IRF1 promotes the chondrogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells through regulating HILPDA.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a main cause of deformity in aging people. The chondrogenesis of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) has a positive effect on the cure of osteoarthritis. However, the regulatory mechanism of hADSC chondrogenesis still needs further exploration. This research investigates the role of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) in the chondrogenesis of hADSCs. METHODS: hADSCs were purchased and cultured. The interaction between IRF1 and hypoxia inducible lipid droplet associated (HILPDA) was predicted by bioinformatics analysis, and verified through dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The expressions of IRF1 and HILPDA in osteoarthritis cartilage samples were measured through qRT-PCR. After hADSCs were transfected or further induced for chondrogenesis, the chondrogenesis was visualized by Alcian blue staining, and the expressions of IRF1, HILPDA and chondrogenesis-related factors (SOX9, Aggrecan, COL2A1, MMP13, MMP3) were determined through qRT-PCR or Western blot. RESULTS: HILPDA bound to IRF1 in hADSCs. IRF1 and HILPDA levels were up-regulated during the chondrogenesis of hADSCs. Overexpressions of IRF1 and HILPDA promoted the chondrogenesis of hADSCs with the up-regulation of SOX9, Aggrecan and COL2A1 and the down-regulation of MMP13 and MMP3; however, IRF1 silencing generated the opposite effects. Besides, HILPDA overexpression reversed the effects of IRF1 silencing on inhibiting chondrogenesis of hADSCs and regulating the expressions of chondrogenesis-related factors. CONCLUSION: IRF1 promotes the chondrogenesis of hADSCs through up-regulating HILPDA level, providing novel biomarkers for treating osteoarthritis.

Effects of Ginkgo biloba on Early Decompression after Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe trauma of the central nervous system characterized by high disability and high mortality. Clinical progress has been achieved in understanding the pathological mechanism of SCI and its early treatment, but the results are unsatisfactory. In China, increasing attention has been paid to the role of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of SCI. In particular, extracts from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree), which have been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and repair a variety of active cellular damage, have been applied therapeutically for centuries. In this study, we established a rat SCI model to investigate the effects of Ginkgo biloba leaves on decompression at different stages of SCI. The application of Ginkgo biloba leaves during the decompression of SCI at different time points, the neurological recovery of SCI, and the underlying molecular mechanism were explored. The findings provide reliable experimental data that reveal the mechanism of GBI (Ginkgo biloba injection) in the clinical treatment of SCI.

Alcohol-processable organic amorphous electrolytes as an effective electron-injection layer for organic light-emitting diodes.

A new series of monoammonium-based organic electrolytes with the tetrafluoroborate (BF(4)(-)) counteranion have been synthesized. Replacing the pendant ethyl groups in the fluorenyl unit with 4-ethoxyphenyl groups dramatically improves both solubility and morphological stability. The characterization of the alcohol-processable amorphous ionic compounds as an electron-injection layer in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) reveals that the organic electrolyte that comprises a rigid linear-conjugated unit provides better device performance, with respect to its counterpart containing a branched bulky moiety. The capability of these compounds to facilitate electron injection from air-stable aluminum metal is preliminarily discussed on the basis of the investigations of the electron-only devices and photovoltaic experiments.