{
  "abstract": "Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Dioscin in an age-related macular degeneration (AMD) -like model and to explore its potential therapeutic mechanisms. Methods: The therapeutic potential of Dioscin for AMD was investigated using D-galactose-induced senescence models in ARPE-19 cells (an in vitro preliminary screening model) and C57BL/6J mice using RT-qPCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and SA-β-gal staining. Bioinformatic analysis and molecular docking identified TGF-β2 as a computationally predicted potential target of Dioscin in AMD. Key mechanisms involving TGF-β2 and the PI3K/Akt/β-catenin signaling pathway were assessed in vitro using RT-qPCR, western blotting. Results: In D-galactose-induced senescence models, Dioscin significantly alleviated RPE senescence and EMT. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that TGF-β2 is highly expressed in choroidal vascular endothelial cells of AMD patients. Mechanistically, computational predictions (molecular docking and dynamics simulations) identified TGF-β2 as a computationally predicted potential target of Dioscin, and experimental data showed that Dioscin suppressed D-galactose-induced activation of the TGF-β2/PI3K/Akt/β-catenin pathway in RPE cells, suggesting a potential paracrine regulatory mechanism. Conclusion: Dioscin alleviates RPE senescence and EMT through suppression of the TGF-β2/PI3K/Akt/β-catenin pathway. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals that TGF-β2 is specifically upregulated in choroidal vascular endothelial cells in AMD, suggesting a paracrine mechanism linking vascular pathology to RPE dysfunction. These findings suggest that Dioscin may have potential value in mitigating RPE senescence and EMT in an AMD‑like model, although further validation in more clinically relevant AMD models is required.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China",
    "Engineering Research Center for Antibodies from Experimental Animals of Hunan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Qi Ouyang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Huiqin Zhou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chenhao Ji"
    },
    {
      "name": "Hong Jiang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Linhui Zhao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yiwei Pan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shuanglin Xiang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiang Hu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6xzjzt2zcxjs.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359423",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "b6xzjzt2zcxjs",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359423",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2731|Retinal Diseases and Treatments"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Biological tissue/Epithelium/Epithelial cells/Endothelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Cytoskeletal proteins/Vimentin"
    ],
    [
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Epithelial cells/Endothelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Computational biology/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis"
    ],
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Organism development/Aging/Senescence"
    ],
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Genome analysis/Transcriptome analysis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Aging/Senescence"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Biological tissue/Epithelium/Epithelial cells/Endothelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Geriatrics/Geriatric ophthalmology/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Eye diseases/Retinal disorders/Macular disorders/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Eye diseases/Retinal disorders/Retinal degeneration/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Ophthalmology/Eye diseases/Retinal disorders/Macular disorders/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Ophthalmology/Eye diseases/Retinal disorders/Retinal degeneration/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Ophthalmology/Geriatric ophthalmology/Macular degeneration"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Pathogenesis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Computational chemistry/Molecular docking"
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  "openalex": "W7214587770",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0359423&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-28",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6xzjzt2zcxjs.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:37Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0359423",
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      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359423"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Dioscin attenuates D‑galactose‑induced retinal pigment epithelium senescence and epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the TGF‑β2/PI3K/Akt/β‑catenin pathway",
  "title_text": "Dioscin attenuates D‑galactose‑induced retinal pigment epithelium senescence and epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the TGF‑β2/PI3K/Akt/β‑catenin pathway",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:37Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b6xzjzt2zcxjs",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}