Kidney-tonifying and Blood-activating Prescription Regulates Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway to Improve Uterine Spiral Artery Remodeling in Mouse Model of Recurrent Miscarriage / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of the kidney-tonifying and blood-activating prescription on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and uterine spiral artery remodeling in a mouse model of recurrent miscarriage and to explore its underlying mechanism. MethodA mouse model of normal pregnancy was established by mating CBA/J mice with BALB/c mice. A mouse model of recurrent miscarriage was established by mating CBA/J mice with DBA/2 mice. The modeled mice of recurrent miscarriage were randomized into model， dydrogesterone， and low- and high-dose Chinese medicine groups. The mice in normal pregnancy were used as the control group. Each group consisted of 10 mice， and the drug administration lasted for 14 days. After the treatment， the embryo absorption rate of each group was recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was employed to observe the pathological morphology of the uterine decidua， and the physiological transformation rate of spiral arteries （SPA） was evaluated. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were performed to determine the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of matrix metalloproteinases （MMP）-2， MMP-9， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group presented increased embryo absorption rate （P<0.05）， decreased physiological transformation rate of uterine SPA （P<0.05）， cellular swelling， degeneration， and disordered arrangement in the uterine decidua tissue， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of key factors involved in SPA remodeling （MMP-2， MMP-9， VEGF） and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway （Wnt2， β-catenin， Cyclin D1， c-Myc） （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， both the low- and high-dose Chinese medicine reduced embryo absorption rate （P<0.05）， increased SPA physiological transformation rate （P<0.05）， improved uterine decidua tissue morphology， and increased decidua vessel count. Furthermore， they up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of MMP-2， MMP-9， VEGF， and proteins in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway （P<0.05）. ConclusionRecurrent miscarriage is associated with impaired uterine spiral artery remodeling. The kidney-tonifying and blood-activating prescription can promote uterine spiral artery remodeling by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoting the expression of VEGF， MMP-2， and MMP-9， thus treating recurrent miscarriage.

Prevention and Treatment of Lung Cancer by Traditional Chinese Medicine Targeting Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world， with its morbidity and mortality ranking at the top. The early symptoms are not obvious， and the biological structure is complex， so many patients have missed the optimal treatment time. At present， the treatment of lung cancer in modern medicine is dominated by first-line chemotherapy and surgical treatment with platinum-containing regimen， which has relatively large side effects， poor prognosis， and a high risk of metastasis and recurrence. With the gradual rise of targeted therapy and immunotherapy for lung cancer， the overall recovery of patients with lung cancer is still poor and the survival rate is low， despite more abundant treatment methods. From the perspective of holistic concept and syndrome differentiation， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） plays an important role in the prognosis of tumor patients， with many targets， a wide range and light toxic and side effect. Modern studies have shown that the occurrence and development of lung cancer are closely related to the abnormality of multiple signaling pathways， and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， as one of the most important pathways in cancer， is involved in the whole process of lung cancer development by regulating the expression of related signaling proteins and genes. In recent years， many studies have confirmed that TCM monomers and TCM compounds can inhibit the epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） process of lung cancer and the activity of lung cancer stem cells （LCSCs） by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， induce lung cancer cell apoptosis， inhibit the proliferation， invasion and migration of lung cancer cells， and thus play an anti-lung cancer role. In recent years， research in this field has made breakthroughs， but there is a lack of systematic reviews and summaries. Thus， this paper reviewed relevant literature worldwide to analyze and interpret the mechanism of TCM intervention in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway against lung cancer. The TCM monomers targeted to regulate this signaling pathway were summarized in four categories： promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis， clearing heat and removing dampness， clearing heat and removing toxicity， and awakening the spirit. TCM compounds included Buzhong Yiqitang， Xuefu Zhuyutang， et al. This study aims to provide new ideas for clinical research and drug development for lung cancer.

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.

Effect of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in neural differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and the combination of bFGF and EGF in the neural differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), and the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in this process.@*METHODS@#The identified 4th-generation hBMSCs were divided into five groups according to different induction conditions, namely control group (group A), EGF induction group (group B), bFGF induction group (group C), EGF and bFGF combined induction group (group D), and EGF, bFGF, and Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1) combined induction group (group E). After 7 days of continuous induction, the cell morphology was observed by inverted fluorescence phase contrast microscopy, levels of genes that were related to neural cells [Nestin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] and key components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (β-catenin and Cyclin D1) were detected by RT-PCR, and the levels of proteins that were related to neural cells (Nestin and GFAP) as well as genes that were involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway [β-catenin, phosphorylation β-catenin (P-β-catenin), Cytoplasmic β-catenin, and Nuclear β-catenin] were explored by cellular immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.@*RESULTS@#When compared to groups A and B, the typical neuro-like cell changes were observed in groups C-E, and most obviously in group D. RT-PCR showed that the relative expressions of Nestin, NSE, and MAP-2 genes in groups C-E, the relative expressions of GFAP gene in groups D and E, the relative expression of NSE gene in group B, the relative expressions of β-catenin gene in groups C and D, and the relative expressions of Cyclin D1 gene in groups B-D significantly increased when compared with group A ( P<0.05). Compared with group E, the relative expressions of Nestin, NSE, MAP-2, GFAP, β-catenin, and CyclinD1 genes significantly increased in group D ( P<0.05); compared with group C, the relative expression of Nestin gene in group D significantly decreased ( P<0.05), while NSE, MAP-2, and GFAP genes significantly increased ( P<0.05). The cellular immunofluorescence staining showed that the ratio of NSE- and GFAP-positive cells significantly increased in groups C-E than in group A, in group D than in groups C and E ( P<0.05). Western blot assay showed that the relative expression of NSE protein was significantly higher in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in groups C and E ( P<0.05). In addition, the relative expression of GFAP protein was significantly higher in groups C-E than in group A and in group D than in group E ( P<0.05). Besides, the relative expressions of β-catenin, Cytoplasmic β-catenin, Nuclear β-catenin, and the ratio of Nuclear β-catenin to Cytoplasmic β-catenin were significantly higher in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in group E ( P<0.05), whereas the relative expression of P-β-catenin protein was significantly lower in groups C and D than in group A and in group D than in group E ( P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Different from EGF, bFGF can induce neural differentiation of hBMSCs. In addition, EGF can enhance the hBMSCs neural differentiation of bFGF, while the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may play a positive regulatory role in these processes.

Blaps rynchopetera combined with cyclophosphamide affects proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the effects of Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire and/or cyclophosphamide on the proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cells and decipher the underlying mechanism. B. rynchopetera and cyclophosphamide-containing serum and blank serum were prepared from SD rats. Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay was employed to examine the proliferation of lung cancer cell lines A549 and Lewis treated with corresponding agents. The Jin's formula method was used to evaluate the combined effect of the two drugs. According to the evaluation results, appropriate drug concentrations and lung cancer cell line were selected for subsequent experiments, which included control, B. rynchopetera, cyclophosphamide, B. rynchopetera + cyclophosphamide, and B. rynchopetera + Wnt/β-catenin pathway agonist lithium chloride(LiCl) groups. Immunocytochemistry was employed to measure the expression of proliferation-related proteins in Lewis cells after drug interventions. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the cell cycle and apoptosis. The expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), cyclinD1, B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-assiocated X protein(Bax), Wnt1, and β-catenin were determined by Western blot. The results showed that B. rynchopetera and/or cyclophosphamide significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 and Lewis cells. Compared with B. rynchopetera alone, the combination increased the inhibition rate on cell proliferation. The combination of B. rynchopetera and cyclophosphamide demonstrated a synergistic effect according to Jin's formula-based evaluation. Compared with the control group, the B. rynchopetera, cyclophosphamide, and B. rynchopetera + cyclophosphamide groups showed increased proportion of Lewis cells in G_0/G_1 phase, increased apoptosis rate, up-regulated expression of Bax, and down-regulated expression of PCNA, cyclinD1, Bcl-2, Wnt1, and β-catenin. Compared with the cyclophosphamide group, the combination group showed increased proportion of cells in G_0/G_1 phase, increased apoptosis rate, up-regulated expression of Bax, and down-regulated expression of PCNA, cyclinD1, Bcl-2, Wnt1, and β-catenin. Compared with the B. rynchopetera group, the B. rynchopetera + LiCl group had deceased proportion of cells in G_0/G_1 phase, decreased apoptosis rate, down-regulated expression of Bax, and up-regulated expression of PCNA, cyclinD1, Bcl-2, Wnt1, and β-catenin. The results indicated that B. rynchopetera could inhibit the proliferation, arrest the cell cycle, and induce the apoptosis of lung cancer cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, B. rynchopetera had a synergistic effect with cyclophosphamide.

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.

Genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#This study aims to investigate the genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and to analyze the effects of DNA methylation on Wnt/β-catenin and chemokine signaling pathways.@*METHODS@#PBMCs were collected from 19 patients with SSc (SSc group) and 18 healthy persons (control group). Among SSc patients, there were 10 patients with ILD (SSc with ILD subgroup) and 9 patients without ILD (SSc without ILD subgroup). The genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression level were analyzed by using Illumina 450K methylation chip and Illumina HT-12 v4.0 gene expression profiling chip. The effect of DNA methylation on Wnt/β-catenin and chemokine signal pathways was investigated.@*RESULTS@#Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis identified 71 hypermethylated CpG sites and 98 hypomethylated CpG sites in the SSc with ILD subgroup compared with the SSc without ILD subgroup. Transcriptome analysis distinguished 164 upregulated genes and 191 downregulated genes in the SSc with ILD subgroup as compared with the SSc without ILD subgroup. In PBMCs of the SSc group, 35 genes in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were hypomethylated, while frizzled-1 (FZD1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 9 (MAPK9), mothers against DPP homolog 2 (SMAD2), transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2), and wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5B (WNT5B) mRNA expressions were upregulated as compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Compared with the SSc without ILD subgroup, the mRNA expressions of dickkopf homolog 2 (DKK2), FZD1, MAPK9 were upregulated in the SSc with ILD subgroup, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). In PBMCs of the SSc group, 38 genes in chemokine signaling pathway were hypomethylated, while β-arrestin 1 (ARRB1), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16), FGR, and neutrophil cytosolic factor 1C (NCF1C) mRNA expressions were upregulated as compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Compared with the SSc without ILD subgroup, the mRNA expressions of ARRB1, CXCL10, CXCL16 were upregulated in the SSc with ILD subgroup, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#There are differences in DNA methylation and transcriptome profiles between SSc with ILD and SSc without ILD. The expression levels of multiple genes in Wnt/β- catenin and chemokine signaling pathways are upregulated, which might be associatea with the pathogenesis of SSc.

Proliferation Inhibitory Activity of Quinones from Blaps rynchopetera Defense Secretion on Colorectal Tumor Cells / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the proliferation inhibitory effect of quinones from Blaps rynchopetera defense secretion on colorectal tumor cell lines.@*METHODS@#Human colorectal cancer cell HT-29, human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell Caco-2 and normal human colon epithelial cell CCD841 were chosen for the evaluation of inhibitory activity of the main quinones of B. rynchopetera defense secretion, including methyl p-benzoquinone (MBQ), ethyl p-benzoquinone (EBQ), and methyl hydroquinone (MHQ), through methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The tumor-related factors, cell cycles, related gene expressions and protein levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assy, flow cytometry, RT-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.@*RESULTS@#MBQ, EBQ, and MHQ could significantly inhibit the proliferation of Caco-2, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 7.04 ± 0.88, 10.92 ± 0.32, 9.35 ± 0.83, HT-29, with IC50 values of 14.90 ± 2.71, 20.50 ± 6.37, 13.90 ± 1.30, and CCD841, with IC50 values of 11.40 ± 0.68, 7.02 ± 0.44 and 7.83 ± 0.05 µg/mL, respectively. Tested quinones can reduce the expression of tumor-related factors tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-6 in HT-29 cells, selectively promote apoptosis, and regulate the cell cycle which can reduce the proportion of cells in the G1 phase and increase the proportion of the S phase. Meanwhile, tested quinones could up-regulate mRNA and protein expression of GSK-3β and APC, while down-regulate that of β-catenin, Frizzled1, c-Myc, and CyclinD1 in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway of HT-29 cells.@*CONCLUSION@#Quinones from B. rynchopetera defense secretion could inhibit the proliferation of colorectal tumor cells and reduce the expression of related factors, which would be functioned by regulating cell cycle, selectively promoting apoptosis, and affecting Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related mRNA and protein expressions.

The Mechanism of miR-1294 Targeting SOX15 to Regulate Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway and Promote the Proliferation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells in Children / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of abnormal miRNA expression on the proliferation of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells and its related mechanism.@*METHODS@#15 children with ALL and 15 healthy subjects were collected from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University from July 2018 to March 2021. MiRNA sequencing was performed on their bone marrow cells, and validated using qRT-PCR. MiR-1294 and miR-1294-inhibitory molecule (miR-1294-inhibitor) were transfected into Nalm-6 cells, and the proliferation of Nalm-6 cells was detected by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Western blot and ELISA were used to detect apoptosis of Nalm-6 cells. Biological prediction of miR-1294 was performed to find the target gene, which was verified by luciferase reporter assay. Si-SOX15 was transfected into Nalm-6 cells, Western blot was used to detect the expression of Wnt signaling pathway-related proteins and to verify the effect of si-SOX15 on the proliferation and apoptosis of Nalm-6 cells.@*RESULTS@#Compared with healthy subjects, 22 miRNAs were significantly upregulated in bone marrow cells of ALL patients, of which miR-1294 was the most significantly upregulated. In addition, the expression level of SOX15 gene was significantly reduced in bone marrow cells of ALL patients. Compared with the NC group, the miR-1294 group showed increased protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin, faster cell proliferation, and more colony-forming units, while caspase-3 protein expression level and cell apoptosis were reduced. Compared with the NC group, the miR-1294-inhibitor group showed reduced protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin, slower cell proliferation, and fewer colony-forming units, while caspase-3 protein expression level was increased and apoptosis rate was elevated. miR-1294 had a complementary base-pair with the 3'UTR region of SOX15 , and miR-1294 directly targeted SOX15 . The expression of miR-1294 was negatively correlated with SOX15 in ALL cells. Compared with the si-NC group, the si-SOX15 group showed increased protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin, accelerated cell proliferation, and decreased caspase-3 protein expression level and cell apoptosis rate.@*CONCLUSION@#MiR-1294 can target and inhibit SOX15 expression, thus activating the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway to promote the proliferation of ALL cells, inhibit cell apoptosis, and ultimately affect the disease progression.

Analysis of Mechanism of Antidepressant Effect of Sophora flavescens Seed Extract / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the antidepressant effect of Sophora flavescens seed extract and its molecular mechanism. MethodA mouse depression model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide（LPS）， and normal group， model group， fluoxetine group（2.5 mg·kg-1）， and S. flavescens seed low， medium and high dose groups（200， 400， 800 mg·kg-1） were set up for 7 d of consecutive gavage. Then the antidepressant effect of S. flavescens seed extract was evaluated by using open field test， elevated plus maze test and forced swimming test. Pathological morphological changes in the hippocampal tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining. Protein expression levels of G1/S-specific cyclin D1（Cyclin D1）， Wnt1， β-catenin and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β（p-GSK-3β） in mouse brain tissues were detected by Western blot. Hippocampal cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate（dUTP） nick end labeling（TUNEL）. ResultThe results of mouse behavioral experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the speed of movement in the open field and the distance of movement in the central area of the open field， and the time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus maze were significantly reduced in the model group（P<0.01）， while immobility time in the forced swimming test was significantly increased（P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the S. flavescens seed medium and high dose groups had increased speed of movement in the open field test and time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus maze test（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased immobility time in the forced swimming test（P<0.05）， the distance of movement in the central area of the open field test increased in the high dose group（P<0.05）. HE staining results showed that compared with the normal group， the hippocampal neuron structure of mice in the model group was damaged. Compared with the model group， after treatment of S. flavescens seed extract， the pathological state of the mouse hippocampal neuron structure was alleviated， and the neurons increased， were neatly arranged， and the cytoplasm was clear. Western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of Wnt1 and β-catenin in mouse brain tissue were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of Cyclin D1 and p-GSK-3β were significantly increased（P<0.01） after LPS injection. Compared with the model group， protein expression levels of Wnt1 and β-catenin in brain tissue of S. flavescens seed medium and high dose groups were significantly increased（P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of Cyclin D1 and p-GSK-3β were significantly decreased（P<0.01）. TUNEL staining results showed that the hippocampal cell apoptosis rate in the model group was significantly increased compared with that of the normal group（P<0.01）， while the hippocampal cell apoptosis rate in the S. flavescens seed medium and high dose groups was significantly decreased compared with that of the model group（P<0.01）. ConclusionS. flavescens seed extract can effectively improve the severity of depression in LPS-induced depressed mice， and its molecular mechanism is related to the regulation of neuroinflammation and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis mediated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Effect of wheat-grain moxibustion on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in bone marrow cell in mice with bone marrow inhibition / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of wheat-grain moxibustion at "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in bone marrow cell in mice with bone marrow inhibition, and to explore the possible mechanism of wheat-grain moxibustion in treating bone marrow inhibition.@*METHODS@#Forty-five SPF male CD1(ICR) mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and a wheat-grain moxibustion group, 15 mice in each group. The bone marrow inhibition model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 80 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CTX). The mice in the wheat-grain moxibustion group were treated with wheat-grain moxibustion at "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), 3 moxa cones per acupoint, 30 s per moxa cone, once a day, for 7 consecutive days. The white blood cell count (WBC) was measured before modeling, before intervention and 3, 5 d and 7 d into intervention. After intervention, the general situation of mice was observed; the number of nucleated cells in bone marrow was detected; the serum levels of interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were measured by ELISA; the protein and mRNA expression of β-catenin, cyclinD1 and C-Myc in bone marrow cells was measured by Western blot and real-time PCR method.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the blank group, the mice in the model group showed sluggish reaction, unstable gait, decreased body weight, and the WBC, number of nucleated cells in bone marrow as well as serum levels of IL-3, IL-6, GM-CSF were decreased (P<0.01), and the protein and mRNA expression of β-catenin, cyclinD1 and C-Myc was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the mice in the wheat-grain moxibustion group showed better general condition, and WBC, the number of nucleated cells in bone marrow as well as serum levels of IL-3, IL-6, GM-CSF were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the protein and mRNA expression of β-catenin, cyclinD1 and C-Myc was increased (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Wheat-grain moxibustion shows therapeutic effect on bone marrow inhibition, and its mechanism may be related to activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in bone marrow cells, improving bone medullary hematopoiesis microenvironment and promoting bone marrow cell proliferation.

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.

Chronic psychological stress aggravates intestinal barrier damage and promotes enteritis development through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which chronic psychological stress aggravates intestinal barrier damage and promotes the development of enteritis through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway, so as to provide a new therapeutic strategy for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods:A comorbidity model of chronic psychological stress and enteritis was established using C57BL/6J mice. HE staining was used to analyze the effects of chronic psychological stress on the intestinal pathological damage in mice with enteritis. ELISA was used to detect the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. The ultrastructural changes of colonic cells and the state of intestinal mucus layer were observed under transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope. The secretion of mucoprotein 2 (MUC2) and the expression of cell proliferation marker Ki67 were detected by immunofluo rescence staining. The numbers of goblet cells were detected by Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining. Western blot was performed to analyze the expression of tight junction protein between intestinal epithelial cells, β-catenin which was a key protein of Wnt/β-catenin pathway maintaining crypt proliferation, and downstream protein c-myc.Results:The sugar water consumption ratio decreased, but tail suspension immobility time, the swimming immobility time and the expression of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in hypothalamus increased (all P<0.05) in the stress group as compared with those in the control group. Chronic psychological stress promoted weight loss and colonic shortening in mice with enteritis, exacerbated pathological damage and enhanced the release of pro-inflammatory factors. Moreover, increased disappearance of intestinal epithelial microvilli and severe cellular ultrastructural damage were also observed in the stress+ dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) group. There was no pathological damage in the control and stress groups. Chronic psychological stress aggravated intestinal barrier injury and inhibited intestinal barrier repair by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusions:In the mouse model of DSS-induced enteritis, chronic psychological stress preconditioning inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, weakened the repair ability of intestinal epithelium, aggravated the loss of mucus layer of intestinal barrier and the damage of tight junction structure, and promoted the development of enteritis. In the absence of enteritis, chronic psychological stress had no significant effects on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the intestinal barrier.

Research progress on clinical manifestations and mechanism of radiation-induced taste dysfunction in head and neck cancers / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Taste is a critical sensory function for human as it supports sustenance and alerts the body to toxins. Taste dysfunction is a common side effect of radiotherapy for the head and neck cancers, which is often accompanied by oral mucositis in the early stage. It is associated with anorexia, anxiety and depression, leading to declined quality of life and treatment tolerance. The incidence of radiation-induced taste dysfunction is high, and its clinical manifestations include increased taste threshold, tastelessness, and persistent bitter, sour or metallic taste, which exert significant effect upon the quality of life. At present, effective therapeutic measures for radiation-induced taste dysfunction are still lacking. In this article, research progresses on clinical characteristics and the potential mechanisms of radiation-induced taste dysfunction were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for the mechanism, prevention and treatment for taste dysfunction.

Protective effect of icariin on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by ameliorating glycolytic dysfunction through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether icari-in(ICA)plays a neuroprotective role by improving glyco-lytic function through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.METHODS HT22 cells were treated with Aβ25-35 for 24 h to establish AD cell model,ICA was added in 2 h before Aβ25-35 and the DKK1(a specific inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway)was added in 0.5 h before ICA.Pharmacodynamic study:HT22 cells were divided into control group,ICA group(ICA 10 μmol·L-1),model group(Aβ25-3520 μmol·L-1),model + ICA group(Aβ25-3520 μmol·L-1 +ICA 2.5,5,10 μmol·L-1);Mechanism study:HT22 cells were divided into control group,model group,Aβ25-35+ICA 10 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35+DKK1 group,Aβ25-35+DKK1+ ICA group.The cell viability was detected by MTT assay and the cell morphology was obtained by microscope,the lactate content was detected by lactate assay,the ATP content was measured with the chemiluminescence method,the expression levels of HK1,PKM1 and the pro-tein expression of molecules related to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway(Wnt3a,GSK3β,pGSK3β Try216,pGSK3β Ser9,β-catenin,pβ-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41,Active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin)was assayed by Western blotting.The nuclear translocation of β-catenin was observed by immunofluorescent staining.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the viability of cells in the model group was reduced,the morphology of cells was significantly damaged,the ATP content and lactate content were significantly decreased,and the glycolytic key enzymes:the protein levels of HK1,PKM1 and the protein levels of Wnt3a,pGSK3β Ser9,active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin were significantly reduced,and the phosphorylation levels of β-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41 were significantly increased.Compared with the model group,the cell morphology was significantly improved and the viability was significantly increased,the ATP and lactate content were significantly increased,the expressions of HK1,PKM1 and Wnt3a,pGSK3β Ser9,active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin protein were significantly upregulat-ed,and the phosphorylation levels of β-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41 were significantly reduced after ICA treatment.However,when the canonical Wnt signaling was inhibited by DKK1,the above effects of ICA on glycolysis were abolished.CONCLUSION ICA exerts neuroprotective effects on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by enhancing the glycolysis function through the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Effect of CYFIP2 overexpression on biological function and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of bladder cancer cell line T24 / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of cytoplasmic fragile X mental retardation protein 1 binding protein 2 (CYFIP2) overexpression on the biological functions and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways of bladder cancer T24 cells.Methods:The control group was T24 cells transfected with the empty pcDNA3 vector, and the overexpression group was T24 cells transfected with the CYFIP2 overexpression vector. The expression of CYFIP2 mRNA and protein was detected by reverse transcriptase, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western Blot. The effect of CYFIP2 overexpression on T24 cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8. The effect of CYFIP2 overexpression on T24 cell migration and invasion was detected by Transwell. The effects of CYFIP2 overexpression on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in T24 cells were detected by Western Blot.Results:Compared with the control group, the expression levels of CYFIP2 mRNA and protein were increased in the overexpression group (all P < 0.001), and the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities were reduced (all P < 0.01). β-catenin, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 protein expression were down-regulated in CYFIP2 overexpressed T24 cells (all P < 0.05), while the protein levels of p-β-catenin were increased ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:CYFIP2 overexpression can inhibit T24 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and its possible molecular mechanism is related to the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway to Treat Steroid-induced Femoral Head Necrosis： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Steroid-induced necrosis of the femoral head （SNOFH） is a common orthopedic disease，which is difficult to cure and has poor clinical prognosis. The number of SNOFH patients in China is still increasing year by year，which seriously threatens human health. Long-term non-standard or short-term extensive use of hormone （GC） is an important reason for the occurrence of this disease. At present，SNOFH is mostly treated by surgical methods such as hip replacement，which has limitations of great harm to patients and high cost. In recent years，with the continuous deepening and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） research，the use of TCM to treat SNOFH has been widely used in clinical practice. The main TCM pathogenesis of SNOFH is kidney deficiency and blood stasis. Therefore，TCM monomer and compound compound of tonifying kidney and promoting blood circulation are used to treat SNOFH. And TCM has obvious therapeutic effect，small side effects，less cost and other advantages. Glycoprotein/beta chain protein secretion （Wnt/beta- catenin） signaling pathway as a classic signaling pathway is closely related to the bone，between its by promoting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell update，enhance the activity of osteoblast and suppress the apoptosis，which adjust the metabolic balance of bone tissue，increase bone density，will play an important role in the process of bone formation. In recent years，the use of TCM monomers and compounds to regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to accelerate bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells，promote their transformation into osteoblasts，and maintain bone metabolic balance mechanism to treat SNOFH has become a new research hotspot. This article reviews the research progress of TCM in the prevention and treatment of SNOFH by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway，in order to provide reference for the application of TCM in the treatment of SNOFH.

Effect of Dickkopf-1 regulated Wnt pathway on transdifferentiation of hypoxia-induced lens epithelial cells / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To scrutinize the role of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of lens epithelial cells under hypoxic conditions, and to further analyze the effect of Dickkopf-1(DKK-1)expression on EMT of lens epithelial cells.METHODS: Human lens epithelial cells(HLEB3 cells)were propagated in vitro and then separated into two groups: one exposed to standard oxygen levels, added DMEM culture solution containing 10% FBS(normoxic group)and another subjected to low oxygen levels(hypoxic group). The hypoxic condition was emulated by applying a concentration of 100 μmol/L cobalt chloride(CoCl2)for 6, 12, 24, and 48h. The utilization of immunofluorescence staining enabled the detection of Wnt3a and DKK-1 expressions, along with the expression and localization of β-catenin protein in these groups. The expression of DKK-1 mRNA was discerned by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).RESULTS: Immunofluorescence assays indicated an escalating trend in the Wnt3a and DKK-1 protein expression, which corresponded with the increasing duration of hypoxia. Likewise, an intensified nuclear accumulation of β-catenin protein was observed to be directly proportional to the length of hypoxia treatment. The qRT-PCR demonstrated that the difference in DKK-1 mRNA expression between the normoxic group and the group exposed to hypoxia for 6h was not statistically significant(P&#x003E;0.05), whereas the DKK-1 mRNA expression of the 12, 24, and 48h hypoxia groups were significantly increased(P&#x003C;0.001).CONCLUSION: Hypoxia can activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway in lens epithelial cells and induce the expression of DKK-1, thus regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and affecting the EMT process.

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.