The Stimulation of Macrophages by Systematical Administration of GM-CSF Can Accelerate Adult Wound Healing Process.

Skin wound repair remains a major challenge in clinical care, and various strategies have been employed to improve the repair process. Recently, it has been reported that macrophages are important for the regeneration of various tissues and organs. However, their influence on wound repair is unclear. Here, we aimed to explore whether macrophages would participate in the wound healing process and to explore new possibilities of treatment for skin defects. We firstly created a mouse full-thickness skin defect model to observe the distribution of macrophages in the regenerating tissue and then detected the influence of macrophages on skin defect repair in both macrophage-depletion and macrophage-mobilization models. We found that the number of macrophages increased significantly after skin defect and persisted during the process of wound repair. The regeneration process was significantly prolonged in macrophage-depleted animals. RT-qPCR and ELISA assays further demonstrated that the expression of growth factors was perturbed in the regenerating tissue. The activation of macrophages by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) injection could significantly improve wound healing, accompanied with an upregulation of the expression of various growth factors. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that macrophages are critical for skin regeneration and that GM-CSF exhibited therapeutic potential for wound healing.

Is mesenchymal stem cell effective for allergic rhinitis? A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a kind of widespread but unrecognised inflammatory disorder of nasal mucosa, characterised by itching, sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion. The efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of AR remains controversial. This protocol describes a systematic review and meta-analysis approach to assess the efficacy and safety of MSCs in the treatment of AR. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Eight databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP and Wanfang) will be searched from the database inception to 1 December 2023. All randomised controlled trials related to MSCs for AR will be included. The primary outcomes will be therapeutic effect, serum IgE index and Visual Analogue Scale score for nasal symptoms. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Article selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required because individual patient data are not included. This protocol was registered in the international Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on 22 January 2022. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings will also be disseminated through conference presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022303146.

Comparison Efficacy and Safety of Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil plus Cisplatin for Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) and 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin (PF) for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: The clinical trials of GP and PF in the treatment of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The literature search met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The software Revman 5.4 was used for data analysis, and STATA 15.0 was used for publication bias. Results: 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that the GP group had a higher clinical remission rate than the PF group (RR = 1.22, 95% CI (1.03-1.44), P=0.02, P=0.02). GP and PF groups in OS, PFS, and DMFS had the same effect at 1, 2, and 3 years (OS at 1 year: RR = 1.04, 95% CI (0.95-1.15), P=0.37, P=0.37; 2 years: RR = 1.08, 95% CI (0.94 1.23), P=0.28, P=0.28; 3 years: RR = 1.07, 95% CI (0.89 1.29), P=0.46; PFS at 1 year: RR = 1.98, 95% CI (0.29 13.44), P=0.49; 2 years: RR = 3.09, 95% CI (0.10 97.55), P=0.52; 3 years: RR = 0.95, 95% CI (0.73 1.24), P=0.71; DMFS at 1 year: RR = 1.01, 95% CI (0.90-1.14), P=0.83; 3 years: RR = 1.10, 95% CI (0.85-1.41), P=0.47. The number of hematological adverse reactions occurred in GP group was higher than the PF group. Conclusion: The GP and PF groups had similar OS, PFS, and DMFS, but the GP group had a higher clinical remission rate. Therefore, GP may be the first choice for metastatic NPC.

Purification and characterization of a novel thermostable anticoagulant protein from medicinal leech Whitmania pigra Whitman.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing worldwide. Despite significant improvements in novel targeted treatment agents, natural products purified from medicinal animals with minimal side effects have attracted much attention. Several native proteins explored from suck-blood leeches, such as non-thermostable hirudin and its variants, revealed potent anticoagulant activity. Traditional Chinese medicine clinics have proved that non-suck-blood leech Whitmania pigra Whitman (W. pigra) also played notable roles in CVD treatments even after decoction. However, only a few natural proteins and peptides have been identified from the fresh material of this medicinal species. AIM OF THE STUDY: We aimed to purify and characterize thermostable anticoagulant proteins from W. pigra for further development of a therapeutic agent for thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: W. pigra crude extract was prepared by decoction in water. Anticoagulant proteins were purified by DEAE cellulose DE-52, Sephadex G-75, and reversed-phase liquid chromatography sequentially and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS for structural information. In addition, we conducted in vitro anticoagulant experiments, including plasma recalcification time (PRT) assay, fibrinolytic assay, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (Fib) assay, and cell viability assays. Furthermore, a carrageenan-induced chronic thromboembolism model was employed in ICR mice, and four coagulation factors (APTT, PT, TT, and Fib) activities were determined after intragastric administration. RESULTS: The anticoagulant protein WP-77 has a relative molecular weight of ca. 20.8 kDa. It was effective over a broad temperature range from 20 °C to 100 °C and a pH 2-8 condition. The anticoagulant activity of WP-77 was retained after incubation with pepsin but was greatly inhibited by trypsin (P < 0.01). It significantly prolonged APTT and TT (P < 0.05) but had little effect on PT and Fib in vitro. Furthermore, WP-77 of a low concentration resulted in the recovery of injured EA.hy926 by thrombin. The protein also significantly prolonged APTT and TT (P < 0.01) and inhibited thrombus formation in carrageenan-induced thrombosis mice, demonstrating its antithrombotic effect in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that WP-77 from W. pigra plays a distinct role in treating thrombotic diseases, and it is an essential substance of anticoagulant activity of non-suck-blood medicinal leeches. This thermostable anticoagulant protein could be a promising candidate for the development of clinical antithrombosis medicines.

PI3K Plays an Essential Role in Planarian Regeneration and Tissue Maintenance.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling plays a central role in various biological processes, and its abnormality leads to a broad spectrum of human diseases, such as cancer, fibrosis, and immunological disorders. However, the mechanisms by which PI3K signaling regulates the behavior of stem cells during regeneration are poorly understood. Planarian flatworms possess abundant adult stem cells (called neoblasts) allowing them to develop remarkable regenerative capabilities, thus the animals represent an ideal model for studying stem cells and regenerative medicine in vivo. In this study, the spatiotemporal expression pattern of Djpi3k, a PI3K ortholog in the planarian Dugesia japonica, was investigated and suggests its potential role in wound response and tissue regeneration. A loss-of-function study was conducted using small molecules and RNA interference technique, providing evidence that PI3K signaling is required for blastema regrowth and cilia maintenance during planarian regeneration and homeostasis. Interestingly, the mitotic and apoptotic responses to amputation are substantially abated in PI3K inhibitor-treated regenerating animals, while knockdown of Djpi3k alleviates the mitotic response and postpones the peak of apoptotic cell death, which may contribute to the varying degrees of regenerative defects induced by the pharmacological and genetic approaches. These observations reveal novel roles for PI3K signaling in the regulation of the cellular responses to amputation during planarian regeneration and provide insights for investigating the disease-related genes in the regeneration-competent organism in vivo.

Protein Core Fucosylation Regulates Planarian Head Regeneration via Neoblast Proliferation.

Protein glycosylation is an important posttranslational modification that plays a crucial role in cellular function. However, its biological roles in tissue regeneration remain interesting and primarily ambiguous. In this study, we profiled protein glycosylation during head regeneration in planarian Dugesia japonica using a lectin microarray. We found that 6 kinds of lectins showed increased signals and 16 kinds showed decreased signals. Interestingly, we found that protein core fucosylation, manifested by Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) staining, was significantly upregulated during planarian head regeneration. Lectin histochemistry indicated that the LCA signal was intensified within the wound and blastemal areas. Furthermore, we found that treatment with a fucosylation inhibitor, 2F-peracetyl-fucose, significantly retarded planarian head regeneration, while supplement with L-fucose could improve DjFut8 expression and stimulate planarian head regeneration. In addition, 53 glycoproteins that bound to LCA were selectively isolated by LCA-magnetic particle conjugates and identified by LC-MS/MS, including the neoblast markers DjpiwiA, DjpiwiB, DjvlgA, and DjvlgB. Overall, our study provides direct evidence for the involvement of protein core fucosylation in planarian regeneration.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3ß: a promising candidate in the fight against fibrosis.

Fibrosis exists in almost all organs/tissues of the human body, plays an important role in the occurrence and development of diseases and is also a hallmark of the aging process. However, there is no effective prevention or therapeutic method for fibrogenesis. As a serine/threonine (Ser/Thr)-protein kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) is a vital signaling mediator that participates in a variety of biological events and can inhibit extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, thereby exerting its protective role against the fibrosis of various organs/tissues, including the heart, lung, liver, and kidney. Moreover, we further present the upstream regulators and downstream effectors of the GSK-3ß pathway during fibrosis and comprehensively summarize the roles of GSK-3ß in the regulation of fibrosis and provide several potential targets for research. Collectively, the information reviewed here highlights recent advances vital for experimental research and clinical development, illuminating the possibility of GSK-3ß as a novel therapeutic target for the management of tissue fibrosis in the future.

Novel hemostatic biomolecules based on elastin-like polypeptides and the self-assembling peptide RADA-16.

BACKGROUND: Safe and effective hemostatic materials are important for reducing mortality resulting from excessive hemorrhage. In this work, new biomaterials with hemostatic effects were created by fusing the gene coding for RADA-16, a self-assembling peptide with the sequence RADARADARADARADA, to the 3'-end of the open reading frame (ORF) encoding elastin-like polypeptides through gene recombination. RESULTS: The fusion proteins, termed 36R, 60R and 96R, were solubly over-expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) based on genetic manipulation of the high-efficiency prokaryotic expression vector pET28a (+) and bacterial transformation. Western Blot analysis showed that the over-expressed proteins were the target fusion proteins. The target proteins 36R with 94.72% purity, 60R with 96.91% purity and 96R with 96.37% purity were prepared using an inverse phase transition cycle at 65 °C followed by His-tag affinity chromatography. The proliferation results of the mouse fibroblast cell line L929 and hippocampus neuron cell line HT22 indicated that the fusion proteins did not cause obvious cell toxicity. The lyophilized spongy film of the purified 36R, 60R and 96R could stop the hemorrhage of a 2 × 2 mm bleeding wound in the mouse liver after 27.21 ± 1.92 s, 18.65 ± 1.97 s and 15.85 ± 1.21 s, respectively. The hemostasis time was 21.23 ± 1.84 s for rat-tail collagen and 14.44 ± 1.33 s for RADA-16 lyophilized on gauze. The hemostatic time of three treated groups were all significantly superior to that of the negative control without any hemostasis treatment, which spontaneously stopped bleeding after 37.64 ± 1.34 s. Statistical analysis showed that the spongy film with purified 96R exhibited an exciting hemostatic effect that was superior to rat-tail collagen and close to that of RADA-16 lyophilized on gauze. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed that the fusion proteins achieved by gene recombination technology could serve as a promising hemostatic material.

Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of the three cysteine and glycine-rich protein genes in the Chinese fire-bellied newt Cynops orientalis.

The cysteine- and glycine-rich protein (CRP) family members, including the cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 1 (CSRP1), cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 2 (CSRP2), and the cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 3 (CSRP3), have exhibited various cellular functions during cell development and differentiation. However, the sequences of the three CSRP genes and their functions are still poorly understood in newts. In this study, we cloned the complete open reading frame (ORF) sequences of the three CSRP genes from the Chinese fire-bellied newt, Cynops orientalis (C. orientalis). The complete ORF sequences of Co-CSRP1, Co-CSRP2, and Co-CSRP3 were 582, 582, and 576bp, respectively, and encoded 193, 193, and 191 amino acids, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of the three CRP members showed high similarities with that of other species, particularly, with amphibians. Co-CSRP1 was highly expressed in the kidney, limb, and stomach, however, the expression was low in the spleen, heart, intestine, liver, and tail (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of Co-CSRP2 was higher in the kidney and heart than that in other organs (P<0.05). It was observed that Co-CSRP3 was only expressed in the heart, limb, and tail. The mRNA expression of Co-CSRP1 and Co-CSRP3 was lower in the digits in comparison to other limb segments. However, there was no significant difference of Co-CSRP2 mRNA expression in the four limb segments. The Co-CSRP1 and Co-CSRP2 mRNA expressions were significantly increased, whereas the expression of Co-CSRP3 was remarkably decreased during the limb regeneration. This study will provide useful information for further elucidating the role of Co-CSRP genes during newt limb regeneration.

ITRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of Cynops orientalis limb regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Salamanders regenerate their limbs after amputation. However, the molecular mechanism of this unique regeneration remains unclear. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to quantitatively identify differentially expressed proteins in regenerating limbs 3, 7, 14, 30 and 42 days post amputation (dpa). RESULTS: Of 2636 proteins detected in total, 253 proteins were differentially expressed during different regeneration stages. Among these proteins, Asporin, Cadherin-13, Keratin, Collagen alpha-1(XI) and Titin were down-regulated. CAPG, Coronin-1A, AnnexinA1, Cathepsin B were up-regulated compared with the control. The identified proteins were further analyzed to obtain information about their expression patterns and functions in limb regeneration. Functional analysis indicated that the differentially expressed proteins were associated with wound healing, immune response, cellular process, metabolism and binding. CONCLUSIONS: This work indicated that significant proteome alternations occurred during salamander limb regeneration. The results may provide fundamental knowledge to understand the mechanism of limb regeneration.

Profiling of glycan alterations in regrowing limb tissues of Cynops orientalis.

Glycans are known to play important roles in molecular recognition, cell-cell adhesion, molecular trafficking, receptor activation, and signal transduction during development and regeneration. Despite numerous investigations of regenerating salamander limbs, global analysis of the precise variation of glycans during the limb regeneration process has received little attention. Here, we have used lectin microarrays and lectin histochemistry to analyze the alterations and distribution of glycans during the early stages leading to blastema formation during Cynops orientalis limb regeneration in response to limb amputation. Compared with the control group, analysis at several time points (3, 7, and 14 days postamputation) using microarrays containing 37 lectins showed that limb tissues expressed significantly different complements of glycans recognized by 9 different lectins. Postamputation limb tissues showed higher expression of two glycan structures recognized by the lectins STL and LTL and lower expression of seven glycan structures recognized by PHA-E, MAL-I, SNA, UEA-I, PHA-E + L, VVA, and GNA. We also observed significant changes in glycans specifically at 7 days postamputation, including higher binding capacity by WFA, GSL-I, and NPA and lower binding capacity by PNA, HHL, ConA, LCA, GSL-II, and PWM. Next, we validated our lectin microarray data using lectin histochemistry in limb tissues. Glycans recognized by STL and GNA showed similar changes in signal intensity to those found in the lectin microarrays, with STL staining in the cytoplasm and GNA in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Our findings are the first report of significant postamputation changes in glycans in limb tissues and suggest that those glycans perform potentially important functions during the early stages of C. orientalis limb regeneration.