Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Online First

This review aims to explore the advances in the study of SIRT3 and liver disease and review possible mechanisms. Natural and chemical activators of SIRT3 are also discussed. The role of SIRT3 in the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of liver disease is summarized by reviewing Pubmed. SIRT3 alleviates liver diseases by regulating fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial function, and immune-inflammatory response. Meanwhile, Withaferin A, lipoic acid, major royal jelly proteins, and berberine can activate SIRT3 or upregulate its expression, thereby alleviating liver damage. SIRT3 can effectively slow down the progression of liver disease and protect the liver from further damage. The use of SIRT3 as a pharmacological target for the treatment of liver disease is a potential therapeutic approach.

Inflammation serves as a protective response to combat cellular and tissue damage. There is currently a wide array of synthetic and traditional therapies available for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, it is necessary to create a drug delivery system based on nanotechnology that can improve the solubility, permeability, and bioavailability of current treatments. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) are inorganic materials known for their organised porous interiors, high pore volumes, substantial surface area, exceptional selectivity, permeability, low refractive index, and customisable pore sizes.

This review offers concise insights into the progression of the pathophysiology of inflammation, as well as the inducers, mediators, and effectors that are involved in the inflammatory pathway. This study focuses on the growing significance of MSNPs in the treatment of neuroinflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritic inflammation, lung inflammation, and wound healing applications. This review also presents the latest information on the crucial role of MSNPs in delivering herbal medicines for the treatment of inflammation.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted for this aim, utilising the Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. A systematic review was undertaken utilising scholarly articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2024.

The inflammatory mediators involved in the pathophysiology of inflammation include platelet-activating factor, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase, Interferon-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, matrix metalloproteinases, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor-κB, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and phospholipase A2. MSNPs have the potential to be used in the treatment of neuroinflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritic inflammation, lung inflammation, and wound healing. The investigation of the MSNPs of plant-based compounds such as berberine, tetrahydrocannabinol, curcumin, and resveratrol has shown successful results in recent years for the purpose of managing inflammation.

This review demonstrates that MSNPs have a strong potential to play a positive role in delivering synthetic and plant-based therapies for the treatment of inflammatory illnesses.

This study aimed to explore the effects of Jiangu Recipe (JGR) on chondrocyte responses under tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced oxidative stress, specifically focusing on apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation.

Chondrocytes were treated with varying JGR concentrations, and cell viability was assessed. The impact of JGR on TBHP-induced apoptosis and protein expression levels of apoptosis-related molecules (Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3) and ECM components (Collagen II, Aggrecan, MMP-13) was evaluated.

JGR exhibited protective effects against oxidative stress in chondrocytes. Moreover, it maintained cell viability under tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) induction, suppressing apoptosis (Bax, cleaved caspase-3) and enhancing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. JGR also attenuated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, promoting Collagen II and Aggrecan while reducing MMP-13 expression. Investigating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, it was found that JGR downregulated TBHP-induced GRP78, CHOP, ATF4, p-PERK, and p-eIF2α, thus indicating ER stress modulation. SIRT1 played a key role, as JGR upregulated SIRT1, mitigating TBHP-induced downregulation. SIRT1 knockdown reversed JGR's protective effects, highlighting its crucial role in JGR-mediated responses.

Our findings suggest that JGR mitigated TBHP-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degradation, highlighting its potential therapeutic application in osteoarthritis. Mechanistically, our study highlights that SIRT1 plays a crucial role in mediating the protective effects of JGR against ER stress-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degradation, providing a foundation for further clinical exploration in managing osteoarthritic conditions.

This study is the first report on the sequence of the transcriptome of Drimia indica, a non-model plant with medicinal properties found in a forest tribal belt, using the Illumina NovaSeq platform. The primary objectives of this study were to elucidate the gene expression profiles in different tissues, identify key regulatory genes and pathways involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and explore the plant's potential pharmacological properties.

The study generated 670087 unigenes from both leaves and roots and identified putative homologs of annotated sequences against UniProt/Swiss-Prot and KEGG databases. The functional annotation of the identified unigenes revealed the secondary metabolite biosynthetic process as the most prominent pathway, with gene enrichment analysis predominantly accounting for secondary metabolite pathways, such as terpenoid, steroid, flavonoid, alkaloid, selenocompound, and cortisol synthesis. The study also identified regulatory genes NAC, Bhlh, WRKY, and C2H2 on the transcriptome dataset.

The functionally annotated unigenes suggested phytocompounds in Drimia indica to have multi-potent properties, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities, which has been further validated by GC-MS-based metabolite profiling. Notably, we have identified two novel molecules, di-azo progesterone and 4H-pyran-4-one 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl, with potential BCL2 inhibitory anticancer properties, supported by stable binding interactions observed in molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Additionally, an abundance of mono-nucleotide SSR markers has been identified, useful for genetic diversity studies.

This study provides a foundational understanding of the molecular mechanisms in Drimia indica, highlighting its potential as a source for novel therapeutic agents and contributing valuable insights for future pharmacological and agricultural applications. However, further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm these findings and validate their pharmacological efficacy and therapeutic potential. The SSR markers identified also offer valuable tools for molecular genetics, plant breeding, and sustainable drug development.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on DU145 cells and the role of NR2F2 (COUP-TFII) and its potential target genes in this process.

GSE122625 was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the DHA-treated and control groups. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed to identify hub genes, and the ChEA3 database was used to identify potential transcription factors. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to validate the expression of genes of interest and functional assays were performed to evaluate the effect of DHA on DU145 and PC-3 cells. To solidify the regulatory relationship of NR2F2 with EFNB2, EBF1, ETS1, and VEGFA, a Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiment was performed.

We identified 85 DEGs in DU145 cells treated with DHA, and PPI network analysis identified NR2F2 as a hub gene and potential transcription factor. The regulatory network of NR2F2 and its potential target genes (EFNB2, EBF1, ETS1, and VEGFA) was constructed, and the expression of these genes was upregulated in DHA-treated cells compared to control cells. Functional assays showed that DHA treatment inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition, reduced inflammation, and promoted apoptosis in DU145 and PC-3 cells. Furthermore, NR2F2 knockdown receded the DHA-induced upregulation of target genes and functional changes of DU145 and PC-3 cells. The outcomes of ChIP unequivocally pointed to a positive regulatory role of NR2F2 in these gene expressions.

Our study suggests that DHA treatment affects the functions of DU145 and PC-3 cells by regulating the expression of NR2F2 and its potential target genes, and NR2F2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for prostate cancer.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is an inflammatory disease of arterial intima driven by lipids. Liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists are limited in the treatment of AS due to their off-target effects and serious side effects. Therefore, this study was designed to construct a novel nanoparticle (NP) and evaluate its mechanism of action on inflammation inhibition and lipid reduction in AS.

We synthesized cRGD-platelet@MnO/MSN@PPARα/LXRα NPs (cRGD-platelet-NPs) and confirmed their size, safety, and targeting ability through various tests, including dynamic light scattering and immunofluorescence. In vivo and in vitro experiments assessed cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and plaque formation. Finally, the NF-κB signaling pathway expression in rat aorta was determined using a western blot.

The synthesis of cRGD-platelet-NPs was successful; the particle size was approximately 150 nm, and the PDI was below 0.3. They could be successfully absorbed by cells, exhibiting high safety in vivo and in vitro. The cRGD-platelet-NPs successfully reduced plaque formation, improved lipid profiles by lowering LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, and raised HDL-cholesterol levels. Additionally, they decreased inflammatory markers in the serum and aortic tissue, suggesting reduced inflammation. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses indicated that these NPs could not only promote M2 macrophage polarization but also suppress the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The newly developed cRGD-platelet-NPs with high safety are a promising approach to AS treatment, which can regulate ABCA1, reduce the formation of AS plaques, and enhance cholesterol efflux. The mechanism may involve the suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway.