Properties Of Biological Cells Research Articles

Tailored Bisacylphosphane Oxides for Precise Induction of Oxidative Stress-Mediated Cell Death in Biological Systems.

Precise cell elimination within intricate cellular populations is hampered by issues arising from the multifaceted biological properties of cells and the expansive reactivity of chemical agents. Current chemical platforms are often limited by their complexity, toxicity, and poor physical/chemical properties. Here, we report on the synthesis of a structurally versatile library of chemically tunable bisacylphosphane oxides (BAPOs), which harnesses the spatiotemporal precision of light delivery, thereby establishing a universal strategy for on-demand, precise cellular ablation in vitro and in vivo.

Microfluidics-based stable production of monodisperse giant unilamellar vesicles by oil-phase removal from double emulsion

Giant liposomes, or giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), have been utilized as cell-size bioreactors to replicate the physical and chemical properties of biological cells. However, conventional methods for preparing GUVs typically lack precise control over their size. Several research groups have recently developed microfluidic techniques to create monodisperse GUVs by generating water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) droplets with a thin oil layer that subsequently transform into GUVs. However, the formation of a thin oil shell requires the intricate control of the flow rate, which can be both challenging and unstable. In this study, we investigated the design of a two-step flow-focusing microfluidic channel to produce stable W/O/W droplets. These droplets underwent substantial oil layer reduction through spontaneous removal by fluidic shear forces. Consequently, the majority of the oil layer in the W/O/W droplets was reduced, improving uniformity of GUVs.

Characterizing human KIF1Bβ motor activity by single-molecule motility assays and Caenorhabditis elegans genetics.

The axonal transport of synaptic vesicle precursors relies on KIF1A and UNC-104 ortholog motors. In mammals, KIF1Bβ is also responsible for the axonal transport of synaptic vesicle precursors. Mutations in KIF1A and KIF1Bβ lead to a wide range of neuropathies. Although previous studies have revealed the biochemical, biophysical and cell biological properties of KIF1A, and its defects in neurological disorders, the fundamental properties of KIF1Bβ remain elusive. In this study, we determined the motile parameters of KIF1Bβ through single-molecule motility assays. We found that the C-terminal region of KIF1Bβ has an inhibitory role in motor activity. AlphaFold2 prediction suggests that the C-terminal region blocks the motor domain. Additionally, we established simple methods for testing the axonal transport activity of human KIF1Bβ using Caenorhabditis elegans genetics. Taking advantage of these methods, we demonstrated that these assays enable the detection of reduced KIF1Bβ activities, both in vitro and in vivo, caused by a Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease-associated Q98L mutation.

Mechanical, Biological and In Vitro Degradation Investigation of Braided Scaffolds for Tendon and Ligament Tissue Engineering Based on Different Polycaprolactone Materials with Chitosan-Graft-PCL Surface Modification.

Injuries to tendons and ligaments are highly prevalent in the musculoskeletal system. Current treatments involve autologous transplants with limited availability and donor site morbidity. Tissue engineering offers a new approach through temporary load-bearing scaffolds. These scaffolds have to fulfill numerous requirements, the majority of which can be met using braiding combined with high-strength polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers. Considering regulatory requirements, several medical-grade PCL materials were assessed regarding their mechanical, degradational and cell biological properties. In the course of the investigation, an excellent fiber tensile strength of up to 850 MPa was achieved. The fibers were braided into multilayer scaffolds and scaled to match the human ACL. These were characterized regarding their morphology and their mechanical and degradational properties. Two strategies were followed to provide biological cues: (a) applying a chitosan-graft-PCL surface modification and (b) using non-circular fiber morphologies as topographical stimuli. Cell vitality assays showed generally positive cytocompatibility and no impairments due to the surface modification or material grade. The best cell vitality was achieved with a scaffold consisting of snowflake-shaped monofilaments combined with a 25° braiding angle. The surface modification equips the scaffold with a release platform for function molecules (as recently demonstrated) so that a holistic approach to addressing the numerous requirements is provided.

Advances and Prospects in Liquid Biopsy Techniques for Malignant Tumor Diagnosis and Surveillance.

Liquid biopsy technology provides invaluable support for the early diagnosis of tumors and surveillance of disease course by detecting tumor-related biomarkers in bodily fluids. Currently, liquid biopsy techniques are mainly divided into two categories: biomarker and label-free. Biomarker liquid biopsy techniques utilize specific antibodies or probes to identify and isolate target cells, exosomes, or molecules, and these techniques are widely used in clinical practice. However, they have certain limitations including dependence on tumor markers, alterations in cell biological properties, and high cost. In contrast, label-free liquid biopsy techniques directly utilize physical or chemical properties of cells, exosomes, or molecules for detection and isolation. These techniques have the advantage of not needing labeling, not impacting downstream analysis, and low detection cost. However, most are still in the research stage and not yet mature. This review first discusses recent advances in liquid biopsy techniques for early tumor diagnosis and disease surveillance. Several current techniques are described in detail. These techniques exploit differences in biomarkers, size, density, deformability, electrical properties, and chemical composition in tumor components to achieve highly sensitive tumor component identification and separation. Finally, the current research progress is summarized and the future research directions of the field are discussed.

Model of micro-metastases of breast cancer cells in ovarian tissue: Cryopreservation of ZR-75-1 and MDA-MB-231 cells with increased speed of warming increases malignancy

In medicine, ovarian tissue cryopreservation exists for fertility preservation of cancer patients. In fact, ovarian tissue frozen for subsequent thawing and re-transplantation can be contaminated with cancer cells. Therefore, investigations on the effect of cryopreservation on the post-thawed viability of such cells are relevant. Speed of warming is a key parameter of cell cryopreservation. However, the data about comparative viability of cancer cells cryopreserved with different parameters of warming are limited. The aim of our investigations was to assess the malignancy of cryopreserved cancer cells after conventional cooling followed by relatively slow and quick speed of warming. In vitro cultured breast cancer cells of lines ZR-75-1 and MD0MD-231 in form of compacted fragments (as a model of solid tumors) were frozen following a protocol usually used for freezing of ovarian tissue (6 % ethylene glycol+6 % glycerol+0.15 M sucrose, −0.3 °C/min). Cells were warmed by two routine regimes of warming: at 37 °C (“slow” warming) and 100 °C (“quick” warming). Biological properties of cells were investigated: viability, proliferation rate, 2D- and 3D-migration, transmembrane movement and invasion. Quick warming at 100 °C in comparison with slow warming at 37 °C exhibited significantly higher cell survival for MDA-MB-231 cells: 70.1 % vs. 63.2 % and for ZR-75-1 86.8 % vs. 82.9 %, respectively. The cell motility including 2D movement and 3D transmembrane migration were higher after quick thawing at 100 °C. Invasive abilities of cells after cryopreservation were higher than that of fresh (non-treated cells). Both thawing regimes showed a similar rate of cell proliferation. Cryopreservation procedures, and especially this one with quick thawing, increase malignancy of ZR-75-1 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and risk of metastasis.

Man vs. machine: Automated bioink mixing device improves reliability and reproducibility of bioprinting results compared to human operators

The bioink mixing process is highly relevant to the bioink quality, which is the basis for reproducible extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting (EBB). Currently, most bioinks mixed by skilled human operators show variations in terms of cell homogeneity and biological properties as well as other properties. For preparation of many types of bioinks, striking the balance between homogeneity and cell viability remains a major challenge. This study investigates the relationship between bioink homogeneity and mixing parameters, particularly mixing speed and number of exchanges, utilizing a customized automated device. We found that up to a certain point, increasing the rate of mixing led to a better distribution of cells within the bioink, but beyond that point, there was a detrimental effect on cell viability. In contrast, the mixing number had less impact on the physiological properties of the cells in the bioink. Furthermore, a comparison between skilled human and machine bioink mixing revealed that the machine consistently provided better outcomes in terms of bioink homogeneity, cell distribution, and cell viability, highlighting the advantages and importance of standardizing the bioink mixing process. The methodology and approaches in this study can improve the reproducibility and reliability of EBB bioink and may thereby advance the field of 3D bioprinting in various applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with single cell manipulation by microfluidic dielectrophoresis.

When exposed to an alternating current (AC) electric field, a polarized microparticle is moved by the interaction between the voltage-induced dipoles and the AC electric field under dielectrophoresis (DEP). The DEP force is widely used for manipulation of microparticles in diverse practical applications such as 3D manipulation, sorting, transfer, and separation of various particles such as living cells. In this study, we propose the integration of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), an extremely sensitive and versatile technique based on the Raman scattering of molecules supported by nanostructured materials, with DEP using a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device combines microelectrodes with gold nanohole arrays to characterize the electrophysiological and biochemical properties of biological cells. The movement of particles, which varies depending on the electrical properties such as conductivity and permittivity of particles, can be manipulated by the cross-frequency change. For proof of concept, Raman spectroscopy using the DEP-SERS integration was performed for polystyrene beads and biological cells and resulted in an improved signal-to-noise ratio by determining the direction of the DEP force applied to the cells with respect to the applied AC power and collecting them on the nanohole arrays. The result illustrates the potential of the concept for simultaneously examining the electrical and biochemical properties of diverse chemical and biological microparticles in the microfluidic environment.

Fabrication and evaluation of some characteristics of the skin's dermis gel direction to application in regenerative medicine

Objective:The tight connection between the cell-extracellular matrix (ECM - Extracellular matrix) is the foundation of tissue development and repair. The extracellular framework simulates the biological properties of organism-based ECM. The ECM of the skin’s dermis is a natural material, containing ingredients ideal for creating products that help tissue heal. This study focuses on the production of gel products from human skin ECM. The skin ECM is gelled by dissolving in a pepsin enzyme solution.Method: 3D gel formation process using neutral enzyme solution and incubation under physiological conditions. Gel samples were evaluated for speed and formability. Additionally, the dermal gel preparation was evaluated for its effects on the survival and proliferation of human fibroblasts in vitro by toxicity testing and proliferation testing, for 10 days. Results: Direct and extract toxicity assessments showed that the ECM gel regimen was safe for fibroblast survival. At the same time, fibroblasts had proliferation properties after 10 days in culture conditions with gel extract.Conclusion: These results showed that the ECM gel product regimen has the ability to positively impact the biological properties of cells and has the potential for application in the field of regenerative medicine.

Discriminative and prognostic significance of LINC00623 for lung adenocarcinoma.

This study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic values of LINC00623 in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), as well as the promoting role in LUAD progression. LINC00623 levels were identified by RT-qPCR. Using ROC curve analysis, the discrimination value of LINC00623 for LUAD from lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and the health was assessed. Recurrence-free and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate survival analysis. Cell biological properties were analyzed by growth curves, transwell migration, and invasion assays. The downstream miRNA and genes were retrieved and annotated by online databases. LINC00623 was significantly upregulated in the LUAD tissues and cell lines compared to LUSC tissues and the noncancerous tissues. LINC00623 showed a discriminating power for predicting LUAD. LUAD patients with a high level of LINC00623 tend to have poor overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Downregulation of LINC00623 reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells. MiR-1207-5p was a target of LINC00623 and its target genes were related to PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The subtypes, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival of patients with LUAD might be well discriminated by LINC00623 levels. LINC00623 promoted LUAD progression through sponging miR-1207-5p.

Machine-learning based integrating bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the SLC38A5-CCL5 signaling as a promising target for clear cell renal cell carcinoma treatment

Cancer-associated fibroblasts paly critical roles in regulating cancer cell biological properties by intricate and dynamic communication networks. But the mechanism of CAFs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is not clear. In our study, we identified CAFs and malignant cells from the integrated scRNA-seq datasets and establish a CAF-derived communication signature based on the highly activated regulons ETS1 and MEF2C. We stratified the ccRCC TME into two molecular subtypes with distinct prognoses, immune cell infiltration landscapes, and immune-related characteristics. The model derived from signature demonstrated high accuracy and robustness in predicting prognosis and ICIs therapy responses. Subsequently, the SLC38A5 of the model was found upregulated in CAFs and was related to decreased survival probabilities, inflamed TME, and upregulated inhibitory checkpoints. SLC38A5 inhibition could attenuate the pro-tumoral abilities of CAFs in terms of proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanically, CCL5 could restore these properties induced by SLC38A5 inhibition. In conclusion, our communication signature and its derived model enabled a more precise selection of ccRCC patients who were potential beneficiaries of ICIs. Besides, the SLC38A5-CCL5 axis may serve as a promising target for ccRCC treatment.

Endogenous Galectin-1 Modulates Cell Biological Properties of Immortalized Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Vitro.

In the eye, an increase in galectin-1 is associated with various chorioretinal diseases, in which retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells play a crucial role in disease development and progression. Since little is known about the function of endogenous galectin-1 in these cells, we developed a galectin-1-deficient immortalized RPE cell line (ARPE-19-LGALS1-/-) using a sgRNA/Cas9 all-in-one expression vector and investigated its cell biological properties. Galectin-1 deficiency was confirmed by Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Cell viability and proliferation were significantly decreased in ARPE-19-LGALS1-/- cells when compared to wild-type controls. Further on, an increased attachment of galectin-1-deficient RPE cells was observed by cell adhesion assay when compared to control cells. The diminished viability and proliferation, as well as the enhanced adhesion of galectin-1-deficient ARPE-19 cells, could be blocked, at least in part, by the additional treatment with human recombinant galectin-1. In addition, a significantly reduced migration was detected in ARPE-19-LGALS1-/- cells. In comparison to control cells, galectin-1-deficient RPE cells had enhanced expression of sm-α-actin and N-cadherin, whereas expression of E-cadherin showed no significant alteration. Finally, a compensatory expression of galectin-8 mRNA was observed in ARPE-19-LGALS1-/- cells. In conclusion, in RPE cells, endogenous galectin-1 has crucial functions for various cell biological processes, including viability, proliferation, migration, adherence, and retaining the epithelial phenotype.

Uniaxial Cyclic Cell Stretching Device for Accelerating Cellular Studies.

Cellular response to mechanical stimuli is a crucial factor for maintaining cell homeostasis. The interaction between the extracellular matrix and mechanical stress plays a significant role in organizing the cytoskeleton and aligning cells. Tools that apply mechanical forces to cells and tissues, as well as those capable of measuring the mechanical properties of biological cells, have greatly contributed to our understanding of fundamental mechanobiology. These tools have been extensively employed to unveil the substantial influence of mechanical cues on the development and progression of various diseases. In this report, we present an economical and high-performance uniaxial cell stretching device. This paper reports the detailed operation concept of the device, experimental design, and characterization. The device was tested with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The experimental results agree well with previously documented morphological changes resulting from stretching forces on cancer cells. Remarkably, our new device demonstrates comparable cellular changes within 30 min compared with the previous 2 h stretching duration. This third-generation device significantly improved the stretching capabilities compared with its previous counterparts, resulting in a remarkable reduction in stretching time and a substantial increase in overall efficiency. Moreover, the device design incorporates an open-source software interface, facilitating convenient parameter adjustments such as strain, stretching speed, frequency, and duration. Its versatility enables seamless integration with various optical microscopes, thereby yielding novel insights into the realm of mechanobiology.

Transcriptional control of embryonic and adult neural progenitor activity.

Neural precursors generate neurons in the embryonic brain and in restricted niches of the adult brain in a process called neurogenesis. The precise control of cell proliferation and differentiation in time and space required for neurogenesis depends on sophisticated orchestration of gene transcription in neural precursor cells. Much progress has been made in understanding the transcriptional regulation of neurogenesis, which relies on dose- and context-dependent expression of specific transcription factors that regulate the maintenance and proliferation of neural progenitors, followed by their differentiation into lineage-specified cells. Here, we review some of the most widely studied neurogenic transcription factors in the embryonic cortex and neurogenic niches in the adult brain. We compare functions of these transcription factors in embryonic and adult neurogenesis, highlighting biochemical, developmental, and cell biological properties. Our goal is to present an overview of transcriptional regulation underlying neurogenesis in the developing cerebral cortex and in the adult brain.

Recapitulating the Drifting and Fusion of Two-Generation Spheroids on Concave Agarose Microwells.

Cells with various structures and proteins naturally come together to cooperate in vivo. This study used cell spheroids cultured in agarose micro-wells as a 3D model to study the movement of cells or spheroids toward other spheroids. The formation dynamics of tumor spheroids and the interactions of two batches of cells in the agarose micro-wells were studied. The results showed that a concave bottom micro-well (diameter: 2 mm, depth: 2 mm) prepared from 3% agarose could be used to study the interaction of two batches of cells. The initial tumor cell numbers from 5 × 103 cells/well to 6 × 104 cells/well all could form 3D spheroids after 3 days of incubation. Adding the second batch of DU 145 cells to the existing DU 145 spheroid resulted in the formation of satellite cell spheroids around the existing parental tumor spheroid. Complete fusion of two generation cell spheroids was observed when the parental spheroids were formed from 1 × 104 and 2 × 104 cells, and the second batch of cells was 5 × 103 per well. A higher amount of the second batch of cells (1 × 104 cell/well) led to the formation of independent satellite spheroids after 48 h of co-culture, suggesting the behavior of the second batch of cells towards existing parental spheroids depended on various factors, such as the volume of the parental spheroids and the number of the second batch cells. The interactions between the tumor spheroids and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) were modeled on concave agarose micro-wells. The HUVECs (3 × 103 cell/well) were observed to gather around the parental tumor spheroids formed from 1 × 104, 2 × 104, and 3 × 104 cells per well rather than aggregate on their own to form HUVEC spheroids. This study highlights the importance of analyzing the biological properties of cells before designing experimental procedures for the sequential fusion of cell spheroids. The study further emphasizes the significant roles that cell density and the volume of the spheroids play in determining the location and movement of cells.

Mechanism of action and side effects of colchicine based on biomechanical properties of cells.

Many diseases are related to changes in the biomechanical properties of cells; their study can provide a theoretical basis for drug screening and can explain the internal working of living cells. In this study, the biomechanical properties of nephrocytes (VERO cells), hepatocytes (HL-7702 cells), and hepatoma cells (SMCC-7721 cells) in culture were detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze the side effects of colchicine at different concentrations (0.1 μg/mL (A) and 0.2 μg/mL (B)) at the nanoscale for 2, 4, and 6 h. Compared with the corresponding control cells, the damage to the treated cells increased in a dose-dependent manner. Among normal cells, the injury of nephrocytes (VERO cells) was markedly worse than that of hepatocytes (HL-7702 cells) in both colchicine solutions A and B. Based on the analyses of biomechanical properties, the colchicine solution reduced the rate of division and inhibited metastasis of SMCC-7721 cells. By comparing these two concentrations, we found that the anticancer effect of colchicine solution A was greater than that of solution B. Studying the mechanical properties of biological cells can help understand the mechanism of drug action at the molecular level and provide a theoretical basis for preventing the emergence and diagnosis of diseases at the nanoscale. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Microparticles with tunable, cell-like properties for quantitative acoustic mechanophenotyping

Mechanical properties of biological cells have been shown to correlate with their biomolecular state and function, and therefore methods to measure these properties at scale are of interest. Emerging microfluidic technologies can measure the mechanical properties of cells at rates over 20,000 cells/s, which is more than four orders of magnitude faster than conventional instrumentation. However, precise and repeatable means to calibrate and test these new tools remain lacking, since cells themselves are by nature variable. Commonly, microfluidic tools use rigid polymer microspheres for calibration because they are widely available in cell-similar sizes, but conventional microspheres do not fully capture the physiological range of other mechanical properties that are equally important to device function (e.g., elastic modulus and density). Here, we present for the first time development of monodisperse polyacrylamide microparticles with both tunable elasticity and tunable density. Using these size, elasticity, and density tunable particles, we characterized a custom acoustic microfluidic device that makes single-cell measurements of mechanical properties. We then applied the approach to measure the distribution of the acoustic properties within samples of human leukocytes and showed that the system successfully discriminates lymphocytes from other leukocytes. This initial demonstration shows how the tunable microparticles with properties within the physiologically relevant range can be used in conjunction with microfluidic devices for efficient high-throughput measurements of mechanical properties at single-cell resolution.

Role of histone deacetylase 9 in human periodontal ligament stem cells autophagy in a tumour necrosis factor α-induced inflammatory environment

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play important roles in the post-translational modification of histones, which can affect the biological properties of cells, thereby altering disease progression and outcomes. However, it remains unclear how HDAC9, a class II HDAC, affects the autophagy of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs). We aimed to identify its role in autophagy in hPDLSCs in an inflammatory environment and to explore the potential regulatory mechanisms. A rat periodontitis model was induced by ligating the molars with silk thread. Expression of autophagy-related genes and TNF-α was elevated in this model. TNF-α was used to stimulate hPDLSCs to establish an inflammatory environment. In the TNF-α-stimulated hPDLSCs, the expression of ATG7, ATG12, Beclin-1, LC3 and HDAC9 was upregulated, and that of p62 was downregulated. When HDAC9 expression was inhibited, autophagy-related genes expression was downregulated, and p62 expression was upregulated in TNF-α-treated hPDLSCs, indicating that autophagy was inhibited under these conditions. ERK pathway inhibition significantly reduced HDAC9-mediated autophagy in TNF-α-treated hPDLSCs. These findings reveal that autophagy occurred in our rat periodontitis model and that HDAC9 regulated autophagy via ERK pathways in hPDLSCs in the inflammatory environment. HDAC9 is therefore a potential target for the treatment of periodontitis.

Biologically Assisted Construction of Advanced Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion

AbstractBio‐organisms with various architectures and versatile physiological functions provide a substantial bibliography for electrode design. To elucidate how bio‐organisms and bio‐schemes take effect in advanced electrode materials, this review sorts bio‐assisted construction into two categories, namely, biotemplating synthesis and biomimetic artificial fabrication. The former section summarizes unique characteristics of different biotemplates for electrode preparation, including “bottom‐up” structural designability of biomolecules, metabolism involving, and genetic alterable properties of biological cells, as well as, the structural regularity and integrity of bio‐tissues, with the aim to provide guidelines for manipulating bioarchitectures and endow biotemplating synthesis of electrodes with more designability. The later describes recent efforts in using bio‐prototypes to enhance the essential properties associated with advanced electrodes, including mechanical properties, wettability, mass transport, electron/charge transfer, and catalytic activity, with intensive concerns on the function principles of biomimetic designs in electrochemical systems. Then, advances in applications of bioderived and biomimetic electrode materials are summarized emphasizing how bio‐structures/components and bionic designs help to enhance the charging/discharging and electrocatalytic performance in specific electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. Finally, future trends with prospects and challenges for developing new bioderived/biomimetic electrode materials, as well as, related conceptual innovation on bionics, are discussed in the last section.

Highly-expressed circ_0129657 inhibits proliferation as well as promotes apoptosis and inflammation in HBMECs after oxygen-glucose deprivation via miR-194-5p/GMFB axis

Stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease that is now the most important cause of death due to brain problems in our country. CircRNAs are RNA circles that have been extensively involved in the disease. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of circ_0129657 in the pathogenesis of stroke. In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot assays were used to assess the expression of circ_0129657, miR-194-5p, and glia maturation factor beta (GMFB). Cell viability was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. 5-Ethynyl-2′-Deoxyuridine (EdU) assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter, RNA pull-down, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were used to assess the relationship between miR-194-5p and circ_0129657 or GMFB. Mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was applied to mimic the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our data showed that the levels of circ_0129657 and GMFB were significantly increased and the expression of miR-194-5p was significantly decreased in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). Silencing circ_0129657 expression in OGD-induced HBMECs could promote cell viability and cell proliferation. Moreover, circ_0129657 depletion also could inhibit apoptosis and inflammatory factor secretion. Circ_0129657 functioned as a sponge for miR-194-5p and could regulate GMFB expression via miR-194-5p competition. Furthermore, miR-194-5p downregulation or GMFB restoration could partially reverse the effects of circ_0129657 silencing on cell biological properties in OGD-induced HBMECs. Meanwhile, circ_0129657 knockdown decreased cerebral infarction volume and neurological impairment in MCAO mouse models. In conclusion, our findings suggest that circ_0129657 can inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis and inflammatory factor secretion in HBMECs after oxygen-glucose deprivation via miR-194-5p/GMFB axis, providing evidence that circ_0129657 has the potential as a useful biological molecular marker in the diagnosis of stroke.