Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Senem Aykul, Jordan Maust, Vijayalakshmi Thamilselvan, Monique Floer, Erik Martinez-Hackert
Summary: The study revealed the significant regulatory role of TGF-beta family growth factors and inhibitors in adipocyte development, with SMAD1/5/8 signaling playing a crucial role in 3T3-L1 adipogenesis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Erik Martinez-Hackert, Anders Sundan, Toril Holien
Summary: The TGF-beta family is a group of structurally related, multifunctional growth factors crucially involved in the development, regulation, and maintenance of animal tissues. These ligands exhibit promiscuity and compete with each other for binding to receptors, possibly allowing cells to process multiple ligand inputs for subtle, distinctive, or adaptive responses and developmental plasticity. This concept of ligand competition may be fundamentally tied to human physiology, disease, and therapy.
CYTOKINE & GROWTH FACTOR REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Bruna Moretto Rodrigues, Lucas Solla Mathias, Igor de Carvalho Depra, Sarah Santiloni Cury, Miriane de Oliveira, Regiane Marques Castro Olimpio, Maria Teresa De Sibio, Bianca Mariani Goncalves, Celia Regina Nogueira
Summary: This study provides new directions for elucidating the mechanisms of T3 action on osteoblast metabolism, with potential future implications for the treatment of endocrine-related bone pathologies.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Feixiang Duan, Xiaowu Wang, Hongwei Wang, Yongqiang Wang, Yan Zhang, Jiawei Chen, Xiandong Zhu, Bicheng Chen
Summary: This study found that GDF11 can improve SAP, reduce M1 macrophage polarization, and promote M2 macrophage polarization. GDF11 regulates macrophage polarization through the TGF beta R1/smad2 pathway. The findings of this study reveal the mechanism by which GDF11 regulates macrophage polarization in pancreatic tissues and highlights the protective role of GDF11 in SAP.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Soyeon Hong, Kwang Hyun Cha, Ji hye Park, Da Seul Jung, Jung-Hye Choi, Gyhye Yoo, Chu Won Nho
Summary: Cinnamic acid can promote osteoblast differentiation, increase bone density, and inhibit the progression of osteoporosis by regulating the composition of gut microbiota.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Guliang Yang, Jianfeng Zhan, Yiwen Yang, Li Yuan, Peilei Wang, Chi-Tang Ho, Shiming Li
Summary: The study found that oxyresveratrol has a protective effect against liver fibrosis in rats by reducing oxidative damage and regulating gene expression, showing better efficacy than resveratrol. This may be attributed to the extra hydroxyl group at the 2-position on oxyresveratrol, making it more susceptible to oxidation.
FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN WELLNESS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonio Tejera-Munoz, Laura Marquez-Exposito, Lucia Tejedor-Santamaria, Sandra Rayego-Mateos, Macarena Orejudo, Beatriz Suarez-Alvarez, Carlos Lopez-Larrea, Marta Ruiz-Ortega, Raul R. Rodrigues-Diez
Summary: CCN2 plays a role in both fibrotic responses and growth factor-induced oxidative and proinflammatory responses. Its coexistence with TGF-β is necessary for persistent fibrotic response, but the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. CCN2 increases T beta RII expression in VSMCs and maintains TGF-β pathway activation through an EGFR-SMAD dependent manner.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Sarah S. McCarthy, Michele Karolak, Leif Oxburgh
Summary: Expansion of interstitial cells in adult kidney is a hallmark of chronic disease, while their proliferation during fetal development is necessary for organ formation. Inactivation of TGF beta/Smad response in mouse interstitial cell lineage leads to overproliferation of interstitial cells regionally in the kidney medulla. Smad4 loss primarily reduces TGF beta signaling in the interstitium, while increasing Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Guokun Zhang, Yunyao Jiang, Xin Liu, Yongyan Deng, Bin Wei, Liyan Shi
Summary: Phytochemicals from lingonberry, particularly lingonberry anthocyanins (LA), have been found to regulate hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrogenesis, reducing cell proliferation and fibrosis-related markers. LA alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats by reducing collagen production, decreasing hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde levels, and improving antioxidant enzyme levels. Additionally, LA promoted hepatocyte proliferation and inhibited TGFβ/Smad/ERK signaling pathway-related gene expression, demonstrating its potential as a novel strategy for treating liver fibrosis.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiayu Wang, Jiaxing Li, Xin Zhang, Min Zhang, Xiaopeng Hu, Hang Yin
Summary: Renal fibrosis is a common manifestation of chronic kidney disease, characterized by the deposition of extracellular matrix, abnormal activation of myofibroblasts, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Histone deacetylases play a crucial role in promoting renal fibrosis. HDAC inhibitors have been identified as a potential therapeutic tool to slow down the progression of renal fibrosis.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Megan A. Hahn, Agnes Piecyk, Fatima Jorge, Robert Cerrato, Martin Kalbe, Nolwenn M. Dheilly
Summary: This study demonstrates that helminths have an impact on the gut microbiome of their host. The microbiome of stickleback fish varies depending on ecoevolutionary variables, such as the genotype of the host and parasite, and the composition of the parasite's microbiome. The study also reveals that the association between the microbiome and immune gene expression increases in infected individuals and varies with parasite genotype. Additionally, it shows that the parasite's microbiome is distinct from its host and affects the host's immune response to infection.
Article
Orthopedics
Nathalie G. M. Thielen, Arjan P. M. van Caam, Henk M. V. Beuningen, Elly L. Vitters, Martijn H. J. van den Bosch, Marije I. Koenders, Fons A. J. van de Loo, Esmeralda N. Blaney Davidson, Peter M. van der Kraan
Summary: The study aimed to block TGF-beta-induced SMAD1/5/9 signaling in primary human OA chondrocytes while maintaining functional SMAD2/3 signaling. The results demonstrated that using a low dose of SB-505124 inhibited SMAD1/5/9 phosphorylation and the expression of ID1 and ID3, while maintaining SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and the induction of JUNB and SERPINE1. In addition, TGF-beta regulated hypertrophic and dedifferentiation markers in OA chondrocytes, and blocking only the SMAD1/5/9 pathway showed stronger inhibition on TGF-beta-induced RUNX2 compared to blocking both SMAD pathways.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Lih-Fhung Hiew, Chi-Him Poon, Heng-Ze You, Lee-Wei Lim
Summary: Research on TGF-beta/Smad signaling has shown its significance in neurogenesis and its potential impact on neuropsychiatric disorders. The relationship between TGF-beta/Smad signaling and neurogenesis in response to stressors suggests a role in stress response regulation and behavioral outcomes of mood disorders. Modifications to these signaling pathways have been found to have diverse effects on neurogenesis, highlighting the complexity of the interactions involved.
Article
Developmental Biology
Shunji Jia, Anming Meng
Summary: The TGF beta signaling family is evolutionarily conserved in metazoans and plays diverse roles in embryonic development, adult tissue homeostasis, and human diseases by regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. The molecular mechanisms and key functions of TGF beta subfamily pathways in mesendoderm induction, dorsoventral patterning, laterality development, and tissue/organ formation have been extensively investigated.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lizhong Liu, Anastasiia Nemashkalo, Luisa Rezende, Ji Yoon Jung, Sapna Chhabra, M. Cecilia Guerra, Idse Heemskerk, Aryeh Warmflash
Summary: This study visualizes the activity of endogenous Nodal protein in living cells using a human gastruloid model and reveals that Nodal activity spreads through a relay mechanism, with timing controlled by the Nodal inhibitor Lefty. This study provides insights into how morphogen gradients are formed and interpreted during mammalian embryogenesis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)