Skate cartilage extracts containing chondroitin sulfate ameliorates hyperlipidemia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in high cholesterol diet-fed LDL receptor knockout mice in comparison with shark chondroitin sulfate

Ferroptosis-Related Long Noncoding RNAs as Prognostic Marker for Colon Adenocarcinoma

Background

The incidence of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) has been increasing over time. Although ferroptosis and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been extensively reported to participate in the tumorigenesis and development of COAD, few studies have investigated the role of ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in the prognosis of COAD.

Methods

Gene-sequencing and clinical data for COAD were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The coexpression network was constructed using known ferroptosis-related genes. Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to screen ferroptosis-related lncRNAs with prognostic value and to identify a predictive model of COAD. Patients with COAD were divided into low- and high-risk groups according to their risk score. Cases of COAD in the International Cancer Genome Consortium database were included as the testing cohort.

Results

In total, nine lncRNAs (LINC02381, AC105219.1, AC009283.1, LINC01011, ELFN1-AS1, EIF3J-DT, NKILA, LINC01063, and SNHG16) were considered prognostic factors for COAD. Then, a risk score model was established. The overall survival rate of COAD patients was negatively associated with the risk score. Kaplan-Meier analyses in the original and testing cohorts showed similar results. The expression of the lncRNAs in tissue was consistent with the risk score, and the relationship with tumor mutation burden, immunity, and drug sensitivity presented a marked link between the signature and COAD. A nomogram was established for clinical applications.

Conclusions

Nine ferroptosis-related lncRNAs and the established signature have a certain predictive value for prognosis of COAD patients and can be used as potential research targets for exploring treatment of COAD.

Tilapia-Head Chondroitin Sulfate Protects against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via Modulating the Gut-Liver Axis in High-Fat-Diet-Fed C57BL/6 Mice

We isolated and characterized tilapia-head chondroitin sulfate (TH-CS) and explored its biological activity and mechanisms of action as an oral supplement for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The results showed that treatment with TH-CS for 8 weeks alleviated the development of NAFLD, as evidenced by the notable improvement in liver damage, blood lipid accumulation and insulin resistance (IR). Meanwhile, TH-CS treatment reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and normalized oxidative stress. Additionally, the analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that TH-CS could restore gut microbiota balance and increase the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Furthermore, SCFAs produced by related bacteria can further improve lipid metabolism and IR by regulating lipid synthesis signals. In conclusion, TH-CS is an effective dietary supplement for the prevention of NAFLD, and may serve as a potential supplementary treatment for lipid-related metabolic syndrome.

Hepatoprotective effects of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate

Background. Long-term use of chondroprotective agents – chondroitin sulfate (CS) and glucosamine sulfate (GS) in the treatment of osteoarthritis puts forward increased requirements for the safety of drugs, primarily in terms of effects on the liver and kidneys.Objective: systematization of data on the effect of chondroprotectors on liver structure and functions.Material and methods. Using the methods of the theory of topological text analysis, an intellectual analysis of 2319 publications on fundamental and clinical studies of the relationship of CS and GS with liver function was carried out. The search was performed by a key query “(chondroitine OR glucosamine) AND (liver OR hepatic OR hepatocy*)” in the PubMed/MEDLINE database.Results. The systematic analysis indicated a pronounced hepatoprotective effect of CS and GS pharmaceutical substances with a high degree of purification from inorganic and organic impurities. By regulating inflammation processes, lymphocyte function, fat and carbohydrate metabolism in the liver, standardized forms of CS and GS have a beneficial effect on fat metabolism, reduce chronic inflammation in the liver, exhibit antitumor and pronounced hepatoprotective effects on various models of liver intoxication.Conclusion. The results of this analysis allow us to assert the high safety of drugs based on pharmaceutical standardized forms of CS and GS in terms of liver function.

The Combination Treatment of Curcumin and Probucol Protects Chondrocytes from TNF-α Induced Inflammation by Enhancing Autophagy and Reducing Apoptosis via the PI3K-Akt-mTOR Pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease characterized by cholesterol accumulation in chondrocytes, cartilage degeneration, as well as extracellular matrix (ECM) destruction, and joint dysfunction. Curcumin, a chemical that can reduce cholesterol levels in OA patients, also can inhibit the progression of OA. However, a high concentration of curcumin may also trigger apoptosis in normal chondrocytes. Besides curcumin, probucol that is found can also effectively decrease the cholesterol level in OA patients. Considering that high cholesterol is a risk factor of OA, it is speculated that the combination treatment of curcumin and probucol may be effective in the prevention of OA. To investigate the possible effects of such two chemicals on OA pathophysiology, chondrocyte apoptosis and autophagy behavior under inflammatory cytokine stress were studied, and specifically, the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway was studied. Methods. Cell proliferation, colony formation, and EdU assay were performed to identify the cytotoxicity of curcumin and probucol on chondrocytes. Transwell assay was conducted to evaluate chondrocyte migration under TNF-α inflammation stress. Immunofluorescence, JC-1, flow cytometry, RT-PCR, and western blot were used to investigate the signal variations related to autophagy and apoptosis in chondrocytes and cartilage. A histological study was carried out on OA cartilage. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release was determined to evaluate the ECM degradation under stress. Results. Compared with a single intervention with curcumin or probucol, a combined treatment of these two chemicals is more effective in terms of protecting chondrocytes from stress injury induced by inflammatory cytokines. The promoted protection may be attributed to the inhibition of apoptosis and the blockage of the autophagy-related PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Such results were also verified in vitro by immunofluorescence staining of OA chondrocytes and in vivo by immunohistochemistry staining of cartilage. Besides, in vivo studies also showed that when applied in combination, curcumin and probucol could block the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway; promote COL-II expression; suppress P62, MMP-3, and MMP-13 expression; and inhibit TNF-α-stimulated cartilage degradation. Moreover, the combined medication could help reduce the release of ECM GAGs in OA cartilage and alleviate the severity of OA. Conclusion. A combined treatment of curcumin and probucol could be used to protect chondrocytes from inflammatory cytokine stress via inhibition of the autophagy-related PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway both in vitro and in vivo, which might be of potential pharmaceutical value for OA prevention and therapy.

Chondroitin Sulfate Alleviates Diabetic Osteoporosis and Repairs Bone Microstructure via Anti-Oxidation, Anti-Inflammation, and Regulating Bone Metabolism

Diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) belongs to secondary osteoporosis caused by diabetes; it has the characteristics of high morbidity and high disability. In the present study, we constructed a type 1 diabetic rat model and administered chondroitin sulfate (200 mg/kg) for 10 weeks to observe the preventive effect of chondroitin sulfate on the bone loss of diabetic rats. The results showed that chondroitin sulfate can reduce blood glucose and relieve symptoms of diabetic rats; in addition, it can significantly increase the bone mineral density, improve bone microstructure, and reduce bone marrow adipocyte number in diabetic rats; after 10 weeks of chondroitin sulfate administration, the SOD activity level was upregulated, as well as CAT levels, indicating that chondroitin sulfate can alleviate oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Chondroitin sulfate was also found to reduce the level of serum inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and MCP-1) and alleviate the inflammation in diabetic rats; bone metabolism marker detection results showed that chondroitin sulfate can reduce bone turnover in diabetic rats (decreased RANKL, CTX-1, ALP, and TRACP 5b levels were observed after 10 weeks of chondroitin sulfate administration). At the same time, the bone OPG and RUNX 2 expression levels were higher after chondroitin sulfate treatment, the bone RANKL expression was lowered, and the OPG/RANKL ratio was upregulated. All of the above indicated that chondroitin sulfate could prevent STZ-induced DOP and repair bone microstructure; the main mechanism was through anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, and regulating bone metabolism. Chondroitin sulfate could be used to develop anti-DOP functional foods and diet interventions for diabetes.