Ultrasound enhances the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells wrapped in greater omentum for aristolochic acid nephropathy

Cytotoxic activity of isoquinoline alkaloids and herbal extracts from selected plants against human cancer cell lines: harnessing the research potential in cancer drug discovery with modern scientific trends and technology

The increasing prevalence of cancer has led to a growing interest in alternative medicine methods and treatments. This study aimed to assess the cytotoxicity of isoquinoline alkaloids and herbal extracts from selected plants against human cancer cell lines, including melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The investigation involved in vitro cell viability assays using various cancer cell lines and normal skin fibroblasts as control cells. Additionally, a zebrafish model was employed for in vivo evaluation of cytotoxic activity. The results indicated that the tested alkaloids and extracts exhibited promising cytotoxic effects, showing higher potency than standard chemotherapeutic drugs. In comparison, these findings support the exploration of isoquinoline alkaloids and herbal extracts as potential candidates for developing novel anti-melanoma and anti-squamous cell carcinoma drugs. The primary inclusion criterion that was taken into consideration in this study effort was the therapeutic application of the cytotoxic effects of specific plant-based pharmacological components or chemicals produced from herbal extracts that are ordinarily cytotoxic.

Single-cell dissection of cellular and molecular features underlying mesenchymal stem cell therapy in ischemic acute kidney injury

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert beneficial therapeutic effects in acute kidney injury (AKI), while the detailed repair mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we probed the underlying mechanisms of MSC therapy in AKI by performing unbiased single-cell RNA sequencing in IRI model with/without MSC treatment. Our analyses uncovered the tubular epithelial cells (TECs) and immune cells transcriptomic diversity and highlighted a repair trajectory involving renal stem/progenitor cell differentiation. Our findings also suggested that profibrotic TECs expressing pro-fibrotic factors such as Zeb2 and Pdgfb promoted the recruitment of inflammatory monocytes and Th17 cells to injured kidney tissue, inducing TGF-β1 secretion and renal fibrosis. Finally, in addition to activating the repair properties of renal progenitor/stem cells, we uncovered a role for MSC-derived miR-26a-5p in mediating the therapeutic effects of MSCs by inhibiting Zeb2 expression and suppressing pro-fibrotic TECs and its subsequent recruitment of immune cell subpopulations. These findings may help to optimize future AKI treatment strategies.

Overview of aristolochic acid nephropathy: an update

Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is a rapidly progressive renal interstitial fibrosis caused by medical or environmental exposure to aristolochic acid (AA). Since the outbreak of AAN in Belgium was reported nearly 30 years ago, the safety of herbal remedies has drawn considerable attention, and AAN has become a global public health problem. Breakthroughs have been made to better understand the disease, including the toxicity of AAs, the possible mechanisms of AAN, the disease patterns, and the pathological features; however, some critical problems remain unresolved. Because of the insidious onset of the disease, the incidence of AAN and the prevalence of exposure to AAs are unknown and might be largely underestimated. During the past decades, AA-containing herbs have been strictly administrated in many regions and the occurrence of AAN has declined sharply, yet cases of AAN are still sporadically reported. Despite the progress in the understanding of the disease's pathogenesis, there is no effective treatment for delaying or reversing the renal deterioration caused by AAN. Therefore, the risk of exposure to AAs should be taken seriously by public health workers and clinicians. In this review, we updated the latest data on AAN, summarized the advances throughout these years, and put forward some challenges for future research.

A Combinatorial Approach to Regenerate the Periodontal Ligament and Cementum in a Nondental Microenvironment

While treated dentin matrix (TDM) has been used for regeneration of dental tissues, the quality and quantity of regenerated periodontal tissue structure are suboptimal. The present study was undertaken to test whether the combined use of the TDM with dental follicle cells (DFCs) and Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) cells enhances the regeneration of periodontal structures in a nondental microenvironment. TDMs were fabricated from 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. DFCs and HERS cells were isolated from postnatal 7-day SD rats. Purified DFCs and HERS cells, both in combination or alone, were seeded and cultured on TDM in vitro and characterized. The cell-seeded TDMs were subsequently implanted into a 3-month-old rat greater omentum for 6 weeks, and further histological evaluation was performed. The results showed that cells grew well on the surface of TDMs, and mineralized nodules could be seen, especially in the HERS + DFCs group. After transplantation in rat omentum, periodontal ligament-like fibers and cementum-like structures were observed around the TDM in 1/3 of the samples in both the HERS group and the DFCs group and in 2/3 of the samples in the HERS + DFCs group, while almost no attached tissue formation was found in the TDM only group. The formed cementum width and the periodontal ligament length were significantly larger in the HERS + DFCs group. The periodontal ligament-like fibers in the HERS + DFCs group were orderly arranged and attached to the cementum-like tissues, which resembled the cementum-periodontal structure. Therefore, the combined use of DFCs, TDM, and HERS cells may be a promising strategy for the regeneration of the periodontal structures, especially in the nondental microenvironment.

Long-Term Effects of Severe Burns on the Kidneys: Research Advances and Potential Therapeutic Approaches

Burns are a seriously underestimated form of trauma that not only damage the skin system but also cause various complications, such as acute kidney injury (AKI). Recent clinical studies have shown that the proportion of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in burn patients after discharge is significantly higher than that in the general population, but the mechanism behind this is controversial. The traditional view is that CKD is associated with hypoperfusion, AKI, sepsis, and drugs administered in the early stages of burns. However, recent studies have shown that burns can cause long-term immune dysfunction, which is a high-risk factor for CKD. This suggests that burns affect the kidneys more than previously recognized. In other words, severe burns are not only an acute injury but also a chronic disease. Neglecting to study long-term kidney function in burn patients also results in a lack of preventive and therapeutic methods being developed. Furthermore, stem cells and their exosomes have shown excellent comprehensive therapeutic properties in the prevention and treatment of CKD, making them increasingly the focus of research attention. Their engineering strategy further improved the therapeutic performance. This review will focus on the research advances in burns on the development of CKD, illustrating the possible mechanism of burn-induced CKD and introducing potential biological treatment options and their engineering strategies.

Optimization strategies of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for acute kidney injury

Considering the high prevalence and the lack of targeted pharmacological management of acute kidney injury (AKI), the search for new therapeutic approaches for it is in urgent demand. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been increasingly recognized as a promising candidate for the treatment of AKI. However, clinical translation of MSCs-based therapies is hindered due to the poor retention and survival rates as well as the impaired paracrine ability of MSCs post-delivery. To address these issues, a series of strategies including local administration, three-dimensional culture, and preconditioning have been applied. Owing to the emergence and development of these novel biotechnologies, the effectiveness of MSCs in experimental AKI models is greatly improved. Here, we summarize the different approaches suggested to optimize the efficacy of MSCs therapy, aiming at promoting the therapeutic effects of MSCs on AKI patients.

Comparison of the treatment efficacy of umbilical mesenchymal stem cell transplantation via renal subcapsular and parenchymal routes in AKI-CKD mice

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising cell-based therapy for acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the optimal route of MSC transplantation remains controversial, and there have been no comparisons of the therapeutic benefits of MSC administration through different delivery routes.

Methods

In this study, we encapsulated MSCs into a collagen matrix to help achieve local MSC retention in the kidney and assessed the survival of MSCs in vitro and in vivo. After transplanting collagen matrix-encapsulated-MSCs (Col-MSCs) under the renal capsule or into the parenchyma using the same cell dose and suspension volume in an ischemia/reperfusion injury model, we evaluated the treatment efficacy of two local transplantation routes at different stages of AKI.

Results

We found that Col-MSCs could be retained in the kidney for at least 14 days. Both local MSC therapies could reduce tubular injury, promote the proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells on Day 3 and alleviate renal fibrosis on Day 14 and 28. MSC transplantation via the subcapsular route exerts better therapeutic effects for renal functional and structural recovery after AKI than MSC administration via the parenchymal route.

Conclusions

Subcapsular MSC transplantation may be an ideal route of MSC delivery for AKI treatment, and collagen I can provide a superior microenvironment for cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions to stabilize the retention rate of MSCs in the kidney.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-02805-3.

Aristolochic Acid I-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Tianfu Broilers Is Associated with Oxidative-Stress-Mediated Apoptosis and Mitochondrial Damage

Simple Summary

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a component of traditional Chinese herbs and commonly used in the farm poultry industry in China for anti-infection, anti-viral and anti-bacterial treatment. However, long-term and over-exposure of these drugs has been proven to be associated with serious hepatotoxicity, but the mechanism of AA-I-induced hepatotoxicity remains unknown. Therefore, in this study, a subchronic toxicity test was conducted to evaluate the mechanism of AA-I-induced hepatotoxicity in Tianfu broilers. Subchronic exposure to high doses of AA-I in broilers can cause serious hepatotoxicity by breaking the redox balance to form oxidative stress, along with promoting oxidative-stress-mediated apoptosis and mitochondrial damage. In conclusion, AA-I has been found to damage broilers’ livers in high doses. This study provides suggestions for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine containing AA-I in the poultry industry.

Abstract

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a component of traditional Chinese herbs and commonly used for farm animals in China. Over-exposure of AA has been proven to be associated with hepatotoxicity; however, the mechanism of action of AA-I-induced hepatotoxicity remains unknown. In the current study, a subchronic toxicity test was conducted to evaluate the mechanism of AA-induced hepatotoxicity in Tianfu broilers. According to the results, AA-I-induced hepatotoxicity in Tianfu broilers was evidenced by the elevation of liver weight, levels of serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT). Furthermore, hepatocyte swelling, vesicular degeneration and steatosis were observed. Additionally, AA-I elevated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induced oxidative stress, which further led to excessive apoptosis, characterized by mitochondrial depolarization, upregulation of Bax, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, the mechanism of AA-I-induced hepatotoxicity was associated with oxidative-stress-mediated apoptosis and mitochondrial damage.