Biomedical subjects

Shu Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Shu Liu.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Photoperiod and UV-B orchestrate ICR1 to control seed isoflavonoid accumulation in soybean.

Being sessile, plants optimize their physiological and metabolic processes in response to ambient environmental cues, such as light. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying environmental regulation of seed isoflavonoid biosynthesis in soybean remain largely elusive. Here, our genome-wide association study (GWAS) identifies Isoflavone Content Regulator 1 (ICR1), encoding a Regulator of Chromosome Condensation (RCC1) family protein, as a positive regulator of seed isoflavonoid accumulation in soybean. The CONSTANS (CO) homolog GmCOL2b directly suppresses ICR1 transcription by binding to a CORE cis-element. Notably, nature variations flanking the CORE sequence influence GmCOL2b binding affinity, thereby modulating ICR1 transcription and seed isoflavone content. We further demonstrate that photoperiod significantly affects seed isoflavone content, with short-day (SD) conditions promoting isoflavonoid accumulation by relieving GmCOL2b-mediated repression of ICR1, while UV-B radiation facilitates ICR1 protein accumulation. Subsequently, ICR1 interacts with GmMYB12B2 to enhance seed isoflavonoid biosynthesis. Our findings elucidate how soybean integrates environmental light signals, including photoperiod and UV-B signaling that vary across seasons or latitudes, to coordinate seed isoflavonoid biosynthesis, providing a valuable genetic resource for improving soybean nutritional quality.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Dictamnine alleviates oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis via modulation of the NR1D1-Keap1/Nrf2/ARE axis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a persistent systemic disorder of autoimmune origin, with its core pathological manifestation being inflammation of the synovial tissue. The excessive growth of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) represents a critical pathological mechanism in RA, actively driving the advancement of the condition. Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. (D. dasycarpus) exhibits prominent anti-inflammatory effects and shows favorable therapeutic efficacy against RA. Dictamnine (Dic) is a major active component of D. dasycarpus, however, its therapeutic effectiveness and underlying mechanisms in RA have yet to be fully elucidated. This study investigated the effect of Dic on synovial hyperplasia in RA and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Using a TNF-α-induced human fibroblast-like synoviocyte (HFLS-RA) model and a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model, Dic was found to effectively inhibit synovial cell proliferation and pathological hyperplasia. Proteomics analysis was employed to clarify its potential mechanism in ameliorating the disease, and the findings were further validated through hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunofluorescence (IF), ROS detection, JC-1 staining, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting (WB). The results suggested that the anti-RA activity of Dic is associated with its interaction with the nuclear receptor NR1D1. Moreover, the NR1D1 antagonist SR8278 reversed Dic's effects on Nrf2 and cytoprotection, confirming that Dic functions through NR1D1. This activation consequently influences the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE cascade, leading to decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and an improvement in compromised mitochondrial membrane potential. siRNA knockdown experiments further confirmed that NR1D1 is a target of Dic and regulates the downstream Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, through which Dic ameliorates RA both in vitro and in vivo by upregulating NR1D1 expression to activate the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE antioxidant pathway, thereby mitigating oxidative stress, inhibiting synovial cell proliferation, and ultimately alleviating pathological synovial hyperplasia.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed2025

Phosphoproteomics delineates hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes and pinpoints therapeutic targets.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Only a minority of patients could benefit from systemic therapy owing to the high heterogeneity of HCC. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of HCC is essential for precision therapy. Genomic and proteomic studies of HCC have enhanced our understanding of HCC. However, the phosphoproteomic characterization of HCC remains poorly understood. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We conducted an in-depth analysis of a clinical cohort of HCC using high-coverage phosphoproteomic. Effective therapeutic targets were validated using liver cancer cell lines and HCC patient-derived xenograft mouse models that correspond to the phosphoproteomic subtypes of HCC. Phosphoproteomic analysis classified HCC into 3 subtypes, A, B, and C, with increasing malignancy and correlation with clinical features, including patient prognosis, tumor staging, serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, tumor thrombus, and tumor size. Phosphoproteomic subtyping deeply reflected the biological characteristics and clinical features of patients with HCC. The profiles of HCC-dysregulated kinase activities inferred from the different phosphoproteomic subtypes consistently identify increased kinase activity related to cell proliferation. Subtype-C HCC patients showed the most significant dysregulation, indicating a potential therapeutic target. The corresponding drug, bosutinib, demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting the growth of subtype C tumors in liver cancer cell lines and HCC patient-derived xenograft mouse models representative of the phosphoproteomic HCC subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a comprehensive exploration of the phosphoproteomic landscape of HCC, establishing new subtypes that match clinical features and identifying potential therapeutic targets for the most malignant C subtype.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗