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: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Microenvironment-educated MSC-EVs loaded injectable smart hydrogel for targeting senescent nucleus pulposus cells and inhibiting ferroptosis against intervertebral disc degeneration

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.030

Figure Lengend Snippet: Senescent Microenvironment-Educated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Release High-Affinity Senescent NPC Domesticated Extracellular Vesicles. (A) Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for educating MSCs with SASP-CM to generate D-EVs versus N-EVs. (B) Confocal microscopy images showing different EVs internalization by senescent NPCs after 12 h in vitro. (C) Flow cytometry and quantification analysis of different EVs uptake by senescent NPCs. (D) In vivo validation of the senescent niche. Representative fluorescence images following injection of senescence-tracer (Red). (E) In vivo PKH26-labeled D-EVs tracking. (F) Representative SA-β-Gal images and quantification of MSCs treated with SASP-CM or not. (G) Gene Ontology (GO) analysis confirming enrichment of external encapsulating structure organization and cytokine production in Biological Process (BP) categories. (H) Heatmap indicating gene expression associated with EVs biogenesis within D-MSCs and N-MSCs. (I) Heatmap indicating gene expression associated with cytokine production within D-MSCs and N-MSCs. (J and L) Gene Ontology (GO) analysis confirming enrichment of terms related to vesicle organization and transport in the Cellular Component (CC) categories. (K) Western blot analysis confirmed core senescence markers p16 and p21 and DNA damage marker γ-H2AX in N-MSC and D-MSC. (M) Western blot analysis confirmed the expression of CD9, CD63, TSG101, Calnexin, and GM130 in MSC-EVs, N-EVs, or D-EVs. (N) TEM images showing the morphology and size of MSC-derived EVs, N-EVs, and D-EVs. (O) NTA shows size distribution in MSC-EVs, N-EVs, or D-EVs. The data were presented as mean ± SD. n = 3, ns, not significant; ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001.

Article Snippet: After blocked with 5% non-fat milk for 2 h at room temperature, the membranes were incubated with primary antibodies against GAPDH (1:5000, 104941-AP, Proteintech), TSG101 (1:1000, DF8427, Affinity), CD9 (1:1000, AF5139, Affinity), CD63 (1:2000, 25682-1-AP, Proteintech), Calnexin (1:5000, 10427-2-AP, Proteintech), GM130 (1:20000, 11308-1-AP, Proteintech), CXCR3 (1:5000, 26756-1-AP, Proteintech), CXCL10 (1:2000, 10937-1-AP, Proteintech), MMP3 (1:2000, 17873-1-AP, Proteintech), ADAMTS5 (DF13268, Affinity), P16 (AF5484, Affinity), P21 (10355-1-AP, Proteintech), GPX4 (1:1000, 381958, Zen-bio), SLC7A11 (1:1000, 26864-1-AP, Proteintech), ACSL4 (1:5000, 22401-1-AP, Proteintech) and Tubulin (1:10000, T40103 , Abmart) overnight at 4 °C.

Techniques: Confocal Microscopy, In Vitro, Flow Cytometry, In Vivo, Biomarker Discovery, Fluorescence, Injection, Labeling, Gene Expression, Western Blot, Marker, Expressing, Derivative Assay