Explore the vast range of titles available.

Application of physical forces, ranging from ultrasound to electric fields, is recommended in various clinical practice guidelines, including those for treating cancers and bone fractures. However, the mechanistic details of such treatments are often inadequately understood, primarily due to the absence of comprehensive study models. In this study, we demonstrate that an alternating magnetic field (AMF) inherently possesses a direct anti‐cancer effect by enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and thereby inducing metabolic reprogramming. We observed that the proliferation of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells (U87 and LN229) was inhibited upon exposure to AMF within a specific narrow frequency range, including around 227 kHz. In contrast, this exposure did not affect normal human astrocytes (NHA). Additionally, in mouse models implanted with human GBM cells in the brain, daily exposure to AMF for 30 min over 21 days significantly suppressed tumor growth and prolonged overall survival. This effect was associated with heightened reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) expression. The anti‐cancer efficacy of AMF was diminished by either a mitochondrial complex IV inhibitor or a ROS scavenger. Along with these observations, there was a decrease in the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and an increase in the oxygen consumption rate (OCR). This suggests that AMF‐induced metabolic reprogramming occurs in GBM cells but not in normal cells. Our results suggest that AMF exposure may offer a straightforward strategy to inhibit cancer cell growth by leveraging oxidative stress through metabolic reprogramming. We demonstrate that an alternating magnetic field (AMF) inherently possesses a direct anti‐cancer effect by enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and thereby inducing metabolic reprogramming.

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy has been extensively investigated in clinical studies for the treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of PEMFs on energy metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics during angiogenesis. The present study included tube formation and CCK-8 assays. A Seahorse assay was conducted to analyze energy metabolism, and mitochondrial membrane potential assays, mitochondrial imaging, and reactive oxygen species assays were used to measure changes in mitochondrial structure and function in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to PEMFs. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the mRNA expression levels of antioxidants, glycolytic pathway-related genes, and genes associated with mitochondrial fission and fusion. The tube formation assay demonstrated a significantly greater tube network in the PEMF group compared to the control group. The glycolysis and mitochondrial stress tests revealed that PEMFs promoted a shift in the energy metabolism pattern of HUVECs from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. Mitochondrial imaging revealed a wire-like mitochondrial morphology in the control group, and treatment with PEMFs led to shorter and more granular mitochondria. Our major findings indicate that exposure to PEMFs accelerates angiogenesis in HUVECs, likely by inducing energy metabolism reprogramming and mitochondrial fission.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an artificial light source used in closed-type plant factories and provide a promising solution for a year-round supply of green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Obtaining high-quality seedlings using controlled irradiation from LEDs is critical, as the seedling health affects the growth and yield of leaf lettuce after transplantation. Because key molecular pathways underlying plant responses to a specific light quality and intensity remain poorly characterised, we used a multi-omics–based approach to evaluate the metabolic and transcriptional reprogramming of leaf lettuce seedlings grown under narrow-band LED lighting. Four types of monochromatic LEDs (one blue, two green and one red) and white fluorescent light (control) were used at low and high intensities (100 and 300 μmol·m−2·s−1, respectively). Multi-platform mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and RNA-Seq were used to determine changes in the metabolome and transcriptome of lettuce plants in response to different light qualities and intensities. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed distinct regulatory mechanisms involved in flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways under blue and green wavelengths. Taken together, these data suggest that the energy transmitted by green light is effective in creating a balance between biomass production and the production of secondary metabolites involved in plant defence.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease characterized by chronic synovial inflammation and joint destruction, primarily driven by an imbalanced cellular metabolism and inflammatory microenvironment. While gene therapy offers a promising therapeutic approach, its effectiveness is limited by the challenges of non-specific gene expression in healthy tissues. Here, we develop a gene delivery system (namely APPC), in which near-infrared (NIR)-responsive gold nanorods are coated with chondroitin sulfate-modified polyethyleneimine to facilitate the heat-responsive targeted delivery of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) gene. The APPC shows favorable transfection efficiency due to its targeting ability and significantly facilitates HO-1 expression under NIR irradiation. The combination of APPC/pHO-1 and NIR can effectively reprogram the cellular metabolism and repolarize the macrophages and fibroblast-like synoviocytes, thereby inhibiting inflammation by suppressing glycolysis. Meanwhile, APPC can specifically enhance the HO-1 expression in inflamed tissues through NIR-mediated the activation of heat shock protein 70 promoter, ensuring the precise gene expression via photothermal conversion. In a collagen-induced arthritis model, APPC/pHO-1 under NIR irradiation exhibits potent therapeutic efficacy, restoring the articular microenvironmental homeostasis and mitigating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. These findings highlight the potential of APPC/pHO-1 nanoparticles in the gene therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Targeted gene delivery is needed to prevent off-target effects. Here, the authors report on the delivery of a heat-responsive plasmid on photothermal nanoparticles for targeted delivery of heme oxygenase 1 gene, demonstrating targeted activation to treat rheumatoid arthritis by synoviocytes reprogramming.

Linoleic acid (LA), the primary ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) found in the epidermis, plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of the skin’s water permeability barrier. Additionally, vegetable oils rich in LA have been shown to notably mitigate ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced effects, including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cellular damage, and skin photoaging. These beneficial effects are primarily ascribed to the LA in these oils. Nonetheless, the precise mechanisms through which LA confers protection against damage induced by exposure to UVB radiation remain unclear. This study aimed to examine whether LA can restore redox and metabolic equilibria and to assess its influence on the inflammatory response triggered by UVB radiation in keratinocytes. Flow cytometry analysis unveiled the capacity of LA to diminish UVB-induced ROS levels in HaCaT cells. GC/MS-based metabolomics highlighted significant metabolic changes, especially in carbohydrate, amino acid, and glutathione (GSH) metabolism, with LA restoring depleted GSH levels post-UVB exposure. LA also upregulated PI3K/Akt-dependent GCLC and GSS expression while downregulating COX-2 expression. These results suggest that LA induces metabolic reprogramming, protecting against UVB-induced oxidative damage by enhancing GSH biosynthesis via PI3K/Akt signaling. Moreover, it suppresses UVB-induced COX-2 expression in HaCaT cells, making LA treatment a promising strategy against UVB-induced oxidative and inflammatory damage.

Andrographolide (AP), a bioactive compound from Andrographis paniculata, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, both essential for wound healing. However, its effects on energy metabolism during tissue repair and its role in UVB-induced photoaging remain poorly understood. This study explored AP’s multitarget therapeutic effects on wound healing under photoaging conditions (PhA/WH) using network pharmacology and experimental validation. Scratch wound assays showed that AP promoted keratinocyte migration in UVB-exposed HaCaT cells. Bioinformatic analysis identified 10 key targets in PhA/WH, including TNF-α, IL-1β, JUN, PPARγ, MAPK3, TP53, TGFB1, HIF-1α, PTGS2, and CTNNB1. AP suppressed UVB-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and COX-2) and inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and P38, while enhancing Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARγ) expression. GC/MS-based metabolomics revealed that AP reversed UVB-induced disruptions in fatty acid metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, indicating its role in restoring the metabolic balance necessary for tissue regeneration. In conclusion, andrographolide modulates key inflammatory and metabolic pathways involved in wound repair and photoaging. These mechanistic insights contribute to a better understanding of the molecular processes underlying skin regeneration under photodamage and may inform future therapeutic strategies.

The evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway is essential for cell-fate determination, organogenesis, and tissue homeostasis. Notch receptors and their ligands are transmembrane proteins with epidermal growth factor–like repeats; ligand–receptor binding triggers canonical Notch signaling. Notch signaling is context dependent in cancer, functioning as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor. Aberrant Notch activation promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition, sustains cancer stem–like phenotypes, and drives metabolic reprogramming, thereby facilitating tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Current clinical efforts target the pathway with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, and synthetic Notch (synNotch) approaches. Clinical translation, however, is constrained by dose-limiting toxicity, a paucity of predictive biomarkers, and compensatory resistance through intersecting pathways. Priorities for future work include the development of highly selective Notch modulators, biomarker-guided combination regimens, and targeted delivery systems to realize the translational potential of Notch-targeted therapies in precision oncology.

Background Radiotherapy (RT) is a primary clinical approach for cancer treatment, but its efficacy is often hindered by various challenges, especially radiation resistance, which greatly compromises the therapeutic effectiveness of RT. Mitochondria, central to cellular energy metabolism and regulation of cell death, play a critical role in mechanisms of radioresistance. In this context, cuproptosis, a novel copper-induced mitochondria-respiratory-dependent cell death pathway, offers a promising avenue for radiosensitization. Results In this study, an innovative theranostic nanoplatform was designed to induce cuproptosis in synergy with low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT, i.e ., 0.5–2 Gy) for the treatment of in situ hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This approach aims to reverse the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, promoting a shift in cellular metabolism from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), thereby enhancing sensitivity to cuproptosis. Concurrently, the Fenton-like reaction ensures a sustained supply of copper and depletion of glutathione (GSH), inducing cuproptosis, disrupting mitochondrial function, and interrupting the energy supply. This strategy effectively overcomes radioresistance and enhances the therapeutic efficacy against tumors. Conclusions In conclusion, this study elucidates the intricate interactions among tumor hypoxia reversal, cuproptosis, metabolic reprogramming, and radiosensitization, particularly in the context of treating in situ hepatocellular carcinoma, thereby providing a novel paradigm for radiotherapy. Graphical abstract

Tumor hypoxia has been attracting increasing attention in the fields of radiation biology and oncology since Thomlinson and Gray detected hypoxic cells in malignant solid tumors and showed that they exert a negative impact on the outcome of radiation therapy. This unfavorable influence has, at least partly, been attributed to cancer cells acquiring a radioresistant phenotype through the activation of the transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). On the other hand, accumulating evidence has recently revealed that, even though HIF-1 is recognized as an important regulator of cellular adaptive responses to hypoxia, it may not become active and induce tumor radioresistance under hypoxic conditions only. The mechanisms by which HIF-1 is activated in cancer cells not only under hypoxic conditions, but also under normoxic conditions, through cancer-specific genetic alterations and the resultant imbalance in intermediate metabolites have been summarized herein. The relevance of the HIF-1–mediated characteristic features of cancer cells, such as the production of antioxidants through reprogramming of the glucose metabolic pathway and cell cycle regulation, for tumor radioresistance has also been reviewed.

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is driven by dysregulated innate immunity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Monocyte/macrophage trafficking and polarization critically shape disease trajectory, yet clinically tractable immunometabolic interventions are limited. We hypothesized that 650 nm red-light photobiomodulation (PBM) alleviates septic ALI by reprogramming myeloid responses and preserving mitochondrial function via adiponectin signaling. Septic ALI was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice. Animals received 650 nm PBM (10 min, every 6 h, three times within 24 h). Survival, lung edema, histology, and serum cytokines were assessed. Lung chemokines/cytokines were profiled by 23-plex Luminex. Immune composition was analyzed by flow cytometry, and CCR2 /CX3CR1 subsets were visualized in CcrRFP-Cx3cr1GFP mice using 3D cryo-fMOST. IHC quantified CX3CR1, CCR2, CD68, CD86, and CD206. Adiponectin was measured in serum/BALF and lung. Pathway relevance was tested by AdipoR1 siRNA. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, PBM effects on cytokines, ATP, mitochondrial ROS (MitoSOX), membrane potential (JC-1), and MitoTracker fluorescence were evaluated, with/without AdipoR1 knockdown. PBM prolonged survival, reduced lung edema, improved histopathology, and lowered systemic TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MCP-1. Luminex showed broad suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., G-/GM-CSF, IL-1 family, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17A, TNF-α) and chemokines (CCL11, CXCL1, MCP-1/CCL2, CCL3/4/5), with increases in IL-4/IL-10/IL-13. Flow cytometry revealed decreased neutrophils, monocytes, and inflammatory macrophages, alongside restored eosinophils and resident macrophages. Cryo-fMOST and IHC demonstrated reduced CCR2 /CD86 inflammatory cells and enrichment of CX3CR1 /CD206 reparative cells. PBM elevated adiponectin in serum, BALF, and lung; AdipoR1 knockdown abrogated anti-inflammatory effects and myeloid rebalancing. , PBM dose-dependently suppressed LPS-induced TNF-α/IL-6 and IL-1β while increasing IL-10, restored ATP, reduced mitochondrial ROS, and improved membrane potential, that benefits lost with AdipoR1 silencing. Septic ALI modulated by 650 nm PBM was characterized by suppressing CCR2 inflammatory recruitment, enriching CX3CR1 /M2-like macrophages, and preserving mitochondrial function through adiponectin-AdipoR1 signaling. These data position red-light PBM as a mechanistically grounded, non-invasive method for sepsis-associated lung injury.