Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Screening of a quinonoid compounds library identifies decylubiquinone as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis via CD39/CD73/adenosine axis

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.03.062

Figure Lengend Snippet: Roles of A 2b R in ADO-mediated activation of the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway in primary BMSCs. ( A ) Principal component analysis (PCA) of RNA-seq data from primary BMSCs treated with Dex or Dex + ADO. ( B ) The volcano plot presented the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as determined by RNA-Seq in primary BMSCs treated with Dex or Dex + ADO. ( C ) Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis in the biological process category for DEGs as determined by RNA-Seq in primary BMSCs treated with Dex, or Dex + ADO. ( D ) The molecular docking of ADO with mus musculus A 1 R, A 2a R, A 2b R, and A 3 R proteins. ADO is displayed in Cyan. The surrounding residues in the binding pocket are shown in green (forming a non-hydrogen bond with ADO) or magenta (forming a hydrogen bond with ADO). The hydrogen bond is labeled as yellow dashed lines. The backbone of the receptor is depicted as gray. ( E ) RT-qPCR analysis of the mRNA levels of Adora1 , Adora2a , Adora2b , and Adora3 in primary BMSCs treated with vehicle, Dex, or Dex + ADO. ( F ) RT-qPCR analysis for the expression of Runx2 in primary BMSCs of different groups. (G) Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) plot showing the differentially expressed pathway (cAMP) between the Dex group and the Dex + ADO group as indicated by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. ( H ) Western blot validation for the knockdown deficiency of A 2b R after transfection with si Adora2b . ( I ) ELISA analysis for the relative intracellular cAMP levels in BMSCs of different groups. ( J ) Western blot and quantification for the expression of PKA, p-PKA, CREB, and p-CREB in primary BMSCs. ( K ) Representative images and quantitative analysis of Alizarin Red S staining for mineralization deposit in primary BMSCs of different groups under osteogenic conditions. n = 4 independent repeats by using different biological samples in each group for in vitro experiments. Data were means ± s.e.m. ns p > 0.05, ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001 by one-way ANOVA. Scale bar: 200 μm (K).

Article Snippet: The intracellular cAMP level was examined by using a cAMP ELISA Kit (E-EL-0056, Elabscience, Wuhan, China) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Techniques: Activation Assay, RNA Sequencing, Binding Assay, Labeling, Quantitative RT-PCR, Expressing, Western Blot, Biomarker Discovery, Knockdown, Transfection, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Staining, In Vitro

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Screening of a quinonoid compounds library identifies decylubiquinone as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis via CD39/CD73/adenosine axis

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.03.062

Figure Lengend Snippet: Screening of the quinonoid compounds for the treatment of GIOP. (A) Flowchart depicting the screening process of the quinonoid compounds library. The schematic diagram was created by using BioRender.com. (B) Volcano diagram showing the effects of the 153 quinonoid compounds on Runx2 expression in BMSCs. Red and blue dots indicate the specific compounds that up- and down-regulate Runx2 expression in BMSCs, respectively. (C) Heat map showing the effect of the compounds on ALP activity in primary BMSCs. Color from blue to red indicates the ALP activity in primary BMSCs from low to high. (D) Measurement of intracellular ROS level in primary BMSCs treated with three potential compounds by using the fluorescent dye DCFDA. (E) Chemical structure of DUB, the final candidate among the screened drugs. (F) MTT assay for the proliferation of BMSCs treated with different doses of DUB for 2 and 10 days, under osteogenic induction conditions with or without 10 μM Dex. (G) Representative images and quantitative analysis of mineralized nodule formation via Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining in primary BMSCs treated with DUB at a series of concentrations, under osteogenic induction conditions with or without 10 μM Dex. (H) Western blot and quantification for the expression of osteogenesis-related proteins in primary BMSCs under different treatments. (I) Oil Red O staining and quantifications for lipid droplets in primary BMSCs of different groups. n = 4 independent repeats by using different biological samples in each group for in vitro experiments. Data were means ± s.e.m. ∗∗∗ p < 0.001 by one-way ANOVA. Scale bars: 200 μm (G), and 50 μm (I).

Article Snippet: The intracellular cAMP level was examined by using a cAMP ELISA Kit (E-EL-0056, Elabscience, Wuhan, China) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Techniques: Expressing, Activity Assay, MTT Assay, Staining, Western Blot, In Vitro

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Screening of a quinonoid compounds library identifies decylubiquinone as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis via CD39/CD73/adenosine axis

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.03.062

Figure Lengend Snippet: Roles of A 2b R in ADO-mediated activation of the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway in primary BMSCs. ( A ) Principal component analysis (PCA) of RNA-seq data from primary BMSCs treated with Dex or Dex + ADO. ( B ) The volcano plot presented the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as determined by RNA-Seq in primary BMSCs treated with Dex or Dex + ADO. ( C ) Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis in the biological process category for DEGs as determined by RNA-Seq in primary BMSCs treated with Dex, or Dex + ADO. ( D ) The molecular docking of ADO with mus musculus A 1 R, A 2a R, A 2b R, and A 3 R proteins. ADO is displayed in Cyan. The surrounding residues in the binding pocket are shown in green (forming a non-hydrogen bond with ADO) or magenta (forming a hydrogen bond with ADO). The hydrogen bond is labeled as yellow dashed lines. The backbone of the receptor is depicted as gray. ( E ) RT-qPCR analysis of the mRNA levels of Adora1 , Adora2a , Adora2b , and Adora3 in primary BMSCs treated with vehicle, Dex, or Dex + ADO. ( F ) RT-qPCR analysis for the expression of Runx2 in primary BMSCs of different groups. (G) Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) plot showing the differentially expressed pathway (cAMP) between the Dex group and the Dex + ADO group as indicated by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. ( H ) Western blot validation for the knockdown deficiency of A 2b R after transfection with si Adora2b . ( I ) ELISA analysis for the relative intracellular cAMP levels in BMSCs of different groups. ( J ) Western blot and quantification for the expression of PKA, p-PKA, CREB, and p-CREB in primary BMSCs. ( K ) Representative images and quantitative analysis of Alizarin Red S staining for mineralization deposit in primary BMSCs of different groups under osteogenic conditions. n = 4 independent repeats by using different biological samples in each group for in vitro experiments. Data were means ± s.e.m. ns p > 0.05, ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001 by one-way ANOVA. Scale bar: 200 μm (K).

Article Snippet: The intracellular cAMP level was examined by using a cAMP ELISA Kit (E-EL-0056, Elabscience, Wuhan, China) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Techniques: Activation Assay, RNA Sequencing, Binding Assay, Labeling, Quantitative RT-PCR, Expressing, Western Blot, Biomarker Discovery, Knockdown, Transfection, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Staining, In Vitro