Latest ArticlesHigh-altitude sleep disturbance is a common acute high-altitude disease that can trigger physiological discomfort such as acute high-altitude reactions, with a lack of safe and effective preventive medications in clinical practice. Based on the gut-brain axis theory, this study designed and prepared a synbiotics combining Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG)-Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP). First, the LGG-LBP synbiotics was prepared and evaluated. The mice were randomly divided into healthy, model, positive control (acetazolamide), LBP, LGG and LGG-LBP synbiotics group. After 7 days of administration, the mouse model of high-altitude sleep disturbance was established, the treating effects were evaluated through sleep duration, behavioral, hemogram test, and the content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in blood. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze the changes of gut microbiota, and the pathological changes of small intestine were observed. The LGG-LBP synbiotics prolonged sleep duration, improved exploratory ability and short-term memory, promoted blood cell recovery. Moreover, LGG-LBP synbiotics enhanced the abundance of probiotics in the gut, and reduced intestinal inflammation. LGG-LBP synbiotics may be a potential prophylactic drug for high-altitude sleep disturbance. The animal operation was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science (Approval number: IACUC-DWZX-2022-511). All experiments were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.
Combined radiation and burn injury (CRBI) is induced by simultaneous or sequential ionizing radiation damage and skin burns. CRBI weakens the immune ability, leading to drug-resistant bacterial infections and delayed wound healing. Bdellovibrio-and-like organisms (BALO) are naturally predatory bacterium that can prey on most Gram-negative bacteria by entering the periplasmic space of their prey and degrading the biomolecules of host cells. In this study, we combined gelatin, calcium alginate, and activated BALO water samples to form bio-inks to three-dimensional (3D)-print BALO-loaded hydrogels (TDBG) for the treatment of CRBI combined with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) infection. The freeze-dried 3D-printed hydrogel exhibited a 3D network structure attached with gelatin films, and owned good printability and biocompatibility. The printability improved adaptation to wound shapes for the personalized treatment of infected wounds. The 3D network structure allowed the surviving and motion of BALO, favoring its high predatory activity. All animal experiments were approved by the Ethics Committee of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and the experiments were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations (approval number: IACUC-DWZX-2022-834). TDBG treatment improved wound healing by accelerating the mouse wound closure rate of CRBI combined with MRAB infection, reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the wound tissues, and increasing collagen deposition. This study expands the application scope of live biological products and provides a basis for their development and clinical applications.
Current physical and chemical dosimeters are limited in that they cannot directly measure the biological effects of radiation or detect it within the body. Biosensors based on engineered probiotics demonstrate high stability and safety, can be used to detect ionizing radiation in vivo. In this study, an oral engineered microbial sensor for ionizing radiation detection has been developed. The Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) was selected as the chassis strain. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, the cryptic plasmids of EcN were successfully removed to yield the chassis strain ΔEcN. To design a radiation-responsive gene circuit, the recA promoter from the SOS response pathway was utilized as the radiation response element, while a fluorescent protein served as the reporter element. This system was designed to be induced by mitomycin C and γ-rays. The performance of engineered bacteria with various gene circuits was characterized and optimized, resulting in the selection of improved candidate strains. Animal experiments were approved by the Ethics Committee of Academy of Military Medical Sciences and the experiments were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations (approval number: IACUC-DWZX-2022-521). After comparing the in vivo radiation detection capabilities of these strains, the EC-8, which exhibited higher sensitivity, was identified as the final oral microbial sensor. This research applies synthetic biology principles to design and engineer a probiotic capable of detecting ionizing radiation within the body. The findings offer a novel method for in vivo ionizing radiation detection and lay the foundation for the development of live biotherapeutics for the precise diagnosis of radiation damage.
Human and animal health will be seriously harmed by myocardial infarction, the diagnostic speed and the therapeutic effect of this disease need to be improved urgently. As the natural carrier for delivering cell information, some microRNAs (miRNAs) found in exosomes can reflect and act on the pathological changes caused by myocardial infarction for effective diagnosis and treatment. The feasibility of exosomal miRNAs (e.g. miR-4516, miR-203, and miR-1915-3p) from different sources as diagnostic agents for myocardial infarction, as well as the research progresses in relief of cell death via apoptosis (e.g. miR-21a-5p, miR-30e, and miR-210), autophagy (e.g. miR-125b-5p, miR-301, and miR-143-3p), pyroptosis (e.g. miR-182-5p, miR-133a, and miR-100-5p), and ferroptosis (e.g. miR-26b-5p and miR-23a-3p), promotion of forming new blood vessels (e.g. miR-29b-3p, miR-210-3p, and miR-494-3p), and inhibition of inflammatory response (e.g. miR-25-3p, miR-182-5p, and miR-671) for intervention therapy of myocardial infarction were reviewed here to provide new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction.
Depression disorder is a prevalent psychiatric disorder characterized by high incidence, recurrence and disability rates, which imposes significant social and economic burdens globally. The etiology of depression is still unclear, and treatment options remain limited. Various animal models have been developed for screening and evaluation of antidepressants. This paper reviewed the current trends in depression research and typical non-clinical animal models, summarized the important issues in standardized non-clinical research of depression disorders and proposed criteria for the selection of appropriate R&D models.
Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) is an important inhibitory receptor on T cells, which plays a crucial role in tumor immune evasion. LAG-3 is primarily expressed on activated T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and B cells, et al. By binding to its ligands, LAG-3 inhibits T cell proliferation, activation, and effector functions. LAG-3 has emerged as the third immune checkpoint protein (ICP) used in clinical practice, following programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Currently, there has been at least 20 LAG-3-targeted drugs undergoing clinical trials. This article mainly reviews the structure, expression regulation, ligands, co-expressed ICP of LAG-3, as well as its application in tumor immunotherapy, and discusses the current challenges of targeting LAG-3 research.
Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, with complex pathogenesis and lacking effective therapeutic drugs. Increasing researches have shown that most neurodegenerative diseases involve abnormalities in iron homeostasis and activation of immune cells in the brain. Iron accumulation in microglia promotes ferroptosis, leading to cellular dysfunction and death. In contrast, inhibiting ferroptosis can alleviate neuroinflammation, protect neurons, and slow disease progression, highlighting the pivotal roles of ferroptosis and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the roles of ferroptosis and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, further discusses the related targets regulating these processes, and reviews the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting ferroptosis and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to provide novel targets and therapeutic drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, offering new strategies for clinical management and improving the symptoms and prognosis of neurodegenerative disease.
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a lung disease with a very poor prognosis that seriously affects the quality of life of patients and is characterized by scarring and thickening of the tissue surrounding the alveolar walls, ultimately leading to respiratory failure. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs for the treatment of PF include pirfenidone and nidazanib, however, these two drugs can only delay the progression of the disease but cannot achieve the reversal of PF, and their clinical application is limited due to high price and multiple adverse effects. The pathogenesis of PF has not been fully elucidated, and studies have demonstrated that aberrant immune cell activation and regulation play an important role in PF. This review aims to discuss the role of immune cell activation and regulation in PF in recent years. The aim of this review is to discuss recent advances in the study of the role of immune cells in the process of PF, with the aim of providing theoretical guidance for the development of novel immunotherapies.
Tigliane-type diterpenoids are the main active components of croton and a diverse group of macrocyclic diterpenes with diverse biological activities. Their anti-HIV activity have unique advantages and great potential in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and were expected to be developed as a candidate drug for clinical trials of anti-AIDS. This article reviews the research progress on the components of tigliane-type diterpenoids in croton and their anti-HIV activity in recent years, conducts systematic comparisons, summarizes the currently discovered tigliane-type diterpenoids in croton. Their chemical structures and biological activity relationship were summarized. The research progress on the mechanism of tigliane-type diterpenoids' anti-HIV activity was briefly discussed. This research could provide guidance for further development and utilization of coumarin type diterpenes, as well as new ideas for the application of croton.
With the increasing abuse of antibiotics and the growing resistance of bacteria, it is urgent to find new antibacterial agents. Numerous constituents of traditional Chinese medicine exhibit pronounced antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant pharmacological properties, often operating through multiple mechanisms, thereby positioning them as a vital source for the development of novel antibacterial agents in the future. Nevertheless, the antibacterial constituents of traditional Chinese medicine exhibit challenges such as inadequate stability, low solubility, and suboptimal intelligent release capabilities, which hinder their extensive application in antibacterial formulations. Metal-organic framework materials serve as highly effective drug carriers for antibacterial constituents of traditional Chinese medicine, attributed to their high specific surface area, elevated porosity, controllable pore dimensions, and responsive release properties. Furthermore, they not only enhance the stability and solubility of these antibacterial constituents while also exhibiting inherent antibacterial activity and responsive release capabilities. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of bacterial resistance mechanisms and the action pathways of antibacterial constituents of traditional Chinese medicine against resistant bacteria. Additionally, it highlights the current advancements in metal-organic framework materials and their application in the delivery systems for these antibacterial constituents, aiming to provide valuable insights for the research and innovation of formulations based on traditional Chinese medicine.
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