Integrative Analysis of MicroRNAs and mRNAs in LPS-Induced Macrophage Inflammation Based on Adipose Tissue Stem Cell Therapy

The effects of exercise on microRNA expression profiling in adipose tissue macrophages of mice

Background

Exercise is recognized for its broad health benefits, influencing various physiological processes, including the behavior of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs). While existing studies mainly associate ATM activity with obesity and metabolic syndrome, our study explores the impact of aerobic exercise on ATM microRNA expression profiling in a non-obese context, highlighting its general health-promoting mechanisms.

Methods

Sixty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either a sedentary (S) or an exercise (E) group. The S group remained inactive, while the E group underwent a one-week treadmill adaptation, followed by an 8-week aerobic treadmill exercise protocol (60 min/day, 5 days/week, at 65%-75% VO2max). Post-training, glucose tolerance and the serum lipid levels were measured in mice subjected to both exercise and non-exercise conditions. ATMs harvested from visceral adipose tissues were analyzed and sorted using flow cytometer. To further investigate the effects of exercise in ATMs at the molecular level, miRNA microarray analysis was performed, followed by bioinformatic analysis.

Results

The 8-week regimen of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise ameliorated glucolipid metabolism and fostered a dynamic shift toward an M2 macrophage phenotype in the adipose tissue, independent of obesity. A total of 62 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in ATMs of mice post-exercise. Notably, six miRNAs (miR-212-5p, miR-511-5p, miR-7b-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-1894-3p, and miR-31-5p) as well as their target gene were consistently altered and associated with macrophage polarization and metabolic regulation.

Conclusion

Our findings broaden the understanding of how exercise regulates ATM functions through significant changes in microRNA profiles, emphasizing its potential to enhance health and prevent chronic conditions. This study supports the application of aerobic exercise for its preventive effects on chronic diseases and underscores the importance of microRNA profiling in understanding the immune-modulatory impacts of exercise.

Long- and very long-chain ceramides are predictors of acute kidney injury in patients with acute coronary syndrome: the PEACP study

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) can be caused by multiple factors/events, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Ceramides are involved in atherosclerosis progression, cardiovascular events, and renal damage. Almost no studies have been conducted on the relationship between ceramide concentrations and AKI events. Therefore, we evaluated the association between plasma ceramide level at admission and AKI in patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

METHODS

We enrolled 842 ACS patients from the Prospective Multicenter Study for Early Evaluation of Acute Chest Pain. AKI was defined using the criteria from the 2012 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes. Eleven C16-C26 ceramides were measured using the high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced to tandem mass spectrometer procedure. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate relationships between ceramides and AKI risk. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) was used to evaluate differences between ceramides.

RESULTS

Overall, 139 (16.5%) patients developed AKI during hospitalisation. Patients who developed AKI had higher levels of Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), Cer(d18:1/20:0), Cer(d18:1/21:0), Cer(d18:1/24:1), and Cer(d18:1/24:2) than patients who did not (P < 0.05). In risk-factor adjusted logistic regression models, these ceramides were independently associated with AKI risk (P < 0.05). Cer(d18:1/24:2) had the highest odds ratio of 3.503 (Q4 vs. Q1, 95% confidence interval: 1.743-7.040, P < 0.001). Ceramides had AUCs of 0.581-0.661 (P < 0.001) for AKI. Each ceramide combined with the Mehran risk score (AUC: 0.780) had AUCs of 0.802-0.808, greater than the Mehran risk score alone.

CONCLUSION

Long-chain and very-long-chain ceramide levels may help determine the high AKI risk beyond traditional assessments.

The Key Genes Underlying Pathophysiology Association between Plaque Instability and Progression of Myocardial Infarction

Young patients with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction (MI) have higher long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. In addition, the observed increased, mildly abnormal baseline lipid levels, but not lipid variability, are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events, particularly MI. This study investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which might be potential targets for young patients with MI and a high-fat diet (HFD). GSE114695 and GSE69187 were downloaded and processed using the limma package. A Venn diagram was applied to identify the same DEGs, and further pathway analysis was performed using Metascape. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was then applied, and the hub genes were screened out. Pivotal miRNAs were predicted and validated using the miRNA dataset in GSE114695. To investigate the cardiac function of the screened genes, an MI mouse model, echocardiogram, and ELISA of hub genes were applied, and a correlation analysis was also performed. From aged mice fed HFD, 138 DEGs were extracted. From aged mice fed with chow, 227 DEGs were extracted. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs in aging mice fed HFD were enriched in lipid transport and lipid biosynthetic process 1 d after MI and in the MAPK signaling pathway at 1 w after MI, suggesting that HFD has less effect on aging with MI. A total of 148 DEGs were extracted from the intersection between plaques fed with HFD and chow in young mice and MI_1d, respectively, which demonstrated increased inflammatory and adaptive immune responses, in addition to myeloid leukocyte activation. A total of 183 DEGs were screened out between plaques fed with HFD vs. chow in young mice and MI_1w, respectively, which were mainly enriched in inflammatory response, cytokine production, and myeloid leukocyte activation. After validation, PAK3, CD44, CD5, SOCS3, VAV1, and PIK3CD were demonstrated to be negatively correlated with LVEF; however, P2RY1 was demonstrated to be positively correlated. This study demonstrated that the screened hub genes may be therapeutic targets for treating STEMI patients and preventing MI recurrence, especially in young MI patients with HFD or diabetes.

Rotten to the Cortex: Ceramide-Mediated Lipotoxicity in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent and progressive comorbidity of diabetes mellitus that increases one's risk of developing renal failure. Progress toward development of better DKD therapeutics is limited by an incomplete understanding of forces driving and connecting the various features of DKD, which include renal steatosis, fibrosis, and microvascular dysfunction. Herein we review the literature supporting roles for bioactive ceramides as inducers of local and systemic DKD pathology. In rodent models of DKD, renal ceramides are elevated, and genetic and pharmacological ceramide-lowering interventions improve kidney function and ameliorate DKD histopathology. In humans, circulating sphingolipid profiles distinguish human DKD patients from diabetic controls. These studies highlight the potential for ceramide to serve as a central and therapeutically tractable lipid mediator of DKD.