Acrolein induces NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and suppresses migration via ROS-dependent autophagy in vascular endothelial cells.

Acrolein is a common environmental pollutant that has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis (AS). Increasing evidence demonstrates that acrolein impairs the cardiovascular system by targeting vascular endothelial cells, but the underlying mechanisms haven't been completely elucidated. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we observed that acrolein treatment induced cell reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, autophagy, pyroptosis and reduced cell migration. In addition, exposure to acrolein resulted in NLRP3 inflammasome activation as evidenced by cleavage of caspase-1 and downstream mature interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 secretion. Knockdown of NLRP3 by small interfering RNA remarkably suppressed acrolein-induced pyroptosis and increased cell migration. Moreover, the scavenging ROS relieved the autophagy, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis. Furthermore, the role of autophagy in the acrolein-medicated pyroptosis and cell migration was investigated. In our study, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor, aggravated NLRP3 inflammasome activation, pyroptosis and decreased cell migration, rapamycin (Rapa), an autophagy inducer, alleviated aforementioned phenomenon under acrolein stress. Besides, we found damaged mitochondrion accentuated NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in acrolein-treated cells. In conclusion, it is possible that acrolein induced cell pyroptosis and suppressed cell migration via ROS-dependent autophagy. What's more, NLRP3 inflammasome activation plays a key role in this process.

Acrolein-induced autophagy-dependent apoptosis via activation of the lysosomal-mitochondrial pathway in EAhy926 cells.

Acrolein, a highly reactive α,ß-unsaturated aldehyde, is a toxic component of cigarette smoke. As a lipid peroxidation biomarker, acrolein plays an important role in a wide variety of disease states, such as neurodegenerative, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Endothelial cell injury is one of the initiating factors of atherosclerosis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Our study primarily focused on acrolein-induced autophagy-dependent apoptosis and the possible molecular mechanism. The results showed that treatment with acrolein increased the number of intracellular GFP-LC3 II punctuates and the expression of autophagosome biomarker LC3-II, with the low dose (25 µM) or at the early stage of treatment (3 h). Following treatment of EAhy926 cells with acrolein for 6 h, lysosomal permeabilization changed, and cathepsin B (CB) was released. Additionally, acrolein induced the collapse of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and cytochrome c was released. Furthermore, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation showed that acrolein induced EAhy926 cell apoptosis. Autophagy inhibitor 3MA and CB inhibitor CA-074 Me (CA) attenuated acrolein-induced apoptosis. Collectively, our results suggested that acrolein-induced apoptosis is autophagy-dependent, occurring via injury to lysosomes and mitochondria. This study provides new mechanistic insight toward understanding the pathogenesis of acrolein-related disorders.

[Responses of Chinese pine tree ring in Shenyang suburb (Fu Mausoleum) to global temperature fluctuation].

In this paper, the correlations between the variations of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) tree ring width in Shenyang suburb (Fu Mausoleum) and the local temperature variables, Global Surface Air Temperature Anomaly (GSATA) from 1880 to 2004, Global Land-Ocean Temperature (GLOTI) from 1880 to 2004 and North Hemisphere Temperature Anomaly (NHTA) from 1880 to 2004 were studied. Some close correlations were detected, and the local temperature variables, GSATA, GLOTI and NHTA had some similar influences on the Chinese pine tree ring width. The air temperature in last winter (December and January) and in spring (April and May) affected the growth of Chinese pine significantly (P < 0.05). There existed a 3-8-year periodicity of the variation of Chinese pine tree ring width and the GSATA, GLOTI and NHTA, and the 19.3-year and 23.2-year quasi-periodicity of the variation of Chinese pine tree ring width corresponded with the 20.8-year quasi-periodicity of GSATA, GLOTI and NHTA. This study suggested that the Chinese pine tree ring width in Shenyang Fu Mausoleum had positive correlations with global-scale temperature fluctuation, and the temperature increase in the past had a positive effect on the Chinese pine growth.

[Tree-ring width chronology of ancient Chinese pine in Shenyang City].

In this paper, a master tree-ring width chronology of ancient Chinese pine in Zhaoling of Shenyang was developed, which included three chronologies, i. e., Standard, Residual, and Arstan chronology. The chronologies had significant correlations with the extreme minimum temperatures in January and April, precipitation in February, and yearly water vapor pressure. They had strong responses to the water vapor pressures in April, May, September and October, and significantly correlated with RES chronology. The chronologies had higher correlations with yearly, April, May, June, September, October and November relative humidity, among which, the correlations with yearly and May relative humidity were significant. The yearly and most monthly evaporation had negative effects on Chinese pine growth, with significant correlations between chronologies and May evaporation, but positive correlations were observed between chronologies and January evaporation. The Chinese pine growth in Shengyang was also affected by the global and hemisphere temperature anomalies. There were 32 extreme drought years corresponded to the extreme narrow or narrow rings in the chronologies during 1700 - 2004. Solar activity in 1703 - 2004 and geomagnetic activity in 1868 - 2004 also affected the chronologies, with high correlations between sunspot number and geomagnetic sudden commencement for STD chronology and ARS chronology, respectively. There were 11 yr, 23 yr and 50 yr common periodical band between solar activity and Chinese pine chronologies, and 10. 5 yr, 20 yr and 45 yr common periodical band between geomagnetic sudden commencement and Chinese pine chronologies.