-
1.
Progress on the mechanism of natural products alleviating androgenetic alopecia.
Wu, S, Kou, X, Niu, Y, Liu, Y, Zheng, B, Ma, J, Liu, M, Xue, Z
European journal of medicinal chemistry. 2024;:116022
Abstract
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) has become a widespread problem that leads to considerable impairment of the psyche and daily life. The currently approved medications for the treatment of AGA are associated with significant adverse effects, high costs, and prolonged treatment duration. Therefore, natural products are being considered as possible complementary or alternative treatments. This review aims to enhance comprehension of the mechanisms by which natural products treat AGA. To achieve this, pertinent studies were gathered and subjected to analysis. In addition, the therapeutic mechanisms associated with these natural products were organized and summarized. These include the direct modulation of signaling pathways such as the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, the PI3K/AKT pathway, and the BMP pathway. Additionally, they exert effects on cytokine secretion, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capabilities, as well as apoptosis and autophagy. Furthermore, the review briefly discusses the relationship between signaling pathways and autophagy and apoptosis in the context of AGA, systematically presents the mechanisms of action of existing natural products, and analyzes the potential therapeutic targets based on the active components of these products. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis for the development of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, or dietary supplements.
-
2.
Roles of abscisic acid and auxin in plants during drought: A molecular point of view.
Sharma, A, Gupta, A, Ramakrishnan, M, Ha, CV, Zheng, B, Bhardwaj, M, Tran, LP
Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB. 2023;:108129
Abstract
Plant responses to drought are mediated by hormones like ABA (abscisic acid) and auxin. These hormones regulate plant drought responses by modulating various physiological and biological processes via cell signaling. ABA accumulation and signaling are central to plant drought responses. Auxin also regulates plant adaptive responses to drought, especially via signal transduction mediated by the interaction between ABA and auxin. In this review, we explored the interactive roles of ABA and auxin in the modulation of stomatal movement, root traits and accumulation of reactive oxygen species associated with drought tolerance.
-
3.
Diabetes mellitus, prediabetes and the risk of Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 cohort studies with 29.9 million participants and 86,345 cases.
Aune, D, Schlesinger, S, Mahamat-Saleh, Y, Zheng, B, Udeh-Momoh, CT, Middleton, LT
European journal of epidemiology. 2023;38(6):591-604
-
-
-
Free full text
-
Plain language summary
Diabetes mellitus and prediabetes may increase an individual’s risk for Parkinson’s disease (PD), however the research completed to date has been controversial. This meta-analysis of 15 observational studies with 86,345 individuals with PD aimed to update the research on PD risk for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes and determine possible reasons for the ambiguity of previous research. The results showed that compared to people without diabetes, those with, were at a 27% increased relative risk of PD and a 4% increase amongst those with prediabetes. Individuals with a history of complications alongside diabetes were at a higher risk than those without. It was concluded that the risk of developing PD is increased amongst individuals with diabetes. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand that individuals with diabetes may be at an increased risk for PD and should be monitored. However, as this is based on observational studies, there is a chance that PD increases the risk for diabetes and not the reverse.
Abstract
A diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and prediabetes has been associated with increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) in several studies, but results have not been entirely consistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies on diabetes mellitus, prediabetes and the risk of PD to provide an up-to-date assessment of the evidence. PubMed and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies up to 6th of February 2022. Cohort studies reporting adjusted relative risk (RR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between diabetes, prediabetes and Parkinson's disease were included. Summary RRs (95% CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. Fifteen cohort studies (29.9 million participants, 86,345 cases) were included in the meta-analysis. The summary RR (95% CI) of PD for persons with diabetes compared to persons without diabetes was 1.27 (1.20-1.35, I2 = 82%). There was no indication of publication bias, based on Egger's test (p = 0.41), Begg's test (p = 0.99), and inspection of the funnel plot. The association was consistent across geographic regions, by sex, and across several other subgroup and sensitivity analyses. There was some suggestion of a stronger association for diabetes patients reporting diabetes complications than for diabetes patients without complications (RR = 1.54, 1.32-1.80 [n = 3] vs. 1.26, 1.16-1.38 [n = 3]), vs. those without diabetes (pheterogeneity=0.18). The summary RR for prediabetes was 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02-1.07, I2 = 0%, n = 2). Our results suggest that patients with diabetes have a 27% increased relative risk of developing PD compared to persons without diabetes, and persons with prediabetes have a 4% increase in RR compared to persons with normal blood glucose. Further studies are warranted to clarify the specific role age of onset or duration of diabetes, diabetic complications, glycaemic level and its long-term variability and management may play in relation to PD risk.
-
4.
Nrf2-mediated therapeutic effects of dietary flavones in different diseases.
Huang, W, Zhong, Y, Gao, B, Zheng, B, Liu, Y
Frontiers in pharmacology. 2023;:1240433
Abstract
Oxidative stress (OS) is a pathological status that occurs when the body's balance between oxidants and antioxidant defense systems is broken, which can promote the development of many diseases. Nrf2, a redox-sensitive transcription encoded by NFE2L2, is the master regulator of phase II antioxidant enzymes and cytoprotective genes. In this context, Nrf2/ARE signaling can be a compelling target against OS-induced diseases. Recently, natural Nrf2/ARE regulators like dietary flavones have shown therapeutic potential in various acute and chronic diseases such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and cancer. In this review, we aim to summarize nrf2-mediated protective effects of flavones in different conditions. Firstly, we retrospected the mechanisms of how flavones regulate the Nrf2/ARE pathway and introduced the mediator role Nrf2 plays in inflammation and apoptosis. Then we review the evidence that flavones modulated Nrf2/ARE pathway to prevent diseases in experimental models. Based on these literature, we found that flavones could regulate Nrf2 expression by mechanisms below: 1) dissociating the binding between Nrf2 and Keap1 via PKC-mediated Nrf2 phosphorylation and P62-mediated Keap1 autophagic degradation; 2) regulating Nrf2 nuclear translocation by various kinases like AMPK, MAPKs, Fyn; 3) decreasing Nrf2 ubiquitination and degradation via activating sirt1 and PI3K/AKT-mediated GSK3 inhibition; and 4) epigenetic alternation of Nrf2 such as demethylation at the promoter region and histone acetylation. In conclusion, flavones targeting Nrf2 can be promising therapeutic agents for various OS-related disorders. However, there is a lack of investigations on human subjects, and new drug delivery systems to improve flavones' treatment efficiency still need to be developed.
-
5.
Resistant starch from sweet potatoes: Recent advancements and applications in the food sector.
Bodjrenou, DM, Li, X, Lu, X, Lei, S, Zheng, B, Zeng, H
International journal of biological macromolecules. 2023;:13-26
Abstract
In tropical and subtropical areas, tuber and root crops are staple foods and a key source of energy. Sweet potato (SP) is currently regarded as one of the world's top ten foods because of its diverse sizes, shapes, color, and health benefits. The resistant starch (RS) content of SP is substantial. It is predicted to become the cheapest item in the food industry due to its extensive variety, food stability, emulsifier and fat substitution capabilities, and as filler. As a result, interest in SP-sourced RS has recently increased. Due to their unique nutritional and functional qualities, novelty has become a popular research focus in recent years. This review will summarize the current understanding of SP starch components and their impact on the technological and physicochemical properties of produced starch for commercial viability. The importance of sweet potato RS in addressing future RS demand sustainability is emphasized. SPs are a viable alternative to tubers as a sustainable raw material for RS production. It has an advantage over tubers because of its intrinsic nutritional value and climatic endurance. Thermal, chemical, and enzymatic treatments are effective RS manufacturing procedures. The adaptability of sweet potato RS allows for a wide range of food applications.
-
6.
Ferroptosis: A mixed blessing for infectious diseases.
Xiao, L, Huang, H, Fan, S, Zheng, B, Wu, J, Zhang, J, Pi, J, Xu, JF
Frontiers in pharmacology. 2022;:992734
Abstract
To date, it has been confirmed that the occurrence and development of infectious diseases are tightly associated with regulatory cell death processes, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. Ferroptosis, as a newly discovered form of regulatory cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is not only closely associated with tumor progression, but is also found to be tightly related to the regulation of infectious diseases, such as Tuberculosis, Cryptococcal meningitis, Malaria and COVID-2019. The emerging critical roles of ferroptosis that has been found in infectious disease highlight ferroptosis as a potential therapeutic target in this field, which is therefore widely expected to be developed into new therapy strategy against infectious diseases. Here, we summarized the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and highlighted the intersections between host immunity and ferroptosis. Moreover, we illuminated the roles of ferroptosis in the occurrence and progression of different infectious diseases, which might provide some unique inspiration and thought-provoking perspectives for the future research of these infectious diseases, especially for the development of ferroptosis-based therapy strategy against infectious diseases.
-
7.
Flavorubredoxin, a Candidate Trigger Related to Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Screening of the Complete Genome of a Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolate From an AIDS Case.
Wang, Z, Xu, H, Gu, B, Jin, Y, Wang, T, Ma, J, Lu, Y, Yu, X, Zheng, B, Zhang, Y
Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2022;:864087
Abstract
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is one of the two classic thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) diseases which could be induced by infections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient with acquired TTP induced by infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (hereafter, S. Typhimurium) isolate, S. Typhimurium_zhang, which was confirmed by serology and genetic taxonomy. The literature review identified 17 TMA-related genes encoding the candidate triggers, which were searched in the annotated genome sequence of S. Typhimurium_zhang. Anaerobic nitric oxide reductase flavorubredoxin (FlRd), encoded by norV which is related to another TMA, haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), was found in S. Typhimurium_zhang. Basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis revealed that norV and FlRd in S. Typhimurium_zhang, as well as eight S. Typhimurium type strains, have high identity with HUS-related Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain TW14359. Similar results were obtained from the BLAST analysis of 73 S. enterica isolates for congenital TTP which was also previously reported to be triggered by S. enterica. Phylogenetic analysis and amino acid sequence alignment revealed that FlRd was functional and highly conservative on 69 Enterobacteriaceae, including S. Typimurium_zhang and TW14359. In brief, we found norV in the genome of a S. Typhimurium clinical isolate that induced TTP in an AIDS patient. FlRd, the protein encoded by norV, probably triggered the TTP and was highly conservative, functional, and widespread in S. enterica and Enterobacteriaceae. More in vitro and in vivo studies are required to confirm our findings and determine the underlying mechanism.
-
8.
Exploring the mechanism of action of Chinese medicine in regulating liver fibrosis based on the alteration of glucose metabolic pathways.
Guo, X, Zheng, B, Wang, J, Zhao, T, Zheng, Y
Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2022
Abstract
In recent years, metabolic reprogramming in liver fibrosis has become a research hotspot in the field of liver fibrosis at home and abroad. Liver fibrosis is a pathological change caused by chronic liver injury from a variety of causes. Liver fibrosis is a common pathological feature of many chronic liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis B, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and autoimmune hepatitis, as well as the pathogenesis of the disease. The development of chronic liver disease into cirrhosis must go through the pathological process of liver fibrosis, in which hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play an important role. Following liver injury, HSC are activated and transdifferentiated into scar-forming myofibroblasts, which drive the trauma healing response and which rely on the deposition of collagen-rich extracellular matrix to maintain tissue integrity. This reaction will continue without strict control, which will lead to excessive accumulation of matrix and liver fibrosis. The mechanisms and clinical studies of liver fibrosis have been the focus of research in liver diseases. In recent years, several studies have revealed the mechanism of HSC metabolic reprogramming and the impact of this process on liver fibrosis, in which glucose metabolic reprogramming plays an important role in the activation of HSC, and it mainly meets the energy demand of HSC activation by upregulating glycolysis. Glycolysis is the process by which one molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate and produces energy and lactate under anaerobic conditions. Various factors have been found to be involved in regulating the glycolytic process of HSC, including glucose transport, intracellular processing of glucose, exosome secretion, and lactate production, etc. Inhibition of the glycolytic process of HSC can be an effective strategy against liver fibrosis. Currently, the combined action of multiple targets and links of Chinese medicine such as turmeric, comfrey, rhubarb and scutellaria baicalensis against the mechanism of liver fibrosis can effectively improve or even reverse liver fibrosis. This paper summarizes that turmeric extract curcumin, comfrey extract comfreyin, rhubarb, Subtle yang yu yin granules, Scutellaria baicalensis extract oroxylin A and cardamom extract cardamomin affect liver fibrosis by regulating gluconeogenic reprogramming. Therefore, studying the mechanism of action of TCM in regulating liver fibrosis through reprogramming of glucose metabolism is promising to explore new methods and approaches for Chinese Medicine modernization research.
-
9.
Brassinosteroids and metalloids: Regulation of plant biology.
Sharma, A, Ramakrishnan, M, Khanna, K, Landi, M, Prasad, R, Bhardwaj, R, Zheng, B
Journal of hazardous materials. 2022;(Pt C):127518
Abstract
Metalloid contamination in the environment is one of the serious concerns posing threat to our ecosystems. Excess of metalloid concentrations (including antimony, arsenic, boron, selenium etc.) in soil results in their over accumulation in plant tissues, which ultimately causes phytotoxicity and their bio-magnification. So, it is very important to find some ecofriendly approaches to counter negative impacts of above mentioned metalloids on plant system. Brassinosteroids (BRs) belong to family of plant steroidal hormones, and are considered as one of the ecofriendly way to counter metalloid phytotoxicity. This phytohormone regulates the plant biology in presence of metalloids by modulating various key biological processes like cell signaling, primary and secondary metabolism, bio-molecule crosstalk and redox homeostasis. The present review explains the in-depth mechanisms of BR regulated plant responses in presence of metalloids, and provides some biotechnological aspects towards ecofriendly management of metalloid contamination.
-
10.
Ferroptosis and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potentials.
Feng, Q, Yu, X, Qiao, Y, Pan, S, Wang, R, Zheng, B, Wang, H, Ren, KD, Liu, H, Yang, Y
Frontiers in pharmacology. 2022;:858676
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI), a common and serious clinical kidney syndrome with high incidence and mortality, is caused by multiple pathogenic factors, such as ischemia, nephrotoxic drugs, oxidative stress, inflammation, and urinary tract obstruction. Cell death, which is divided into several types, is critical for normal growth and development and maintaining dynamic balance. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent nonapoptotic type of cell death, is characterized by iron overload, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and lipid peroxidation. Recently, growing evidence demonstrated the important role of ferroptosis in the development of various kidney diseases, including renal clear cell carcinoma, diabetic nephropathy, and AKI. However, the exact mechanism of ferroptosis participating in the initiation and progression of AKI has not been fully revealed. Herein, we aim to systematically discuss the definition of ferroptosis, the associated mechanisms and key regulators, and pharmacological progress and summarize the most recent discoveries about the role and mechanism of ferroptosis in AKI development. We further conclude its potential therapeutic strategies in AKI.