Journal: Nature Communications

Article Title: Ascites protects against ferroptosis and enables the peritoneal growth of ovarian cancer

doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-72116-1

Figure Lengend Snippet: a Volcano plot of the DEGs of bezafibrate treatment (200 µM, 16 hours) from RNA-seq analysis of CAOV3 cells (adj. P = 0.01). b Venn diagram comparison of a list of oppositely expressed genes from ascites-treated vs bezafibrate-treated cells. c , d Western blot analysis of HMGCS2 upon 2% ascites treatment from three OVCA patients ±200 µM bezafibrate (20 hours). ferroptosis sensitivity compared between CAOV3 WT and HMGCS2KO cells with ( e ) erastin or ( f ) RSL3 treatment (24 hours). g HMGCS2 expression restored in HMGCS2KO cells with hmgcs2 overexpression plasmid and ferroptosis sensitivity compared with 10 µM erastin or 125 nM RSL3 treatment (24 hours). h , i Lipid peroxidation measured via flow cytometry analysis of BODIPY TM 581/591 C11 staining in HMGCS2KO cells that were treated with 5 µM erastin (20 hours). j , k HMGCS2OE or empty vector (EV) cells treated with 10% ascites (16 hours) and lipid droplet levels measured via flow cytometry analysis of BODIPY TM 493/503 staining. l Cell viability assessed via treatment with 10 µM erastin ±20 µM baicalin with 2% ascites (24 hours). m , n Cells treated with 10% ascites ±25 µM baicalin (24 hours) and lipid droplet levels measured as described. o Cell viability assessed in cells treated with 10 µM erastin ±100 µM malonyl CoA lithium (24 hours). p , q Cells treated with 100 µM malonyl CoA lithium (16 hours) and lipid droplet levels ( q ) measured as described. r Patient survival data extracted from TCGA and analyzed via the GEPIA 2 analysis tool ( n in panel). Data represent biologically independent replicates. Unless indicated otherwise, n = 3. Data represent mean ±s.d. where applicable. Statistical significance assessed using Wald test ( a ), one-way ANOVA ( d , g – o), t -test ( e, f , and q ), and log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test ( r ). Multiple comparisons adjusted using Holm-Šídák’s. P values for a adjusted using Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Statistical tests were two-tailed where applicable. Source data, including uncropped blots, are provided as a Source Data file.

Article Snippet: Baicalin (HY-N0197) and malonyl CoA lithium (HY-136408) were purchased from MedChemExpress.

Techniques: RNA Sequencing, Comparison, Western Blot, Expressing, Over Expression, Plasmid Preparation, Flow Cytometry, Staining, Two Tailed Test

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Baicalin enhances cisplatin sensitivity in human BC T24 and BIU-87 cells. (A,B) T24 cells and BIU-87 cells were incubated with baicalin (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 µM) for 24 h; The percentage of viable cells was detected by the CCK-8 assay. (C,D) Cotreatment of 40 µM baicalin with various concentrations of cisplatin (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 2, 2.4, 4.8, 9.6 μg/ml) for 24 h. The percentage of viable cells was detected by the CCK8 assay. (E,F) IC 50 was calculated from the result of CCK-8 assay. (G) The EDU assay was performed to measure the cell viability in BC treated with baicalin (40 µM), DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/ml), and baicalin + cisplatin for 24 h. Scale bar: 100 µm. (H,I) Statistical analysis of the positive rate of EDU in cell shown in Fig. D, (n = 3). All the data were presented as means ± S.D. and are representative of three independent experiments. P -value <0.05 was considered to be significant. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Incubation, CCK-8 Assay, EdU Assay

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Baicalin inhibits the migration of BC cells. (A-C) Wound healing assays were performed to evaluate the effect of baicalin on migration ability of BC cells. The representative views of T24 and BIU-87 cells treated with DMSO or baicalin (40 µM) are shown below. Scale bar: 100 µm. (D,E) Transwell migration assay: Baicalin (40 µM) significantly reduced the number of T24/BIU-87 cells migrating to the lower chamber. Scale bar: 100 µm. (F,G) Transwell invasion assay: Baicalin (40 µM) further suppressed the invasive ability of T24/BIU-87 cells. Scale bar: 100 µm. All the data were presented as means ± S.D. and are representative of three independent experiments. **P < 0.01 ; ***P < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Migration, Transwell Migration Assay, Transwell Invasion Assay

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Confocal images of BC T24 and BIU-87 cells infected with adenovirus mCherry-GFP-LC3B (mCherry: red, eGFP: green, Hoechst: bule). (A-C) Western blot analysis of the protein level of LC3B I, LC3B II and P62 in T24 and BIU-87 cells treated with DMSO or baicalin (40 μM, 80 μM) for 24 h (D,E) The relative mRNA expression levels of LAMP1, LAMP2, CTSB, and CTSD were detected in T24 cells and BIU-87 cells following treatment with DMSO (as a control) or baicalin (40 μM). (F-I) The cells were infected with adenovirus for 24 h and then incubated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), Rapa (2.5 μM), CQ (25 μM), and baicalin (40 μM) for 24 h. Nuclei were stained with Hoechst. Scale bar: 20 μm. All the data were presented as means ± S.D. and are representative of three independent experiments. **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Infection, Western Blot, Expressing, Control, Incubation, Staining

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Baicalin can inhibit the binding of autophagic vesicles to lysosomes. (A-C) Western blot analysis of the protein level of LAMP1, LAMP2, CTSB, and CTSD in T24 and BIU-87 cells treated with DMSO or baicalin (40 μM, 80 μM) for 24 h (D-F) T24 and BIU-87 cells were treated with baicalin (40 μM) for 24 h. All cells were incubated with LC3B or LAMP1 antibodies before the colocalization (Red, LC3B; Green, LAMP1; Blue, Dapi). Scale bar: 20 μm. (G,H) T24 and BIU-87 cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or cisplatin + baicalin for 24 h, and then stained with lysotracker (Red) for lysosomal detection, while the nuclei were stained with Hoechst (Blue). Scale bar = 20 μm. All the data were presented as means ± S.D. and are representative of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Binding Assay, Western Blot, Incubation, Staining

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Baicalin sensitizes cisplatin in BC in vivo . (A,B) T24 cells were injected into the flank of immunodeficient mice. Tumor-bearing mice were treated with PBS, 50 mg/kg baicalin, 2 mg/kg cisplatin or cotreated with cisplatin and baicalin through intraperitoneal injection once the tumor had grown to 75 mm 3 . The tumor volume and mouse weight were measured every 3 days. After 21 days of treatment, the mice were sacrificed, and the tumors were photographed and analyzed. (C-E) The data of tumor volume, tumor weight, and mouse body weight were analyzed using GraphPad Prism. (F) Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of mice treated with PBS, 50 mg/kg baicalin, 2 mg/kg cisplatin, or cotreated with cisplatin and baicalin. Scale bar: 100 μm. All the data were presented as means ± S.D. and are representative of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: In Vivo, Injection, Staining

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Baicalin chemosensitivity enhancement of cisplatin in bladder cancer via autophagy flux inhibition

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2026.1676788

Figure Lengend Snippet: Diagram that illustrates the possible mechanism of how baicalin sensitive cisplatin in BC is shown. Cisplatin stimulates autophagy in BC. Additionally, baicalin inhibits the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes by inhibiting lysosomal activity. These findings suggest that baicalin could be a potential candidate for enhancing the sensitivity of cisplatin in the treatment of BC. This Figure was created by figdraw.com (ID:URTTA5b735).

Article Snippet: Twenty-four hours after seeding, the cells were treated with DMSO, cisplatin (1 μg/mL), baicalin (40 μM), or a combination of cisplatin and baicalin for 24 h. Subsequently, the cells were incubated with LysotrackerTM Red DND-99 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cat. No. L7528) at a concentration of 50 nM for 30 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Activity Assay

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: An AI-assisted designed supramolecularly engineered nanoplatform reverses pigmentation by triggering an ineffective compensatory melanin production program

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.027

Figure Lengend Snippet: BT's Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven Design, Theoretical Verification, and Self-assembly Strategy. a , Flowchart of the AI-assisted screening process for identifying the optimal molecular partner for baicalin (BA). b , Confusion matrix of the AI model on the validation set. c , Physical image of baicalin (top). Chemical structure and physical image of tranexamic acid (TA) (bottom). d , Electrostatic potential (ESP) surface plot of the BA-TA (BT) assembly. Red and blue areas represent positive and negative electrostatic potential, respectively. e , Visualization of the interaction region indicator (IRI) analysis between BT. f, g , Scatter plots of the IRI interaction analysis and corresponding color bars, where sign(λ 2 )ρ is the product of the electron density and the second Hessian eigenvalue. h , Conceptual schematic of the BT supramolecular assembly formed by multipoint hydrogen bonding between BA and TA.

Article Snippet: Baicalin (BA, purity ≥98 %) and Tranexamic Acid (TA, purity ≥99 %) were purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Bio-Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China).

Techniques: Biomarker Discovery

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: An AI-assisted designed supramolecularly engineered nanoplatform reverses pigmentation by triggering an ineffective compensatory melanin production program

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.027

Figure Lengend Snippet: Preparation, Characterization, and Performance Analysis of the baicalin-tranexamic acid (BT) Supramolecular Assembly . a , 1 H NMR spectra of baicalin (BA), tranexamic acid (TA), and the BT assembly. b , Local magnification of the spectrum in (a). c , The 2D NOESY spectrum of the BT assembly. d , Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of BA, TA, and the BT assembly. e , Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of BA, TA, and the BT assembly. f , Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curves of BA, TA, and the BT assembly. g , Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the solid-state powders of BA, TA, B + T, and the BT assembly. Scale bar = 10 μm h , Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of nanoparticles formed by the self-assembly of the BT assembly in water. Scale bar = 500 nm. i , Comparison of the apparent aqueous solubility of BA as a raw drug versus within the BT assembly.

Article Snippet: Baicalin (BA, purity ≥98 %) and Tranexamic Acid (TA, purity ≥99 %) were purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Bio-Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China).

Techniques: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Electron Microscopy, Transmission Assay, Comparison, Solubility

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: An AI-assisted designed supramolecularly engineered nanoplatform reverses pigmentation by triggering an ineffective compensatory melanin production program

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.027

Figure Lengend Snippet: Construction and Characterization of the Supramolecular Hybrid Nanoplatform (DHBTC). a , Schematic illustration of the preparation of DHBTC. b, c , Electrostatic potential (ESP) and simulated structure diagram of DHBTC complex. d, e , Interaction region indicator (IRI) analysis and corresponding scatter plot for the DHBTC complex. f , Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of HP-β-CD, the baicalin-tranexamic acid (BT) assembly, and the final DHBTC product. Scale bar = 10 μm g , Particle size distributions of BT and DHBTC. h , Comparison of the apparent aqueous solubility of baicalin (BA) as a raw drug within DHBTC. i, j , Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curves of HP-β-CD, BT, and DHBTC.

Article Snippet: Baicalin (BA, purity ≥98 %) and Tranexamic Acid (TA, purity ≥99 %) were purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Bio-Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China).

Techniques: Electron Microscopy, Comparison, Solubility, Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: An AI-assisted designed supramolecularly engineered nanoplatform reverses pigmentation by triggering an ineffective compensatory melanin production program

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.01.027

Figure Lengend Snippet: Transdermal Delivery Performance and Mechanism of DHBTC. a , Schematic diagram of the in vitro permeability evaluation of DHBTC. b , Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation showing the passage of baicalin (BA) and BA-tranexamic acid (BT) through the simulated skin lipid bilayer. c , Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images of ex vivo porcine skin from different treatment groups after Franz diffusion cell experiments (BA was labeled with FITC). Scale bar = 1000 μm d , Semi-quantitative analysis of fluorescence intensity in (c). e , Cumulative permeation of BA in different treatment groups after 20 h f , Retention of BA in different skin layers after in vitro permeation experiments. g , FTIR spectra of detached skin stratum corneum before and after in vitro permeation experiment. Results are shown as mean ± SD, ns = no significant difference, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Baicalin (BA, purity ≥98 %) and Tranexamic Acid (TA, purity ≥99 %) were purchased from Shanghai Yuanye Bio-Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China).

Techniques: In Vitro, Permeability, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, Ex Vivo, Diffusion-based Assay, Labeling, Fluorescence