Exosomes derived from stem cells as an emerging therapeutic strategy for intervertebral disc degeneration

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degenerative diseases are a common problem in the world, and they cause substantial social and economic burdens for people. The current methods for treating IVD degenerative diseases mainly include surgery and conservative treatment, which cannot fundamentally restore the normal structure of the disc. With continuous research on the mechanism of degeneration and the development of regenerative medicine, rapid progress has been made in the field of regenerative medicine regarding the use of stem cell-derived exosomes, which are active biological substances used in intercellular communication, because they show a strong effect in promoting tissue regeneration. The study of exosomes in the field of IVD degeneration has just begun, and many surprising achievements have been made. This paper mainly reviews the biological characteristics of exosomes and highlights the current status of exosomes in the field of IVD degeneration, as well as future developments regarding exosomes.     

二斑叶螨雌成螨对高温胁迫的生理响应

为明确二斑叶螨对设施农业中温室高温环境胁迫的生理响应,在实验室内以二斑叶螨Tetrarcychus urticae雌成虫为试螨,设置36℃、39℃和42℃3个温度梯度,2 h、4 h和6 h 3个胁迫时间,测定各胁迫处理后其体内多功能氧化酶(MFO)、羧酸酯酶(CarE)、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GST)的酶比活力以及酶动...     

Fullerol-fluorescein isothiocyanate phosphorescent labeling reagent for the determination of glucose and alkaline phosphatase

The active -OH group in fullerol (F-ol) could react with the dissociated -COOH group in fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to form F-ol-(FITC)_n, which could emit room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal of F-ol and FITC on acetate cellulose membrane (ACM), respectively. Their RTP signals were enhanced by N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA). The labeling reaction between the -NCS group of FITC in DMA-F-ol-(FITC)_n and the -NH₂ group in wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) produced DMA-F-ol-(FITC)_n-WGA, which could further take affinity adsorption (AA) reaction with bioactive substances (BS), such as glucose and alkaline phosphatase (AP), to produce DMA-F-ol-(FITC)_n-WGA-BS. Both of these two products could maintain the good RTP characteristics of F-ol and FITC. Based on the facts above, a new phosphorescent labeling reagent, DMA-F-ol-FITC, was developed, and a new affinity adsorption solid substrate room temperature phosphorimetry (AASSRTP) for the determination of BS was established. This method was applied to the determination of BS in human serum and the diagnosis of diseases, with the results agreeing very well with those of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mechanism of DMA-F-ol-(FITC)_n labeling of WGA and AASSRTP for the determination of BS is discussed.     

Vitamin K2 Prevents Glucocorticoid-induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in Rats

Glucocorticoid medication is one of the most common causes of atraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and vitamin K₂ (VK₂) has been shown to play an important and beneficial role in bone metabolism. In this study, we hypothesized that VK₂ could decrease the incidence of glucocorticoid-induced ONFH in a rat model. Using in vitro studies, we investigated how bone marrow-derived stem cells in the presence of methylprednisolone proliferate and differentiate, specifically examining osteogenic-related proteins, including Runx2, alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin. Using in vivo studies, we established glucocorticoid-induced ONFH in rats and investigated the preventive effect of VK₂. We employed micro-CT scanning, angiography of the femoral head, and histological and immunohistochemical analyses, which demonstrated that VK₂ yielded beneficial effects for subchondral bone trabecula. In conclusion, VK₂ is an effective antagonist for glucocorticoid on osteogenic progenitors. The underlying mechanisms include acceleration of BMSC propagation and promotion of bone formation-associated protein expression, which combine and contribute to the prevention of glucocorticoid-induced ONFH in rats.