Journal: Frontiers in Aging

Article Title: Elevated circulating GDF11 and its role in age-related sarcopenia: insights from clinical, transcriptomic, and in vitro analyses

doi: 10.3389/fragi.2026.1736069

Figure Lengend Snippet: Exogenous GDF11 induces muscle atrophy signaling in C2C12 myotubes. (A) GDF11 PPI network constructed using STRING. (B) GO-BP enrichment analysis derived from the STRING dataset. (C) GDF11 PPI network constructed using GeneMANIA. (D) GO-BP enrichment analysis derived from the GeneMANIA dataset. (E) Protein–protein docking simulation of the GDF11–ACVR2B complex. (F) Representative Western blot images of p-SMAD3, SMAD3, Atrogin-1, MuRF1, and Gapdh in C2C12 myotubes treated with rGDF11 (0–100 ng/mL) for 48 h. (G) Densitometric quantification of the p-SMAD3/SMAD3 protein ratio. (H) Densitometric quantification of Atrogin-1 protein expression. (I) Densitometric quantification of MuRF1 protein expression. (J,K) Relative mRNA expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF1. Data are mean ± SEM. ns , not significant, * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001 versus control; n = 3.

Article Snippet: Membranes were blocked with 5% skimmed milk for 1 h at room temperature and subsequently incubated with primary antibodies against Smad3 (ab40854, Abcam, United States), phosphorylated Smad3 (p-SMAD3; #9520, CST, United States), Atrogin-1 (67172-1-Ig, Proteintech, China), MuRF1 (55456-1-AP, Proteintech, China) and GAPDH (1E6D9, Proteintech, China), with GAPDH serving as the loading control.

Techniques: Construct, Derivative Assay, Western Blot, Expressing, Control

Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology

Article Title: Early treatment with nootkatone prevents pressure overload-induced ventricular remodeling and heart failure

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1702627

Figure Lengend Snippet: Early NKT administration downregulated the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway (n = 6–8). (A) mRNA expression of Col Ⅰ and Col Ⅲ in heart tissue. (B) Protein expression of Col Ⅰ, Col Ⅲ, HSP-90, TGF-β1, Smad3, and p-Smad3 in heart tissue. (C) Protein quantitative analysis of Col Ⅰ, Col Ⅲ, HSP-90, TGF-β1, Smad3, and p-Smad3. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, and *** P < 0.001; ns, no significance.

Article Snippet: The membrane was incubated with primary antibodies against collagen type I (Col I, 1:500, ServiceBio, China), collagen type III (Col III, 1:500, ServiceBio, China), HSP-90 (1:2000, OriGene, China), phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3, 1:4000, Wanleibio, China), Smad3 (1:4000, Proteintech, China), transforming growth factor (TGF-β1, 1:5000, Proteintech, China), and β-actin (1:2000, EPITMICS, China), followed by incubation with corresponding HRP-labeled secondary antibodies (ServiceBio, China).

Techniques: Expressing