Schisandrin B ameliorates non-alcoholic liver disease through anti-inflammation activation in diabetic mice

Modified ZIF-8 Nanoparticles for Targeted Metabolic Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury

The activation of proinflammatory M1-type macrophages in the injured lesion accelerates the progression of a spinal cord injury (SCI). However, adverse side effects during systemic treatments targeting M1 macrophages have limited their applications. Nanoplatforms are novel carriers of traditional Chinese medicine because of their great efficiency to deliver and accumulation in the lesion. Herein, we synthesized a modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoplatform for internalization and accumulation in the injured spinal cord and effective administration for SCI. In vitro and in vivo experiments suggested that Prussian blue and Schisandrin B modified ZIF-8 effectively accumulated in M1 macrophages, inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS), and polarized the macrophage from proinflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 for rapid tissue infiltration by reprogramming the metabolic macrophages phenotype. This nanoplatform achieves a synergistic therapeutic effect of immunomodulation and neuroprotection, thereby shedding new light on the application of ZIF-8, and provides great potential for SCI.

The implications of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases

Fatty acid metabolism, particularly fatty acid synthesis, is a very important cellular physiological process in which nutrients are used for energy storage and biofilm synthesis. As a key enzyme in the fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid synthase (FASN) is receiving increasing attention. Although previous studies on FASN have mainly focused on various malignancies, many studies have recently reported that FASN regulates the survival, differentiation, and function of various immune cells, and subsequently participates in the occurrence and development of immune-related diseases. However, few studies to date systematically summarized the function and molecular mechanisms of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases. In this review, we discuss the regulatory effect of FASN on immune cells, and the progress in research on the implications of FASN in immune-related diseases. Understanding the function of FASN in immune cell biology and related diseases can offer insights into novel treatment strategies for clinical diseases.

Network pharmacology-based analysis of Resinacein S against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by modulating lipid metabolism

Background

Ganoderma lucidum is reportedly the best source of traditional natural bioactive constituents. Ganoderma triterpenoids (GTs) have been verified as an alternative adjuvant for treating leukemia, cancer, hepatitis and diabetes. One of the major triterpenoids, Resinacein S, has been found to regulate lipid metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that has become a major public health problem. Given the regulatory effects on lipid metabolism of Resinacein S, we sought to explore potential protective effects against NAFLD.

Methods

Resinacein S was extracted and isolated from G. lucidum. And mice were fed with high fat diet with or without Resinacein S to detect hepatic steatosis. According to Network Pharmacology and RNA-seq, we analyzed the hub genes of Resinacein S against NAFLD disease.

Results

Our results can be summarized as follows: (1) The structure of Resinacein S was elucidated using NMR and MS methods. (2) Resinacein S treatment could significantly attenuate high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and hepatic lipid accumulation in mouse. (3) GO terms, KEGG pathways and the PPI network of Resinacein S induced Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) demonstrated the key target genes of Resinacein S against NAFLD. (4) The hub proteins in PPI network analysis could be used for NAFLD diagnosis and treatment as drug targets.

Conclusion

Resinacein S can significantly change the lipid metabolism in liver cells and yield a protective effect against steatosis and liver injury. Intersected proteins between NAFLD related genes and Resinacein S-induced DEGs, especially the hub protein in PPI network analysis, can be used to characterize targets of Resinacein S against NAFLD.

MicroRNAs in kidney injury and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by degrading or repressing the translation of their target messenger RNAs. As miRNAs are critical regulators of cellular homeostasis, their dysregulation is a crucial component of cell and organ injury. A substantial body of evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease and allograft damage. Different subsets of miRNAs are dysregulated during AKI, chronic kidney disease and allograft rejection, which could reflect differences in the physiopathology of these conditions. miRNAs that have been investigated in AKI include miR-21, which has an anti-apoptotic role, and miR-214 and miR-668, which regulate mitochondrial dynamics. Various miRNAs are downregulated in diabetic kidney disease, including the miR-30 family and miR-146a, which protect against inflammation and fibrosis. Other miRNAs such as miR-193 and miR-92a induce podocyte dedifferentiation in glomerulonephritis. In transplantation, miRNAs have been implicated in allograft rejection and injury. Further work is needed to identify and validate miRNAs as biomarkers of graft function and of kidney disease development and progression. Use of combinations of miRNAs together with other molecular markers could potentially improve diagnostic or predictive power and facilitate clinical translation. In addition, targeting specific miRNAs at different stages of disease could be a promising therapeutic strategy.