Journal: CytoJournal

Article Title: Actin-related protein 6 regulates the Hedgehog signaling pathway: Molecular basis for stemness maintenance of hepatoma cells

doi: 10.25259/Cytojournal_62_2025

Figure Lengend Snippet: Vismodegib suppresses ACTR6-mediated activation of the Hh signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. (a and b) Western blot verified the overexpression efficiency of ACTR6. (c-f) Vismodegib inhibited ACTR6 from promoting the proliferation of HuH-7 cells. Scale bar = 50 μm. (g-k) Vismodegib inhibited ACTR6 activation of Hh signal transduction in HuH-7 cells. n = 3. ns: No statistical significance; ✶ P < 0.05, ✶ ✶ P < 0.01, ✶ ✶ ✶ P < 0.001. OE-NC: Negative control to ACTR6 overexpression plasmid, OE-ACTR6: ACTR6 overexpression plasmid. ACTR6: Actin-related protein 6, Hh: Hedgehog.

Article Snippet: The cells were divided into a control group, negative control to ACTR6 shRNA (sh-NC), ACTR6 shRNA (sh-ACTR6), negative control to ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-NC), ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-ACTR6), and OE-MYBL2 + 20 μm Vismodegib (HY-10440, MedChemExpress, Monmouth Country, NJ, the USA).

Techniques: Activation Assay, Western Blot, Over Expression, Transduction, Negative Control, Plasmid Preparation

Journal: CytoJournal

Article Title: Actin-related protein 6 regulates the Hedgehog signaling pathway: Molecular basis for stemness maintenance of hepatoma cells

doi: 10.25259/Cytojournal_62_2025

Figure Lengend Snippet: Vismodegib reverses the stemness maintenance effect of ACTR6 on liver cancer cells. (a-e) Protein levels of CMYC, OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 in HuH-7 cells after Vismodegib treatment. (f) Representative image of the HuH-7 sphere treated by Vismodegib. Scale bar = 10 μm. (g) Number of spheres formed from HuH-7 cells treated by Vismodegib. n = 3. ✶ P < 0.05, ✶ ✶ P < 0.01, ✶ ✶ ✶ P < 0.001. CMYC: Cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene, OCT4: Octamer-binding transcription factor 4, NANOG: Nanog homeobox, SOX2: SRY-box transcription factor 2, ACTR6: Actin-related protein 6.

Article Snippet: The cells were divided into a control group, negative control to ACTR6 shRNA (sh-NC), ACTR6 shRNA (sh-ACTR6), negative control to ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-NC), ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-ACTR6), and OE-MYBL2 + 20 μm Vismodegib (HY-10440, MedChemExpress, Monmouth Country, NJ, the USA).

Techniques: Binding Assay

Journal: CytoJournal

Article Title: Actin-related protein 6 regulates the Hedgehog signaling pathway: Molecular basis for stemness maintenance of hepatoma cells

doi: 10.25259/Cytojournal_62_2025

Figure Lengend Snippet: Vismodegib reverses the tumor-promoting effects of ACTR6 in vivo . (a) HuH-7 cell xenograft tumor. (b and c) Tumor volume and weight. (d-h) Immunohistochemical staining of Shh, Ptch1, SMO, and Gli1 in tumor tissues. Scale bar = 20 μm. (i-m) Protein expression of CMYC, OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 in tumor tissues. n = 3. ns: No statistical significance; ✶ P < 0.05, ✶ ✶ P < 0.01, ✶ ✶ ✶ P < 0.001. ACTR6: Actin-related protein 6. CMYC: Cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene, OCT4: Octamer-binding transcription factor 4, NANOG: Nanog homeobox, SOX2: SRY-box transcription factor 2, ACTR6: Actin-related protein 6, Shh: Sonic Hedgehog, Ptch1; Patched 1, SMO: Smoothened, Gli1: Glioma-associated transcription factor.

Article Snippet: The cells were divided into a control group, negative control to ACTR6 shRNA (sh-NC), ACTR6 shRNA (sh-ACTR6), negative control to ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-NC), ACTR6 overexpression plasmid (OE-ACTR6), and OE-MYBL2 + 20 μm Vismodegib (HY-10440, MedChemExpress, Monmouth Country, NJ, the USA).

Techniques: In Vivo, Immunohistochemical staining, Staining, Expressing, Binding Assay

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: JQ1 and saikosaponin B1 (SSB1) synergistically inhibit GLI expression, arrest cells in the G 0 /G 1 phase, and promote the apoptosis of medulloblastoma (MB) cells. (A and B) The inhibition of GLI1/2 , PTCH1 , SHH , and MYCN messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in DAOY and D341 Med cells with JQ1 and SSB1 treatment for 48 h was determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). (C and D) Cell cycle of DAOY and D341 Med cells treated with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination for 48 h. (E and F) Cell apoptosis of DAOY and D341 Med cells treated with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination for 48 h. (G and H) CYCLIN D1 and BAX mRNA expression in DAOY and D341 Med cells after incubation with JQ1 and SSB1 combination (* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01).

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Inhibition, Reverse Transcription, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Quantitative RT-PCR, Incubation

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: JQ1 and SSB1 synergistically down-regulate MB stem cell markers and reduce frequency. (A and B) mRNA levels of stem cell markers in CD15 + MB and CD15 − MB cells. (C and D) The mRNA levels of stem cell markers in CD15 + DAOY and CD15 + ONS-76 cells after incubation with JQ1 and SSB1 for 48 h were determined by real-time RT-PCR. (E and F) CD15 + MB stem cell frequency reduced after incubation with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination. (G and H) CD133 expression on CD15 + MB stem cells after incubation with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination (* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01).

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Incubation, Quantitative RT-PCR, Expressing

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: JQ1 and SSB1 synergistically increase MB stem cell apoptosis. (A and B) JQ1 and SSB1 inhibit CD15 + MB stem cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. (C and D) mRNA expression of senescent markers in CD15 + MB stem cells with JQ1 and SSB1 incubation for 48 h. (E and F) The apoptosis of CD15 + MB stem cells after incubation with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination, as well as the representative flow cytometry scatter plots. PI, propidium iodide; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate.

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Incubation, Flow Cytometry

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: JQ1 and SSB1 synergistically down-regulate MMP2 and inhibit MB metastasis. (A and B) JQ1 and SSB1 down-regulate MMP2 mRNA expression in MB cells. (C and D) The microscope images and quantitative analysis of DAOY and D341 Med cells after incubation with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination. The microscope images and quantitative analysis of MB cell migration (E and F) and invasion (G and H) after incubation with JQ1, SSB1, and their combination (* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01). GSH, glutathione; DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; OCT2, organic cation transporter 2.

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Microscopy, Incubation, Migration

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: Characterization of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs). (A) Dynamic light scattering (DLS) of JQ1- and SSB1-loaded nontargeted NPs and tryptamine (Try)-derived NPs. (B) NP morphology analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (C) The cumulative release profiles of JQ1 and SSB1 in nontargeted NPs and Try-derived NPs at pH 7.4 and 6.8. (D) Stability of JQ1- and SSB1-loaded nano-targeted NPs and Try-derived NPs at room temperature for 72 h. (E and F) Cell viability of MB cells after 48-h incubation with JQ1- and SSB1-loaded nontargeted NPs and Try-derived NPs. (G) Scheme of the in vitro transwell blood–brain barrier (BBB) model. (H and I) The cellular uptake of Cy5.5-decorated nontargeted NPs and Try-derived NPs in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and MB cells after 4-h incubation was analyzed using flow cytometry. (J) The cellular uptake of Cy5.5-decorated nontargeted NPs and Try-derived NPs in DAOY cells was observed by confocal microscopy.

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Derivative Assay, Transmission Assay, Electron Microscopy, Incubation, In Vitro, Flow Cytometry, Confocal Microscopy

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: Try-derived NPs significantly enhance BBB permeability and drug biodistribution after systemic administration. (A and B) Try-derived NPs conjugated with Cy5.5 significantly increase brain permeability compared to nontargeted NPs in healthy NSG mice analyzed using the IVIS system and confocal microscopy. (C) Try-decorated NPs conjugated with Cy5.5 significantly increase MB tumor cellular uptake compared to nontargeted NPs in MB-bearing NSG mice. (D) JQ1 and SSB1 concentrations in the brains of orthotopic MB tumor-bearing NSG mice at 6 and 24 h post-systemic administration of drug-loaded Try-derived NPs or nontargeted NPs at a dose of 10 mg/kg (* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01). GFP, green fluorescent protein.

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Derivative Assay, Permeability, Confocal Microscopy

Journal: Biomaterials Research

Article Title: Tryptamine-Functionalized Lipid Nanocarriers Co-delivering SMO/BRD4 Inhibitors for Synergistic Medulloblastoma Therapy

doi: 10.34133/bmr.0237

Figure Lengend Snippet: Anti-tumor efficacy of targeted NPs loaded with JQ1 and SSB1 after systemic administration into orthotopic MB-bearing NSG mice. (A) Bioluminescence images and (B) quantitative analysis of IVIS signal intensity (photons/s/cm 2 /sr) of MB tumors at different times. (C) Average mouse body weight changes during treatment. (D) Representative microscopic pictures of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical staining of MB tissues for OCT4, MMP2, KI67, and CLEAVED CASPASE 3. Scale bar 100 μm, inset image ×20.

Article Snippet: SSB1, GDC-0449, and JQ1 were procured from MedChemExpress (Princeton, USA).

Techniques: Immunohistochemical staining, Staining