Associations Between Genetic Polymorphisms in the VEGFA, ACE, and SOD2 Genes and Susceptibility to Diabetic Nephropathy in the Han Chinese

Polymorphism of angiogenesis regulation factor genes (VEGF/VEGFR), and extracellular matrix remodeling genes (MMP/TIMP), and the levels of their products in extracellular tissues of patients with primary and secondary lymphedema

Cells of various organs and systems perform their functions and intercellular interactions not in an inert environment, but in the microenvironment of tissue fluids. Violations of the normal drainage of tissue fluids accompany lymphedema. An important mechanism of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis regulation in tissue fluids is the production and reception of vascular endothelial growth factors in combination with the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases. The aim of the work was to perform: a comparative analysis of some polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor and their receptors and the genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases in two forms of lymphedema; an analysis of the relationship of these genes' polymorphisms with the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in serum and affected tissues. Polymorphism of VEGF (rs699947, rs3025039), KDR (rs10020464, rs11133360), NRP2 (rs849530, rs849563, rs16837641), matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 (rs2438650), MMP3 (rs3025058), MMP9 (rs3918242), Timp1 (rs6609533) and their combinations were analyzed by the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism method and TaqMan RT-PCR. The serum and tissue fluid levels were determined using the ELISA test system. Changes in the frequency distribution of MMP2 genotypes in primary and MMP3 in secondary lymphedema are shown. Significant frequency differences in NRP2 genotypes were revealed by comparing primary and secondary lymphedema. Features of the distribution of complex genotypes in primary and secondary lymphedema were revealed. The correlation analysis revealed the interdependence of the concentrations of the MMP, TIMP and VEGF products and differences in the structure of the correlation matrices of patients with both forms of lymphedema. It was shown that, in primary lymphedema, genotypes associated with low MMP2 and TIMP2 in serum and tissue fluid are detected, while in secondary lymphedema, other associations of the production levels with combined genetic traits are observed.

VEGF/CDK2 are involved in diabetic organ regeneration

AIM/HYPOTHESIS

Diabetes is a hyperglycaemic disease treated by a set of allopathic drugs and natural biomolecules along with many variety of stem cell. We aim to investigate the role of these drugs in targeting common protein molecule in diabetes and its associated disease. We also aim to investigate the organ degeneration mechanistic pathway in diabetes.

METHOD

We have generated diabetes using streptozotocin injection and treated them using bone marrow transplantation and curcumin administration. The organs were studied histopathologically and by immunofluorescence analysis while drugs were studied Pharmacogenomically.

RESULT

Mice injected with streptozotocin have higher glucose and lower insulin, islet number/diameter, bone marrow cell number compared to control and bone marrow transplanted and curcumin administered mice. Histopathology staining demonstrates damaged morphology of pancreas, kidney, brain and cardiac muscle. Further, upon comparison of all allopathic and ayurvedic drugs used for diabetes several protein targets have been identified by reverse pharmacophore analysis using PharmMapper. VEGF, CDK2, insulin receptor, HSp90, eNOS, Fructose1,6 bisphosphatase, neprilysin, AchE, MAPK are several common protein targets of anti-diabetic drugs.

CONCLUSION

This article demonstrates that VEGF and CDK2 are critical marker in organ damage in diabetes as well as organ regeneration.

[Association of interleukin-23 receptor and interleukin-17 single nucleotide polymorphisms with necrotizing enterocolitis in Chinese Han preterm infants]

OBJECTIVE

To study the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) rs10889677, interleukin-17A (IL-17A) rs227591, and interleukin-17F (IL-17F) rs763780 with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in Chinese Han preterm infants.

METHODS

A total of 100 Chinese Han preterm infants with NEC who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from January 2017 to January 2019 were prospectively enrolled. Of the 100 preterm infants, 63 had stage II NEC and 37 had stage III NEC. A total of 100 preterm infants, matched for age and sex, were selected as the control group. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to determine the SNPs of rs10889677, rs2275913, and rs763780. An unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of SNPs with NEC susceptibility and severity.

RESULTS

The genotype and allele frequencies of rs10889677 and rs2275913 had no influence on the development of NEC (P>0.05). The genotype of rs763780 had no influence on the development of NEC (P>0.05), but the risk of NEC in the infants carrying C allele was 1.652 times that in those carrying T allele (95%CI: 1.052-2.695, P<0.05). The risk of NEC in the infants carrying TC+CC genotype was 1.856 times that in those carrying TT genotype (95%CI: 1.045-3.201, P<0.05). The risk of stage III NEC in the infants carrying TC+CC genotype was 2.965 times that in those carrying TT genotype (95%CI: 1.052-6.330, P<0.05). The risk of stage III NEC in the infants carrying C allele was 2.363 times that in those carrying T allele (95%CI: 1.034-4.093, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The SNPs of IL-23R rs10889677 and IL-17A rs2275913 are not associated with the susceptibility to NEC in Chinese Han preterm infants, while TC+CC genotype and C allele of IL-17F rs763780 are associated with the susceptibility to NEC and the severity of NEC.

Molecular Mechanism of the Effect of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

BACKGROUND

Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HLJDD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula comprising four herbal medicines. This decoction has long been used in China for clinically treating T2DM. However, the molecular mechanism of HLJDD treat for T2DM is still not fully known. Hence, this study was designed to reveal the synergistic mechanism of HLJDD formula in the treatment of T2DM by using network pharmacology method and molecular docking.

METHODS

Retrieving and screening of active components of different herbs in HLJDD and corresponding T2DM-related target genes across multiple databases. Subsequently, STRING and Cytoscape were applied to analysis and construct PPI network. In addition, cluster and topological analysis were employed for the analysis of PPI networks. Then, the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed by using ClueGO tool. Finally, the differentially expressed analysis was used to verify whether the expression of key target genes in T2DM and non-T2DM samples was statistically significant, and the binding capacity between active components and key targets was validated by molecular docking using AutoDock.

RESULTS

There are 65 active components involved in 197 T2DM-related targets that are identified in HLJDD formula. What is more, 39 key targets (AKT1, IL-6, FOS, VEGFA, CASP3, etc.) and 3 clusters were obtained after topological and cluster analysis. Further, GO and KEGG analysis showed that HLJDD may play an important role in treating T2DM and its complications by synergistically regulating many biological processes and pathways which participated in signaling transduction, inflammatory response, apoptotic process, and vascular processes. Differentially expressed analysis showed that AKT1, IL-6, and FOS were upregulated in T2DM samples and a significant between sample differential expression. These results were validated by molecular docking, which identified 5 high-affinity active components in HLJDD, including quercetin, wogonin, baicalein, kaempferol, and oroxylin A.

CONCLUSION

Our research firstly revealed the basic pharmacological effects and relevant mechanisms of the HLJDD in the treatment of T2DM and its complications. The prediction results might facilitate the development of HLJDD or its active compounds as alternative therapy for T2DM. However, more pharmacological experiments should be performed for verification.