Small-diameter vascular graft composing of core-shell structured micro-nanofibers loaded with heparin and VEGF for endothelialization and prevention of neointimal hyperplasia.

Despite the significant progress made in recent years, clinical issues with small-diameter vascular grafts related to low mechanical strength, thrombosis, intimal hyperplasia, and insufficient endothelialization remain unresolved. This study aims to design and fabricate a core-shell fibrous small-diameter vascular graft by co-axial electrospinning process, which will mechanically and biologically meet the benchmarks for blood vessel replacement. The presented graft (PGHV) comprised polycaprolactone/gelatin (shell) loaded with heparin-VEGF and polycaprolactone (core). This study hypothesized that the shell structure of the fibers would allow rapid degradation to release heparin-VEGF, and the core would provide mechanical strength for long-term application. Physico-mechanical evaluation, in vitro biocompatibility, and hemocompatibility assays were performed to ensure safe in vivo applications. After 25 days, the PGHV group released 79.47 ± 1.54% of heparin and 86.25 ± 1.19% of VEGF, and degradation of the shell was observed but the core remained pristine. Both the control (PG) and PGHV groups demonstrated robust mechanical properties. The PGHV group showed excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility compared to the PG group. After four months of rat aorta implantation, PGHV exhibited smooth muscle cell regeneration and complete endothelialization with a patency rate of 100%. The novel core-shell structured graft could be pivotal in vascular tissue regeneration application.

BMP2 restores erectile dysfunction through neurovascular regeneration and fibrosis reduction in diabetic mice.

BACKGROUND: The odds of erectile dysfunction are three times more prevalent in diabetes. Severe peripheral vascular and neural damage in diabetic patients responds poorly to phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. However, bone morphogenetic protein 2 is known to be involved in angiogenesis. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of bone morphogenetic protein 2 in stimulating angiogenesis and augmenting nerve regeneration in a mouse model of diabetic-induced erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The induction of diabetes mellitus was performed by streptozotocin (50 mg/kg daily) administered intraperitoneally for 5 successive days to male C57BL/6 mice that were 8 weeks old. Eight weeks post-inductions, animals were allocated to one of five groups: a control group, a streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse group receiving two intracavernous 20 µL phosphate-buffered saline injections, or one of three bone morphogenetic protein 2 groups administered two injections of bone morphogenetic protein 2 protein (1, 5, or 10 µg) diluted in 20 µL of phosphate-buffered saline within a 3-day interval between the first and second injections. The erectile functions were assessed 2 weeks after phosphate-buffered saline or bone morphogenetic protein 2 protein injections by recording the intracavernous pressure through cavernous nerve electrical stimulation. Angiogenic activities and nerve regenerating effects of bone morphogenetic protein 2 were determined in penile tissues, aorta, vena cava, the main pelvic ganglions, the dorsal roots, and from the primary cultured mouse cavernous endothelial cells. Moreover, fibrosis-related factor protein expressions were evaluated by western blotting. RESULTS: Erectile function recovery to 81% of the control value in diabetic mice was found with intracavernous bone morphogenetic protein 2 injection (5 µg/20 µL). Pericytes and endothelial cells were extensively restored. It was confirmed that angiogenesis was promoted in the corpus cavernosum of diabetic mice treated with bone morphogenetic protein 2 through increased ex vivo sprouting of aortic rings, vena cava and penile tissues, and migration and tube formation of mouse cavernous endothelial cells. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 protein enhanced cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis in mouse cavernous endothelial cells and penile tissues, and promoted neurite outgrowth in major pelvic ganglia and dorsal root ganglia under high-glucose conditions. Furthermore, bone morphogenetic protein 2 suppressed fibrosis by reducing mouse cavernous endothelial cell fibronectin, collagen 1, and collagen 4 levels under high-glucose conditions. CONCLUSION: Bone morphogenetic protein 2 modulates neurovascular regeneration and inhibits fibrosis to revive the mouse erection function in diabetic conditions. Our findings propose that the bone morphogenetic protein 2 protein represents a novel and promising approach to treating diabetes-related erectile dysfunction.

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Promote Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration.

Wound healing is a complex process involving cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) or exosomes derived from adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) are emerging as promising alternatives to cell therapy for advanced wound healing. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a major component of the skin ECM, is widely utilized in wound dressings and dermal fillers. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ASC-derived exosomes (ASC-EXOs) on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and their potential combination with HA in in vivo wound healing and dermal filler models. In HDFs, ASC-EXOs increased cell proliferation and migration. ASC-EXOs also upregulated the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and wound healing while stimulating collagen production in HDFs. In a porcine wound healing model, topical treatment with a combination of HA and ASC-EXOs led to higher wound closure rates compared to HA alone. Histological examination showed increased re-epithelialization and collagen type III deposition in wounds treated with the combination of HA and ASC-EXOs. In a mouse dermal filler model, tissues injected with the combination of HA and ASC-EXOs exhibited thicker tissue layers, increased vascularization, enhanced infiltration of myofibroblasts, and higher levels of collagen III and collagen fiber content compared to HA alone. These findings suggest that ASC-EXOs have beneficial effects on cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression related to wound healing, and they may accelerate wound closure and promote tissue regeneration. Furthermore, the combination of HA and ASC-EXOs may enhance wound healing and tissue remodeling, indicating its potential for both clinical and regenerative aesthetic applications in skin repair and regeneration.

Expression patterns of AEG-1 in the normal brain.

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is a well-known oncogene implicated in various types of human cancers, including brain tumors. Recently, AEG-1 has also been reported to play pivotal roles in glioma-associated neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the normal physiological functions and expression patterns of AEG-1 in the brain are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of AEG-1 in the normal mouse brain and found that AEG-1 is widely expressed in neurons and neuronal precursor cells, but little in glial cells. We observed differential expression levels of AEG-1 in various brain regions, and its expression was mainly localized in the cell body of neurons rather than the nucleus. Additionally, AEG-1 was expressed in the cytoplasm of Purkinje cells in both the mouse and human cerebellum, suggesting its potential role in this brain region. These findings suggest that AEG-1 may have important functions in normal brain physiology and warrant further investigation. Our results may also shed light on the differential expression patterns of AEG-1 in normal and pathological brains, providing insights into its roles in various neurological disorders.

Immunogenic cell death in cancer immunotherapy.

Cancer immunotherapy has been acknowledged as a new paradigm for cancer treatment, with notable therapeutic effects on certain cancer types. Despite their significant potential, clinical studies over the past decade have revealed that cancer immunotherapy has low response rates in the majority of solid tumors. One of the key causes for poor responses is known to be the relatively low immunogenicity of solid tumors. Because most solid tumors are immune desert 'cold tumors' with antitumor immunity blocked from the onset of innate immunity, combination therapies that combine validated T-based therapies with approaches that can increase tumor-immunogenicity are being considered as relevant therapeutic options. This review paper focuses on immunogenic cell death (ICD) as a way of enhancing immunogenicity in tumor tissues. We will thoroughly review how ICDs such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis can improve anti-tumor immunity and outline clinical trials targeting ICD. Finally, we will discuss the potential of ICD inducers. as an adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy.[BMB Reports 2023; 56(5): 275-286].

A combination of BR101801 and venetoclax enhances antitumor effect in DLBCL cells via c-Myc/Bcl-2/Mcl-1 triple targeting.

Double hit diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with rearrangement and overexpression of both c-Myc and Bcl-2 responds poorly to standard R-CHOP therapy. In a recent phase I study, Venetoclax (ABT-199) targeting Bcl-2 also exhibited disappointing response rates in patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL, suggesting that targeting only Bcl-2 is not sufficient for achieving successful efficacy due to the concurrent oncogenic function of c-Myc expression and drug resistance following an increase in Mcl-1. Therefore, co-targeting c-Myc and Mcl-1 could be a key combinatorial strategy to enhance the efficacy of Venetoclax. In this study, BR101801 a novel drug for DLBCL, effectively inhibited DLBCL cell growth/proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest, and markedly inhibited G0/G1 arrest. The apoptotic effect of BR101801 was also observed by increased Cytochrome C, cleaved PARP, and Annexin V-positive cell populations. This anti-cancer effect of BR101801 was confirmed in animal models, where it effectively inhibited tumor growth by reducing the expression of both c-Myc and Mcl-1. Furthermore, BR101801 exhibited a significant synergistic antitumor effect even in late xenograft models when combined with Venetoclax. Our data strongly suggest that c-Myc/Bcl-2/Mcl-1 triple targeting through a combination of BR101801 and Venetoclax could be a potential clinical option for double-hit DLBCL.

Hydrogel Microneedles Extracting Exosomes for Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer.

There are several methods for early diagnosis of tumors, such as detecting circulating tumor DNAs, detecting circulating tumor cells, or imaging with tumor-targeting contrast agents. However, these assays are time-consuming and may cause patient discomfort during the biopsy collecting process. Here, we develop a facile method for early diagnosis of tumors by extracting exosomes from interstitial fluid (ISF) using hydrogel microneedles (MNs). The hydrogel MNs expand in the skin to absorb the ISF, and the tumor exosomes contained in the ISF bind with the glypican-1 antibodies inside the hydrogel of MNs. After removing the hydrogel on the MNs, exosomes are separately purified from the ISF to analyze tumor-related biomarkers. Finally, colorectal cancer can be diagnosed by ELISA for the colorectal cancer-induced model mice. This noninvasive hydrogel MN system to obtain the exosome samples would play an important role in early cancer diagnosis.

ß-Carotene induces UCP1-independent thermogenesis via ATP-consuming futile cycles in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes.

The activation of brown fat and induction of beige adipocytes, so-called non-shivering thermogenesis, is emerging as a promising target for therapeutic intervention in obesity management. Our previous report demonstrated that ß-carotene (BC) induces beige adipocytes to increase UCP1-dependent thermogenic activity. However, the UCP1-independent thermogenic effect of BC on adipose tissues remains unexplored. In this study, we examined the effects of BC on UCP1-independent thermogenic activity with a focus on the ATP-consuming futile cycles in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. BC increased intracellular calcium levels and stimulated the expression of calcium cycling-related proteins, including sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) 2b, ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2), voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2 (CaMK2) in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes. In addition, BC stimulated thermogenesis by activating the creatine metabolism-related thermogenic pathway. Moreover, BC activated ß-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1), which efficiently cleaved BC to retinal and consequently converted to its transcriptionally active form retinoic acid. These BC conversion products also exhibited thermogenic effects comparable to a similar level of BC. The mechanistic study revealed that retinal exhibited thermogenic activity independently of retinoic acid and retinoic acid-mediated thermogenesis was resulted partly from conversion of retinal. Moreover, BC activated α1-AR and UCP1-independent thermogenic effectors independently of UCP1 expression. In conclusion, the thermogenic response to BC and its conversion products in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes involves two interacting pathways, one mediated via ß3-adrenergic receptors (ß3-AR) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and the other via α1-AR and increases in cytosolic Ca2+ levels activated by calcium regulatory proteins.

Panax ginseng C.A. meyer alleviates benign prostatic hyperplasia while preventing finasteride-induced side effects.

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, a widely used traditional medicine in East Asia, shows many beneficial effects on immune function, male erectile dysfunction, cancer, excessive oxidants, and aging issues. However, its effect on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and its potential in the treatment of side effects related to finasteride (Fi), an FDA-approved drug for BPH, are less known. This study aimed to verify the therapeutic effects of a water extract of P. ginseng (PGWE) on BPH in testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH rats and TP-treated RWPE-1 human epithelial cells, and the inhibitory potential on the Fi-induced side effects is also explored. In the TP-induced BPH rat model, PGWE alleviated the pathological markers of BPH such as weight and epithelial thickness of the prostate, and the serum level of dihydrotestosterone. PGWE downregulated androgen-related BPH factors such as 5α-reductase 2 and androgen receptor. PGWE also showed prostatic cell apoptosis accompanied by increased expression of Bax and decreased expression of Bcl-xL and cleaved-caspase 3, respectively, in addition to increasing mitochondrial dynamics in both in vivo and in vitro BPH models. Notably, reduced sperm count, one of the serious side effects of Fi, in the epididymis of BPH rats was recovered with PGWE treatment, suggesting less toxicity to sperm development by PGWE. PGWE also protected against Fi-induced sperm loss when PGWE was administered in combination with Fi without compromising the therapeutic effects of Fi on BPH. Based on these findings, we propose that PGWE could be an alternative therapeutic agent for BPH.

Enhancing pedestrian perceived safety through walking environment modification considering traffic and walking infrastructure.

Urban policies have recently been formulated, following the increasing interest in pedestrian-friendly cities, people-centered safety, and accessibility. Despite the research efforts on physical walking safety, safety evaluations centered on pedestrian perception have been under-reported. Investigating the factors affecting pedestrian subjective safety perception is critical to promoting walking intention because pedestrians forgo walking if they feel unsafe. This study explored the relationship between various walking environmental factors and pedestrians' psychological perception of safety by surveying 99 pedestrians' perceptions at nine study sites and conducting a field investigation. Because of the multifaceted nature of pedestrian perception, mediation effect analyses were also conducted to understand the relationship between walking environment factors and perceived safety in depth, considering the role of the perception of traffic characteristics and walking infrastructure. This study found that walking environmental factors closely related to physical safety (e.g., traffic safety facilities and crosswalks) may not greatly contribute to perceived safety and demonstrated that maintaining infrastructure quality is essential for enhancing perceived safety, considering the mediating effect of the perception of infrastructure on perceived safety. The results imply that to improve the walking environment, it is necessary to consider both the physical safety and the perceived safety of pedestrians. This requires comprehensive planning for enhancing traffic safety facilities as well as ensuring user comfort and pleasure through quality infrastructure. This study can provide a basis for enhancing pedestrian-centered safety and promoting residents' walking intention for public health while increasing their perceptions of safety.

Anticancer Effects of High Glucosinolate Synthesis Lines of Brassica rapa on Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Chemoprevention is a method of health control in modern industrialized societies. Traditional breeding (hybridization) has been widely used to produce new (sub)species with beneficial phenotypes. Previously, we produced a number of doubled haploid (DH) lines of Brassica rapa with a high glucosinolate (GSL) content. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer activities of extracts from three selected high-GSL (HGSL)-containing DH lines (DHLs) of Brassica rapa in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The three HGSL DHL extracts showed anti-proliferative activities in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assay and pro-apoptotic activities in the cell cycle or annexin V analysis with the induction of pro-apoptotic protein expression in CRC cells. Mechanistically, HGSL DHL extracts inhibited the NF-κB and ERK pathways, leading to a reduction in the nuclear localization of NF-κB p65. In addition, reactive oxygen species were induced by HGSL DHL extract treatment in CRC cells. In conclusion, our data suggest that the newly developed HGSL DHLs possess enhanced anticancer activities and are potentially helpful as a daily vegetable supplement with chemopreventive activities.

Effect of Co-culture of mesenchymal stem cell and glomerulus endothelial cell to promote endothelialization under optimized perfusion flow rate in whole renal ECM scaffold.

In recent era, many researches on implantable bio-artificial organs has been increased owing to large gap between donors and receivers. Comprehensive organ based researches on perfusion culture for cell injury using different flow rate have not been conducted at the cellular level. The present study investigated the co-culture of rat glomerulus endothelial cell (rGEC) and rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSC) to develop micro vascularization in the kidney scaffolds culturing by bioreactor system. To obtain kidney scaffold, extracted rat kidneys were decellularized by 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1% triton X-100, and distilled water. Expanded rGECs were injected through decellularized kidney scaffold artery and cultured using bioreactor system. Vascular endothelial cells adhered and proliferated on the renal ECM scaffold in the bioreactor system for 3, 7 and 14 days. Static, 1 â€‹ml/min and 2 â€‹ml/min flow rates (FR) were tested and among them, 1 â€‹ml/min flow rate was selected based on cell viability, glomerulus character, inflammation/endothelialization proteins expression level. However, the flow injury was still existed on primary cell cultured at vessel in kidney scaffold. Therefore, co-culture of rGEC â€‹+ â€‹rBMSC found suitable to possibly solve this problem and resulted increased cell proliferation and micro-vascularization in the glomerulus, reducing inflammation and cell death which induced by flow injury. The optimized perfusion rate under rGEC â€‹+ â€‹rBMSC co-culture conditions resulted in enhanced endocellularization to make ECM derived implantable renal scaffold and might be useful as a way of treatment of the acute renal failure.

Hydroxychloroquine reduces hypertension and soluble fms-like kinase-1 in a Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model.

OBJECTIVE: Hydroxychloroquine, a drug used for malaria and autoimmune diseases reportedly has beneficial effects against preeclampsia in pregnant women with lupus. However, its mechanism against preeclampsia remains unclear. We investigated the effect of hydroxychloroquine on an Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model. METHODS: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups based on treatment (administered on gestational days 7-18): control, Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, hydroxychloroquine, and Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester plus hydroxychloroquine. All animals were sacrificed on gestational day 19. We assayed tube formation and determined reactive oxygen species levels using human umbilical vein endothelial cells. RESULTS: Results showed that hydroxychloroquine significantly lowered mean systolic blood pressure (P  < 0.05) in Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-treated rats. Hydroxychloroquine did not affect their fetal and placental weights. Hydroxychloroquine mitigated Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-associated changes in proteinuria (P  < 0.05). It normalized plasma soluble fms-like kinase-1 (P  < 0.05) and endothelin-1 (P  < 0.01) levels. In the tube formation assay, hydroxychloroquine increased the total meshes area (P  < 0.05) and mitigated Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced reactive oxygen species formation (P  < 0.05) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: We conclude that hydroxychloroquine alleviated hypertension, proteinuria, and normalized soluble fms-like kinase-1 and endothelin-1 levels in our preeclampsia model and that these changes may involve the restoration of endothelial dysfunction; thus, hydroxychloroquine could potentially be used for preventing preeclampsia, even in the absence of lupus.

Prognostic stratification based on the levels of tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cells and PD-1/PD-L1 axis in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background: Although rectal cancer remains somewhat sanctuary to the contemporary immunotherapy, there is increasing knowledge on clinical implications of anti-tumor immunity. This study evaluated the prognostic relevance of two immune-inhibitory functions, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis. Methods: Study cohort is comprised of 165 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by definitive resection. Using postsurgical tissue microarrays, the number of MDSCs, PD-1+/CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) ratio, and PD-L1 expression scores in stromal immune cells and tumor cells were assessed. Results: Positive correlation was observed between the PD-1+/CD8+ TIL ratio and number of MDSCs (P < 0.001). The greater the immune infiltrates, the higher the PD-L1 immune cell score (P < 0.001). MDSCHigh, PD-1+/CD8+ TILHigh, PD-L1 immune cell scoreLow, and PD-L1 tumor H-scoreHigh were associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.001, P = 0.042, 0.047, and P < 0.001, respectively). To integrate the adverse effects of MDSCHigh, PD-1+/CD8+ TILHigh, and either PD-L1 immune cell scoreLow (set I) or tumor H-scoreHigh (set II), prognostic risks were stratified according to the number of factors: 0, 1, and 2-3 (P < 0.001 for I and II). On multivariate analyses, patients with multiple risk factors for set I and II had worse prognosis (P < 0.001; 2-3 vs. 0 for models I and II), and the two prognostic models had acceptable predictability. Conclusion: In this study, integration of the prognostic impact of MDSCs and PD-1/PD-L1 stratified the long-term risks of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Thus, further exploration could be focused to the identified subset of patients carrying worse prognosis, where potential benefits could be derived by targeting the two components contributing to the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Functional and Immunofluorescence Evaluations of Vascular and Neural Integrities in Urinary Bladder of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.

PURPOSE: To assess functional and structural changes in vascular and neural structures associated with diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD) in the bladders of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. METHODS: Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were injected with STZ at 50 mg/kg daily for 5 consecutive days. Catheters were inserted 12 weeks later, and 5 days after catheter placement bladder functions were assessed by conscious cystometry. Neurovascular and extracellular matrix marker changes in harvested urinary bladders were investigated by immunofluorescent staining. Body weights and fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were measured 12 weeks after STZ injection. RESULTS: STZ-induced diabetic mice had significantly lower body weights and significantly higher blood glucose levels. Assessment of bladder function in STZ-induced diabetic mice revealed a nearly 3-fold increase in bladder capacity and intercontractile interval compared to controls. However, basal pressure, maximal bladder pressure, and threshold pressure were not significantly different. Morphological and structural analysis showed that STZ-induced diabetic mice had significantly reduced microvascular density in lamina propria (33% of the nondiabetic control values), and severely decreased nerve contents in the detrusor region (42% of the nondiabetic control values). CONCLUSION: STZ-induced diabetic mice exhibit functional and structural derangements in urinary bladder. The present study provides a foundation and describes a useful means of evaluating the efficacies of therapeutic targets and exploring the detailed mechanism of DBD.

Controlled afterglow luminescent particles for photochemical tissue bonding.

Upconversion materials (UCMs) have been developed to convert tissue-penetrating near-infrared (NIR) light into visible light. However, the low energy conversion efficiency of UCMs has limited their further biophotonic applications. Here, we developed controlled afterglow luminescent particles (ALPs) of ZnS:Ag,Co with strong and persistent green luminescence for photochemical tissue bonding (PTB). The co-doping of Ag+ and Co2+ ions into ZnS:Ag,Co particles with the proper vacancy formation of host ions resulted in high luminescence intensity and long-term afterglow. In addition, the ALPs of ZnS:Ag,Co could be recharged rapidly under short ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, which effectively activated rose bengal (RB) in hyaluronate-RB (HA-RB) conjugates for the crosslinking of dissected collagen layers without additional light irradiation. The remarkable PTB of ZnS:Ag,Co particles with HA-RB conjugates was confirmed by in vitro collagen fibrillogenesis assay, in vivo animal wound closure rate analysis, and in vivo tensile strength evaluation of incised skin tissues. Taken together, we could confirm the feasibility of controlled ALPs for various biophotonic applications.

Effect of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine on syncytial differentiation and autophagy in primary human trophoblasts.

During placentation, cytotrophoblasts differentiate and fuse to form multinucleated cells (syncytiotrophoblasts) in a process that involves autophagy. Appropriate syncytial differentiation is essential for establishing a healthy pregnancy. In this study, we evaluated the effect of two chloroquine compounds, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ), on syncytial differentiation and autophagy in cultured primary human trophoblasts (PHTs). PHT cells were isolated from the human term placenta. Bafilomycin, a well-known autophagy inhibitor, was used as a positive control. Biochemical and morphological differentiation was assessed in syncytiotrophoblasts, and autophagy-related proteins and genes were evaluated. Affymetrix Human Gene 2.0 ST Array profiling was used to identify genes affected by HCQ during syncytial differentiation. Chloroquine compounds lowered the production of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) and the fusion index in PHTs. Syncytial differentiation in PHT was associated with the increased expression of ATG4C mRNA (autophagy-related gene), and this expression was affected by CQ but not by HCQ. Microarray analysis revealed that HCQ or CQ affected several genes (MMP15, GPC3, CXCL10, TET-1, and S100A7) during syncytial differentiation, which were different from that of the syncytial differentiation suppression (Ham's/Waymouth media) or autophagy inhibition (bafilomycin treatment). Using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis we identified that HCQ might affect JAK2 signaling in the syncytial differentiation of PHT. In conclusion, chloroquine compounds could mitigate biochemical and morphological syncytial trophoblast differentiation in cultured PHT cells through the JAK signaling pathway rather than the inhibition of autophagic activity.

Upconversion nanomaterials and delivery systems for smart photonic medicines and healthcare devices.

In the past decade, upconversion (UC) nanomaterials have been extensively investigated for the applications to photomedicines with their unique features including biocompatibility, near-infrared (NIR) to visible conversion, photostability, controllable emission bands, and facile multi-functionality. These characteristics of UC nanomaterials enable versatile light delivery for deep tissue biophotonic applications. Among various stimuli-responsive delivery systems, the light-responsive delivery process has been greatly advantageous to develop spatiotemporally controllable on-demand "smart" photonic medicines. UC nanomaterials are classified largely to two groups depending on the photon UC pathway and compositions: inorganic lanthanide-doped UC nanoparticles and organic triplet-triplet annihilation UC (TTA-UC) nanomaterials. Here, we review the current-state-of-art inorganic and organic UC nanomaterials for photo-medicinal applications including photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), photo-triggered chemo and gene therapy, multimodal immunotherapy, NIR mediated neuromodulations, and photochemical tissue bonding (PTB). We also discuss the future research direction of this field and the challenges for further clinical development.

Latrophilin-2 is a novel receptor of LRG1 that rescues vascular and neurological abnormalities and restores diabetic erectile function.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by inappropriate hyperglycemia, which causes endothelial dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy, ultimately leading to multiple complications. One prevalent complication is diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED), which is more severe and more resistant to treatment than nondiabetic ED. The serum glycoprotein leucine-rich ɑ-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is a modulator of TGF-ß-mediated angiogenesis and has been proposed as a biomarker for a variety of diseases, including DM. Here, we found that the adhesion GPCR latrophilin-2 (LPHN2) is a TGF-ß-independent receptor of LRG1. By interacting with LPHN2, LRG1 promotes both angiogenic and neurotrophic processes in mouse tissue explants under hyperglycemic conditions. Preclinical studies in a diabetic ED mouse model showed that LRG1 administration into the penile tissue, which exhibits significantly increased LPHN2 expression, fully restores erectile function by rescuing vascular and neurological abnormalities. Further investigations revealed that PI3K, AKT, and NF-κB p65 constitute the key intracellular signaling pathway of the LRG1/LPHN2 axis, providing important mechanistic insights into LRG1-mediated angiogenesis and nerve regeneration in DM. Our findings suggest that LRG1 can be a potential new therapeutic option for treating aberrant peripheral blood vessels and neuropathy associated with diabetic complications, such as diabetic ED.

Colchicine stimulates browning via antagonism of GABA receptor B and agonism of ß3-adrenergic receptor in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes.

Colchicine has been used for therapeutic purposes and has attracted considerable attention because of its association with tubulin and the inhibition of small tubular polymerization. Although several studies have examined the possible preventive role of colchicine in metabolic diseases, its role in adipocytes is largely unknown. This study examined the novel functional role of colchicine in adipocytes demonstrating that colchicine stimulates browning in cultured white adipocytes. Colchicine stimulates browning by increasing the brown- and beige fat-specific markers in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes. Interestingly, colchicine decreased the expression of the main lipolytic proteins (ATGL, p-HSL) while it activated Ces3, suggesting a possibility for supplying essential fatty acids for inducing thermogenesis. Molecular docking analysis showed that colchicine has a strong affinity against GABA-BR and ß3-AR, and its binding activity with GABA-BR (-26.52 kJ/mol) was stronger than ß3-AR (-20.71 kJ/mol). Mechanistic studies were conducted by treating the cells separately with agonists and antagonists of GABA-BR and ß3-AR to understand the molecular mechanism underlying the browning effect of colchicine. The results showed that colchicine stimulates browning via the antagonism of GABA-BR and the agonism of ß3-AR in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes. The colchicine-mediated activation of ß3-AR stimulated the PKA/p38 MAPK signaling pathway, where consequently ATF2 acted as a positive regulator, but AFT4 was a negative regulator for the induction of browning.