Journal: International Journal of Medical Sciences

Article Title: Artemisia argyi -enhanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes Alleviates Inflammation in C28/I2 Chondrocytes by inhibiting NF-κB

doi: 10.7150/ijms.126119

Figure Lengend Snippet: C28/I2 cells were exposed to H₂O₂ (100 μM, 2 h) followed by treatment with AA-enhanced WJSC-conditioned medium or exosomes. Cell viability, exosome uptake, NF-κB signaling proteins, cartilage-associated markers, and intracellular ROS levels were analyzed. (A) AA-enhanced conditioned medium at concentrations of 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9% for 24 hours significantly promoted C28/I2 cell proliferation compared to the control group. (B) After 2 hours of oxidative stress with H₂O₂, treatment with AA-enhanced conditioned medium restored cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. (C) Similarly, treatment with increasing concentrations of AA-enhanced WJSCs exosomes after H₂O₂ exposure enhanced cell viability. (D) Fluorescence microscopy confirmed cellular uptake of PKH67-labeled exosomes, with F-actin filaments stained in red (Scale bar = 20 μm). (E) Immunoblot analysis showed decreased expression of inflammation markers (p-IKKα/β, p-NF-κB, IκBα) and OA marker MMP13, with increased COL2A1 at higher concentrations of AA-enhanced conditioned medium (5%, 7%, 9%). (F) Similarly, AA-enhanced WJSCs exosomes (80 μg/mL) modulated inflammatory and OA markers. (G) mRNA expression of ADAMTS14, ADAMTS15, TNF-α, and IL-17A was normalized to β-actin using the 2-∆∆Ct method. (H) ROS generation was assessed by DCFDA staining. Fluorescence microscopy showed reduced ROS levels in cells treated with AA-enhanced exosomes (80 μg/mL) compared to the H₂O₂ group (Scale bar = 40 μm). (I) Quantification confirmed significant reduction in ROS levels, emphasizing the antioxidant effects of AA- conditioned vesicles. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3), * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001 vs. untreated control group; # p < 0.05, ## p < 0.01, ### p < 0.001, #### p < 0.0001 vs. H₂O₂ treated group.

Article Snippet: The following antibodies were used in the current study: CD9 (#13174; Cell signaling technology, Danvers, MA, USA), CD63(Merck Millipore; Burlington, MA, USA), CD81(sc-166028; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Dallas, TX, USA), Calnexin (#2679, Cell signaling), β-actin(sc-47778, Santa Cruz), p-IKKα/β (bs-3237R; Bioss Antibodies, Woburn, MA, USA), p-NF-κB p-p65 (#3033, Cell signaling), NF-κB p65(#8242, Cell signaling), p-IκB-α (#2859, Cell signaling), IκB-α (sc-1643, Santa Cruz), COL2A1 (GB11021; Servicebio, Wuhan, Hubei, China), MMP-13 (GTX100665; GeneTex, Irvine, CA, USA), Nanog (#4903, Cell Signaling), KLF4 (#4038, Cell signaling), CXCR4 (60042-1-Ig; Proteintech, San Diego, CA, USA), CXCR7 (bs-4897R, Bioss), CD44 (#3570, Cell signaling), CD90 (sc-53456, Santa Cruz).

Techniques: Control, Fluorescence, Microscopy, Labeling, Staining, Western Blot, Expressing, Marker

Journal: International Journal of Medical Sciences

Article Title: Artemisia argyi -enhanced Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes Alleviates Inflammation in C28/I2 Chondrocytes by inhibiting NF-κB

doi: 10.7150/ijms.126119

Figure Lengend Snippet: Verification of AA-enhanced exosomes reducing H₂O₂-induced inflammation in C28/I2 cells and supporting cartilage homeostasis via inhibition of the NF-κB pathway using an NF-κB activator. C28/I2 cells were pretreated with H 2 O 2 for 2 hours and then co-treated with standard WJSCs exosomes or AA-enhanced WJSCs exosomes (80 μg/mL) with NF-κB activator (5μM) for 22 hours. (A) Western blot analysis reveals expression levels of key inflammation-related proteins, including p-IKKα/β, p-NF-κB, and IκBα, as well as OA markers MMP13 and COL2A1. (B) Translocation of p65 was determined using a NF-κB p65 antibody and an Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG antibody. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI. Scale bar = 40 μm.

Article Snippet: The following antibodies were used in the current study: CD9 (#13174; Cell signaling technology, Danvers, MA, USA), CD63(Merck Millipore; Burlington, MA, USA), CD81(sc-166028; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Dallas, TX, USA), Calnexin (#2679, Cell signaling), β-actin(sc-47778, Santa Cruz), p-IKKα/β (bs-3237R; Bioss Antibodies, Woburn, MA, USA), p-NF-κB p-p65 (#3033, Cell signaling), NF-κB p65(#8242, Cell signaling), p-IκB-α (#2859, Cell signaling), IκB-α (sc-1643, Santa Cruz), COL2A1 (GB11021; Servicebio, Wuhan, Hubei, China), MMP-13 (GTX100665; GeneTex, Irvine, CA, USA), Nanog (#4903, Cell Signaling), KLF4 (#4038, Cell signaling), CXCR4 (60042-1-Ig; Proteintech, San Diego, CA, USA), CXCR7 (bs-4897R, Bioss), CD44 (#3570, Cell signaling), CD90 (sc-53456, Santa Cruz).

Techniques: Inhibition, Western Blot, Expressing, Translocation Assay

Journal: Research

Article Title: Mapping Immune-Inflammatory Niches on Zirconia Bone Implants: Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling

doi: 10.34133/research.1162

Figure Lengend Snippet: Intercellular cross talk and functional enrichment in the bone-marrow microenvironment following titanium (Ti) implantation. (A and B) Cells extracted from the Ti implant (A) and their proportions compared with those in the sham group (B). (C) Fuzzy C -means clustering of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their functional annotation via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. BP, Biological Process; CC, Cellular Component; MF, Molecular Function. (D and E) Outgoing–incoming cross talk analysis among the bone-marrow cells and their subpopulations. (F) Outgoing–incoming signaling patterns and associated interaction strengths. (G) Analysis of collagen-related signaling networks and intercellular interaction strengths. (H) Interaction-strength analysis of candidate ligand–receptor pairs in bone-marrow fibroblasts. (I) KEGG and GO (BP, CC, and MF) enrichment analyses of the DEGs in bone-marrow fibroblasts. (J and K) Multiplex fluorescence colocalization and costaining analysis of candidate ligand–receptor pairs. Scale bars: 100 and 20 μm. COL1A1, collagen type I alpha 1 chain; SDC1, syndecan 1; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.

Article Snippet: The following antibodies were applied sequentially: CD44 (Bioss, bsm-54767R, 1:300, China), CD68 (Proteintech, 66231-2-Ig, 1:500, China), CD206 (Bioss, bsm-55604R, 1:300, China), NOS2 (Bioss, bs-0162R, 1:300, China), COL6A2 (Bioss, bs-13963R, 1:300, China), S100A4 (Bioss, bs-3759R, 1:300, China), COL1A1 (Bioss, bs-10423R, 1:300, China), and SDC1 (Bioss, bs-1309R, 1:300, China), followed by nuclear counterstaining with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.

Techniques: Functional Assay, Multiplex Assay, Fluorescence

Journal: Research

Article Title: Mapping Immune-Inflammatory Niches on Zirconia Bone Implants: Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling

doi: 10.34133/research.1162

Figure Lengend Snippet: Validation of the specific ligand–receptor pairs between the implants and bone-marrow cells. (A) Schematic diagram of the rat model of intramedullary femoral implantation and bulk RNA sequencing workflow. (B) Violin plots showing the expression levels of Col6a2 , Cd44 , Col1a1 , and Sdc1 . (C and D) Hierarchical clustering heatmaps of pairwise DEGs among the sham, Ti, and ZrO 2 groups. (E to G) Identification of the gene modules associated with Ti and ZrO 2 via weighted gene coexpression network analysis. (H) Overlapping genes between module-related genes and DEGs in each group. (I) Contributions of Ti and ZrO 2 -associated feature genes to predictive outcomes, assessed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. (J and K) Temporal expression patterns and correlations of Col6a2 , Cd44 , Col1a1 , and Sdc1 . Statistical significance was assessed using the t test.

Article Snippet: The following antibodies were applied sequentially: CD44 (Bioss, bsm-54767R, 1:300, China), CD68 (Proteintech, 66231-2-Ig, 1:500, China), CD206 (Bioss, bsm-55604R, 1:300, China), NOS2 (Bioss, bs-0162R, 1:300, China), COL6A2 (Bioss, bs-13963R, 1:300, China), S100A4 (Bioss, bs-3759R, 1:300, China), COL1A1 (Bioss, bs-10423R, 1:300, China), and SDC1 (Bioss, bs-1309R, 1:300, China), followed by nuclear counterstaining with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.

Techniques: Biomarker Discovery, RNA Sequencing, Expressing, Selection

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Improving the production and virulence of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control using insect-derived in vitro culture medium

doi: 10.64898/2026.03.14.711814

Figure Lengend Snippet: Four isolates of each species were used and grown on three locust-derived media (A – C) and the ¼ SDAY control medium (D). Medium A represents the twice filtered locust medium, Medium B represents the once filtered locust medium, and Medium C represents the unfiltered locust medium. Over the course of 7 days, radial growth and sporulation were monitored using a Reshape imaging robot. Thereafter, conidia were harvested to measure spore count, germination rate, and maximum growth in ¼ SDY medium using an oCelloscope TM imaging system. Lastly, pathogenicity assays were conducted using selected M. brunneum isolates on using Tenebrio molitor larvae.

Article Snippet: Each isolate x medium of origin combination was plated in triplicate and the oCelloScope Imaging system (BioSense Solutions, Denmark) was used to track the germination and growth of the isolates over the course of 48 hours.

Techniques: Derivative Assay, Control, Imaging