Publications by authors named "Zhen Ao"

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM) imposes a heavy burden on the skin and respiratory system of human beings, causing side effects such as aging, inflammation and cancer. Astaxanthin (ATX) is a well-known antioxidant widely used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.

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Background/aim: Melanoma is a prevalent malignant tumor that arises from melanocytes. The treatment of malignant melanoma has become challenging due to the development of drug resistance. It is, therefore, imperative to identify novel therapeutic drug candidates for controlling malignant melanoma.

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The physical and chemical properties of tissue engineering scaffolds have considerable effects on the inflammatory response at the implant site in soft tissue repair. The development of inflammation-modulating polymer scaffolds for soft tissue repair is attracting increasing attention. In this study, in order to regulate the inflammatory response at the implant site, a series of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) scaffolds with different properties were synthesized using polyethylene glycol (PEG), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly (lactic acid)-glycolic acid copolymers (PLGAs) with three lactic acid/glycolic acid (LA/GA) ratios as the soft segments.

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Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic complication with complex etiology and severe visual impairment. Dysregulated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely associated with DR. This article focused on the impact of lncRNA transmembrane phosphatase with tensin homology pseudogene 1 (TPTEP1) in DR.

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Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with neuronal cell death through apoptosis. Apoptosis is tightly associated with the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and high glucose levels contribute to higher oxidative stress in diabetic patients. Hesperidin, a natural active compound, has been reported to scavenge free radicals.

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Ginseng ( Meyer) has been used in East Asian traditional medicine for a long time. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is effective against several disorders, including cancer. The cytotoxic effects of KRG extract in terms of autophagy- and apoptosis-mediated cell death and its mechanisms were investigated using human colorectal cancer lines.

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Particulate matter 2.5 (PM) exposure can trigger adverse health outcomes in the human skin, such as skin aging, wrinkles, pigment spots, and atopic dermatitis. PM is associated with mitochondrial damage and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

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Numerous epidemiological studies have reported that particulate matter 2.5 (PM) causes skin aging and skin inflammation and impairs skin homeostasis. Hesperidin, a bioflavonoid that is abundant in citrus species, reportedly has anti-inflammatory properties.

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Few studies have evaluated the role of autophagy in the development of oxaliplatin (OXT) resistance in colon cancer cells. In this study, we compared the role of autophagy between SNU-C5 colon cancer cells and OXT-resistant SNU-C5 (SNU-C5/OXTR) cells. At the same concentration of OXT, the cytotoxicity of OXT or apoptosis was significantly reduced in SNU-C5/OXTR cells compared with that in SNU-C5 cells.

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Five new spirocyclic polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, Hyperpatulones C-G (1-5), were obtained from the leaves of Hypericum patulum. Their structures were characterized by the comprehensive analysis of their IR, NMR, CD spectra and HRESIMS data. All the new compounds were evaluated for the α-glycosidase inhibitory activities.

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The skin is one of the large organs in the human body and the most exposed to outdoor contaminants such as particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM). Recently, we reported that PM induced cellular macromolecule disruption of lipids, proteins, and DNA, via reactive oxygen species, eventually causing cellular apoptosis of human keratinocytes.

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The prevalence of fine particulate matter-induced harm to the human body is increasing daily. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which particulate matter 2.5 (PM) induces damage in human HaCaT keratinocytes and normal human dermal fibroblasts, and to evaluate the preventive capacity of the ginsenoside Rb1.

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Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in various cellular diseases. Excessive ROS can cause intracellular oxidative stress, resulting in a calcium imbalance and even aging. In this study, we evaluated the protective effect of esculetin on oxidative stress-induced aging in human HaCaT keratinocytes.

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Toxicity of particulate matter (PM) towards the epidermis has been well established in many epidemiological studies. It is manifested in cancer, aging, and skin damage. In this study, we aimed to show the mechanism underlying the protective effects of eckol, a phlorotannin isolated from brown seaweed, on human HaCaT keratinocytes against PM-induced cell damage.

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Niacinamide (NIA) is a water-soluble vitamin that is widely used in the treatment of skin diseases. Moreover, NIA displays antioxidant effects and helps repair damaged DNA. Recent studies showed that particulate matter 2.

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In this study, we aimed to illustrate the potential bio-effects of 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (3-BDB) on the antioxidant/cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in keratinocytes. The antioxidant effects of 3-BDB were examined via reverse transcription PCR, Western blotting, HO-1 activity assay, and immunocytochemistry. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis was performed to test for nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) binding to the antioxidant response element of the HO-1 promoter.

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Luteolin, a dietary flavone, modulates various signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism that underlies the apoptotic effects of luteolin mediated by DNA demethylation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) promoter and the interaction of Nrf2 and p53, a tumor suppressor, in human colon cancer cells. Luteolin increased the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and antioxidant enzymes.

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Horse oil products have been used in skin care for a long time in traditional medicine, but the biological effects of horse oil on the skin remain unclear. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of horse oil on ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced oxidative stress in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Horse oil significantly reduced UVB-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species and intracellular oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA.

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Nine new spirocyclic acylphloroglucinol derivatives, hyperpatulols A-I (1-9), were characterized from the flowers of Hypericum patulum. Their structures were elucidated by the basic analysis of the obtained spectroscopic data, and their absolute configurations were assigned by both the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) exciton chirality method and ECD calculation. The evaluation of their anti-migration effects on U2-OS human osteosarcoma cells showed that compound 4 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner.

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The skin, the largest organ in humans, is exposed to major sources of outdoor air pollution, such as fine particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM). Diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC), a marine-based compound, possesses multiple activities including antioxidant effects.

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Skin is exposed to various harmful environmental factors such as air pollution, which includes different types of particulate matter (PM). Atmospheric PM has harmful effects on humans through increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been reported to promote skin aging via the induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which in turn can cause the degradation of collagen. In this study, we investigated the effect of fermented fish oil (FFO) derived from mackerel on fine PM (particles with a diameter < 2.

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Hypatulone A (1), an acylphloroglucinol possessing an unprecedented homoadamantane architecture based on a tricyclo-[4.3.1.

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Oxidative stress is considered a major contributor in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy and in diabetes complications, such as nephropathy and cardiovascular diseases. Diabetic neuropathy, which is the most frequent complications of diabetes, affect sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves. This study aimed to investigate whether 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) protects SH-SY5Y neuronal cells against high glucose-induced toxicity.

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