Sox9-Increased miR-322-5p Facilitates BMP2-Induced Chondrogenic Differentiation by Targeting Smad7 in Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) induces effective chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by promoting Sox9 expression. However, BMP2 also induces chondrocyte hypertrophy and endochondral ossification by upregulating Smad7 expression, which leads to the disruption of chondrogenesis. In addition, Smad7 can be inhibited by Sox9.

Silencing Smad7 potentiates BMP2-induced chondrogenic differentiation and inhibits endochondral ossification in human synovial-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is a promising chondrogenic growth factor for cartilage tissue-engineering, but it also induces robust endochondral ossification. Human synovial-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hSMSCs) have attracted great interest due to their poor potential for differentiation into osteogenic lineages. Smad7 plays a significant in the endochondral ossification.

Uptake, translocation, and risk assessment of PAHs in contaminated soil-air-vegetable systems based on a field simulation experiment.

Vegetable consumption is a potential toxin exposure pathway for humans. Studies have recognized that vegetables can uptake organic contaminants via roots and translocate pollutants to their aerial parts. However, the aerial parts might also directly uptake polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated soils.

Risk of childhood overweight or obesity associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: Several investigations have shown that the risk of childhood overweight and obesity may be associated with excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), but the study samples were limited and results were mixed; hence we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the explicit association between them and present evidence.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMbase, Ovid, Web of knowledge and Cochrane library for relevant studies. Bibliographies from retrieved articles were also manually searched.