Publications by authors named "Zhi-Xiang Xu"

Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles essential for lipid storage and organismal survival. Studies have highlighted the importance of glial function in brain LD formation during aging; however, the genes and mechanisms involved remain elusive. Here, we found that Ugt35b, a member of the uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases that catalyze the transfer of glycosyl groups to acceptors, is highly expressed in glia and crucial for Drosophila lifespan.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The innate immune system serves as the host's first line of defense against invading pathogens. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a key component of this system, yet its relationship with glucose metabolism, particularly in antiviral immunity, remains underexplored.

Methods: Metabolomics analysis was used for detecting metabolic alterations in spleens from STING knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

As a chromatin remodelling factor, high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) plays various roles in both physiological and pathological conditions. However, its role in DNA damage response and DNA damage-based chemotherapy remains largely unexplored. In this study, we report the poly ADP-ribosylation (PARylation) of HMGA1 during DNA damage, leading to desensitization of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells to the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitor, olaparib.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leads to enduring axonal damage and persistent neurological deficits. While PTEN's role in neuronal growth is recognized, its long-term activation changes post-TBI and its effects on sensory-motor circuits are not well understood. Here, it is demonstrated that the neuronal knockout of PTEN (PTEN-nKO) significantly enhances both structural and functional recovery over the long term after TBI.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

While animals across species typically experience suppressed consciousness and an increased arousal threshold during sleep, the responsiveness to specific sensory inputs persists. Previous studies have demonstrated that rhythmic and continuous vibration can enhance sleep in both animals and humans. However, the neural circuits underlying vibration-induced sleep (VIS) and its potential therapeutic benefits on neuropathological processes in disease models remain unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cancer continues to pose an alarming threat to global health, necessitating the need for the development of efficient therapeutic solutions despite massive advances in the treatment. mRNA cancer vaccines have emerged as a hopeful avenue, propelled by the victory of mRNA technology in COVID-19 vaccines. The article delves into the intricate mechanisms and formulations of cancer vaccines, highlighting the ongoing efforts to strengthen mRNA stability and ensure successful translation inside target cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for cancer cell survival, and the transcription factor HMGA1 is often overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC), promoting tumor growth by enhancing lipid synthesis.
  • - In studies using specific mouse models, it was found that HMGA1 boosts cell proliferation and tumor development in CRC by upregulating fatty acid synthase (FASN), which is essential for fat production.
  • - A high-fat diet worsens CRC progression in mice with increased HMGA1, while blocking FASN with a drug called orlistat significantly reduces tumor growth, indicating that lipid metabolism could be a target for CRC treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) possesses a poor prognosis and treatment outcome. Dysregulated metabolism contributes to unrestricted growth of multiple cancers. However, abnormal metabolism, such as highly activated pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in the progression of ESCC remains largely unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Macrophages are widely distributed throughout various tissues of the body, and mounting evidence suggests their involvement in regulating the tissue microenvironment, thereby influencing disease onset and progression through direct or indirect actions. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), disturbances in renal functional homeostasis lead to inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular expansion, glomerular atrophy, and subsequent renal fibrosis. Macrophages play a pivotal role in this pathological process.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Maintaining the structural integrity of genomic chromosomal DNA is an essential role of cellular life and requires two important biological mechanisms: the DNA damage response (DDR) mechanism and telomere protection mechanism at chromosome ends. Because abnormalities in telomeres and cellular DDR regulation are strongly associated with human aging and cancer, there is a reciprocal regulation of telomeres and cellular DDR. Moreover, several drug treatments for DDR are currently available.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite the confirmed role of LKB1 in suppressing lung cancer progression, its precise effect on cellular senescence is unknown. The aim of this research was to clarify the role and mechanism of LKB1 in restraining telomerase activity in lung adenocarcinoma. The results showed that LKB1 induced cellular senescence and apoptosis either in vitro or in vivo.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Esophageal carcinoma is amongst the prevalent malignancies worldwide, characterized by unclear molecular classifications and varying clinical outcomes. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, one of the frequently perturbed dysregulated pathways in human malignancies, has instigated the development of various inhibitory agents targeting this pathway, but many ESCC patients exhibit intrinsic or adaptive resistance to these inhibitors. Here, we aim to explore the reasons for the insensitivity of ESCC patients to mTOR inhibitors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Accumulated alterations in metabolic control provide energy and anabolic demands for enhanced cancer cell proliferation. Exemplified by the Warburg effect, changes in glucose metabolism during cancer progression are widely recognized as a characteristic of metabolic disorders. Since telomerases are a vital factor in maintaining DNA integrity and stability, any damage threatening telomerases could have a severe impact on DNA and, subsequently, whole-cell homeostasis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Recent development of new immune checkpoint inhibitors has been particularly successfully in cancer treatment, but still the majority patients fail to benefit. Converting resistant tumors to immunotherapy sensitive will provide a significant improvement in patient outcome. Here we identify Mi-2β as a key melanoma-intrinsic effector regulating the adaptive anti-tumor immune response.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • High-risk HPVs, particularly HPV16, are linked to cervical cancer by promoting cell growth through the activation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).
  • The HPV16 E6 protein enhances the activity of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) by preventing its lactylation, which in turn supports tumor growth in cervical cancer cells.
  • Targeting G6PD activity with specific inhibitors or manipulating its lactylation can potentially offer new treatment approaches for cervical and HPV-related cancers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: O-GlcNAcylation modification affects multiple physiological and pathophysiolocal functions of cells. Altered O-GlcNAcylation was reported to participate in antivirus response. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is an adaptor mediating DNA virus-induced innate immune response.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chemotherapy is a primary treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is an important hurdle to effective treatment. Understanding the mechanisms underlying chemotherapy resistance in ESCC is an unmet medical need to improve the survival of ESCC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chronic interstitial fibrosis presents a significant challenge to the long-term survival of transplanted kidneys. Our research has shown that reduced expression of acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in the peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, contributes to the development of fibrosis in renal allografts. ACOX1 deficiency leads to lipid accumulation and excessive oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which mediate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and extracellular matrix (ECM) reorganization respectively, thus causing fibrosis in renal allografts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mesalazine, a preparation of 5-aminosalicylic acid, is a medication widely used in clinical practice as a first-line therapy in the treatment of mild and moderate inflammatory bowel disease. However, the long-term safety of mesalazine in large sample population was unknown. The current study was to assess mesalazine -related adverse events of real-world through data mining of the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • DCBLD1 is identified as an oncogene in cervical cancer, with mechanisms of lactylation influencing its stability and function.
  • Lactate levels boost DCBLD1 expression, activating the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) which contributes to cancer cell proliferation and metastasis.
  • The study utilizes various methods like LC-MS/MS and western blot to explore how DCBLD1 and lactate interact, specifically focusing on lactylation sites and the involvement of HIF-1α in regulating DCBLD1 transcription.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Abnormal activation of telomerase occurs in most cancer types, which facilitates escaping from cell senescence. As the key component of telomerase, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is regulated by various regulation pathways. TERT gene changing in its promoter and phosphorylation respectively leads to TERT ectopic expression at the transcription and protein levels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Emerging evidence reveals that SARS-CoV-2 possesses the capability to disrupt the gastrointestinal (GI) homeostasis, resulting in the long-term symptoms such as loss of appetite, diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux, and nausea. In the current review, we summarized recent reports regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19 (long COVID) on the gastrointestine.

Objective: To provide a narrative review of abundant clinical evidence regarding the development and management of long-term GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intestinal dysbiosis frequently occurs in abdominal radiotherapy and contributes to irradiation (IR)-induced intestinal damage and inflammation. () is a recently characterized probiotic, which is critical for maintaining the dynamics of the intestinal mucus layer and preserving intestinal microbiota homeostasis. However, the role of in the alleviation of radiation enteritis remains unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The objective of this study was to explore the association between the sarcopenia index and abnormal liver function in adult individuals in the United States.

Methodology: This study employed a rigorous cross-sectional analysis of data derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2017 and 2018. The primary objective was to investigate the correlation between the sarcopenia index and abnormal liver function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF