Seaweed Extract Protected Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells From Oxidative Stress Through NRF2 Activation.

Previous studies have shown that seaweed extracts (HMEs) possess antioxidant properties, but the molecular mechanisms accounting for this activity are not known. Thus, the present study investigated the molecular mechanisms through which HME exerted its antioxidant activity in human mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs). After the isolation of HME, its chemical composition was analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry, indicating that it contained amino acids, organic acids, organic amides, sugar alcohols, saturated fatty acids, hydrogenated diterpene alcohols, and other organic compounds.

Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition leads to regression of acral melanoma by targeting the tumor microenvironment.

Background: Acral melanoma (AM) is an aggressive melanoma variant that arises from palmar, plantar, and nail unit melanocytes. Compared to non-acral cutaneous melanoma (CM), AM is biologically distinct, has an equal incidence across genetic ancestries, typically presents in advanced stage disease, is less responsive to therapy, and has an overall worse prognosis.

Methods: An independent analysis of published sequencing data was performed to evaluate the frequency of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands and adapter protein gene variants and expression.

Quadrant darkfield for label-free imaging of intracellular puncta.

Significance: Imaging changes in subcellular structure is critical to understanding cell behavior but labeling can be impractical for some specimens and may induce artifacts. Although darkfield microscopy can reveal internal cell structures, it often produces strong signals at cell edges that obscure intracellular details. By optically eliminating the edge signal from darkfield images, we can resolve and quantify changes to cell structure without labeling.

Quadrant darkfield (QDF) for label-free imaging of intracellular puncta.

Significance: Measuring changes in cellular structure and organelles is crucial for understanding disease progression and cellular responses to treatments. A label-free imaging method can aid in advancing biomedical research and therapeutic strategies.

Aim: This study introduces a computational darkfield imaging approach named quadrant darkfield (QDF) to separate smaller cellular features from large structures, enabling label-free imaging of cell organelles and structures in living cells.

An efficient AAV vector system of Rec2 serotype for intravenous injection to study metabolism in brown adipocytes in vivo.

Objective: Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are powerful tools for the sustained expression of proteins in vivo and have been successfully used for mechanistic studies in mice. A major challenge associated with this method is to obtain tissue specificity and high expression levels without need of local virus administration.

Methods: To achieve this goal for brown adipose tissue (BAT), we developed a rAAV vector for intravenous bolus injection, which includes an expression cassette comprising an uncoupling protein-1 enhancer-promoter for transcription in brown adipocytes and miR122 target sequences for suppression of expression in the liver, combined with packaging in serotype Rec2 capsid protein.