Journal: Pharmaceutical Science Advances

Article Title: Mechanisms of tumor cell evasion from NK cell-mediated killing and advances in NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy

doi: 10.1016/j.pscia.2026.100109

Figure Lengend Snippet: Factors influencing the exhausted state of NK cells. The exhaustion of NK cells in the TME is regulated by multiple factors which results in NK cell function impairment due to: the downregulated expression of NK cell-activating receptors (e.g., NKG2D, DNAM-1, NKp30), the reduced secretion of effector cytokines (such as IFN-γ), and the upregulated expression of immunosuppressive molecules (e.g., PD-1, NKG2A, TIGIT, CD96, TIM-3, LAG-3). Additionally, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) secreted by tumor cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and extracellular vesicles (EVs); hypoxic microenvironment; indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO); prostaglandin E2 (PGE2); and immunosuppressive cells including macrophages, regulatory T cells (Treg), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are involved in regulating NK cell exhaustion through multiple pathways.

Article Snippet: TIM-3 ligands-including Galectin-9, PS, HMGB1, and CEACAM-1-play crucial roles in regulating NK activity.

Techniques: Cell Function Assay, Expressing, Derivative Assay

Journal: Pharmaceutical Science Advances

Article Title: Mechanisms of tumor cell evasion from NK cell-mediated killing and advances in NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy

doi: 10.1016/j.pscia.2026.100109

Figure Lengend Snippet: Strategies for enhancing NK cell anti-tumor activity. The anti-tumor efficacy of NK cells can be improved through multiple approaches: Adoptive NK cell infusions, including autologous NK cells (combined with HAIC), allogeneic NK cells (with high potential), and infusions with or without allogeneic transplantation; NK cell checkpoint inhibitors targeting molecules such as PD-1/PD-L1, KIRs (KIR2DL1/2/3/5), NKG2A/CD94, TIM-3, and LAG-3; Advanced applications of CAR-NK cells, including IL-15-secreting CAR-NK cell therapy targeting mesothelin, TIPE2 gene-knockout CAR-NK therapy, and application of modified CCCR-NK92; Administration of stimulatory cytokines like IL-2, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-21; Bi or trispecific killer engagers, including Bispecific antibody: LB1410 (anti-PD-1/TIM-3) and trispecific nanobody: PDL1/PD-1/NKG2A.

Article Snippet: TIM-3 ligands-including Galectin-9, PS, HMGB1, and CEACAM-1-play crucial roles in regulating NK activity.

Techniques: Activity Assay, Transplantation Assay, Gene Knockout, Modification

Journal: Journal of Sport and Health Science

Article Title: Weightlifting outperforms voluntary wheel running for improving adiposity and insulin sensitivity in obese mice

doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101100

Figure Lengend Snippet: Resistance exercise exceeds the benefits of endurance exercise in ameliorating metabolic dysfunction. Following 8 weeks of diet and exercise interventions, all mice were assessed for their metabolic function by GTT, ITT, and skeletal muscle response of Akt and AS160 phosphorylation to injection of insulin measured by Western blot. (A–C) HOMA-IR taken after an overnight fast for baseline glucose and insulin. (D and E) GTT from 0–120 min and calculated AUC; colored * indicates significant difference from NC-SED. (F and G) ITT from 0–60 min and calculated AUC; colored * indicates significant difference from NC-SED. (H–N) pAkt stimulation, AS160 S318, and AS160 T642 in hindlimb muscles before and after insulin injection and the pre–post ∆ in phosphorylation. (O and P) Total and phosphorylated 4E-BP1. (Q–T) Western results for Raptor, COX4, LC3 II/I, and ubiquitin staining. Representative western blot images inset right. Data presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. Statistical analysis performed by analysis of variance between groups: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001. NC-SED n : 8–16 (white); HFD-SED n : 8–18 (red); HFD-R EX n : 8–16 (blue); HFD-E EX n : 8–15 (green). 4E-BP1 = Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein; Akt = protein kinase B; AS160 = Akt substrate 160; COX4 = cytochrome c oxidase 4; CS = citrate sythase; E EX = endurance exercise; GAPDH = glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase; GTT = glucose tolerance test; HFD = high fat diet; HOMA-IR = homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; iAUC = integrated area under the curve; ITT = insulin tolerance test; LC3 II/I = microtubule-associated protein light chain 3; NC = normal chow; pAkt = phospho-Akt; R EX = resistance exercise; SED = sedentary; Ub = ubiquitin.

Article Snippet: Primary antibodies used for analysis were from Cell Signaling Technologies (Danvers, MA, USA) and diluted 1:1000 unless otherwise stated as follows: protein kinase B (Akt; 1:500; #4691; Cell Signaling Technologies), phospho-Akt (pAkt) S473 (1:500; #9271; Cell Signaling Technologies), Ubiquitin (#3933; Cell Signaling Technologies), microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3 II/I; #4018; Cell Signaling Technologies), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4(COX4; #11967; Cell Signaling Technologies), Akt substrate 160 (AS160 S318; #8619; Cell Signaling Technologies), AS160 T642 (#8881; Cell Signaling Technologies), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein (4E-BP1; #9452; Cell Signaling Technologies), and glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH; #2118; Cell Signaling Technologies).

Techniques: Phospho-proteomics, Injection, Western Blot, Muscles, Ubiquitin Proteomics, Staining, Binding Assay

Journal: Journal of Sport and Health Science

Article Title: Weightlifting outperforms voluntary wheel running for improving adiposity and insulin sensitivity in obese mice

doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101100

Figure Lengend Snippet: Resistance exercise exceeds the benefits of endurance exercise in ameliorating metabolic dysfunction. Following 8 weeks of diet and exercise interventions, all mice were assessed for their metabolic function by GTT, ITT, and skeletal muscle response of Akt and AS160 phosphorylation to injection of insulin measured by Western blot. (A–C) HOMA-IR taken after an overnight fast for baseline glucose and insulin. (D and E) GTT from 0–120 min and calculated AUC; colored * indicates significant difference from NC-SED. (F and G) ITT from 0–60 min and calculated AUC; colored * indicates significant difference from NC-SED. (H–N) pAkt stimulation, AS160 S318, and AS160 T642 in hindlimb muscles before and after insulin injection and the pre–post ∆ in phosphorylation. (O and P) Total and phosphorylated 4E-BP1. (Q–T) Western results for Raptor, COX4, LC3 II/I, and ubiquitin staining. Representative western blot images inset right. Data presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. Statistical analysis performed by analysis of variance between groups: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001. NC-SED n : 8–16 (white); HFD-SED n : 8–18 (red); HFD-R EX n : 8–16 (blue); HFD-E EX n : 8–15 (green). 4E-BP1 = Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein; Akt = protein kinase B; AS160 = Akt substrate 160; COX4 = cytochrome c oxidase 4; CS = citrate sythase; E EX = endurance exercise; GAPDH = glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase; GTT = glucose tolerance test; HFD = high fat diet; HOMA-IR = homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; iAUC = integrated area under the curve; ITT = insulin tolerance test; LC3 II/I = microtubule-associated protein light chain 3; NC = normal chow; pAkt = phospho-Akt; R EX = resistance exercise; SED = sedentary; Ub = ubiquitin.

Article Snippet: Primary antibodies used for analysis were from Cell Signaling Technologies (Danvers, MA, USA) and diluted 1:1000 unless otherwise stated as follows: protein kinase B (Akt; 1:500; #4691; Cell Signaling Technologies), phospho-Akt (pAkt) S473 (1:500; #9271; Cell Signaling Technologies), Ubiquitin (#3933; Cell Signaling Technologies), microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3 II/I; #4018; Cell Signaling Technologies), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4(COX4; #11967; Cell Signaling Technologies), Akt substrate 160 (AS160 S318; #8619; Cell Signaling Technologies), AS160 T642 (#8881; Cell Signaling Technologies), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein (4E-BP1; #9452; Cell Signaling Technologies), and glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH; #2118; Cell Signaling Technologies).

Techniques: Phospho-proteomics, Injection, Western Blot, Muscles, Ubiquitin Proteomics, Staining, Binding Assay

Journal: Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology

Article Title: Metabolic engineering and adaptive laboratory evolution enhance squalene production in Yarrowia lipolytica

doi: 10.1016/j.synbio.2026.01.017

Figure Lengend Snippet: Schematic of constructing engineered Y. lipolytica strain for squalene production. I indicate lipid droplet engineering to modulate triacylglycerols synthesis and increase squalene storage capacity. II indicates modulation of the MVA pathway to promote squalene synthesis flux. III indicates enzyme fusion engineering to promote catalytic efficiency between ERG20 and SQS. IV indicates iterative copy numbering of the ScHMG1 gene. V indicates adaptive evolutionary engineering strategies. Red font represents endogenous genes, and blue font represents heterologous genes. DGA1, Diacylglycerol acyltransferase; LRO1, Phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase; ERG10, Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase; ERG13, HMG-CoA synthase; ScHMG1, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase of S. cerevisiae origin; ERG20, farnesyl diphosphate synthase; SQS, squalene synthase.

Article Snippet: The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase encoding gene ScHMG1 (GenBank ID: 854900) from S. cerevisiae was codon-optimized and synthesized (Genewiz, Suzhou, China).

Techniques:

Journal: Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology

Article Title: Metabolic engineering and adaptive laboratory evolution enhance squalene production in Yarrowia lipolytica

doi: 10.1016/j.synbio.2026.01.017

Figure Lengend Snippet: Enhancing the expression of ScHMG1 to boost squalene synthesis . (A) Schematic design of overexpressing ScHMG1 at the IntC locus. (B) Effects of enhanced ScHMG1 expression on squalene and lipid synthesis in the engineered Y. lipolytica strain. (C) The pH, biomass, and glucose consumption of the engineered strains after 72 h of fermentation.

Article Snippet: The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase encoding gene ScHMG1 (GenBank ID: 854900) from S. cerevisiae was codon-optimized and synthesized (Genewiz, Suzhou, China).

Techniques: Expressing