Mechanism of Medicated Serum of Buyang Huanwutang in Inhibiting Endothelial-to-mesenchymal Transition of Human Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells Based on Wnt1/β-catenin Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of the Wnt1/β-catenin signaling pathway in the intervention of medicated serum of Buyang Huanwutang （BYHWT） in endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition （EndMT） of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells （HPAECs） as well as its related mechanisms. MethodMedicated serum of BYHWT was prepared by gavage to New Zealand rabbits with a dosage of 53.36 g·kg-1·d-1 after decocting the medicine as usual. In addition， the same volume of normal saline was used to prepare blank serum. The HPAECs were cultured in vitro， and then induced by the transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） to establish the EndMT model. Five groups were established： blank group （10% blank serum）， model group （TGF-β1+10% blank serum）， low-dose BYHWT group （TGF-β1+2.5% medicated serum+7.5% blank serum）， medium-dose BYHWT group （TGF-β1+5% medicated serum+5% blank serum） and high-dose BYHWT group （TGF-β1+10% medicated serum）. Through Western blot， the expressions of Wnt1， β-catenin， and glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） were detected. In order to further clarify the mechanism of the Wnt1/β-catenin signaling pathway in the intervention of the medicated serum of BYHWT in inhibiting EndMT， the overexpression of β-catenin was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction after plasmid of overexpression β-catenin was constructed and transfected into the HPAECs. The HPAECs were intervened by 10% medicated serum with the optimal effect in previous studies. Then， they were divided into another five groups： the blank group （10% blank serum）， the model group （TGF-β1+10% blank serum）， the BYHWT group （TGF-β1+10% medicated serum）， the BYHWT+overexpression plasmid control group （TGF-β1+10% medicated serum+blank plasmid） and the BYHWT+β-catenin overexpression plasmid group （TGF-β1+10% medicated serum+β-catenin）. Apart from that， cell proliferation ability was detected by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） method and cell migration ability by scratch assay and Transwell assay together. Immunofluorescence was adopted to detect the expressions of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule （PECAM-1/CD31）， vascular endothelial cadherin （VE-cadherin）， fibroblast-specific protein 1 （FSP1）， and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）. ResultIn comparison to the blank group， the expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin were significantly increased （P<0.01） while the expression of GSK-3β significantly decreased （P<0.01） in the model group. In comparison to the model group， the expressions of Wnt1 and β-catenin were significantly decreased （P<0.01） while the expression of GSK-3β was significantly increased （P<0.01） in the high-dose BYHWT group. The expression of β-catenin was significantly decreased （P<0.01） while the expression of GSK-3β was significantly increased （P<0.01） in the medium-dose BYHWT group. There was no significant difference in these indexes of the low-dose BYHWT group. In comparison to the blank group， proliferation and migration abilities were remarkably increased （P<0.01） and the immunofluorescence intensities of CD31 and VE-cadherin were decreased， while those of FSP1 and α-SMA were increased in the model group. In comparison to the model group， proliferation and migration abilities were significantly decreased （P<0.01） and the immunofluorescence intensities of CD31 and VE-cadherin were increased， while those of FSP1 and α-SMA diminished in the BYHWT group. Beyond that， the change trend of those indexes in the BYHWT+β-catenin overexpression plasmid group was consistent with that in the model group. In comparison to the BYHWT+overexpression plasmid control group， proliferation and migration abilities were significantly increased （P<0.01） and the immunofluorescence intensities of CD31 and VE-cadherin were decreased， while those of FSP1 and α-SMA were increased in the BYHWT+β-catenin overexpression plasmid group. ConclusionMedicated serum of BYHWT can inhibit EndMT of HPAECs by the Wnt1/β-catenin signaling pathway.

GLUL stabilizes N-Cadherin by antagonizing β-Catenin to inhibit the progresses of gastric cancer

Glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL, also known as glutamine synthetase) is a crucial enzyme that catalyzes ammonium and glutamate into glutamine in the ATP-dependent condensation. Although GLUL plays a critical role in multiple cancers, the expression and function of GLUL in gastric cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we have found that the expression level of GLUL was significantly lower in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and correlated with N stage and TNM stage, and low GLUL expression predicted poor survival for gastric cancer patients. Knockdown of GLUL promoted the growth, migration, invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and vice versa, which was independent of its enzyme activity. Mechanistically, GLUL competed with β-Catenin to bind to N-Cadherin, increased the stability of N-Cadherin and decreased the stability of β-Catenin by alerting their ubiquitination. Furthermore, there were lower N-Cadherin and higher β-Catenin expression levels in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. GLUL protein expression was correlated with that of N-Cadherin, and could be the independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Our findings reveal that GLUL stabilizes N-Cadherin by antagonizing β-Catenin to inhibit the progress of gastric cancer.

Moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and its effects on the serum levels of SOST and β-catenin / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVES@#To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on conventional medication and its effects on serum sclerostin (SOST) and β-catenin levels, exploring the potential mechanisms by which moxibustion may protect joint bones in RA patients.@*METHODS@#Seventy-six RA patients were randomly divided into an observation group (38 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a control group (38 cases, 4 cases were eliminated, 2 cases dropped out). The patients in the control group were treated with conventional oral medication; based on the treatment of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with moxibustion. The direct moxibustion was applied at Zusanli (ST 36) on both sides and ashi points around small joints, and indirect moxibustion was applied at Shenshu (BL 23) on both sides and ashi points around large joints. The treatment was given three times a week for a total of 5 weeks. The count of pain and swollen joint, morning stiffness score, disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, and serum levels of SOST, β-catenin, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated before and after treatment in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared those before treatment, after treatment, both groups showed a reduction in pain and swollen joint count (P<0.01, P<0.05), morning stiffness, DAS28, VAS, and HAQ scores (P<0.01, P<0.05), with the observation group having lower scores than the control group (P<0.01). Serum levels of SOST, β-catenin, and TNF-α after treatment in the observation group were lower than those in both before treatment and the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the difference in serum β-catenin levels before and after treatment and the difference in serum SOST (r=0.578, P<0.001) and TNF-α (r=0.403, P<0.05) levels in the observation group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#In addition to medication, moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment could significantly alleviate joint pain and reduce disease activity in RA patients, suggesting a potential role in joint protection. This mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the inflammatory factor TNF-α, regulation of β-catenin levels, and reduction in the production of the endogenous negative regulator protein SOST within the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Correlations of β-catenin expression with clinical efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and prognosis of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the correlations of β-catenin expression with the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and prognosis of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.Methods:The clinical data of 125 patients with stage Ⅲ B-Ⅳ lung adenocarcinoma who were treated with first-line EGFR-TKI treatment in the 901st Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese PLA from January 2016 to December 2019 were collected. The expression of β-catenin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, and subtypes of EGFR mutations were detected by amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS). Correlations of β-catenin expression with clinicopathological features, efficacy of EGFR-TKI and prognosis were analyzed. Twenty-eight pairs of specimens were selected before EGFR-TKI treatment and after resistance to EGFR-TKI to observe the changes of β-catenin expression. Results:Among 125 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutations, there were 60 cases of EGFR 19 del, 55 cases of L858R mutation and 10 cases of rare sensitive mutation; 79 cases (63.2%) had reduced membranous expression of β-catenin, 66 cases (52.8%) had ectopic expression in cytoplasm and 28 cases (22.4%) had ectopic expression in nucleus. The positive rates of Napsin A protein in the groups with different abnormal expression patterns of β-catenin were lower than those in the corresponding normal expression groups (all P < 0.001). Patients with International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) grade Ⅲ showed more frequent translocation in cytoplasma and nucleus of β-catenin than patients with IASLC gradeⅠ-Ⅱ (ectopic expression in cytoplasm: χ2 = 3.99, P = 0.046,ectopic expression in nucleus: χ2 = 11.07, P = 0.001). The objective remission rate (ORR) in patients with reduced membranous expression of β-catenin and ectopic expression in nucleus was lower than that in patients with normal membranous expression ( χ2 = 4.66, P = 0.031) and negative ectopic expression in nucleus ( χ2 = 10.22, P = 0.001), and the disease control rate (DCR) in patients with ectopic expression in nucleus was lower than that in the corresponding normal expression group ( χ2 = 10.95, P = 0.001). Patients with ectopic expression of β-catenin in nucleus and cytoplasma had worse progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than the corresponding cytoplasmic and nuclear ectopic expression negative groups (both P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that nuclear β-catenin ectopic expression was an independent risk factor for both PFS and OS (PFS: HR = 2.088, 95% CI 1.331-3.274, P = 0.001; OS: HR = 3.656, 95% CI 1.795-7.444, P<0.001). β-catenin membranous expression was reduced in 11 of 28 tissue samples that underwent secondary biopsy compared with pre-treatment ( P = 0.049). Conclusions:β-catenin expression in advanced lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR-sensitive mutations can be used as a molecular marker to predict the efficacy of EGFR-TKI and prognosis of patients.

Mechanism of Pingxiao capsule promoting breast cancer apoptosis through AKT1/β-catenin signal based on network pharmacology / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To explore the potential mechanism of action of Pingxiao capsule in the treatment of breast cancer. METHODS: TCMSP, TCM-ID, GeneCards and other databases were used to screen the related targets of Pingxiao capsule and breast can-

Role and mechanism of NR1D1 in proliferation and migration of vascular adventitial fibroblasts / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the role and mechanism of nuclear receptor subfamily 1,group D,member 1(NR1D1)in the proliferation and migration of mouse adventitial fibroblasts(AFs). Methods Primary AFs isolated from C57BL/6J mice were cultured. Adenovirus carrying Nr1d1 gene was used to overexpress NR1D1 in AFs. The expression of β-catenin was restored by SKL2001. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen(Ki-67)immunofluorescence staining and CCK-8 staining were used to determine cell proliferation,and scratch test was used to determine cell migration. qPCR was used to determine the mRNA level of Nr1d1. Western blot was used to determine the protein levels of NR1D1 and β-catenin. To investigate the role of NR1D1 in intimal hyperplasia,20 male wild type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham group,carotid artery endothelial injury,sham+SR9009(NR1D1 agonist)group and carotid artery endothelial injury+SR9009(n=5 in each group). They were treated with DMSO or SR9009(100 mg·kg-1·d-1)via intraperitoneal injection for 14 days after operation,respectively. The degree of carotid intimal hyperplasia was measured by HE staining 28 days after operation. Results NR1D1 overexpression significantly reduced the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells(P<0.01),total cell number(P<0.01)and slowed down the rate of wound-healing(P<0.01). NR1D1 overexpression significantly inhibited the expression of β-catenin(P<0.05). After the expression of β-catenin was restored by SKL2001,the inhibitory effects of NR1D1 overexpression on the proliferation and migration of AFs were abolished(P<0.01). Enhanced activity of NR1D1 significantly ameliorated intimal hyperplasia after carotid endothelial injury(P<0.01). Conclusion NR1D1 may inhibit the proliferation and migration of AFs via suppressing the expression of β-catenin.

Mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 induces senescence of atrial fibroblasts by activating β-catenin / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe whether the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 was involved in the senescence of atrial fibroblasts by activating β-catenin based on our previous study which found marked increase of Piezo1 mRNA in senescent atrial fibroblasts. Methods Primary mouse atrial fibroblasts (MAFs) were isolated from male C57BL/6 mice (3-4 weeks) by enzyme digestion, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was used to induce the senescence of cells. The ratio of senescent cells was detected by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining. The protein levels of Piezo1, β-catenin/p-β-catenin, senescence-associated proteins p53 and p21 in the cells treated with TBHP (100 μmol · L

Effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction on β-catenin and EMT in kidney tissue of UUO rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction ( LWDHD) on the expression of β-catenin, E-cadherin,α-SMA, the pathological changes of renal tissue, and the changes of an epithelial-mesen-chymal transformation ( EMT) in renal tissue of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction ( UUO ) . Methods Forty-eight SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into sham group ( Sham), model group ( UUO), Liuwei Dihuang decoction low, medium, and high groups ( LWDHD 3. 375, 6. 75, 13. 5 g · kg

YAP regulates the liver size during the fasting-refeeding transition in mice

Liver is the central hub regulating energy metabolism during feeding-fasting transition. Evidence suggests that fasting and refeeding induce dynamic changes in liver size, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a key regulator of organ size. This study aims to explore the role of YAP in fasting- and refeeding-induced changes in liver size. Here, fasting significantly reduced liver size, which was recovered to the normal level after refeeding. Moreover, hepatocyte size was decreased and hepatocyte proliferation was inhibited after fasting. Conversely, refeeding promoted hepatocyte enlargement and proliferation compared to fasted state. Mechanistically, fasting or refeeding regulated the expression of YAP and its downstream targets, as well as the proliferation-related protein cyclin D1 (CCND1). Furthermore, fasting significantly reduced the liver size in AAV-control mice, which was mitigated in AAV Yap (5SA) mice. Yap overexpression also prevented the effect of fasting on hepatocyte size and proliferation. Besides, the recovery of liver size after refeeding was delayed in AAV Yap shRNA mice. Yap knockdown attenuated refeeding-induced hepatocyte enlargement and proliferation. In summary, this study demonstrated that YAP plays an important role in dynamic changes of liver size during fasting-refeeding transition, which provides new evidence for YAP in regulating liver size under energy stress.

Association of β-catenin expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the expression level of β-catenin and its relationship with clinicopathology and prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Methods:Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of β-catenin mRNA in primary pancreatic cancer cell line and pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line HPDE6-C7 of the healthy. The data of 45 patients with PDAC confirmed by pathology at Xinjiang Medical University Cancer Hospital from June 2012 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression level of β-catenin in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, and the correlation of β-catenin with pathological characteristics of patients with PDAC was analyzed. Cox proportional hazard model was performed to make univariate and multivariate analysis on the influencing factors of overall survival (OS).Results:The relative expression of β-catenin mRNA in primary pancreatic cancer cells was higher than that in HPDE6-C7 cell line [(3.83±0.83) vs. (1.00±0.03)], and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 3.45, P = 0.003). The high expression rate of β-catenin protein in PDAC tissues was higher than that in para-cancer tissues [68.9% (31/45) vs. 28.9% (14/45)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 7.50, P = 0.005). The high expression rate of β-catenin protein in PDAC patients with different tumor diameter and TNM staging had statistically significant differences ( P = 0.026, P = 0.036). The median OS time of 45 patients was 22.5 months, and that of high expression of β-catenin protein group in 31 patients was 19 months, that of low expression of β-catenin group in 14 patients was 29 months, and the difference was statistically significant ( P = 0.009). Univariate Cox analysis showed that preoperative carbohydrate antigen199 (CA199) level, tumor diameter, tumor differentiation degree and the expression level of β-catenin protein were influencing factors of OS of patients with PDAC. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that preoperative CA199 ( OR = 9.883, 95% CI 2.815-34.689, P < 0.001), tumor diameter ( OR = 6.117, 95% CI 1.578-24.179, P = 0.009), tumor differentiation degree ( OR = 3.834, 95% CI 1.158-12.697, P = 0.028), the expression level of β-catenin protein ( OR = 0.139, 95% CI 0.045-0.430, P = 0.001) were independent affecting factors of OS of patients with PADC. Conclusions:β-catenin is abnormally highly expressed in PDAC which is correlated with the disease progression of patients and may be a new indicator and therapeutic target of prognosis for PDAC patients.

Effect of local gene therapy on expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in callus of distraction gap during mandibular distraction osteogenesis in rabbits / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of electroporation-mediated local gene therapy on the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in callus of distraction gap during mandibular distraction osteogenesis of rabbits.Methods:The experiments were conducted in the laboratory of the Affiliated Friendship Plastic Surgery Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from September 2019 to December 2019. Forty eight New-Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into control group (group A), gene therapy group (group B) and normal saline group (group C), with 16 rabbits in each group. After bilateral mandible osteotomy and distractors were implanted, the distractors were activated at a speed of 0.8 mm/d on 4th day, postoperatively, and lasted for 7 days, followed by consolidation period. Group A distracted only, group B was subject to local injection of recombinant plasmid pIRES-hBMP2-hVEGF165 in the distraction gap and electroporation stimulation at the beginning of activation distractors; and group C local injection of the same dose of normal saline in the distraction gap and electroporation stimulation at the beginning of activation distractors. Four animals in each group were sacrificed on the day at the end of distraction, 7th, 14th, 28th days of consolidation period, respectively. The callus in the distraction gap was taken for immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR to detect the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin, and image analysis was performed. SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results:Immunohistochemical staining showed that Wnt3a and β-catenin were mainly located in the cytoplasm and nuclei of fibroblasts, chondrocytes and osteoblasts in callus tissue. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR showed that the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin reached a peak at the end of distraction. With the disappearance of distraction tension, the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin gradually decreased. After gene therapy intervention, the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin was significantly increased, and the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in group B was the highest at each time point, with statistically significant difference compared with groups A and C ( F=96.3, P<0.01). Conclusions:Gene therapy promotes the expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in the callus of distraction gap, regulating the balance of the bone reconstruction system and thus promoting the formation of new bone in the distraction gap.

Shenbai Jiedu Prescription Inhibits Proliferation of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Regulating PTEN/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of Shenbai Jiedu prescription inhibiting the proliferation of HCT116 colorectal cancer （CRC） cells by regulating the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten （PTEN）/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/ protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway. MethodShenbai Jiedu prescription was extracted by water extraction and alcohol precipitation to prepare freeze-dried powder. HCT116 cells were cultured in vitro， and treated with different concentrations of Shenbai Jiedu prescription （2， 4， 8， 16 g·L-1）. The inhibitory effect of Shenbai Jiedu prescription on the proliferation of HCT116 cells was tested by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT）. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of PTEN， PI3K， Akt， glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β）， c-Myc， survivin and Cyclin D1. Western blot was employed to measure the protein expression levels of PTEN， phosphorylated PTEN （p-PTEN）， PI3K， Akt， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， GSK-3β， phosphorylated GSK-3β （p-GSK-3β）， c-Myc， survivin and Cyclin D1， β-catenin nuclear import was explored by immunofluorescence assay. ResultCompared with the control group， Shenbai Jiedu prescription inhibited the proliferation of HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the mRNA expression levels of PTEN and GSK-3β were up-regulated whereas those of PI3K， Akt， c-Myc， survivin and CyclinD1 were down-regulated after treatment with Shenbai Jiedu prescription （P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of PTEN， p-PTEN and GSK-3β were up-regulated whereas those of PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， GSK-3β， p-GSK-3β， c-Myc， survivin and CyclinD1 were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence assay showed that Shenbai Jiedu prescription suppressed β-catenin nuclear import in HCT116 cells. ConclusionShenbai Jiedu prescription inhibited the proliferation of HCT116 cells via the mechanism of regulating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Effects of tanshinone B regulating LRP6/Wntl/p-catenin pathway on cognitive function of mice with vascular dementia / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the protective mechanism of tanshinone B on cognitive dysfunction in mice with vascular dementia.Methods C57BL/6 male mice were divided into control group, vascular dementia model group(VD group), tanshinone B group(TSB 2,4,8 mg·kg-1), donepezil hydrochloride group(1 mg·kg-1), according to the random number table method.The VD model was constructed by the coarctation of bilateral common carotid arteries in mice.Ten days after the successful modeling, the low, medium, and high-dose tanshinone B groups were intraperitoneally injected with tanshinone B, the positive control medicine group was intraperitoneally injected with donepezil hydrochloride, once a day, and the mice in control group and VD group were injected intraperitoneally with the same amount of normal saline for 20 d.Morris water maze test was used to detect the learning and memory ability of mice in each group; the cortex and hippocampus of each group were separated, and MDA, SOD and GSH-Px were determined by spectrophotometry; the pathological changes in the hippocampus of each group were observed by HE staining.The expression of p-LRP6, LRP6, Wnt1 and β-catenin protein in the hippocampus of each group of mice were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with control group, the ability of memory was reduced, the content MDA increased(P<0.01), SOD and GSH-Px activities decreased(P<0.01), and significant pathological damage in hippocampus, the expression of p-LRP6, Wnt1, and β-catenin protein was significantly reduced in VD group(P<0.01).Compared with VD group, the learning and memory abilities of the mice were improved, the content of MDA decreased(P<0.01), the activities of SOD and GSH-Px increased(P<0.01), and the pathological damage in hippocampus was significantly improved.The expression of Wnt1 and β-catenin protein increased significantly in TSB treatment group(P<0.01).Conclusions TSB can improve the cognitive dysfunction of VD mice, and its mechanism may be related to the activation of the LRP6/Wnt1/β-catenin pathway in hippocampus.

The inhibitory effect of lenvatinib plus fluvastatin on liver transplantation tumor in mice and corresponding mechanism / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the inhibitory effect of lenvatinib plus fluvastatin on liver transplantation tumor in mice and the mechanism.Methods Mouse model of subcutaneous liver cancer was used.Single agent of lenvatinib, single agent of fluvastatin, a combination of lenvatinib and fluvastatin and control solvent were given to four groups of mice.Tumor volume was measured.Immunohistochemistry was used to examine proliferation of tumor cells.Tunel was employed to detect the cell apoptosis.qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to measure the expression of TLR4.Western blot was employed to determine β-catenin expression.Rescue experiment was done using human hepatoma cells cultured in vitro.Results Treatment with both lenvatinib and fluvastatin significantly suppressed tumor growth in nude mice.Combined treatment significantly decreased the expressions of PNCA and increased apoptosis in tumor cells.Mechanically combined treatment synergistically suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of TLR4 which further inhibited the expression of β-catenin in hepatoma cells.Conclusions A combination of lenvatinib and fluvastatin synergistically inhibits tumor growth and promotes tumor cell apoptosis.The combination treatment significantly inhibits TLR4/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Effect of Morindae Officinalis Radix Processed with Different Proportions of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on Improvement of Renal Function and HPG Axis of Kidney Yang Deficiency Model Rats Induced by Adenine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explain the scientific connotation of Morindae Officinalis Radix （MOR） processed by Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （Gly） by comparing the effect of raw products of MOR and processed products of MOR with different proportions of Gly （GMOs） on the improvement of renal function and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal （HPG） axis， the protein expression of Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）/Smad signal pathways in kidney Yang deficiency model rats induced by adenine. MethodGMOs were prepared according to method under MOR in 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Rat model of kidney Yang deficiency was established by intragastrical administration of adenine， levels of follicle stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E2） and testosterone （T） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Levels of urea nitrogen （BUN） and serum creatinine （SCr） were measured by spectrophotometry， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to evaluate the pathological changes of kidney， testis and epididymis. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to analyze the protein expression of E-cadherin， α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， Wnt2b， β-catenin， Smad1 and Smad4. ResultMOR processed with 100∶6 and 100∶12 proportions of Gly （short for GMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12） had the most obvious improvement on the body posture of kidney Yang deficiency model rats. GMO/100∶12 had the best effect on reducing the levels of BUN， SCr， FSH， LH and the ratio of E2/T. GMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12 had the best effect on regulating the protein expression of E-cadherin， α-SMA， Wnt2b， β-catenin， Smad1 and Smad4. ConclusionGMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12 have the a good effect on the improvement of renal function and HPG axis in kidney Yang deficiency model rats induced by adenine， which is related with the fact that they can regulate Wnt/β-catenin pathway in renal and testicular tissue and TGF-β1/Smads pathway in testicular tissue.

Effect of Morindae Officinalis Radix Processed with Different Proportions of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on Improvement of Renal Function and HPG Axis of Kidney Yang Deficiency Model Rats Induced by Adenine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explain the scientific connotation of Morindae Officinalis Radix （MOR） processed by Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （Gly） by comparing the effect of raw products of MOR and processed products of MOR with different proportions of Gly （GMOs） on the improvement of renal function and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal （HPG） axis， the protein expression of Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1）/Smad signal pathways in kidney Yang deficiency model rats induced by adenine. MethodGMOs were prepared according to method under MOR in 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Rat model of kidney Yang deficiency was established by intragastrical administration of adenine， levels of follicle stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E2） and testosterone （T） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Levels of urea nitrogen （BUN） and serum creatinine （SCr） were measured by spectrophotometry， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to evaluate the pathological changes of kidney， testis and epididymis. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to analyze the protein expression of E-cadherin， α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， Wnt2b， β-catenin， Smad1 and Smad4. ResultMOR processed with 100∶6 and 100∶12 proportions of Gly （short for GMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12） had the most obvious improvement on the body posture of kidney Yang deficiency model rats. GMO/100∶12 had the best effect on reducing the levels of BUN， SCr， FSH， LH and the ratio of E2/T. GMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12 had the best effect on regulating the protein expression of E-cadherin， α-SMA， Wnt2b， β-catenin， Smad1 and Smad4. ConclusionGMO/100∶6 and GMO/100∶12 have the a good effect on the improvement of renal function and HPG axis in kidney Yang deficiency model rats induced by adenine， which is related with the fact that they can regulate Wnt/β-catenin pathway in renal and testicular tissue and TGF-β1/Smads pathway in testicular tissue.

Mechanism of Hedysarum Polysaccharide in Diabetic Nephropathy in db/db Mice Based on Wnt/β-catenin Signal Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Hedysarum polysaccharides （HPS） on the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy. MethodFifty db/db mice were randomly divided into model group， irbesartan group， and high， middle， and low-dose HPS experimental groups according to their body mass， with 10 mice in each group， and another 10 C57BL/6 mice were selected as a normal group. The normal group and the model group were given 5 mL·kg-1·d-1 distilled water， the irbesartan group was given 22.75 mg·kg-1·d-1 irbesartan suspension， and the high， middle， and low-dose HPS experimental groups were given 200， 100， and 50 mg·kg-1·d-1 HPS suspensions， respectively. The mice in the 6 groups were given intragastric administration once a day for 12 weeks. The general state， blood glucose （GLU）， 24 h urine protein （UTP）， blood creatinine （SCr）， and urea nitrogen （BUN） of mice in each group were determined. The pathological changes in the kidney tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining （HE）. The protein and mRNA expression levels of Wnt1， β-catenin， glycogen synthesis kinase-3β （GSK-3β）， and phosphorylated GSK-3β （p-GSK-3β） in the kidney were detected by Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultAfter treatment for 12 weeks， as compared with the normal group， the general state of mice in the model group was worse and the pathological ultrastructural lesions of kidney tissues were obvious. The levels of GLU， 24 h UTP， SCr， and BUN in the model group increased （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the general state and renal pathological ultrastructure of mice in the high and middle-dose HPS groups were improved to some extent， and the levels of SCr， BUN， and 24 h UTP in the high and middle-dose HPS groups decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. As compared with the normal group， the expression levels of Wnt1， β-catenin， GSK-3β， and p-GSK-3β protein and mRNA in the model group were higher （P<0.01）， while the expression levels of Wnt1， β-catenin， GSK-3β， and p-GSK-3β protein and mRNA in the high and middle-dose HPS groups were lower than those in the model group （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionHPS can alleviate the renal injury of diabetic nephropathy to some extent， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

TRIM21 suppresses invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by promoting β-catenin ubiquitylation and degradation / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the role of TRIM21 in modulating the invasive phenotype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and its mechanism of action.@*METHODS@#RNA interference technique was used to knock down the expression of TRIM21 and β-catenin, alone or in combination, in HCC cell lines 97H and LM3, and the interfering efficiency and the activity of closely related pathways were determined using Western blotting. The two cells with TRIM21 knockdown (siTRIM21 97H and siTRIM21 LM3 cells) were assessed for their invasion ability in vitro using Transwell invasion assay, and the lung metastasis capacity of siTRIM21 LM3 cells following tail vein injection was evaluated in nude mice. The binding of TRIM21 with β-catenin and the ubiquitylation level of β-catenin in TRIM21-overexpressing HEK293 cells were determined with Western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation assay. We also compared the overall survival of patients with CTNNB1highTRIM21high and CTNNB1highTRIM21low HCC subtypes using Kaplan-Meier method based on filtrated and grouped HCC clinical data from TCGA database.@*RESULTS@#TRIM21 knockdown significantly enhanced the invasion ability of 97H and LM3 cells in vitro (P < 0.01 or 0.05) and the lung metastasis ability of LM3 cells in nude mice (P < 0.01), and simultaneous knockdown of β -catenin obviously suppressed the in vitro invasiveness of the cells (P < 0.0001 or 0.05). Co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that TRIM21 was capable of directly binding with β-catenin protein to accelerate the ubiquitination and degradation of the latter, leading to inhibition of nuclear translocation of β-catenin and hence reduced invasiveness of HCC cells. Bioinformatic analysis showed that compared patients with CTNNB1highTRIM21low HCC subtype where Wnt pathway was activated, the patients with CTNNB1highTRIM21high HCC subtype had a significantly better survival outcomes (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#A high expression of TRIM21 suppresses the invasion of HCC cells by promoting β-catenin ubiquitylation and degradation, which possibly explains the poor prognosis of CTNNB1highTRIM21low HCC patients.

β-Catenin Deletion in Regional Neural Progenitors Leads to Congenital Hydrocephalus in Mice / 神经科学通报·英文版

Congenital hydrocephalus is a major neurological disorder with high rates of morbidity and mortality; however, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Reproducible animal models mirroring both embryonic and postnatal hydrocephalus are also limited. Here, we describe a new mouse model of congenital hydrocephalus through knockout of β-catenin in Nkx2.1-expressing regional neural progenitors. Progressive ventriculomegaly and an enlarged brain were consistently observed in knockout mice from embryonic day 12.5 through to adulthood. Transcriptome profiling revealed severe dysfunctions in progenitor maintenance in the ventricular zone and therefore in cilium biogenesis after β-catenin knockout. Histological analyses also revealed an aberrant neuronal layout in both the ventral and dorsal telencephalon in hydrocephalic mice at both embryonic and postnatal stages. Thus, knockout of β-catenin in regional neural progenitors leads to congenital hydrocephalus and provides a reproducible animal model for studying pathological changes and developing therapeutic interventions for this devastating disease.

The cell cycle inhibitor P21 promotes the development of pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing lung alveolar regeneration

The cell cycle inhibitor P21 has been implicated in cell senescence and plays an important role in the injury-repair process following lung injury. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a fibrotic lung disorder characterized by cell senescence in lung alveolar epithelial cells. In this study, we report that P21 expression was increased in alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (AEC2s) in a time-dependent manner following multiple bleomycin-induced PF. Repeated injury of AEC2s resulted in telomere shortening and triggered P21-dependent cell senescence. AEC2s with elevated expression of P21 lost their self-renewal and differentiation abilities. In particular, elevated P21 not only induced cell cycle arrest in AEC2s but also bound to P300 and β-catenin and inhibited AEC2 differentiation by disturbing the P300-β-catenin interaction. Meanwhile, senescent AEC2s triggered myofibroblast activation by releasing profibrotic cytokines. Knockdown of P21 restored AEC2-mediated lung alveolar regeneration in mice with chronic PF. The results of our study reveal a mechanism of P21-mediated lung regeneration failure during PF development, which suggests a potential strategy for the treatment of fibrotic lung diseases.