Autologous blood transfusion stimulates wound healing in diabetic mice through activation of the HIF-1α pathway by improving the blood preservation solution

Reactive Oxygen Species-Scavenging Nanosystems in the Treatment of Diabetic Wounds

Diabetic wounds are characterized by drug-resistant bacterial infections, biofilm formation, impaired angiogenesis and perfusion, and oxidative damage to the microenvironment. Given their complex nature, diabetic wounds remain a major challenge in clinical practice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been shown to trigger hyperinflammation and excessive cellular apoptosis, play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetic wounds. ROS-scavenging nanosystems have recently emerged as smart and multifunctional nanomedicines with broad synergistic applicability. The documented anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic ability of ROS-scavenging treatments predestines these nanosystems as promising options for the treatment of diabetic wounds. Yet, in this context, the therapeutic applicability and efficacy of ROS-scavenging nanosystems remain to be elucidated. Herein, the role of ROS in diabetic wounds is deciphered, and the properties and strengths of nanosystems with ROS-scavenging capacity for the treatment of diabetic wounds are summarized. In addition, the current challenges of such nanosystems and their potential future directions are discussed through a clinical-translational lens.

Autologous blood transfusion impedes glycolysis in macrophages to inhibit red blood cell injury in type 2 diabetes through PI3K/Akt/PKM2 signaling axis

AIMS

To explore the effect and mechanism of autologous blood transfusion impeding glycolysis in macrophages and inhibiting red blood cells (RBCs) injury in type 2 diabetes through PI3K/Akt/PKM2 signaling axis.

METHODS

Cell transfection were performed and diabetic mice model was constructed. The group were divided into control (NC) and type 2 diabetes model (T2D). T2D model mice were injected with preserved autologous blood, si-PI3K, si-PKM2, si-NC Tran+T2D, (Tran+T2D+si-PI3K, Tran+T2D si-PKM2, Tran+T2D+si-NC) through tail vein. The anti-oxidative effects of transfusion of autologous blood in CD14+ monocytes were detected. The expression of PI3K/Akt/PKM2 protein in CD14+ monocytes were examined by western blot. Effect of autologous blood transfusion ameliorating RBCs injury by regulating PI3K and PKM2 in T2D mice were detected.

RESULTS

Effects on oxidative stress in T2D mice were all overturned after autologous blood transfusion in T2D mice. The results manifested that the levels of PI3K, pAkt and PKM2 were downregulated, while the expression of HIF-1α was upregulated in CD14+ monocytes from T2D mice, whereas these influences were all effectively reversed by autologous blood transfusion in T2D mice. The survival rate of RBCs in the serum of T2D mice was declined in the serum of T2D mice, while the effect was reversed by the autologous blood transfusion.

CONCLUSION

Autologous blood transfusion can reduce glycolysis in macrophages and inhibit the release of inflammatory factors through the PI3K/PKM2 signal axis, thereby inhibiting red blood cell damage and improving the oxygen-carrying capacity and survival activity of RBCs in diabetic patients.

Antioxidant-enriched autologous biogel promoted diabetic wound healing by remodeling inherent posttraumatic inflammatory patterning and restoring compromised microenvironment homeostasis

Successful wound healing depends on the reconstruction of proper tissue homeostasis, particularly in the posttraumatic inflammatory tissue microenvironment. Diabetes jeopardizes tissues’ immune homeostasis in cutaneous wounds, causing persistent chronic inflammation and cytokine dysfunction. Previously, we developed an autologous regeneration factor (ARF) technology to extract the cytokine composite from autologous tissue to restore immune homeostasis and promote wound healing. However, treatment efficacy was significantly compromised in diabetic conditions. Therefore, we proposed that a combination of melatonin and ARF, which is beneficial for proper immune homeostasis reconstruction, could be an effective treatment for diabetic wounds. Our research showed that the utilization of melatonin-mediated ARF biogel (AM gel) promoted diabetic wound regeneration at a more rapid healing rate. RNA-seq analysis showed that AM gel treatment could restore more favorable immune tissue homeostasis with unique inflammatory patterning as a result of the diminished intensity of acute and chronic inflammation. Currently, AM gel could be a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic wounds in clinical practice through favorable immune homeostatic reconstructions in the tissue microenvironment and proper posttraumatic inflammation patterning.

Clinical Potential of Hypoxia Inducible Factors Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitors in Treating Nonanemic Diseases

Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) and their regulatory hydroxylases the prolyl hydroxylase domain enzymes (PHDs) are the key mediators of the cellular response to hypoxia. HIFs are normally hydroxylated by PHDs and degraded, while under hypoxia, PHDs are suppressed, allowing HIF-α to accumulate and transactivate multiple target genes, including erythropoiesis, and genes participate in angiogenesis, iron metabolism, glycolysis, glucose transport, cell proliferation, survival, and so on. Aiming at stimulating HIFs, a group of small molecules antagonizing HIF-PHDs have been developed. Of these HIF-PHDs inhibitors (HIF-PHIs), roxadustat (FG-4592), daprodustat (GSK-1278863), vadadustat (AKB-6548), molidustat (BAY 85-3934) and enarodustat (JTZ-951) are approved for clinical usage or have progressed into clinical trials for chronic kidney disease (CKD) anemia treatment, based on their activation effect on erythropoiesis and iron metabolism. Since HIFs are involved in many physiological and pathological conditions, efforts have been made to extend the potential usage of HIF-PHIs beyond anemia. This paper reviewed the progress of preclinical and clinical research on clinically available HIF-PHIs in pathological conditions other than CKD anemia.

Transcriptional profiling and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network analysis identify the biomarkers in Sheng-ji Hua-yu formula treated diabetic wound healing

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sheng-ji Hua-yu (SJHY) formula is a traditional Chinese herbal which is effective in treating diabetic ulcers. It has been indicated to accelerate re-epithelialization and healing time of cutaneous wounds in a Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model. However, its mechanisms remain undetermined.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To reveal the molecular mechanisms of SJHY formula in treating diabetic wounds through transcriptional profiling and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network analysis clues.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Protein expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β in skin tissues of wounds from SJHY formula-treated and untreated mice were analyzed by Bio-Plex assay. Differentially expressed (DE) genes were detected by whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Using predicted miRNA targets, circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks were constructed. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was utilized to validate the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks.

RESULTS

Bio-Plex assay illustrated that the protein expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 were downregulated in SJHY formula-treated diabetic wounds compared with untreated wounds. RNA-seq identified 11 DE circRNAs and 476 DE mRNAs between SJHY formula-treated and diabetic mice, including 4 upregulated and 7 downregulated circRNAs, 311 upregulated and 165 downregulated mRNAs. CircRNA-Krt13/miR-665-3p/Itga3 and circRNA-Krt14/miR-706/Mylk4 pathways were built, which may contribute to the healing of SJHY formula-treated diabetic wounds.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study suggests that these 2 circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks are potential biomarkers for evaluation of SJHY formula efficacy in diabetic wound healing, which provides evidence to support its clinical applications.