Journal: iScience

Article Title: CGM23 corresponds to a pan-coronavirus lipopeptide inhibitor potently inhibiting virion fusion

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115334

Figure Lengend Snippet: CGM23 stability against plasma and enzymes and pharmacodynamics (A–F), Stability of peptides in plasma (A) or in the presence of cathepsin D (B), cathepsin B (C), cathepsin K (D), neutrophil elastase (E), trypsin (F) in vitro . After incubation of peptides with plasma or enzymes for 8 h, the residual amount of peptides was determined by HPLC. (G) Time course of CGM23 and EK1C4 concentration in plasma (LLOQ; 8.65 ng/ml) after intranasal administration to mice (CGM23, 0.865 mg/kg; EK1C4, 1 mg/kg). ∗ p < 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test test. Black bars represent the mean concentrations. LLOQ, lower limit of quantification. Identical symbols indicate sequential samples from the same mouse.

Article Snippet: Peptides adjusted to 100 μM with water were mixed with human plasma, cathepsin B (Sigma, SRP6414) 67 nM, cathepsin D (Sigma, SRP6415) 200 nM, cathepsin K (Sigma, SRP6561) 200 nM, neutrophil elastase (Elastin Products Company Inc., SE563) 100 nM, and trypsin (Sigma, SRP6311) 200 nM, respectively, and incubated at 37°C for 8 hours.

Techniques: Clinical Proteomics, Drug discovery, In Vitro, Incubation, Concentration Assay, Two Tailed Test

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Macrophage extracellular traps promote maladaptive cardiac remodelling and heart failure via PAD4-dependent mechanisms

doi: 10.64898/2026.03.15.711858

Figure Lengend Snippet: A , Schematic overview of the experimental design. WT-BMT and PAD4KO-BMT mice received either IgG isotype control or anti-Ly6G antibody (100 μg per mouse) by intraperitoneal injection every 3 days for 28 days, as indicated. B , Peripheral blood cell counts, and neutrophil and monocyte fractions (n=4-5). Neutrophils were determined by CD45 high Gr-1 high CD11b low and monocytes were determined by CD45 high Gr-1 low CD11b high by FACS analysis. C , Echocardiographic assessment 28 days after TAC (n=6 in each group). D , Representative fluorescent immunohistochemistry images of left ventricular tissue stained for neutrophil elastase (NE, green), citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3, red), and troponin I (yellow), with nuclear counterstaining by DAPI (blue). Arrowheads indicate NET-positive cells (NE + CitH3 + ). Scale bars, 50 μm. E , Quantification of the numbers of neutrophils (NE + ) and NETs (NE + CitH3 + ) per myocardial tissue area (n=4). F , Representative left ventricular sections stained for CD68 (green), CitH3 (red), troponin I (yellow) and DAPI (blue). Arrowheads indicate MET-positive cells (CD68 + CitH3 + ). Scale bars, 50 μm. G , Quantification of CD68 + macrophages and METs (CD68 + CitH3 + ) per tissue area (n=3-4). All data are presented as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05 versus the corresponding IgG-treated group, † P < 0.05 versus IgG-treated WT-BMT mice, and ‡ P < 0.05 versus anti-Ly6G-treated WT-BMT mice as determined by one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post hoc analysis.

Article Snippet: The sections were incubated with primary antibodies against citrullinated histone H3 (ab5103, Abcam), troponin I (ab188877, Abcam), CD68 (MCA1957, Bio-Rad) or neutrophil elastase (MAB4517, R&D Systems), followed by appropriate secondary antibodies, including Donkey Anti-Rat IgG H&L, Alexa Fluor 594 (ab150156, Abcam), Donkey anti-Goat IgG H&L, Alexa Fluor 488 (ab150129, Abcam), Donkey anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) Highly Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 647 (A31573, Thermo Fisher Scientific) or Donkey Anti-Rabbit IgG H&L Alexa Fluor 750 (ab175731, Abcam), and then mounted with a DAPI-containing mounting medium.

Techniques: Control, Injection, Immunohistochemistry, Staining

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Macrophage extracellular traps promote maladaptive cardiac remodelling and heart failure via PAD4-dependent mechanisms

doi: 10.64898/2026.03.15.711858

Figure Lengend Snippet: A , Representative fluorescence images of mouse cardiomyocyte-derived exophers (tdTomato). Scale bars, 20 μm. B , Electron microscopy images of the exophers. The boxed area in the upper panel is enlarged and highlighted in the lower panel. Scale bars, 1 μm and 500 nm. C , Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number of the cardiac exophers. D , Representative immunofluorescence images of BMDMs from WT or PAD4 knockout mice after exposure to cardiac exophers. At 24 h after stimulation, the cells were stained for CD68 (green), CitH3 (magenta), and DAPI (blue). Exophers were identified by endogenous tdTomato fluorescence (red). Scale bars, 10 μm. E , Venn diagram illustrating the number of proteins identified in NET and MET components. Peripheral neutrophils and BMDMs were stimulated with mtDNA and purified components were analysed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. F , Schematic experimental protocol. BMDMs from WT mice were stimulated with mtDNA. Primary mouse cardiac fibroblasts were incubated with the conditioned medium (CM) for 24 h in the presence or absence of a TLR4 inhibitor. G , Representative immunofluorescence images of cardiac fibroblasts stained with anti-αSMA antibody (magenta), wheat germ agglutinin (green) and DAPI (blue). Scale bars, 100 μm. H , Quantitative analysis of relative αSMA-signal intensity. Data are expressed as a relative ratio to vehicle from 5 independent experiments. All data are presented as mean ± SEM. I , The proposed model of METs and heart failure.

Article Snippet: The sections were incubated with primary antibodies against citrullinated histone H3 (ab5103, Abcam), troponin I (ab188877, Abcam), CD68 (MCA1957, Bio-Rad) or neutrophil elastase (MAB4517, R&D Systems), followed by appropriate secondary antibodies, including Donkey Anti-Rat IgG H&L, Alexa Fluor 594 (ab150156, Abcam), Donkey anti-Goat IgG H&L, Alexa Fluor 488 (ab150129, Abcam), Donkey anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) Highly Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 647 (A31573, Thermo Fisher Scientific) or Donkey Anti-Rabbit IgG H&L Alexa Fluor 750 (ab175731, Abcam), and then mounted with a DAPI-containing mounting medium.

Techniques: Fluorescence, Derivative Assay, Electron Microscopy, Immunofluorescence, Knock-Out, Staining, Purification, Liquid Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Incubation