Publications by authors named "Li Jian-Chun"
Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome with no effective treatment currently available. This study aims to investigate whether Iron-Quercetin complex (IronQ) pretreatment can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in AKI and explore the underlying mechanisms.
Methods: A cisplatin-induced AKI model was established in male C57BL/6 mice, followed by the intravenous administration of 1x10ˆ6 MSCs or IronQ-pretreated MSCs (MSC).
Article Synopsis
- Renal fibrosis is a key feature of chronic kidney disease, and Smad3 is a crucial factor in the pro-fibrosis signaling pathway activated by TGF-β, which promotes fibrosis in the kidneys.* -
- The study found that Biochanin A (BCA), a natural compound, can significantly inhibit TGF-β signaling and reduce fibrotic gene expression, specifically targeting Smad3 while leaving another factor, Smad2, unaffected.* -
- Research revealed that Klf6, a transcription factor that promotes Smad3 expression, is downregulated by BCA, which prevents the fibrotic effects mediated by TGF-β in renal fibrosis models.*
Article Synopsis
- - Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is a serious condition arising from sepsis that leads to high mortality rates, characterized by issues like endocardial injury and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- - The enzyme Heparanase (HPA) is linked to various processes such as inflammation and microcirculation disturbances, suggesting it may significantly contribute to SCM development.
- - This study reviews the mechanisms of HPA's involvement in SCM and offers new insights into its diagnosis and treatment approaches.
Article Synopsis
- Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is linked to high mortality rates, and there's a lack of sensitive biomarkers and treatment plans for it.
- The study examined the effects of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) on critically ill SA-AKI patients, finding that those treated with LMWH showed improvements in renal function and reduced inflammation markers.
- Although LMWH benefited renal recovery, it did not affect mortality rates or ICU stay length, emphasizing the need for further research through randomized controlled trials to validate these findings.
Background: Inflammatory macrophage infiltration plays a critical role in acute kidney disease induced by ischemia-reperfusion (IRI-AKI). Calycosin is a natural flavone with multiple bioactivities. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic role of calycosin in IRI-AKI and its underlying mechanism.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological condition of increased pulmonary circulation vascular resistance due to various reasons, which mainly leads to right heart dysfunction and even death, especially in critically ill patients. Although drug interventions have shown some efficacy in improving the hemodynamics of PH patients, the mortality rate remains high. Hence, the identification of new targets and treatment strategies for PH is imperative.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSepsis-related acute kidney injury (S-AKI) is a common and significant complication of sepsis in critically ill patients, which can often only be treated with antibiotics and medications that reduce S-AKI symptoms. The precise mechanism underlying the onset of S-AKI is still unclear, thus hindering the development of new strategies for its treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the pathogenesis of S-AKI to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets for its early diagnosis and treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngiotensin II mediates hypertensive cardiac fibrosis via an Erbb4-IR-dependent mechanism.
Mol Ther Nucleic Acids
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- TGF-β/Smad3 is critical in cardiac fibrosis related to hypertension, and the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Erbb4-IR is identified as a Smad3-dependent mediator of kidney fibrosis, warranting investigation in hypertensive heart disease.
- A study using ultrasound-microbubble technology to silence cardiac Erbb4-IR in hypertensive mice showed that this knockdown improved cardiac function and reduced fibrosis markers, despite unchanged blood pressure.
- The findings suggest that Erbb4-IR contributes to cardiac remodeling in response to angiotensin II and targeting it could lead to new treatments for hypertension-related heart issues.
Article Synopsis
- Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have protective effects on podocytes in chronic kidney disease, particularly when pretreated with the phytoestrogen calycosin (CA), which enhances their efficacy against renal fibrosis in mice.
- The study aimed to determine whether CA boosts MSCs' ability to protect against podocyte injury caused by adriamycin (ADR) and to explore the mechanisms involved, including the role of Smad3 in apoptosis.
- Results showed that CA-pretreated MSCs significantly reduced podocyte apoptosis and improved protective effects in both FSGS mice and cultured podocyte cells by inhibiting the upregulation of p-Smad3 associated with injury.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most common respiratory disease in ICU. Although there are many treatment and support methods, the mortality rate is still high. The main pathological feature of ARDS is the damage of pulmonary microvascular endothelium and alveolar epithelium caused by inflammatory reaction, which may lead to coagulation system disorder and pulmonary fibrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a nerve system-produced peptide that plays a role in kidney health, showing protective effects in acute kidney injury (AKI) in both humans and animal models.
- In cases of cisplatin-induced AKI, NPY levels were found to be reduced, and mice lacking NPY experienced worse kidney inflammation and damage.
- The study suggests that NPY protects kidneys by inhibiting the inflammatory response of M1 macrophages through a specific signaling pathway, indicating its potential as a new treatment for kidney injuries.
Article Synopsis
- Six new triterpenoids (euphokanols A-F) and two new C-steroidal glycosides (euphokanosides A and B) were isolated from the roots of Euphorbia kansui, alongside fifty-four known compounds.
- The structures of the new compounds were established using advanced techniques such as NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, with euphokanol A's configuration determined by electronic circular dichroism analysis.
- Several isolated compounds exhibited notable biological activities; for instance, some showed significant inhibition of nitric oxide production, while others demonstrated cytotoxic effects against specific cancer cell lines, particularly euphol, which selectively targeted human glioma stem cells.
Renal fibrosis is a common feature of all types of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is tightly regulated by the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway. Let-7i-5p belongs to the let-7 microRNA family with diverse biological functions. It has been reported that let-7i-5p suppresses fibrotic disease in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, while the role of let-7i-5p in renal fibrosis remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDown-Regulation Ovulation-Induction Leads to Favorable Outcomes in a Single Frozen-Thawed Blastocyst Transfer RCT.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
April 2022
Objective: Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) has been increasingly advocated to achieve the goal of delivering a single healthy baby. A novel endometrial preparation approach down-regulation ovulation-induction (DROI) proposed by our team was demonstrated in an RCT that DROI could significantly improve the reproductive outcome compared with modified natural cycle. We aimed to evaluate whether DROI improved clinic pregnancy rate in this single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer RCT compared with hormone replace treatment (HRT).
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- Poor β cell proliferation limits the effectiveness of islet cell replacement therapy in diabetes, with Smad3 being a key factor that inhibits this proliferation.
- Researchers tested the hypothesis that Smad3-deficient (KO) islets could be a better therapy by transplanting them into diabetic mouse models and found that they significantly reduced blood glucose levels and kidney damage compared to wild type (WT) islets.
- RNA sequencing revealed that the enhanced effectiveness of Smad3KO islets is linked to increased β cell proliferation through an E2F3-dependent mechanism, making it a potential new approach for diabetes treatment.
Article Synopsis
- Gansui-Banxia Decoction (GSBXD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used to treat various types of cancer-related fluid accumulation and is known for its potential antitumor effects, particularly in relation to myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) which hinder immune response against tumors.
- The study aims to explore how GSBXD influences the accumulation of MDSCs and its associated signaling pathways like AKT, STAT3, and ERK.
- Results indicate that GSBXD effectively inhibits tumor growth, reduces MDSCs and macrophage proliferation, promotes NK cell percentages, and positively affects T and B cell survival in a mouse model of hepatoma.
A Novel Promising Endometrial Preparation Protocol for Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
February 2022
Article Synopsis
- Frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) is crucial in assisted reproductive technology (ART), but there's no clear consensus on the best method for endometrial preparation (EP).
- A new protocol called down-regulation ovulation-induction (DROI) was tested to enhance pregnancy outcomes by comparing it to the modified natural cycle FET (mNC-FET) in a pilot trial with 307 patients.
- Results showed that the DROI-FET group had significantly higher implantation rates (54.41% vs. 35.71%), clinical pregnancy rates (69.87% vs. 50.33%), and ongoing pregnancy rates (64.10% vs. 42.38%) compared to the mNC-F
Article Synopsis
- Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a serious complication in diabetes, leading to heart problems such as myocardial fibrosis and chronic heart failure, with Smad3 protein playing a crucial role in this process.
- Researchers found that mice genetically modified to lack the Smad3 gene (Smad3KO-db/db) showed protection from DCM, maintaining normal heart function and low levels of heart inflammation and fibrosis, unlike their Smad3 intact counterparts.
- The study suggests that Smad3 contributes to DCM development by facilitating harmful cardiac inflammation and fibrosis, indicating that targeting Smad3 could be a promising new treatment strategy for DCM in diabetic patients.
Article Synopsis
- - A total of 43 quinolizidine alkaloids were extracted from Sophora alopecuroides seeds, including 12 new matrine-type compounds named sophalodes A-L.
- - Four compounds were identified as the first C-11 oxidized matrine-type alkaloids from Sophora species, with their structures confirmed through advanced techniques like spectroscopic methods and X-ray diffraction.
- - Some compounds, particularly 29, 38, and 42, showed strong inhibition of nitric oxide production in macrophages, with compound 29 demonstrating additional anti-inflammatory properties, while compound 16 had mild cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells.
Article Synopsis
- - Three new alkaloids were discovered from the seeds of Sophora alopecuroides L., namely 8β-hydroxyoxysophoridine, 9β-hydroxysophoridine, and 9β-hydroxyisosophocarpine, along with a known compound, 11,12-dehydromatrine.
- - The structures of these new compounds were determined using advanced spectroscopic techniques, including experimental and calculated ECD (Electronic Circular Dichroism) data.
- - Testing for anti-inflammatory properties revealed that 8β-hydroxyoxysophoridine exhibited a notable inhibitory effect on NO production in stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, with an IC value
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the role of Smad3 signaling in beta cell function and type 2 diabetes by using genetically modified mice with Smad3 deletion.
- The research found that Smad3 deficiency prevents diabetes-induced beta cell loss and dysfunction, identifying over 8,000 genes that are differentially expressed in response to Smad3.
- The preservation of Pax6, a crucial mediator for beta cell development, due to Smad3 deficiency enhances both beta cell proliferation and insulin secretion, suggesting Smad3 as a potential therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes.
There is increasing evidence that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) can cause intestinal dysfunction, which in turn aggravates the progression of kidney disease. Studies have shown that the immune response of macrophage plays an important role in promoting inflammation in kidney and intestine of CKD. Bunge and Panax notoginseng formula (A&P) is a widely used traditional medicine for the treatment of CKD in China, however, the underlying mechanism is largely unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDecursin inhibits the growth of HeLa cervical cancer cells through PI3K/Akt signaling.
J Asian Nat Prod Res
June 2021
Article Synopsis
- Decursin, a coumarin compound, shows potential anti-tumor properties, particularly against cervical cancer, despite limited prior research.
- In experiments with HeLa cells, decursin was found to induce apoptosis and reduce cell proliferation and migration.
- Decursin may inhibit tumor growth by regulating Akt activation, suggesting it could be explored as a new treatment option for cervical cancer.
Article Synopsis
- Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious condition associated with high rates of death and illness, where inflammation contributes significantly to kidney damage.
- Researchers investigated a Syk inhibitor, BAY61-3606 (BAY), in both laboratory and animal models, finding that it effectively reduced inflammation and restored normal levels of harmful substances in the kidneys.
- The study concluded that BAY works by inhibiting a specific inflammatory signaling pathway, suggesting its potential as a new treatment option for AKI.
Article Synopsis
- The structure of this new compound and other related alkaloids were analyzed using advanced techniques like 1D & 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectrometry.
- Additionally, the compounds (+)-sophoranol and lupanine were found to have biological activities, with sophoranol inhibiting nitric oxide production in macrophages and lupanine targeting human glioma stem cells.