Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Mediate Adventitial Fibroblast Activation and Neointima Formation via GATA4/Cyclin D1 Axis

Avellanin A Has an Antiproliferative Effect on TP-Induced RWPE-1 Cells via the PI3K-Akt Signalling Pathway

Cyclic pentapeptide compounds have garnered much attention as a drug discovery resource. This study focused on the characterization and anti-benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) properties of avellanin A from Aspergillus fumigatus fungus in marine sediment samples collected in the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi Province in China. The antiproliferative effect and molecular mechanism of avellanin A were explored in testosterone propionate (TP)-induced RWPE-1 cells. The transcriptome results showed that avellanin A significantly blocked the ECM-receptor interaction and suppressed the downstream PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. Molecular docking revealed that avellanin A has a good affinity for the cathepsin L protein, which is involved in the terminal degradation of extracellular matrix components. Subsequently, qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of the genes COL1A1, COL1A2, COL5A2, COL6A3, MMP2, MMP9, ITGA2, and ITGB3 was significantly downregulated after avellanin A intervention. The Western blot results also confirmed that it not only reduced ITGB3 and FAK/p-FAK protein expression but also inhibited PI3K/p-PI3K and Akt/p-Akt protein expression in the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. Furthermore, avellanin A downregulated Cyclin D1 protein expression and upregulated Bax, p21WAF1/Cip1, and p53 proapoptotic protein expression in TP-induced RWPE-1 cells, leading to cell cycle arrest and inhibition of cell proliferation. The results of this study support the use of avellanin A as a potential new drug for the treatment of BPH.

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce vascular stenosis via regulation of the PIWI-interacting RNA expression profile

Nanoplastics (NPs) have become common worldwide and attracted increasing attention due to their serious toxic effects. Owing to their higher surface area and volume ratios and ability to easily enter tissues, NPs impose more serious toxic effects than microplastics. However, the effect of NP exposure on vascular stenosis remains unclear. To measure the effects of polystyrene NP (PS-NP) exposure on vascular toxicity, we conducted analyses of blood biochemical parameters, pathological histology, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics. Red fluorescent PS-NPs (100 nm) were effectively uptake by mouse vascular arterial tissue. The uptake of PS-NPs resulted in vascular toxicity, including alterations in lipid metabolism and thickening of the arterial wall. Based on PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) sequencing, 1547 and 132 differentially expressed piRNAs (DEpiRNAs) were detected in the PS-NP treatment group after 180 and 30 days, including 787 and 86 upregulated and 760 and 46 downregulated compared with the control group, respectively. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses indicated that the target genes of DEpiRNAs were mostly involved in cell growth and cell motility-related signaling, such as the MAPK signaling pathway. This is the first study to highlight the alteration in piRNA levels in mouse vascular arterial tissue after PS-NP exposure. This study adds to the knowledge regarding the regulatory mechanism of pathological changes induced by PS-NP exposure.