Bioinformatics study on role of IL-17 signaling in manganese poisoning and manganese-related neurodegenerative diseases / 环境与职业医学

Background Manganese (Mn) is one of the environmental factors of Parkinson's disease (PD), and long-term exposure to Mn can cause nerve damage. It is important to explore the common mechanism of neurotoxic effects of Mn and neurodegenerative diseases (NDD), especially PD, for early diagnosis of the disease. Objective To comprehensively analyze the core messenger RNA (mRNA)-microRNAs (miRNAs) co-expressed in frontal cortex of NDD patients and neuronal cells exposed to Mn via bioinformatics, and to reveal the potential common mechanism between Mn-induced neurotoxicity and NDD, especially PD. Methods Difference of the mRNAs from frontal cortex of NDD patients (GSE150696) and human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells exposed to Mn were analyzed by R software; Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was performed on the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The miRNAs were predicted using the miRNet database, mRNA-miRNA interactions were identified by the starBase and miRTarBase databases, and mRNA-miRNA regulatory networks were constructed with Cytoscape software. The core miRNAs associated with PD (GSE77667) were incorporated into Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and the mRNA-miRNA regulatory network was comparatively analyzed. Results A total of 34 overlapping DEGs were identified in the frontal cortical of NDD patients and the neuronal cells exposed to Mn, mainly enriched in interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, and primary immunodeficiency. Based on the results of database prediction, 52 miRNAs with 71 pairs of interaction relationships were finally included to construct the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. Six core miRNAs were screened by WGCNA: hsa-let-7i-5p, hsa-mir-155-5p, hsa-mir-219-2-3p, hsa-mir-221-3p, hsa-mir-485-3p, and hsa-mir-509-3-5p, among which hsa-let-7i-5p interacted with the target gene FBXW2 and hsa-mir-155-5p interacted with the target gene CCL2. The results of the KEGG analysis indicated that CCL2 was closely related to the IL-17 signaling pathway. Conclusion There are similar molecular regulatory mechanisms involved in the neurotoxicity of Mn and NDD, and the IL-17 signaling pathway may play a role in Mn-related NDD through CCL2 and hsa-mir-155-5p.

Role of public health emergencies integrated into curriculum ideological and political education of public health / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Aiming at the continuous advancement and deepening of curriculum ideological and political education in medical courses, taking the recent outbreak of public health emergency as an example, this paper expounds the feasibility of taking public health emergencies as typical cases of ideological and political education in public health courses in medical colleges from medical ethics, national spirit, policy guidelines, medical and health administrative system, social benefits and economic evaluation, scientific research collaboration, international cooperation and other aspects, in order to realize the simultaneous development of professional education and ideological and political education, and cultivate more high-quality medical talents with both merit and talent.

Mitochondrial ultrastructure and function changes in SH?SY5Y induced by manganese / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the mechanism of SH?SY5Y mitochondrial dysfunction treated by manganese to find a new potential therapeutic target. Methods Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM)to observe the morphology of mitochondria. Cell treated with 250μmol/L for periods of time(2 h, 4 h, 6 h)while mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and ROS can be detected by FCM and fluorescence microplate reader. Results After treating with MnCl2 in 6 h, TEM images showed early vacuoles, lamellar structures of SH?SY5Y cells. Then test the mitochondrial membrane potential and showed that MMP would be decreased gradually. Meanwhile, analysis showed that in comparison with control, treatment group had a higher ROS level respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusion MnCl2 can cause mitochondrial damage through a mechanism closely related to disrupt the MMP or generate abundant ROS.

SB203580 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and pulmonary fibrosis in a rat silicosis model.

To investigate the role of p38 MAPK in silicosis, we explored the effects of SB203580 as a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK in the silicosis model in rats. Rats were exposed to 50mg/ml silica intratracheally. From the first day after instillation, rats were injected with SB203580 1mg/kg/d. Rats were sacrificed at 7 and 15days after exposure of silica. The results demonstrated SB203580 could prevent the activation of p38. TGF-ß1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, the expression of vimentin and α-SMA in the lung tissue was down-regulated and E-cadherin was up-regulated after intervention with SB203580 at 7days and 15days. The percentage of the cells staining with SP-C and vimentin doubly was lower in SB203580 treated group than in silica group at 7days and 15days. SB203580 also inhibited the increase of ZEB-1, ZEB-2 and Twist at 7days. Histopathologic examination showed the decrease in the number of nodules and the blue areas of collagen fibers in the lung after SB203580 treatment. The content of hydroxyproline and the expression of collagen I and III decreased in SB203580 treated group than in silica group. These results suggested that p38 MAPK/ZEB-1 (ZEB-2, Twist) pathway was involved at 7days after silica instillation and p38 MAPK was pivotal for EMT in silicosis fibrosis in rats.

Protective effects of gastrodia elata on aluminium-chloride-induced learning impairments and alterations of amino acid neurotransmitter release in adult rats.

PURPOSE: High brain levels of aluminum (Al) can be neurotoxic and cause learning and memory deficits. Gastrodia elata (GE) is a Chinese herb widely used for improving mental function in traditional Chinese medicine. We measured changes in Al-induced neurotransmitter alteration and performance on a learning and memory task to elucidate the mechanism of Al toxicity and to assess whether these alterations could be attenuated by GE. METHODS: Thirty-six adult, male rats were randomly divided into six groups. Four Al-exposed groups were given aluminum chloride at 5 mg/kg/day or 10 mg/kg/day (i.p.) for two months, with two of these groups (one for each dose of Al) receiving GE (0.4 g/kg, via oral intubation, with the GE powder mixed in the drinking water) while the other two groups received vehicle. A GE control group was given injections of saline plus GE and a saline control group was given injections of saline and with 3 injection days and one day off. A step-down test was used to measure learning and memory ability. Al concentrations in the neocortex were assayed with a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Amino acid neurotransmitter levels in the neocortex were determined by high performance liquid chromatogram-fluorescence. RESULTS: Al-exposed rats showed impaired learning and memory ability as indicated by shorter step down latency and more retention errors. Cortical concentrations (mean +/- SEM) of Al were: 56.22 +/- 34.10 ng/g (wet weight) in the Saline control group; 172.87 +/- 111.06 in the 5 mg/kg/dayAl group; 289.15 +/- 102.55 in the 10 mg Al group; 74.98 +/- 19.00 in the GE control group; 232.55 +/- 35.74 in 5 mg Al+GE group; and 291.35 98.38 in 10 mg Al+GE group respectively. Al exposure produced a significant increase in cortical GABA levels. Gastrodia elata reduced learning and memory deficits without affecting brain Al levels. CONCLUSIONS: Rats exposed to AlCl_{3} suffer from deficits in learning and memory, accompanied by increases in GABA levels in the neocortex. Gastrodia elata is effective in improving memory functions and normalizing GABA levels.