Review
Physiology
Annemarie Schulte, Robert Blum
Summary: Cells maintain resting Ca2+ levels through dynamic Ca2+ fluxes, where ER Ca2+ leak plays a crucial role.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Xueyue Wang, Yan Ruan, Junlei Zhang, Yanping Tian, Lianlian Liu, JiaLi Wang, Gaoke Liu, Yuda Cheng, Yixiao Xu, Yi Yang, Meng Yu, Binyu Zhao, Yue Zhang, Jiaqi Wang, Jiangjun Wang, Wei Wu, Ping He, Lan Xiao, Jiaxiang Xiong, Rui Jian
Summary: The study identifies two Yap splicing isoforms in ESCs with different distributions and effects on self-renewal and differentiation potential, with Yap472 playing a more essential role in neuroectoderm differentiation.
Article
Biology
Zhanat Koshenov, Furkan E. Oflaz, Martin Hirtl, Benjamin Gottschalk, Rene Rost, Roland Malli, Wolfgang F. Graier
Summary: The study investigates the regulation of basal mitochondrial bioenergetics and reveals that Ca2+ fluxes from ER-mitochondria contact sites control basal mitochondrial metabolism and energetics. The researchers identify citrin as a primary regulator of this process and show that manipulation of Ca2+ dynamics can reprogram cellular and mitochondrial metabolism.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Alfred Yamoah, Priyanka Tripathi, Haihong Guo, Leonie Scheve, Peter Walter, Sandra Johnen, Frank Mueller, Joachim Weis, Anand Goswami
Summary: The rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is valuable for studying the pathogenic mechanisms of RP. Our study shows that early disturbances of proteostasis and autophagy, as well as abnormal cytoplasmic RBP aggregation, are associated with progressive neurodegeneration in the rd10 mouse retina.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jia Ma, Jiaqi Wang, Chenjie Ma, Qian Cai, Shuang Wu, Wenfeng Hu, Jiali Yang, Jing Xue, Juan Chen, Xiaoming Liu
Summary: This study found that silica induces ferroptosis in mouse macrophages, accompanied by increased inflammatory responses, Wnt5a/Ca2+ signaling activation, and elevated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial redox imbalance. Mechanistically, Wnt5a/Ca2+ signaling plays a key role in silica-induced macrophage ferroptosis by modulating ER stress and mitochondrial redox balance. Inhibition of Wnt5a signaling or blockade of calcium flow has the opposite effect, reducing ferroptosis and the expression of Bip-Chop signaling molecules.
Article
Cell Biology
Yi-Shyun Lai, Cheng-Chi Chang, Yong-Yi Chen, Thi My Hang Nguyen, Jixuan Xu, Ying-Chi Chen, Yu-Fen Chang, Chia-Yih Wang, Pai-Sheng Chen, Shih-Chieh Lin, I-Chen Peng, Shaw-Jenq Tsai, Wen-Tai Chiu
Summary: In this study, the effects of optogenetically engineered Ca2+ signaling on mitochondrial dynamics were investigated. It was found that customized illumination conditions could trigger specific signaling pathways by generating unique Ca2+ oscillation waves. Modulating Ca2+ oscillations through increasing light frequency, intensity, and exposure time resulted in mitochondrial fission, dysfunction, autophagy, and cell death. The phosphorylation of the mitochondrial fission protein DRP1 at the Ser616 residue was activated by Ca2+-dependent kinases CaMKII, ERK, and CDK1, but not at Ser637. Calcineurin phosphatase was not activated by optogenetically engineered Ca2+ signaling to dephosphorylate DRP1 at Ser637. Furthermore, light illumination had no effect on the expression levels of the mitochondrial fusion proteins MFN1 and MFN2.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhongqian Liu, Shijie Mao, Yubin Hu, Feng Liu, Xiaowei Shao
Summary: This study developed an alginate hydrogel-based method to efficiently induce astrocytic differentiation from human neural stem cells, which significantly promoted differentiation within three days compared to conventional tissue culture materials. The regulatory mechanism underlying the enhanced differentiation was investigated, revealing the involvement of stretch-activated ion channels and a mechanosensitive transcription coactivator. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanism of astrocytic development through mechanical regulation.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Manon Callens, Jens Loncke, Geert Bultynck
Summary: Calcium ions play a vital role as messengers in cellular processes and are essential for various cell types in the human body. In neurons, calcium signaling is crucial for synaptic transmission, learning, and memory formation. Dysregulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis can lead to a spectrum of disorders, including cancer and neurodegeneration. This review focuses on the emerging role of calcium signaling at the endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial interface in two neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease and Wolfram syndrome, which share common characteristics such as alterations in calcium handling, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased reactive oxygen species production.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Qiong Hu, Jianwen Wan, Zhiwen Liang, Shiqi Li, Wenxing Feng, Yiyi Liang, Yilin Luo, Xiaojing Cao, Yingming Ma, Dongxue Han, Li Niu
Summary: By taking advantage of target-assisted electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (teATRP) for signal amplification, a simple and cost-effective electrochemical aptasensor is developed for sensitive and selective detection of low-abundance endotoxin. The aptamer receptor selectively captures endotoxin, and signal amplification is achieved through the dual amplification strategy of ATRP-initiated polymer chain grafting. This aptasensor shows high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.2 fg/mL and has great potential for detecting low-abundance endotoxin and other glycan chain containing bio-targets.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Debasish Halder, Su-Jin Jeon, Ji-Yong Yoon, Jeong-Ju Lee, Soo Young Jun, Min-Hyuk Choi, Bohyeon Jeong, Duk Hyun Sung, Da Yong Lee, Byoung Joon Kim, Nam-Soon Kim
Summary: This study reveals a novel mechanism by which TREX1 interacts with BiP/GRP78 and triggers ER stress and neuronal cell death. TREX1 deficiency also dysregulates the Golgi-microtubule network, leading to neuronal injury. These findings highlight the potential of targeting TREX1 as a therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Xiaoqing Fan, Haoran Yang, Chenggang Zhao, Lizhu Hu, Delong Wang, Ruiting Wang, Zhiyou Fang, Xueran Chen
Summary: This study demonstrates a novel mechanism by which local anesthetics can impair the malignant phenotype of glioma by affecting the survival and self-renewal of GSCs. Local anesthetics prilocaine, lidocaine, procaine, and ropivacaine can weaken ZDHHC15 transcripts, decrease GP130 palmitoylation levels, and inhibit the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway activation in GSCs. ZDHHC15 is identified as a potential therapeutic target, and local anesthetics show promise as therapeutic options for glioblastoma.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Elia Henry, Frederic Picou, Vilma Barroca, Nathalie Dechamps, Steicy Sobrino, Emmanuelle Six, Camille Gobeaux, Patrick Auberger, Olivier Herault, Francoise Pflumio, Marie-Laure Arcangeli
Summary: In a steady state, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) have low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, upon stress, HSC activate and their ROS levels increase, facilitating proliferation and differentiation. Antioxidants have been shown to maintain HSC self-renewal potential in various contexts, suggesting their potential use in culture-induced stress. This study demonstrates that the antioxidant Tempol can protect HSC functional properties during ex vivo culture, likely through VEGFa signaling.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chuangui Sheng, Jian Zhao, Fangzhi Yu, Lele Li
Summary: The enzymatically triggerable, aptamer-based signal amplification (ETA-SA) strategy enables inflammatory cell-specific imaging of ATP through spatially-resolved signal amplification, leading to improved sensitivity and spatial specificity for inflammation-specific ATP imaging in vivo.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kevin Y. L. Ho, Rohan J. Khadilkar, Rosalyn L. Carr, Guy Tanentzapf
Summary: In the Drosophila hematopoietic organ, gap junctions form a network that coordinates fate decisions between blood progenitors, maintaining hematopoietic homeostasis.
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Gregg L. Semenza
Summary: Many advanced human cancers contain regions of intratumoral hypoxia which leads to the activation of HIFs and drives tumor growth and metastasis. Hypoxia induces the formation of breast cancer stem cells and affects the expression of pluripotency factors through various molecular mechanisms involving PLXNB3, NARF, and TERT. These findings provide important insights into the relationship between hypoxia and tumor progression.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Weijian Zong, Runlong Wu, Shiyuan Chen, Junjie Wu, Hanbin Wang, Zhe Zhao, Guoqing Chen, Rui Tu, Danlei Wu, Yanhui Hu, Yangyang Xu, Yao Wang, Zhuoli Duan, Haitao Wu, Yunfeng Zhang, Jue Zhang, Aimin Wang, Liangyi Chen, Heping Cheng
Summary: Our miniature two-photon microscope, equipped with an axial scanning mechanism and a long-working-distance miniature objective, enables multi-plane imaging within a small animal's body, aiding in deciphering neuronal mechanisms.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fan Jiang, Kunlun Yin, Kun Wu, Mingmin Zhang, Shiqiang Wang, Heping Cheng, Zhou Zhou, Bailong Xiao
Summary: The Piezo1 channel serves as a key cardiac mechanotransducer for converting mechanical stretch of cardiomyocytes into Ca2+ and ROS signaling to maintain normal heart function.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuqing Wang, Wei Wang, Haoming Wu, Yu Zhou, Xiaodan Qin, Yan Wang, Jia Wu, Xiu-Yuan Sun, Yan Yang, Hui Xu, Xiaoping Qian, Xuewen Pang, Yan Li, Zhiqian Zhang, Jiahuai Han, Yu Zhang
Summary: Metastasis is a major cause of cancer-related death. The study demonstrates the significant role of PRAK in regulating tumor metastasis, with Prak deficiency inhibiting lung metastases through a mechanism involving reduced HIF-1 alpha protein synthesis. Targeting PRAK could be a promising strategy in treating metastasis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Feihong Dong, Jian An, Jiabin Zhang, Jingyi Yin, Wenyu Guo, Di Wang, Feng Feng, Shuo Huang, Jue Zhang, Heping Cheng
Summary: The novel acoustic contrast agent called Blinking Acoustic Nanodroplets (BANDs) is ideal for super-resolution ultrasound imaging, enabling high-resolution vascular imaging through reversible vaporization and reliquefaction. By utilizing sparse activation and high-density mixtures, BANDs allow for fast and accurate imaging of vasculature in live animals, promising to greatly enhance the application of super-resolution ultrasound in both basic science and clinical settings.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fujian Lu, Yunzhan Li, Shengchen Lin, Heping Cheng, Shengyu Yang
Summary: SOCE is a critical mechanism for cells to replenish depleted Ca2+ stores and its dysregulation has been implicated in metastatic cancers. It plays a role in promoting cell migration and invasion by remodeling the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion dynamics. Additionally, recent evidence suggests that SOCE is essential for spatial and temporal coding of Ca2+ signals in cells.
BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY TRANSACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Chaoyi Zhang, Hong Zhu, Zheyi Ni, Qiuhong Xin, Tingting Zhou, Runlong Wu, Guangping Gao, Zhihua Gao, Huan Ma, Haohong Li, Miao He, Jue Zhang, Heping Cheng, Hailan Hu
Summary: This study reveals the crucial role of VIP and PV neuron activation in regulating winning behavior in social competition. The study also uncovers the sequential calcium activities initiated by VIP in the dmPFC microcircuit and the delayed activation of PV neurons.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jian An, Jiabin Zhang, Feihong Dong, Jingyi Yin, Feng Feng, Wenyu Guo, Shuo Huang, Di Wang, Jie Dang, Jue Zhang, Heping Cheng
Summary: This study develops a noninvasive arterial labeling ultrasound subtraction angiography (ALUSA) technique based on new nanodroplets, which allows high-resolution observation of vascular structures and perfusion. It has been successfully applied in rabbit kidneys and mouse breast tumors.
Article
Oncology
Wei Zhao, Mengzhu Lv, Xueying Yang, Jing Zhou, Baocai Xing, Zhiqian Zhang
Summary: This study identifies crosslinked collagen mediated by LOX as a crucial component of the microenvironment niche for liver tumor-initiating cells. Through the ITGA7-FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, LOX is involved in regulating the traits of tumor-initiating cells. These findings provide insights into the composition and remodeling mechanisms of the microenvironment niches of tumor-initiating cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fujian Lu, Qing Ma, Wenjun Xie, Carter L. Liou, Donghui Zhang, Mason E. Sweat, Blake D. Jardin, Francisco J. Naya, Yuxuan Guo, Heping Cheng, William T. Pu
Summary: This study uncovers the role of CMYA5 in organizing and regulating the subcellular structures in cardiomyocytes, highlighting its importance in cardiac development, function, and tolerance to pressure overload.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Junjie Wang, Zhen Zhen, Yanqing Wang, Runlong Wu, Yanhui Hu, Qiang Fu, Yongzhi Li, Bingmu Xin, Jinping Song, Jianwei Li, Yafei Ren, Lishuang Feng, Heping Cheng, Aimin Wang, Liming Hu, Shukuan Ling, Yingxian Li
Summary: Spaceflight poses various challenges to astronauts, including radiation, microgravity, isolation, and other hazards. This study found that skin autofluorescence signals can reflect changes in human oxidant status during space missions.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Neurosciences
Zhuoran Zhang, Shihe Jiang, Kaibin Shi, Yan Li, Wei-Na Jin, Qiang Liu, Ting Zhao, Heping Cheng, Fu-Dong Shi
NEUROSCIENCE BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhe Zhao, Fengqingyang Zeng, Hanbin Wang, Runlong Wu, Liping Chen, Yan Wu, Shen Li, Jingyuan Shao, Yao Wang, Junjie Wu, Zhiheng Feng, Weizheng Gao, Yanhui Hu, Aimin Wang, Heping Cheng, Jue Zhang, Liangyi Chen, Haitao Wu
Summary: This study used miniature two-photon microscopy to investigate the neural activity associated with social behaviors in freely behaving mice. The researchers found that the activity of GABAergic neurons was more correlated with social behaviors than glutamatergic neurons. Suppressing the activity of GABAergic neurons in the prelimbic area disrupted social novelty behaviors, while restoring the MeCP2 levels in these neurons rescued the deficits. Additionally, the study identified and characterized two types of GABAergic interneurons responsible for new and old mouse exploration in the prelimbic area.
Article
Oncology
Qingru Song, Kai Zhang, Tianjiao Sun, Congcong Xu, Wei Zhao, Zhiqian Zhang
Summary: The shift in glucose utilization from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis is a characteristic of tumor cells. This study identifies ENO1 as a crucial factor in the progression of pancreatic cancer (PC). ENO1-knockout inhibits cell invasion, migration, and proliferation, as well as reduces glucose uptake and lactate excretion in PC cells. Additionally, ENO1-knockout suppresses colony formation and tumorigenesis. Overall, ENO1-knockout inhibits tumorigenesis by reducing glycolysis and activating other metabolic pathways.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jingtao Liu, Ming Tao, Wei Zhao, Qingru Song, Xiaodan Yang, Meng Li, Yanhua Zhang, Dianrong Xiu, Zhiqian Zhang
Summary: This study identifies the voltage-gated calcium channel alpha 2 delta 1 subunit (isoform 5) as a surface marker and therapeutic target for pancreatic tumor-initiating cells (TICs). It demonstrates that alpha 2 delta 1 promotes TIC properties through the phosphorylation of PKM2 mediated by CaMKIId. Blocking alpha 2 delta 1 with a specific antibody has significant therapeutic effects on pancreatic cancer xenografts by reducing TICs.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Di Wu, Wenfeng Qi, Wei Nie, Zhengyuan Lu, Yongxin Ye, Jinghang Li, Tao Sun, Yufei Zhu, Heping Cheng, Xianhua Wang
Summary: This study reveals an exquisite bacterial acid-resistance mechanism in which proton leak triggers a preemptive response. The proton leak leads to a quantal electrochemical excitation, BacFlash, which protects bacteria by activating transcription of key AR genes.
