Maqui berry extract prevents cigarette smoke induced oxidative stress in human osteoblasts in vitro

The antioxidant, anti-cholangiocarcinoma, and anti-Opisthorchis viverrini activities of ethanolic extract from Antidesma thwaitesianum fruit

Objectives

The current study was performed to determine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) properties of Antidesma thwaitesianum, also known as "MAO," whole plant extract on Opisthorchiasis in animal models and CCA cell lines.

Materials and Methods

Ethanol was used to extract compounds from the whole ripe fruit. The phytochemical investigation of MAO extract was done to evaluate antioxidant activity, and high-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify the active compounds. The efficacy of MAO extract against OV was evaluated in vivo. The anti- CCA activity was evaluated using superoxide dismutase (SRB), cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and western blot analyses.

Results

MAO extract possessed flavonoid and phenolic contents, antioxidant activity, and an expressed cyanidin-3-O-glycosides content of 0.08 μg/mg extract. MAO extract demonstrated hepatoprotective effects through raised alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase levels, as well as an influence on oxidative stress via decreased MDA and increased glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels. MAO extract significantly inhibited the migration of CCA cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, as well as triggered cell cycle arrest on G1 and activated apoptosis pathways via upregulation of C3, downregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, cyclin D, and cyclin-dependent kinases 2 expression. MAO extract inhibited inflammation, which in turn decreased fibrosis in hamsters. It also increased hepatoprotective activity.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the potential benefits of MAO extract in both in vitro and animal studies of hamster opisthorchiasis. However, more research should be done to ascertain the mechanisms of activity of MAO extracts and elute bioactive components in order to confirm their safety and examine their clinical applications.

An Overlooked Bone Metabolic Disorder: Cigarette Smoking-Induced Osteoporosis

Cigarette smoking (CS) leads to significant bone loss, which is recognized as an independent risk factor for osteoporosis. The number of smokers is continuously increasing due to the addictive nature of smoking. Therefore it is of great value to effectively prevent CS-induced osteoporosis. However, there are currently no effective interventions to specifically counteract CS-induced osteoporosis, owing to the fact that the specific mechanisms by which CS affects bone metabolism are still elusive. This review summarizes the latest research findings of important pathways between CS exposure and bone metabolism, with the aim of providing new targets and ideas for the prevention of CS-induced osteoporosis, as well as providing theoretical directions for further research in the future.

In vitro modeling of liver fibrosis in 3D microtissues using scalable micropatterning system

Liver fibrosis is the late consequence of chronic liver inflammation which could eventually lead to cirrhosis, and liver failure. Among various etiological factors, activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) are the major players in liver fibrosis. To date, various in vitro liver fibrosis models have been introduced to address biological and medical questions. Availability of traditional in vitro models could not fully recapitulate complicated pathology of liver fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple and robust model to investigate the role of aHSCs on the progression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hepatocytes during liver fibrogenesis. Therefore, we applied a micropatterning approach to generate 3D co-culture microtissues consisted of HepaRG and human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVEC) which co-cultured with inactivated LX-2 cells or activated LX-2 cells, respectively, as normal or fibrotic liver models in vitro. The result indicated that the activated LX-2 cells could induce EMT in HepaRG cells through activation of TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway. Besides, in the fibrotic microtissue, physiologic function of HepaRG cells attenuated compared to the control group, e.g., metabolic activity and albumin secretion. Moreover, our results showed that after treatment with Galunisertib, the fibrogenic properties decreased, in the term of gene and protein expression. In conclusion, it is proposed that aHSCs could lead to EMT in hepatocytes during liver fibrogenesis. Furthermore, the scalable micropatterning approach could provide enough required liver microtissues to prosper our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the progression of liver fibrosis as well as high throughput (HT) drug screening.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Biocompatible Alloy, Ti-Nb-Zr-Ta-Sn

Many current-generation biomedical implants are fabricated from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy because it has many attractive properties, such as low density and biocompatibility. However, the elastic modulus of this alloy is much larger than that of the surrounding bone, leading to bone resorption and, eventually, implant failure. In the present study, we synthesized and performed a detailed analysis of a novel low elastic modulus Ti-based alloy (Ti-28Nb-5Zr-2Ta-2Sn (TNZTS alloy)) using a variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and tensile test. Additionally, the in vitro biocompatibility of the TNZTS alloy was evaluated using SCP-1, SaOs-2, and THP-1 cell lines and primary human osteoblasts. Compared to Ti-6Al-4V, the elastic modulus of TNZTS alloy was significantly lower, while measures of its in vitro biocompatibility are comparable. O₂ plasma treatment of the surface of the alloy significantly increased its hydrophilicity and, hence, its in vitro biocompatibility. TNZTS alloy specimens did not induce the release of cytokines by macrophages, indicating that such scaffolds would not trigger inflammatory responses. The present results suggest that the TNZTS alloy may have potential as an alternative to Ti-6Al-4V.

Impact of Cigarette Smoking on the Risk of Osteoporosis in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Cigarette smoking constitutes one of the most important modifiable factors of osteoporosis, as well as contributes to an early death, tumors, and numerous chronic diseases. The group with an increased risk of a lower bone mineral density are patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. In fact, tobacco smoke, which contains more than 7000 chemical compounds, affects bone mineral density (BMD) both directly and indirectly, as it has an impact on the RANK-RANKL-OPG pathway, intestinal microbiota composition, and calcium-phosphate balance. Constant cigarette use interferes with the production of protective mucus and inhibits the repair processes in the intestinal mucus. Nicotine as well as the other compounds of the cigarette smoke are important risk factors of the inflammatory bowel disease and osteoporosis. Additionally, cigarette smoking may decrease BMD in the IBD patients. Interestingly, it affects patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in different ways-on the one hand it protects against ulcerative colitis, whereas on the other it increases the risk of Crohn's disease development. Nevertheless, all patients should be encouraged to cease smoking in order to decrease the risk of developing other disorders.