Cellular signaling pathways of T cells in giant cell arteritis

Giant cell arteritis(GCA)is a commonly occurring large vacuities characterized by angiopathy of medium and large-sized vessels.GCA granulomatous formation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GCA.Analysis of T cell lineages and signaling pathways in GCA have revealed the essential role of T cells in the pathology of GCA.T cells are the dominant population present in GCA lesions.CD4+T cell subtypes that are present include Th1,Th2,Th9,Th17,follicular helper T(Tfh)cells,and regulatory T(Treg)cells.CD8 T cells can primarily differentiate into cytotoxic CD8+T lymphocytes and Treg cells.The instrumental part of GCA is the interplay between dendritic cells,macrophages and endothelial cells,which can result in the vascular injury and the characteristics granulomatous infiltrates formation.During the inflammatory loop of GCA,several signaling pathways have been reported to play an essential role in recruiting,activating and differentiating T cells,including T-cell receptor(TCR)signaling,vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-Jagged-Notch signaling and the Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription(STAT)pathway(JAK-STAT)pathway.In this review,we have focused on the role of T cells and their potential signaling mechanism(s)that are involved in the pathogenesis of GCA.A better understanding of the role of T cells mediated complicated orchestration during the homeostasis and the changes could possibly favor developments of novel treatment strategies against immunological disorders associated with GCA.

Transcriptional factor RUNX1:A potential therapeutic target for fibrotic pulmonary disease

Runt-related transcription factor-1(RUNX1),also known as the core-binding factor alpha 2 subunit,is closely related to human leukemia.The functions of RUNX1 in modulating cell proliferation,differentiation,and survival in multiple systems have been gradually discovered with the emergence of transgenic mice.RUNX1 is a powerful transcription factor implicated in diverse signaling pathways and cellular mechanisms that participate in lung development and pulmonary diseases.RUNX1 has recently been identified as a target regulator of fibrotic remodeling diseases,particularly in the kidney.However,the role of RUNX1 in pulmonary fibrosis is unclear.Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by obscure nosogenesis,limited therapy,and poor prognosis.Moreover,the population of patients with pulmonary fibrosis is gradually increasing.Thus,there is an unmet need for therapeutic targets.In this review,we retrospectively discuss the alteration in RUNX1 mRNA expression in the RNA sequencing data of human fibrotic lungs and the protein levels in mouse pulmonary fibrosis.Subsequently,we focused on the interaction between RUNX1 and several signaling pathways involved in pulmonary fibrosis.Finally,this review highlights the therapeutic potential of RUNX1 as a target for slowing the progression of fibrotic lung disease.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulates proliferation of stem/progenitor cells: what we need to know to translate basic science research into clinical applications

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a promising therapy that has been increasingly explored in basic research and clinical applications. LIPUS is an appealing therapeutic option as it is a noninvasive treatment that has many advantages, including no risk of infection or tissue damage and no known adverse reactions. LIPUS has been shown to have many benefits including promotion of tissue healing, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration;inhibition of inflammation and pain relief;and stimulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The biophysical mechanisms of LIPUS remain unclear and the studies are ongoing. In recent years, more and more research has focused on the relationship between LIPUS and stem/progenitor cells. A comprehensive search of the PubMed and Embase databases to July 2020 was performed. LIPUS has many effects on stem cells. Studies show that LIPUS can stimulate stem cells in vitro;promote stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration;maintain stem cell activity;alleviate the problems of insufficient seed cell source, differentiation, and maturation;and circumvent the low efficiency of stem cell transplantation. The mechanisms involved in the effects of LIPUS are not fully understood, but the effects demonstrated in studies thus far have been favorable. Much additional research is needed before LIPUS can progress from basic science research to large-scale clinical dissemination and application.