an mdk inhibitor (imdk)  (Merck & Co)

Journal: Journal of Translational Medicine

Article Title: Midkine as a novel prognostic and therapeutic target in meningioma: insights from single-cell analysis and organoid-based drug validation

doi: 10.1186/s12967-026-08068-3

Figure Lengend Snippet: MDK knockdown and iMDK-mediated functional inhibition in IOMM-Lee cells. ( A ) RT-qPCR detecting the relative expression of MDK mRNA in the Con and shRNA group in the IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells. ( B ) Western blot verifying MDK protein levels in the Con and shRNA group in the IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells. ( C ) Representative EdU images of the Con and shRNA group. in the IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells. ( D ) Statistical analysis of the proportion of EdU-positive cells. in the IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells. ( E ) Dose-response curve of iMDK in the IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells. ( F ) Effects of different concentrations of iMDK treatment on colony formation in IOMM-Lee and CH157 cells

Article Snippet: The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the MDK inhibitor iMDK (HY-110171; MedChemExpress) was determined via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay.

Techniques: Knockdown, Functional Assay, Inhibition, Quantitative RT-PCR, Expressing, shRNA, Western Blot

Journal: Journal of Translational Medicine

Article Title: Midkine as a novel prognostic and therapeutic target in meningioma: insights from single-cell analysis and organoid-based drug validation

doi: 10.1186/s12967-026-08068-3

Figure Lengend Snippet: iMDK promotes disintegration and death of MOs. ( A ) Schematic diagram of MOs construction, culture, and drug treatment, created by Figdraw. ( B ) HE (left) and SSTR2 (right) staining in parental tumor tissues and MOs ( n = 6). ( C ) Bright-field images showing the growth status of MOs treated with DMSO (left column) and iMDK (right column) on days 0, 4, and 10. ( D ) CellTiter-Glo 3D Cell Viability Assay demonstrating iMDK proliferation inhibitory effect on MOs ( n = 6). ( E ) MDK expression in MOs after treatment with iMDK (left column) and DMSO (right column) ( n = 6). ( F ) H-scores of MDK immunohistochemistry in MOs treated with iMDK and Con group ( n = 6). ( G ) Representative images of Calcein/PI dual staining in iMDK-treated and Con MOs. ( H ) Statistical analysis of Calcein fluorescence intensity ( n = 6). ( I ) Statistical analysis of PI fluorescence intensity ( n = 6)

Article Snippet: The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the MDK inhibitor iMDK (HY-110171; MedChemExpress) was determined via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay.

Techniques: Staining, Viability Assay, Expressing, Immunohistochemistry, Fluorescence

Journal: Theranostics

Article Title: Endothelium-specific sensing of mechanical signals drives epidermal aging through coordinating retinoid metabolism

doi: 10.7150/thno.112299

Figure Lengend Snippet: Deciphering the Mdk-Sdc4 signaling axis in cutaneous homeostasis. A. Volcano plot showing differentially expressed genes between the aMDK group and the control group in RNA-seq analysis. B. Bar graph showing Reactome enrichment analysis terms of upregulated genes in the aMDK group. C. Left panel: Venn diagram showing the overlap of upregulated genes in the aMDK group, upregulated genes in the Pyr group, and downregulated genes in aged basal cells. Right panel: Reactome enrichment analysis of intersection genes of three groups. D. Violin plot showing the expression changes of retinol metabolism genes RARA, RBP1, and RBP4 in scRNA-seq data of human facial skin, n = 3, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001. E. ImageFeaturePlot showing the expression changes of RARA, RBP1, and RBP4 in spatial transcriptomics data of young and aged human skin. F. Representative immunofluorescence images showing the expression of RARA, RBP1, and RBP4 in young and aged human skin, n = 3. G. Quantitative analysis of relative fluorescence intensity of MDK and SDC4. N = 3, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. H. Left panel: Representative immunofluorescence images showing changes in RBP1 expression in the control and iMDK groups. Right panel: Quantitative analysis of relative fluorescence intensity of RBP1 in the control and iMDK groups. N = 3, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.

Article Snippet: Following dorsal hair removal with electric clippers, mice received daily subcutaneous injections (50 μL/mouse) of the following agents for 7 consecutive days: Pyrintegrin (50 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-13306); SU6656 (40 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-B0789); Recombinant RBP1 protein (100 μg/mL in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY- P71093 ); MDK signaling inhibitor (20 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-110171); Three retinoid metabolites (Rol, RP, and HPR) were sourced from TargetMol and applied at a concentration of 50 μM each; Control groups received equivalent volumes of PBS vehicle.

Techniques: Control, RNA Sequencing, Expressing, Immunofluorescence, Fluorescence

Journal: Theranostics

Article Title: Endothelium-specific sensing of mechanical signals drives epidermal aging through coordinating retinoid metabolism

doi: 10.7150/thno.112299

Figure Lengend Snippet: Mdk-Sdc4 axis orchestrates epidermal regeneration through retinoid-mediated endothelial-basal cell crosstalk. A. FeaturePlot showing the expression changes of Rbp1 in scRNA-seq data from young and aged mouse skin. B. KEGG enrichment analysis highlighting the signaling pathways specifically enriched in Rbp1-positive cells in mouse skin. C. Upper panel: Representative immunofluorescence images showing the expression of K14 and PCNA in RP-RBP1 and control groups (left), and quantitative analysis of PCNA-positive cell numbers (right). N = 3, ****p < 0.0001. Lower panel: Representative H&E staining images showing changes in the epidermis of RP-RBP1 and control groups (left), and quantitative analysis of epidermal thickness. N = 3, ***p < 0.001. D. Violin plot showing the expression levels of Rbp1, Rara, and Rbp4 in epidermal cell clusters of skin organoids derived from neonatal and aged mice. E. Schematic diagram illustrating the reprogramming of aged mouse skin organoids using all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and all-trans retinol (atRE). F. RT-qPCR analysis comparing the expression levels of senescence-associated markers Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a, as well as epidermal growth-related genes Egfr, Mki67, and Tp63 in control, atRA, and atRE groups, n = 3, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, “ns” means no significance. G. Representative immunofluorescence images showing the expression of K14, Laminin, and P63 in control, atRA, and atRE groups. H. Quantitative analysis of the number of K14-positive cell layers, Laminin signal intensity, and P63-positive cell counts, n = 3, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, “ns” means no significance.

Article Snippet: Following dorsal hair removal with electric clippers, mice received daily subcutaneous injections (50 μL/mouse) of the following agents for 7 consecutive days: Pyrintegrin (50 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-13306); SU6656 (40 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-B0789); Recombinant RBP1 protein (100 μg/mL in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY- P71093 ); MDK signaling inhibitor (20 μM in PBS; MedChemExpress, HY-110171); Three retinoid metabolites (Rol, RP, and HPR) were sourced from TargetMol and applied at a concentration of 50 μM each; Control groups received equivalent volumes of PBS vehicle.

Techniques: Expressing, Protein-Protein interactions, Immunofluorescence, Control, Staining, Derivative Assay, Quantitative RT-PCR