Discovery of Novel Peptide Antagonists Targeting GPR55 for Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is a condition characterized by aberrant proliferation of connective tissue in the liver resulting from diverse etiological factors. G protein-coupled receptor GPR55 has recently been identified as a regulator of liver diseases. Herein, we report the discovery of a cyclic peptide P1-1 that antagonizes GPR55 and suppresses collagen secretion in hepatic stellate cells.

Can self-powered piezoelectric materials be used to treat disc degeneration by means of electrical stimulation?

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) due to multiple causes is one of the major causes of low back pain (LBP). A variety of traditional treatments and biologic therapies are currently used to delay or even reverse IDD; however, these treatments still have some limitations. Finding safer and more effective treatments is urgent for LBP patients.

Gefitinib Induces Apoptosis in NSCLC Cells by Promoting Glutaminolysis and Inhibiting the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway.

Background: Over 80% of lung cancer cases constitute non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), making it the most prevalent type of lung cancer globally and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The treatment of NSCLC patients with gefitinib has demonstrated promising initial efficacy. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Dishevelled Segment Polarity Protein 3 (DVL3) Induced by Bacterial LPS Promotes the Proliferation and Migration of Prostate Cancer Cells through the TLR4 Pathway.

Background: Chronic inflammation is associated with various malignant tumors. Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) play a significant part in the event and development of prostate cancer. Dishevelled segment polarity protein 3 () is a shared component of the Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling pathways, which are involved in tumor progression, chemoresistance, and maintenance of stem cell-like properties.

Recombinant Humanized IgG1 Antibody Promotes Reverse Cholesterol Transport through FcRn-ERK1/2-PPARα Pathway in Hepatocytes.

Hyperlipidemia-associated lipid disorders are considered the cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a mechanism by which excess peripheral cholesterol is transported to the liver and further converted into bile acid for excretion from the body in feces, which contributes to reducing hyperlipidemia as well as cardiovascular disease. We previously found that the recombinant humanized IgG1 antibody promotes macrophages to engulf lipids and increases cholesterol efflux to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) through ATP-binding cassette sub-family A1 (ABCA1), one of the key proteins related to RCT.

Recombinant Humanized IgG1 Antibody Protects against oxLDL-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Human Monocyte/Macrophage THP-1 Cells by Upregulation of MSRA via Sirt1-FOXO1 Axis.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis are considered as critical contributors to cardiovascular diseases. Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA) is a potent intracellular oxidoreductase and serves as an essential factor that protects cells against oxidative damage. Here, we firstly provide evidence that recombinant humanized IgG1 antibody treatment upregulated the expression of MSRA in THP-1 cells to defend against oxLDL-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Collagen VI antibody reduces atherosclerosis by activating monocyte/macrophage polarization in ApoE mice.

Atherosclerosis (AS) has been regarded as an autoimmune disease. However, studies on immunotherapy against AS are limited. We previously found that IgG in AS patients serum binding to alpha 5 and 6 chain of collagen VI (COL6A5 or COL6A6) was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects, here we tried to identify whether they are AS-protective, and tried to develop human antibodies against them.

Recombinant humanized IgG1 maintain liver triglyceride homeostasis through Arylacetamide deacetylase in ApoE mice.

Background & Aims: Hyperlipidemia is a lipid metabolism disorder associated with elevated serum triglyceride (TG) and/or cholesterol. Over the years, studies have shown that hyperlipidemia is associated with combordities, incluing diabetes and obesity, gradually becoming a public health concern. Current treatment approaches remain limited due to the lack of effective drugs.

Methylene Blue versus Coil-Based Computed Tomography-Guided Localization of Lung Nodules.

Background: Preoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided localization has been shown to significantly improve lung nodule video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)-based wedge resection technical success rates. However, at present, there was insufficient research regarding the optimal approaches to localization of these nodules prior to resection. We aimed to compare the relative clinical efficacy of preoperative CT-guided methylene blue and coil-based lung nodule localization.

In vivo Evaluation and Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Outcome of siRNA Loaded Dual Targeting Drug Delivery System.

Background: To deliver drugs to treat Alzheimer's Disease (AD), nanoparticles should firstly penetrate through blood brain barrier, and then target neurons.

Methods: Recently, we developed an Apo A-I and NL4 dual modified nanoparticle (ANNP) to deliver beta-amyloid converting enzyme 1 (BACE1) siRNA. Although promising in vitro results were obtained, the in vivo performance was not clear.

The important role of apolipoprotein A-II in ezetimibe driven reduction of high cholesterol diet-induced atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: It has been well established that ezetimibe blocks cholesterol absorption to prevent the negative effects of a high-fat diet in atherosclerosis. However, the exact mechanism is unknown. Here we use a transgenic zebrafish, which expresses different fluorescent proteins on either endothelial cells or granulocytes and macrophages, to explore the specific mechanism of ezetimibe and its role in reducing atherosclerosis-related hypercholesteremia.

[The effects of NOX4 and TGF-βinvolved in airway remodeling of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease].

Objective: To investigate the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate 4 (NADPH4,NOX4) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) involve in pathogenesis of airway remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Lung tissues from 36 COPD patients and 19 patients with normal lung function were enrolled in this study. The volume of airway smooth muscle (ASM)mass was evaluated.

A Dual Targeting Drug Delivery System for Penetrating Blood-Brain Barrier and Selectively Delivering siRNA to Neurons for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of most serious threats to human beings, however, the treatment is hindered by blood-brain barrier and poor intra-brain cell selectivity.

Methods: In this study, we developed a novel dual targeting drug delivery system by modification of NL4 peptide and apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) onto dendrimer particles that may efficiently deliver siRNA into neuron cells to down-regulate BACE1 and inhibit Aβ formation. The constructed ANNP/ siRNA was approximately 79.

Diagnosis and Treatment of 26 Cases of Abdominal Cocoon.

Background And Aims: Abdominal cocoon (AC) is a rare abdominal disease with nonspecific clinical features, and it is difficult to be diagnosed before operation and hard to be treated in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of AC.

Methods: The clinical manifestations, findings during surgery, treatments, and follow-up results of 26 cases of AC were retrospectively studied from January 2001 to January 2015.

oxLDL antibody inhibits MCP-1 release in monocytes/macrophages by regulating Ca /K channel flow.

oxLDL peptide vaccine and its antibody adoptive transferring have shown a significantly preventive or therapeutic effect in atherosclerotic animal model. The molecular mechanism behind this is obscure. Here, we report that oxLDL induces MCP-1 release in monocytes/macrophages through their TLR-4 (Toll-like receptor 4) and ERK MAPK pathway and is calcium/potassium channel-dependent.

The Expression of NOX4 in Smooth Muscles of Small Airway Correlates with the Disease Severity of COPD.

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) remodeling is a hallmark in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (NOXs) produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in COPD pathogenesis. In the present study, the expression of NOX4 and its correlation with the ASM hypertrophy/hyperplasia, clinical pulmonary functions, and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-) in the ASM of COPD small airways were investigated by semiquantitative morphological and/or immunohistochemistry staining methods. The results showed that an elevated expression of NOX4 and TGF-, along with an increased volume of ASM mass, was found in the ASM of small airways in COPD patients.

[Construction and identification of human p-selectin promotor luciferase reporter gene vector].

Objective: To construct a luciferase reporter gene vector of p-selectin gene promoter and determine its transcriptional activity for screening the effect of drugs on the transcriptional activity of p-selectin promoter.

Methods: Primers were designed based on human p-selectin promoter sequence from UCSC software. The p-selectin promoter from human genome DNA was then amplified.