Publications by authors named "Xueqian Yin"
Article Synopsis
- This study compared how different infant formulas (full goat milk, partial goat milk, and cow milk) affect infant growth, sleep, allergies, and gut bacteria, using breastfeeding as a control.
- A total of 428 infants participated, and results indicated no significant differences in growth metrics (weight, length, head circumference) among the groups throughout the 6-month feeding period.
- While formula-fed infants initially slept longer than those breastfed, this difference disappeared over time, and overall allergic symptoms and gut bacteria diversity showed no significant group differences.
Article Synopsis
- * The study examined the effects of a buckwheat-oat-pea (BOP) composite flour on diabetic rats induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection over 10 weeks.
- * Results indicated that BOP improved glucose and lipid metabolism, reduced liver injury, and altered gut microbiota, suggesting its potential as a stable food substitution for managing diabetes.
Article Synopsis
- Dietary intervention is vital for diabetes prevention, especially in China, which has the world's largest diabetic population; however, there is currently no dietary strategy that aligns with Chinese eating habits.
- This study examines the effects of an oat and buckwheat compound (OBC) as a staple food substitute on diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats over an 11-week period, measuring various health indicators and conducting interventions.
- Results showed that OBC significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, improved metabolism, decreased inflammation and organ damage, and enhanced gut health, suggesting it could be a valuable dietary option for Chinese individuals with diabetes.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the sugar content in market beverages and the sugar intake from these drinks among students in Beijing.
- Using a method called snapshotting, researchers collected data from beverage packaging and nutrition labels to estimate student sugar consumption.
- Results showed the median sugar content in beverages was 9.0 g/100 mL, with fruit/vegetable juices having the highest levels; overall, students consumed about 5.3 g of sugar per day from beverages, which varied by gender, age, and living area.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the impact of genetically modified insect-resistant maize (2A-7) on the growth and development of young rats compared to non-transgenic maize and a standard diet.
- Rats were divided into four diet groups, including two with varying levels of 2A-7 maize, and the health metrics of their offspring were analyzed at weaning.
- Results indicated that the growth, organ health, and overall development of the offspring from the 2A-7 diet were similar to those from the non-transgenic diet, suggesting that 2A-7 maize is safe for developing rats.
Article Synopsis
- Despite advancements in medical care, pathogen-related illnesses and deaths remain high, worsened by rising multidrug-resistant bacteria and antibiotic misuse.
- Polymeric antibacterial materials offer distinct advantages, such as flexible design and safety, making them superior to traditional antibacterial agents in various applications.
- The review outlines different polymeric structures, their effectiveness, challenges, and potential future directions for improving antibacterial materials in fields like tissue engineering and environmental security.
Article Synopsis
- The study reveals that the harmful effects of TGF-β in promoting fibrosis are partly due to dysfunction in how cells process glutamine, and blocking an enzyme called GLS1 can reverse lung fibrosis.
- Researchers found GLS1 levels were significantly higher in fibrotic lung tissue compared to normal, and TGF-β's effects on fibrotic features required GLS1's activity.
- The study identifies SIRT7 and FOXO4 as natural regulators of GLS1 that TGF-β can inhibit, and using a GLS1 blocker (CB-839) showed promise in reducing lung fibrosis caused by bleomycin.
Study on the release behaviors of berberine hydrochloride based on sandwich nanostructure and shape memory effect.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl
April 2020
Nanofibrous drug delivery systems (DDSs) recently have attracted remarkable interest, especially their potential to program dosage of the encased drug intelligently. Despite this, the exploration of efficient strategy to precisely program drug release from nanofibrous DDS still remains a significant challenge. In this study, we electrospun a near-body temperature (T ≈ 42 °C) sensitive shape memory polyurethane in three stages through sequential electrospinning technology, and prepared a sort of sandwich structural membrane, comprising of top, inner and bottom layers, wherein a natural antibacterial agent, berberine hydrochloride (BCH), was imbedded inside the middle layer.
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- Pathogenic fibrotic diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) affect millions and have poor prognoses, with two-thirds of patients dying within 2-5 years due to limited treatment options.
- The study highlights the upregulation of IGF-1 in myofibroblasts induced by TGFβ, linking it to decreased lung function in IPF patients.
- Researchers found that TGFβ activates IGF-1 through specific signaling pathways and demonstrated that inhibiting IGF-1 receptor effectively slows lung fibrosis progression in mouse models, pointing to potential new therapeutic approaches.
Metabolic dysregulation in fibroblasts is implicated in the profibrotic actions of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Here, we present evidence that hexokinase 2 (HK2) is important for mediating the fibroproliferative activity of TGF-β both in vitro and in vivo. Both Smad-dependent and Smad-independent TGF-β signaling induced HK2 accumulation in murine and human lung fibroblasts through induction of the transcription factor c-Myc.
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- The study reports the development of smart wet-spun fibers that can release therapeutic drugs in a controlled manner, using a model drug (berberine chloride hydrate) and a temperature-responsive carrier (shape memory polyurethane).
- The fibers exhibit excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties, with drug release behavior influenced by pH and fiber structure; drug release can be adjusted by changing the fibers' initial shapes.
- The fibers also demonstrate antibacterial properties against various bacteria strains, indicating their potential as effective drug delivery systems for tailored therapeutic applications.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses (ASLV) A through E, which are related alpharetroviruses that have adapted to use different host proteins as entry receptors.
- Researchers applied genetic selection to encourage the ASLV(B) virus to evolve mutations that would allow it to escape entry inhibitors, specifically the secreted form of its Tvb receptor.
- The findings revealed that while some mutations helped ASLV(B) evade the receptor blocks, additional changes in the viral glycoprotein structure were necessary for effective infection, illustrating the complexity of the viral entry process.
Article Synopsis
- - A new wound dressing called the Sandwich Structural Membrane (SSM) combines three layers of nanofibers: two hydrophobic polyurethane layers with an antibacterial agent on the outer sides, and a hydrogel mat (gelatin/rutin) in the middle, designed to enhance both water resistance and absorption.
- - The SSM has been tested and shows effective antibacterial properties, antioxidant capabilities, and a controlled water vapor transmission rate, making it suitable for various wound care applications.
- - It maintains mechanical stability and retains its structure even when absorbing high levels of water, making the SSM a promising innovation in the field of wound dressings.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between H19-IGF2 gene variations and impaired renal function (IRF) in elderly individuals, focusing on a cohort of 675 people over 65.
- Researchers genotyped participants for several H19-IGF2 variants, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions/deletions (indels).
- They found that while most variants showed no association with IRF, there was a significant link between a specific IGF2 deletion and increased risk of IRF, independent of age and type 2 diabetes.
Evidence is provided that the fibroproliferative actions of TGF-β are dependent on a metabolic adaptation that sustains pathologic growth. Specifically, profibrotic TGF-β signaling is shown to require fatty acid synthase (FASN), an essential anabolic enzyme responsible for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. With the use of pharmacologic and genetic approaches, we show that TGF-β-stimulated FASN expression is independent of Smad2/3 and is mediated via mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1.
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- - The study focuses on how specific receptors, TβRI and TβRII, correctly localize to the basolateral region of polarized epithelial cells, which is crucial for their physiological function.
- - Researchers discovered that a specific sequence (VxxEED) in TβRI is essential for its proper basolateral targeting, while also noting that changes to this sequence did not affect receptor internalization or signaling pathways.
- - Additionally, when the region containing the targeting sequence is included, it can redirect other receptors, like NGFR, to the correct basolateral location, showing that receptor localization is key to signaling, particularly in TGF-β pathways.
TGF-β is considered a master switch in the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis. The primary mediators of this activity are the SMAD proteins, particularly SMAD3. In the current study, we have developed a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) conjugate of the HIV TAT protein that is fused to an aminoterminal sequence of sorting nexin 9 (SNX9), which was previously shown to bind phosphorylated SMAD3 (pSMAD3).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTGF-β plays a central role in the pathogenesis of fibroproliferative disorders. Defining the exact underlying molecular basis is therefore critical for the development of viable therapeutic strategies. Here, we show that expression of the facilitative glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is induced by TGF-β in fibroblast lines and primary cells and is required for the profibrotic effects of TGF-β.
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- Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a protein found in nearly all cell types and is crucial for various signaling processes, primarily mediated by Smad proteins.
- The study identifies sorting nexin 9 (SNX9) as essential for Smad3-mediated responses by enhancing the speed of Smad3's transfer to the nucleus after it's activated.
- Although SNX9 doesn't bind directly to certain proteins involved in nuclear transport, it helps connect phosphorylated Smad3 with the import protein Imp8, facilitating Smad3's entry into the nucleus.
Article Synopsis
- Cell-cell contacts can reduce cell growth by activating the Hippo pathway, which prevents the transcriptional coactivators YAP and TAZ from entering the nucleus.
- High cell density and Hippo signaling also limit the effects of TGF-β by trapping its signaling components in the cytoplasm.
- Epithelial cell polarization specifically alters TGF-β signaling by affecting the location of its receptors, showing that this inhibition is not solely dependent on the actions of YAP/TAZ.
Article Synopsis
- Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a key player in promoting fibrotic activity by stimulating other profibrotic cytokines like PDGF and EGF.
- The induction of ErbB ligands requires signaling through PDGF receptors, creating a feedback loop that enhances fibrotic responses.
- In a mouse model for lung fibrosis, blocking TGFβ/PDGF and ErbB pathways with specific drugs showed improved lung function and reduced fibrotic gene expression, suggesting a combined treatment approach could help manage fibrosis.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the role of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in developing epithelial structures and how receptor localization impacts this process.
- It highlights the mammalian retromer complex's new function in keeping the type II TGF-β receptor (TβRII) properly situated in the basolateral membrane of cells.
- Findings show that after retromer is knocked down, while TβRII can still move inside the cell, it fails to recycle correctly, leading to its misplacement in other membrane areas.
Article Synopsis
- The entry of the avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) into cells involves specific interactions between viral surface glycoproteins and receptors at neutral pH, followed by a low pH exposure for fusion.
- Research indicates that cysteine residues flanking the internal fusion peptide in ASLV's transmembrane glycoprotein are essential for the virus's entry efficiency.
- Mutant ASLV variants were engineered to study these cysteine mutations, leading to insights that specific second-site mutations can enhance infectivity while maintaining receptor binding capabilities.
Article Synopsis
- The avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) family comprises five subgroups (A to E) that evolved from a common ancestor in chickens, with specific chicken genetic loci influencing susceptibility to these viruses.
- An inbred chicken line, line M, displays altered susceptibility to ASLV(B), (D), and (E) due to a mutation in the tvb gene, resulting in a receptor protein (Tvb(r2)) that has a critical amino acid change at position 125 (C125S).
- This C125S mutation significantly lowers the ability of the Tvb(S1) receptor to bind ASLV envelope proteins, leading to reduced susceptibility to these viral subgroups and inhibiting the development of cancer
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS) and its role in promoting cell survival, focusing on the YWK-II protein as a potential receptor involved in this process.
- In CHO cells overexpressing YWK-II, MIS activates the G(o)-coupled ERK1/2 signaling pathway, enhancing cell survival while altering levels of p53 and caspase-3.
- In vivo experiments with a YWK-II antibody in mice suggest that inhibiting YWK-II decreases sperm count and increases markers of apoptosis, supporting the idea that YWK-II mediates MIS's protective effects on cells.