It has been reported that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. As a result, the development of drugs targeting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway has attracted increasing attention from researchers. This article reviews the pathological mechanisms and advancements in research related to the signaling pathways in ischemic stroke, with a focus on the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The key findings include the following: (1) The complex pathological mechanisms of ischemic stroke can be categorized into five major types: excitatory amino acid toxicity, Ca ²⁺ overload, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. (2) The PI3K/AKT-mediated signaling pathway is closely associated with the occurrence and progression of ischemic stroke, which primarily involves the NF-κB, NRF2, BCL-2, mTOR, and endothelial NOS signaling pathways. (3) Natural products, including flavonoids, quinones, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, phenols, terpenoids, and iridoids, show great potential as candidate substances for the development of innovative anti-stroke medications. (4) Recently, novel therapeutic techniques, such as electroacupuncture and mesenchymal stem cell therapy, have demonstrated the potential to improve stroke outcomes by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, providing new possibilities for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with ischemic stroke. Future investigations should focus on the direct regulatory mechanisms of drugs targeting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and their clinical translation to develop innovative treatment strategies for ischemic stroke.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain tumor associated with a poor prognosis. Plant homeodomain finger protein 20 (PHF20) is highly expressed in primary human gliomas and its expression is associated with tumor grade. However, the molecular mechanism by which PHF20 regulates glioblastoma remains poorly understood. Genome wide gene expression analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in U87 cells with PHF20 gene knockdown. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the functions and pathways of DEGs. Pathway-net and signal-net analyses were conducted to identify the key genes and pathways related to PHF20. Expression of 540 genes, including FEN1 and CCL3, were significantly altered upon PHF20 gene silencing. GO analysis results showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in small molecule metabolic and apoptotic processes. Pathway analysis indicated that DEGs were mainly involved in cancer and metabolic pathways. The MAPK, apoptosis and p53 signaling pathways were identified as the hub pathways in the pathway network, while PLCB1, NRAS and PIK3 s were hub genes in the signaling network. Our findings indicated that PHF20 is a pivotal upstream regulator. It affects the occurrence and development of glioma by regulating a series of tumor-related genes, such as FEN1, CCL3, PLCB1, NRAS and PIK3s, and activation of apoptosis signaling pathways. Therefore, PHF20 might be a novel biomarker for early diagnosis, and a potential target for glioblastoma therapies.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most significant complications in diabetic patients, yet current therapeutic options are limited. The advantages of natural products in treating chronic diseases have increasingly garnered attention. This study aims to map the landscape of natural products in DKD and provide new insights for future research in this field.Methods: Literature retrieval was conducted through the Web of Science. CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed to conduct visual analyses of these papers.Results: A total of 523 literature were obtained, originating from 655 institutions across 40 countries/regions and involving 3,116 authors. These literature were published in 178 journals. The results indicate that China leads in this field, with Li Ping contributing the most publications. Zhang Lei’s work has been cited the most. Journal of Ethnopharmacology is the most popular journal. The paper with the highest average annual citation rate is authored by Tang, GY. Keyword analysis reveals that systematic biological approaches such as network pharmacology, molecular docking, and gut microbiota have become hotspots in this field.Conclusion: Natural products exhibit positive pharmacological activity and therapeutic value in the treatment of DKD. Extensive cooperation and communication among countries, institutions, and authors still need to be strengthened to promote basic research and clinical applications of natural products. Besides, the deep integration of network pharmacology with artificial intelligence and big data represents a hot topic and trend in future research on natural products against DKD.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), a life-threatening disorder marked by abrupt renal dysfunction, is increasingly recognized as a global healthcare challenge. It not only triggers immediate organ dysfunction but also heightens long-term risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The senescence of proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) has a major impact on the occurrence and development of AKI. This review systematically analyzes existing evidence, which suggests that the senescence of PTECs may have a dual effect. Acute cellular senescence typically mitigates uncontrolled replication of damaged cells by inducing cell cycle arrest, thereby limiting the further expansion of tissue damage. In contrast, the pathological retention of chronic senescent cells and the excessive production of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) exacerbate the local inflammatory response and the process of fibrosis, accelerating the transformation of AKI into CKD. Despite incomplete elucidation of the spatiotemporal mechanisms governing the transition from acute to chronic cellular senescence, therapeutic interventions can be precisely targeted to specific disease stages based on their characteristic progression dynamics. This review summarizes the intervention strategies applicable at different stages of AKI, including prevention, early induction of senescence, senoreverse, senolysis, and senomorphics. Additionally, we highlight potential therapeutic targets to provide a theoretical basis for optimizing clinical management.

Prostate cancer (Pca) is the second common cancer in men worldwide. Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screen can serve as a diagnostic marker in most of the patients with Pca, its diagnostic specificity is insufficient, and the false positive rate can result in unnecessary biopsy increasing pain and treatment costs in patients. Exosomes are source for mRNA, microRNA, non-encoded RNA, protein, and lipids. In recent years, exosome are used for assessment of tumors and serve as tumor markers for early diagnosis and disease prognosis. This article highlights the application of exosomes in connection with diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of Pca.