Normobaric hypoxia shows enhanced FOXO1 signaling in obese mouse gastrocnemius muscle linked to metabolism and muscle structure and neuromuscular innervation

Zinc ions regulate mitochondrial quality control in neurons under oxidative stress and reduce PANoptosis in spinal cord injury models via the Lgals3-Bax pathway

Spinal cord injury is a serious traumatic nervous system disorder characterized by extensive neuronal apoptosis. Oxidative stress, a key factor in neuronal apoptosis, leads to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, making mitochondrial quality control within cells crucial. Previous studies have demonstrated zinc's anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties in protecting mitochondria during spinal cord injury treatment, yet the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Single-cell sequencing analysis has identified Lgals3 and Bax as core genes in apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate whether zinc ions protect intracellular mitochondria by inhibiting the apoptotic proteins Lgals3 and Bax. We elucidated zinc ions' key role in mitigating mitochondrial quality control dysfunction triggered by oxidative stress and confirmed this was achieved by targeting the Lgals3-Bax pathway. Zinc's inhibitory effect on this pathway not only preserved mitochondrial integrity but also significantly reduced PANoptosis after spinal cord injury. Under oxidative stress, zinc ion regulation of mitochondrial quality control reveals an organelle-targeted therapeutic strategy, offering a novel approach for more precise treatment of spinal cord injury.

Engineering Innervated Musculoskeletal Tissues for Regenerative Orthopedics and Disease Modeling

Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders significantly burden patients and society, resulting in high healthcare costs and productivity loss. These disorders are the leading cause of physical disability, and their prevalence is expected to increase as sedentary lifestyles become common and the global population of the elderly increases. Proper innervation is critical to maintaining MSK function, and nerve damage or dysfunction underlies various MSK disorders, underscoring the potential of restoring nerve function in MSK disorder treatment. However, most MSK tissue engineering strategies have overlooked the significance of innervation. This review first expounds upon innervation in the MSK system and its importance in maintaining MSK homeostasis and functions. This will be followed by strategies for engineering MSK tissues that induce post-implantation in situ innervation or are pre-innervated. Subsequently, research progress in modeling MSK disorders using innervated MSK organoids and organs-on-chips (OoCs) is analyzed. Finally, the future development of engineering innervated MSK tissues to treat MSK disorders and recapitulate disease mechanisms is discussed. This review provides valuable insights into the underlying principles, engineering methods, and applications of innervated MSK tissues, paving the way for the development of targeted, efficacious therapies for various MSK conditions.