Short- and Long-Term Regulation of HuD: A Molecular Switch Mediated by Folic Acid?

Neurodegeneration: can metabolites from Eremurus persicus help?

The number of patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases is increasing worldwide, and no effective treatments have been developed yet. Although precision medicine could represent a powerful tool, it remains a challenge due to the high variability among patients. To identify molecules acting with innovative mechanisms of action, we performed a computational investigation using SAFAN technology, focusing specifically on HuD. This target belongs to the human embryonic lethal abnormal visual-like (ELAV) proteins and plays a key role in neuronal plasticity and differentiation. The results highlighted that the molecule able to bind the selected target was (R)-aloesaponol-III-8-methyl ether [(R)-ASME], a metabolite extracted from Eremurus persicus. Notably, this molecule is a TNF-α inhibitor, a cytokine involved in neuroinflammation. To obtain a suitable amount of (R)-ASME to confirm its activity on HuD, we optimized the extraction procedure. Together with ASME, another related metabolite, germichrysone, was isolated. Both ASME and germichrysone underwent biological investigation, but only ASME confirmed its ability to bind HuD. Given the multifactorial nature of neurodegenerative diseases, we decided to investigate ASME as a proteasome activator, being molecules endowed with this kind of activity potentially able to counteract aggregations of dysregulated proteins. ASME was able to activate the considered target both in enzymatic and cellular assays. Therefore, ASME may be considered a promising hit in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases.

Association analysis of the gut microbiota in predicting outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke and H-type hypertension

Introduction

H-type hypertension (HHTN) is a subtype of hypertension that tends to worsen the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Recent studies have highlighted the vital role of gut microbiota in both hypertension and AIS, but there is little available data on the relationship between gut microbiota and the progression of AIS patients with HHTN. In this study, we investigated the microbial signature of AIS patients with HHTN and identified characteristic bacteria as biomarkers for predicting prognosis.

Methods

AIS patients with HHTN (n = 150) and without HHTN (n = 50) were enrolled. All patients received a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) assessment at 3 months after discharge. Fecal samples were collected from the participants upon admission, including 150 AIS patients with HHTN, 50 AIS patients with non-HHTN, and 90 healthy subjects with HHTN. These samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the bacterial taxa, predict functions, and conduct correlation analysis between specific taxa and clinical features.

Results

Our results showed that the composition of the gut microbiota in HHTN patients differed significantly from that in non-HHTN patients. The abundance of the genera Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Prevotella in AIS patients with HHTN was significantly increased compared to AIS patients without HHTN, while the genus Streptococcus, Faecalibacterium, and Klebsiella were significantly decreased. Moreover, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Klebsiella in AIS patients with HHTN were more abundant than healthy subjects with HHTN, while Escherichia-Shigella, Blautia, and Faecalibacterium were less abundant. Moreover, the genera Butyricicoccus, Rothia, and Family_XIII_UCG-001 were negatively connected with the NIHSS score, and the genera Butyricicoccus and Rothia were observed to be negatively associated with the mRS score. The genera Butyricicoccus, Romboutsia, and Terrisporobacter were associated with a poor prognosis, whereas the increase in Butyricimonas and Odoribacter was correlated with good outcomes. Generated by eight genera and clinical indexes, the area under the curve (AUC) value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve achieved 0.739 to effectively predict the prognosis of AIS patients with HHTN.

Conclusion

These findings revealed the microbial signature of AIS patients with HHTN and further provided potential microbial biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of AIS patients with HHTN.