Acacetin Prevents Bone Loss by Disrupting Osteoclast Formation and Promoting Type H Vessel Formation in Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis, characterized by the destruction of bone resorption and bone formation, is a serious disease that endangers human health. Osteoporosis prevention and treatment has become one of the important research contents in the field of medicine. Acacetin, a natural flavonoid compound, could promote osteoblast differentiation, and inhibit osteoclast formation in vitro. However, the mechanisms of acacetin on osteoclast differentiation and type H vessel formation, as well as the effect of preventing bone loss, remain unclear. Here, we firstly used primary bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and ovariectomized (OVX) mice to explore the function of acacetin on bone remodeling and H type vessel formation. In this study, we found that acacetin inhibits osteoclast formation and bone resorption of BMMs induced by the macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) in a concentration of 20 µM without exerting cytotoxic effects. It was accompanied by downregulation of osteoclast differentiation marker genes (Ctsk, Acp5, and Mmp9) and cell fusion genes (CD9, CD47, Atp6v0d2, Dc-stamp, and Oc-stamp). Moreover, acacetin disrupted actin ring formation and extracellular acidification in osteoclasts. Mechanistic analysis revealed that acacetin not only inhibits the expression of the major transcription factor NFATc1 and NF-κB during RANKL-induced osteoclast formation, but also suppresses RANKL-induced the phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3ß, IκBα, and p65. Additionally, acacetin enhanced the ability of M-CSF and RANKL-stimulated BMMs to promote angiogenesis and migration of EPCs. We further established that, in vivo, acacetin increased trabecular bone mass, decreased the number of osteoclasts, and showed more type H vessels in OVX mice. These data demonstrate that acacetin prevents OVX-induced bone loss in mice through inhibition of osteoclast function and promotion of type H vessel formation via Akt/GSK3ß and NF-κB signalling pathway, suggesting that acacetin may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Systems pharmacology dissection of action mechanisms for herbs in osteoporosis treatment.

Objective: Osteoporosis has become the biggest cause of non-fatal health issue. Currently, the limitations of traditional anti-osteoporosis drugs such as long-term ill-effects and drug resistance, have raised concerns toward complementary and alternative therapies, particularly herbal medicines and their natural active compounds. Thus, this study aimed to provide an integrative analysis of active chemicals, drug targets and interacting pathways of the herbs for osteoporosis treatment. Methods: Here, we introduced a systematic pharmacology model, combining the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) screening model, drug targeting and network pharmacology, to probe into the therapeutic mechanisms of herbs in osteoporosis. Results: We obtained 86 natural compounds with favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and their 58 targets from seven osteoporosis-related herbs. Network analysis revealed that they probably synergistically work through multiple mechanisms, such as suppressing inflammatory response, maintaining bone metabolism or improving organism immunity, to benefit patients with osteoporosis. Furthermore, experimental results showed that all the five compounds (calycosin, asperosaponin VI, hederagenin, betulinic acid and luteolin) enhanced osteoblast proliferation and differentiation in vitro, which corroborated the validity of this system pharmacology approach. Notably, gentisin and aureusidin among the identified compounds were first predicted to be associated with osteoporosis. Conclusion: Herbs and their natural compounds, being characterized as the classical combination therapies, might be engaged in multiple mechanisms to coordinately improve the osteoporosis symptoms. This work may contribute to offer novel strategies and clues for the therapy and drug discovery of osteoporosis and other complex diseases.

Global gene expression profiling of blast lung injury of goats exposed to shock wave.

PURPOSE: Blast lung injury (BLI) is the most common damage resulted from explosion-derived shock wave in military, terrorism and industrial accidents. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying BLI induced by shock wave are still unclear. METHODS: In this study, a goat BLI model was established by a fuel air explosive power. The key genes involved in were identified. The goats of the experimental group were fixed on the edge of the explosion cloud, while the goats of the control group were 3 km far away from the explosive environment. After successful modeling for 24 h, all the goats were sacrificed and the lung tissue was harvested for histopathological observation and RNA sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed to identify the main enriched biological functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the consistency of gene expression. RESULTS: Of the sampled goat lungs, 895 genes were identified to be significantly differentially expressed, and they were involved in 52 significantly enriched GO categories. KEGG analysis revealed that DEGs were highly enriched in 26 pathways, such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, antifolate resistance, arachidonic acid metabolism, amoebiasis and bile secretion, JAK-STAT, and IL-17 signaling pathway. Furthermore, 15 key DEGs involved in the biological processes of BLI were confirmed by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with RNA sequencing. CONCLUSION: Gene expression profiling provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of BLI, which will help to set strategy for treating lung injury and preventing secondary lung injury induced by shock wave.

Deficiency of Macf1 in osterix expressing cells decreases bone formation by Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway.

Microtubule actin cross-linking factor 1 (Macf1) is a spectraplakin family member known to regulate cytoskeletal dynamics, cell migration, neuronal growth and cell signal transduction. We previously demonstrated that knockdown of Macf1 inhibited the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cell line. However, whether Macf1 could regulate bone formation in vivo is unclear. To study the function and mechanism of Macf1 in bone formation and osteogenic differentiation, we established osteoblast-specific Osterix (Osx) promoter-driven Macf1 conditional knockout mice (Macf1f/f Osx-Cre). The Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice displayed delayed ossification and decreased bone mass. Morphological and mechanical studies showed deteriorated trabecular microarchitecture and impaired biomechanical strength of femur in Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. In addition, the differentiation of primary osteoblasts isolated from calvaria was inhibited in Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. Deficiency of Macf1 in primary osteoblasts inhibited the expression of osteogenic marker genes (Col1, Runx2 and Alp) and the number of mineralized nodules. Furthermore, deficiency of Macf1 attenuated Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 signalling in primary osteoblasts of Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. Together, these results indicated that Macf1 plays a significant role in bone formation and osteoblast differentiation by regulating Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway, suggesting that Macf1 might be a therapeutic target for bone disease.

A 1,8-naphthalimide-[12]aneN3 derivative for efficient Cu2+ recognition, lysosome staining and siRNA delivery.

Development of multifunctional compounds as both fluorescence probes and non-viral vectors is still difficult till date. It is necessary to overcome many hurdles such as the balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, binding affinity between multifunctional compound and targeting substrate, the cytotoxicity of multifunctional compound, and so on. In this work, the performances of compound 1 on Cu2+ recognition, lysosome staining and siRNA (small interfering RNA) delivery were investigated. It was found that compound 1 exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity toward Cu2+ in aqueous solutions. The fluorescence emission of 1 was quenched by a factor of 42-fold in the presence of Cu2+ ions. Even in the common pure organic solutions, still more than 8-fold fluorescence quenching was achieved. Due to its high sensitivity to the pH, the complex of 1-Cu was also successfully applied in selective staining of lysosome in HeLa cells. Furthermore, cellular uptake experiment revealed that compound 1 showed good RNA delivery ability in HeLa, HepG2, U2Os and MC3T3-E1 cells, and its performance was better than commercial agents lipofectamine 2000 and 25 kDa PEI (Polyethylenimine). The RNA interference effect mediated by compound 1 was further evaluated by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR experiment. Compound 1 showed much higher transfection efficacy than lipofectamine 2000 in MC3T3-E1 cells. Our study demonstrated that 1,8-naphthalimide- [12]aneN3 compound 1 with low cytotoxicity, high specificity towards Cu2+ and lysosome, high transfection efficacy, and low cost is an efficient multifunctional material both in molecular recognition and gene delivery.

The Development of Functional Non-Viral Vectors for Gene Delivery.

Gene therapy is manipulation in/of gene expression in specific cells/tissue to treat diseases. This manipulation is carried out by introducing exogenous nucleic acids, such as DNA or RNA, into the cell. Because of their negative charge and considerable larger size, the delivery of these molecules, in general, should be mediated by gene vectors. Non-viral vectors, as promising delivery systems, have received considerable attention due to their low cytotoxicity and non-immunogenicity. As research continued, more and more functional non-viral vectors have emerged. They not only have the ability to deliver a gene into the cells but also have other functions, such as the performance of fluorescence imaging, which aids in monitoring their progress, targeted delivery, and biodegradation. Recently, many reviews related to non-viral vectors, such as polymers and cationic lipids, have been reported. However, there are few reviews regarding functional non-viral vectors. This review summarizes the common functional non-viral vectors developed in the last ten years and their potential applications in the future. The transfection efficiency and the transport mechanism of these materials were also discussed in detail. We hope that this review can help researchers design more new high-efficiency and low-toxicity multifunctional non-viral vectors, and further accelerate the progress of gene therapy.

1,8-Naphthalimide-Based Multifunctional Compounds as Cu2+ Probes, Lysosome Staining Agents, and Non-viral Vectors.

A series of multifunctional compounds (MFCs) 1a-1d based on 1,8-naphthalimide moiety were designed and synthesized. Due to the good fluorescence property and nucleic acid binding ability of 1,8-naphthalimide, these MFCs were applied in Cu2+ ion recognition, lysosome staining as well as RNA delivery. It was found that these MFCs exhibited highly selective fluorescence turn-off for Cu2+ in aqueous solution. The fluorescence emission of 1a-1d was quenched by a factor of 116-, 20-, 12-, and 14-fold in the presence of Cu2+ ions, respectively. Most importantly, 1a-Cu and 1b-Cu could be used as imaging reagents for detection of lysosome in live human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) using fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the RNA delivery ability of 1a-1d, cellular uptake experiments were performed in HeLa, HepG2, U2Os, and MC3T3-E1 cell lines. The results showed that all the materials could deliver Cy5-labled RNA into the targeted cells. Among them, compound 1d modified with long hydrophobic chain exhibited the best RNA delivery efficiency in the four tested cell lines, and the performance was far better than lipofectamine 2000 and 25 kDa PEI, indicating the potential application in non-viral vectors.

Structure-activity relationship of novel low-generation dendrimers for gene delivery.

Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies are very critical to design ideal gene vectors for gene delivery. However, It is difficult to obtain SAR information of low-generation dendrimers due to the lack of easy structural modification ways. Here, we synthesized a novel family of rigid aromatic backbone-based low-generation polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. According to the number of primary amines, they were divided into two types: four-amine-containing PAMAM (DL1-DL5) and eight-amine-containing PAMAM (DL6-DL10). Due to the introduction of a rigid aromatic backbone, the low-generation PAMAM could be modified easier by different hydrophobic aliphatic chains. Several assays were used to study the interactions of the PAMAM dendrimers with plasmid DNA, and the results revealed that they not only had good DNA binding ability but also could efficiently condense DNA into spherical-shaped nanoparticles with suitable sizes and zeta potentials. The SAR studies indicated that the gene-transfection efficiency of the synthesized materials depended on not only the structure of their hydrophobic chains but also the number of primary amines. It was found that four-amine-containing PAMAM prepared from oleylamine (DL5) gave the best transfection efficiency, which was 3 times higher than that of lipofectamine 2000 in HEK293 cells. The cellular uptake mechanism mediated by DL5 was further investigated, and the results indicated that DL5/DNA complexes entered the cells mainly via caveolae and clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In addition, these low-generation PAMAMs modified with a single hydrophobic tail showed lower toxicity than lipofectamine 2000 in MC3T3-E1, MG63, HeLa, and HEK293 cells. These results reveal that such a type of low-generation polyamidoamines might be promising non-viral gene vectors, and also give us clues for the design of safe and high-efficiency gene vectors.

[12]aneN3-based lipid with naphthalimide moiety for enhanced gene transfection efficiency.

Three cationic lipids derived from [12]aneN3 modified with naphthalimide (1a), oleic acid (1b) and octadecylamine (1c) were designed and synthesized. In vitro transfection showed that all these liposomes can deliver plasmid DNA into the tested cell lines. Among these liposomes, 1a gave the best transfection efficiency (TE) in A549 cells, which was higher than that of lipofectamine 2000. More importantly, the TE of 1a was dramatically increased in the presence of 10% serum. These results suggested that 1a might be a promising non-viral gene vector, and also give further insight for developing novel high performance gene delivery agents.

The Impact of Oxidative Stress on the Bone System in Response to the Space Special Environment.

The space special environment mainly includes microgravity, radiation, vacuum and extreme temperature, which seriously threatens an astronaut's health. Bone loss is one of the most significant alterations in mammalians after long-duration habitation in space. In this review, we summarize the crucial roles of major factors-namely radiation and microgravity-in space in oxidative stress generation in living organisms, and the inhibitory effect of oxidative stress on bone formation. We discussed the possible mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced skeletal involution, and listed some countermeasures that have therapeutic potentials for bone loss via oxidative stress antagonism. Future research for better understanding the oxidative stress caused by space environment and the development of countermeasures against oxidative damage accordingly may facilitate human beings to live more safely in space and explore deeper into the universe.

GeneChip expression profiling reveals the alterations of energy metabolism related genes in osteocytes under large gradient high magnetic fields.

The diamagnetic levitation as a novel ground-based model for simulating a reduced gravity environment has recently been applied in life science research. In this study a specially designed superconducting magnet with a large gradient high magnetic field (LG-HMF), which can provide three apparent gravity levels (µ-g, 1-g, and 2-g), was used to simulate a space-like gravity environment. Osteocyte, as the most important mechanosensor in bone, takes a pivotal position in mediating the mechano-induced bone remodeling. In this study, the effects of LG-HMF on gene expression profiling of osteocyte-like cell line MLO-Y4 were investigated by Affymetrix DNA microarray. LG-HMF affected osteocyte gene expression profiling. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and data mining were further analyzed by using bioinfomatic tools, such as DAVID, iReport. 12 energy metabolism related genes (PFKL, AK4, ALDOC, COX7A1, STC1, ADM, CA9, CA12, P4HA1, APLN, GPR35 and GPR84) were further confirmed by real-time PCR. An integrated gene interaction network of 12 DEGs was constructed. Bio-data mining showed that genes involved in glucose metabolic process and apoptosis changed notablly. Our results demostrated that LG-HMF affected the expression of energy metabolism related genes in osteocyte. The identification of sensitive genes to special environments may provide some potential targets for preventing and treating bone loss or osteoporosis.

Diamagnetic levitation promotes osteoclast differentiation from RAW264.7 cells.

The superconducting magnet with a high magnetic force field can levitate diamagnetic materials. In this study, a specially designed superconducting magnet with large gradient high magnetic field (LGHMF), which provides three apparent gravity levels (µg, 1 g, and 2 g), was used to study its influence on receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation from preosteoclast cell line RAW264.7. The effects of LGHMF on the viability, nitric oxide (NO) production, morphology in RAW264.7 cells were detected by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method, the Griess method, and the immunofluorescence staining, respectively. The changes induced by LGHMF in osteoclast formation, mRNA expression, and bone resorption were determined by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, semiquantity PCR, and bone resorption test, respectively. The results showed that: 1) LGHMF had no lethal effect on osteoclast precursors but attenuated NO release in RAW264.7 cells. 2) Diamagnetic levitation (µg) enhanced both the formation and bone resorption capacity of osteoclast. Moreover, diamagnetic levitation up-regulated mRNA expression of RANK, Cathepsin K, MMP-9, and NFATc1, while down-regulated RunX2 in comparison with controls. Furthermore, diamagnetic levitation induced obvious morphological alterations in osteoclast, including active cytoplasmic peripheral pseudopodial expansion, formation of pedosome belt, and aggregation of actin ring. 3) Magnetic field produced by LGHMF attenuated osteoclast resorption activity. Collectively, LGHMF with combined effects has multiple effects on osteoclast, which attenuated osteoclast resorption with magnetic field, whereas promoted osteoclast differentiation with diamagnetic levitation. Therefore, these findings indicate that diamagnetic levitation could be used as a novel ground-based microgravity simulator, which facilitates bone cell research of weightlessness condition.

Role of microRNAs in osteoblasts differentiation and bone disorders.

Advanced studies of single stranded endogenous ~22 nt microRNAs (miRNAs) have demonstrated their diverse biological functions including control of cell differentiation, cell cycle and pathological conditions. Recent studies suggest the potential application of miRNAs in stem cell engineering. miRNAs play a vital role as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression which controls osteoblasts-mediated bone formation and osteoclasts related bone remodeling. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms regulate the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteogenesis. The differentiation of osteoblasts is a key step in the development of skeletal muscles and it is involved in triggering the signaling pathways. Signaling pathways like TGFβ, BMP and Wnt are regulated by miRNAs which in turn, are shown to be associated with bone dynamics and bone disorders. This recap highlights the role of miRNAs in osteoblasts differentiation and emphasizes their potential therapeutic role in metabolic bone disorders.

Mineralization initiation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast is suppressed under simulated microgravity condition.

Microgravity decreases the differentiation of osteoblast. However, as this process is multistage and complex, the mechanism by which microgravity inhibits osteoblast differentiation is still unclear. We have previously found that 24 h acute treatment of simulated microgravity (SM) with a random positioning machine (RPM) significantly inhibited the differentiation of preosteoblasts and have explored whether osteoblasts show different response to microgravity condition at other stages, such as the mineralizing-stage. Murine MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts induced for osteogenic differentiation for seven days were cultured either under normal gravity or SM conditions for 24 h. SM treatment significantly suppressed mineralized nodule formation. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was dramatically decreased, and the expression of ALP gene was downregulated. Expression of well-known markers and regulators for osteoblasts differentiation, including osteocalcin (OC), type I collagen α1 (Col Iα1), dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), were downregulated. Western blot analysis showed that the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) level was lower under SM condition. Thus, the initiation of osteoblast mineralization is suppressed by SM condition, and the suppression may be through the regulation of ALP activity and the osteogenic gene expression. ERK signaling might be involved in this process. These results are relevant to the decrease of osteoblast maturation and bone formation under microgravity condition.

A hypomagnetic field aggravates bone loss induced by hindlimb unloading in rat femurs.

A hypomagnetic field is an extremely weak magnetic field--it is considerably weaker than the geomagnetic field. In deep-space exploration missions, such as those involving extended stays on the moon and interplanetary travel, astronauts will experience abnormal space environments involving hypomagnetic fields and microgravity. It is known that microgravity in space causes bone loss, which results in decreased bone mineral density. However, it is unclear whether hypomagnetic fields affect the skeletal system. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the complex effects of a hypomagnetic field and microgravity on bone loss. To study the effects of hypomagnetic fields on the femoral characteristics of rats in simulated weightlessness, we established a rat model of hindlimb unloading that was exposed to a hypomagnetic field. We used a geomagnetic field-shielding chamber to generate a hypomagnetic field of <300 nT. The results show that hypomagnetic fields can exacerbate bone mineral density loss and alter femoral biomechanical characteristics in hindlimb-unloaded rats. The underlying mechanism might involve changes in biological rhythms and the concentrations of trace elements due to the hypomagnetic field, which would result in the generation of oxidative stress responses in the rat. Excessive levels of reactive oxygen species would stimulate osteoblasts to secrete receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand and promote the maturation and activation of osteoclasts and thus eventually cause bone resorption.

Physiological effects of microgravity on bone cells.

Life on Earth developed under the influence of normal gravity (1g). With evidence from previous studies, scientists have suggested that normal physiological processes, such as the functional integrity of muscles and bone mass, can be affected by microgravity during spaceflight. During the life span, bone not only develops as a structure designed specifically for mechanical tasks but also adapts for efficiency. The lack of weight-bearing forces makes microgravity an ideal physical stimulus to evaluate bone cell responses. One of the most serious problems induced by long-term weightlessness is bone mineral loss. Results from in vitro studies that entailed the use of bone cells in spaceflights showed modification in cell attachment structures and cytoskeletal reorganization, which may be involved in bone loss. Humans exposed to microgravity conditions experience various physiological changes, including loss of bone mass, muscle deterioration, and immunodeficiency. In vitro models can be used to extract valuable information about changes in mechanical stress to ultimately identify the different pathways of mechanotransduction in bone cells. Despite many in vivo and in vitro studies under both real microgravity and simulated conditions, the mechanism of bone loss is still not well defined. The objective of this review is to summarize the recent research on bone cells under microgravity conditions based on advances in the field.

Effect of imidacloprid on hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in male albino mice.

Imidacloprid (IC) is a systemic insecticide related to the tobacco toxin nicotine. IC is a toxic substance frequently used into combat insects, rodents and plants pests and other creatures that can pose problems for agriculture. We, therefore, planned this study to assess risk factors, biochemical and histological alterations associated with hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Forty-eight adult male albino mice were divided into four groups of 12 animals each. All the animals were given standard synthetic pellet diet. One group served as control, and the other three were served as experimental groups. Decrease in the body weight of the high dose group was observed at 15 mg/kg/day, and no mortality occurred during the treatment period. High dose of imidacloprid caused a significant elevation of serum clinical chemistry parameters, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvate kinase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL). Histology of liver and kidney indicates hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity at a high dose of imidacloprid. Based on the morphological, biochemical and histopathological analysis, it is evident that imidacloprid induced toxicological effects at 15 mg/kg/day to mice. The results of the present study demonstrate that IC had significant effects on body weight, liver functions and kidney (p < 0.05) at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight. IC treatment 5 and 10 mg/kg/day may be considered as no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for mice. It was concluded that IC can cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity at a dose much lower than the LD50 (131 mg/kg body weight) in mice.

Large gradient high magnetic fields affect osteoblast ultrastructure and function by disrupting collagen I or fibronectin/αß1 integrin.

The superconducting magnet generates a field and field gradient product that can levitate diamagnetic materials. In this study a specially designed superconducting magnet with a large gradient high magnetic field (LG-HMF), which can provide three apparent gravity levels (µ-g, 1-g, and 2-g), was used to simulate a space-like gravity environment. The effects of LG-HMF on the ultrastructure and function of osteoblast-like cells (MG-63 and MC3T3-E1) and the underlying mechanism were investigated by transmission electromicroscopy (TEM), MTT, and cell western (ICW) assays. Under LG-HMF significant morphologic changes in osteoblast-like cells occurred, including expansion of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, an increased number of lysosomes, distorted microvilli, and aggregates of actin filaments. Compared to controls, cell viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) secretion were significantly increased, and collagen I (col I), fibronectin (FN), vinculin, integrin α3, αv, and ß1 expression were changed under LG-HMF conditions. In conclusion, LG-HMF affects osteoblast ultrastructure, cell viability, and ALP secretion, and the changes caused by LG-HMF may be related to disrupting col I or FN/αß1 integrin.

Evaporation rate of water as a function of a magnetic field and field gradient.

The effect of magnetic fields on water is still a highly controversial topic despite the vast amount of research devoted to this topic in past decades. Enhanced water evaporation in a magnetic field, however, is less disputed. The underlying mechanism for this phenomenon has been investigated in previous studies. In this paper, we present an investigation of the evaporation of water in a large gradient magnetic field. The evaporation of pure water at simulated gravity positions (0 gravity level (ab. g), 1 g, 1.56 g and 1.96 g) in a superconducting magnet was compared with that in the absence of the magnetic field. The results showed that the evaporation of water was indeed faster in the magnetic field than in the absence of the magnetic field. Furthermore, the amount of water evaporation differed depending on the position of the sample within the magnetic field. In particular, the evaporation at 0 g was clearly faster than that at other positions. The results are discussed from the point of view of the evaporation surface area of the water/air interface and the convection induced by the magnetization force due to the difference in the magnetic susceptibility of water vapor and the surrounding air.

Human mesenchymal stem cells are sensitive to abnormal gravity and exhibit classic apoptotic features.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of abnormal gravity on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Strong magnetic field and magnetic field gradient generate a magnetic force that can add to or subtract from the gravitational force. In this study, this is defined as a high-magneto-gravitational environment (HMGE). The HMGE provides three apparent gravity levels, i.e. hypogravity (µg), hypergravity (2g) and normal gravity with strong magnetic field (1g) conditions. After hMSCs were subject to HMGE for 12 h, the proliferation, morphology, structure and apoptosis were investigated. Results showed that the proliferation of hMSCs was inhibited under µg condition. The abnormal gravity induced morphologic characteristics of apoptosis cells, such as cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, nuclear chromatin condensation and margination, decreased cell viability, and increased caspase-3/7 activity. The rate of apoptosis under µg condition is up to 56.95%. The F-actin stress fibers and microtubules were disrupted under abnormal gravity condition. Under µg-condition, the expression of p53 at mRNA and protein levels was up-regulated more than 9- and 6 folds, respectively. The Pifithrin-α, an specific inhibitor of p53, inhibited the apoptosis and prevented the disruption of cytoskeleton induced by abnormal gravity. These results implied that hMSCs were sensitive to abnormal gravity and exhibited classic apoptotic features, which might be associated with p53 signaling.