Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disorder.The pathology of AD is characterized by extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ)plaques,neurofibrillary tangles com-posed of hyperphosphorylated tau,neuronal death,syn...Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disorder.The pathology of AD is characterized by extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ)plaques,neurofibrillary tangles com-posed of hyperphosphorylated tau,neuronal death,synapse loss,and brain atrophy.Many therapies have been tested to improve or at least effectively modify the course of AD.Meaningful data indicate that the transplantation of stem cells can alleviate neuropathology and significantly ameliorate cognitive deficits in animal models with Alzheimer's disease.Transplanted stem cells have shown their inherent advantages in improving cognitive impairment and memory dysfunction,although certain weak-nesses or limitations need to be overcome.This review recapitulates rodent models for AD,the therapeutic efficacy of stem cells,influencing factors,and the underlying mechanisms behind these changes.Stem cell therapy provides perspective and chal-lenges for its clinical application in the future.展开更多
1|INTRODUCTION For decades,experimental animal models have been powerful tools for biomedical research and have supported most of the physiological or medical achievements recognized by Nobel Prizes,including the rese...1|INTRODUCTION For decades,experimental animal models have been powerful tools for biomedical research and have supported most of the physiological or medical achievements recognized by Nobel Prizes,including the research that won this year's Physiology or Medicine Prize.On 4th October 2021,the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2021 was awarded jointly to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian"for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch."1 Their discoveries have profoundly changed our view of how we sense the world around us2.展开更多
The risk of internal and external exposure to ionizing radiation(IR)has increased alongside the development and implementation of nuclear technology.Therefore,serious security issues have emerged globally,and there ha...The risk of internal and external exposure to ionizing radiation(IR)has increased alongside the development and implementation of nuclear technology.Therefore,serious security issues have emerged globally,and there has been an increase in the number of studies focusing on radiological prevention and medical countermeasures.Radioprotective drugs are particularly important components of emergency medical preparedness strategies for the clinical management of IR-induced injuries.However,a few drugs have been approved to date to treat such injuries,and the related mechanisms are not entirely understood.Thus,the aim of the present review was to provide a brief overview of the World Health Organization's updated list of essential medicines for 2023 for the proper management of national stockpiles and the treatment of radiological emergencies.This review also discusses the types of radiation-induced health injuries and the related mechanisms,as well as the development of various radioprotective agents,including Chinese herbal medicines,for which significant survival benefits have been demonstrated in animal models of acute radiation syndrome.展开更多
Myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS)is a malignant tumor of the hematological system characterized by long-term,progressive refractory hemocytopenia.In addition,the risk of leukemia is high,and once it develops,the course of...Myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS)is a malignant tumor of the hematological system characterized by long-term,progressive refractory hemocytopenia.In addition,the risk of leukemia is high,and once it develops,the course of acute leukemia is short with poor curative effect.Animal models are powerful tools for studying human diseases and are highly effective preclinical platforms.Animal models of MDS can accurately show genetic aberrations and hematopoietic clone phenotypes with similar cellular features(such as impaired differentiation and increased apoptosis),and symptoms can be used to assess existing treatments.Animal models are also helpful for understanding the pathogenesis of MDS and its relationship with acute leukemia,which helps with the identification of candidate genes related to the MDS phenotype.This review summarizes the current status of animal models used to research myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS).展开更多
Background:Cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)and diabetes mellitus(DM)are top two chronic comorbidities that increase the severity and mortality of COVID-19.However,how SARS-CoV-2 alters the progression of chronic diseases...Background:Cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)and diabetes mellitus(DM)are top two chronic comorbidities that increase the severity and mortality of COVID-19.However,how SARS-CoV-2 alters the progression of chronic diseases remain unclear.Methods:We used adenovirus to deliver h-ACE2 to lung to enable SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice.SARS-CoV-2’s impacts on pathogenesis of chronic diseases were studied through histopathological,virologic and molecular biology analysis.Results:Pre-existing CVDs resulted in viral invasion,ROS elevation and activation of apoptosis pathways contribute myocardial injury during SARS-CoV-2 infection.Viral infection increased fasting blood glucose and reduced insulin response in DM model.Bone mineral density decreased shortly after infection,which associated with impaired PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.Conclusion:We established mouse models mimicked the complex pathological symptoms of COVID-19 patients with chronic diseases.Pre-existing diseases could impair the inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection,which further aggravated the pre-existing diseases.This work provided valuable information to better understand the interplay between the primary diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infection.展开更多
Background: Lung cancer frequently occurs in the clinic, leading to poor prognosis and high mortality. Markers for early diagnosis of lung cancer are scarce, and further potential therapeutic targets are also urgently...Background: Lung cancer frequently occurs in the clinic, leading to poor prognosis and high mortality. Markers for early diagnosis of lung cancer are scarce, and further potential therapeutic targets are also urgently needed.Method: We established a new mouse model in which the specific gene HNRNPK(heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K) was downregulated after administration of doxycycline. The lung metastatic nodules were investigated using bioluminescence imaging, micro-CT, and autopsy quantification.Results: Compared with the short hairpin negative control group, less lung metastatic nodules were formed in the short hairpin RNA group.Conclusion: Downregulation of HNRNPK in cancer cells can inhibit lung metastasis.展开更多
Background: With the aim of establishing the most comprehensive database of laboratory animal strains, the "laboratory animal strain resources database"(LasDB)was constructed as a searchable online database ...Background: With the aim of establishing the most comprehensive database of laboratory animal strains, the "laboratory animal strain resources database"(LasDB)was constructed as a searchable online database of all laboratory animal strains,stocks and mutant embryonic stem-cell lines available worldwide, including inbred,outbred, mutant and genetically engineered strains.Methods: MySQL database software was used to construct the LasDB, offering an easy-to-use interface.Results: To date, LasDB has a collection covering data for 21 596 mouse strains,2062 rat strains, 13 monkey strains, 2 hamster strains, 5 dog strains, 5 rabbit strains and more than 50 other laboratory animal strains. LasDB will be continually improved with regular updates of new laboratory animal strains from all over the world.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first database that attempts to systematically integrate all available laboratory animal strain data with the aim of supporting open usage and full resource sharing.展开更多
The premetastatic niches(PMN)formed by primary tumor-derived molecules regulate distant organs and tissues to further favor tumor colonization.Targeted PMN therapy may prevent tumor metastasis in the early stages,whic...The premetastatic niches(PMN)formed by primary tumor-derived molecules regulate distant organs and tissues to further favor tumor colonization.Targeted PMN therapy may prevent tumor metastasis in the early stages,which is becoming increasingly important.At present,there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN.Here,we summarize current research advances on the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN.We emphasize that PMN intervention is a potential therapeutic strategy for early prevention of tumor metastasis,which provides a promising basis for future research and clinical application.展开更多
Background:Busulfan(BU)is an alkylating agent used as a conditioning agent prior to hematopoietic stem cell(HSC)transplantation as it is known to be cytotoxic to host hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.The suscep...Background:Busulfan(BU)is an alkylating agent used as a conditioning agent prior to hematopoietic stem cell(HSC)transplantation as it is known to be cytotoxic to host hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.The susceptibility of HSCs to BU injury plays an important role in the myeloablative efficacy of BU.Different susceptibilities were demonstrated in genetically diverse(GD)mice in our preliminary research.Methods:Three strains of GD mice with different susceptibilities to BU-i nduced HSC injury were used for screening biological markers of HSC injury susceptibility in urine.The urine proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to screen for differentially expressed proteins.Screening for possible biomarkers based on differences in protein expression abundance was validated using enzyme-l inked immunoassay(ELISA).Results:Functional analysis showed that the differential proteins were all involved in a series of biological pathways related to cellular senescence,apoptosis,and angiogenesis;whereas the differential proteins of the high-susceptible strain were enriched for the regulation of bone marrow microenvironment pathways,those of low-susceptible strain were enriched for the proapoptotic effect of GTPase pathways.Based on protein abundance differences,several urinary proteins that may be indicative of susceptibility were screened,and ELISA validation results showed that angiotensin-converting enzyme may be a potential biomarker predicting HSC susceptibility for BU conditioning.Conclusions:This study indicates that urinary protein levels can reflect differences in susceptibility to BU-i nduced HSC injury.Using GD mice to construct genetic difference models will provide preclinical data for screening BU-related biological markers.展开更多
Autophagy is one of the degradation pathways to remove proteins or damaged or-ganelles in cells that plays an important role in neuroprotection.Different stages of autophagy are regulated by autophagy-related genes,an...Autophagy is one of the degradation pathways to remove proteins or damaged or-ganelles in cells that plays an important role in neuroprotection.Different stages of autophagy are regulated by autophagy-related genes,and many molecules such as transcription factor EB(TFEB)are involved.The complete autophagy process plays an important role in maintaining the dynamic balance of autophagy and is crucial to the homeostasis of intracellular substance and energy metabolism.Autophagy balance is disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases,accounting for a variety of degeneration dis-orders.These impairments can be alleviated or treated by the regulation of autophagy through molecules such as TFEB.展开更多
The number of genetically modified mouse models that mimic human disease is growing rapidly,but only a tiny fraction has been commonly used.According to The Knockout Mouse Program(Lloyd,2011),a public resource of mous...The number of genetically modified mouse models that mimic human disease is growing rapidly,but only a tiny fraction has been commonly used.According to The Knockout Mouse Program(Lloyd,2011),a public resource of mouse embryonic stem cells containing a null mutation in every gene in the mouse genome,8,916 mutant mice lines were phenotyped up to 19 July 2022.Due to the poor correlation between the genomic responses in the mouse models and those responses in human disease,and since humans differ significantly in their genetic vulnerability to common diseases,we still need better mouse models,especially for common and chronic human diseases,including cancer,pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases,obesity and diabetes,behavioral disorders,and neurodegenerative diseases.These new models will be placed into a public repository,The China National Human Disease Animal Model Resource Center(NAMR).This project is funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of China and specializes in the creation,introduction,collection,preservation,and supply of animal model resources forhuman diseases.展开更多
Monkeypox is a rare viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus,which is similar to human smallpox.It is also a zoonosis which is found mainly in tropical rain forests of central and western Africa.The monkeypox vir...Monkeypox is a rare viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus,which is similar to human smallpox.It is also a zoonosis which is found mainly in tropical rain forests of central and western Africa.The monkeypox virus was first detected in grivet at a laboratory in Copenhagen,Denmark,in 1958,and was later found in many African rodents,such as murine and squirrels.Therefore,it is believed that the primary way of infection is through direct human contact with these infected animals.In May 2003,human monkeypox appeared in the Western Hemisphere in the United States and spreaded rapidly,which immediately attracted the attention of all countries.展开更多
Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We examined the effect of gut microbiota in a mouse model of RA that develops atherosclerosis. Methods: We created...Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We examined the effect of gut microbiota in a mouse model of RA that develops atherosclerosis. Methods: We created three groups of K/BxN female mice that were positive for the anti‐glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (GPI) antibody: control diet (CD), high fat diet (HFD), and HFD with hydroxychloroquine (HFD + HCQ). Serological tests were used to detect the serum levels of total cholesterol (TCHO), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), triglyceride (TG), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), anti‐ GPI antibody titers, and serum cytokines. Atherosclerotic plaque was determined by histological analysis, and gut microbiota were determined by 16sV4 sequencing. Results: Relative to mice given the CD, those receiving the HFD had increased serum levels of LDL‐C, TCHO, and TG, decreased serum levels of HDL‐C, increased atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root, and altered gut microbiota. Addition of HCQ to HFD decreased the serum levels of LDL‐C, TCHO, and TG, increased serum levels of HDL‐C, and decreased the atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root. Mice receiving HFD + HCQ also had the greatest bacterial diversity among the three experimental groups. Moreover, HCQ treatment significantly increased the abundance of Akkermansia and Parabacteroides, and decreased the abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto cluster 1, and therefore may be responsible for the reduced RA‐associated atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Our mouse model of RA indicated that HFD increased ankle width and aggravated a therosclerosis a nd d yslipidemia, a nd t hat H CQ a lleviated t he d yslipidemia and atherosclerosis, but had no effect on ankle width.展开更多
Object:Early-life neglect has irreversible emotional effects on the central nervous system.In this work,we aimed to elucidate distinct functional neural changes in me-dial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)of model rats.Methods:...Object:Early-life neglect has irreversible emotional effects on the central nervous system.In this work,we aimed to elucidate distinct functional neural changes in me-dial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)of model rats.Methods:Maternal separation with early weaning was used as a rat model of early-life neglect.The excitation of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in rat mPFC was recorded and analyzed by whole-cell patch clamp.Results:Glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons of mPFC were distinguished by typi-cal electrophysiological properties.The excitation of mPFC glutamatergic neurons was significantly increased in male groups,while the excitation of mPFC GABAergic neurons was significant in both female and male groups,but mainly in terms of rest membrane potential and amplitude,respectively.Conclusions:Glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in medial prefrontal cortex showed different excitability changes in a rat model of early-life neglect,which can contribute to distinct mechanisms for emotional and cognitive manifestations.展开更多
Background:Head and neck squamous cancer(HNSC)frequently occurs in the clinic.Revealing the role of the genes that correlate with cancer cell outgrowth will contribute to potential treatment target identification and ...Background:Head and neck squamous cancer(HNSC)frequently occurs in the clinic.Revealing the role of the genes that correlate with cancer cell outgrowth will contribute to potential treatment target identification and tumor inhibition.Methods:The gene expression profiles and gene ontology of the proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor OGR1 were analyzed using the TCGA(The Cancer Genome Atlas)database.The effects of sex,age,race,and degree of malignancy on HNSC were investigated,and the survival times of HNSC patients with high or low/medium expression levels of OGR1 were compared.Methylation of the OGR1 promoter CpG sites was also investigated and OGR1-related genes were analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis.Results:OGR1 is overexpressed in HNSC patients.However,compared with the low/median expression group,the high OGR1 expression group did not have different survival rates.The OGR1 expression level differed across sex,age,race,and degree of malignancy,while the methylation of the OGR1 promoter CpG sites was maintained at a similar level.Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that OGR1 was positively correlated with head and neck cancer,cisplatin resistance,hypoxia,angiogenesis,cell migration,and TGF-β.Conclusion:The expression of OGR1 correlated with HNSC progression and survival and thus can serve as a potential treatment target and prognostic marker.展开更多
Background Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder.Therapeutically,a transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)can play a beneficial role in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.Howeve...Background Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder.Therapeutically,a transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)can play a beneficial role in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the relevant mechanism remains to be fully elucidated.Main body Subsequent to the transplantation of BMMSCs,memory loss and cognitive impairment were significantly improved in animal models with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Potential mechanisms involved neurogenesis,apoptosis,angiogenesis,inflammation,immunomodulation,etc.The above mechanisms might play different roles at certain stages.It was revealed that the transplantation of BMMSCs could alter some gene levels.Moreover,the differential expression of representative genes was responsible for neuropathological phenotypes in Alzheimer’s disease,which could be used to construct gene-specific patterns.Conclusions Multiple signal pathways involve therapeutic mechanisms by which the transplantation of BMMSCs improves cognitive and behavioral deficits in AD models.Gene expression profile can be utilized to establish statistical regression model for the evaluation of therapeutic effect.The transplantation of autologous BMMSCs maybe a prospective therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.展开更多
Background: New therapeutic targets are needed to improve the outcomes for gastric cancer(GC) patients with advanced disease. Evasion of programmed cell death(apoptosis) is a hallmark of cancer cells and direct induct...Background: New therapeutic targets are needed to improve the outcomes for gastric cancer(GC) patients with advanced disease. Evasion of programmed cell death(apoptosis) is a hallmark of cancer cells and direct induction of apoptosis by targeting the pro-survival BCL2 family proteins represents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning cancer cell survival could provide a molecular basis for potential therapeutic interventions. Method: Here we explored the role of BCL2L1 and the encoded anti-apoptotic BCL-XL in GC. Using Droplet Digital PCR(ddPCR) technology to investigate the DNA amplification of BCL2L1 in GC samples and GC cell lines, the sensitivity of GC cell lines to selective BCL-XL inhibitors A1155463 and A1331852, pan-inhibitor ABT-263, and VHL-based PROTAC-BCL-XL was analyzed using(CellTiter-Glo) CTG assay in vitro. Western Blot(WB) was used to detect the protein expression of BCL2 family members in GC cell lines and the manner in which PROTAC-BCL-XL kills GC cells. Coimmunoprecipitation(Co-IP) was used to investigate the mechanism of A1331852 and ABT-263 kills GC cell lines. DDPCR, WB, and real-time PCR(RTPCR) were used to investigate the correlation between DNA, RNA, protein levels, and drug activity. Results: The functional assay showed that a subset of GC cell lines relies on BCL-XL for survival. In gastric cancer cell lines, BCL-XL inhibitors A1155463 and A1331852 are more sensitive than the pan BCL2 family inhibitor ABT-263, indicating that ABT-263 is not an optimal inhibitor of BCL-XL. VHL-based PROTAC-BCL-XL DT2216 appears to be active in GC cells. DT2216 induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner through the proteasome pathway. Statistical analysis showed that the BCL-XL protein level predicts the response of GC cells to BCL-XL targeting therapy and BCL2L1 gene CNVs do not reliably predict BCL-XL expression.Conclusion: We identified BCL-XL as a promising therapeutic target in a subset of GC cases with high levels of BCL-XL protein expression. Functionally, we demonstrated that both selective BCL-XL inhibitors and VHL-based PROTAC BCL-XL can potently kill GC cells that are reliant on BCL-XL for survival. However, we found that BCL2L1 copy number variations(CNVs) cannot reliably predict BCL-XL expression, but the BCL-XL protein level serves as a useful biomarker for predicting the sensitivity of GC cells to BCL-XL-targeting compounds. Taken together, our study pinpointed BCL-XL as potential druggable target for specific subsets of GC.展开更多
Background:Inflammation is a complex physiological and pathological process.Although many types of inflammation are well characterized,their physiological func-tions are largely unknown.tRNA aspartic acid methyltransf...Background:Inflammation is a complex physiological and pathological process.Although many types of inflammation are well characterized,their physiological func-tions are largely unknown.tRNA aspartic acid methyltransferase 1(TRDMT1)has been implicated as a stress-related protein,but its intrinsic biological role is unclear.Methods:We constructed a Trdmt1 knockout rat and adopted the LPS-induced sepsis model.Survival curve,histopathological examination,expression of inflammatory fac-tors,and protein level of TLR4 pathway were analyzed.Results:Trdmt1 deletion had no obvious impact on development and growth.Trdmt1 de-letion slightly increased the mortality during aging.Our data showed that Trdmt1 strongly responded in LPS-treated rats,and Trdmt1 knockout rats were vulnerable to LPS treat-ment with declined survival rate.We also observed more aggravated tissue damage and more cumulative functional cell degeneration in LPS-treated knockout rats compared with control rats.Further studies showed upregulated TNF-αlevel in liver,spleen,lung,and serum tissues,which may be explained by enhanced p65 and p38 phosphorylation.Conclusions:Our data demonstrated that Trdmt1 plays a protective role in inflamma-tion by regulating the TLR4-NF-κB/MAPK-TNF-αpathway.This work provides useful information to understand the TRDMT1 function in inflammation.展开更多
A scientist, Jiankui He of Southern University of Science and Technology of China,recently claimed at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing in Hong Kong on 29 November that he has created the world&#...A scientist, Jiankui He of Southern University of Science and Technology of China,recently claimed at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing in Hong Kong on 29 November that he has created the world's first genetically altered babies using CRISPR. This announcement sparked controversy and criticism. The newly developed CRISPR/Cas9 technique has been applied to genetic modification of many kinds of animals. However, the technique is still in its infancy and many questions remain to be answered before it can be used for clinical purposes, especially for reproductive purposes.展开更多
Background : Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) maintain the hematopoietic system homeostasis through self- renewal and multilineage differentiation potential. HSC are regulated by the microenvironment, cytokine signaling...Background : Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) maintain the hematopoietic system homeostasis through self- renewal and multilineage differentiation potential. HSC are regulated by the microenvironment, cytokine signaling, and transcription factors. Recent results have shown that lipid pathways play a key role in the regulation of HSC quiescence, proliferation, and division. However, the mechanism by which lipid metabolism regulates HSC proliferation and differentiation remains to be clarified. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is an essential enzyme in the anabolism and catabolism of very low- density lipoprotein, chylomicrons, and triglyceride- rich lipoproteins. Methods : The percentage of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and immune cells were determined by fluorescence- activated cell sorting (FACS). The function and the mechanism of HSCs were analyzed by cell colony forming assay and qPCR analysis. The changes in LPL^(+/−) HSC microenvironment were detected by transplantation as- says using red fluorescent protein (RFP) transgenic mice. Results : To explore the function of LPL in HSC regulation, heterozygous LPL- knockout mice (LPL^(+/−)) were established and analyzed by FACS. LPL^(+/−) mice displayed decreased hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell compartments. In vitro single- cell clono- genic assays and cell-cycle assays using FACS promoted the cell cycle and increased proliferation ability. qPCR analysis showed the expression of p57^(KIP2) and p21^(WAF1)/ ^(CIP1) in LPL^(+/−) mice was upregulated. Conclusions : LPL^(+/−) mice exhibited HSC compartment impairment due to promotion of HSC proliferation, without any effects on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant(81941012)CAMS initiative for Innovative Medicine of China(2021-I2 M-1-034)National Key Research and Development Project(2017YFA0105200).
文摘Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disorder.The pathology of AD is characterized by extracellular amyloid beta(Aβ)plaques,neurofibrillary tangles com-posed of hyperphosphorylated tau,neuronal death,synapse loss,and brain atrophy.Many therapies have been tested to improve or at least effectively modify the course of AD.Meaningful data indicate that the transplantation of stem cells can alleviate neuropathology and significantly ameliorate cognitive deficits in animal models with Alzheimer's disease.Transplanted stem cells have shown their inherent advantages in improving cognitive impairment and memory dysfunction,although certain weak-nesses or limitations need to be overcome.This review recapitulates rodent models for AD,the therapeutic efficacy of stem cells,influencing factors,and the underlying mechanisms behind these changes.Stem cell therapy provides perspective and chal-lenges for its clinical application in the future.
基金Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(YESS:2019QNRC001)National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant(31970510,81941012)+1 种基金CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)grant(2021-1-I2M-034)SAFEA:Introduction of Overseas Talents in Cultural and Educational Sector(G20190001626).
文摘1|INTRODUCTION For decades,experimental animal models have been powerful tools for biomedical research and have supported most of the physiological or medical achievements recognized by Nobel Prizes,including the research that won this year's Physiology or Medicine Prize.On 4th October 2021,the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2021 was awarded jointly to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian"for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch."1 Their discoveries have profoundly changed our view of how we sense the world around us2.
基金National Human Diseases Animal Model Resource CenterNational Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:81972975+1 种基金Applied Basic Research Key Program of Tianjin,Grant/Award Number:22JCZDJC00430CAMS Medicine and Health Technology Innovation Project,Grant/Award Number:2021-I2M-1-060。
文摘The risk of internal and external exposure to ionizing radiation(IR)has increased alongside the development and implementation of nuclear technology.Therefore,serious security issues have emerged globally,and there has been an increase in the number of studies focusing on radiological prevention and medical countermeasures.Radioprotective drugs are particularly important components of emergency medical preparedness strategies for the clinical management of IR-induced injuries.However,a few drugs have been approved to date to treat such injuries,and the related mechanisms are not entirely understood.Thus,the aim of the present review was to provide a brief overview of the World Health Organization's updated list of essential medicines for 2023 for the proper management of national stockpiles and the treatment of radiological emergencies.This review also discusses the types of radiation-induced health injuries and the related mechanisms,as well as the development of various radioprotective agents,including Chinese herbal medicines,for which significant survival benefits have been demonstrated in animal models of acute radiation syndrome.
基金National Science and Technology Major Project,Grant/Award Number:2017ZX10304402。
文摘Myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS)is a malignant tumor of the hematological system characterized by long-term,progressive refractory hemocytopenia.In addition,the risk of leukemia is high,and once it develops,the course of acute leukemia is short with poor curative effect.Animal models are powerful tools for studying human diseases and are highly effective preclinical platforms.Animal models of MDS can accurately show genetic aberrations and hematopoietic clone phenotypes with similar cellular features(such as impaired differentiation and increased apoptosis),and symptoms can be used to assess existing treatments.Animal models are also helpful for understanding the pathogenesis of MDS and its relationship with acute leukemia,which helps with the identification of candidate genes related to the MDS phenotype.This review summarizes the current status of animal models used to research myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS).
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:82041008 and 32070543National Mega Projects of China for Major Infectious Diseases,Grant/Award Number:2017ZX10304402+1 种基金CAMS Initiative for Innovative Medicine of China,Grant/Award Number:2016-12M-2-006 and 2017-12M-3-015Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation,Grant/Award Number:M21004。
文摘Background:Cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)and diabetes mellitus(DM)are top two chronic comorbidities that increase the severity and mortality of COVID-19.However,how SARS-CoV-2 alters the progression of chronic diseases remain unclear.Methods:We used adenovirus to deliver h-ACE2 to lung to enable SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice.SARS-CoV-2’s impacts on pathogenesis of chronic diseases were studied through histopathological,virologic and molecular biology analysis.Results:Pre-existing CVDs resulted in viral invasion,ROS elevation and activation of apoptosis pathways contribute myocardial injury during SARS-CoV-2 infection.Viral infection increased fasting blood glucose and reduced insulin response in DM model.Bone mineral density decreased shortly after infection,which associated with impaired PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.Conclusion:We established mouse models mimicked the complex pathological symptoms of COVID-19 patients with chronic diseases.Pre-existing diseases could impair the inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection,which further aggravated the pre-existing diseases.This work provided valuable information to better understand the interplay between the primary diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:81602460
文摘Background: Lung cancer frequently occurs in the clinic, leading to poor prognosis and high mortality. Markers for early diagnosis of lung cancer are scarce, and further potential therapeutic targets are also urgently needed.Method: We established a new mouse model in which the specific gene HNRNPK(heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K) was downregulated after administration of doxycycline. The lung metastatic nodules were investigated using bioluminescence imaging, micro-CT, and autopsy quantification.Results: Compared with the short hairpin negative control group, less lung metastatic nodules were formed in the short hairpin RNA group.Conclusion: Downregulation of HNRNPK in cancer cells can inhibit lung metastasis.
基金the Central Research Institutes Basic Operating Grants,Grant/Award Number:DWS201512CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS),Grant/Award Number:2016-I2M-2-006-03National Major Scientific and Technological Special Project for Key Infectious Diseases,Grant/Award Number:2017ZX10304402-001
文摘Background: With the aim of establishing the most comprehensive database of laboratory animal strains, the "laboratory animal strain resources database"(LasDB)was constructed as a searchable online database of all laboratory animal strains,stocks and mutant embryonic stem-cell lines available worldwide, including inbred,outbred, mutant and genetically engineered strains.Methods: MySQL database software was used to construct the LasDB, offering an easy-to-use interface.Results: To date, LasDB has a collection covering data for 21 596 mouse strains,2062 rat strains, 13 monkey strains, 2 hamster strains, 5 dog strains, 5 rabbit strains and more than 50 other laboratory animal strains. LasDB will be continually improved with regular updates of new laboratory animal strains from all over the world.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first database that attempts to systematically integrate all available laboratory animal strain data with the aim of supporting open usage and full resource sharing.
基金Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(2021-I2M-1-013)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF0702801,2022YFF0710705)+1 种基金the Special Research Fund for Central Universities,Peking Union Medical College(No.3332022182)Seed Fund for Youth Talent Training Program of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University(2020-YJJ-ZZL-034).
文摘The premetastatic niches(PMN)formed by primary tumor-derived molecules regulate distant organs and tissues to further favor tumor colonization.Targeted PMN therapy may prevent tumor metastasis in the early stages,which is becoming increasingly important.At present,there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN.Here,we summarize current research advances on the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN.We emphasize that PMN intervention is a potential therapeutic strategy for early prevention of tumor metastasis,which provides a promising basis for future research and clinical application.
基金National Natural Scientific Foundation of ChinaGrant/Award Number:81972975+2 种基金National Human Diseases Animal Model Resource CenterNational Science Foundation for Young Scientists of ChinaGrant/Award Number:81703170。
文摘Background:Busulfan(BU)is an alkylating agent used as a conditioning agent prior to hematopoietic stem cell(HSC)transplantation as it is known to be cytotoxic to host hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.The susceptibility of HSCs to BU injury plays an important role in the myeloablative efficacy of BU.Different susceptibilities were demonstrated in genetically diverse(GD)mice in our preliminary research.Methods:Three strains of GD mice with different susceptibilities to BU-i nduced HSC injury were used for screening biological markers of HSC injury susceptibility in urine.The urine proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to screen for differentially expressed proteins.Screening for possible biomarkers based on differences in protein expression abundance was validated using enzyme-l inked immunoassay(ELISA).Results:Functional analysis showed that the differential proteins were all involved in a series of biological pathways related to cellular senescence,apoptosis,and angiogenesis;whereas the differential proteins of the high-susceptible strain were enriched for the regulation of bone marrow microenvironment pathways,those of low-susceptible strain were enriched for the proapoptotic effect of GTPase pathways.Based on protein abundance differences,several urinary proteins that may be indicative of susceptibility were screened,and ELISA validation results showed that angiotensin-converting enzyme may be a potential biomarker predicting HSC susceptibility for BU conditioning.Conclusions:This study indicates that urinary protein levels can reflect differences in susceptibility to BU-i nduced HSC injury.Using GD mice to construct genetic difference models will provide preclinical data for screening BU-related biological markers.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China grant(31970510,81941012)CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)grant(2016-I2M-2-006,2016-I2M-1-010).
文摘Autophagy is one of the degradation pathways to remove proteins or damaged or-ganelles in cells that plays an important role in neuroprotection.Different stages of autophagy are regulated by autophagy-related genes,and many molecules such as transcription factor EB(TFEB)are involved.The complete autophagy process plays an important role in maintaining the dynamic balance of autophagy and is crucial to the homeostasis of intracellular substance and energy metabolism.Autophagy balance is disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases,accounting for a variety of degeneration dis-orders.These impairments can be alleviated or treated by the regulation of autophagy through molecules such as TFEB.
基金supported by grants from CAMS initiative for Innovative Medicine of China(No.2021-I2M-1-034)National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFF0703200)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82041008 and 82161138027).
文摘The number of genetically modified mouse models that mimic human disease is growing rapidly,but only a tiny fraction has been commonly used.According to The Knockout Mouse Program(Lloyd,2011),a public resource of mouse embryonic stem cells containing a null mutation in every gene in the mouse genome,8,916 mutant mice lines were phenotyped up to 19 July 2022.Due to the poor correlation between the genomic responses in the mouse models and those responses in human disease,and since humans differ significantly in their genetic vulnerability to common diseases,we still need better mouse models,especially for common and chronic human diseases,including cancer,pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases,obesity and diabetes,behavioral disorders,and neurodegenerative diseases.These new models will be placed into a public repository,The China National Human Disease Animal Model Resource Center(NAMR).This project is funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of China and specializes in the creation,introduction,collection,preservation,and supply of animal model resources forhuman diseases.
文摘Monkeypox is a rare viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus,which is similar to human smallpox.It is also a zoonosis which is found mainly in tropical rain forests of central and western Africa.The monkeypox virus was first detected in grivet at a laboratory in Copenhagen,Denmark,in 1958,and was later found in many African rodents,such as murine and squirrels.Therefore,it is believed that the primary way of infection is through direct human contact with these infected animals.In May 2003,human monkeypox appeared in the Western Hemisphere in the United States and spreaded rapidly,which immediately attracted the attention of all countries.
基金supported by CAMS Initiative for Innovative Medicine of China,Grant/Award Number:No.2016-12M-1-006National Key R&D Program of China,Grant/Award Number:No.2017YFC1103603
文摘Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We examined the effect of gut microbiota in a mouse model of RA that develops atherosclerosis. Methods: We created three groups of K/BxN female mice that were positive for the anti‐glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (GPI) antibody: control diet (CD), high fat diet (HFD), and HFD with hydroxychloroquine (HFD + HCQ). Serological tests were used to detect the serum levels of total cholesterol (TCHO), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), triglyceride (TG), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), anti‐ GPI antibody titers, and serum cytokines. Atherosclerotic plaque was determined by histological analysis, and gut microbiota were determined by 16sV4 sequencing. Results: Relative to mice given the CD, those receiving the HFD had increased serum levels of LDL‐C, TCHO, and TG, decreased serum levels of HDL‐C, increased atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root, and altered gut microbiota. Addition of HCQ to HFD decreased the serum levels of LDL‐C, TCHO, and TG, increased serum levels of HDL‐C, and decreased the atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root. Mice receiving HFD + HCQ also had the greatest bacterial diversity among the three experimental groups. Moreover, HCQ treatment significantly increased the abundance of Akkermansia and Parabacteroides, and decreased the abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto cluster 1, and therefore may be responsible for the reduced RA‐associated atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Our mouse model of RA indicated that HFD increased ankle width and aggravated a therosclerosis a nd d yslipidemia, a nd t hat H CQ a lleviated t he d yslipidemia and atherosclerosis, but had no effect on ankle width.
基金CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS),Grant/Award Number:2021-I2M-1-034National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:31970510Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by CAST,Grant/Award Number:2019QNRC001。
文摘Object:Early-life neglect has irreversible emotional effects on the central nervous system.In this work,we aimed to elucidate distinct functional neural changes in me-dial prefrontal cortex(mPFC)of model rats.Methods:Maternal separation with early weaning was used as a rat model of early-life neglect.The excitation of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in rat mPFC was recorded and analyzed by whole-cell patch clamp.Results:Glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons of mPFC were distinguished by typi-cal electrophysiological properties.The excitation of mPFC glutamatergic neurons was significantly increased in male groups,while the excitation of mPFC GABAergic neurons was significant in both female and male groups,but mainly in terms of rest membrane potential and amplitude,respectively.Conclusions:Glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in medial prefrontal cortex showed different excitability changes in a rat model of early-life neglect,which can contribute to distinct mechanisms for emotional and cognitive manifestations.
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.81372253)Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(2016-I2M-3-019).
文摘Background:Head and neck squamous cancer(HNSC)frequently occurs in the clinic.Revealing the role of the genes that correlate with cancer cell outgrowth will contribute to potential treatment target identification and tumor inhibition.Methods:The gene expression profiles and gene ontology of the proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor OGR1 were analyzed using the TCGA(The Cancer Genome Atlas)database.The effects of sex,age,race,and degree of malignancy on HNSC were investigated,and the survival times of HNSC patients with high or low/medium expression levels of OGR1 were compared.Methylation of the OGR1 promoter CpG sites was also investigated and OGR1-related genes were analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis.Results:OGR1 is overexpressed in HNSC patients.However,compared with the low/median expression group,the high OGR1 expression group did not have different survival rates.The OGR1 expression level differed across sex,age,race,and degree of malignancy,while the methylation of the OGR1 promoter CpG sites was maintained at a similar level.Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that OGR1 was positively correlated with head and neck cancer,cisplatin resistance,hypoxia,angiogenesis,cell migration,and TGF-β.Conclusion:The expression of OGR1 correlated with HNSC progression and survival and thus can serve as a potential treatment target and prognostic marker.
基金This work was supported by grants Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.517100)National Key Research and Development Project(No.2017YFA0105200)CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)(2016-I2M-2-006).
文摘Background Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder.Therapeutically,a transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)can play a beneficial role in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.However,the relevant mechanism remains to be fully elucidated.Main body Subsequent to the transplantation of BMMSCs,memory loss and cognitive impairment were significantly improved in animal models with Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Potential mechanisms involved neurogenesis,apoptosis,angiogenesis,inflammation,immunomodulation,etc.The above mechanisms might play different roles at certain stages.It was revealed that the transplantation of BMMSCs could alter some gene levels.Moreover,the differential expression of representative genes was responsible for neuropathological phenotypes in Alzheimer’s disease,which could be used to construct gene-specific patterns.Conclusions Multiple signal pathways involve therapeutic mechanisms by which the transplantation of BMMSCs improves cognitive and behavioral deficits in AD models.Gene expression profile can be utilized to establish statistical regression model for the evaluation of therapeutic effect.The transplantation of autologous BMMSCs maybe a prospective therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
文摘Background: New therapeutic targets are needed to improve the outcomes for gastric cancer(GC) patients with advanced disease. Evasion of programmed cell death(apoptosis) is a hallmark of cancer cells and direct induction of apoptosis by targeting the pro-survival BCL2 family proteins represents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning cancer cell survival could provide a molecular basis for potential therapeutic interventions. Method: Here we explored the role of BCL2L1 and the encoded anti-apoptotic BCL-XL in GC. Using Droplet Digital PCR(ddPCR) technology to investigate the DNA amplification of BCL2L1 in GC samples and GC cell lines, the sensitivity of GC cell lines to selective BCL-XL inhibitors A1155463 and A1331852, pan-inhibitor ABT-263, and VHL-based PROTAC-BCL-XL was analyzed using(CellTiter-Glo) CTG assay in vitro. Western Blot(WB) was used to detect the protein expression of BCL2 family members in GC cell lines and the manner in which PROTAC-BCL-XL kills GC cells. Coimmunoprecipitation(Co-IP) was used to investigate the mechanism of A1331852 and ABT-263 kills GC cell lines. DDPCR, WB, and real-time PCR(RTPCR) were used to investigate the correlation between DNA, RNA, protein levels, and drug activity. Results: The functional assay showed that a subset of GC cell lines relies on BCL-XL for survival. In gastric cancer cell lines, BCL-XL inhibitors A1155463 and A1331852 are more sensitive than the pan BCL2 family inhibitor ABT-263, indicating that ABT-263 is not an optimal inhibitor of BCL-XL. VHL-based PROTAC-BCL-XL DT2216 appears to be active in GC cells. DT2216 induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner through the proteasome pathway. Statistical analysis showed that the BCL-XL protein level predicts the response of GC cells to BCL-XL targeting therapy and BCL2L1 gene CNVs do not reliably predict BCL-XL expression.Conclusion: We identified BCL-XL as a promising therapeutic target in a subset of GC cases with high levels of BCL-XL protein expression. Functionally, we demonstrated that both selective BCL-XL inhibitors and VHL-based PROTAC BCL-XL can potently kill GC cells that are reliant on BCL-XL for survival. However, we found that BCL2L1 copy number variations(CNVs) cannot reliably predict BCL-XL expression, but the BCL-XL protein level serves as a useful biomarker for predicting the sensitivity of GC cells to BCL-XL-targeting compounds. Taken together, our study pinpointed BCL-XL as potential druggable target for specific subsets of GC.
基金CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)(2021-I 2M-1-024 and 2021-I 2M-1-034)and Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation(M21004)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(31970508)111 Project of the Ministry of Education(B20095)。
文摘Background:Inflammation is a complex physiological and pathological process.Although many types of inflammation are well characterized,their physiological func-tions are largely unknown.tRNA aspartic acid methyltransferase 1(TRDMT1)has been implicated as a stress-related protein,but its intrinsic biological role is unclear.Methods:We constructed a Trdmt1 knockout rat and adopted the LPS-induced sepsis model.Survival curve,histopathological examination,expression of inflammatory fac-tors,and protein level of TLR4 pathway were analyzed.Results:Trdmt1 deletion had no obvious impact on development and growth.Trdmt1 de-letion slightly increased the mortality during aging.Our data showed that Trdmt1 strongly responded in LPS-treated rats,and Trdmt1 knockout rats were vulnerable to LPS treat-ment with declined survival rate.We also observed more aggravated tissue damage and more cumulative functional cell degeneration in LPS-treated knockout rats compared with control rats.Further studies showed upregulated TNF-αlevel in liver,spleen,lung,and serum tissues,which may be explained by enhanced p65 and p38 phosphorylation.Conclusions:Our data demonstrated that Trdmt1 plays a protective role in inflamma-tion by regulating the TLR4-NF-κB/MAPK-TNF-αpathway.This work provides useful information to understand the TRDMT1 function in inflammation.
基金CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS),Grant/Award Number:2017-I2M-2-005,2017-I2M-3-015National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:31501001,81571222
文摘A scientist, Jiankui He of Southern University of Science and Technology of China,recently claimed at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing in Hong Kong on 29 November that he has created the world's first genetically altered babies using CRISPR. This announcement sparked controversy and criticism. The newly developed CRISPR/Cas9 technique has been applied to genetic modification of many kinds of animals. However, the technique is still in its infancy and many questions remain to be answered before it can be used for clinical purposes, especially for reproductive purposes.
基金The Beijing Natural Science Foundation,Grant/Award Number:5202024The National Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:31672374CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS),Grant/Award Number:2019-I2M-1-006.
文摘Background : Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) maintain the hematopoietic system homeostasis through self- renewal and multilineage differentiation potential. HSC are regulated by the microenvironment, cytokine signaling, and transcription factors. Recent results have shown that lipid pathways play a key role in the regulation of HSC quiescence, proliferation, and division. However, the mechanism by which lipid metabolism regulates HSC proliferation and differentiation remains to be clarified. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is an essential enzyme in the anabolism and catabolism of very low- density lipoprotein, chylomicrons, and triglyceride- rich lipoproteins. Methods : The percentage of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and immune cells were determined by fluorescence- activated cell sorting (FACS). The function and the mechanism of HSCs were analyzed by cell colony forming assay and qPCR analysis. The changes in LPL^(+/−) HSC microenvironment were detected by transplantation as- says using red fluorescent protein (RFP) transgenic mice. Results : To explore the function of LPL in HSC regulation, heterozygous LPL- knockout mice (LPL^(+/−)) were established and analyzed by FACS. LPL^(+/−) mice displayed decreased hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell compartments. In vitro single- cell clono- genic assays and cell-cycle assays using FACS promoted the cell cycle and increased proliferation ability. qPCR analysis showed the expression of p57^(KIP2) and p21^(WAF1)/ ^(CIP1) in LPL^(+/−) mice was upregulated. Conclusions : LPL^(+/−) mice exhibited HSC compartment impairment due to promotion of HSC proliferation, without any effects on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment.
