmental policies at both regional and international levels. Urgent actions are needed to transition toward sustainable pollution management practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.
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Subcellular mitochondria serve as sensors for energy metabolism and redox balance, and the dynamic regulation of functional and dysfunctional mitochondria plays a crucial role in determining cells' fate. Selective removal of dysfunctional mitochondria at the subcellular level can provide chondrocytes with energy to prevent degeneration, thereby treating osteoarthritis. Herein, to achieve an ideal subcellular therapy, cartilage affinity peptide (WYRGRL)-decorated liposomes loaded with mitophagy activator (urolithin A) were integrated into hyaluronic acid methacrylate hydrogel microspheres through microfluidic technology, named HM@WY-Lip/UA, that could efficiently target chondrocytes and selectively remove subcellular dysfunctional mitochondria. As a result, this system demonstrated an advantage in mitochondria function restoration, reactive oxygen species scavenging, cell survival rescue, and chondrocyte homeostasis maintenance through increasing mitophagy. In a rat post-traumatic osteoarthritis model, the intra-articular injection of HM@WY-Lip/UA ameliorated cartilage matrix degradation, osteophyte formation, and subchondral bone sclerosis at 8 weeks. Overall, this study indicated that HM@WY-Lip/UA provided a protective effect on cartilage degeneration in an efficacious and clinically relevant manner, and a mitochondrial-oriented strategy has great potential in the subcellular therapy of osteoarthritis.
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Effective bone regeneration through tissue engineering requires a combination of osteogenic progenitors, osteoinductive biofactors and biocompatible scaffold materials. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent the most promising seed cells for bone tissue engineering. As multipotent stem cells that can self-renew and differentiate into multiple lineages including bone and fat, MSCs can be isolated from numerous tissues and exhibit varied differentiation potential. To identify an optimal progenitor cell source for bone tissue engineering, we analyzed the proliferative activity and osteogenic potential of four commonly-used mouse MSC sources, including immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts (iMEF), immortalized mouse bone marrow stromal stem cells (imBMSC), immortalized mouse calvarial mesenchymal progenitors (iCAL), and immortalized mouse adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMAD). We found that iMAD exhibited highest osteogenic and adipogenic capabilities upon BMP9 stimulation in vitro, whereas iMAD and iCAL exhibited highest osteogenic capability in BMP9-induced ectopic osteogenesis and critical-sized calvarial defect repair. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that, while each MSC line regulated a distinct set of target genes upon BMP9 stimulation, all MSC lines underwent osteogenic differentiation by regulating osteogenesis-related signaling including Wnt, TGF-ß, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, Hippo and JAK-STAT pathways. Collectively, our results demonstrate that adipose-derived MSCs represent optimal progenitor sources for cell-based bone tissue engineering.
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BACKGROUND: The expression of MZB1 genes is significantly elevated in patients who have chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) disease compared with healthy controls. OBJECTIVE: To characterize MZB1-positive B cells in CRSwNP and to estimate the contribution of distinct subsets of B cells to the local overproduction of immunoglobulins. METHODS: Single-cell RNA-sequencing with Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing technology, Switching Mechanism At the 5' end of RNA Template sequencing, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining, Western blot, QuantiGene Plex assay, B-cell ImmunoSpot assay, Luminex assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed. RESULTS: Significantly higher mRNA expression of MZB1 and HSP90B1 was found in type 2 CRSwNP compared with controls. In CRSwNP, MZB1 expression correlated with the local production of IgE. MZB1 could be colocalized with plasma and mature B cells, especially marginal zone (MZ) B cells. Single-cell transcriptome and epitope studies revealed prominent populations of B cells in type 2 CRSwNP with unexpectedly high MZB1 gene expression. The MZ B-cell population was significantly increased in CRSwNP compared with healthy controls in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells and nasal tissue single-cell suspensions. When those single cells were cultured overnight, the MZ B-cell numbers were positively correlated with local IgE production but negatively correlated with local IgM production. In vitro, MZB1 stimulation up-regulated the mRNA expression of IgE. CONCLUSION: MZB1 was primarily expressed by plasma and mature B cells in nasal mucosa. MZB1 expression level was increased in CRSwNP compared with controls. MZB1 contributed to the local IgE production in type 2 CRSwNP.
Subject(s)
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing , Nasal Polyps , Rhinosinusitis , Humans , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism , Chronic Disease , Immunoglobulin E , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Nasal Mucosa/metabolism , Nasal Polyps/complications , Nasal Polyps/metabolism , Rhinosinusitis/complications , Rhinosinusitis/metabolism , RNA , RNA, Messenger/geneticsABSTRACT
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between serum polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and bone mineral density (BMD). Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. The weighted multiple linear regression model was utilized to determine the association between serum PUFAs and BMD. Further smoothed curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were conducted. Finally, we performed a subgroup analysis. Results: In total, 1979 participants aged 20-59 years were enrolled. After adjusting for all covariates, we found that serum docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) was positively associated with head BMD (ß = 0.0015, 95% Cl: 0.0004, 0.0026, P = 0.008296) and lumbar spine BMD (ß = 0.0005, 95% Cl: 0.0000, 0.0010, P = 0.036093), and serum eicosadienoic acid (EDA) was negatively associated with thoracic spine BMD (ß = -0.0008, 95% Cl: -0.0016, -0.0000, P = 0.045355). Smoothed curve fitting revealed a nonlinear positive association between serum DPA and lumbar spine BMD. Threshold effect analysis indicated that the threshold of serum DPA was 81.4 µmol/L. Subgroup analysis revealed a positive correlation between serum DPA and head BMD in the subgroup aged 50-59 years (ß = 0.0025, 95% Cl: 0.0002, 0.0049, P = 0.035249) and females (ß = 0.0026, 95% Cl: 0.0008, 0.0044, P = 0.005005). There was a positive relationship between serum DPA and lumbar spine BMD in females (ß = 0.0008, 95% Cl: 0.0001, 0.0015, P = 0.017900) and a negative association between serum EDA and thoracic spine BMD in the subgroup aged 30-39 years (ß = -0.0016, 95% Cl: -0.0031, -0.0001, P = 0.041331), males (ß = -0.0012, 95% Cl: -0.0023, -0.0001, P = 0.039364) and other races (ß = -0.0021, 95% Cl: -0.0037, -0.0006, P = 0.008059). Conclusion: This study demonstrated a linear positive relationship between serum DPA and head BMD, a nonlinear positive association between serum DPA and lumbar spine BMD, and a linear negative correlation between serum EDA and thoracic spine BMD in US adults.
Subject(s)
Bone Density , Fatty Acids, Unsaturated , Male , Female , Humans , Adult , Nutrition Surveys , Absorptiometry, Photon , Cross-Sectional Studies , Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Uncontrolled severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is associated with elevated levels of type 2 inflammatory cytokines and raised immunoglobulin concentrations in nasal polyp tissue. By using single-cell RNA sequencing, transcriptomics, surface proteomics, and T cell and B cell receptor sequencing, we found the predominant cell types in nasal polyps were shifted from epithelial and mesenchymal cells to inflammatory cells compared to nasal mucosa from healthy controls. Broad expansions of CD4 T effector memory cells, CD4 tissue-resident memory T cells, CD8 T effector memory cells and all subtypes of B cells in nasal polyp tissues. The T and B cell receptor repertoires were skewed in NP. This study highlights the deviated immune response and remodeling mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of uncontrolled severe CRSwNP. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: We identified differences in the cellular compositions, transcriptomes, proteomes, and deviations in the immune profiles of T cell and B cell receptors as well as alterations in the intercellular communications in uncontrolled severe CRSwNP patients versus healthy controls, which might help to define potential therapeutic targets in the future.
Subject(s)
Nasal Polyps , Rhinitis , Sinusitis , Humans , Rhinitis/metabolism , Nasal Polyps/pathology , Multiomics , Nasal Mucosa/metabolism , Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell/metabolism , Chronic DiseaseABSTRACT
Children are highly vulnerable to environmental pollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Previous research has linked both organic UV filters and phthalates exposure to adiposity and pubertal development in children. Nevertheless, the individual and collective effects of these chemicals on this population remain poorly understood. In this study, twelve organic UV filters and metabolites, six phthalate metabolites and two oxidative stress biomarkers were analyzed in a prospective follow-up study in Shanghai, China after a baseline study conducted 1.5 years earlier. Results revealed a positive association between exposure to individual organic UV filters or their mixture and levels of 8-OHdG (ß ranging from 0.242 to 0.588, P < 0.05), a marker of oxidative DNA damage. BP-3 and OD-PABA made a greater contribution to oxidative DNA damage than other UV filters. Levels of 8-OHdG were also positively correlated with single phthalate metabolites and their mixture, with MnBP and MMP contributing the most. Stratified analysis found that these associations were mainly observed in girls. Our mixture analysis revealed cumulative risks of oxidative DNA damage when there was co-exposure to these two kinds of EDCs. These results underscore the importance of considering the risks associated with organic UV filters and the necessity of evaluating the effects of all these pollutants, both individually and in mixtures.
Subject(s)
Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Pollutants , Phthalic Acids , Female , Humans , Child , Follow-Up Studies , Prospective Studies , China , Phthalic Acids/toxicity , Phthalic Acids/metabolism , Environmental Pollutants/analysis , Oxidative Stress , 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine/analysis , 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine/metabolism , Endocrine Disruptors/toxicity , Endocrine Disruptors/analysis , Environmental Exposure/analysisABSTRACT
Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common malignant bone tumor in children and has a poor prognosis due to early metastasis and easy recurrence. Necroptosis is a newly discovered cell death method, and its critical role in tumor immunity and therapy has attracted widespread attention. Thus, the emergence of necroptosis may provide bright prospects for the treatment of ES and deserves our further study. Here, based on the random forest algorithm, we identified 6 key necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) and used them to construct an NRG signature with excellent predictive performance. Subsequent analysis showed that NRGs were closely associated with ES tumor immunity, and the signature was also good at predicting immunotherapy and chemotherapy response. Next, a comprehensive analysis of key genes showed that RIPK1, JAK1, and CHMP7 were potential therapeutic targets. The Cancer Dependency Map (DepMap) results showed that CHMP7 is associated with ES cell growth, and the Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCALite) results revealed that the JAK1 mutation frequency was the highest. The expression of 3 genes was all negatively correlated with methylation and positively with copy number variation (CNV). Finally, an accurate nomogram was constructed with this signature and clinical traits. In short, this study constructed an accurate prognostic signature and identified 3 novel therapeutic targets against ES.
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Background: Emerging studies have suggested an essential role of fibroblast metabolic reprogramming in the pathogenesis of arthrofibrosis. The metabolic modulator metformin appears to be a therapeutic candidate for fibrotic disorders. However, whether metformin could alleviate arthrofibrosis has not been defined. In this study we have determined if treatment with metformin has beneficial effect on arthrofibrosis and its underlying mechanism. Methods: Articular capsule samples were collected from patients with/without arthrofibrosis to perform gene and protein expression analysis. Arthrofibrosis animal model was established to examine the anti-fibrotic effect of metformin. Cell culture experiments were conducted to determine the mechanism by which metformin inhibits fibroblast activation. Results: We found that glycolysis was upregulated in human fibrotic articular capsules. In an arthrofibrosis animal model, intra-articular injection of metformin mitigated inflammatory reactions, downregulated expression of both fibrotic and glycolytic markers, improved range of motion (ROM) of the joint, and reduced capsular fibrosis and thickening. At the cellular level, metformin inhibited the activation of fibroblasts and mitigated the abundant influx of glucose into activated fibroblasts. Interestingly, metformin prompted a metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis in activated fibroblasts, resulting in the anti-fibrotic effect of metformin. Conclusion: Metformin decreased glycolysis, causing a metabolic shift toward aerobic glycolysis in activated fibroblasts and has beneficial effect on the treatment of arthrofibrosis.The translational potential of this article: The findings of this study demonstrated the therapeutic effect of metformin on arthrofibrosis and defined novel targets for the treatment of articular fibrotic disorders.
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A substantial amount of evidence suggests a close relationship between osteoporosis (OP) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. Therefore, we conducted this study with the aim of screening for hub genes common to both diseases and conducting a preliminary exploration of common regulatory mechanisms. In the present study, we first screened genes significantly associated with OP and T2DM by the univariate logistic regression algorithm. And then, based on cross-analysis and random forest algorithm, we obtained three hub genes (ACAA2, GATAD2A, and VPS35) and validated the critical roles and predictive performance of the three genes in both diseases by differential expression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and genome wide association study (GWAS) analysis. Finally, based on gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and the construction of the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, we conducted a preliminary exploration of the co-regulatory mechanisms of three hub genes in two diseases. In conclusion, this study provides promising biomarkers for predicting and treating both diseases and offers novel directions for exploring the common regulatory mechanisms of both diseases.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , MicroRNAs , Osteoporosis , Humans , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Genome-Wide Association Study , Machine Learning , Osteoporosis/genetics , MicroRNAs/genetics , Gene Expression Profiling , Computational BiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma is a highly invasive and early metastatic tumor. At present, the toxic and side effects of chemotherapy affect the quality of life of cancer patients to varying degrees. Genipin is an extract of the natural medicine gardenia with various pharmacological activities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Genipin on osteosarcoma and its potential mechanism of action. METHODS: Crystal violet staining, MTT assay and colony formation assay were used to detect the effect of genipin on the proliferation of osteosarcoma. The effects of vitexin on migration and invasion of osteosarcoma were detected by scratch healing assay and transwell assay. Hoechst staining and flow cytometry were used to detect the effect of genipin on apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. The expression of related proteins was detected by Western blot. An orthotopic tumorigenic animal model was used to verify the effect of genipin on osteosarcoma in vivo. RESULTS: The results of crystal violet staining, MTT method and colony formation method proved that genipin significantly inhibited the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells. The results of the scratch healing assay and transwell assay showed that gen significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The results of Hoechst staining and flow cytometry showed that genipin significantly promoted the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. The results of animal experiments show that genipin has the same anti-tumor effect in vivo. Genipin may inhibit the growth of osteosarcoma through PI3K/AKT signaling. CONCLUSION: Genipin can inhibit the growth of human osteosarcoma cells, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms , Iridoids , Osteosarcoma , Animals , Humans , Apoptosis , Bone Neoplasms/drug therapy , Bone Neoplasms/pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement , Cell Proliferation , Osteosarcoma/drug therapy , Osteosarcoma/pathology , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Quality of Life , Signal Transduction , Iridoids/pharmacologyABSTRACT
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.07.014.].
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INTRODUCTION: In recent years, endotypes of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) based on the underlying immune mechanisms provided a better understanding of this heterogeneous disease and are frequently applied in diagnosis and treatment. AREAS COVERED: In this manuscript, we aim to review novel treatment approaches for this often uncontrolled disease and highlight endotype-driven medical algorithms that could be beneficial in daily clinical practice. EXPERT OPINION: With the development of endotyping and the mucosal inflammatory concept, several type 2-targeted biologics and surgical options are nowadays available for treating CRS. However, a better understanding based on clinical trials and real-life experience in daily practice is needed to optimize patient selection, biological drug selection, treatment duration, prediction, and long-term follow-up strategies. Indirect comparison analysis suggested that dupilumab might be the most effective biologic for treating CRS with nasal polyps, but the role and timing of surgery remain unclear. More real-life studies and comparative trials are needed for the optimal integration of biologics into clinical pathways in combination with established treatment approaches such as nasal and oral glucocorticosteroids and adequate surgery to provide long-term perspectives.
Subject(s)
Biological Products , Nasal Polyps , Rhinitis , Sinusitis , Humans , Biological Products/therapeutic use , Chronic Disease , Nasal Polyps/drug therapy , Rhinitis/drug therapy , Sinusitis/drug therapyABSTRACT
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive malignant bone tumor that mainly occurs in adolescents. At present, chemotherapy is the most commonly used method in clinical practice to treat OS. However, due to drug resistance, toxicity and long-term side effects, chemotherapy can't always provide sufficient benefits for OS patients, especially those with metastasis and recurrence. Natural products have long been an excellent source of anti-tumor drug development. In the current study, we evaluated the anti-OS activity of Echinatin (Ecn), a natural active component from the roots and rhizomes of licorice, and explored the possible mechanism. We found that Ecn inhibited the proliferation of human OS cells and blocked cell cycle at S phase. In addition, Ecn suppressed the migration and invasion, while induced the apoptosis of human OS cells. However, Ecn had less cytotoxicity against normal cells. Moreover, Ecn inhibited the xenograft tumor growth of OS cells in vivo. Mechanistically, Ecn inactivated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway while activated p38 signaling pathway. ß-catenin over-expression and the p38 inhibitor SB203580 both attenuated the inhibitory effect of Ecn on OS cells. Notably, we demonstrated that Ecn exhibited synergistic inhibitory effect with cisplatin (DDP) on OS cells in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, our results suggest that Ecn may exert anti-OS effects at least partly through regulating Wnt/ß-catenin and p38 signaling pathways. Most meaningfully, the results obtained suggest a potential strategy to improve the DDP-induced tumor-killing effect on OS cells by combining with Ecn.
Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms , Osteosarcoma , Adolescent , Humans , beta Catenin/metabolism , Cell Proliferation , Osteosarcoma/metabolism , Wnt Signaling Pathway , Apoptosis , Bone Neoplasms/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell MovementABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Macrophages play a central role in balancing the immune response by switching phenotypes between the M1 and M2 profiles according to a delicate equilibrium. Based on a previous clinical trial (NCT03649139), this study aimed to evaluate the change in M2 macrophages during pollen exposure in seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). METHODS: Nasal symptom scores were recorded. Peripheral M2 macrophages were investigated according to cell surface markers, and M2-associated cytokine/chemokine release in serum and nasal secretion were assessed. In vitro pollen stimulation tests were performed, and polarized macrophage subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, the percentage of peripheral CD163+ M2 macrophages in CD14+ monocytes increased during the pollen season (p < 0.001) and at the end of treatment (p = 0.004) in the SLIT group. The percentage of CD206+CD86- M2 cells in M2 macrophages during the pollen season was higher than that at baseline and at the end of SLIT. On the other hand, the percentage of CD206-CD86+ M2 cells in M2 macrophages significantly increased at the end of treatment in the SLIT group compared to baseline (p = 0.049), the peak pollen period (p = 0.017), and the placebo group (p = 0.0023). M2-associated chemokines CCL26 and YKL-40 were significantly increased during the pollen season in the SLIT group and remained higher at the end of SLIT than at baseline. Correspondingly, in vitro study demonstrated that Artemisia annua promoted M2 macrophage polarization in pollen-induced AR patients. CONCLUSION: Significant M2 macrophage polarization was promoted when patients with SAR were exposed to the allergen, either naturally exposed in pollen seasons or subjectively continuously exposed during the course of SLIT.
Subject(s)
Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/immunology , Allergens/immunology , Macrophages/immunology , Up-Regulation , Humans , Pollen/immunology , Cytokines/immunologyABSTRACT
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant tumor of bone. Chemotherapy is one of the crucial approaches to prevent its metastasis and improve prognosis. Despite continuous improvements in the clinical treatment of OS, tumor resistance and metastasis remain dominant clinical challenges. Macropinocytosis, a form of non-selective nutrient endocytosis, has received increasing attention as a novel target for cancer therapy, yet its role in OS cells remains obscure. Benzethonium chloride (BZN) is an FDA-approved antiseptic and bactericide with broad-spectrum anticancer effects. Here, we described that BZN suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells in vitro and in vivo, but simultaneously promoted the massive accumulation of cytoplasmic vacuoles as well. Mechanistically, BZN repressed the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and the ERK1/2 activator partially neutralized the inhibitory effect of BZN on OS cells. Subsequently, we demonstrated that vacuoles originated from macropinocytosis and indicated that OS cells might employ macropinocytosis as a compensatory survival mechanism in response to BZN. Remarkably, macropinocytosis inhibitors enhanced the anti-OS effect of BZN in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our results suggest that BZN may inhibit OS cells by repressing the ERK1/2 signaling pathway and propose a potential strategy to enhance the BZN-induced inhibitory effect by suppressing macropinocytosis.