Immunomodulatory Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Black Radish on Mouse Macrophages via the TLR2/4-Mediated Signaling Pathway

Inhibition of STAT3: A promising approach to enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy in medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer that primarily affects children. While chemotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating medulloblastoma, the development of chemotherapy resistance remains a challenge. One potential therapeutic approach is to selectively inhibit the inducible transcription factor called STAT3, which is known to play a crucial role in the survival and growth of tumor cells. The activation of STAT3 has been linked to the growth and progression of various cancers, including medulloblastoma. Inhibition of STAT3 has been shown to sensitize medulloblastoma cells to chemotherapy, leading to improved treatment outcomes. Different approaches to STAT3 inhibition have been developed, including small-molecule inhibitors and RNA interference. Preclinical studies have shown the efficacy of STAT3 inhibitors in medulloblastoma, and clinical trials are currently ongoing to evaluate their safety and effectiveness in patients with various solid tumors, including medulloblastoma. In addition, researchers are also exploring ways to optimize the use of STAT3 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy and identify biomarkers that can predict treatment that will help to develop personalized treatment strategies. This review highlights the potential of selective inhibition of STAT3 as a novel approach for the treatment of medulloblastoma and suggests that further research into the development of STAT3 inhibitors could lead to improved outcomes for patients with aggressive cancer.

Pectic polysaccharides of black radish taproots: Extraction, structural characterization

The mixtures of starch and pectin were isolated by sequential extraction of the pulp and peel of black radish taproots Raphanus sativus L. with cold, hot and acidified water, solutions of ammonium oxalate, sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide. The polysaccharide fractions obtained with ammonium oxalate solutions from the pulp and peel of the taproots gave the highest yields. The pectin was the main polysaccharide component. The yield of pectin (calculated on dry matter) from the pulp was 9.5%, from the peel -10.5%. The polysaccharide fractions obtained from pulp with hot water and ammonium oxalate solutions were subjected to sequential enzymatic degradation by amyloglucosidase and polygalacturonase, followed by fractionation on DEAE-cellulose. NMR spectra showed that rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and galacturonan (HG) regions are in structure of pectin. RG-I has unbranched structure, since there are no signals of 2,4-rhamnose residues in NMR spectra.

Pharmacological Studies of Medicinal Potential Phytochemicals in Plant Roots

Despite various limitations, there is a growing interest in the development of phytomedicine as an alternative therapeutic method, which uses herbal preparations exerting a positive effect on the human immune system and supporting conventional therapies [...].

Advances in the study of macrophage polarization in inflammatory immune skin diseases

When exposed to various microenvironmental stimuli, macrophages are highly plastic and primarily polarized into the pro-inflammatory M1-type and the anti-inflammatory M2-type, both of which perform almost entirely opposing functions. Due to this characteristic, macrophages perform different functions at different stages of immunity and inflammation. Inflammatory immune skin diseases usually show an imbalance in the M1/M2 macrophage ratio, and altering the macrophage polarization phenotype can either make the symptoms worse or better. Therefore, this review presents the mechanisms of macrophage polarization, inflammation-related signaling pathways (JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and PI3K/Akt), and the role of both in inflammatory immune skin diseases (psoriasis, AD, SLE, BD, etc.) to provide new directions for basic and clinical research of related diseases.

Study on the Cellular Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Torularhodin Produced by Sporidiobolus pararoseus ZQHL Isolated from Vinegar Fungus

The red stretcher bacterium Sporidiobolus pararoseus is a high producer of carotenoids such as torularhodin, but its presence in vinegar has not been detected. Moreover, torularhodin has several biological activities, but its effect on the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 inflammatory cell model has also yet to be elucidated. In this study, S. pararoseus was identified in different vinegar samples from China by ITS sequencing. Meanwhile, one of the strains was deeply resolved by whole genome sequencing and functional annotation and named S. pararoseus ZQHL. Subsequently, the antioxidant effect of the fungal carotenoid torularhodin was investigated using in vitro DPPH, ABTS, and cellular models. Finally, LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells were used as an inflammation model to assess torularhodin's protective effect on inflammatory cells and to determine whether the TLR4 pathway is associated with this process. The results indicate that torularhodin has good free radical scavenging ability in vitro and can contribute to cell viability. More importantly, torularhodin alleviated LPS-induced cellular inflammatory damage and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors such as TLR4, MyD88, and TNF-a. The mechanism may attenuate the cellular inflammatory response by inhibiting the TLR4 inflammatory pathway. In conclusion, torularhodin produced by S. pararoseus fungi in vinegar samples significantly scavenged free radicals in vitro and alleviated RAW 264.7 cellular inflammation by modulating the TLR4 pathway.

Advances in the role of STAT3 in macrophage polarization

The physiological processes of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis are closely related to STAT3, and it has been demonstrated that aberrant STAT3 expression has an impact on the onset and progression of a number of inflammatory immunological disorders, fibrotic diseases, and malignancies. In order to produce the necessary biological effects, macrophages (M0) can be polarized into pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) types in response to various microenvironmental stimuli. STAT3 signaling is involved in macrophage polarization, and the research of the effect of STAT3 on macrophage polarization has gained attention in recent years. In order to provide references for the treatment and investigation of disorders related to macrophage polarization, this review compiles the pertinent signaling pathways associated with STAT3 and macrophage polarization from many fundamental studies.