Search

Growth of long bones and vertebrae is maintained postnatally by a long-lasting pool of progenitor cells. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the output and maintenance of the cells that give rise to mature cartilage. Here we demonstrate that postnatal chondrocyte-specific deletion of a transcription factor Stat3 results in severely reduced proliferation coupled with increased hypertrophy, growth plate fusion, stunting and signs of progressive dysfunction of the articular cartilage. This effect is dimorphic, with females more strongly affected than males. Chondrocyte-specific deletion of the IL-6 family cytokine receptor gp130, which activates Stat3, phenocopied Stat3-deletion; deletion of Lifr, one of many co-receptors that signals through gp130, resulted in a milder phenotype. These data define a molecular circuit that regulates chondrogenic cell maintenance and output and reveals a pivotal positive function of IL-6 family cytokines in the skeletal system with direct implications for skeletal development and regeneration.

Osteoarthritis (OA) impacts hundreds of millions of people worldwide, with those affected incurring significant physical and financial burdens. Injuries such as focal defects to the articular surface are a major contributing risk factor for the development of OA. Current cartilage repair strategies are moderately effective at reducing pain but often replace damaged tissue with biomechanically inferior fibrocartilage. Here we describe the development, transcriptomic ontogenetic characterization and quality assessment at the single cell level, as well as the scaled manufacturing of an allogeneic human pluripotent stem cell-derived articular chondrocyte formulation that exhibits long-term functional repair of porcine articular cartilage. These results define a new potential clinical paradigm for articular cartilage repair and mitigation of the associated risk of OA.

In the field of sports medicine, repair surgery for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and rotator cuff (RC) injuries are remarkably common. Despite the availability of relatively effective treatment modalities, outcomes often fall short of expectations. This comprehensive review aims to thoroughly examine current strategies employed to promote tendon‐bone healing and analyze pertinent preclinical and clinical research. Amidst ongoing investigations, tendon‐derived stem cells (TDSCs), which have comparatively limited prior exploration, have garnered increasing attention in the context of tendon‐bone healing, emerging as a promising cell type for regenerative therapies. This review article delves into the potential of combining TDSCs with tissue engineering methods, with ACL reconstruction as the main focus. It comprehensively reviews relevant research on ACL and RC healing to address the issues of graft healing and bone tunnel integration. To optimize tendon‐bone healing outcomes, our emphasis lies in not only reconstructing the original microstructure of the tendon‐bone interface but also achieving proper bone tunnel integration, encompassing both cartilage and bone formation. In this endeavor, we thoroughly analyze the transcriptional and molecular regulatory variables governing TDSCs differentiation, incorporating a retrospective analysis utilizing single‐cell sequencing, with the aim of unearthing relevant signaling pathways and processes. By presenting a novel strategy rooted in TDSCs‐driven osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation for tendon‐bone healing, this study paves the way for potential future research avenues and promising therapeutic applications. It is anticipated that the findings herein will contribute to advancing the field of tendon‐bone healing and foster the exploration of TDSCs as a viable option for regenerative therapies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cost-effective and highly efficient biochar-based catalysts is essential for the catalytic steam reforming process of bio-oil. In this study, pickling peanut shell biochar was used to prepare biochar-supported Ni/Co monometallic catalyst and biochar-supported nickel-Co bimetallic catalyst through the impregnation method. The catalytic effect of these catalysts on acetic acid (a bio-oil model compound) steam reforming was investigated. It was found that Co could enhance the dispersion of metal particles. The catalyst exhibited the best catalytic effect and significantly improved resistance to carbon deposition with a loading of 8 wt% and a Ni-to-Co ratio of 6:2. At the temperature of 600 °C and the S/C ratio of 3, the selectivity of H2 reached 84.48 %, and the conversion of acetic acid reached 95.49 %. A synergistic effect was observed between Ni and Co, leading to increased metal dispersion, enhanced reducibility, and a higher number of active centers. Co facilitates water dissociation and promotes the oxidation of C–H and mobile O, resulting in a faster decarbonization rate. The effective utilization of biochar-based catalysts and the rational utilization of bio-oil contribute to the timely achievement of carbon emission reduction targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJT) is known for its valuable medicinal properties that highlight its potential application in the pharmaceutical and health food industry. We predict that LJT polyphenols by network pharmacology may be involved in immunomodulation, and the study of LJT polyphenols regulating immunity is still insufficient; therefore, we experimentally found that LJT enhances immunity by promoting the proliferation and phagocytic activity of RAW246.7 cells. A model of an immunosuppressed mouse was constructed using cyclophosphamide‐induced, and LJT was extracted for the intervention. We found that LJT restored immune homeostasis in immune deficiency mice by inhibiting the abnormal apoptosis in lymphocytes, enhancing natural killer cell cytotoxicity, promoting T lymphocyte proliferation, and increasing the CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in quantity. Moreover, LJT treatment modulates immunity by significantly downregulating lipopolysaccharide‐induced inflammation and oxidative stress levels. We verified the immunomodulatory function of LJT through both cell and animal experiments. The combination of potential‐protein interactions and molecular docking later revealed that LJT polyphenols were associated with immunomodulatory effects on MAPK1; together, LJT intervention significantly modulates the immune, with the activation of MAPK1 as the underlying mechanism of action, which provided evidence for the utilization of LJT as a nutraceutical in immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]