Publications by authors named "Zhenkui Ren"

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that severely impacts cognitive function, posing significant physical and psychological burdens on patients and substantial economic challenges to families and society, particularly in aging populations where its prevalence is rising. Current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological interventions, exhibit considerable limitations in early diagnosis, etiological treatment, and disease management. This study aims to investigate the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the early diagnosis and progression monitoring of AD through a bibliometric analysis of relevant literature.

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Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by cognitive decline and memory loss. Recent research underscores the crucial role of astrocytes in AD. This study reviews research trends and contributions on astrocytes in AD from 2000 to 2024, shedding light on the evolving research landscape.

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Article Synopsis
  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes memory and thinking problems and is linked to weird proteins called amyloid-beta and tau.
  • This study looks at a specific change in the tau protein that might help fight AD by affecting how iron is used in brain cells.
  • Mice with a special change in the tau protein showed better memory and less brain damage, which suggests that this might help develop new treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
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Objective: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are widely expressed in the brain and are associated with the development of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. However, their roles and molecular mechanisms in major depressive disorder (MDD) remain largely unknown. This study aimed to identify lncRNAs and miRNAs involved in the development of MDD and elucidate their molecular mechanisms.

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Article Synopsis
  • Liver fibrosis is a reversible condition caused by various injuries that, if not addressed, can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, and the gut microbiota plays a significant role in its progression.
  • Veronicastrum latifolium (VLY) is a traditional remedy used in China for liver-related diseases, and research shows its aqueous extract can alleviate liver damage and fibrosis in mice.
  • The study found that VLY water extract not only improved liver function and structure but also altered the gut microbiota composition, increasing beneficial bacteria that help reduce inflammation and fibrosis in the liver.
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Background: Accurate diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) remains difficult, and one of the key challenges in diagnosing MDD is the lack of reliable diagnostic biomarkers. The objective of this study was to explore gene networks and identify potential biomarkers for MDD.

Methods: In the present study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the mRNA expression profiles using blood samples of four patients with MDD and four controls by RNA sequencing.

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Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury induces activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway, accompanied by an increase in apoptosis. Multiple microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are dysregulated during I/R and contribute to I/R-induced injury. miRNAs act as suppressors of gene expression and negatively regulate gene expression by targeting the protein-coding sequence (CDS) of specific target mRNAs.

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This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which berberine protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) PC12 model was established. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the toxicity of berberine and the viability of PC12 cells.

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have been reported to affect ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)‑induced cerebral damage. miRNAs cause post‑transcriptional gene silencing by binding to the protein‑coding sequence (CDS) of mRNAs. Seipin has a potential role in regulating autophagic flux.

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder. Abnormal aggregation of the neurotoxic amyloid‑β (Aβ) peptide is an early event in AD. The activation of astrocytic α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) can inhibit Aβ aggregation; thus, the molecular mechanism between α7 nAChR activation and Aβ aggregation warrants further investigation.

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Background: β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and astrocytes can significantly inhibit Aβ aggregation. Astrocytic α7 Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (nAChR) upregulation detected in the AD brains is closely associated with Aβ deposits. However, the relationships between the astrocytic α7 nAChRs and Aβ aggregation remain unclear.

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