Sulfated Fucogalactan From Laminaria Japonica Ameliorates β-Cell Failure by Attenuating Mitochondrial Dysfunction via SIRT1-PGC1-α Signaling Pathway Activation

Pleiotropic Regulation of PGC-1α in Tumor Initiation and Progression

Significance: Mitochondria are recognized as a central metabolic hub with bioenergetic, biosynthetic, and signaling functions that tightly control key cellular processes. As a crucial component of mitochondrial biogenesis, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) is involved in regulating various metabolic pathways, including energy metabolism and reactive oxygen species homeostasis. Recent Advances: Recent studies have highlighted the significant role of PGC-1α in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and treatment resistance. However, PGC-1α exhibits pleiotropic effects in different cancer types, necessitating a more comprehensive and thorough understanding. Critical Issues:In this review, we discuss the structure and regulatory mechanisms of PGC-1α, analyze its cellular and metabolic functions, explore its impact on tumorigenesis, and propose potential strategies for targeting PGC-1α. Future Directions: The targeted adjustment of PGC-1α based on the metabolic preferences of different cancer types could offer a hopeful therapeutic approach for both preventing and treating tumors.

Exploring histone deacetylases in type 2 diabetes mellitus: pathophysiological insights and therapeutic avenues

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that impairs metabolism, and its prevalence has reached an epidemic proportion globally. Most people affected are with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is caused by a decline in the numbers or functioning of pancreatic endocrine islet cells, specifically the β-cells that release insulin in sufficient quantity to overcome any insulin resistance of the metabolic tissues. Genetic and epigenetic factors have been implicated as the main contributors to the T2DM. Epigenetic modifiers, histone deacetylases (HDACs), are enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histones and play an important role in a variety of molecular processes, including pancreatic cell destiny, insulin release, insulin production, insulin signalling, and glucose metabolism. HDACs also govern other regulatory processes related to diabetes, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis, revealed by network and functional analysis. This review explains the current understanding of the function of HDACs in diabetic pathophysiology, the inhibitory role of various HDAC inhibitors (HDACi), and their functional importance as biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets for T2DM. While their role in T2DM is still emerging, a better understanding of the role of HDACi may be relevant in improving insulin sensitivity, protecting β-cells and reducing T2DM-associated complications, among others.

Senegenin Attenuates Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhibiting Oxidative-Stress-Induced Epithelial Cell Senescence through Activation of the Sirt1/Pgc-1α Signaling Pathway

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal interstitial lung disease for which effective drug therapies are lacking. Senegenin, an effective active compound from the traditional Chinese herb Polygala tenuifolia Willd, has been shown to have a wide range of pharmacological effects. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of senegenin on pulmonary fibrosis and their associated mechanisms of action. We found that senegenin inhibited the senescence of epithelial cells and thus exerted anti-pulmonary-fibrosis effects by inhibiting oxidative stress. In addition, we found that senegenin promoted the expression of Sirt1 and Pgc-1α and that the antioxidative and antisenescent effects of senegenin were suppressed by specific silencing of the Sirt1 and Pgc-1α genes, respectively. Moreover, the senegenin-induced effects of antioxidation, antisenescence of epithelial cells, and antifibrosis were inhibited by treatment with Sirt1 inhibitors in vivo. Thus, the Sirt1/Pgc-1α pathway exerts its antifibrotic effect on lung fibrosis by mediating the antioxidative and antisenescent effects of senegenin.

Edible traditional Chinese medicines improve type 2 diabetes by modulating gut microbiotal metabolites

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder with intricate pathogenic mechanisms. Despite the availability of various oral medications for controlling the condition, reports of poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetes persist, possibly involving unknown pathogenic mechanisms. In recent years, the gut microbiota have emerged as a highly promising target for T2DM treatment, with the metabolites produced by gut microbiota serving as crucial intermediaries connecting gut microbiota and strongly related to T2DM. Increasingly, traditional Chinese medicine is being considered to target the gut microbiota for T2DM treatment, and many of them are edible. In studies conducted on animal models, edible traditional Chinese medicine have been shown to primarily alter three significant gut microbiotal metabolites: short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and branched-chain amino acids. These metabolites play crucial roles in alleviating T2DM by improving glucose metabolism and reducing inflammation. This review primarily summarizes twelve edible traditional Chinese medicines that improve T2DM by modulating the aforementioned three gut microbiotal metabolites, along with potential underlying molecular mechanisms, and also incorporation of edible traditional Chinese medicines into the diets of T2DM patients and combined use with probiotics for treating T2DM are discussed.

Mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns: A new insight into metabolic inflammation in type 2 diabetes mellitus

The pathogenesis of diabetes is accompanied by increased levels of inflammatory factors, also known as "metabolic inflammation", which runs through the whole process of the occurrence and development of the disease. Mitochondria, as the key site of glucose and lipid metabolism, is often accompanied by mitochondrial function damage in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Damaged mitochondria release pro-inflammatory factors through damage-related molecular patterns that activate inflammation pathways and reactions to oxidative stress, further aggravate metabolic disorders, and form a vicious circle. Currently, the pathogenesis of diabetes is still unclear, and clinical treatment focuses primarily on symptomatic intervention of the internal environment of disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism with limited clinical efficacy. The proinflammatory effect of mitochondrial damage-associated molecular pattern (mtDAMP) in T2DM provides a new research direction for exploring the pathogenesis and intervention targets of T2DM. Therefore, this review covers the most recent findings on the molecular mechanism and related signalling cascades of inflammation caused by mtDAMP in T2DM and discusses its pathogenic role of it in the pathological process of T2DM to search potential intervention targets.

Melatonin Modulates the SIRT1-Related Pathways via Transdermal Cryopass-Laser Administration in Prostate Tumor Xenograft

Melatonin displays antitumor activity in several types of malignancies; however, the best delivery route and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Alternative non-invasive delivery route based on transdermal administration of melatonin by cryopass-laser treatment demonstrated efficiency in reducing the progression of LNCaP prostate tumor cells xenografted into nude mice by impairing the biochemical pathways affecting redox balance. Here, we investigated the impact of transdermal melatonin on the tumor dimension, microenvironment structure, and SIRT1-modulated pathways. Two groups (vehicle cryopass-laser and melatonin cryopass-laser) were treated for 6 weeks (3 treatments per week), and the tumors collected were analyzed for hematoxylin eosin staining, sirius red, and SIRT1 modulated proteins such as PGC-1α, PPARγ, and NFkB. Melatonin in addition to simple laser treatment was able to boost the antitumor cancer activity impairing the tumor microenvironment, increasing the collagen structure around the tumor, and modulating the altered SIRT1 pathways. Transdermal application is effective, safe, and feasible in humans as well, and the significance of these findings necessitates further studies on the antitumor mechanisms exerted by melatonin.

Polysaccharides from natural resource: ameliorate type 2 diabetes mellitus via regulation of oxidative stress network

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia that can occur in children, adults, elderly people, and pregnant women. Oxidative stress is a significant adverse factor in the pathogenesis of DM, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome. Natural polysaccharides are macromolecular compounds widely distributed in nature. Some polysaccharides derived from edible plants and microorganisms were reported as early as 10 years ago. However, the structural characterization of polysaccharides and their therapeutic mechanisms in diabetes are relatively shallow, limiting the application of polysaccharides. With further research, more natural polysaccharides have been reported to have antioxidant activity and therapeutic effects in diabetes, including plant polysaccharides, microbial polysaccharides, and polysaccharides from marine organisms and animals. Therefore, this paper summarizes the natural polysaccharides that have therapeutic potential for diabetes in the past 5 years, elucidating their pharmacological mechanisms and identified primary structures. It is expected to provide some reference for the application of polysaccharides, and provide a valuable resource for the development of new diabetic drugs.