Publications by authors named "Xiaomeng Pei"

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activated fibroblasts that secrete numerous cytokines and chemokines to accelerate tumor progression. However, the mechanism underlying cytokine production by CAFs remains unclear. This study reports that CAFs isolated from colon cancer tissue, TGF-β1-induced CAFs, or HCT116 co-cultured CAFs secrete more cytokines and growth factors represented by IGF1, ELN, and SFRP2.

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The only cells in an organism that could do any other sort of cell until 2006 (except sperm or egg) were known as embryonic stem cells, ESC [...

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Xerostomia is a widespread condition among the elderly, impacting as many as 50% of individuals within this demographic. This review aims to analyze the association between age-related xerostomia and the oral microbial ecosystem. Xerostomia not only induces discomfort but also heightens the susceptibility to oral diseases, including dental caries and infections.

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AMPK plays a crucial role in cellular energy metabolism and is involved in the regulation of luteal steroidogenesis by APN and its analog AdipoRon. To further explore the regulatory mechanism of AMPK in goat luteal steroidogenesis mediated by APN, cyclic and pregnant CL were utilized to assess the localization and expression of AMPK, EZH2, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac by WB and mIHC, and the interaction between AMPK and EZH2 by Co-IP. Then, isolated luteal cells were treated with APN/AdipoRon to evaluate the expression levels of AMPK, EZH2, H3K27me3 and H3K27ac.

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Article Synopsis
  • Menstrual blood (MB) can be easily self-collected by women, and this study explored its potential for diagnosing genital tract infections (GTIs) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.
  • The researchers used advanced genomic techniques to analyze MB samples from women with conditions like CIN and HPV, finding a detection sensitivity of 66.7% for high-risk HPV.
  • The study concluded that MB is a promising non-invasive diagnostic specimen for monitoring women's health by detecting HPV and diagnosing GTIs through specific genomic sequencing methods.
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Context Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play an important role in the uteri. Repulsive guidance molecule b (RGMb; a.k.

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The most abundant adipokine Adiponectin (APN) is present in ovaries. AdipoRon is a small molecule oral APN receptor agonist that binds and activates APN receptors. However, the function of APN/AdipoRon in regulation of luteal cell processes has not been elucidated.

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Adiponectin (APN) is an essential adipokine for a variety of reproductive processes. To investigate the role of APN in goat corpora lutea (CLs), CLs and sera from different luteal phases were collected for analysis. The results showed that the APN structure and content had no significant divergence in different luteal phases both in CLs and sera; however, high molecular weight APN was dominant in serum, while low molecular weight APN was more present in CLs.

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This study aimed to investigate the role of NR4A1 in forskolin (FSK)-induced granulosa cell (GC) differentiation and PGF-induced granulosa-lutein cell (GLC) regression. For experiment 1, primary porcine GCs were pre-cultured for 6 d before induced-differentiation by FSK with or without siNR4A1, and changes in GC proliferation, lipid droplets (LDs), and P level were detected. For experiment 2, the GLC model was established by FSK as in experiment 1, and then PGF was utilized to induce GLC regression with or without siNR4A1, changes in P secretion, apoptosis proteins, and associated signaling pathway members were detected.

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Article Synopsis
  • Sepsis is a serious illness caused by severe infections and is a leading cause of death in hospitals.
  • Scientists discovered a chemical called PHZ-OH that stops a dangerous process in the body related to sepsis, helping protect mice from severe symptoms and death.
  • The study suggests that targeting a specific protein (AAK1) could be a new way to treat sepsis more effectively in the future.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether retinal gap junctions (GJs) via connexin 36 (Cx36, mediating coupling of many retinal cell types) and horizontal cell (HC-HC) coupling, are involved in emmetropization.

Methods: Guinea pigs (3 weeks old) were monocularly form deprived (FD) or raised without FD (in normal visual [NV] environment) for 2 days or 4 weeks; alternatively, they wore a -4 D lens (hyperopic defocus [HD]) or 0 D lens for 2 days or 1 week. FD and NV eyes received daily subconjunctival injections of a nonspecific GJ-uncoupling agent, 18-β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid (18-β-GA).

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Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is a serious zoonotic pathogen; it can lead to symptoms of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) in humans and sepsis in pigs, and poses a great threat to public health. The SS2 MetQ gene deletion strain has attenuated antiphagocytosis, although the mechanism of antiphagocytosis and pathogenesis of MetQ in SS2 has remained unclear. In this study, stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and subsequent bioinformatics analysis was used to determine differentially expressed proteins of RAW264.

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serotype 2 (SS2) is a serious zoonotic pathogen which causes symptoms of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) and septicemia; these symptoms suggest that SS2 may have evade innate immunity. Phagocytosis is an important innate immunity process where phagocytosed pathogens are killed by lysosome enzymes, reactive oxygen, and nitrogen species, and acidic environments in macrophages following engulfment. A previously constructed mutant SS2 library was screened, revealing 13 mutant strains with decreased phagocytic resistance.

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Worldwide, myopia is the leading cause of visual impairment. It results from inappropriate extension of the ocular axis and concomitant declines in scleral strength and thickness caused by extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. However, the identities of the initiators and signaling pathways that induce scleral ECM remodeling in myopia are unknown.

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Direct interaction between pathogens and host cells often is a prerequisite for colonization, infection and dissemination. Regulated production of capsular polysaccharide (CPS), which is made of hyaluronic acid, is essential for the pathogenicity of Streptococcus equi subsp. Zooepidemicus (SEZ).

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Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (SEZ) causes meningitis in both humans and animals. Some dissociative proteins of SEZ are cytotoxic to mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (mBMECs) and may contribute to the penetration of SEZ across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

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Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, is mainly produced by the stomach, but its expression has also been demonstrated in many other tissues. It has diverse biological effects. ghrelin stimulates food intake and regulates energy homeostasis through activating the expression of the orexigenic neuropeptides NPY (neuropeptide Y)/AGRP (agouti-related protein) in hypothalamic neurons, by which it plays a key role in obesity pathogenesis.

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