Müller cells are activated in response to retinal outer nuclear layer degeneration in rats subjected to simulated weightlessness conditions.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202507000-00032/figure1/v/2024-09-09T124005Z/r/image-tiff A microgravity environment has been shown to cause ocular damage and affect visual acuity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we established an animal model of weightlessness via tail suspension to examine the pathological changes and molecular mechanisms of retinal damage under microgravity.

Conjoint research of WGCNA, single-cell transcriptome and structural biology reveals the potential targets of IDD development and treatment and JAK3 involvement.

Objectives: This study conducted integrated analysis of bulk RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), to comprehensively decode the most essential genes of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD); then mainly focused on the JAK3 macromolecule to identify natural compounds to provide more candidate drug options in alleviating IDD.

Methods: In the first part, we performed single-cell transcriptome analysis and WGCNA workflow to delineate the most pivotal genes of IDD. Then series of structural biology approaches and high-throughput virtual screening techniques were performed to discover potential compounds targeting JAK-STAT signaling pathway, such as Libdock, ADMET, precise molecular docking algorithm and drug stability assessment.

Integrated analysis of single-cell transcriptome and structural biology approach reveals the dynamics changes of NP subtypes and roles of Menaquinone in attenuating intervertebral disc degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a progressive and chronic disease, the mechanisms have been studied extensively as a whole, while the cellular heterogeneity of cells in nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues remained controversial for a long time. This study conducted integrated analysis through single-cell sequencing analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and differential expression analysis, to systematically decipher the longitudinal alterations of distinct NP subtypes, and also analyzed the most essential genes in the development of IDD. Then, this study further conducted structural biology method to discover the potential lead compounds through a suite of advanced approaches like high-throughput screening (HTVS), pharmaceutical characteristics assessment, CDOCKER module as well as molecular dynamics simulation, etc.

Choroidal circulation disturbance is an initial factor in outer retinal degeneration in rats under simulated weightlessness.

Microgravity contributes to ocular injury yet the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to elucidate the mechanism behind choroidal circulation disorder and outer retinal degeneration in rats with simulated weightlessness. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to evaluate choroidal circulation and retinal morphological alterations in rats with weightlessness simulation.

A model for anticancer surveillance was pharmacologically developed to evaluate vitality principle in breast cancer rats.

Objective: To evaluate vitality principle in breast cancer rats by pharmacologically developing a model for anticancer surveillance.

Methods: The breast cancer in rats was replicated with 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA, i.g.

Anti-angiogenic effects of Qingdu granule on breast cancer through inhibiting NFAT signaling pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Qingdu granule (QDG), a traditional Chinese herbal prescription, had anti-tumor effect on breast cancer. However the underlying mechanism of QDG was unclear.

The Aim Of This Study: The present study aimed to investigate whether QDG could inhibit angiogenesis of breast cancer via acting on nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) signaling pathway.