DCP1A, a MEK substrate, regulates the self-renewal and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK) inhibitors are widely applied to maintain pluripotency, while prolonged MEK inhibition compromises the developmental potential of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). To understand the mechanism of MEK in pluripotency maintenance, we first demonstrated that MEK regulates gene expression at post-transcriptional steps. Consistently, many of the 66 MEK substrates identified by quantitative phosphoproteomics analysis are involved in RNA processing.

A novel flexible nerve guidance conduit promotes nerve regeneration while providing excellent mechanical properties.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202507000-00029/figure1/v/2024-09-09T124005Z/r/image-tiff Autografting is the gold standard for surgical repair of nerve defects > 5 mm in length; however, autografting is associated with potential complications at the nerve donor site. As an alternative, nerve guidance conduits may be used.

Versatile Design of NO-Generating Proteolipid Nanovesicles for Alleviating Vascular Injury.

Vascular injury is central to the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases, however, fostering alternative strategies to alleviate vascular injury remains a persisting challenge. Given the central role of cell-derived nitric oxide (NO) in modulating the endogenous repair of vascular injury, NO-generating proteolipid nanovesicles (PLV-NO) are designed that recapitulate the cell-mimicking functions for vascular repair and replacement. Specifically, the proteolipid nanovesicles (PLV) are versatilely fabricated using membrane proteins derived from different types of cells, followed by the incorporation of NO-generating nanozymes capable of catalyzing endogenous donors to produce NO.

Surface Functionalization of Electrospun Scaffolds by QK-AG73 Peptide for Enhanced Interaction with Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Rapid endothelialization still remains challenging for blood-contacting biomaterials, especially for long-term, functional, small-diameter vascular grafts. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mimicking QK peptide holds great promise in promoting vascular endothelial cellular activities such as adhesion, spreading, proliferation, and migration. Syndecans are transmembrane proteoglycans that are highly expressed on cell surfaces, including vascular endothelial cells, which can act as docking receptors to provide binding sites for a variety of cellular growth and signaling molecules.

Decellularized Scaffolds with Double-Layer Aligned Microchannels Induce the Oriented Growth of Bladder Smooth Muscle Cells: Toward Urethral and Ureteral Reconstruction.

There is a great clinical need for regenerating urinary tissue. Native urethras and ureters have bidirectional aligned smooth muscle cells (SMCs) layers, which plays a pivotal role in micturition and transporting urine and inhibiting reflux. Thus far, urinary scaffolds have not been designed to induce the native-mimicking aligned arrangement of SMCs.

The loading of C-type natriuretic peptides improved hemocompatibility and vascular regeneration of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) grafts.

As a result of thrombosis or intimal hyperplasia, synthetic artificial vascular grafts had a low success rate when they were used to replace small-diameter arteries (inner diameter < 6 mm). C-type natriuretic peptides (CNP) have anti-thrombotic effects, and can promote endothelial cell (EC) proliferation and inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) over-growth. In this study, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) vascular grafts loaded with CNP (PCL-CNP) were constructed by electrospinning.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluations of novel pyridone-thiazole hybrid molecules as antitumor agents.

A hybrid pharmacophore approach was adopted to design and synthesize new series of pyridone-thiazole hybrid compounds. The structures of the compounds were established by IR, H NMR, C NMR, and HRMS. All the newly prepared compounds (3a-3m) were in vitro evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against three human cancer cell lines, namely Colon cancer (HCT-116), gastric carcinoma (MGC803) and hepatocellular cancer (Huh7).

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel hydroxybenzaldehyde-based kojic acid analogues as inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase.

Two series of novel kojic acid analogues (4a-j) and (5a-d) were designed and synthesized, and their mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activities was evaluated. The result indicated that all the synthesized derivatives exhibited excellent tyrosinase inhibitory properties having IC values in the range of 1.35±2.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of kojic acid derivatives containing 1,2,4-triazole as potent tyrosinase inhibitors.

A series of 5-substituted-3-[5-hydroxy-4-pyrone-2-yl-methymercapto]-4-amino-1,2,4-triazole derivatives were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction of 5-hydroxy-2-chloromethyl -4H-pyran-4-one with 5-substituted-3-mercapto-4-amino-1,2,4-triazole, and their inhibitory effects on mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results indicated that most of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity. Specifically, 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-[5-hydroxy-4-pyrone-2-yl-methymercapto]-4-amino-1,2,4-triazole (6j) exhibited the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 4.