Endothelial AMPKα1/PRKAA1 exacerbates inflammation in HFD-fed mice

Identification of crucial pathways and genes linked to endoplasmic reticulum stress in PCOS through combined bioinformatic analysis

Background

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic condition impacting millions of women worldwide. This study sought to identify granulosa cell endoplasmic reticulum stress (GCERS)-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between women with PCOS and those without PCOS using bioinformatics and to investigate the related molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Two datasets were downloaded from GEO and analysed using the limma package to identify DEGs in two groups-PCOS and normal granulosa cells. Enrichment analyses, including GO, KEGG, and GSEA, were then conducted on the DEGs. Differential immune infiltration was assessed using CIBERSORT and correlations with immune cell biomarkers were evaluated. Networks for protein-protein interactions, transcription factor-target genes, miRNA-target genes, and drug-target genes were constructed and visualized using Cytoscape to identify key hub gene nodes. Finally, key genes were analysed for differential expression and correlated.

Results

Overall, 127 co-DEGs were identified in the two datasets. Our study revealed that these DEGs were primarily associated with cell cycle arrest, p53-mediated signal transduction, drug response, and gland development, with molecular functions enriched in growth factor binding, collagen binding, and receptor protein kinase activity. GSEA revealed that the co-DEGs were primarily associated with immune and inflammatory pathways. Eleven hub genes-MMP9, SPI1, IGF2R, GPBAR1, PDGFA, BMPR1A, LIFR, PRKAA1, MSH2, CDC25C, and KCNH2-were identified through the PPI, TF target genes, miRNA target genes, and drug target gene networks.

Conclusion

We identified several crucial genes and pathways linked to the onset and development of PCOS. Our findings offer a clear connection between PCOS and GCERS, clarify the molecular mechanisms driving PCOS progression, and offer new perspectives for discovering valuable therapeutic targets and potential biomarkers for the condition.

Omentin-1 mitigates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by preserving autophagy through AMPKα/mTOR signaling pathway

Adipose tissue-derived adipokines facilitate inter-organ communication between adipose tissue and other organs. Omentin-1, an adipokine, has been implicated in the regulation of glucose and insulin metabolism. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the regulatory impact of endogenous omentin-1 on hepatic steatosis. C57BL/6J mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), while HepG2 cells were exposed to a 0.1 mM free fatty acid (FFA) mixture for 24 h to induce hepatic steatosis. Both the mice and cells were treated with omentin-1, and the therapeutic effects as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. Our data demonstrate that omentin-1 attenuates weight and fat mass gain, preserves glucose homeostasis, normalizes the expression of lipogenesis-related proteins, and alleviates hepatic lipid accumulation in HFD fed mice. Furthermore, omentin-1 normalized AMPKα/mTOR signaling and preserves autophagy in these mice. In vitro, omentin-1 also preserves autophagy and attenuates lipid accumulation by normalizing AMPKα/mTOR signaling in a cell model of FFA treated HepG2 cells. However, inhibition of AMPK with Compound C or AMPKα whole-body knockout reverses the above beneficial effects of omentin-1. The present study demonstrates that omentin-1 exerts a preventive effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by preserving autophagy through normalizing the AMPKα/mTOR pathway, thereby suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic agent against NAFLD.

Prognostic impact of the metabolic syndrome and its components in acute type a aortic dissection after surgery: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components are associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) after surgery.

METHODS

This study included 353 patients who had undergone surgery. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were collected. Subgroup, mixed-model regression, score systems, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 353 inpatients were assigned to the poor outcome group (n = 69) and control group (n = 284) with or without MetS. Compared to the control group, the incidence of MetS was higher in the poor outcome group. Poor outcomes were present in 0%, 4.4%, 12.3%, 47.6%, 71.4%, and 100% of the six groups who met the diagnostic criteria for MetS 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 times, respectively. For multivariable logistic regression, Body mass index (BMI) quartiles remained risk factors for poor outcomes after adjustment for other risk factors. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the MetS was found to be an independent risk factor in several models. Assigning a score of one for each component, the AUC was 0.877 (95%CI: 0.823-0.923) in all patients, 0.864 (95%CI: 0.7945-0.935) in MetS, and 0.700 (95%CI: 0.567-0.833) in non-MetS by receiver operating characteristic.

CONCLUSION

MetS, especially BMI, confer a greater risk of poor outcomes in ATAAD after surgery during the 3-year follow-up.

Inactivation of adenosine receptor 2A suppresses endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and inhibits subretinal fibrosis in mice

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy has had a substantial impact on the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Despite treatment, many patients with nAMD still develop severe and irreversible visual impairment because of the development of subretinal fibrosis. We recently reported the anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic effects of inhibiting the gene encoding adenosine receptor 2A (Adora2a), which has been implicated in cardiovascular disease. Here, using two mouse models of subretinal fibrosis (mice with laser injury-induced CNV or mice with a deficiency in the very low-density lipoprotein receptor), we found that deletion of Adora2a either globally or specifically in endothelial cells reduced subretinal fibrosis independently of angiogenesis. We showed that Adora2a-dependent endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition contributed to the development of subretinal fibrosis in mice with laser injury-induced CNV. Deficiency of Adora2a in cultured mouse and human choroidal endothelial cells suppressed induction of the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. A metabolomics analysis of cultured human choroidal endothelial cells showed that ADORA2A knockdown with an siRNA reversed the increase in succinate because of decreased succinate dehydrogenase B expression under fibrotic conditions. Pharmacological inhibition of ADORA2A with a small-molecule KW6002 in both mouse models recapitulated the reduction in subretinal fibrosis observed in mice with genetic deletion of Adora2a. ADORA2A inhibition may be a therapeutic approach to treat subretinal fibrosis associated with nAMD.

Myeloid PFKFB3-mediated glycolysis promotes kidney fibrosis

Excessive renal fibrosis is a common pathology in progressive chronic kidney diseases. Inflammatory injury and aberrant repair processes contribute to the development of kidney fibrosis. Myeloid cells, particularly monocytes/macrophages, play a crucial role in kidney fibrosis by releasing their proinflammatory cytokines and extracellular matrix components such as collagen and fibronectin into the microenvironment of the injured kidney. Numerous signaling pathways have been identified in relation to these activities. However, the involvement of metabolic pathways in myeloid cell functions during the development of renal fibrosis remains understudied. In our study, we initially reanalyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data of renal myeloid cells from Dr. Denby's group and observed an increased gene expression in glycolytic pathway in myeloid cells that are critical for renal inflammation and fibrosis. To investigate the role of myeloid glycolysis in renal fibrosis, we utilized a model of unilateral ureteral obstruction in mice deficient of Pfkfb3, an activator of glycolysis, in myeloid cells (Pfkfb3 ΔMϕ ) and their wild type littermates (Pfkfb3 WT). We observed a significant reduction in fibrosis in the obstructive kidneys of Pfkfb3 ΔMϕ mice compared to Pfkfb3 WT mice. This was accompanied by a substantial decrease in macrophage infiltration, as well as a decrease of M1 and M2 macrophages and a suppression of macrophage to obtain myofibroblast phenotype in the obstructive kidneys of Pfkfb3 ΔMϕ mice. Mechanistic studies indicate that glycolytic metabolites stabilize HIF1α, leading to alterations in macrophage phenotype that contribute to renal fibrosis. In conclusion, our study implicates that targeting myeloid glycolysis represents a novel approach to inhibit renal fibrosis.

PFKFB3-Mediated Glycolysis Boosts Fibroblast Activation and Subsequent Kidney Fibrosis

Renal fibrosis, a hallmark of chronic kidney diseases, is driven by the activation of renal fibroblasts. Recent studies have highlighted the role of glycolysis in this process. Nevertheless, one critical glycolytic activator, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), remains unexplored in renal fibrosis. Upon reanalyzing the single-cell sequencing data from Dr. Humphreys' lab, we noticed an upregulation of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and the TGFβ signaling pathway in myofibroblasts from fibrotic kidneys after unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO) or kidney ischemia/reperfusion. Furthermore, our experiments showed significant induction of PFKFB3 in mouse kidneys following UUO or kidney ischemia/reperfusion. To delve deeper into the role of PFKFB3, we generated mice with Pfkfb3 deficiency, specifically in myofibroblasts (Pfkfb3f/f/PostnMCM). Following UUO or kidney ischemia/reperfusion, a substantial decrease in fibrosis in the injured kidneys of Pfkfb3f/f/PostnMCM mice was identified compared to their wild-type littermates. Additionally, in cultured renal fibroblast NRK-49F cells, PFKFB3 was elevated upon exposure to TGFβ1, accompanied by an increase in α-SMA and fibronectin. Notably, this upregulation was significantly diminished with PFKFB3 knockdown, correlated with glycolysis suppression. Mechanistically, the glycolytic metabolite lactate promoted the fibrotic activation of NRK-49F cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the critical role of PFKFB3 in driving fibroblast activation and subsequent renal fibrosis.

Frontier progress of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, accounting for 90% of primary liver cancer) was the sixth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer death in 2020. The number of new HCC patients in China accounted for nearly half of that in the world. HCC was of occult and complex onset, with poor prognosis. Clinically, at least 15% of patients with HCC had strong side effects of interventional therapy (IT) and have poor sensitivity to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a multi-target adjuvant therapy, had been shown to play an active anti-tumor role in many previous studies. This review systematically summarized the role of TCM combined with clinically commonly used drugs for the treatment of HCC (including mitomycin C, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, sorafenib, etc.) in the past basic research, and summarized the efficacy of TCM combined with surgery, IT and conventional therapy (CT) in clinical research. It was found that TCM, as an adjuvant treatment, played many roles in the treatment of HCC, including enhancing the tumor inhibition, reducing toxic and side effects, improving chemosensitivity and prolonging survival time of patients. This review summarized the advantages of integrated traditional Chinese and modern medicine in the treatment of HCC and provides a theoretical basis for clinical research.