Xanthohumol Inhibited Mechanical Stimulation-Induced Articular ECM Degradation by Mediating lncRNA GAS5/miR-27a Axis

Cancer cell response to extrinsic and intrinsic mechanical cue: opportunities for tumor apoptosis strategies

Increasing studies have revealed the importance of mechanical cues in tumor progression, invasiveness and drug resistance. During malignant transformation, changes manifest in either the mechanical properties of the tissue or the cellular ability to sense and respond to mechanical signals. The major focus of the review is the subtle correlation between mechanical cues and apoptosis in tumor cells from a mechanobiology perspective. To begin, we focus on the intracellular force, examining the mechanical properties of the cell interior, and outlining the role that the cytoskeleton and intracellular organelle-mediated intracellular forces play in tumor cell apoptosis. This article also elucidates the mechanisms by which extracellular forces guide tumor cell mechanosensing, ultimately triggering the activation of the mechanotransduction pathway and impacting tumor cell apoptosis. Finally, a comprehensive examination of the present status of the design and development of anti-cancer materials targeting mechanotransduction is presented, emphasizing the underlying design principles. Furthermore, the article underscores the need to address several unresolved inquiries to enhance our comprehension of cancer therapeutics that target mechanotransduction.

Trimanganese Tetroxide Nanozyme protects Cartilage against Degeneration by Reducing Oxidative Stress in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative cartilage disease, is the leading cause of movement disorders among humans. Although the specific pathogenesis and associated mechanisms remain unclear, oxidative stress-induced metabolic imbalance in chondrocytes plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis. In this study, a trimanganese tetroxide (Mn₃ O₄ ) nanozyme with superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like and catalase (CAT)-like activities is designed to reduce oxidative stress-induced damage and its therapeutic effect is investigated. In vitro, Mn₃ O₄ nanozymes are confirmed to reprogram both the imbalance of metabolism in chondrocytes and the uncontrolled inflammatory response stimulated by hydrogen peroxide. In vivo, a cross-linked chondroitin sulfate (CS) hydrogel is designed as a substrate for Mn₃ O₄ nanozymes to treat osteoarthritis in mouse models. As a result, even in the early stage of OA (4 weeks), the therapeutic effect of the Mn₃ O₄ @CS hydrogel is observed in both cartilage metabolism and inflammation. Moreover, the Mn₃ O₄ @CS hydrogel maintained its therapeutic effects for at least 7 days, thus revealing a broad scope for future clinical applications. In conclusion, these results suggest that the Mn₃ O₄ @CS hydrogel is a potentially effective therapeutic treatment for osteoarthritis, and a novel therapeutic strategy for osteoarthritis based on nanozymes is proposed.

Emerging role of lncRNAs in osteoarthritis: An updated review

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease, which is associated with progressive articular cartilage loss, synovial inflammation, subchondral sclerosis and meniscus injury. The molecular mechanism underlying OA pathogenesis is multifactorial. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-protein coding RNAs with length more than 200 nucleotides. They have various functions such as modulating transcription and protein activity, as well as forming endogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNA (miRNA) sponges. Emerging evidence suggests that lncRNAs might be involved in the pathogenesis of OA which opens up a new avenue for the development of new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current clinical and basic experiments related to lncRNAs and OA with a focus on the extensively studied H19, GAS5, MALAT1, XIST and HOTAIR. The potential translational value of these lncRNAs as therapeutic targets for OA is also discussed.

Ononin ameliorates inflammation and cartilage degradation in rat chondrocytes with IL-1β-induced osteoarthritis by downregulating the MAPK and NF-κB pathways

BACKGROUND

Osteoarthritis (OA) treatment aims to improve inflammation and delay cartilage degeneration. However, there is no effective strategy presently available. Ononin, a representative isoflavone glycoside component extracted from natural Chinese herbs, exerts anti-inflammatory and proliferative effects. However, the therapeutic effect of ononin on chondrocyte inflammation remains unclear.

METHODS

In this study, we explored the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of ononin in OA by establishing an interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)-induced chondrocyte inflammation model.

RESULTS

Our results verified that ononin alleviated the IL-1β-induced decrease in chondrocyte viability, attenuated the overexpression of the inflammatory factors tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), and simultaneously inhibited the expression of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM)-degrading enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13). Furthermore, the decomposition of Collagen II protein could be alleviated in the OA model by ononin. Finally, ononin improved chondrocyte inflammation by downregulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signalling pathways.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggested that ononin could inhibit the IL-1β-induced proinflammatory response and ECM degradation in chondrocytes by interfering with the abnormal activation of the MAPK and NF-κB pathways, indicating its protective effect against OA.