Journal of advanced research最新文献

{"title":"Enhancing soluble sugar accumulation in banana (Musa acuminata) through 5-azacytidine-mediated reinforcement of starch degradation involving DNA methylation-dependent and independent pathways.","authors":"Yanpei Chen, Dong Li, Yanqun Xu, Gaoyang Li, Huawei Zhang, Zhe Wang, Benlei Liang, Yanping Li, Zisheng Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The banana industry faces challenges in maintaining sweetness during postharvest handling, as conventional ethylene ripening often compromises starch-to-sugar conversion. Current technologies lack modulation of this metabolic pathway. Emerging epigenetic tools offer promise for sugar enhancement.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigates how the DNA demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (AZ) epigenetically reprograms the starch-to-sugar conversion in banana pulp under ethylene. The further goal is to advance the understanding of fruit epigenetic regulation, inspiring a molecular-level strategy to optimize postharvest fruit traits.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Bananas underwent optimized vacuum infiltration with 1 mmol/L AZ or control solution (-0.08 MPa, 30 min), followed by ethylene-induced ripening. Assays included biochemical measurements (Spectrophotometry), key gene expression (qRT-PCR), promoter-specific DNA methylation (McrBC-PCR), and translational regulation (polysome profiling). At least 3 biological replicates were used and significance (p < 0.05) was analyzed by two‑way ANOVA or t‑tests with Bonferroni/FDR correction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Only combined with ethylene fumigation, AZ significantly elevated total soluble solids and soluble sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose) with up to a 2.1-fold increase over the control (ethylene only), correlating with accelerated starch degradation. The activation of 70.27% (26/37) starch-degrading genes and increased enzyme activity (α-amylase, β-amylase, debranching enzymes) were observed. On one hand, AZ induced global DNA demethylation and promoter hypomethylation for key starch-degrading genes (e.g., MaGWD1, MaBAM11, MaAMY3). This DNA hypomethylation-dependent mechanism strongly correlated with gene activation (p＜0.001). On the other hand, polysome profiling demonstrated that AZ directly enhanced the total translation efficiency and specific translation efficiency of key starch-degrading transcripts such as MaBAM3, MaBAM11, and MaISA2.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the context of ethylene-induced post-ripening, AZ operated through dual epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, DNA methylation-dependent and independent pathways (post-transcriptional translation regulation), leading to the acceleration of starch-to-sugar conversion in banana pulp for enhancing the flavor. This provides a novel direction for future strategies on postharvest quality control.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-omics landscape and machine learning predictors of acute and chronic coronary syndrome diagnosis in young patients.","authors":"Jianlong Yan, Nana Jin, Cong Xu, Haonan Wu, Qiuqiong Jiang, Huadong Liu, Jie Yuan, Da Yin, Feng Lin, Rongning Wang, Yining Liang, Yating Feng, Yu Lan, Xuezhao Lin, Yuanhao Wang, Ning Zhang, Lingyun Dai, Tangzhiming Li, Shaohong Dong, Lixin Cheng, Xin Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading global cause of death, and its incidence is increasingly rising in young adults, who exhibit distinct clinical characteristics from elderly patients. However, multi-omics studies focusing specifically on young coronary heart disease (CHD) patients remain scarce, hindering precise diagnosis and mechanism exploration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Here, we enrolled 206 young chest pain patients (18-45 years old), including 122 ACS patients, 38 chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients, and 46 individuals with healthy coronary arteries (NC). We performed integrated analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptomics, serum metabolomics, stool metabolomics, and gut microbiome metagenomics to characterize CHD subtypes and develop targeted diagnostic tools.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results showed that single omics layers had limited ability to distinguish CHD subtypes, while multi-omics integration significantly improved diagnostic efficacy. We identified unique molecular signatures for different subtypes: STEMI was associated with abnormal amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, CCS was dominated by amino acid metabolism disturbances, and both STEMI and ACS showed enriched inflammation-related pathways. Novel biomarkers including p-chlorobenzene sulfonamide, cotinine, and the gut bacterium Streptococcus parasanguinis were identified, with Streptococcus parasanguinis validated as an atherogenic pathogen in a murine model. We constructed three multi-omics fusion diagnostic models (ACS vs. NACS, CCS vs. NC, STEMI vs. NSTE-ACS) with AUC values of 0.99, 0.95, and 0.96, respectively, and integrated them into a comprehensive diagnostic pipeline. Furthermore, multi-omics functional analysis unraveled a synergistic \"microbiota-metabolism-immunity\" regulatory network underlying CHD subtypes, linked to disordered amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism and aberrant inflammatory activation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides a systematic molecular landscape of young CHD, a high-precision diagnostic strategy, and novel targets for mechanism research and targeted intervention, addressing the unmet clinical need for precise management of young CHD patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interfacial work function matching enables efficient hydrogen spillover for superior alkaline hydrogen evolution.","authors":"Zhe Sun, Xiaodong Chen, Yitong Yin, Fan Bu, Bing He, Maohuai Wang, Bo Liao, Youxun Li, Siyuan Liu, Zhaojie Wang, Xiaoqing Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.04.070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.04.070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The sluggish kinetics of alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) governed by the consecutive steps of water adsorption/dissociation and hydrogen desorption remains a major obstacle to efficient green hydrogen production. Though hydrogen spillover offers a promising strategy to bridge these steps, it requires overcoming high energy barriers at the metal-support interface as a prerequisite.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aims to design a hydrogen spillover-based binary metal-based electrocatalyst by precisely tailoring work function difference (ΔΦ) and d-band center offset (Δε_d) at the metal-metal interface, thereby minimizing the interfacial energy barrier and enhancing HER performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We report the rational design of Ni_xRu_y nanocrystals anchored on Cu nanorods (Ni_xRu_y@Cu), wherein the ΔΦ and Δε_d are precisely tailored to minimize the interfacial energy barrier for hydrogen spillover.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The combination of operando electrochemical measurements, electrochemical analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the optimal Ni₁Ru₂@Cu achieves an ultralow ΔΦ of 0.03 eV, between Ni₁Ru₂ alloy and Cu, enabling efficient hydrogen spillover from NiRu alloys to the Cu support. This results in exceptional HER performance, requiring only 57 mV overpotential to reach 20 mA cm^-2 and a small Tafel slope of 81.7 mV dec^-1, alongside remarkable long-term stability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This work not only establishes a general paradigm for the design of advanced hydrogen spillover-based catalysts but also provides fundamental insights into multi-step reactions involving hydrogen intermediates, paving the way for high-performance alkaline water electrolysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide association and functional studies reveal the genetic basis of salt tolerance in naked barley.","authors":"Jakkrit Sreesaeng, Cheng-Wei Qiu, Shou-Heng Shi, Paul Holford, Quncuo Zhaxia, Feibo Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Developing salt-tolerant crops requires the identification of key genetic factors and regulatory networks to mitigate the threat of soil salinization to global food security.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to identify genotypes, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and novel genes associated with salt tolerance during germination in naked barley.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed whole genome resequencing of 158 naked barley genotypes, combined with salt tolerance evaluation, genome-wide association analysis study (GWAS), and functional assays.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Resequencing generated over 131 million high-quality SNPs and 11.76 million InDels, predominantly within intergenic regions. GWAS was conducted using a mixed linear model (MLM), which identified 3 QTLs and 76 candidate genes associated with salt tolerance during germination and early seedling growth. RT-qPCR demonstrated that salt stress induced the upregulation of several genes in XN311 (salt-tolerant) including HvCML16 (calmodulin-like protein 16) and HvBGL10 (glucan endo-1,3-beta-glucosidase 10-like). In contrast, HvWAKL2 (wall-associated receptor kinase 2-like) was downregulated in leaves at 7 days post-germination under salt stress. Functional validation via virus-induced gene silencing demonstrated that knockdown of HvCML16 and HvBGL10 in XN311 significantly impaired plant growth and reduced ROS scavenging activity under salt stress, HvWAKL2 affected POD and CAT activities as well as chlorophyll, MDA and H₂O₂ contents but had minimal effects on biomass accumulations, confirming their roles in salt tolerance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings reveal coordinated regulatory modules governing salt responses in naked barley, with HvWAKL2, HvCML16 and HvBGL10 emerging as promising genetic targets for enhancing salt resilience, providing valuable genetic insights and resources for breeding salt-tolerant naked barley.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frequency limit analysis of drop-on-demand electrohydrodynamic printing with variable meniscus shapes and ink characteristics.","authors":"Juanhong Zhao, Weili Yang, Yongqing Duan, Haoyu Guo, Wenshuo Xie, Zhouping Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drop-on-demand (DOD) printing has great potential in bioelectronic manufacturing and additive manufacturing due to its high resolution and wide ink compatibility.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>EHD DOD printing over a certain frequency may appear uneven printing, missing or nonuniform droplets, but the current research on the limiting frequency is unclear, which greatly limits the efficiency and accuracy of printing. This paper aims to systematically study the influence of meniscus shapes and ink characteristics on printing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The numerical model of gas-liquid interface deformation under electric field was established based on the moving grid method, and the motion response of meniscus under different pulse voltage intervals was analyzed to establish the intrinsic connection between the characteristic frequency of meniscus and the limiting stable printing frequency. The effects of meniscus shape parameters and ink characteristics (including viscosity, surface tension and conductivity) on the limiting frequency were systematically investigated through simulation and experimental design. Finally, the optimized design of ink characteristic/meniscus shapes parameters applicable to high-frequency printing was proposed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>EHD DOD printing of meniscus shapes (f ∼ d_N^-1.5 and f ∼ θ_a^-2, where d_N and θ_a are the meniscus diameter and central angle) and ink characteristics (Oh < 0.2, α > 1) were carried out, high-frequency EHD printing at 28 kHz was realized.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This paper provides a theoretical basis for the high-frequency EHD printing system design and promotes its application in bioelectronic manufacturing and additive manufacturing.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic characterization of non-typhoidal Salmonella strains and invasive traits associated with bloodstream infections in China (2017-2022).","authors":"Kaichao Chen, Qiaoling Sun, Miaomiao Xie, Xiaoyan Wu, Yangxiao Zhou, Junwen Yang, Gang Li, Juan Wang, Yanyan Hu, Hongwei Zhou, Dejun Liu, Edward Wai Chi Chan, Rong Zhang, Sheng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a significant bacterial pathogen causing foodborne diseases, with the potential for severe bloodstream infections (BSI) leading to complications such as sepsis and high mortality rates, particularly in vulnerable populations. The rise of BSI associated NTS strains, notably ST11 S. Enteritidis, has raised public health concerns.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and genetic characteristics of Salmonella BSI strains in China, focusing on the adaptation of ST11 S. Enteritidis from animal and food sources to clinical settings, and to analyze correlations between clinical data and genetic profiles.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 120 non-duplicated NTS strains isolated from bacteremia patients across nine hospitals in China between 2017 and 2022 were investigated using antimicrobial susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average annual prevalence of bloodstream infections (BSI) due to Salmonella remained stable at 0.77%, based on 31,177 positive blood cultures, with 96.8% of infections caused by NTS strains, primarily Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (41.9%) and Typhimurium variants (16.1%). WGS results revealed significant genetic features, including mutations and multiple copies of the 5S rRNA gene, which were identified as key drivers for host adaptation and systemic dissemination, particularly in immunocompetent adults. Notably, 40% of foodborne strains carried these genetic traits, exhibiting a higher genomic potential for invasiveness compared to animal-derived strains within this specific dataset. Additionally, we demonstrated the resistance levels of BSI Salmonella to first-line antibiotics and identified a novel plasmid that mediates the co-transmission of cefotaxime resistance and virulence factors, complicating treatment options. These factors significantly contribute to the transition of diarrheagenic strains to types with an enhanced potential for bloodstream invasion.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings underscore the ongoing public health concern associated with NTS infections and highlight the need for continuous surveillance and effective intervention strategies to manage these emerging threats.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Achieving stable blue coloration of anthocyanins through pH-Modulated protein complexation.","authors":"Wenxin Wang, Susana Soares, João T S Coimbra, Rui P P Neves, Ricardo Dias, Peiqing Yang, Zhenzhen Xu, Victor Freitas, Joana Oliveira, Xiaojun Liao","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Natural blue colorants are exceptionally scarce, and achieving stable blue hues from anthocyanins typically requires structural features such as extensive acylation or metal complexation, which limits their broader application. Developing alternative stabilization strategies therefore represents a critical challenge in anthocyanin-based blue pigment research.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study introduces a novel strategy to induce vivid and stable blue coloration of anthocyanins through pH-modulated, non-covalent complexation with protein, and elucidates the underlying mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Malvidin-3-O-glucoside (M3G) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were employed as a model system. Complex formation was investigated across different pH values using UV-Vis spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, competitive binding assay, and computational simulations to characterize blue color development, absorption spectral shifts, proton transfer equilibria of M3G quinoidal bases, binding thermodynamics, and molecular interactions. Both blue color and anthocyanin stability were further evaluated during storage at 5 and 22 °C using UV-Vis spectroscopy and HPLC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The BSA-M3G complexes exhibited pronounced bathochromic and hyperchromic shifts in absorption spectra, yielding highly stable blue hues under alkaline conditions. Mechanistic investigations revealed that BSA preferentially binds the negatively charged quinoidal base of M3G, shifting the proton transfer equilibrium toward enhanced formation of bluish dianionic species. The binding was enthalpy-driven and dominated by electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. This pH-dependent interaction conferred remarkable improvements in both color retention and chemical stability, with negligible color loss or anthocyanin degradation after 28 days at pH 9 and 5°C.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings uncover a protein-mediated mechanism for stabilizing anthocyanin-derived blue hues and establish a broadly applicable framework for developing natural blue colorants suitable for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"4-Octyl itaconate-induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation mitigates Caspase-11-dependent noncanonical macrophage pyroptosis and acute lung injury.","authors":"Tingyu Wen, Jindian Shi, Minkang Guo, Bei Ma, Chen Zhang, Yisi Zhao, Fang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are severe inflammatory conditions, with mortality rates reaching 40%. A key driver of their pathogenesis is macrophage pyroptosis, which results in excessive inflammation and tissue damage.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect and underlying mechanism of the itaconate derivative 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI) on macrophage pyroptosis and sepsis-induced ALI/ARDS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study employed a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced septic mouse model and LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, and bone marrow-derived macrophages. Pyroptosis was assessed using propidium iodide (PI) staining to detect membrane pore formation, as well as quantitative fluorescence analysis and immunohistochemical quantitative analysis of GSDMD-NT. Additional evaluations included the western blot analysis of pyroptosis-related proteins (GSDMD-NT, IL-1β p17). Mechanistic insights were explored using the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385, Acod1^⁻/⁻ mice, Casp4^⁻/⁻ mice, and Nfe2l2^⁻/⁻ mice, along with a parallel experiment of DOTAP-transfected LPS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on the increase induced by LPS stimulation, 4-OI significantly reduced the proportion of PI-positive cells and also decreased the fluorescence expression of GSDMD-NT, thereby confirming its inhibition of pyroptotic pore formation. It alleviated pulmonary edema, cytokine release, and histological damage in CLP-induced septic mice. Mechanistically, Nrf2 specifically inhibited the transcription of Casp4, thereby reducing Caspase-11-dependent non-canonical macrophage pyroptosis. Casp4^⁻/⁻ mice and Casp4 siRNA experiments demonstrated that 4‑OI specifically attenuates Caspase‑11‑dependent noncanonical pyroptosis. Mechanistically, experiments in Nfe2l2^⁻/⁻ mice and with ML385 revealed that this effect is mediated by Nrf2‑dependent transcriptional inhibition of Casp4. Furthermore, Acod1 deficiency mice exacerbated Caspase‑11‑driven noncanonical pyroptosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results demonstrate that 4-OI effectively inhibits Caspase-11-mediated pyroptosis and subsequent inflammation in experimental ALI/ARDS. This effect is mechanistically dependent on the activation of the Nrf2-Caspase-11 axis. The study thus identifies a novel therapeutic strategy whereby 4-OI targets pyroptotic pore formation, offering a potential therapeutic intervention for ALI/ARDS.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of 3-carboxypropyl-grafted bio-inorganic lamellar nanocomposite as a new oral delivery platform for therapeutic peptides.","authors":"Jiwon Park, Gyu Lin Kim, Sang Hoon Lee, Yoonsun Hwang, Hyo-Kyung Han","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>One of the primary challenges in developing peptide drugs lies in their low permeability and inherent instability. Therefore, formulations that stabilize peptides and enhance the membrane transport are crucial for successful product development and improved clinical outcomes.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aims to construct a bio-inorganic lamellar nanocomposite as a new oral delivery platform stably anchoring therapeutic peptides.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>3-Carboxypropyl-grafted magnesium phyllosilicate (CA-clay) is fabricated via a sol-gel synthesis. CA-clay has layered structures with an interlayer space of approximately 1.72 nm and is dispersed in water as an anionic nanosheet. CA-clay was non-toxic up to 500 μg/mL, with no impact on cell viability, membrane integrity, or apoptotic activity in various cell lines. Furthermore, when administered intravenously or orally to rats, CA-clay is rapidly cleared from the body primarily through urinary and fecal excretion, resulting in almost complete dose recovery within 24 h. These findings suggest that CA-clay is unlikely to persist in tissues, supporting its low potential for long-term accumulation. CA-clay maintains negative charges across a range of acidic to basic pH, forming a stable nanocomplex with peptides having a wide range of isoelectric points. CA-clay-based nanocomplex greatly improves the thermal stability of melittin, a heat-labile peptide, during long-term storage at elevated temperature. Furthermore, CA-clay-based nanocomplex significantly enhances the cellular uptake and the oral efficacy of insulin in diabetic rats.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CA-clay has strong potential as a nontoxic, biocompatible drug delivery carrier, paving the way for an efficient oral delivery platform for therapeutic peptides.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microplastics induce osteoarthritis by modulating chondrocyte inflammation and disrupting TGF-β signaling in mesenchymal stem cells.","authors":"Kainong Sun, Shuting Zhou, Meng Yang, Yuru Li, Xinru Yu, Ke Zhao, Meng Shen, Kai Li, Kai Fu, Jing Zhan, Hongjie Huang, Qian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2026.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive pollutants that can accumulate in the human body through the food chain. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease with an increasing prevalence due to global aging and obesity, both of which are closely influenced by dietary habits. However, the impact of MPs on OA pathogenesis remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to uncover the potential impact of MPs on OA development, elucidate the underlying mechanisms, and explore potential therapeutic strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Different types and sizes of MPs in the synovial fluid from OA patients were analyzed. A chronic oral MPs exposure mouse model was established, with OA-like pathology evaluated by safranin-O/fast green (SOFG) staining and micro-CT. In vitro experiments using chondrocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) assessed apoptosis, oxidative stress, chondrogenic differentiation, and molecular mechanisms. The role of TGF-β signaling as a systemic downstream target of MPs was further examined through in vivo pharmacological inhibition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MPs of various types and sizes were detected in the synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis of varying severity. Moreover, chronic oral MPs exposure in mice was associated with the development of OA-like features, including cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone destruction. Further experiments validated that MPs could induce apoptosis and oxidative stress in both chondrocytes and BMSCs while inhibiting chondrogenic differentiation. Mechanistic studies suggested that IL-1β/SPP1 signaling in chondrocytes and TGF-β signaling in BMSCs both contribute to the MPs-induced OA. In particular, pharmacological inhibition of TGF-β signaling significantly attenuates OA progression induced by MPs in mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that MPs may serve as a potential environmental risk factor associated with OA progression, offering experimental evidence that links microplastic pollution to the pathogenesis of OA. Furthermore, our results indicate that TGF-β signaling could be a potential target for intervening in MPs-induced OA.</p>","PeriodicalId":94063,"journal":{"name":"Journal of advanced research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}