Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maximilian Schinagl, Tamara Tomin, Juergen Gindlhuber, Sophie Honeder, Raphael Pfleger, Matthias Schittmayer, Michael Trauner, Ruth Birner-Gruenberger
Summary: This study investigated the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) through an increase in growth medium serum concentration, revealing cellular processes involved in HSC transformation. Activated HSC showed increased production of ribosomal proteins and proteins related to migration and cell cycle control, along with a decrease in cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis proteins. The findings provide insights into HSC activation characteristics and present a accessible model for studying HSC activation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
James K. Carter, Scott L. Friedman
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the main cause of liver disease worldwide, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a more severe form characterized by significant hepatocellular injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. Recent research has shown that heightened immune cell activity and chronic inflammation play crucial roles in the development of NASH, with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) being the key drivers of fibrosis.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Nana Zhang, Huimin Yao, Zhixuan Zhang, Zhuoqun Li, Xue Chen, Yan Zhao, Ran Ju, Jiayi He, Heli Pan, Xiaoli Liu, Yi Lv
Summary: Hepatic fibrosis is a secondary condition caused by chronic inflammatory liver injury. The secretion of various cytokines and chemokines by damaged hepatocytes and activated hepatic stellate cells attracts immune cells to the injury site, mediating immune responses and promoting tissue repair. However, the continuous release of inflammatory cytokines can lead to excessive tissue repair and fibrosis progression. Analyzing changes in local immune homeostasis under different pathological states can enhance our understanding of liver diseases and potential therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the critical components of the hepatic immune microenvironment and its impact on the development of hepatic fibrosis, as well as explores the modulation of the immune microenvironment to alleviate fibrosis progression.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yunyang Bao, Tianyu Niu, Jingyang Zhu, Yuheng Mei, Yulong Shi, Runze Meng, Qionglu Duan, Na Zhang, Tianyun Fan, Yanxiang Wang, Yudong Pang, Yinghong Li, Hongwei He, Danqing Song
Summary: A series of new tricyclic matrinane derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effects on genes and proteins related to hepatic fibrosis. Compound 6k showed strong activity and significantly reduced liver injury and fibrosis in both BDL rats and Mdr2 knockout mice. The ABPP assay indicated that 6k might directly bind to EWSR1 to inhibit its function and affect downstream liver fibrosis-related genes expression, providing a potential novel target for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Nadira Vadaq, Yue Zhang, Wilhelm A. J. W. Vos, Albert L. Groenendijk, Martinus J. T. Blaauw, Louise E. van Eekeren, Maartje Jacobs-Cleophas, Lisa van de Wijer, Jessica Cristina dos Santos, Muhammad Hussein Gasem, Leo A. B. Joosten, Mihai G. Netea, Quirijn de Mast, Jingyuan Fu, Andre J. A. M. van der Ven, Vasiliki Matzaraki
Summary: HIV-infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy exhibit dysregulation of immune and microbial profiles, leading to cardiovascular disease development. Certain proteins were found to be associated with the presence and risk of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ting Yang, Enyi Wu, Xiaoyun Zhu, Yingrong Leng, Shengtao Ye, Ruirui Dong, Jiaman Liu, Jiawen Zhong, Ying Zheng, Wenjun Xu, Jun Luo, Lingyi Kong, Hao Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the antifibrotic activities and potential mechanisms of TKF, a natural mexicanolide-type limonoid derivative, against liver fibrosis. The results show that TKF attenuates hepatic histopathological injury and collagen accumulation, suppresses fibrogenesis-associated gene expression, and inhibits HSC activation by inhibiting YAP and Notch3-Hes1 pathways.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Suyavaran Arumugam, Binghua Li, Sri Lakshmi Tejaswi Boodapati, Michael H. Nathanson, Beicheng Sun, Xinshou Ouyang, Wajahat Z. Mehal
Summary: TGF-beta induces HSC transdifferentiation by releasing mitochondrial DNA and activating the cGAS-STING-IRF3 pathway.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fang Wang, Chunpu Liu, Jiawei Li, Fan Yang, Jiangning Song, Tianyi Zang, Jianhua Yao, Guohua Wang
Summary: Researchers have developed a comprehensive database called Single-cell Proteomic DataBase (SPDB), providing single-cell proteomic data including antibody-based or mass spectrometry-based approaches; equipped with standardized data processing and user-friendly web interface, offering unified data formats for interaction, search, and exploration at both dataset-level and protein-level, serving as a valuable resource for detailed insights into single-cell proteomics.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Taixiong Xue, Lin Yue, Guonian Zhu, Zui Tan, Hongyao Liu, Cailing Gan, Chen Fan, Xingping Su, Yuting Xie, Tinghong Ye
Summary: In this study, a phenylacrylic acid derivative, FA11, was synthesized and found to have excellent antifibrotic activity, making it a potential candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Chao He, Bo Shu, Yingxia Zhou, Ruizhi Zhang, Xin Yang
Summary: In this study, we found abnormal upregulation of PMP22 in TGF-β-activated HSCs and CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis model in mice, as well as its pro-fibrotic role in aggravating TGF-β-induced HSC activation. Additionally, miR-139-5p targets the 3'UTR of PMP22 and inhibits its expression, thereby hindering TGF-β-induced HSC activation.
Article
Toxicology
Heike Sprenger, Josef Daniel Rasinger, Helen Hammer, Wael Naboulsi, Elke Zabinsky, Hannes Planatscher, Michael Schwarz, Oliver Poetz, Albert Braeuning
Summary: This study used a mouse model with humanized livers to investigate the effects of the model CAR activator phenobarbital (PB) on human and mouse hepatocytes. The proteomic analysis showed similar responses in nuclear receptor activation and xenobiotic metabolism between human and mouse hepatocytes. However, activation of the MYC proliferation regulator was only predicted in mouse hepatocytes, not in human hepatocytes. This study provides comprehensive proteomic evidence that PB induces adaptive metabolic responses but not hepatocellular proliferation in human hepatocytes in vivo.
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Guangwen Shu, Hui Sun, Tiantian Zhang, Anqi Zhu, Xiao Lei, Chuo Wang, Anning Song, Xukun Deng
Summary: Theaflavine (TF) attenuated the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) through potentiating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related Factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. TF modulated the LKB1/AMPK/GSK38 axis to enhance the activity of the Nrf2 pathway. Moreover, TF bound to LKB1 and PKA-Cα proteins, leading to increased phosphorylation of LKB1 and modulation of the AMPK/GSK38/Nrf2 cascade.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Devki Nandan, Eleanor Chen, Fabian Chang, Kyung-Mee Moon, Leonard J. Foster, Neil Reiner
Summary: Recently, autophagy has been found to play a role in host defense against intracellular pathogens, but some pathogens, like Leishmania, can manipulate the host's autophagy to survive. Our study showed that Leishmania induces non-classical autophagy in infected macrophages, independently of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 regulation, suggesting the modulation of autophagy to enhance parasite survival.
Review
Immunology
Yufei Liu, Yuhong Zheng, Yang Yang, Ke Liu, Jianying Wu, Peiyang Gao, Chuantao Zhang
Summary: Liver fibrosis is a global health problem resulting from chronic liver injury. Hepatic stellate cells play a major role in liver fibrosis, and their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts is triggered by pathological stimuli. The interactions between HSCs, immune cells, and cytokines are critical for the progression of liver fibrosis. Exosomes, as essential mediators of intercellular communication, regulate the activation of HSCs and the interaction between HSCs and immune cells in liver fibrosis. They also hold potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for liver fibrosis treatment.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Priyanka Mehta, Partha Chattopadhyay, Ramakant Mohite, Ranit D'Rozario, Purbita Bandopadhyay, Jafar Sarif, Yogiraj Ray, Dipyaman Ganguly, Rajesh Pandey
Summary: This study investigates the longitudinal changes in gene/transcript expression patterns in hospital-admitted severe COVID-19 patients with ARDS post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The findings highlight the dynamic gene/transcript expression changes during ARDS progression, impact on tissue oxygenation, and elucidate the disease pathogenesis.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Fengling Zhang, Conglong Chen, Kuidong Wang, Haijuan Zhang, Jie Chen
Summary: The study found that some transparent conductive oxides have fast optical response speeds, influenced by electron-phonon scattering rates; resonant intraband excitation revealed that the recovery of transient nonlinear response in indium tin oxide is 20 times faster than in gold; the research provides new insights into the theoretical description of ultrafast quasi-particle interactions in metals and semiconductors.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yifan Yao, Qi Ou, Kuidong Wang, Haijun Peng, Feier Fang, Yumeng Shi, Ye Wang, Daniel Iglesias Asperilla, Zhigang Shuai, Paolo Samori
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful creation of efficient organic photodetectors with high near-infrared photoelectric response using unconventional device architecture and ad-hoc supramolecular self-assembly. The optimized devices show ultrasensitive light response with wide bandgap material, outperforming those based on narrow bandgap materials.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kuidong Wang, Minghao Li, Hui-Hsin Hsiao, Fengling Zhang, Marcus Seidel, Ai-Yin Liu, Jie Chen, Eloise Devaux, Cyriaque Genet, Thomas Ebbesen
Summary: The study demonstrates a large, ultrafast anisotropic modulation of light using the anisotropic nonlinear response of indium tin oxide and plasmonic nanoantennas. A polarization elliptic rotation and phase delay between the oscillations of linear polarization axes are achieved, showing promise for implementing all-optical high-speed polarization modulators and retarders.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kuidong Wang, Ai-Yin Liu, Hui-Hsin Hsiao, Cyriaque Genet, Thomas Ebbesen
Summary: This study investigates a strong coupling between Mie resonant modes of high-index dielectric nanocavities and an epsilon-near-zero mode of an ultrathin indium tin oxide film. The anticrossing splitting of 220 meV is observed, and static nonlinear optical measurements reveal a large enhancement in the intensity-independent effective optical nonlinear coefficients at the coupled resonance. A transient response of about 300 fs is also observed. These ultrafast and large optical nonlinear coefficients offer a new route for strong coupling-assisted high-speed photonics.
Article
Cell Biology
Qian-Ru He, Meng Cong, Fan-Hui Yu, Yu-Hua Ji, Shu Yu, Hai-Yan Shi, Fei Ding
Summary: Peripheral nerve fibroblasts play a critical role in nerve development and regeneration by promoting motoneuron neurite outgrowth. These fibroblasts exhibit different patterns of gene expression compared to cardiac fibroblasts.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Mi Shen, Yuhan Chen, Wei Tang, Mengru Ming, Yingchao Tian, Fei Ding, Han Wu, Yuhua Ji
Summary: Schwann cells (SCs) are crucial for peripheral nerve (PN) regeneration. This study reveals that Sema3E promotes the proliferation and migration of SCs, involving the receptors PlexinD1, Neuropilin 1 (Nrp1), and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 (VEGFR2).
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mi Shen, Zixin Chen, Mengru Ming, Zhenghui Cheng, Junjie Sun, Qingyun Liang, Tongxin Shang, Qi Zhang, Songlin Zhou, Yuhua Ji, Fei Ding
Summary: Lysine acetylation is a reversible modification that plays a role in modulating the biology of Schwann cells (SCs) and regeneration of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). This study characterized the acetylome of the mouse sciatic nerve (SN) and identified acetylated proteins mainly located in the myelin sheath, mitochondrial inner membrane, and cytoskeleton. The results provide valuable insights into the role and mechanism of protein acetylation in SC development and PNS regeneration.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Junjie Sun, Yuhua Ji, Qingyun Liang, Mengru Ming, Yuhan Chen, Qi Zhang, Songlin Zhou, Mi Shen, Fei Ding
Summary: Protein acetylation, regulated by acetyltransferases and deacetylases, plays an important role in peripheral nerves and is involved in various physiological and pathological changes. In this study, the transcriptome of mouse sciatic nerves during development and after injury was analyzed. The expression changes of most acetylation regulators followed a pattern consistent with development and regeneration, while opposite to injury. Immunoblotting results showed increased acetylation during development and regeneration, and decreased acetylation during injury. Bioinformatics analysis identified potential downstream molecules of key regulators Hdac1 and Kat2b, which were associated with genes regulating the cell cycle. These findings provide insights into the relationship between sciatic nerve development, injury, and regeneration from the perspective of protein acetylation.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Xin Zhou, Chenxue Xu, Dachong Chao, Zixin Chen, Shuyuan Li, Miaomiao Shi, Yuqiang Pei, Yujuan Dai, Juling Ji, Yuhua Ji, Qiuhong Ji
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the changes in the serum sEVs miRNA profile in ischemic stroke patients and a mouse model. The study found that the expression of certain miRNAs was significantly altered in both the patients and the mice, indicating their potential as biomarkers for ischemic brain injury.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yifan Yao, Yusheng Chen, Kuidong Wang, Nicholas Turetta, Stefania Vitale, Bin Han, Hanlin Wang, Lei Zhang, Paolo Samori
Summary: A foldable inverted polymer light-emitting diode (iPLED) based on a self-suspended asymmetrical vertical nanoscaffold is reported, exhibiting excellent mechanical robustness and high brightness. Arbitrary emitting patterns can be generated using photolithography and brush painting, with individual pixel resolution of 10 μm. The iPLED can be supported on flexible polyimide foils and recycled by washing and refilling with different conjugated polymers capable of emitting light of different color.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Soh Kushida, Kuidong Wang, Cyriaque Genet, Thomas W. Ebbesen
Summary: Ultrafast molecular dynamics in fluids is important, but limited experimental tools exist for studying solute dynamics. This study develops resonant optical Kerr effect spectroscopy (ROKE), a powerful and sensitive tool for studying solute dynamics.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuhua Ji, Zixin Chen, Ziqi Cen, Yuting Ye, Shuyuan Li, Xiaoshuang Lu, Qian Shao, Donghao Wang, Juling Ji, Qiuhong Ji
Summary: This study comprehensively analyzed the mouse brain acetylome and investigated the cellular-specific distribution of acetylated proteins in the mouse brain, contributing to understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of protein acetylation in brain development and neurological disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Mi Shen, Chun Zhou, Yingchao Tian, Tongxin Shang, Qingyun Liang, Mengru Ming, Fei Ding, Yuhua Ji
Summary: After peripheral nerve injury, the inaccurate reinnervation of the target leads to poor functional recovery. Schwann cells (SCs) express sensory and motor phenotypes associated with selective regeneration. Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) plays an essential role in axon growth, and SC-secreted Sema3A might play a role in selective regeneration by a preferential effect on sensory neurons (SNs).
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Qianru He, Zhenghang Cheng, Qiang Zhou, Fang Tong, Yan Li, Xinyang Zhou, Miaomei Yu, Yuhua Ji, Fei Ding
Summary: Functional reconstruction after peripheral nerve injury relies on the regeneration and re-innervation ability of sensory and motor axons. This study explores the cellular mechanisms of peripheral nerve-specific regeneration. It was found that sensory and motor fibroblasts have different effects on sensory and motor neurons, and the protein expression profiles of these fibroblasts are distinct. These findings provide potential directions for future research on peripheral nerve-specific regeneration.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Shruti Lal, Bee-Chun Sun, Yuping Chen, Tom Huang, Neil Bhola, Vivian Morton, Kevin Chen, Shanghua Xia, Haoyu Zhang, Qiuping Ye, Petter Veiby, David I. Bellovin, Yuhua Ji
