Journal: Biology Direct

Article Title: STING‑regulated Ca²⁺–TGF‑β axis drives airway remodeling and lung function decline in asthma: a multi‑omics mechanistic study

doi: 10.1186/s13062-026-00940-y

Figure Lengend Snippet: Mitochondrial stress is associated with the STING-PPM1F-TGF-β axis in vitro. ( A ) MitoSOX staining showing time-dependent mtROS production after OVA treatment (6–24 h), with CCCP as positive control ( p < 0.01). ( B ) JC-1 staining showing time-dependent ΔΨm dissipation after OVA treatment ( p < 0.05, p < 0.001). ( C ) Fura-2 calcium imaging showing STING activation-induced Ca²⁺ mobilization under 2 mM Ca²⁺ or EGTA conditions ( p < 0.001). ( D ) Immunofluorescence co-localization of PPM1F and TGF-β after OVA or CCCP stimulation. ( E - F ) Co-immunoprecipitation confirming PPM1F-TGF-β interaction. ( G ) Cytosolic mtDNA release quantified by qPCR; H-151 did not affect OVA-induced mtDNA release (ns vs. OVA). ( H ) Western blot showing OVA-induced PPM1F and p-Smad2/3 upregulation in WT mice, abolished in STING KO mice. ( I ) PPM1F knockdown blocks TGF‑β1‑induced p‑Smad2 and α‑SMA expression in BEAS‑2B cells. ( J ) p-TBK1 expression in cGAMP/H-151/OVA-treated cells, showing STING-dependent TBK1 activation

Article Snippet: MitoSOX staining: Cells or freshly isolated primary airway epithelial cells were incubated with 5 μM MitoSOX (HY-D1055, MCE, USA) and Hoechst 33,342 (HY-15559, MCE, USA) for 10 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: In Vitro, Staining, Positive Control, Imaging, Activation Assay, Immunofluorescence, Immunoprecipitation, Western Blot, Knockdown, Expressing

Journal: Biology Direct

Article Title: STING‑regulated Ca²⁺–TGF‑β axis drives airway remodeling and lung function decline in asthma: a multi‑omics mechanistic study

doi: 10.1186/s13062-026-00940-y

Figure Lengend Snippet: STING knockout attenuates OVA‑induced airway remodeling and suppresses the PPM1F‑TGF‑β‑mitochondrial axis in vivo. ( A ) H&E and PAS staining of lung and kidney (scale bar: 25 μm); OVA‑induced airway pathology was attenuated in STING KO mice. ( B - C ) MitoSOX staining and quantification in primary airway epithelial cells; OVA increased mtROS in WT mice ( p < 0.001); STING KO partially reduced mtROS ( p < 0.01 vs. WT + OVA). ( D ) BALF TGF‑β levels by ELISA; STING KO abolished OVA‑induced increase ( p < 0.01 vs. WT + OVA). ( E ) PPM1F mRNA by qPCR; STING KO attenuated OVA‑induced upregulation ( p < 0.01 vs. WT + OVA). ( F ) Immunofluorescence co‑localization of SCGB1A1 and SFTPC in airway epithelium. ( G ) Quantification of SCGB1A1⁺SFTPC⁺ double‑positive cells (% of total SFTPC⁺ cells), increased in asthma ( p < 0.001). ( H ) SFTPC⁺ cell density, increased in asthma ( p < 0.05). ( I ) RNA‑seq heatmap of TGF‑β pathway genes (WT + OVA vs. STING KO + OVA). ( J ) KEGG enrichment analysis showing calcium metabolism and ECM‑receptor interaction pathways

Article Snippet: MitoSOX staining: Cells or freshly isolated primary airway epithelial cells were incubated with 5 μM MitoSOX (HY-D1055, MCE, USA) and Hoechst 33,342 (HY-15559, MCE, USA) for 10 min at 37 °C.

Techniques: Knock-Out, In Vivo, Staining, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Immunofluorescence

Journal: iScience

Article Title: MFAP5 + synovial fibroblasts drive LOX upregulation to promote osteoarthritis progression

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116286

Figure Lengend Snippet: LOX inhibitor improves MIA-induced joint damage (A) Representative images of H&E staining of rat joint tissues across four groups. Scale bars, 200 μm, n = 4. (B) Picrosirius red staining images of rat joint tissues across four groups. Scale bars, 100 μm. (C–F) Immunohistochemistry of LOX, IL-1β, MFAP5, and FBN1, rat joint tissues across four groups. IOD, integrated optical density. Scale bars, 400 μm, n = 4. Data were presented as mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was calculated using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (A and C–F). ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001.

Article Snippet: Picrosirius red staining Kit , Servicebio , Cat# G1078.

Techniques: Staining, Immunohistochemistry

Journal: Bioactive Materials

Article Title: Sustained release PLGA microspheres loaded with a bone-affinity Bmp2 enhance fracture healing and mitigate heterotopic ossification

doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.050

Figure Lengend Snippet: In vitro validation of D-Bmp2@M osteogenic efficacy and inhibition of ectopic ossification. a. Schematic diagram of the osteoblast-bone Transwell model. Bmp2/D-Bmp2@M microspheres or free Bmp2/D-Bmp2 were loaded in the upper chambers, MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on two coverslips (one of which was precoated with HA) in the lower compartments, and the medium was refreshed every day for 7 or 14 days. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining were performed at days 7 and 14, respectively. b. Osteogenic differentiation staining: ALP (early-stage, day 7) and ARS (late-stage, day 14) staining. Scale bar: 200 μm. c. ALP activity was quantitatively analyzed using an ALP kit (n = 3 per group). d. Relative quantitative analysis of ARS staining was performed at an OD of 562 nm (n = 3 per group). e. qPCR analysis of Bmp2 signaling-related mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells (n = 3 per group). f. Schematic diagram of the muscle-bone Transwell model. Bovine bone slices were co-incubated with Bmp2/D-Bmp2@M or free Bmp2/D-Bmp2 in the upper chambers, and C2C12 cells were cultured in the lower chambers and the medium was refreshed every day for 7 days. D-Bmp2 and Bmp2 retention on bone slices and ALP staining of C2C12 cells were analyzed on day 7. g. Representative fluorescence imaging of bone slices incubated with AF647-conjugated anti-Flag antibodies (above) (yellow arrows: bone slice) and C2C12 ALP staining images (below), scale bar: 200 μm. h. AF647-conjugated anti-Flag antibody fluorescence intensity quantification in bone slices (n = 3 per group). i. Quantification of ALP activity in C2C12 cells (n = 3 per group). j. qPCR analysis of Bmp2 signaling-related mRNA in C2C12 cells (n = 3 per group). The data are presented as the means ± SDs. One-way ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons. Significance levels: ns (not significant), ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Calcium nodules were stained with Alizarin Red S staining kit (Beyotime, China) at room temperature for 15 min, and staining conditions were monitored.

Techniques: In Vitro, Biomarker Discovery, Inhibition, Cell Culture, Staining, Activity Assay, Incubation, Fluorescence, Imaging