Int J Med Sci
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Lactobacillus paracasei (L.p) is a prevalent probiotic strain within the Lactobacillus genus, which has robust intestinal colonization capabilities. Previous studies have demonstrated the anticancer properties of L.p both in vivo and in vitro. However, the mechanisms underlying its anticancer activity in vivo remain unclear. ⋯ Various parameters including tumor volume, tumor weight, histological alterations in tumor tissue, levels of polyamines and immune-related cytokines in serum, as well as the expression of polyamine metabolism-related and apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated. The results suggested that L.p CMU-Pb-L5 exhibited inhibitory effects on tumor cell proliferation, promotion of tumor cell apoptosis, reduction in polyamine levels, and enhancement of the immune response in CRC mice. To sum up, these results suggested that L.p CMU-Pb-L5 holds promise for potential clinical applications in the treatment of CRC.
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NF-κB activation is pivotal for the excess inflammation causing the critical condition and mortality of respiratory viral infection patients. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of a banana plant extract (BPE) on suppressing NF-κB activity and acute lung inflammatory responses in mice induced by a synthetic double-stranded RNA viral mimetic, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)). The inflammatory responses were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and HE stains and ELISA. ⋯ In vitro, BPE antagonized poly(I:C)-induced elevation of IL-6, nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, NF-κB p65 signaling, and transient activation of p38 MAPK in human lung epithelial-like A549 cells. Taken together, BPE ameliorated viral mimic poly(I:C)-induced acute pulmonary inflammation in mice, evidenced by reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and regulation of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The mechanism of action might closely associate with NF-κB signaling inhibition.
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Background: Identification of the unknown pathogenic factor driving atherosclerosis not only enhances the development of disease biomarkers but also facilitates the discovery of new therapeutic targets, thus contributing to the improved management of coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to identify causative protein biomarkers in CAD etiology based on proteomics and 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) design. Methods: Serum samples from 33 first-onset CAD patients and 31 non-CAD controls were collected and detected using protein array. ⋯ Apart from the circulating form of GP73, both mouse model and human specimens imply that vascular GP73 expression was also upregulated in atherosclerotic lesions and concomitant with markers of macrophage and phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Conclusions: Our study supported GP73 as a biomarker and causative for CAD. GP73 may involve in CAD pathogenesis mainly via dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia, which may enrich the etiological information and suggest future research direction on CAD.
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Introduction: Skin, being the body's largest organ, is susceptible to injuries. Despite the adoption of common treatments such as debridement, wound dressing, and infection control measures for skin injuries, the outcomes remain unsatisfactory, especially in diabetic patients or elderly patients. The use of adipose stem cell-derived apoptotic extracellular vesicles (apoEVs-ASCs) has been shown great therapeutic potential in wound repair. ⋯ Results: Our results showed that both young and aged apoEVs-ASCs induced skin healing and reduced scar formation. In addition, young apoEVs-ASCs had significantly higher proliferation, migration of fibroblasts and endothelial cells, and increased neo-angiogenesis ability, when compared with that of aged apoEVs-ASCs. Conclusion: Young apoEVs-ASCs should be employed for wound repair, which is associated with its superior promoting effect on wound healing.
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Hypertension affects a large number of individuals globally and is a common cause of nephropathy, stroke, ischaemic heart disease and other vascular diseases. While many anti-hypertensive medications are used safely and effectively in clinic practice, controlling hypertensive complications solely by reducing blood pressure (BP) can be challenging. α-Mangostin, a xanthone molecule extracted from the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L., has shown various beneficial effects such as anti-tumor, anti-hyperuricemia, and anti-inflammatory properties. ⋯ We also identified early markers of hypertensive nephropathy, including urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), which were reduced by α-Mangostin treatment. Mechanistic studies suggested that α-Mangostin may inhibit renal tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) by down-regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway, thus potentially offering a new therapeutic approach for hypertension and hypertensive nephropathy.