The adipokine Retnla deficiency increases responsiveness to cardiac repair through adiponectin-rich bone marrow cells

Transcriptional changes during isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis in mice

Introduction: β-adrenergic stimulation using β-agonists such as isoproterenol has been routinely used to induce cardiac fibrosis in experimental animal models. Although transcriptome changes in surgical models of cardiac fibrosis such as transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and coronary artery ligation (CAL) are well-studied, transcriptional changes during isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis are not well-explored. Methods: Cardiac fibrosis was induced in male C57BL6 mice by administration of isoproterenol for 4, 8, or 11 days at 50 mg/kg/day dose. Temporal changes in gene expression were studied by RNA sequencing. Results and discussion: We observed a significant alteration in the transcriptome profile across the different experimental groups compared to the saline group. Isoproterenol treatment caused upregulation of genes associated with ECM organization, cell-cell contact, three-dimensional structure, and cell growth, while genes associated with fatty acid oxidation, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ion transport, and cardiac muscle contraction are downregulated. A number of known long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and putative novel lncRNAs exhibited differential regulation. In conclusion, our study shows that isoproterenol administration leads to the dysregulation of genes relevant to ECM deposition and cardiac contraction, and serves as an excellent alternate model to the surgical models of heart failure.

Comprehensive Analysis of lncRNA and mRNA Expression Profile of Macrophage RAW264.7 Stimulated by Antimicrobial Peptide BSN-37

BACKGROUND

BSN-37, a novel antimicrobial peptide (AMP) containing 37 amino acid residues isolated from the bovine spleen, has not only antibacterial activity but also immunomodulatory activity. Recent evidence shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in regulating the activation and function of immune cells. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the lncRNA and mRNA expression profile of mouse macrophages RAW264.7 stimulated by bovine antimicrobial peptide BSN-37.

METHODS

The whole gene expression microarray was used to detect the differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNA between antimicrobial peptide BSN-37 activated RAW264.7 cells and normal RAW264.7 cells. KEGG pathway analysis and GO function annotation analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNA were carried out. Eight kinds of lncRNAs and nine kinds of mRNA with large differences were selected for qRT-PCR verification, respectively.

RESULTS

In the current study, we found that 1294 lncRNAs and 260 mRNAs were differentially expressed between antibacterial peptide BSN-37 treatment and control groups. Among them, Bcl2l12, Rab44, C1s, Cd101 and other genes were associated with immune responses and were all significantly up-regulated. Mest and Prkcz are related to cell growth, and other genes are related to glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. In addition, some immune-related terms were also found in the GO and KEGG analyses. At the same time, real-time quantitative PCR was used to verify selected lncRNA and mRNA with differential expression. The results of qRT-PCR verification were consistent with the sequencing results, indicating that our data were reliable.

CONCLUSION

This study provides the lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated by antimicrobial peptide BSN-37 and helps to provide a reference value for subsequent studies on lncRNA regulation of antimicrobial peptide BSN-37 immune function.

Hypoxia-Induced Mitogenic Factor: A Multifunctional Protein Involved in Health and Disease

Hypoxia-induced mitogenic factor (HIMF), also known as resistin-like molecule α (RELMα) or found in inflammatory zone 1 (FIZZ1) is a member of the RELM protein family expressed in mice. It is involved in a plethora of physiological processes, including mitogenesis, angiogenesis, inflammation, and vasoconstriction. HIMF expression can be stimulated under pathological conditions and this plays a critical role in pulmonary, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. The present review summarizes the molecular characteristics, and the physiological and pathological roles of HIMF in normal and diseased conditions. The potential clinical significance of these findings for human is also discussed.