Biological characteristics of Muse cells derived from MenSCs and their application in acute liver injury and intracerebral hemorrhage diseases.

The increasing interest in multilineage differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells within the field of regenerative medicine is attributed to their exceptional homing capabilities, prolonged viability in adverse conditions, and enhanced three-germ-layer differentiate ability, surpassing their parent mesenchymal stem cells. Given their abundant sources, non-invasive collection procedure, and periodic availability, human menstrual blood-derived endometrium stem cells (MenSCs) have been extensively investigated as a potential resource for stem cell-based therapies. However, there is no established modality to isolate Muse cells from MenSCs and disparity in gene expression profiles between Muse cells and MenSCs remain unknown. In this study, Muse cells were isolated from MenSCs by long-time trypsin incubation method. Muse cells expressed pluripotency markers and could realize multilineage differentiation in vitro. Compared with MenSCs, Muse cells showed enhanced homing ability and superior therapeutic efficacy in animal models of acute liver injury (ALI) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Furthermore, the RNA-seq analysis offers insights into the mechanism underlying the disparity in trypsin resistance and migration ability between Muse and MenSCs cells. This research offers a significant foundation for further exploration of cell-based therapies using MenSCs-derived Muse cells in the context of various human diseases, highlighting their promising application in the field of regenerative medicine.

Poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus seriously impairs female reproduction via immune and metabolic disorders.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) affect reproductive health of female patients? What is the potential mechanism of reproductive dysfunction in female patients caused by T1DM? DESIGN: Preliminary assessment of serum levels of female hormones in women with or without T1DM. Then histological and immunological examinations were carried out on the pancreas, ovaries and uteri at different stages in non-obese diabetic (NOD) and Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice, as well as assessment of their fertility. A protein array was carried out to detect the changes in serum inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing was used to identify the key abnormal genes/pathways in ovarian and uterine tissues of female NOD mice, which were further verified at the protein level. RESULTS: Testosterone levels were significantly increased (P = 0.0036) in female mice with T1DM. Increasing age in female NOD mice was accompanied by obvious lymphocyte infiltration in the pancreatic islets. Moreover, the levels of serum inflammatory factors in NOD mice were sharply increased with increasing age. The fertility of female NOD mice declined markedly, and most were capable of conceiving only once. Furthermore, ovarian and uterine morphology and function were severely impaired in NOD female mice. Additionally, ovarian and uterine tissues revealed that the differentially expressed genes were primarily enriched in metabolism, cytokine-receptor interactions and chemokine signalling pathways. CONCLUSION: T1DM exerts a substantial impairment on female reproductive health, leading to diminished fertility, potentially associated with immune disorders and alterations in energy metabolism.

Menstrual Blood-Derived Endometrial Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Male Reproductive Dysfunction in T1D Mice by Enhancing Antioxidative Capacity.

Diabetes is known to negatively affect male reproduction. Recent clinical results have confirmed that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies are safe and effective for the treatment of diabetes. However, the effect and potential mechanism through which MSC transplantation improves diabetes-derived male reproductive dysfunction are still unknown. In the present study, we first established a male T1D mouse model through intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin for five consecutive days. Subsequently, we evaluated the blood glucose levels, fertility, and histology and immunology of the pancreas, testes, and penis of T1D mice with or without transplantation of menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) or umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs). Glucose was added to the medium in which the Leydig cells were cultured to imitate high glucose-injured cell viability. Subsequently, we evaluated the cellular viability, ROS levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential of Leydig cells treated with or without MenSC-conditioned medium (MenSC-CM) using a CCK8 assay, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. The targeted proteins are involved in the potential mechanism underlying MenSC-derived improvements, which was further validated via Western blotting. Collectively, our results indicated that MenSC transplantation significantly ameliorated reproductive dysfunction in male T1D mice by enhancing cellular antioxidative capacity and promoting angiogenesis. This study provides solid evidence and support for the application of MSCs to improve diabetes-induced male reproductive dysfunction.

Comprehensive analysis of co-expressed genes with TDP-43: prognostic and therapeutic potential in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Transactivating DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is intimately associated with tumorigenesis and progression by regulating mRNA splicing, transport, stability, and non-coding RNA molecules. The exact role of TDP-43 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not yet been fully elucidated, despite extensive research on its function in various cancer types. An imperative aspect of comprehending the underlying biological characteristics associated with TDP-43 involves investigating the genes that are co-expressed with this protein. This study assesses the prognostic significance of these co-expressed genes in LUAD and subsequently explores potential therapeutic strategies based on these findings. METHODS: Transcriptomic and clinical data pertaining to LUAD were retrieved from open-access databases to establish an association between mRNA expression profiles and the presence of TDP-43. A risk-prognosis model was developed to compare patient survival rates across various groups, and its accuracy was also assessed. Additionally, differences in tumor stemness, mutational profiles, tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics, immune checkpoints, and immune cell infiltration were analyzed in the different groups. Moreover, the study entailed predicting the potential response to immunotherapy as well as the sensitivity to commonly employed chemotherapeutic agents and targeted drugs for each distinct group. RESULTS: The TDP-43 Co-expressed Gene Risk Score (TCGRS) model was constructed utilizing four genes: Kinesin Family Member 20A (KIF20A), WD Repeat Domain 4 (WDR4), Proline Rich 11 (PRR11), and Glia Maturation Factor Gamma (GMFG). The value of this model in predicting LUAD patient survival is effectively illustrated by both the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed that the high TCGRS group was primarily enriched in biological pathways and functions linked to DNA replication and cell cycle; the low TCGRS group showed primary enrichment in immune-related pathways and functions. The high and low TCGRS groups showed differences in tumor stemness, mutational burden, TME, immune infiltration level, and immune checkpoints. The predictions analysis of immunotherapy indicates that the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score (p < 0.001) and non-response rate (74% vs. 51%, p < 0.001) in the high TCGRS group are higher than those in the low TCGRS group. The Immune Phenotype Score (IPS) in the high TCGRS group is lower than in the low TCGRS group (p < 0.001). The drug sensitivity analysis revealed that the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for cisplatin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, gemcitabine, paclitaxel, vincristine, erlotinib, and gefitinib (all p < 0.01) in the high TCGRS group are lower than those in the low TCGRS group. CONCLUSIONS: The TCGRS derived from the model exhibits a reliable biomarker for evaluating both prognosis and treatment effectiveness among patients with LUAD. This study is anticipated to offer valuable insights into developing effective treatment strategies for this patient population. It is believed that this study is anticipated to contribute significantly to clinical diagnostics, the development of therapeutic drugs, and the enhancement of patient care.

Npc1 gene mutation abnormally activates the classical Wnt signalling pathway in mouse kidneys and promotes renal fibrosis.

Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) is a lysosomal lipid storage disease caused by NPC1 gene mutation. Our previous study found that, compared with wild-type (Npc1+/+ ) mice, the renal volume and weight of Npc1 gene mutant (Npc1-/- ) mice were significantly reduced. We speculate that Npc1 gene mutations may affect the basic structure of the kidneys of Npc1-/- mice, and thus affect their function. Therefore, we randomly selected postnatal Day 28 (P28) and P56 Npc1+/+ and Npc1-/- mice, and observed the renal structure and pathological changes by haematoxylin-eosin staining. The level of renal fibrosis was detected by immunofluorescence histochemical techniques, and western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins and canonical Wnt signalling pathway related proteins. The results showed that compared with Npc1+/+ mice, the kidneys of P28 and P56 Npc1-/- mice underwent apoptosis and fibrosis; furthermore, there were obvious vacuoles in the cytoplasm of renal tubular epithelial cells of P56 Npc1-/- mice, the cell bodies were loose and foam-like, and the canonical Wnt signalling pathway was abnormally activated. These results showed that Npc1 gene mutation can cause pathological changes in the kidneys of mice. As age increased, vacuoles developed in the cytoplasm of renal tubular epithelial cells, and apoptosis of renal cells, abnormal activation of the Wnt signalling pathway, and promotion of renal fibrosis increased.

Ubiquitination of cytoplasmic HMGB1 by RNF186 regulates hepatic lipophagy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Lipophagy is a vital biological process that maintains the balance of intracellular lipid metabolism in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the precise regulatory mechanism of RNF186 in hepatic lipophagy is still unclear. This study investigates the roles and mechanisms of RNF186 in the regulation of lipophagy during the development of NAFLD. METHODS: In this study, we employed RNF186 knockout mice as well as human liver cells and mouse primary hepatocytes (MPHs) to investigate the role and mechanisms of RNF186 in lipophagy during the progression of NAFLD. Additionally, liver specimens from individuals with NAFLD were examined to assess the expression of RNF186 and its associated factors. RESULTS: Here, we provide evidence that depletion of RNF186 enhances lipophagy in hepatocytes of a NAFLD model. Mechanistically, RNF186 acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets cytoplasmic HMGB1 for lysine 48 (K48)- and K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to its subsequent proteasomal degradation. Importantly, the translocation of HMGB1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is responsible for inducing lipophagy in NAFLD samples. Knockdown of HMGB1 significantly reduces the activation of lipophagy and mediates the decrease in lipid accumulation caused by RNF186 depletion in hepatocytes. Furthermore, we find that maintaining the nuclear HMGB1 level and inhibiting its nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling are critical for the proper function of RNF186 in NAFLD. Additionally, the expression of RNF186 and HMGB1 in human NAFLD samples, along with factors related to lipophagy, suggest that RNF186 may play a similar role in the pathogenesis of human fatty liver. CONCLUSION: RNF186 deficiency accelerates hepatic lipophagy in NAFLD through the inhibition of ubiquitination and degradation of cytoplasmic HMGB1. Consequently, targeting the RNF186-HMGB1 axis may offer a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cell, a unique and promising alternative in the stem cell-based therapy for chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian insufficiency.

Chemotherapy can cause ovarian dysfunction and infertility since the ovary is extremely sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs. Apart from the indispensable role of the ovary in the overall hormonal milieu, ovarian dysfunction also affects many other organ systems and functions including sexuality, bones, the cardiovascular system, and neurocognitive function. Although conventional hormone replacement therapy can partly relieve the adverse symptoms of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), the treatment cannot fundamentally prevent deterioration of POI. Therefore, effective treatments to improve chemotherapy-induced POI are urgently needed, especially for patients desiring fertility preservation. Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies have resulted in promising improvements in chemotherapy-induced ovary dysfunction by enhancing the anti-apoptotic capacity of ovarian cells, preventing ovarian follicular atresia, promoting angiogenesis and improving injured ovarian structure and the pregnancy rate. These improvements are mainly attributed to MSC-derived biological factors, functional RNAs, and even mitochondria, which are directly secreted or indirectly translocated with extracellular vesicles (microvesicles and exosomes) to repair ovarian dysfunction. Additionally, as a novel source of MSCs, menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) have exhibited promising therapeutic effects in various diseases due to their comprehensive advantages, such as periodic and non-invasive sample collection, abundant sources, regular donation and autologous transplantation. Therefore, this review summarizes the efficacy of MSCs transplantation in improving chemotherapy-induced POI and analyzes the underlying mechanism, and further discusses the benefit and existing challenges in promoting the clinical application of MenSCs in chemotherapy-induced POI.

Conditioned medium of human menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells protects against cell inflammation and apoptosis of Npc1KO N2a cells.

Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the NPC1 gene. This gene encodes a transmembrane protein found in lysosomes. This disease characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, neurological impairments and premature death. Recent preclinical studies have shown promising results in using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to alleviate the symptoms of NPC1. One type of MSCs, known as human menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs), has attracted attention due to its accessibility, abundant supply, and strong proliferation and regeneration capabilities. However, it remains uncertain whether the conditioned medium of MenSCs (MenSCs-CM) can effectively relieve the symptoms of NPC1. To investigate this further, we employed the CRISPR-Cas9 technique to successfully create a Npc1 gene knockout N2a cell line (Npc1KO N2a). Sanger sequencing confirmed the occurrence of Npc1 gene mutation in these cells, while western blotting revealed a lack of NPC1 protein expression. Filipin staining provided visual evidence of unesterified cholesterol accumulation in Npc1KO N2a cells. Moreover, Npc1KO N2a cells exhibited significantly decreased viability, increased inflammation, and heightened cell apoptosis. Notably, our study demonstrated that the viability of Npc1KO N2a cells was most significantly improved after being cultured by 36 h-collected MenSCs-CM for 0.5 days. Additionally, MenSCs-CM exhibited the ability to effectively reduce inflammation, counteract cell apoptosis, and ameliorate unesterified cholesterol accumulation in Npc1KO N2a cells. This groundbreaking finding establishes, for the first time, the protective effect of MenSCs-CM on N2a cells with Npc1 gene deletion. These findings suggest that the potential of MenSCs-CM as a beneficial therapeutic approach for NPC1 and other neurodegenerative diseases.

MenSCs Transplantation Improve the Viability of Injured Endometrial Cells Through Activating PI3K/Akt Pathway.

Endometrial injury is one of the leading causes of female infertility and is caused by intrauterine surgery, endometrial infection, repeated abortion, or genital tuberculosis. Currently, there is little effective treatment to restore the fertility of patients with severe intrauterine adhesions and thin endometrium. Recent studies have confirmed the promising therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on various diseases with definite tissue injury. The aim of this study is to investigate the improvements of menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) transplantation on functional restoration in the endometrium of mouse model. Therefore, ethanol-induced endometrial injury mouse models were randomly divided into two groups: the PBS-treated group, and the MenSCs-treated group. As expected, the endometrial thickness and gland number in the endometrium of MenSCs-treated mice were significantly improved compared to those of PBS-treated mice (P < 0.05), and fibrosis levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Subsequent results revealed that MenSCs treatment significantly promoted angiogenesis in the injured endometrium. Simultaneously, MenSCs enhance the proliferation and antiapoptotic capacity of endometrial cells, which is likely contributed by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Further tests also confirmed the chemotaxis of GFP-labeled MenSCs towards the injured uterus. Consequently, MenSCs treatment significantly improved the pregnant mice and the number of embryos in pregnant mice. This study confirmed the superior improvements of MenSCs transplantation on the injured endometrium and uncovered the potential therapeutic mechanism, which provides a promising alternative for patients with serious endometrial injury.

Regulation of Hepatocytes in G0 and G1 Phases by NOTCH3 mRNA, miR-369-3p, and rno-Rmdn2_0006 during the Initial Stage of Rat Liver Regeneration.

The key event of liver regeneration initiation (LRI) is the switch of hepatocytes from the G0 phase to the G1 phase. This study aimed to use the data from large-scale quantitatively detecting and analyzing (LQDA) to reveal the regulation of hepatocytes in the G0 or G1 phase by competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) during LRI. The hepatocytes of the rat liver right lobe were isolated 0, 6, and 24 h after partial hepatectomy. Their ceRNA expression level was measured using LQDA, and the correlation among their expression, interaction, and role was revealed by ceRNA comprehensive analysis. The expression of neurogenic loci notch homologous protein 3 (NOTCH3) mRNA was upregulated in 0 h, but the expression of miR-369-3p and rno-Rmdn2_0006 of hepatocytes did not change significantly. Meanwhile, the expression of the G0 phase-related gene CDKN1c was promoted by NOTCH3 upregulation, and the expression of the G1 phase-related gene PSEN2 was inhibited by NOTCH3 downregulation. On the contrary, the expression of NOTCH3 mRNA and rno-Rmdn2_0006 was upregulated at 6 h, but the expression of miR-136-3p was downregulated. The expression of the G1 phase-related genes CHUK, DDX24, HES1, NET1, and STAT3 was promoted by NOTCH3 upregulation, and the expression of the G0 phase-related gene CDKN1a was inhibited by NOTCH3 downregulation. These results suggested that the ceRNAs and the NOTCH3-regulated G0 phase- and G1 phase-related genes showed a correlation in expression, interaction, and role. They together regulated the hepatocytes in the G0 phase at 0 h and in the G1 phase at 6 h. These findings might help understand the mechanism by which ceRNA together regulated the hepatocytes in the G0 or G1 phase.

Chemotherapy impairs ovarian function through excessive ROS-induced ferroptosis.

Chemotherapy was conventionally applied to kill cancer cells, but regrettably, they also induce damage to normal cells with high-proliferative capacity resulting in cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, peripheral nerve toxicity, and ovarian toxicity. Of these, chemotherapy-induced ovarian damages mainly include but are not limited to decreased ovarian reserve, infertility, and ovarian atrophy. Therefore, exploring the underlying mechanism of chemotherapeutic drug-induced ovarian damage will pave the way to develop fertility-protective adjuvants for female patients during conventional cancer treatment. Herein, we firstly confirmed the abnormal gonadal hormone levels in patients who received chemotherapy and further found that conventional chemotherapeutic drugs (cyclophosphamide, CTX; paclitaxel, Tax; doxorubicin, Dox and cisplatin, Cis) treatment significantly decreased both the ovarian volume of mice and the number of primordial and antral follicles and accompanied with the ovarian fibrosis and reduced ovarian reserve in animal models. Subsequently, Tax, Dox, and Cis treatment can induce the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), likely resulting from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production-induced oxidative damage and impaired cellular anti-oxidative capacity. Thirdly, the following experiments demonstrated that Cis treatment could induce mitochondrial dysfunction through overproducing superoxide in GCs and trigger lipid peroxidation leading to ferroptosis, first reported in chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage. In addition, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment could alleviate the Cis-induced toxicity in GCs by downregulating cellular ROS levels and enhancing the anti-oxidative capacity (promoting the expression of glutathione peroxidase, GPX4; nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1, HO-1). Our study confirmed the chemotherapy-induced chaotic hormonal state and ovarian damage in preclinical and clinical examination and indicated that chemotherapeutic drugs initiated ferroptosis in ovarian cells through excessive ROS-induced lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to ovarian cell death. Consequently, developing fertility protectants from the chemotherapy-induced oxidative stress and ferroptosis perspective will ameliorate ovarian damage and further improve the life quality of cancer patients.

Menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells alleviate neuroinflammation by modulating M1/M2 polarization in cell and rat Parkinson's disease models.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation is closely related to the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Because of the extensive sources, non-invasive and periodical collection method, human menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) have been explored as a promising tool for treatment of PD. This study aimed to investigate if MenSCs could inhibit neuroinflammation in PD rats by regulating M1/M2 polarization and to excavate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: MenSCs were co-cultured with 6-OHDA-exposed microglia cell lines. Then the morphology of microglia cells and the level of inflammatory factors were assessed by immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR. After MenSCs were transplanted into the brain of PD rats, animal motor function, the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, and the level of inflammatory factors in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were detected to evaluate the therapeutic potential of MenSCs. Meanwhile, the expression of M1/M2 phenotype related genes was detected by qRT-PCR. One protein array kit containing 1000 kinds of factors was used to detect the protein components in the conditioned medium of MenSCs. Finally, bioinformatic analysis was performed to analyze the function of factors secreted by MenSCs and the signal pathways involved in. RESULTS: MenSCs could suppress 6-OHDA-induced microglia cell activation and significantly decrease inflammation in vitro. After transplantation into the brain of PD rats, MenSCs improved animal motor function, which was indicated by the increased movement distance, ambulatory episodes, exercise time on the rotarod, and less contralateral rotation. Additionally, MenSCs reduced the loss of dopaminergic neurons and down-regulated the level of pro-inflammatory factors in the CSF and serum. Moreover, q-PCR and WB results showed the transplantation of MenSCs significantly down-regulated the expression of M1 phenotype cell markers and meanwhile up-regulated the expression of M2 phenotype cell markers in the brain of PD rats. 176 biological processes including inflammatory response, negative regulation of apoptotic process, and microglial cell activation were enriched by GO-BP analysis. 58 signal pathways including PI3K/Akt and MAPK were enriched by KEGG analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our results provide preliminary evidence for the anti-inflammation capacity of MenSCs by regulating M1/M2 polarization. We firstly demonstrated the biological process of factors secreted by MenSCs and the signal pathways involved in using protein array and bioinformatic analysis.

Identification and protective role of CD34+ stromal cells/telocytes in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse spleen.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a classical animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS) that is most commonly used to study the neuropathology and therapeutic effects of the disease. Telocytes (TCs) are a specialized type of interstitial or mesenchymal cell first identified by Popescu in various tissues and organs. However, the existence, distribution and role of CD34+ stromal cells (SCs)/TCs in the EAE-induced mouse spleen remain to be elucidated. We conducted immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence (double staining for CD34 and c-kit, vimentin, F4/80, CD163, Nanog, Sca-1, CD31 or tryptase) and transmission electron microscopy experiments to investigate the existence, distribution and role of CD34+ SCs/TCs in the EAE-induced mouse spleen. Interestingly, immunohistochemistry, double-immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy results revealed that CD34+ SCs/TCs were significantly upregulated in the EAE mouse spleen. Immunohistochemical or double-immunofluorescence staining of CD34+ SCs/TCs showed positive expression for CD34, c-kit, vimentin, CD34/vimentin, c-kit/vimentin and CD34/c-kit, and negative expression for CD31 and tryptase. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results demonstrated that CD34+ SCs/TCs established close connections with lymphocytes, reticular cells, macrophages, endothelial cells and erythrocytes. Furthermore, we also found that M1 (F4/80) or M2 (CD163) macrophages, and haematopoietic, pluripotent stem cells were markedly increased in EAE mice. Our results suggest that CD34+ SCs/TCs are abundant and may play a contributing role in modulating the immune response, recruiting macrophages and proliferation of haematopoietic and pluripotent stem cells following injury to promote tissue repair and regeneration in EAE mouse spleens. This suggests that their transplantation combined with stem cells might represent a promising therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of multiple autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders.

p38-mediated FOXN3 phosphorylation modulates lung inflammation and injury through the NF-κB signaling pathway.

NF-κB activates the primary inflammatory response pathway responsible for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced lung inflammation and injury. Here, we report that the Forkhead box transcription factor FOXN3 ameliorates MRSA-induced pulmonary inflammatory injury by inactivating NF-κB signaling. FOXN3 competes with IκBα for binding to heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein-U (hnRNPU), thereby blocking ß-TrCP-mediated IκBα degradation and leading to NF-κB inactivation. FOXN3 is directly phosphorylated by p38 at S83 and S85 residues, which induces its dissociation from hnRNPU, thus promoting NF-κB activation. After dissociation, the phosphorylated FOXN3 becomes unstable and undergoes proteasomal degradation. Additionally, hnRNPU is essential for p38-mediated FOXN3 phosphorylation and subsequent phosphorylation-dependent degradation. Functionally, genetic ablation of FOXN3 phosphorylation results in strong resistance to MRSA-induced pulmonary inflammatory injury. Importantly, FOXN3 phosphorylation is clinically positively correlated with pulmonary inflammatory disorders. This study uncovers a previously unknown regulatory mechanism underpinning the indispensable role of FOXN3 phosphorylation in the inflammatory response to pulmonary infection.

Human Menstrual Blood-Derived Endometrial Stem Cells Promote Functional Recovery by Improving the Inflammatory Microenvironment in a Mouse Spinal Cord Injury Model.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic injury of the central nervous system. Because neurons are damaged and difficult to regenerate after SCI, its repair remains challenging. However, recent research on stem cell therapy have favored its use after SCI. In this study, based on the establishment of a mouse SCI model, human menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) were intrathecally injected to explore the role and molecular mechanism of MenSCs in SCI. MenSCs were transplanted following SCI in the animal model, and behavioral evaluations showed that MenSC transplantation improved functional recovery. Therefore, samples were collected after 7 days, and transcriptome sequencing was performed. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that SCI is closely related to immune system processes. After transplantation of MenSCs, the immune response was significantly activated. In the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, MenSC transplantation was found to be closely related to Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell differentiation pathways. Neuronal damage and glial cell proliferation and activation in the different groups were detected by fluorescence immunohistochemistry and Western blotting 7 days after SCI. Simultaneously, the activation of different types of microglia was detected and the expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors was quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that MenSC transplantation and sonic hedgehog (Shh)-induced MenSCs accelerated neuronal recovery at the injured site, inhibited the formation of glial cells and microglial activation at the injured site, inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors, and improved the inflammatory microenvironment to achieve functional recovery of SCI. This study provides an experimental basis for the study of the role and molecular mechanism of MenSCs in SCI repair, and a reference for the role of Shh-induced MenSCs in SCI repair.

Menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells inhibit neuroinflammation by regulating microglia through the TLR4/MyD88/NLRP3/Casp1 pathway.

Neuroinflammation is a common response in various neurological disorders. Mesenchymal stem cell-based treatment has become a promising therapy for neuroinflammation-associated diseases. However, the effects of mesenchymal stem cells are controversial, and the underlying mechanism is incompletely understood. In the present study, menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells were intravenously transplanted into a mouse model of neuroinflammation established by peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharide. Microglial cells challenged with lipopolysaccharide were cultured with conditioned medium from endometrial stem cells. The levels of cytokines were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell proliferation and death were detected by Cell Counting Kit 8 and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and caspase 1 (Casp1) were evaluated by western blotting. The results showed that intravenous transplantation of endometrial stem cells downregulated proinflammatory factors and upregulated anti-inflammatory factors in the brain of mice with neuroinflammation. Conditioned medium suppressed the inflammatory reaction and hyperactivation of microglial cells and protected microglial cells from cell death induced by lipopolysaccharide in vitro. The expression of TLR4, MyD88, NLRP3 and Casp1 in the brain of mice with neuroinflammation and in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated microglial cells was downregulated by endometrial stem cells and conditioned medium, respectively. These data suggested that menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells may suppress neuroinflammatory reactions partially by regulating microglia through the TLR4/MyD88/NLRP3/Casp1 signalling pathway. Our findings may be very useful for the development of an alternative stem cell-based therapy for neuroinflammation-associated disorders.

Extracellular vesicle-transmitted miR-671-5p alleviates lung inflammation and injury by regulating the AAK1/NF-κB axis.

Mesenchymal stem cells regulate remote intercellular signaling communication via their secreted extracellular vesicles. Here, we report that menstrual blood-derived stem cells alleviate acute lung inflammation and injury via their extracellular vesicle-transmitted miR-671-5p. Disruption of this abundantly expressed miR-671-5p dramatically reduced the ameliorative effect of extracellular vesicles released by menstrual blood-derived stem cells on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary inflammatory injury. Mechanistically, miR-671-5p directly targets the kinase AAK1 for post-transcriptional degradation. AAK1 is found to positively regulate the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling by controlling the stability of the inhibitory protein IκBα. This study identifies a potential molecular basis of how extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells improve pulmonary inflammatory injury and highlights the functional importance of the miR-671-5p/AAK1 axis in the progression of pulmonary inflammatory diseases. More importantly, this study provides a promising cell-based approach for the treatment of pulmonary inflammatory disorders through an extracellular vesicle-dependent pathway.

HGF Secreted by Menstrual Blood-Derived Endometrial Stem Cells Ameliorates Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Through Downregulation of Hepatic Rnf186.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated to protect against fatty liver diseases, but the mechanism is still not clear. Menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) are a substantial population of MSCs that can be obtained in a noninvasive manner. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of MenSC transplantation in mouse models of diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The results revealed that MenSCs markedly promoted hepatic glycogen storage and attenuated lipid accumulation after transplantation. We further identified Rnf186 as a novel regulator involved in MenSC-based therapy for NAFLD mice. Rnf186 deficiency substantially inhibited high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and abnormal hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism in mice. Mechanistically, Rnf186 regulated glucose and lipid metabolism through the AMPK-mTOR pathway. More importantly, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is identified as the key functional cytokine secreted by MenSCs and decreases the expression of hepatic Rnf186. HGF deficient MenSCs cannot attenuate glucose and lipid accumulation after transplantation in NAFLD mice. Collectively, our results provide preliminary evidence for the protective roles of HGF secreted by MenSCs in fatty liver diseases through downregulation of hepatic Rnf186 and suggest that MenSCs or Rnf186 may be an alternative therapeutic approach/target for the treatment of NAFLD.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells: A promising therapeutic option for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Chronic wounds fail to heal through the three normal stages of healing (inflammatory, proliferative, and remodelling), resulting in a chronic tissue injury that is not repaired within the average time limit. Patients suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes are prone to develop diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), which commonly develop into chronic wounds that are non treatable with conventional therapies. DFU develops due to various risk factors, such as peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, arterial insufficiency, foot deformities, trauma and impaired resistance to infection. DFUs have gradually become a major problem in the health care system worldwide. In this review, we not only focus on the pathogenesis of DFU but also comprehensively summarize the outcomes of preclinical and clinical studies thus far and the potential therapeutic mechanism of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) for the treatment of DFU. Based on the published results, BMSC transplantation can contribute to wound healing through growth factor secretion, anti-inflammation, differentiation into tissue-specific cells, neovascularization, re-epithelialization and angiogenesis in DFUs. Moreover, clinical trials showed that BMSC treatment in patients with diabetic ulcers improved ulcer healing and the ankle-brachial index, ameliorated pain scores, and enhanced claudication walking distances with no reported complications. In conclusion, although BMSC transplantation exhibits promising therapeutic potential in DFU treatment, additional studies should be performed to confirm their efficacy and long-term safety in DFU patients.

Sustainable Production and Activity Determination of Serum-Free Conditioned Medium from Menstrual Blood-Derived Endometrial Stem Cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have exhibited great potential as a regenerative medicine, and MSC-derived paracrine effects, mainly including the secretion of various bioactive factors, play critical roles in MSC-based therapies. MSC-derived serum-free conditioned medium (MSC-CM) is defined as the secretome of MSC-derived bioactive factors and is considered a new cell-free therapeutic agent for disease treatment. However, the MSC-CM used in previous studies was prepared by a nearly disposable method that the MSCs were discarded after preparing MSC-CM, and the preparation time was variable; simultaneously, the viability changes of MSCs after MSC-CM preparation are still unknown. Therefore, this study takes MenSCs as a research project and aims to explore the suitable period of sustainable MenSC-CM preparation rather than using a disposable method. As expected, our results confirmed that MenSC-CM improves viability of both naïve targeted cells and H2O2-injured targeted cells, and suggested that 36 h is suitable for sustainable MenSC-CM preparation in which the angiogenic factors almost reach to the peak. Simultaneously, the MenSCs used to prepare the MenSC-CM for 36 h also maintained preferable cell viability and could be sustainably used for further MenSC-CM preparation. Moreover, the in vivo results further confirmed the improvement of MenSC-CM on promoting skin wound healing. Consequently, our results not only provide support for optimizing MSC-CM sustainable preparation based on various MSCs but also promote the comprehensive application of MenSCs in the clinic.