Chemical Constituents from the Fruits of Amomum kravanh and Their Role in Activating Alcohol Dehydrogenase.

Alcoholism is a worldwide health problem, and diseases caused by alcoholism are killing people every year. Amomum kravanh is a traditional Chinese medicine used to relieve hangovers. However, whether its bioactive components improve alcohol metabolism is not clear. In this study, ten new (amomumols A-J, 1-10) and thirty-five known (11-45) compounds were isolated from the fruits of Amomum kravanh by an activity-guided separation. Ten novel compounds were identified as four sesquiterpenoids (1-4), three monoterpene derivatives (5-7), two neolignans (8, 9), and a novel norsesquiterpenoid (10) with a new C14 nor-bisabolane skeleton. Their structures were determined by the comprehensive analysis of high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. The effects of all isolated compounds on the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase were evaluated in vitro, and it was found that eight compounds (11, 12, 15, 18, 26, and 36-38) exhibited significant activation effects on the alcohol dehydrogenase at 50 µM.

Obesity and risk of fracture in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of fracture in adults, but is unclear in postmenopausal women. We aim to determine the association of obesity with the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched up to 11 April 2022 for cohort studies. And the included studies regarding the relationship between obesity with all cause of fracture in postmenopausal women were included in our meta-analysis. Data were screened and extracted independently by two reviewers. The relative risks (RR) were estimated using a random-effects model. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and I2 statistics. RESULTS: Eight cohort studies comprising 671,532 postmenopausal women and 40,172 fractures were included. Overall, the pooling analysis shows that obesity in postmenopausal women is associated with an increased risk of all-cause fracture (relative ratio (RR) = 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.09-1.28, I2 = 86.3%, p = .000). Sub-analyses for each site of fracture indicate that obesity was associated with an increased risk of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women (RR = 1.154, 95% CI: 1.020-1.305, I2 = 94.5%, p = .023), but reduced the risk of pelvic fracture (RR = 0.575, 95% CI:0.470-0.702, I2 = 0.0%, p = .000). There is no statistically significant difference in the risk of hip and humerus fractures associated with obesity in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women, but is a protective factor for pelvic fractures. Our findings suggest that postmenopausal women who regulate their weight might lower their risk of fractures.Registration: (PROSPERO: CRD42022324973)KEY MESSAGESObesity is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women.Obesity maybe a protective factor for pelvic fractures in postmenopausal women.Postmenopausal women should regulate their weight to prevent fractures.

L-Carnitine protects against tacrolimus-induced renal injury by attenuating programmed cell death via PI3K/AKT/PTEN signaling.

Reducing immunosuppressant-related complications using conventional drugs is an efficient therapeutic strategy. L-carnitine (LC) has been shown to protect against various types of renal injury. In this study, we investigated the renoprotective effects of LC in a rat model of chronic tacrolimus (TAC) nephropathy. SD rats were injected with TAC (1.5 mg · kg-1 · d-1, sc) for 4 weeks. Renoprotective effects of LC were assessed in terms of renal function, histopathology, oxidative stress, expression of inflammatory and fibrotic cytokines, programmed cell death (pyroptosis, apoptosis, and autophagy), mitochondrial function, and PI3K/AKT/PTEN signaling. Chronic TAC nephropathy was characterized by severe renal dysfunction and typical histological features of chronic nephropathy. At a molecular level, TAC markedly increased the expression of inflammatory and fibrotic cytokines in the kidney, induced oxidative stress, and led to mitochondrial dysfunction and programmed cell death through activation of PI3K/AKT and inhibition of PTEN. Coadministration of LC (200 mg · kg-1 · d-1, ip) caused a prominent improvement in renal function and ameliorated histological changes of kidneys in TAC-treated rats. Furthermore, LC exerted anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, prevented mitochondrial dysfunction, and modulated the expression of a series of apoptosis- and autophagy-controlling genes to promote cell survival. Human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) were treated with TAC (50 µg/mL) in vitro, which induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and expression of an array of genes controlling programmed cell death (pyroptosis, apoptosis, and autophagy) through interfering with PI3K/AKT/PTEN signaling. The harmful responses of HK-2 cells to TAC were significantly attenuated by cotreatment with LC and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (25 µM). In conclusion, LC treatment protects against chronic TAC nephropathy through interfering the PI3K/AKT/PTEN signaling.

L-carnitine treatment attenuates renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Accumulating evidence indicates that L-carnitine (LC) protects against multiorgan damage through its antioxidant properties and preservation of the mitochondria. Little information is available about the effects of LC on renal fibrosis. This study examined whether LC treatment would provide renoprotection in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and in vitro. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats that underwent UUO were treated daily with LC for 7 or 14 days. The influence of LC on renal injury caused by UUO was evaluated by histopathology, and analysis of gene expression, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, programmed cell death, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ AKT/forkhead box protein O 1a (FoxO1a) signaling. In addition, H2O2-exposed human kidney cells (HK-2) were treated with LC. RESULTS: LC treatment inhibited expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines, and was followed by a significant attenuation of tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis. The increased oxidative stress caused by UUO was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive apoptosis and autophagy via PI3K/AKT/FoxO1a-dependent signaling, and this was abrogated by administration of LC. In H2O2-exposed HK-2 cells, LC decreased intracellular production of reactive oxygen species, and suppressed expression of profibrotic cytokines and reduced the number of apoptotic cells. CONCLUSION: LC protects against the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in an obstructed kidney.

Long Noncoding RNA 00472: A Novel Biomarker in Human Diseases.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in human diseases. They control gene expression levels and influence various biological processes through multiple mechanisms. Functional abnormalities in lncRNAs are strongly associated with occurrence and development of various diseases. LINC00472, which is located on chromosome 6q13, is involved in several human diseases, particularly cancers of the breast, lung, liver, osteosarcoma, bladder, colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic and stomach. Importantly, LINC00472 can be used as a biomarker for breast cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic regimens, including doxorubicin. LINC00472 is regulated by microRNAs and several signaling pathways. However, the significance of LINC00472 in human diseases has not been clearly established. In this review, we elucidate on the significance of LINC00472 in various human diseases, indicating that LINC00472 may be a diagnostic, prognostic as well as therapeutic target for these diseases.

[Quantitative Assessment of Human Health Risks Based on Soil Heavy Metals and PAHs Sources:Take a Polluted Industrial Site of Beijing As an Example].

In this study, 130 surface soil samples were collected at an industrial pollution site in Beijing and the contents of As, Be, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, Zn, and 16 PAHs were determined. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was used to analyze the sources of heavy metals and PAHs, and the contributions of these sources to carcinogenic risk and hazard index in the study area were calculated. The results showed that the contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, As, Zn, and Cr in the soil exceeded the background values in different degrees; Cd, Hg, Pb, Zn, and Cu exceeded the background values by>50%. Low molecular weight PAHs (two and three rings) and high molecular weight PAHs (four to six rings) accounted for 39.6% and 60.4% of the total content of 16 PAHs. The PAH content at 77% of the sampling points at the target site was more than 1000 µg ·kg-1, which suggests severe PAH pollution at the site. Heavy metals Be, Ti, As, and Ni mainly originated from natural sources. There are three major sources of 7 heavy metals and 16 PAHs at the site: coal combustion (Hg and ∑16PAHs), smelting (Cu, Cr, Pb, and Zn), and traffic (Sb and Cd). The contribution rates of these sources to the total average contents of seven heavy metals and sixteen PAHs at 130 sampling sites were 8.46% (coal combustion), 90.61% (smelting), and 0.94% (traffic). Human health risk assessment results showed that the carcinogenic risk of seven heavy metals and ∑16PAHs ranged from 4.17×10-6 to 39.38×10-4, and the hazard index ranged from 0 to 32.23. The maximum carcinogenic risk and hazard index values were calculated near the coking plant. Benzo[α]pyrene was the PAH that posed the highest carcinogenic risk and Zn was the heavy metal that had the highest hazard index value. The average carcinogenic risk of coal combustion was 2.16×10-4, accounting for 50.26% of the total average carcinogenic risk. The average hazard index of smelting was 0.834, accounting for 56.43% of the total average non-carcinogenic risk. These two pollution sources are responsible for the high levels of heavy metals and PAHs in the soil of the steel smelting sites that pose the most severe health risks. The results of this study can provide reference for soil remediation and process optimization at other heavily polluted industrial sites.

Antioxidative effect of melatonin on cryopreserved ovarian tissue in mice.

Cryopreservation of ovarian tissues (OTs) has become the most effective way to preserve the fertility of female cancer patients. However, cryopreservation of OTs is still relatively at an experimental stage. The aim of study is to examine the effect of melatonin (MTL) on cryopreserved-thawed OTs. Fragments of OTs were cryopreserved in medium containing different concentrations (0 mM, 0.001 mM, 0.01 mM, 0.1 mM and 1 mM) of MLT. The endogenous enzymes (GSH-PX, GSH, SOD, CAT and T-AOC), MDA and ROS levels were all evaluated after cryopreservation. Our results showed that the 0.1 mM of MLT significantly improved the survival and diameter of follicles (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the antioxidant enzymes activities (including GSH-PX, GSH, SOD, CAT and T-AOC) were enhanced and MDA content were significantly decreased in 0.1 mM of MLT group compared to other groups (P < 0.001). Additionally, compared to the control group, MTL of 0.1 mM resulted in a significantly lower ROS level. In conclusion, MLT protects the quality of cryopreserved OTs by decreasing oxidative stress level and the optimal concentration is 0.1 mM.

Growth differentiation factor-15 is associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a marker of inflammation, oxidative stress and it is associated with adverse prognosis in cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present cohort study is to investigate the prognostic value of GDF-15 in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) during long-term follow up. METHODS: A total of 3641 consecutive patients with CAD were prospectively enrolled into the study and followed up for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and all-cause death up to 5.3-7.6 years. Plasma GDF-15 was measured and clinical data and long-term events were registered. The patients were subsequently divided into three groups by the levels of GDF-15 and the prognostic value of GDF-15 level with MACEs and all-cause death was evaluated. RESULTS: After a median follow-up at 6.4 years later, 775 patients (event rate of 21%) had developed MACEs and 275 patients died (event rate of 7.55%). Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the patients with GDF-15 > 1800 ng/L were significantly associated with an increased risk of MACEs and all-cause death. Cox regression analysis indicated that GDF-15 > 1800 ng/L were independently associated with the composite of MACEs (HR 1.74; 95% CI 1.44-2.02; P < 0.001) and all-cause death (HR 2.04; 95% CI 1.57-2.61; P < 0.001). For MACEs, GDF-15 significantly improved the C-statistic (area under the curve, 0.583 [95% CI 0.559-0.606] to 0.628 [0.605-0.651]; P < 0.001), net reclassification index (0.578; P = 0.031), and integrated discrimination index (0.021; P = 0.027). For all-cause death, GDF-15 significantly improved the C-statistic (0.728 [95% CI 0.694-0.761] to 0.817 [0.781-0.846]; P < 0.001), net reclassification index (0.629; P = 0.001), and integrated discrimination index (0.035; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In the setting of CAD, GDF-15 is associated with long-term MACEs and all-cause death, and provides incremental prognostic value beyond traditional risks factors.

Long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 aggravates pancreatic cancer through upregulation of far upstream element binding protein 1 by sponging microRNA-26a-5p.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly deadly malignancy with few effective therapies. We aimed to unmask the role that long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) plays in PC cells by targeting far upstream element binding protein 1 (FUBP1) via microRNA-26a-5p (miR-26a-5p). METHODS: SNHG6 expression was predicted by bioinformatics, followed by verification via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Then, the interactions among SNHG6, miR-26a-5p, and FUBP1 were detected through online software analysis, dual luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down. After that, cells were treated with different small interfering RNAs and/or mimic to determine the interactions among SNHG6, miR-26a-5p, and FUBP1 and their roles in PC cells. Finally, the role of SNHG6 in tumor growth in vivo was evaluated by measuring the growth and weight of transplanted tumors in nude mice. A t-test, one-way and two-way analysis of variance were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Compared with that in normal tissues, SNHG6 was highly expressed in PC tissues (1.00 ±â€Š0.05 vs. 1.56 ±â€Š0.06, t = 16.03, P < 0.001). Compared with that in human pancreatic duct epithelial cells (HPDE6-C7), SNHG6 showed the highest expression in PANC-1 cells (1.00 ±â€Š0.06 vs. 3.87 ±â€Š0.13, t = 34.72, P < 0.001) and the lowest expression in human pancreatic cancer cells (MIAPaCa-2) (1.00 ±â€Š0.06 vs. 1.41 ±â€Š0.07, t = 7.70, P = 0.0015). Compared with the levels in the si-negative control group, SNHG6 (0.97 ±â€Š0.05 vs. 0.21 ±â€Š0.06, t = 16.85, P < 0.001), N-cadherin (0.74 ±â€Š0.05 vs. 0.41 ±â€Š0.04, t = 8.93, P < 0.001), Vimentin (0.55 ±â€Š0.04 vs. 0.25 ±â€Š0.03, t = 10.39, P < 0.001), and ß-catenin (0.62 ±â€Š0.05 vs. 0.32 ±â€Š0.03, t = 8.91, P < 0.001) were decreased, while E-cadherin (0.65 ±â€Š0.06 vs. 1.36 ±â€Š0.07, t = 13.34, P < 0.001) was increased after SNHG6 knockdown or miR-26a-5p overexpression, accompanied by inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. SNHG6 overexpression exerted the opposite effects. SNHG6 upregulated FUBP1 expression by sponging miR-26a-5p. Silencing SNHG6 blocked the growth of PC in vivo. CONCLUSION: Silencing SNHG6 might ameliorate PC through inhibition of FUBP1 by sponging miR-26a-5p, thus providing further supporting evidence for its use in PC treatment.

Exogenous pancreatic kininogenase protects against renal fibrosis in rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Tissue kallikrein has protective function against various types of injury. In this study, we investigated whether exogenous pancreatic kininogenase (PK) conferred renoprotection in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and H2O2-treated HK-2 cells in vitro. SD rats were subjected to UUO surgery, then PK (7.2 U/g per day, ip) was administered for 7 or 14 days. After the treatment, rats were euthanized; the obstructed kidneys were harvested for further examination. We found that PK administration significantly attenuated interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and downregulated the expression of proinflammatory (MCP-1, TLR-2, and OPN) and profibrotic (TGF-ß1 and CTGF) cytokines in obstructed kidney. UUO-induced oxidative stress, closely associated with excessive apoptotic cell death and autophagy via PI3K/AKT/FoxO1a signaling, which were abolished by PK administration. We further showed that PK administration increased the expression of bradykinin receptors 1 and 2 (B1R and B2R) mRNA and the production of NO and cAMP in kidney tissues. Coadministration with either B1R antagonist (des-Arg9-[Leu8]-bradykinin) or B2R antagonist (icatibant) abrogated the renoprotective effects of PK, and reduced the levels of NO and cAMP in obstructed kidney. In H2O2-treated HK-2 cells, addition of PK (6 pg/mL) significantly decreased ROS production, regulated the expression of oxidant and antioxidant enzymes, suppressed the expression of TGF-ß1 and MCP-1, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Our data demonstrate that PK treatment protects against the progression of renal fibrosis in obstructed kidneys.

Investigation and comparison of the protective activities of three functional proteins-lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and ß-lactoglobulin-in cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the protection conferred by lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and ß-lactoglobulin in cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were used to construct an oxygen and glucose deprivation model in vitro, and ICR mice underwent carotid artery "ligation-relaxation" to construct a cerebral I/R injury model in vivo. The levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and downstream factors including nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1ß were measured. Metabonomics detection and data mining were conducted to identify the specific metabolic sponsor of the 3 proteins. The results showed that lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and ß-lactoglobulin protected neurons from cerebral I/R injury by increasing the level of bopindolol and subsequently inhibiting the TLR4-related pathway to different degrees; ß-lactoglobulin had the strongest activity of the 3 proteins. In summary, this study is the first to investigate and compare the protective effects of lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and ß-lactoglobulin in a cerebral stroke model. The results implicate TLR4 as a novel target of the 3 bioactive proteins to prevent cerebral I/R injury.

Durable response to pulsatile icotinib for central nervous system metastases from EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) metastases are a catastrophic complication of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including brain and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, and are always accompanied by a poor prognosis. Despite the continuous development of existing treatments, the therapy of CNS metastases remains challenging. CASE SUMMARY: We report a patient who was definitively diagnosed with brain and leptomeningeal metastases from NSCLC with a targeted mutation in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). A standard dosage of icotinib (125 mg three times daily) was implemented but ineffective. CNS lesions developed despite stable systemic control, so pulsatile icotinib (1125 mg every 3 d) was administered. This new strategy for administration has lasted 25 mo so far, and resulted in complete remission of neurological symptoms, almost vanished lesions, and longer survival with no notable side effects. CONCLUSION: This is the first successful example of pulsatile icotinib for treating isolated CNS progression from EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, providing a new alternative for the local treatment of CNS metastases.

Protective effects of melatonin on male fertility preservation and reproductive system.

Melatonin is a ubiquitous indoleamine hormone synthesized primarily by the pineal gland. Diverse biological actions of melatonin involve quite complex mechanisms via its membrane receptors. More recently, studies have focused on the role of melatonin in male fertility preservation and male reproductive system. The protective effects of melatonin on immature testicular tissue freshness and activity maintenance and the preservation of sperm and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Furthermore, since melatonin has strong antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties, researchers have examined its potential role in male reproductive system. In this article, recent progress regarding melatonin's effects on male fertility preservation and its potential role is reviewed.

Modulation activity of heat-treated and untreated lactoferrin on the TLR-4 pathway in anoxia cell model and cerebral ischemia reperfusion mouse model.

This study aimed to investigate the modulation activity of heated and nonheated lactoferrins in an inflammatory pathway in anoxia and reoxygenation cell and cerebral ischemic reperfusion mouse models. Rat pheochromocytoma 12 (PC-12) cells were subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation in vitro to construct an anoxia and reoxygenation cell model, and Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice were given carotid artery "ligation-relaxation" in vivo to construct a cerebral ischemic reperfusion mouse model. The protein levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and downstream inflammatory proteins including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-1ß were detected. Meanwhile, metabonomic detection of overall metabolites of PC-12 cells was performed to screen out the specific changed metabolite affected by lactoferrin at the condition of anoxia and reoxygenation. The results showed that lactoferrin could inhibit the TLR-4-related pathway triggered by anoxia and reoxygenation and ischemic reperfusion. A total of 41 significantly changed metabolites were identified by metabonomic analysis, and glutathione was seen as a metabolite of interest in suppressing TLR-4-related pathway in anoxia and reoxygenation cell models. However, heated lactoferrin lost the ability of attenuating the TLR-4-related pathway. The loss of modulation activity of heated lactoferrin might be due to its protein aggregation, which was evidenced by larger average particle diameter than the unheated lactoferrin. This study is the first to investigate the effect of heat treatment on the modulation activity of lactoferrin in the TLR-4-related pathway in anoxia and reoxygenation cell and cerebral ischemic reperfusion mouse models, and indicate that lactoferrin may serve as a dietary intervention for cerebral ischemia.

Shi-Style Cervical Mobilizations Versus Massage for Cervical Vertigo: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Objectives: Large sample and high-quality evidence to evaluate the preliminary safety of the mobilizations and massage for cervical vertigo are not yet available. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the comparative effectiveness and preliminary safety of Shi-style cervical mobilizations (SCM) compared with traditional massage (TM) in cervical vertigo patients. Design: A prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Settings: Five academic medical centers. Subjects: A total of 360 adult patients with a diagnosis of cervical vertigo. Interventions: The patients were randomly allocated to either an SCM (n = 180) or TM (n = 180) group. The patients were treated during six sessions over 2 weeks. The primary outcome was the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) total scale score, and secondary outcomes included the DHI subscales, Chinese version of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (CSF-36), and adverse events (AEs). Outcomes were assessed in the short term at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months, and in the intermediate term at 6 months after randomization. Results: Significant changes were observed from the baseline in the DHI total scale and subscales at 2 weeks and 1, 3, and 6 months in both groups (all p < 0.05). However, the differences between the two groups were not significant (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, we noted significant changes from the baseline in SF-36 scores at 2 weeks in both groups (all p < 0.05), whereas CSF-36 scores were not significantly higher in the SCM group (all p > 0.05) compared with the TM group. No serious AEs were reported in either of the two groups. Conclusions: No differences in outcomes were detected between the SCM and TM groups in terms of treatment of cervicogenic dizziness. Efficacy trials are required to determine whether the improvement observed for each treatment was causally related to the interventions.

Ouabain impairs cancer metabolism and activates AMPK-Src signaling pathway in human cancer cell lines.

In addition to the well-known cardiotonic effects, cardiac glycosides (CGs) produce potent anticancer effects with various molecular mechanisms. We previously show that ouabain induces autophagic cell death in human lung cancer cells by regulating AMPK-mediated mTOR and Src-mediated ERK1/2 signaling pathways. However, whether and how AMPK and Src signaling interacts in ouabain-treated cancer cells remains unclear. Given the pivotal role of AMPK in metabolism, whether ouabain affects cancer cell metabolism remains elusive. In this study we showed that treatment with ouabain (25 nM) caused simultaneous activation of AMPK and Src signaling pathways in human lung cancer A549 cells and human breast cancer MCF7 cells. Cotreatment with AMPK inhibitor compound C or siRNA greatly abrogates ouabain-induced Src activation, whereas cotreatment with Src inhibitor PP2 has little effect on ouabain-induced AMPK activity, suggesting that AMPK served as an upstream regulator of the Src signaling pathway. On the other hand, ouabain treatment greatly depletes ATP production in A549 and MCF7 cells, and supplement of ATP (100 µM) blocked ouabain-induced AMPK activation. We further demonstrated that ouabain greatly inhibited the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the cancer cells, and exerted differential metabolic effects on glycolysis depending on cancer cell type. Taken together, this study reveals that the altered cancer cell metabolism caused by ouabain may contribute to AMPK activation, as well as its cytotoxicity towards cancer cells.

Prevalence of noroviruses in children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Hohhot, China, 2012-2017.

BACKGROUND: Noroviruses (NVs) are an important cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide. There are limited data on the prevalence and molecular characterization of NVs in children in Hohhot, China. METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2017, 1863 stool samples were collected at Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Hohhot. All samples were screened for NVs by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). RESULTS: NVs were detected in 24.15% of these inpatient cases, ranging from 12.78 to 32.92% in different years. NV was detected throughout the year, with a peak in winter. Based on sequence analysis of the partial VP1 gene, the 306 identified NV strains were divided into six genotypes: GII.3 (71.24%), GII.4 (23.53%), and GII.2, GII.5, GII.6, and GII.13 (total 5.23%). Based on further sequence analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), GII.P12/GII.3, GII.Pe/GII.4, and GII.P4/GII.4 were identified as predominant genotypes, accounting for 92.6% of genotyped strains. The median age of the children with NV infection was 8.0 (range 0-59) months. However, children infected with GII.3 were younger (median 7.0 months) than GII.4-positive patients (median 10.0 months). CONCLUSION: NV contributed greatly to AGE among hospitalized children in Hohhot in China. Continuous surveillance is important for understanding the local prevalence and characterization of NV.

Lysophosphatidic acid increases mesangial cell proliferation in models of diabetic nephropathy via Rac1/MAPK/KLF5 signaling.

Mesangial cell proliferation has been identified as a major factor contributing to glomerulosclerosis, which is a typical symptom of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) levels are increased in the glomerulus of the kidney in diabetic mice. LPA is a critical regulator that induces mesangial cell proliferation; however, its effect and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. The proportion of α-SMA+/PCNA+ cells was increased in the kidney cortex of db/db mice compared with control mice. Treatment with LPA concomitantly increased the proliferation of mouse mesangial cells (SV40 MES13) and the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4. On the other hand, the expression of p27Kip1 was decreased. The expression of Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) was upregulated in the kidney cortex of db/db mice and LPA-treated SV40 MES13 cells. RNAi-mediated silencing of KLF5 reversed these effects and inhibited the proliferation of LPA-treated cells. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were activated, and the expression of early growth response 1 (Egr1) was subsequently increased in LPA-treated SV40 MES13 cells and the kidney cortex of db/db mice. Moreover, LPA significantly increased the activity of the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac1) GTPase in SV40 MES13 cells, and the dominant-negative form of Rac1 partially inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 and upregulation of Egr1 and KLF5 induced by LPA. LPA-induced hyperproliferation was attenuated by the inhibition of Rac1 activity. Based on these results, the Rac1/MAPK/KLF5 signaling pathway was one of the mechanisms by which LPA induced mesangial cell proliferation in DN models.

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Antitumor Activity of Lactoferrin in Human Colon Tumor (HT29) Model.

To investigate the effect of heat treatment on the antitumor activity of lactoferrin in colon cancer cells and colon tumors, the HT-29 (human intestinal epithelial tumor cell) cell line was exposed to lactoferrin and various heat treatments. The impacts on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were observed in vitro, and nude mice bearing HT29 tumors were administered lactoferrin and underwent various heat treatments in vivo. In the HT29 cell proliferation test using transwell and scratch analyses, lactoferrin (20 mg/mL) without or with heat treatment (50 and 70 °C) significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion (compared with the control, p < 0.05), while lactoferrin with heat treatment (100 °C) did not affect these parameters. In vivo, HT29 tumor weight was significantly reduced in the lactoferrin (without heat treatment and with 50 and 70 °C treatment) groups (1.59 ± 0.20, 1.67 ± 0.25, and 2.41 ± 0.42 g, compared with the control, p < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between the control (3.73 ± 0.33 g) and the 100 °C treatment group (3.58 ± 0.29 g). Moreover, 100 °C heat treatment reduced inhibition of the VEGFR2/VEGFA/PI3K/Akt/Erk1/2 angiogenesis pathway by lactoferrin. In summary, HT29 tumors were effectively suppressed by lactoferrin via inhibition of VEGFR2/VEGFA/PI3K/Akt/Erk1/2 pathway, and heat treatment affected the antitumor activity of lactoferrin in a temperature-dependent manner.

Toxicology studies of furosine in vitro/in vivo and exploration of the related mechanism.

AIM: Furosine is one of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) and is found in a variety of heat-processed food. Yet its toxicity is still unclear. The present study was designed to assess furosine toxicity in cell models and in CD-1 mice, respectively. METHODS: In vitro, the effects of furosine on the cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis (Hek293, HepG2, SK-N-SH and Caco2) were detected and evaluated, sensitive cell lines and proper dosage of furosine for further animal experiment were determined, and the mechanisms of toxicity were explored. In vivo, the acute toxicity studieswere performed, organ index, hematology parameters, functions of liver/kidney and pathological changes were detected and the target organs were uncovered. RESULTS: Hek293 cells and HepG2 cells were themost sensitive to furosine with respect to cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Furosine inhibited mice weight gain, and affected the functions of liver and kidney. CONCLUSIONS: Furosine posed toxic effects on mice liver and kidney, suggested thatthey were the target organs for furosine toxicity. This study for the first time provides evidence that high dosages of furosine pose adverse biological effects on the health of animals through induction of cell apoptosis and activation of inflammatory necrosis response.