Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rui Li, Walida Ali, Chao Ma, Apratim Bajpai, Ngoc Luu, Aarushi Varshney, Camden Riley Rowe, Weiqiang Chen
Summary: The strategic functionalization of the Wnt5a mimetic peptide ligand Foxy5 on a polydimethylsiloxane elastomer substrate enhances mechanotransduction and activation of cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells by triggering noncanonical Wnt signaling. This innovative mechanoregulatory ligand platform has broad applications in fundamental mechano-immunology research and the development of novel immunotherapies.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Minhao Chen, Yingjuan Li, Longfei Xiao, Guangchun Dai, Panpan Lu, Yunfeng Rui
Summary: This study reveals that enhanced expression of Wnt5a in aged TSPCs leads to senescence, and inhibiting Wnt5a can attenuate senescence through modulating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Furthermore, Ror2 acts as the functional receptor of Wnt5a in TSPCs senescence by potentiate the JAK-STAT signaling pathway.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Moonmoon Deb, Dipranjan Laha, Jyotirindra Maity, Hiranmoy Das
Summary: The study revealed that SETD2 is upregulated during osteoclast differentiation and arthritis induction, regulating osteoclast markers and WNT5a through histone modifications. Specifically, SETD2 mediated induction of NF-kappa beta expression facilitated histone acetylation marks on the Wnt5a gene, promoting osteoclast differentiation. These findings highlight the critical role of SETD2-mediated epigenetic regulation in osteoclastogenesis and arthritis induction.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Xiaomei Li, Jiejun Wen, Yang Dong, Qunzi Zhang, Jian Guan, Feng Liu, Ting Zhou, Ze Li, Ying Fan, Niansong Wang
Summary: Immune and inflammatory factors are key pathophysiological mechanisms in diabetic renal injury, with noncanonical Wnt5a signaling playing a crucial role. Upregulation of Wnt5a and CD146 in DN patients is correlated with inflammation and renal impairment progression. Inhibition of Wnt5a signaling prevents inflammatory responses induced by high glucose, and CD146 plays an essential role in activating the Wnt5a pathway.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Boguang Yang, Kongchang Wei, Claudia Loebel, Kunyu Zhang, Qian Feng, Rui Li, Siu Hong Dexter Wong, Xiayi Xu, Chunhon Lau, Xiaoyu Chen, Pengchao Zhao, Chao Yin, Jason A. Burdick, Yi Wang, Liming Bian
Summary: In cell-hydrogel network interactions, the authors studied the binding timescale of dynamic crosslinks and the conjugation stability of cell-adhesive ligands to evaluate the impact on stem cell behavior, mechanosensing, and differentiation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhongwei Li, Chaozhen Chen, Hongmei Yong, Lei Jiang, Pengfei Wang, Sen Meng, Sufang Chu, Zhen Li, Qingxiang Guo, Junnian Zheng, Jin Bai, Hailong Li
Summary: PRMT2 is upregulated in renal cell cancer and promotes cell proliferation and motility by enhancing Wnt signaling through the H3R8me2a-mediated transcriptional activation of WNT5A. High expression of PRMT2 and WNT5A is associated with poor clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival in RCC patients, suggesting their potential as predictive diagnostic biomarkers for RCC metastasis.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yundong Peng, Jingjing Du, Stefan Gunther, Xinyue Guo, Shengpeng Wang, Andre Schneider, Li Zhu, Thomas Braun
Summary: Skeletal muscle stem cells, also known as satellite cells, play a crucial role in postnatal muscle growth and regeneration. This study reveals that Piezo1, a mechanosensitive ion channel, is essential for maintaining the quiescence and preventing senescence of muscle stem cells. Absence of Piezo1 leads to premature activation of these cells, impairs their proliferation and differentiation, and significantly hinders skeletal muscle regeneration. The inactivation of Piezo1 results in compensatory up-regulation of T-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, which increases the influx of Ca2+ and induces NOX4 expression through cPKC. The elevated expression of NOX4 in Piezo1-deficient cells leads to increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage, causing P53-dependent cellular senescence and cell death. The study also highlights the importance of the P53/P21-axis in mediating the cellular defects caused by the absence of Piezo1. This research sheds light on the critical role of Piezo1-mediated mechano-signaling in maintaining the quiescence and preventing senescence of muscle stem cells, and suggests that reduced mechano-signaling during aging may contribute to the accumulation of senescent cells and the decline of muscle stem cell numbers in geriatric individuals.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yajing Fu, Dan Ma, Fengyan Fan, Tongke Sun, Ruiqi Han, Yanran Yang, Jun Zhang
Summary: The study demonstrates that Wnt5a suppresses the osteogenesis of SCAPs through a pathway involving ROR2, β-catenin, and TAZ. These findings provide insights into the precise mechanism of how Wnt5a regulates SCAPs and suggest its potential as a regulator in tissue regeneration.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tianju Liu, Francina Gonzalez De los Santos, Mitchell Hirsch, Zhe Wu, Sem H. Phan
Summary: The study revealed significantly higher levels of Wnt11 expression in cells from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, bleomycin-treated mice, and TGF beta-treated mouse lung fibroblasts, inducing myofibroblast differentiation. Additionally, the activation of noncanonical Wnt signaling by Wnt3a may play a significant role in pulmonary fibrosis.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nattaya Damkham, Surapol Issaragrisil, Chanchao Lorthongpanich
Summary: This review provides an update on the regulation of YAP and TAZ, transcriptional coactivators in the Hippo signaling pathway, in stem cell behaviors and differentiation. It highlights their roles in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction, as well as the importance of understanding how cells perceive and respond to their microenvironment for improving the efficiency and efficacy of stem cell products.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guillem Fuertes, Beatriz del Valle-Perez, Javier Pastor, Evelyn Andrades, Raul Pena, Antonio Garcia de Herreros, Mireia Dunach
Summary: Colon tumors of the mesenchymal subtype with Snail1 expression controlled by an autocrine noncanonical Wnt pathway have the lowest overall survival. The Wnt5a/Ror2/Snail1 axis plays a crucial role in tumor invasion, chemoresistance, and formation of tumor spheres, and its inhibition may be a potential therapy for colon tumors.
Article
Oncology
Kazuki Wakizaka, Toshiya Kamiyama, Tatsuhiko Kakisaka, Tatsuya Orimo, Akihisa Nagatsu, Takeshi Aiyama, Shunsuke Shichi, Akinobu Taketomi
Summary: This study investigated the significance of ROR2 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by examining ROR2 expression in liver cancer cell lines and performing immunohistochemical staining of ROR2 on 243 resected HCC specimens. The study also investigated the association between ROR2 expression and clinicopathologic factors and prognosis.
ANNALS OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Misaal Patel, Ying Li, Jeremy Anderson, Sofia Castro-Pedrido, Ryan Skinner, Shunyao Lei, Zachary Finkel, Brianna Rodriguez, Fatima Esteban, Ki-Bum Lee, Yi Lisa Lyu, Li Cai
Summary: The study demonstrates that lentivirus-mediated expression of Gsx1 increases the number of NSPCs in a mouse model of spinal cord injury during the acute stage, promoting neuronal generation, reducing glial scar formation, and improving motor function in injured mice. Gsx1 gene therapy shows potential for functional recovery in spinal cord injuries and other parts of the central nervous system.
Article
Neurosciences
Naoki Hisamoto, Yoshiki Sakai, Kohei Ohta, Tatsuhiro Shimizu, Chun Li, Hiroshi Hanafusa, Kunihiro Matsumoto
Summary: This study reveals that CDK14 activates the RhoGEF-CDC42-MLC phosphorylation axis in a noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway to promote axon regeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results suggest a novel regulatory mechanism for neuronal regeneration and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying axon regeneration.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taiki Nakajima, Akihiro Nakahata, Naoki Yamada, Keiko Yoshizawa, Tomoaki M. Kato, Mio Iwasaki, Chengzhu Zhao, Hiroshi Kuroki, Makoto Ikeya
Summary: Tendon self-renewal is rare, leading to limitations in reconstructive surgery. Researchers introduce an iPSC-based method to generate tenocytes, analyze their developmental trajectory using scRNA-seq, and demonstrate their contribution to motor function recovery after Achilles tendon injury.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Bin Wang, Mengru Pang, Yancheng Song, Haixing Wang, Pan Qi, Shanshan Bai, Xiaoxuan Lei, Shikun Wei, Zhixian Zong, Sien Lin, Xiaoting Zhang, Xiaotong Cen, Xia Wang, Yongkang Yang, Yuan Li, Yan Wang, Hongjie Xu, Lin Huang, Micky Tortorella, Biao Cheng, Yukwai Lee, Dajiang Qin, Gang Li
Summary: This study explores the potential role of human fetal mesenchymal stem cell secretome (HFS) in wound healing and addresses obstacles in clinical application. Results show that encapsulated and protected secretome significantly enhances wound healing by promoting vascularization and inhibiting inflammation. Bioinformatics analysis identifies exosome production-related signaling pathways and the heat-shock protein family as potential biomarkers and quality control for secretome production.
BIOENGINEERING & TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tianfu Zhang, Xiaoyu Chen, Congmin Yuan, Xiaobin Pang, Ping Shangguan, Yisheng Liu, Lulu Han, Jianwei Sun, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Yang Liu, Jiefei Wang, Bingyang Shi, Ben Zhong Tang
Summary: The researchers designed a near-infrared aggregation-induced emission probe, DNTPH, using a balanced hydrophobicity-hydrophilicity strategy, which selectively binds to A beta fibrils. DNTPH showed excellent blood-brain barrier permeability and long-term tracking ability, making it suitable for high-performance Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Furthermore, DNTPH exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on A beta fibrosis and promoted fibril disassembly, thereby reducing A beta-induced neurotoxicity. DNTPH treatment significantly reduced A beta plaques and improved learning deficits in AD mice.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heng Chen, Xiao Duan, Jianbin Xu, Biao Wang, Sihan Xiang, Xin Wang
Summary: A water-soluble safe antioxidant, ferulic acid-chitosan complex, was easily prepared in water with mild-temperature heating. The complex exhibits improved water solubility and higher antioxidative property compared to its precursors. This approach enables the development of chitosan-based functional biomaterials.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Di Wang, Liwei Wang, Liming Zheng, Jiaxin Chen, Wei Zhang, Wei Zhou, Xiaobo Yang, Lifeng Jiang, Xiaoqiang Jin, Xiaohua Yu, Xin Liu, Heng Chen, Jianbin Xu
Summary: Invasion and metastasis are the leading causes of death in CRC patients. 5-Fluorouracil, a widely used chemotherapy drug for CRC, is inefficient in inhibiting tumor metastasis. MicroRNA-10b, a key regulator of chemotherapeutic resistance to 5-FU, induces early tumor metastases. A nanovehicle called GCD, which targets EGFR, is used to deliver chemotherapeutic and nucleotide drugs to distinct targets in CRC, effectively inhibiting the metastasis of EGFR-overexpressed CRC. The therapeutic effect of this combination is evaluated in tumor xenograft models derived from patients with CRC. Overall, this study provides insights into simultaneous inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alexander Stahl, Dake Hao, Janos Barrera, Dominic Henn, Sien Lin, Seyedsina Moeinzadeh, Sungwoo Kim, William Maloney, Geoffrey Gurtner, Aijun Wang, Yunzhi Peter Yang
Summary: Conventional synthetic vascular grafts have high failure rates due to mismatched mechanical properties with native vessels and poor regenerative potential. In this study, we developed a new bioactive synthetic vascular graft with tailored pore sizes to promote pro-regenerative macrophage populations and improve vascular regeneration. The grafts showed similar mechanical properties to native blood vessels and maintained patency and vascular regeneration in animal models.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiaoyu Chen, Chunhua Zhao, Dingxin Liu, Kunpeng Lin, Jingnan Lu, Shuang Zhao, Jiang Yang, Huanxin Lin
Summary: This study reports a core-shell-structured Pd1.7Bi@CeO2-ICG (PBCI) nanoplatform for synergistic chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photothermal therapy. The PBCI nanoplatform can generate cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals for CDT and relieve tumor hypoxia for enhanced PDT. Additionally, it exhibits good photothermal effect and can be used as a contrast agent for near-infrared fluorescence imaging, enabling effective tumor elimination.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liwei Wang, Di Wang, Zhaoming Ye, Jianbin Xu
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted transport vesicles that play a role in intercellular and inter-organismal communication. EVs can be engineered to deliver bioactivators in therapy, and this review article discusses various aspects of EV engineering, applications in different diseases, and the challenges and possible strategies in EV-based therapies.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Junying Hua, Jianping Huang, Gang Li, Sien Lin, Liao Cui
Summary: Long-term or supra-physiological dose of glucocorticoid application can lead to impaired bone growth and osteoporosis, especially in children. Despite the availability of drugs for treating osteoporosis, there is currently no specific drug to mitigate these severe side effects.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
L. S. Platt, Xiaoyu Chen, Tara Sabo-Attwood, Nicole Iovine, Scott Brown, Brad Pollitt
Summary: This research aimed to use a computational approach to assist infection prevention strategies in healthcare environment planning, by analyzing outside design basis factors and their impact on pathogen spread. Supervised Machine Learning methodologies were used to determine relationships between Socioecological System (SES) factors and observed incidence rates of specific Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI). The outcomes of this research suggest the benefit of using SES computational modeling for decision-making in health system Architectural Programming and predesign.
ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING AND DESIGN MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Economics
Jing Wang, Feng Wan, Chunjiao Dong, Chaoying Yin, Xiaoyu Chen
Summary: This study, using Beijing as an example, characterized built environment factors by integrating multi-source big data. Three direct ridership models based on the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model were proposed to reveal the spatiotemporal effects of these factors on rail transit ridership patterns. The results showed that population density, employment density, entertainment places, bus stations, and parking lots all play important roles in influencing ridership patterns.
JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xian Xie, Zhuo Li, Xuefeng Yang, Boguang Yang, Zhixian Zong, Xuemei Wang, Liting Duan, Sien Lin, Gang Li, Liming Bian
Summary: In this study, a peptide fiber-reinforced hydrogel was developed, where the stiff β-sheet peptide fiber acted as a multivalent cross-linker to enhance the macroscopic stability of the hydrogel. The dynamic imine cross-link between the peptide fiber and polymer network endowed the hydrogel with a microscopically dynamic network. The resulting fibrillar nanocomposite hydrogel, with its cell-adaptable dynamic network, significantly enhanced cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions, promoting mechanotransduction, metabolic energetics, and osteogenesis of encapsulated stem cells. Additionally, the hydrogel could deliver a fiber-attached inductive drug to further enhance bone regeneration. This work provides valuable guidance for the design of cell-adaptive and bioactive biomaterials for therapeutic applications.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sien Lin, Hirotsugu Maekawa, Seyedsina Moeinzadeh, Elaine Lui, Hossein Vahid Alizadeh, Jiannan Li, Sungwoo Kim, Michael Poland, Benjamin C. Gadomski, Jeremiah T. Easley, Jeffrey Young, Michael Gardner, David Mohler, William J. Maloney, Yunzhi Peter Yang
Summary: In this study, the authors propose the use of an osteoinductive and biodegradable intramedullary implant to promote early bony bridging and prevent complications in the treatment of large bone defects. The implant releases bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and accelerates bone formation and remodeling, leading to successful bone fusion without pin tract infection or docking site nonunion.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Haixing Wang, Sien Lin, Lu Feng, Baozhen Huang, Xuan Lu, Zhengmeng Yang, Zhaowei Jiang, Yu-Cong Li, Xiaoting Zhang, Ming Wang, Bin Wang, Lingchi Kong, Qi Pan, Shanshan Bai, Yuan Li, Yongkang Yang, Wayne Yuk Wai Lee, Peter D. Currie, Changshuang Lin, Yanfu Jiang, Juyu Chen, Micky D. Tortorella, Hongyi Li, Gang Li
Summary: Recent studies have shown that T cells play a role in maintaining bone homeostasis, suggesting them as potential therapeutic targets for bone-related conditions. This study reports that low-dose administration of SEC2 2M-118 can alleviate bone loss in mice by modulating T cells. The treatment increases trabecular bone mass by promoting bone formation and this effect is diminished in T-cell-deficient mice. The key factor mediating these effects is IFN-gamma, which stimulates signaling pathways and enhances osteogenic differentiation.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Shuai Liu, Jiang-Ming Yu, Yan-Chang Gan, Xiao-Zhong Qiu, Zhe-Chen Gao, Huan Wang, Shi-Xuan Chen, Yuan Xiong, Guo-Hui Liu, Si-En Lin, Alec McCarthy, Johnson V. John, Dai-Xu Wei, Hong-Hao Hou
Summary: Biomimetic materials based on natural biomaterials offer cells biochemical and biophysical cues that mimic the in vivo extracellular matrix, making them ideal for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This paper provides an overview of recent progress in biomimetic natural biomaterials (BNBMs), including their preparation, functionality, potential applications, and future challenges. The paper also highlights recent advances in the fabrication and functionalization of BNBMs, as well as their applications in tissue engineering.
MILITARY MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Ranyang Tao, Bobin Mi, Yiqiang Hu, Sien Lin, Yuan Xiong, Xuan Lu, Adriana C. C. Panayi, Gang Li, Guohui Liu
Summary: This review outlines the role of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) in bone regeneration, including the conserved role of nerves in tissue regeneration across different species and the distribution of the PNS in the skeletal system. It summarizes the communication between the PNS and bone-lineage cells, vasculature, and immune cells in the bone microenvironment. The review concludes that the PNS regulates bone regeneration through neuropeptides or neurotransmitters and cells in the peripheral nerves, and understanding this role can inform the development of strategies for bone repair and regeneration based on bone-nerve crosstalk.
