Salidroside attenuates hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis resistance by upregulating autophagy through the AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 pathway

Promotion and Mechanism of Acupotomy on Chondrocyte Autophagy in Knee Osteoarthritis Rabbits

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of acupotomy intervention on autophagy of chondrocytes in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and to determine the possible mechanisms of acupotomy to alleviate cartilage degeneration.

METHODS

The modified Videman method was used to construct a KOA rabbit model. After modeling, 40 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups by a random number table: control; KOA (model); KOA + acupotomy (acupotomy), and KOA + sham acupotomy (sham), 10 in each group. After a 3-week treatment course, the knee joint activity was determined by the modified Lequesne MG index. Hematoxylin-eosin staining staining was used to examine the morphological changes of chondrocytes. Autophagy of chondrocytes was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The surface morphology of cartilage tissue was observed by scanning electron microscope. The mRNA and protein levels of AMP kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin/Unc-51 (AMPK/mTOR/ULK1) signal pathway key proteins, autophagy-related factor Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3 (LC3) in rabbit knee cartilage were assessed by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

The modified Lequesne MG score of acupotomy group was significantly lower than that of model group (P<0.05). Pathological results showed that chondrocyte autophagy decreased and cartilage surface was rough in the model group, which recovered after acupotomy treatment. The mRNA expressions of AMPK, ULK1, Beclin-1 and the protein levels of p-AMPK, p-ULK1, Beclin-1, and LC3 II/LC3 I were decreased in the model group, while the mRNA and protein expressions of mTOR were increased (P<0.01). However, acupotomy treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Acupotomy could effectively up-regulate the expressions of AMPK, ULK1 and Beclin1, reduce the expression of mTOR, promote autophagy, and alleviate joint degeneration. Acupotomy is a promising complementary and alternative therapy for KOA.

Salidroside protects pulmonary artery endothelial cells against hypoxia-induced apoptosis via the AhR/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways

BACKGROUND

The apoptosis of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) is an important factor contributing to the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a serious cardio-pulmonary vascular disorder. Salidroside (SAL) is a bioactive compound derived from an herb Rhodiola, but the potential protective effects of SAL on PAECs and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to determine the role of SAL in the hypoxia-induced apoptosis of PAECs and to dissect the underlying mechanisms.

STUDY DESIGN

Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to hypoxia (10% O2) for 4 weeks to establish a model of PH. Rats were intraperitoneally injected daily with SAL (2, 8, and 32 mg/kg/d) or vehicle. To define the molecular mechanisms of SAL in PAECs, an in vitro model of hypoxic cell injury was also generated by exposed PAECs to 1% O2 for 48 h.

METHODS

Various techniques including hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, CCK-8, Western blot, qPCR, molecular docking, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were used to determine the role of SAL in rats and in PAECs in vitro.

RESULTS

Hypoxia stimulation increases AhR nuclear translocation and activates the NF-κB signaling pathway, as evidenced by upregulated expression of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, IL-1β, and IL-6, resulting in oxidative stress and inflammatory response and ultimately apoptosis of PAECs. SAL inhibited the activation of AhR and NF-κB, while promoted the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and increased the expression of its downstream antioxidant proteins HO-1 and NQO1 in PAECs, ameliorating the hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in PAECs. Furthermore, SAL lowered right ventricular systolic pressure, and decreased pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular hypertrophy in hypoxia-exposed rats.

CONCLUSIONS

SAL may attenuate the apoptosis of PAECs by suppressing NF-κB and activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, thereby delaying the progressive pathology of PH.

Rhodiola crenulata alleviates hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury by maintaining BBB integrity and balancing energy metabolism dysfunction

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms.) H. Ohba (R. crenulate), a famous and characteristic Tibetan medicine, has been demonstrated to exert an outstanding brain protection role in the treatment of high-altitude hypoxia disease. However, the metabolic effects of R. crenulate on high-altitude hypoxic brain injury (HHBI) are still incompletely understood. Herein, the anti-hypoxic effect and associated mechanisms of R. crenulate were explored through both in vivo and in vitro experiments.

STUDY DESIGN/METHODS

The mice model of HHBI was established using an animal hypobaric and hypoxic chamber. R. crenulate extract (RCE, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg) and salidroside (Sal, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was given by gavage for 7 days. Pathological changes and neuronal apoptosis of mice hippocampus and cortex were evaluated using H&E and TUNEL staining, respectively. The effects of RCE and Sal on the permeability of blood brain barrier (BBB) were detected by Evans blue staining and NIR-II fluorescence imaging. Meanwhile, the ultrastructural BBB and cerebrovascular damages were observed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The levels of tight junction proteins Claudin-1, ZO-1 and occludin were detected by immunofluorescence. Additionally, the metabolites in mice serum and brain were determined using UHPLC-MS and MALDI-MSI analysis. The cell viability of Sal on hypoxic HT22 cells induced by CoCl2 was investigated by cell counting kit-8. The contents of LDH, MDA, SOD, GSH-PX and SDH were detected by using commercial biochemical kits. Meanwhile, intracellular ROS, Ca2+ and mitochondrial membrane potential were determined by corresponding specific labeled probes. The intracellular metabolites of HT22 cells were performed by the targeted metabolomics analysis of the Q300 kit. The cell apoptosis and necrosis were examined by YO-PRO-1/PI, Annexin V/PI and TUNEL staining. In addition, mitochondrial morphology was tested by Mito-tracker red with confocal microscopy and TEM. Real-time ATP production, oxygen consumption rate, and proton efflux rate were measured using a Seahorse analyzer. Subsequently, MCU, OPA1, p-Drp1ser616, p-AMPKα, p-AMPKβ and Sirt1 were determined by immunofluorescent and western blot analyses.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that R. crenulate and Sal exert anti-hypoxic brain protection from inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, maintaining BBB integrity, increasing tight junction protein Claudin-1, ZO-1 and occludin and improving mitochondrial morphology and function. Mechanistically, R. crenulate and Sal alleviated HHBI by enhancing the tricarboxylic acid cycle to meet the demand of energy of brain. Additionally, experiments in vitro confirmed that Sal could ameliorate the apoptosis of HT22 cells, improve mitochondrial morphology and energy metabolism by enhancing mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis. Meanwhile, Sal-mediated MCU inhibited the activation of Drp1 and enhanced the expression of OPA1 to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, as well as activation of AMPK and Sirt1 to enhance ATP production.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, the findings suggested that RCE and Sal may afford a protective intervention in HHBI through maintaining BBB integrity and improving energy metabolism via balancing MCU-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis by activating the AMPK/Sirt1 signaling pathway.

The mechanism of UNC-51-like kinase 1 and the applications of small molecule modulators in cancer treatment

Autophagy is a process of self-renewal in cells, which not only provides the necessary nutrients for cells, but also clears necrotic organelles. Autophagy disorders are closely related to diseases such as cancer. UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a crucial role in receiving input from energy and nutrient sensors, activating autophagy to maintain cellular homeostasis under stressful conditions. In recent years, targeting ULK1 has become a highly promising strategy for cancer treatment. This review introduces the regulatory mechanism of ULK1 in autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway and reviews the research progress of ULK1 activators and inhibitors and their applications in cancer treatment. In addition, we analyze the binding modes between ULK1 and modulators through virtual molecular docking, which will provide a reliable basis and theoretical guidance for the design and development of new therapeutic drugs targeting ULK1.

Salidroside suppresses cell growth and inflammatory response of fibroblast-like synoviocytes via inhibition of phosphoinositol-3 kinase/threonine kinase signaling in rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Salidroside (Sal) is a natural product commonly isolated from Rhodiola rosea L., which has been found to have numerous pharmacological activities (e.g., ameliorating apoptosis and inflammation, and acting as an antioxidant) in various diseases, but its concrete function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been revealed yet. Here, we aimed to explore the specific role and underlying mechanisms of Sal in RA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs).

METHODS

Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to assess the viability of normal-FLSs and RA-FLSs. Cell apoptosis in RA-FLSs was evaluated by flow cytometry. Western blotting was prepared to examine the levels of apoptosis- and signaling-related proteins. Wound-healing and Transwell assays were conducted to examine RA-FLSs migration and invasion. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the effect of Sal on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced inflammation in RA-FLSs. RA animal model was established through complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induction, and the histopathological changes in synovial tissues of the rat model were analyzed by H&E staining.

RESULTS

RA-FLSs were treated with 200 μM Sal for 24 h, and cell viability was significantly suppressed. Sal promoted RA-FLSs apoptosis. The migratory and invasive abilities of RA-FLSs were markedly inhibited by Sal. Sal incubation reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin‑8 (IL-8), IL-1β, and IL‑6 in RA-FLSs under the stimulation of TNF‑α. Subsequently, Sal downregulated phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol‑3 kinase (p-PI3K) and protein kinase (p-AKT) expression in RA-FLSs. After the treatment with pathway activator 740Y‑P (20 μM) in RA-FLSs, the promotive effect of Sal on cell apoptosis was reversed, and inhibitory effects of it on cell viability, migration, invasion, and inflammatory response were abolished. Sal inhibited RA development in the CFA-induced rat model.

CONCLUSION

Sal suppressed cell growth and inflammation in RA-FLSs by inactivating PI3K/AKT-signaling pathways.

Melatonin promotes progesterone secretion in sheep luteal cells by regulating autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway

The corpus luteum is primarily responsible for the production and secretion of progesterone. Melatonin has been established to regulate autophagy and induce progesterone secretion in luteal cell. However, whether melatonin affects progesterone secretion by interfering with autophagy is yet to be reported. In the present study, the expression levels of melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2), autophagy-related protein Beclin1 (Bec1), microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 B (LC3B), progesterone and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1) were analyzed in the corpus luteum of sheep at different stages (early, middle, and late); specifically, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunohistochemical staining, and western blotting were utilized for this expression analysis. In addition, to determine whether melatonin regulated progesterone secretion via the regulation of autophagy, luteal cells were cultured before being exposed to different concentrations of melatonin (0.01-100 nM) and the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (50 μM). Next, luteal cells were treated with the melatonin receptor inhibitors 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (1 μM) and luzindole (1 μM) before detecting Bec1, LC3B2, AMPK/mTOR, and progesterone secretion levels to ascertain whether the effect of melatonin on autophagy and progesterone secretion is mediated by its corresponding receptors in luteal cells. Finally, to determine the significance of the AMPK/mTOR pathway in this process, an AMPK inhibitor, Compound C (10 μM), was added to luteal cells. Overall, the highest expression of melatonin receptors, autophagy and progesterone secretion was observed in the middle-phase corpus luteum; additionally, melatonin promoted autophagy, at least partially, through its receptor-mediated AMPK/mTOR pathway, which thereby promoting progesterone secretion in luteal cells in vitro. Ultimately, this study is the first to clarify the important role of autophagy in the melatonin-mediated regulation of progesterone secretion in the corpus luteum of sheep; it also lays a foundation for further exploration into the role of melatonin in regulating sheep's ovarian function.

Vitamin D3 promotes gastric cancer cell autophagy by mediating p53/AMPK/mTOR signaling

Objective: Vitamin D3 has the general properties of a lipid-soluble vitamin, but is also an active steroid hormone that can regulate the proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of many tumor cells, and exerts anticancer activity against numerous malignancies. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of vitamin D3 on tumors is not fully understood. Here, we used network pharmacology and in vitro experimental approaches to explore the mechanism of vitamin D3 activity in the context of gastric cancer. Methods: The Targetnet, SuperPred, SwissTargetPrediction, and PharmMapper databases were screened for potential drug-related targets, while we used data from the PharmGKB, Drugbank, OMIM, DisGeNET, CTD, and GeneCards databases to identify potential targets associated with gastric cancer. Disease-drug crossover genes were obtained by constructing Venn diagrams. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of crossover genes were conducted and STRING was used to generate protein interaction networks and identify core targets. CCK-8 experiments were performed and apoptosis detected to assess the effect of vitamin D3 on gastric cancer cells. Western blotting was applied to detect p53/AMPK/mTOR signaling, as well as autophagy-, cell cycle-, and apoptosis-related proteins. Results: A total of 485 targets of vitamin D3 activity were obtained and 1200 gastric cancer disease-related targets discovered. Further, 60 potential targets for vitamin D3 in gastric cancer treatment were identified. KEGG analysis indicated that potential targets were mainly involved in the cell cycle, HIF-1 signaling, and the AMPK pathway, among other pathways. These findings were validated using cellular experiments, which demonstrated that the viability of AGS and SGC-7901 cells was impeded by vitamin D3. Further, vitamin D3 promoted apoptosis and inhibited the cell cycle in those cell lines, as well as activating the p53/AMPK/mTOR pathway, which promotes autophagy and inhibits tumor development. Conclusion: Our network pharmacological analyses provide preliminarily data supporting a role for vitamin D3 in promoting autophagy and apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, and in activating the p53/AMPK/mTOR pathway, which inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation. Our findings demonstrate the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of vitamin D3 in cure of gastric cancer.

Polyphyllin VII alleviates pulmonary hypertension by inducing miR-205-5p to target the β-catenin pathway

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the impact of Polyphyllin VII (PP7) on pulmonary hypertension (PH) and elucidate the underlying mechanism involving microRNA (miR)-205-5p/β-catenin.

METHODS

The PH rat model was induced through hypoxia exposure. The effects of intraperitoneal injection of PP7 on pulmonary artery tissue pathology, hemodynamics, miR-205-5p expression and β-catenin protein levels were assessed. In vitro, pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were subjected to hypoxic conditions. Moreover, miR-205-5p and/or β-catenin were overexpressed through transfection. PASMCs were pre-cultured in 20 μM PP7, and subsequent measurements included proliferation, apoptosis and vascular remodeling protein expression.

RESULTS

PP7 ameliorated PH symptoms in rats, upregulated miR-205-5p expression and inhibited β-catenin protein expression. Furthermore, miR-205-5p upregulation inhibited β-catenin expression in PASMCs. The overexpression of β-catenin aggravated hypoxia-induced proliferation, inhibited apoptosis and further augmented VEGF and α-SMA protein expression. Additionally, miR-205-5p overexpression alleviated the hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation and apoptosis by inhibiting β-catenin protein expression. Under hypoxic conditions, PP7 significantly elevated miR-205-5p while downregulating β-catenin protein expression. Furthermore, inhibiting miR-205-5p counteracted the inhibitory effect of PP7 on β-catenin, consequently blocking the regulatory role of PP7 in PASMC proliferation and apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

PP7 likely modulates β-catenin protein levels by promoting miR-205-5p expression, thereby alleviating PH, vascular remodeling and airway smooth muscle remodeling.

Regulation of apoptosis by ubiquitination in liver cancer

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death process critical to cell development and tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Defective apoptosis is a crucial step in the malignant transformation of cells, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where the apoptosis rate is higher than in normal liver tissues. Ubiquitination, a post-translational modification process, plays a precise role in regulating the formation and function of different death-signaling complexes, including those involved in apoptosis. Aberrant expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases (E3s) in liver cancer (LC), such as cellular inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (cIAPs), X chromosome-linked IAP (XIAP), and linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC), can contribute to HCC development by promoting cell survival and inhibiting apoptosis. Therefore, the review introduces the main apoptosis pathways and the regulation of proteins in these pathways by E3s and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). It summarizes the abnormal expression of these regulators in HCC and their effects on cancer inhibition or promotion. Understanding the role of ubiquitination in apoptosis and LC can provide insights into potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

FUT8-Mediated Core Fucosylation Promotes the Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive cardiopulmonary disease with unclear underlying molecular mechanisms and limited therapeutic options. This study aimed to explore the role of core fucosylation and the only glycosyltransferase FUT8 in PAH. We observed increased core fucosylation in a monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat model and isolated rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) treated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). We found that 2-fluorofucose (2FF), a drug used to inhibit core fucosylation, improved hemodynamics and pulmonary vascular remodeling in MCT-induced PAH rats. In vitro, 2FF effectively restrains the proliferation, migration, and phenotypic switching of PASMCs and promotes apoptosis. Compared with controls, serum FUT8 concentration in PAH patients and MCT-induced rats was significantly elevated. FUT8 expression appeared increased in the lung tissues of PAH rats, and the co-localization of FUT8 with α-SMA was also observed. SiRNA was used to knockdown FUT8 in PASMCs (siFUT8). After effectively silencing FUT8 expression, phenotypic changes induced in PASMCs by PDGF-BB stimulation were alleviated. FUT8 activated the AKT pathway, while the admission of AKT activator SC79 could partially counteract the negative effect of siFUT8 on the proliferation, apoptotic resistance, and phenotypic switching of PASMCs, which may be involved in the core fucosylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). Our research confirmed the critical role of FUT8 and its mediated core fucosylation in pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH, providing a potential novel therapeutic target for PAH.

Inhibitory Effect of PPARδ Agonist GW501516 on Proliferation of Hypoxia-induced Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells by Regulating the mTOR Pathway

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) agonist GW501516 on the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) induced by hypoxia, in order to search for new drugs for the treatment and prevention of pulmonary vascular remodeling.

METHODS

PASMCs were incubated with different concentrations of GW501516 (10, 30, 100 nmol/L) under the hypoxic condition. The proliferation was determined by a CCK-8 assay. The cell cycle progression was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of PPARδ, S phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), and cell cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 was detected by Western blotting. Then PASMCs were treated with 100 nmol/ L GW501516, 100 nmol/L mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin and/or 2 µmol/L mTOR activator MHY1485 to explore the molecular mechanisms by which GW501516 reduces the proliferation of PASMCs.

RESULTS

The presented data demonstrated that hypoxia reduced the expression of PPARδ in an oxygen concentration- and time-dependent manner, and GW501516 decreased the proliferation of PASMCs induced by hypoxia by blocking the progression through the G0/G1 to S phase of the cell cycle. In accordance with these findings, GW501516 downregulated Skp2 and upregulated p27 in hypoxia-exposed PASMCs. Further experiments showed that rapamycin had similar effects as GW501516 in inhibiting cell proliferation, arresting the cell cycle, regulating the expression of Skp2 and p27, and inactivating mTOR in hypoxia-exposed PASMCs. Moreover, MHY1485 reversed all the beneficial effects of GW501516 on hypoxia-stimulated PASMCs.

CONCLUSION

GW501516 inhibited the proliferation of PASMCs induced by hypoxia through blocking the mTOR/Skp2/p27 signaling pathway.

Arsenic induced autophagy-dependent apoptosis in hippocampal neurons via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway

Arsenic contamination of groundwater remains a serious public health problem worldwide. Arsenic-induced neurotoxicity receives increasing attention, however, the mechanism remains unclear. Hippocampal neuronal death is regarded as the main event of arsenic-induced cognitive dysfunction. Mitochondria lesion is closely related to cell death, however, the effects of arsenic on PGAM5-regulated mitochondrial dynamics has not been documented. Crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis is complicated and autophagy has a dual role in the apoptosis pathways in neuronal cells. In this study, arsenic exposure resulted in mitochondrial PGAM5 activation and subsequent activation of apoptosis and AMPK-mTOR dependent autophagy. Intervention by autophagy activator Rapamycin or inhibitor 3-MA, both targeting at mTOR, accordingly induced activation or inhibition of apoptosis. Intervention by MK-3903 or dorsomorphin, activator or inhibitor of AMPK, received similar results. Our findings suggested that arsenic-induced PGAM5 activation played a role in AMPK-mTOR dependent autophagy and arsenic induced autophagy-dependent apoptosis in hippocampal neurons via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Acupuncture improves immunity and fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients by inhibiting the Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Acupuncture has become a popular complementary treatment in oncology. This study is based on RNA-Seq transcriptome sequencing technology to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of acupuncture-mediated regulation of the Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway on mitochondrial dysfunction-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy.

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples from 10 patients with post-operative chemotherapy for breast cancer were selected for transcriptome sequencing to screen the key molecular pathways involved in fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Besides, peripheral blood samples were collected from 138 post-operative chemotherapy patients with breast cancer to study the composite fatigue and quality of life scores. Flow cytometry was used to detect T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood-specific immune cells. In addition, a blood cell analyzer was used to measure peripheral blood leukocyte counts, and MSP-PCR was used to detect mitochondrial DNA mutations in peripheral blood leukocytes.

RESULTS

Transcriptome bioinformatics analysis screened 147 up-regulated mRNAs and 160 down-regulated mRNAs. Leptin protein was confirmed as the key factor. Leptin was significantly higher in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients who developed fatigue after chemotherapy. Acupuncture treatment effectively improved post-chemotherapy fatigue and immune status in breast cancer patients, suppressed the expression of Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway-related factor and leukocyte counts, and significantly reduced the rate of mitochondrial DNA mutations in peripheral blood leukocytes.

CONCLUSION

The Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway may be the key molecular pathway affecting the occurrence of fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Leptin may improve post-chemotherapy fatigue in breast cancer patients by activating AMPK phosphorylation and alleviating mitochondrial functional impairment.

Sweroside alleviates hepatic steatosis in part by activating AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy in mice

In this study, we investigated the effect of sweroside (SOS) on hepatic steatosis in mice and elucidated its molecular mechanisms. We conducted in vivo experiments using a C57BL/6 mice model of nonalcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to explore the effect of SOS on hepatic steatosis in NAFLD mice. In in vitro experiments, primary mouse hepatocytes were treated with palmitic acid and SOS, and the protective effects of SOS on inflammation, lipogenesis, and fat deposition were analyzed. Autophagy-related protein levels and their related signaling pathways were evaluated in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The results demonstrated that SOS decreased the high-fat-induced intrahepatic lipid content both in vivo and in vitro. The autophagy level in the liver was decreased in NAFLD mice but was reactivated following SOS intervention. SOS intervention was found to partially activate autophagy via the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Consequently, when the AMPK/mTOR pathway was suppressed or autophagy was inhibited, the beneficial effects of SOS intervention on hepatic steatosis were diminished. These results indicate that SOS intervention attenuates hepatic steatosis by promoting autophagy in the liver of NAFLD mice, in part by activating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Cadmium exposure caused cardiotoxicity in common carps (Cyprinus carpio L.): miR-9-5p, oxidative stress, energetic impairment, mitochondrial division/fusion imbalance, inflammation, and autophagy

Cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal pollutant, is a threat to human and eatable fish health. Common carps are widely cultivated and eaten by humans. However, there are no reports about Cd-damaged common carp hearts. Our experiment attempted to investigate the cardiotoxicity of Cd to common carps by establishing a common carp Cd exposure model. Our results showed that Cd injured hearts. Moreover, Cd treatment induced autophagy via miR-9-5p/Sirt1/mTOR/ULK1 pathway. Cd exposure caused oxidant/antioxidant imbalance and oxidative stress; and led to energetic impairment. Energetic impairment partook in oxidative stress-mediated autophagy through AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway. Furthermore, Cd caused mitochondrial division/fusion imbalance and resulted in inflammatory injury via NF-κB-COX-2-PTGEs and NF-κB-COX-2-TNF-α pathways. Oxidative stress mediated mitochondrial division/fusion imbalance, further induced inflammation and autophagy via OPA1/NF-κB-COX-2-TNF-α-Beclin1 and OPA1/NF-κB-COX-2-TNF-α/P62 pathways under Cd treatment. Taken together, miR-9-5p, oxidative stress, energetic impairment, mitochondrial division/fusion imbalance, inflammation, and autophagy participated in the mechanism of Cd-cardiotoxicity to common carps. Our study revealed harmful effect of Cd on hearts, and provided new information for researches of environmental pollutant toxicity.

Exosomal miR-663b from "M1" macrophages promotes pulmonary artery vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction through inhibiting the AMPK/Sirt1 axis

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory mediators from macrophages are proven to be involved in pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Here, this study intends to explore the mechanism of "M1" macrophage-derived exosomal miR-663b in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) dysfunctions and pulmonary hypertension.

METHODS

Hypoxia-treated PASMCs were utilized for constructing an in-vitro pulmonary hypertension model. THP-1 cells were treated with PMA (320 nM) and LPS (10 μg/mL) + IFN-γ (20 ng/ml) for eliciting macrophage "M1" polarization. Exosomes derived from "M1" macrophages were isolated and added into PASMCs. The proliferation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and migration of PASMCs were evaluated. RT-PCR or Western blot examined the levels of miR-663b and the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway. Dual luciferase activity assay and RNA pull-down assay were carried out for confirming the targeted association between miR-663b and AMPK. An in-vivo PH model was built. Macrophage-derived exosomes with miR-663b inhibition were used for treating the rats, and alterations of pulmonary histopathology were monitored.

RESULTS

miR-663b was obviously up-regulated in hypoxia-elicited PASMCs and M1 macrophages. miR-663b overexpression boosted hypoxia-induced proliferation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and migration in PASMCs, whereas miR-663b low expression resulted in the opposite situation. AMPK was identified as a target of miR-663b, and miR-663b overexpression curbed the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway. AMPK activation ameliorated the damaging impact of miR-663b overexpression and "M1" macrophage exosomes on PASMCs. In vivo, "M1" macrophage exosomes with miR-663b low expression alleviated pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension rats.

CONCLUSION

Exosomal miR-663b from "M1" macrophage facilitates PASMC dysfunctions and PH development by dampening the AMPK/Sirt1 axis.

BMAL1 involved in autophagy and injury of thoracic aortic endothelial cells of rats induced by intermittent heat stress through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway

Physiological activities of the body exhibit an obvious biological rhythm. At the core of the circadian rhythm, BMAL1 is the only clock gene whose deletion leads to abnormal physiological functions. However, whether intermittent heat stress influences cardiovascular function by altering the circadian rhythm of clock genes has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate whether intermittent heat stress induces autophagy and apoptosis, and the effects of BMAL1 on thoracic aortic autophagy and apoptosis. An intermittent heat stress model was established in vitro, and western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of autophagy, apoptosis, the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway, and BMAL1. After BMAL1 silencing, RT-qPCR was performed to detect the expression levels of autophagy and apoptosis-related genes. Our results suggest that heat stress induces autophagy and apoptosis in RTAECs. In addition, intermittent heat stress increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ULK1, but reduced the phosphorylation of mTOR, AMPK inhibitor Compound C reversed the phosphorylation of AMPK, mTOR, and ULK1, and Beclin1 and LC3-II/LC3-I were downregulated. Furthermore, BMAL1 expression was elevated in vitro and shBMAL1 decreased autophagy and apoptosis. We revealed that intermittent heat stress induces autophagy and apoptosis, and that BMAL1 may be involved in the occurrence of autophagy and apoptosis.

Qilongtian ameliorate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice via inhibiting IL-17 signal pathway

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a special type of pulmonary parenchymal disease, with chronic, progressive, fibrosis, and high mortality. There is a lack of safe, effective, and affordable treatment methods. Qilongtian (QLT) is a traditional Chinese prescription that is composed of Panax notoginseng, Earthworm, and Rhodiola, and shows the remarkable clinical curative effect of PF. However, the mechanism of QLT remains to be clarified. Therefore, we studied the effectivity of QLT in treating Bleomycin (BLM) induced PF mice. 36 C57BL/6 J mice were randomized into the control group, the model group, the low-, medium- and high-dose QLT group, and Pirfenidone group. After establishing a model of pulmonary fibrosis in mice, the control and model groups were infused with a normal saline solution, and the delivery group was infused with QLT. Pulmonary function in the mice from each group was detected. Pulmonary tissue morphologies and collagen deposition were stained by HE and Masson. The content of hydroxyproline (HYP) was detected by alkaline hydrolysis and the mRNA and protein expression of related genes in pulmonary tissues were detected by using q-PCR, ELISA, and Western blot. Our studies have shown that QLT significantly reduced the inflammatory injury, hydroxy-proline content, and collagen deposition of pulmonary tissue in BLM-induced PF mice and down-regulated the cytokine related to inflammation and fibrosis and PF expression on the mRNA and protein level in PF mice. To identify the mechanism of QLT, the Transcriptome was measured and the IL-17 signal pathway was screened out for further research. Further studies indicated that QLT reduced the mRNAs and protein levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17), c-c motif chemokine ligand 12 (CCL12), c-x-c motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), fos-like antigen 1 (FOSL1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), and amphiregulin (AREG), which are inflammation and fibrosis-related genes in the IL-17 signal pathway. The results indicated that the potential mechanism for QLT in the prevention of PF progression was by inhibiting inflammation resulting in the IL-17 signal pathway. Our study provides the novel scientific basis of QLT and represents new therapeutics for PF in clinical.

Thymoquinone attenuates hepatic lipid accumulation by inducing autophagy via AMPK/mTOR/ULK1-dependent pathway in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Thymoquinone (TQ) has been proved to exert wide-ranging pharmacological activities, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and antidiabetic properties. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of TQ on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in C57BL/6 N mice in vivo and free fatty acid (FFA)-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells in vitro. Further, the underlying mechanisms of TQ to promote hepatic autophagy were also discovered. Data showed that TQ caused (p < 0.01) body weight reduction, improved glucose homeostasis, alleviated hepatosteatosis, and decreased hepatic lipid accumulation related to the induction of autophagy in HFD-fed mice. In vitro, TQ obviously increased (p < 0.01) autophagic flux in FFA-induced HepG2 cells and consequently reduced the lipid accumulation in combination with activation of AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathways. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of the AMPK pathway by addition with AMPK inhibitor Compound C (CC) or silence of ULK1 by transfection with siRNA(ULK1) into HepG2 cells reversed these beneficial effects of TQ on triggering hepatic autophagy and reducing lipid accumulation (p < 0.01). Taken together, these results suggested that TQ alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation by triggering autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1-dependent signaling pathway. Our study supports a potential role for TQ in ameliorating NAFLD.

Monomeric compounds from traditional Chinese medicine: New hopes for drug discovery in pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic and irreversible pulmonary disease, and can lead to decreased lung function, respiratory failure and even death. The pathogenesis research and treatment strategy of PF significantly lag behind the medical progress and clinical needs. The treatment of this disease remains a thorny clinical problem, and the effective therapeutic drugs are still limited. Monomeric compounds from traditional Chinese medicine own various biological activities and high safety. They play a broad part in treating diseases and is also a candidate drug for preventing and treating PF. In this paper, we reviewed the mechanism of action and potential value of various anti-PF monomeric compounds from traditional Chinese medicine. These monomeric compounds can attenuate inflammatory response, oxidative stress, epithelial mesenchymal transformation and other processes of lung through many signaling pathways, and inhibit the activation and differentiation of fibroblasts, thus contributing to the treatment of PF. This review can provide new ideas for the development of anti-PF drugs in high efficiency with low toxicity.

Traditional Chinese medicine monomers: Targeting pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells proliferation to treat pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular remodeling (PVR), with high morbidity, disability, and mortality. The abnormal proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is the main pathological change causing PVR. At present, clinical treatment drugs for PH are limited, which can only improve symptoms and reduce hospitalization but cannot delay disease progression and reduce survival rate. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine monomers (TCMs) inhibit excessive proliferation of PASMCs resulting in alleviating PVR through multiple channels and multiple targets, which has attracted more and more attention in the treatment of PH. In this paper, the experimental evidence of inhibiting PASMCs proliferation by TCMs was summarized to provide some directions for the future development of these mentioned TCMs as anti-PH drugs in clinical.

Novel variants of seryl-tRNA synthetase resulting in HUPRA syndrome featured in pulmonary hypertension

Hyperuricemia, pulmonary hypertension, and renal failure in infancy and alkalosis syndrome (HUPRA syndrome) is an ultrarare mitochondrial disease that is characterized by hyperuricemia, pulmonary hypertension, renal failure, and alkalosis. Seryl-tRNA synthetase 2 (SARS2) gene variants are believed to cause HUPRA syndrome, and these variants result in the loss of function of seryl-tRNA synthetase. Eventually, mutated seryl-tRNA synthetase is unable to catalyze tRNA synthesis and leads to the inhibition of the biosynthesis of mitochondrial proteins. This causes oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system impairments. To date, five mutation sites in the SARS2 gene have been identified. We used whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing to find and validate a novel compound heterozygous variants of SARS2 [c.1205G>A (p.Arg402His) and c.680G>A (p.Arg227Gln)], and in silico analysis to analyze the structural change of the variants. We found that both variants were not sufficient to cause obvious structural damage but changed the intermolecular bond of the protein, which could be the cause of HUPRA syndrome in this case. We also performed the literature review and found this patient had significant pulmonary hypertension and minor renal dysfunction compared with other reported cases. This study inspired us to recognize HUPRA syndrome and broaden our knowledge of gene variation in PH.

Salidroside attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating TSC2-induced autophagy

Salidroside (SAL), an antioxidant derived from Rhodiola rosea, exerts neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury; however, the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The present study established a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) and a cellular model of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) to explore the roles and mechanisms of SAL in cerebral I/R injury. The rat model of MCAO/R was established and rats were treated with different doses of SAL. The Zea-Longa scoring system and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining showed that SAL reduced neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct volumes in MCAO/R rats. The results of Morris water maze (MWM) test showed that SAL reduced memory impairment in MCAO/R rats. In addition, SAL significantly reduced oxidative stress and suppressed inflammatory response. Next, the OGD/R model was established with PC12 cells and treated with SAL. The results of flow cytometry and 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that SAL reduced apoptosis, enhanced cell viability and protected neuronal cells from damage by decreasing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. SAL increased the expression of TSC complex subunit 2 (TSC2), and activated the 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. It was verified that SAL alleviated cerebral I/R injury by regulating the AMPK/TSC2/mTOR pathway to induce autophagy. In conclusion, SAL reduces the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in a concentration-dependent manner, and protects against cerebral I/R injury by modulating TSC2-induced autophagy. These findings suggest SAL may prove to be a potential therapeutic agent for ischemic stroke.

Rhodiola crenulate alleviates hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury via adjusting NF-κB/NLRP3-mediated inflammation

BACKGROUND

Rhodiola crenulate (R. crenulate), a famous Tibetan medicine, has been demonstrated to possess superiorly protective effects in high-altitude hypoxic brain injury (HHBI). However, its mechanisms on HHBI are still largely unknown.

METHODS

Herein, the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of R. crenulate on HHBI of BABL/c mice were explored through in vivo experiments. The mice model of HHBI was established using an animal hypobaric and hypoxic chamber. R. crenulate extract (RCE) (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg) was given by gavage for 7 days. Pathological changes and neuronal viability of mice hippocampus and cortex were evaluated using H&E and Nissl staining, respectively. The brain water content (BWC) in mice was determined by calculating the ratio of dry to wet weight of brain tissue. And serum of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH-Px) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were detected via commercial biochemical kits. Synchronously, the contents of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), lactic acid (LA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), pyruvate kinase (PK), Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPcase, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPcase, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in brain tissue were quantitative analysis by corresponding ELISA assay. Subsequently, NLRP3, ZO-1, claudin-5, occluding, p-p65, p65, ASC, cleaved-caspase-1, caspase-1 and IL-18 were determined by immunofluorescent and western blot analyses.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that RCE remarkably alleviated pathological damage, BWC, as well enhanced neuronal viability. Furthermore, the oxidative stress injuries were reversely abrogated after RCE treatment, evidenced by the increases of SOD, GSH-Px and T-AOC, while the decreases of MDA and LDH contents. Marvelously, the administration of RCE rectified and balanced the abnormal energy metabolism via elevating the levels of ATP, SDH, PK, Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPcase and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPcase, and lowering LA. Simultaneously, the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-5 and occludin) was enhanced, illustrating RCE treatment might maintain the integrity of blood-brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, RCE treatment confined the contents of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, and attenuated fluorescent signal of NLRP3 protein. Concurrently, the results of western blot indicated that RCE treatment dramatically restrained p-p65/p65, ASC, NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1/caspase-1 and IL-18 protein expressions in brain tissues of mice.

CONCLUSION

RCE may afford a protectively intervention in HHBI of mice through suppressing the oxidative stress, improving energy metabolism and the integrity of BBB, and subsiding inflammatory responses via the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. As a promising agent for the treatment of mice HHBI, the deep-crossing molecular mechanisms of R. crenulate still needs to be further elucidated to identify novel core hub targets.

Salidroside, a phenyl ethanol glycoside from Rhodiola crenulata, orchestrates hypoxic mitochondrial dynamics homeostasis by stimulating Sirt1/p53/Drp1 signaling

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Rhodiola crenulata is clinically used to combat hypobaric hypoxia brain injury at high altitude with the function of invigorating Qi and promoting blood circulation in Tibetan medicine. Salidroside (Sal), an active compound identified from Rhodiola species, has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against hypoxic brain injury. However, its mitochondrial protective mechanisms remain largely unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to explore the mitochondrial protection of Sal and the involved mechanisms related to mitochondrial dynamics homeostasis on hypoxia-induced injury of HT22 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hypoxic condition was performed as cells cultured in a tri-gas incubator with 1% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 94% N₂. We firstly investigated the effects of different concentrations of Sal on the viability of normal or hypoxic HT22 cells. Whereafter, the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase were tested by commercial kits. Meanwhile, mitochondrial superoxide, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were determined by specific labeled probes. Mitochondrial morphology was detected by mito-tracker green with confocal microscopy. Additionally, the potential interactions of Sal with Sirt1/p53/Drp1 signaling pathway-related proteins were predicted and tested by molecular docking and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) techniques, respectively. Furthermore, the protein levels of Sirt1, p53, ac-p53, Drp1, p-Drp1(s616), Fis1 and Mfn2 were estimated by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Sal alleviated hypoxia-induced oxidative stress in HT22 cells as evidenced by increased cell viability and SOD activity, while decreased LDH release and MDA content. The protected mitochondrial function by Sal treatment was indicated by the increases of ATP level, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity and MMP. Miraculously, Sal reduced hypoxia-induced mitochondrial fission, while increased mitochondrial tubular or linear morphology. The results of molecular docking and LSPR confirmed the potential binding of Sal to proteins Sirt1, p53, Fis1 and Mfn2 with affinity values 1.38 × 10^-2, 5.26 × 10^-3, 6.46 × 10^-3 and 7.26 × 10^-3 KD, respectively. And western blot analysis further demonstrated that Sal memorably raised the levels of Sirt1 and Mfn2, while decreased the levels of ac-p53, Drp1, p-Drp1 (s616) and Fis1.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our data confirm that Sal can maintain mitochondrial dynamics homeostasis by activating the Sirt1/p53/Drp1 signaling pathway.

The Emerging Role of EVA1A in Different Types of Cancers

Eva-1 homolog A (EVA1A), also known as transmembrane protein 166 (TMEM166) and regulator of programmed cell death, is an endoplasmic reticulum associated protein, which can play an important role in many diseases, including a variety of cancers, by regulating autophagy/apoptosis. However, the related mechanism, especially the role of EVA1A in cancers, has not been fully understood. In this review, we summarize the recent studies on the role of EVA1A in different types of cancers, including breast cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer, and analyze the relevant mechanisms to provide a theoretical basis for future related research.

Autophagy and beyond: Unraveling the complexity of UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) from biological functions to therapeutic implications

UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), as a serine/threonine kinase, is an autophagic initiator in mammals and a homologous protein of autophagy related protein (Atg) 1 in yeast and of UNC-51 in Caenorhabditis elegans. ULK1 is well-known for autophagy activation, which is evolutionarily conserved in protein transport and indispensable to maintain cell homeostasis. As the direct target of energy and nutrition-sensing kinase, ULK1 may contribute to the distribution and utilization of cellular resources in response to metabolism and is closely associated with multiple pathophysiological processes. Moreover, ULK1 has been widely reported to play a crucial role in human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and infections, and subsequently targeted small-molecule inhibitors or activators are also demonstrated. Interestingly, the non-autophagy function of ULK1 has been emerging, indicating that non-autophagy-relevant ULK1 signaling network is also linked with diseases under some specific contexts. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the structure and functions of ULK1 as an autophagic initiator, with a focus on some new approaches, and further elucidated the key roles of ULK1 in autophagy and non-autophagy. Additionally, we also discussed the relationships between ULK1 and human diseases, as well as illustrated a rapid progress for better understanding of the discovery of more candidate small-molecule drugs targeting ULK1, which will provide a clue on novel ULK1-targeted therapeutics in the future.

Hypoxia Induces Autophagy in Human Dendritic Cells: Involvement of Class III PI3K/Vps34

Hypoxia is a component of both physiological and pathological conditions, including inflammation, solid tumors, and lymphoid tissues, where O2 demand is not balanced by O2 supply. During their lifespan, dendritic cells (DCs) are exposed to different pO2 and activate different adaptive responses, including autophagy, to preserve their viability and functions. Autophagy plays multiple roles in DC physiology. Very recently, we demonstrated that hypoxia shapes autophagy in DCs upon their differentiation state. Here, we proposed a role for PI3Ks, and especially class III PI3K/Vps34, that could be relevant in hypoxia-induced autophagy, in either immature or mature DCs. Hypoxia inhibited mTOR phosphorylation and activated a pro-autophagic program. By using different pharmacological inhibitors, we demonstrated that hypoxia-induced autophagy was mediated by PI3Ks, especially by Vps34. Furthermore, Vps34 expression was enhanced by LPS, a TLR4 ligand, along with the promotion of autophagy under hypoxia. The Vps34 inhibitor, SAR405, abolished hypoxia-induced autophagy, inhibited pro-survival signaling and viability, and increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Our results underlined the impact of autophagy in the maintenance of DC homeostasis at both cell survival and inflammatory response levels, therefore, contributing to a better understanding of the significance of autophagy in DC physiology and pathology.

Bradykinin postconditioning protects rat hippocampal neurons after restoration of spontaneous circulation following cardiac arrest via activation of the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway

Bradykinin (BK) is an active component of the kallikrein-kinin system that has been shown to have cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects. We previously showed that BK postconditioning strongly protects rat hippocampal neurons upon restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest. However, the precise mechanism underlying this process remains poorly understood. In this study, we treated a rat model of ROSC after cardiac arrest (induced by asphyxiation) with 150 μg/kg BK via intraperitoneal injection 48 hours after ROSC following cardiac arrest. We found that BK postconditioning effectively promoted the recovery of rat neurological function after ROSC following cardiac arrest, increased the amount of autophagosomes in the hippocampal tissue, inhibited neuronal cell apoptosis, up-regulated the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3 and NBR1 and down-regulated p62, inhibited the expression of the brain injury marker S100β and apoptosis-related protein caspase-3, and affected the expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway-related proteins. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor compound C clearly inhibited BK-mediated activation of autophagy in rats after ROSC following cardiac arrest, which aggravated the injury caused by ROSC. The mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitor rapamycin enhanced the protective effects of BK by stimulating autophagy. Our findings suggest that BK postconditioning protects against injury caused by ROSC through activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of the rapamycin pathway.

TBC domain family 7-like enhances the tolerance of Penaeus vannamei to ammonia nitrogen by the up-regulation of autophagy

TBC domain family 7 (TBC1D7) is one of the subunits of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and an important regulator of autophagosome biogenesis. However, the function of TBC1D7 is not fully understood in crustaceans. In the present study, TBC1D7 was identified from Penaeus vannamei. The complete coding sequence of PvTBC1D7 was of 960 bp encoding a predicted polypeptide of 319 amino acids with one conserved TBC domain, which shared high similarity with TBC1D7 of that other species. The mRNA of PvTBC1D7 was highly expressed in hemocyte and hepatopancreas, and the PvTBC1D7 protein was localized specifically in the cytoplasm of hemocyte of shrimp. Besides, PvTBC1D7 was co-localized with PvTSC1 in the cytoplasm of shrimp, indicating that there might existed a binding relationship between PvTBC1D7 and PvTSC1. During the ammonia nitrogen stress, the mRNA transcripts of PvTBC1D7 were significantly upregulated in hemocyte, hepatopancreas, and gill. Functionally, overexpression of PvTBC1D7 in vitro restored the inhibition to autophagy caused by chloroquine (CLQ) and increased the autophagy level, while the silencing of PvTBC1D7 could inhibit the autophagy. More importantly, after interfering with PvTBC1D7, the autophagy level decreased significantly both in hepatopancreas and hemocyte of P. vannamei, the mRNA expression of PvmTOR was increased remarkably with the significantly decrease of autophagy-related genes (PvATG12 and PvATG14). And the reduction of PvTBC1D7 remarkably exacerbated the damage of hepatopancreas, increased the accumulation of ROS, and reduced the survival proportion of shrimp under ammonia nitrogen stress. Altogether, these results indicated that PvTBC1D7 might positively regulate the autophagy by stabilizing the negative regulation of mTOR by TSC complex, reduce the oxidative stress damage and improve shrimp ammonia nitrogen tolerance.

Salidroside Promotes Sensitization to Doxorubicin in Human Cancer Cells by Affecting the PI3K/Akt/HIF Signal Pathway and Inhibiting the Expression of Tumor-Resistance-Related Proteins

Salidroside (Sal), the major active constituent of Rhodiola rosea L., is considered as a potential pro-drug with various activities; however, its role in tumor therapy is not clear. Here, we demonstrated in vitro and in vivo that Sal enhanced the inhibitory activity of doxorubicin (DOX) in drug-resistant cancer cell lines. Our results showed that combination drug treatment (Sal and DOX) significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and motility. Besides biological validation, a luciferase-labeled animal tumor xenograft model and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) were applied for assessing the tumor progression. Sal combined with DOX inhibited the growth of HeLa-ADR-luc cells in vivo and downregulated the DOX-induced high expression of MDR1. Also, Sal downregulated the Bcl-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, and AKT and upregulated BAX proteins. Sal demonstrated high safety and cardiac protection activity. We discovered that Sal enhances DOX sensitivity through the regulation of PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α and DOX-induced resistance pathways. Our results suggest that Sal could be a novel chemosensitization agent for the treatment of multi-drug-resistance tumors.

DEP domain containing 1B (DEPDC1B) exerts the tumor promoter in hepatocellular carcinoma through activating p53 signaling pathway via kinesin family member 23 (KIF23)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely associated with chronic liver disease and possesses a high incidence. DEP domain containing 1B (DEPDC1B) expression has been found to be upregulated in HCC according to bioinformatics analysis. This paper sought to study the specific role of DEPDC1B in HCC. The data of DEPDC1B expression and individual overall survival in HCC and normal liver tissues were acquired from UALCAN database. The association between DEPDC1B and the downstream signal, kinesin family member 23 (KIF23), was determined using LinkedOmics and STRING database, and subsequently confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation assay. The expression levels of DEPDC1B and KIF23 in normal hepatic epithelial cells and HCC cell lines were assessed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. Following transfection with small interference RNA-DEPDC1B, the influences of DEPDC1B knockdown on cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle, cell invasion, migration, and KIF23 expression were evaluated. In addition, the effects of KIF23 overexpression on the above aspects of HCC cells were also determined, as well as the expression level of p53 signaling-related proteins. The results indicated that DEPDC1B was highly expressed in HCC cells. DEPDC1B knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, cycle, and KIF23 expression in HCC cells. Moreover, KIF23 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of DEPDC1B knockdown in HCC cells and the activation of the p53 signaling. In conclusion, DEPDC1B knockdown exerts anti-cancer role in HCC by activating the p53 signaling through KIF23.

Salidroside attenuates CoCl2-simulated hypoxia injury in PC12 cells partly by mitochondrial protection

Salidroside has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against hypoxia. However, its mitochondrial protective mechanisms still remain elusive. The present study aimed to explore the mitochondrial protection of salidroside on PC12 cells and the involved mechanisms. The hypoxic injury of PC12 cells was triggered by CoCl₂ stimulus. The contents of LDH release, SOD, GSH-PX, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, ATP, NAD⁺ and NADH were determined by using commercial biochemical kits. Clark-type oxygen electrode and Seahorse XFe24 analyzer were employed to evaluate cell respiration and measure oxygen consumption rate (OCR), respectively. Mitochondrial swelling and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured by using isolated mitochondria from the brain tissue of mice. The proteins expression of cleaved Caspase-3, HIF-1α, ISCU1/2, COX10 and PFKP were tested by immunofluorescence and Western blot. While the genes expression of Caspase-3, HIF-1α, ISCU1/2, COX10 and miR-210 were tested by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Salidroside alleviated CoCl₂-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells as evidenced by increased cell viability, decreased LDH release and elevated GSH-PX and SOD activities. Salidroside could inhibit apoptosis by suppressing the level of cleaved Caspase-3 and Caspase-3. The enhanced mitochondrial energy synthesis by salidroside treatment was evidenced by the increases of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity, ATP content, NAD⁺/NADH ratio, cellular respiration and OCR. In addition, salidroside could reduce mitochondrial swelling and MMP dissipation in isolated mitochondria. The results of immunofluorescence, Western blot and qRT-PCR analyses further revealed that salidroside raised the level of HIF-1α, ISCU1/2, COX10, and miR-210. Collectively, salidroside can reverse CoCl₂-simulated hypoxia injury in PC12 cells partly by mitochondrial protection via inhibiting oxidative stress event, anti-apoptosis and enhancing mitochondrial energy synthesis.

Unfolding the role of autophagy in the cancer metabolism

Autophagy is considered an indispensable process that scavenges toxins, recycles complex macromolecules, and sustains the essential cellular functions. In addition to its housekeeping role, autophagy plays a substantial role in many pathophysiological processes such as cancer. Certainly, it adapts cancer cells to thrive in the stress conditions such as hypoxia and starvation. Cancer cells indeed have also evolved by exploiting the autophagy process to fulfill energy requirements through the production of metabolic fuel sources and fundamentally altered metabolic pathways. Occasionally autophagy as a foe impedes tumorigenesis and promotes cell death. The complex role of autophagy in cancer makes it a potent therapeutic target and has been actively tested in clinical trials. Moreover, the versatility of autophagy has opened new avenues of effective combinatorial therapeutic strategies. Thereby, it is imperative to comprehend the specificity of autophagy in cancer-metabolism. This review summarizes the recent research and conceptual framework on the regulation of autophagy by various metabolic pathways, enzymes, and their cross-talk in the cancer milieu, including the implementation of altered metabolism and autophagy in clinically approved and experimental therapeutics.

Salidroside Activates the AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway to Suppress Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

NASH is becoming a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and HCC. Salidroside (p-hydroxyphenethyl-β-D-glucoside; SAL) has various biological and pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, -oxidant, and -cancer activities. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanism of SAL in NASH remain to be further clarified.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this study, we found that SAL alleviated lipid accumulation and inflammatory response in primary hepatocytes after palmitic acid/oleic acid (PO) stimulation. In addition, SAL effectively prevented high-fat/high-cholesterol (HFHC)-diet-induced NASH progression by regulating glucose metabolism dysregulation, insulin resistance, lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. Mechanistically, integrated RNA-sequencing and bioinformatic analysis showed that SAL promoted AMPK-signaling pathway activation in vitro and in vivo, and this finding was further verified by determining the phosphorylation levels of AMPK. Furthermore, the protective effects of SAL on lipid accumulation and inflammation in hepatocytes and livers induced by PO or HFHC stimulation were blocked by AMPK interruption.

CONCLUSIONS

Our studies demonstrate that SAL protects against metabolic-stress-induced NASH progression through activation of AMPK signaling, indicating that SAL could be a potential drug component for NASH therapy.

Nkx2-3 induces autophagy inhibiting proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway

Vascular remodeling and restenosis are common complications after percutaneous coronary intervention. Excessive proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play important roles in intimal hyperplasia-induced vascular restenosis. NK2 Homeobox 3 (Nkx2-3), a critical member of Nkx family, is involved in tissue differentiation and organ development. However, the role of Nkx2-3 in VSMCs proliferation and migration remains unknown. In this study, we used carotid balloon injury model and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF)-treated VSMCs as in vivo and in vitro experimental models. EdU assay and CCK-8 assay were used to detect cell proliferation. Migration was measured by scratch test. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry staining were used to evaluate the intimal hyperplasia. The autophagy level was detected by fluorescent mRFP-GFP-LC3 in vitro and by transmission electron microscopy in vivo. It was shown that Nkx2-3 was upregulated both in balloon injured carotid arteries and PDGF-stimulated VSMCs. Adenovirus-mediated Nkx2-3 overexpression inhibited intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury, and suppressed VSMCs proliferation and migration induced by PDGF. Conversely, silencing of Nkx2-3 by small interfering RNA exaggerated proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Furthermore, we found that Nkx2-3 enhanced autophagy level, while the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA eliminated the inhibitory effect of Nkx2-3 on VSMCs proliferation and migration both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, Nkx2-3 promoted autophagy in VSMCs by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) signaling pathway. These results demonstrated for the first time that Nkx2-3 inhibited VSMCs proliferation and migration through AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy.

CircC6orf132 Facilitates Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Glycolysis of Gastric Cancer Cells Under Hypoxia by Acting on the miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 Axis

Background: Hypoxia is a crucial factor in the progression of various tumors, including gastric cancer (GC). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important regulators in GC, and this study focused on researching circC6orf132 in GC progression under hypoxia.

Methods:In vitro experiments were performed in GC cells under hypoxia (1% O₂). CircC6orf132, microRNA-873-5p (miR-873-5p), and protein kinase AMP-activated alpha 1 catalytic subunit (PRKAA1) levels were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Colony formation assay and transwell assay were used for detecting cell proliferation and migration or invasion. Glycolytic metabolism was evaluated using lactate production, glucose uptake, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Western blotting was performed for determining protein expression. The target interaction was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. In vivo assay was conducted via mouse xenograft model.

Results: The expression of circC6orf132 was significantly high in GC cells under hypoxia. Hypoxia-induced GC proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis were reversed by silencing circC6orf132. CircC6orf132 targeted miR-873-5p; and the inhibition of circC6orf132 knockdown for the effects of hypoxia on GC cells was abrogated by miR-873-5p inhibitor. PRKAA1 was validated as a downstream gene of miR-873-5p, and miR-873-5p functioned as an anticancer molecule in GC cells under hypoxia by downregulating PRKAA1 level. CircC6orf132 could regulate PRKAA1 by sponging miR-873-5p. CircC6orf132/miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis could regulate GC progression under the hypoxic condition. CircC6orf132 downregulation reduced tumorigenesis in vivo through affecting the miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis.

Conclusion: CircC6orf132 has been affirmed to promote proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in GC under hypoxia, partly by depending on the regulation of miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis.

Prenatal hypoxia induced ETBR activation and abnormal ROS signalling in pulmonary artery cells of rat offspring

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive disorder characterized by remodeling and increased small pulmonary arteries resistance. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) was related to PAH and ET-1 receptors were up-regulated selectively in the lung when exposed to toxic factor hypoxia. However, the role of ET-1 signaling in the pathogenesis of prenatal hypoxia-induced pulmonary abnormalities remains to be elucidated. Pregnant rats were divided into prenatal hypoxia (10.5 % O2 from gestational day 4-21) and control group. Their three-month-old offspring male rats were tested for vascular functions and molecular analysis, DNA methylation was assessed for cellular hypoxia. Functional testing showed that ET-1-mediated vasoconstriction was enhanced, and the expressions of endothelin A receptor/B receptor (ETAR/ETBR), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor, type 1, and the sensitivity of calcium channels were increased in the small pulmonary arteries following prenatal hypoxia. q-PCR and DHE staining showed that the expressions of NADPH oxidase 1/4 (Nox1/4) were up-regulated, along with the increased production of superoxide anion. Furthermore, superoxide anion promoted ET-1-mediated pulmonary artery contraction. In the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell experiments, q-PCR, Western Blot, CCK8 and DHE staining showed that the expressions of ETBR, Nox1/4, and superoxide anion were increased by hypoxia, along with promoted cell proliferation. 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy reversed hypoxia-induced cell proliferation. ETBR antagonist BQ788 inhibited hypoxia-increased expressions of Nox1/4, superoxide anion production, and proliferation of cells. Moreover, methylation analysis indicated that hypoxia decreased the methylation levels of the ETBR promoter in the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. The results indicated that prenatal toxic factor hypoxia resulted in abnormal ETBR activation, which enhanced ET-1-mediated vasoconstriction of pulmonary arteries and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation through ETBR/Nox1/4-derived ROS pathway.

Salidroside-pretreated mesenchymal stem cells contribute to neuroprotection in cerebral ischemic injury in vitro and in vivo

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered a promising tool for treating cerebral ischemic injury. However, their poor survival after transplantation limits their therapeutic effect and applications. Salidroside has been reported to exert potent cytoprotective and neuroprotective effects. This study aimed to investigate whether salidroside could improve MSC survival under hypoxic-ischemic conditions and, subsequently, alleviate cerebral ischemic injury in a rat model. MSCs were pretreated by salidroside under hypoxic-ischemic conditions. The cell proliferation, migratory capacity, and apoptosis were evaluated by means of Cell Counting Kit-8, transwell assay, and flow cytometry. MSCs pretreated with salidroside were transplanted into the rats subsequent to middle cerebral artery occlusion. The grip strength, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, and hematoxylin-eosin staining were used to analyze the therapeutic efficiency and pathological changes. The mature neuron marker NeuN and astrocyte marker GFAP in the focal area were detected by immunofluorescence. These results indicated that salidroside promoted the proliferation, migration and reduced apoptosis of MSCs under hypoxic-ischemic conditions. In vivo experiments revealed that transplantation of salidroside-pretreated MSCs strengthened the therapeutic efficiency by enhancing neurogenesis and inhibiting neuroinflammation in the hippocampal CA1 area after ischemia. Our results suggest that pretreatment with salidroside could be an effective strategy to enhance the cell survival rate and the therapeutic effect of MSCs in treating cerebral ischemic injury.

AMPK and Pulmonary Hypertension: Crossroads Between Vasoconstriction and Vascular Remodeling

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a debilitating and life-threatening disease characterized by increased blood pressure within the pulmonary arteries. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a heterotrimeric serine-threonine kinase that contributes to the regulation of metabolic and redox signaling pathways. It has key roles in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation. The role of AMPK in PH is controversial because both inhibition and activation of AMPK are preventive against PH development. Some clinical studies found that metformin, the first-line antidiabetic drug and the canonical AMPK activator, has therapeutic efficacy during treatment of early-stage PH. Other study findings suggest the use of metformin is preferentially beneficial for treatment of PH associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF). In this review, we discuss the "AMPK paradox" and highlight the differential effects of AMPK on pulmonary vasoconstriction and pulmonary vascular remodeling. We also review the effects of AMPK activators and inhibitors on rescue of preexisting PH in animals and include a discussion of gender differences in the response to metformin in PH.

REDD1 (regulated in development and DNA damage-1)/autophagy inhibition ameliorates fine particulate matter (PM2.5) -induced inflammation and apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells

This study aimed to investigate the implication of REDD1 on airborne particle matter-induced lung injury and whether it is mediated through autophagy. Cell viability in BEAS-2B cells induced by PM2.5 was measured by CCK-8. RT-qPCR and Western blot were performed to determine mRNA and protein levels of REDD1 as well as inflammatory cytokines, respectively. Cell apoptosis was observed with TUNEL staining. The expression of autophagy-related genes was detected by Western blot. Autophagy level was observed with GFP-LC3 staining. PM2.5 induced the expression of REDD1 in BEAS-2B cells. The inhibition by silencing REDD1 ameliorated the viability damage, blocked the inflammatory response and reduced the number of apoptotic BEAS-2B cells all induced by PM2.5. It was also found that PM2.5 induced autophagy in BEAS-2B cells, which was reversed by interference with REDD1. Furthermore, interference with REDD1 alleviated PM2.5-induced cell damage, inflammatory response and apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells through inhibiting autophagy. REDD1/autophagy inhibition ameliorates PM2.5-induced viability damage, inflammation and apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells.

Anti-Apoptotic Role of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction and Anisodamine in Endotoxemia

Endotoxemia is characterized by initial uncontrollable inflammation, terminal immune paralysis, significant cell apoptosis and tissue injury, which can aggravate or induce multiple diseases and become one of the complications of many diseases. Therefore, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic therapy is a valuable strategy for the treatment of endotoxemia-induced tissue injury. Traditional Chinese medicine exhibits great advantages in the treatment of endotoxemia. In this review, we have analyzed and summarized the active ingredients and their metabolites of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction, a famous formula in endotoxemia therapy. We then have summarized the mechanisms of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction against endotoxemia and its mediated tissue injury. Furthermore, silico strategy was used to evaluate the anti-apoptotic mechanism of anisodamine, a well-known natural product that widely used to improve survival in patients with septic shock. Finally, we also have summarized other anti-apoptotic natural products as well as their therapeutic effects on endotoxemia and its mediated tissue injury.

Comparative Phosphoproteomics Reveals a Role for AMPK in Hypoxia Signaling in Testes of Oriental River Prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense)

Hypoxia is one of the major stresses in aquaculture animals. Recently, we reported that hypoxia disrupts the endocrine system and inhibits testicular function of oriental river prawns (Macrobrachium nipponense), but the molecular mechanism of testes responded to hypoxia remains largely unknown. In the present study, we aimed to integrate whole phosphoproteomic profiles of hypoxia-treated testes of the oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense). We successfully isolated sperm cells and evaluated the mitochondrial morphology and function using laser confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and biochemical analyses. Quantitative proteomics identified 117 differentially abundant phosphorylated proteins, and these proteins are mainly involved in the pathways related to cellular processes, including autophagy, apoptosis, and the FoxO signaling pathway. Protein-protein interaction analysis clustered these phosphoproteins into three groups, many of which have been suggested to impact carbohydrate metabolism, autophagy, and signal regulation in testes. Western blotting confirmed that phosphorylated proteins including AMPK, ULK1, and TP53 (of the AMPK pathway) may contribute to testicular dysfunction caused by hypoxia. Further, we investigated the potential roles of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)'s in testes mitochondrial autophagy and apoptosis in M. nipponense as induced by hypoxia. Simultaneous knockdown of AMPKα in sperm cells led to a decrease in FOXO3a phosphorylation at Ser413, upregulation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities, and an increased apoptosis rate. These results improve our understanding of hypoxia-induced energy metabolism disorders in the testes of M. nipponense.

Gene Expression Profiling and Biofunction Analysis of HepG2 Cells Targeted by Crocetin

Crocetin is a carotenoid extracted from Gardenia jasminoides, one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicines, which has been used in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. The present study is aimed at clarifying the effect of crocetin on gene expression profiling of HepG2 cells by RNA-sequence assay and further investigating the molecular mechanism underlying the multiple biofunctions of crocetin based on bioinformatics analysis and molecular evidence. Among a total 23K differential genes identified, crocetin treatment upregulated the signals of 491 genes (2.14% of total gene probes) and downregulated the signals of 283 genes (1.24% of total gene probes) by ≥2-fold. The Gene Ontology analysis enriched these genes mainly on cell proliferation and apoptosis (BRD4 and DAXX); lipid formation (EHMT2); cell response to growth factor stimulation (CYP24A1 and GCNT2); and growth factor binding (ABCB1 and ABCG1), metabolism, and signal transduction processes. The KEGG pathway analysis revealed that crocetin has the potential to regulate transcriptional misregulation, ABC transporters, bile secretion, alcoholism, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and other pathways, of which SLE was the most significantly disturbed pathway. The PPI network was constructed by using the STRING online protein interaction database and Cytoscape software, and 21 core proteins were obtained. RT-qPCR datasets serve as the solid evidence that verified the accuracy of transcriptome sequencing results with the same change trend. This study provides first-hand data for comprehensively understanding crocetin targeting on hepatic metabolism and its multiple biofunctions.

Enhanced effects of salidroside on erectile function and corpora cavernosa autophagy in a cavernous nerve injury rat model

We explored the efficacy and mechanisms of salidroside treatment for erectile dysfunction induced by bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Forty male rats were divided into four groups as follows: sham (cavernous nerves exposed only) (S); BCNI (M); BCNI + rapamycin (M + rapamycin); and BCNI + salidroside (M + salidroside). Erectile function in the rats was measured by intracavernosal pressure. Penile tissue was harvested for transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Masson's trichrome staining, haematoxylin-eosin staining, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling and western blotting. The M group exhibited a decrease in erectile responses and increased apoptosis and fibrosis compared to these in the S group. Meanwhile, nerve content and the penile atrophy index were also decreased in the M group. Treatment with salidroside and rapamycin for 3 weeks partially restored erectile function and significantly attenuated corporal apoptosis, fibrosis, nerve content and penile atrophy in the M group. Moreover, the autophagy level was further enhanced in the M + salidroside group, which was the same as that in the positive observation group (M + rapamycin). Salidroside treatment not only improved erectile function in rats with BCNI, but also inhibited apoptosis and fibrosis and ameliorated the loss of nerve content and endothelial and corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells by promoting protective autophagy.

Functional metabolomics innovates therapeutic discovery of traditional Chinese medicine derived functional compounds

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) produce chemically diverse functional compounds that are importantly chemical resource for facilitating new drug discovery and development against a diversity of diseases. However, modern exploration of TCM derived functional compounds is significantly hindered by the inefficient elucidation of pharmacological functions over past decades, because conventional research methods are incapable of efficiently elucidating therapeutic potential of TCM conferred by multiple functional compounds. Functional metabolomics has the priority-capacity to characterize systems therapeutic actions of TCM by precisely capturing molecular interactions between disease response metabolite biomarkers (DRMB) and functional compounds (secondary metabolites), which underline pharmacological efficiency and associated therapeutic mechanisms. In this critical review, we innovatively summarize systems therapeutic feature of TCM derived functional compounds from a functional-metabolism perspective, then systems metabolic targets (SMT) identified by functional metabolomics method are strategically proposed to better understanding of therapeutic discovery of TCM derived functional compounds. In addition, we propose the perspective strategy as Spatial Temporal Operative Real Metabolomics (STORM) to considerably improve analytical capacity of functional metabolomics method by selectively incorporating the cutting edge technologies of mass spectrometry imaging, isotope-metabolic fluxomics, synthetic and biosynthetic chemistry, which could considerably enhance the precision and resolution of elucidating pharmacological efficiency and associated therapeutic mechanisms of TCM derived functional compounds. Collectively, such critical review is expected to provide novel perspective-strategy that could significantly improve modern exploration and exploitation of TCM derived functional compounds that further promote new drug discovery and development against the complex diseases.

Enhancing the chemotherapy effect of Apatinib on gastric cancer by co-treating with salidroside to reprogram the tumor hypoxia micro-environment and induce cell apoptosis

Hypoxic microenvironment commonly occurred in the solid tumors considerably decreases the chemosensitivity of cancer cells. Salidroside (Sal), the main active ingredient of Rhodiola rosea, was shown to be able of regulating the tumor hypoxia micro-environment and enhancing the chemotherapeutic efficacy of drug-resistant cancer. Therefore, in this study, the Sal was co-loaded with Apatinib (Apa) by the PLGA-based nanoparticles (NPs) to improve the chemosensitivity of gastric cancer cells. Additionally, to improve the drug delivery efficacy, the tumor-homing peptide (iVR1 peptides) was further decorated on the surface of NPs. The tumor targeting ability of the peptides-functionalized nanoparticles (iVR1-NPs-Apa/Sal) was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. As the obtained results revealed that the iVR1-NPs-Apa/Sal displayed excellent tumor affinity than the unmodified ones (NPs-Apa/Sal), which in turn resulted in more efficient of anti-proliferation of gastric cancer cells and anti-tumor effect in vivo. In addition, compared with the cells or tumor-bearing mice only treaded by monotherapy of Apa, the cells or mice received combinational treatment of Apa and Sal showed obvious lower rate of growth, invasion, and migration or tumor growth and progress. Underlying mechanisms were further investigated and it was revealed that the anti-gastric cancer effect of Apa was signally improved by Sal through down-regulation the proliferation factors and increase the pro-apoptotic genes, as well as reprograming the tumor hypoxia micro-environment. In a word, the study showed that the Sal was able of improving the chemosensitivity of gastric cancer to Apa and the iVR1-NPs-Apa/Sal was capable of realizing highly efficient of tumor-targeting drug delivery.