Thymoquinone: An Effective Natural Compound for Kidney Protection.

Kidney disease is a common health problem worldwide. Acute or chronic injuries may interfere with kidney functions, eventually resulting in irreversible kidney damage. A number of recent studies have shown that the plant-derived natural products have an extensive potential for renal protection. Thymoquinone (TQ) is an essential compound derived from Nigella Sativa (NS), which is widely applied in the Middle East as a folk medicine. Previous experiments have demonstrated that TQ has a variety of potential pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective activities. In particular, the prominent renal protective efficacy of TQ has been demonstrated in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. TQ can prevent acute kidney injuries from various xenobiotics through anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptosis effects. In addition, TQ exhibited significant pharmacological effects on renal cell carcinoma, renal fibrosis, and urinary calculi. The essential mechanisms involve scavenging ROS and increasing anti-oxidant activity, decreasing inflammatory mediators, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting migration and invasion. The purpose of this review is to conclude the pharmacological effects and the potential mechanisms of TQ in renal protection, shedding new light on the exploration of medicinal phyto-protective agents targeting kidneys.

Bridging the Access Gap: A Decade of Narrowing the Digital Divide for Hispanic Older Adults in the United States.

Objectives: This study examines the digital divide between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White older adults in the United States from 2011 to 2021, using an intersectionality perspective. Methods: Eleven waves of data from the National Health and Aging Trend were analyzed through multilevel logistic regression, focusing on the intersection between race/ethnicity and time (measured by survey waves) within gender, education, and income subgroups. The digital divide was measured by Internet access. Results: Despite the enduring digital access gap, the longitudinal analysis revealed a narrowing digital divide between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White older adults, especially those with low education and income. Discussion: The observed trend signifies progress in digital inclusivity initiatives yet highlights ongoing challenges in fully bridging the divide for the Hispanic older adult community. Future efforts should not only focus on access but also on enhancing the effective usage of digital technologies to promote health equity and well-being.

MST1/2 regulates fibro/adipogenic progenitor fate decisions in skeletal muscle regeneration.

Defective skeletal muscle regeneration is often accompanied by fibrosis. Fibroblast/adipose progenitors (FAPs) are important in these processes, however, the regulation of FAP fate decisions is unclear. Here, using inducible conditional knockout mice, we show that blocking mammalian Ste20-like kinases 1/2 (MST1/2) of FAPs prevented apoptosis and reduced interleukin-6 secretion in vivo and in vitro, which impaired myoblast proliferation and differentiation, as well as impaired muscle regeneration. Deletion of Mst1/2 increased co-localization of Yes-associated protein (YAP) with Smad2/3 in nuclei and promoted differentiation of FAPs toward myofibroblasts, resulting in excessive collagen deposition and skeletal muscle fibrosis. Meanwhile, inhibition of MST1/2 increased YAP/Transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif activation, which promoted activation of the WNT/ß-catenin pathway and impaired the differentiation of FAPs toward adipocytes. These results reveal a new mechanism for MST1/2 action in disrupted skeletal muscle regeneration and fibrosis via regulation of FAP apoptosis and differentiation. MST1/2 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of some myopathies.

Melatonin Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Abnormal Pregnancy through MTNR1B Regulation of m6A.

Pregnancy is a highly intricate and delicate process, where inflammation during early stages may lead to pregnancy loss or defective implantation. Melatonin, primarily produced by the pineal gland, exerts several pharmacological effects. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent mRNA modification in eukaryotes. This study aimed to investigate the association between melatonin and m6A during pregnancy and elucidate the underlying protective mechanism of melatonin. Melatonin was found to alleviate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reductions in the number of implantation sites. Additionally, it mitigated the activation of inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis pathways, thereby protecting the pregnancy process in mice. The study also revealed that melatonin regulates uterine m6A methylation levels and counteracts abnormal changes in m6A modification of various genes following LPS stimulation. Furthermore, melatonin was shown to regulate m6A methylation through melatonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B) and subsequently modulate inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis through m6A. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that melatonin protects pregnancy by influencing inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis pathways in an m6A-dependent manner via MTNR1B. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying melatonin's protective effects during pregnancy and may have implications for potential therapeutic strategies in managing pregnancy-related complications.

Inactivation of MST1/2 Controls Macrophage Polarization to Affect Macrophage-Related Disease via YAP and Non-YAP Mechanisms.

Macrophage polarization is a critical process that regulates in inflammation, pathogen defense, and tissue repair. Here we demonstrate that MST1/2, a core kinase of Hippo pathway and a recently identified regulator of inflammation, plays a significant role in promoting M2 polarization. We provide evidence that inhibition of MST1/2, achieved through either gene-knockout or pharmacological treatment, leads to increased M1 polarization in a YAP-dependent manner, resulting in the development of M1-associated inflammatory disorders. Moreover, MST1/2 inhibition also leads to a substantial reduction in M2 polarization, but this occurs through the STAT6 and MEK/ERK signaling. The STAT6 is independent of YAP, but MEK/ERK is dependent of YAP. Consistent with these observations, both MST1/2-conditional knockout mice and wild-type mice treated with XMU-MP-1, a chemical inhibitor of MST1/2, exhibited reduced M2-related renal fibrosis, while simultaneously displaying enhanced LPS-mediated inflammation and improved clearance of MCR3-modified gram-negative bacteria. These findings uncover a novel role of MST1/2 in regulating macrophage polarization and establish it as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of macrophage-related fibrotic diseases.

PEtN-Modified O-Antigen Enhances Shigella Pathogenesis by Promoting Epithelial Cell Invasion and Inhibiting Complement Binding.

Shigellosis poses an ongoing global public health threat. The presence and length of the O-antigen in lipopolysaccharide play critical roles in Shigella pathogenesis. The plasmid-mediated opt gene encodes a phosphoethanolamine (PEtN) transferase that catalyzes the addition of PEtN to the O-antigen of Shigella flexneri serotype X and Y strains, converting them into serotype Xv and Yv strains, respectively. Since 2002, these modified strains have become prevalent in China. Here we demonstrate that PEtN-mediated O-antigen modification in S. flexneri increase the severity of corneal infection in guinea pigs without any adaptive cost. This heightened virulence is associated with epithelial cell adhesion and invasion, as well as an enhanced inflammatory response of macrophage. Notably, PEtN addition allow S. flexneri to attenuate the binding of complement C3 and better resist phagocytosis, potentially contributing to the retention of S. flexneri in the host environment.

The controllable and efficient synthesis of two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheets for heterogeneous catalysis.

Two-dimensional (2D) MOFs exhibit unique periodicity in surface structures and thus have attracted much interest in the fields of catalysis, energy, and sensors. However, the expanded production scale of 2D MOFs had remained a great challenge in most previous studies. Herein, a controllable and efficient crystallization method for synthesizing 2D MOF nanosheets using high-gravity reactive precipitation is proposed, significantly improving heterogeneous catalysis efficiency. The two-dimensional ZIF-L nanosheets prepared in a rotating packed bed (RPB) reactor show a smaller lateral and lamellar thickness and a higher BET surface area compared to ZIF-L nanosheets prepared in a conventional stirred tank reactor (STR), with a greatly shortened reaction time. Applying the ZIF-L-RPB nanosheets as a catalyst, the catalytic Knoevenagel condensation as a probe reaction displays a high conversion rate of benzaldehyde (99.3%) within 2 h at room temperature, greatly exceeding that displayed by ZIF-L-STR and other reported catalysts. Furthermore, ZIL-L-RPB nanosheets of only 0.2 wt% enhanced the catalytic activity for the glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with a PET conversion and a monomer yield of 90% in a short period of 15 min at 195 °C and almost completely depolymerized PET with a monomer yield of 94% in 30 min, which was far above that achieved by ZIL-L-STR. These results indicate the promising prospects of a high-gravity reactive precipitation strategy with precise size control in an economical way to prepare high-activity 2D MOF nanosheets for a wide range of heterogeneous catalysis.

Tumor-derived GABA promotes lung cancer progression by influencing TAMs polarization and neovascularization.

BACKGROUND: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a common neurotransmitter, has been found in various cancers but its origin and its role in the tumor immune microenvironment remains unclear. METHODS: Here, we reported the expression of glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1, converting glutamate into GABA) in lung cancer tissues based on the publicly available database, and explored the effects and underlying mechanism of GABA on lung cancer progression. RESULTS: Compared with normal tissues, GAD1 was aberrantly overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) based on TCGA database. Furthermore, the LUAD patients' overall survival was negatively correlated with the GAD1 expression levels. Our work found that a GABAa receptor inhibitor had a therapeutic effect on mouse tumors and significantly reduced tumor size and weight. Further experiments showed that GABA derived from tumor cells promoted tumor progression not by directly affecting cancer cells but by affecting macrophages polarization in the tumor microenvironment. We found that GABA inhibited the NF-κB pathway and STAT3 pathway to prevent macrophages from polarizing towards M1 type, while promoting macrophage M2 polarization by activating the STAT6 pathway. GABA was also found to promote tumor neovascularization by increasing the expression of FGF2 in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that GABA affects tumor progression by regulating macrophage polarization, and targeting GABA and its signaling pathway may represent a potential therapy for lung cancer.

A Universal Approach for Controllable Synthesis of Homogeneously Alloyed PtM Nanoflowers toward Enhanced Methanol Oxidation.

Platinum (Pt)-based alloys have received considerable attention due to their compositional variability and unique electrochemical properties. However, homogeneous element distribution at the nanoscale, which is beneficial to various electrocatalytic reactions, is still a great challenge. Herein, a universal approach is proposed to synthesize homogeneously alloyed and size-tunable Pt-based nanoflowers utilizing high gravity technology. Owing to the significant intensification of micro-mixing and mass transfer in unique high gravity shearing surroundings, five typical binary/ternary Pt-based nanoflowers are instantaneously achieved at room temperature. As a proof-of-concept, as-synthesized Platinum-Silver nanoflowers (PtAg NFs) demonstrate excellent catalytic performance and anti-CO poisoning ability for anodic methanol oxidation reaction with high mass activity of 1830 mA mgPt -1, 3.5 and 3.2 times higher than those of conventional beaker products and commercial Pt/C, respectively. The experiment in combination with theory calculations suggest that the enhanced performance is due to additional electronic transmission and optimized d-band center of Pt caused by high alloying degree.

Electron Transfer, Atom Exchange, and Transformation of Iron Minerals in Soils: The Influence of Soil Organic Matter.

Despite substantial experimental evidence of electron transfer, atom exchange, and mineralogical transformation during the reaction of Fe(II)aq with synthetic Fe(III) minerals, these processes are rarely investigated in natural soils. Here, we used an enriched Fe isotope approach and Mössbauer spectroscopy to evaluate how soil organic matter (OM) influences Fe(II)/Fe(III) electron transfer and atom exchange in surface soils collected from Luquillo and Calhoun Experimental Forests and how this reaction might affect Fe mineral composition. Following the reaction of 57Fe-enriched Fe(II)aq with soils for 33 days, Mössbauer spectra demonstrated marked electron transfer between sorbed Fe(II) and the underlying Fe(III) oxides in soils. Comparing the untreated and OM-removed soils indicates that soil OM largely attenuated Fe(II)/Fe(III) electron transfer in goethite, whereas electron transfer to ferrihydrite was unaffected. Soil OM also reduced the extent of Fe atom exchange. Following reaction with Fe(II)aq for 33 days, no measurable mineralogical changes were found for the Calhoun soils enriched with high-crystallinity goethite, while Fe(II) did drive an increase in Fe oxide crystallinity in OM-removed LCZO soils having low-crystallinity ferrihydrite and goethite. However, the presence of soil OM largely inhibited Fe(II)-catalyzed increases in Fe mineral crystallinity in the LCZO soil. Fe atom exchange appears to be commonplace in soils exposed to anoxic conditions, but its resulting Fe(II)-induced recrystallization and mineral transformation depend strongly on soil OM content and the existing soil Fe phases.

Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 acts as a candidate biomarker of mortality of emergency surgical repair for acute type a aortic dissection.

BACKGROUND: Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a life-threatening pathological change of the aorta. Patients who have undergone aortic surgery are usually at high risk of mortality. AIM: We investigated the predictive value of serum Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (MST1) as a biomarker for the risk of mortality of ATAAD patients. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed 160 consecutive ATAAD patients who had undergone emergency surgery from July 2016 to April 2017. Medical records and blood samples were collected and analyzed. ELISA assays were performed to detect the concentrations of several proteins including MST1. The relationship between these potential biomarkers and the primary endpoint of death was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: Compared with a low level (< 1330.8 ng/L), high serum MST1 level (≥ 1330.8 ng/L) was positively associated with the 30-day mortality (OR = 5.233, 95%CI, 1.843-14.862, P < 0.01) and retained predictive after adjustment for sex, age, BMI, nasopharyngeal temperature and deep hypothermia circulatory arrest time (OR = 4.628 95% CI, 1.572-13.625, P < 0.01). A pre-existing basic clinical prediction model was improved with the inclusion of preoperative serum MST1. Specifically, the area under the ROC curve for base model (history of cerebrovascular disease, creatinine, time of operation) was 0.708 (95%CI, 0.546-0.836) and markedly increased to 0.823 when taking MST1 into consideration (95%CI, 0.700-0.912, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that high preoperative circulating MST1, with a concentration greater than 1330.8 ng/L, was correlated with the 30-day mortality of ATAAD patients who underwent emergency surgery.

Spontaneous drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst into the stomach.

A 45-year-old woman presented with a ten-day history of abdominal pain. Laboratory examination upon admission indicated increased serum amylase level of 213 U/L (35-135 U/L). Tumor markers were within the normal range. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a cystic mass in the greater curvature with homogeneous water like density. Similar round-like cystic masses with homogeneous water like density were also revealed in pancreas and spleen. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a eminence lesion in the fundus and corpus of the stomach. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a homogeneous hypoechoic mass in the fundus and corpus junction, measuring 4.6 cm × 2.7 cm. Magnetic resonance (MR) images showed multiple cystic masses with ring-like enhancement in the greater curvature, spleen and pancreatic tail. The patient was diagnosed as multiple pseudocysts due to pancreatitis and treated conservatively with anti-infection, acid suppression and inhibition of pancreatic secretion. He recovered with resolution of abdominal pain. The patient was feeling well at 8 months of follow-up.

The potential role of Hippo pathway regulates cellular metabolism via signaling crosstalk in disease-induced macrophage polarization.

Macrophages polarized into distinct phenotypes play vital roles in inflammatory diseases by clearing pathogens, promoting tissue repair, and maintaining homeostasis. Metabolism serves as a fundamental driver in regulating macrophage polarization, and understanding the interplay between macrophage metabolism and polarization is crucial for unraveling the mechanisms underlying inflammatory diseases. The intricate network of cellular signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in modulating macrophage metabolism, and growing evidence indicates that the Hippo pathway emerges as a central player in network of cellular metabolism signaling. This review aims to explore the impact of macrophage metabolism on polarization and summarize the cell signaling pathways that regulate macrophage metabolism in diseases. Specifically, we highlight the pivotal role of the Hippo pathway as a key regulator of cellular metabolism and reveal its potential relationship with metabolism in macrophage polarization.

Rice TCD8 Encoding a Multi-Domain GTPase Is Crucial for Chloroplast Development of Early Leaf Stage at Low Temperatures.

The multi-domain GTPase (MnmE) is conservative from bacteria to human and participates in tRNA modified synthesis. However, our understanding of how the MnmE is involved in plant chloroplast development is scarce, let alone in rice. A novel rice mutant, thermo-sensitive chlorophyll-deficient mutant 8 (tcd8) was identified in this study, which apparently presented an albino phenotype at 20 °C but a normal green over 24 °C, coincided with chloroplast development and chlorophyll content. Map-based cloning and complementary test revealed the TCD8 encoded a multi-domain GTPase localized in chloroplasts. In addition, the disturbance of TCD8 suppressed the transcripts of certain chloroplast-related genes at low temperature, although the genes were recoverable to nearly normal levels at high temperature (32 °C), indicating that TCD8 governs chloroplast development at low temperature. The multi-domain GTPase gene in rice is first reported in this study, which endorses the importance in exploring chloroplast development in rice.

A comparative study of skin transcriptomes and histological observations for black and white hair colors of giant panda.

The Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are mammals belonging to the bear family, order Carnivora, and their characteristic hair color and distribution has been in the spotlight. In recent years, the gradual prevalence of skin diseases in giant pandas and even the discovery of albino individuals have made the study of the substrate of their skin hair distribution more and more urgent. In this study, by comparing the skin histology and transcriptomes for hairs of different color of giant pandas, we found that the melanin contents of hair follicles at the bases of black and white hairs differed, but the hair follicles at the base of white hairs also contained some amount of melanin. The transcriptome sequencing results showed that there were great differences in the expression of the transcriptome of the skin under different hair color blocks, in which the number of differentially expressed genes in the white skin was much smaller than that in the black skin. Transcriptomes for skin tissue samples for different hair colors revealed several enriched Kyoto encyclopedia of genes (KEGG) pathways that include tumor, cell adhesion and melanocyte growth-related signaling pathways. This study provides a theoretical basis for subsequent studies on hair color distribution and skin diseases in giant pandas.

Myoblast-derived exosomes promote the repair and regeneration of injured skeletal muscle in mice.

When skeletal muscle is damaged, satellite cells (SCs) are activated to proliferate rapidly and fuse with the damaged muscle fibers to form new muscle fibers, thereby promoting muscle growth and remodeling and repair of trauma. Exosomes from differentiating human skeletal muscle cells trigger myogenesis of stem cells and provide biochemical cues for skeletal muscle regeneration. Therefore, we hypothesized that, when muscles are injured, myoblast-derived exosomes may regulate muscle repair and regeneration. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism by applying C2C12-derived exosomes to injured mouse skeletal muscles. The expression levels of skeletal muscle regeneration factors paired box 7 and lipid-promoting factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ were upregulated, whereas the expression levels of fibrosis factors collagen-1 and α-smooth muscle actin decreased. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was elevated after applying C2C12-derived exosomes to SCs. Application of C2C12-derived exosomes to fibro-adipogenic progenitors resulted in an increase in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ expression and adipogenesis capacity, whereas α-smooth muscle actin expression and fibrosis capacity decreased. Analysis of the transcriptome and proteome of SCs after treatment with exosomes showed the involvement of multiple biological processes, including proliferation and differentiation of SCs, muscle regeneration, skeletal muscle atrophy, and the inflammatory response after muscle injury. Hence, our data suggest that C2C12-derived exosomes can promote the regeneration of skeletal muscle fibers, accelerate the production of fat from damaged muscles, inhibit the fibrosis of damaged muscles, and accelerate injury repair, which is related to exosome-mediated regulation of the proliferation of SCs, differentiation of fibro-adipogenic progenitors, and modulation of SC mRNA expression and protein formation and decomposition.

Chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide as adjuvant in HEV P239 vaccine.

Searching appropriate adjuvants for vaccine is a potent method to intense the immune efficacy. In the present study, we developed a novel Hepatitis E virus (HEV) vaccine by utilizing chitosan modified nano-graphene oxide (GO-CS) as an adjuvant to support HEV antigen P239 protein (GO/CS/P239). The characterization of GO/CS/P239 was observed by atomic force microscope. The safety of GO/CS/P239 was measured by CCK-8 method, hemolysis test and acute challenge test. The anti-HEV titers and cytokines production were analyzed by double antibody sandwich ELISA. As the results showed, by contrast with a vaccine that contained only the P239 protein, GO/CS/P239 vaccine can promote immune cells to produce more IgG antibodies and cytokines, which were able to stimulate the organism to produce stronger both cellular and humoral immunity. Collectively, GO/CS/P239 particles have been demonstrated to be safe both in vitro and in vivo, and can facilitate sufficient immune response to protect organisms from virus infection, which suggested that our exploration offers a promising alternative vaccine that can control HEV infection.

Kangaroo Care for Relieving Neonatal Pain Caused by Invasive Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Neonates develop significant pain responses during invasive procedures, and nonpharmacological interventions are better means of pain relief. An increasing number of studies have confirmed the effectiveness of kangaroo care (KC) in relieving neonatal pain caused by invasive procedures, but conclusions are inconsistent. In this study, a literature search and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of kangaroo care on relieving neonatal pain. Methods: The works of literature related to the application of KC in neonatal invasive procedures in the databases of Pubmed, Embase, Springer Link, Ovid, CNKI, and CBM were searched, and the RCT literature from database establishment to July 2022, was selected to evaluate the risk of bias, combined with statistical pain relief outcome indicators. Results: 12 pieces of literature were finally included in this study, with a total of 1172 newborns, including 585 newborns (49.9%) using KC and 587 newborns (50.1%) using the control group method. Meta-analysis showed that an infant's heart rate during invasive procedures under KC intervention was significantly lower than that of other interventions (MD = -6.77, 95% CI (-13.03, -0.50), Z = -2.12, P=0.03), but compared to other nonpharmacological interventions, there was no clear advantage in the overall evaluation of pain reduction in infants (MD = -0.36, 95% CI (-0.80, 0.08), Z = -1.60, P=0.11). Conclusion: The heart rate of KC intervention during invasive procedures in infants is significantly lower than that of other interventions, and it can significantly relieve pain in infants, but the effect is not more than that of oral sucrose (or glucose) or standard care. KC combined with oral sucrose may achieve a better pain relief effect in infants, but more studies are still needed to verify it.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Root Water Conduction Strategies of Zygophyllaceae Plants in Arid Regions of China.

Desert plants are the main component of species diversity in desert ecosystems, and studying the anatomy and function of desert plant xylem is of great significance for understanding climate sensitivity and adaptation mechanisms to arid ecosystems. In this study, 11 sampling points were selected in the region starting from the Loess Plateau to the Jungar Basin, the taproot anatomy materials of 9 samples of Zygophyllaceae plants were collected, and the water conduction strategies and spatial distribution characteristics of these species were analyzed. The age, growth rate, vessel number, vessel fraction, vessel area within a fixed measurement range (TVA), MVA, water conductivity (TKp, MKp) and vessel diameter ranged between 1 and 27 years, 43.67 and 678.10 µm/year, 20 and 1952, 4.43 and 26.58%, 8009.62 and 192069.12 µm², 27.63 and 2164.33 µm², 0.417 and 364.97 kg m−1 MPa−1 s−1, 0.000624 and 7.60 kg m−1 Mpa−1 s−1, and 5.57 and 73.87 µm, respectively. The number of root vessels (R = 0.27, p > 0.05) of Zygophyllaceae plants decreased with the decrease in precipitation, and the average vessel area (R = −0.28, p > 0.05) and hydraulic diameter (R = −0.29, p > 0.05) showed an upward trend. This shows that the water hydraulic efficiency priority strategy may be adopted in the root system of Zygophyllaceae plants in severe drought stress condition, and the water hydraulic safety priority strategy may be used in mild drought stress conditions. With the increase in temperature, the root age of Zygophyllaceae plants showed an increasing trend, and the growth rate showed a downward trend, indicating that the radial growth of the roots of Zygophyllaceae plants is mainly affected by temperature. Altitude influences plant growth by affecting temperature and precipitation in arid habitats. The findings of the present study on root xylem anatomical characteristics and life history strategies provides a scientific basis for the ecological restoration of vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas of China.

Irisin promotes the browning of white adipocytes tissue by AMPKα1 signaling pathway.

The development of white adipose tissue (WAT) browning helps to protect animals from cold conditions and prevent obesity. AMPKα1 has been involved in the process of white adipocytes browning. Although Irisin plays a vital role in the browning of WAT, the detailed regulatory mechanism of Irisin inducing the browning of WAT remains unclear. Herein, we firstly investigated the potential roles of differentiation and Irisin in regulating the browning of 3T3-L1 cells. The results found that they could significantly increase the number of lipid droplets and upregulate the expression levels of UCP1, PGC-1α, PRDM16, and p-AMPKα1. Then we proved the effectiveness of the AMPKα1 signaling pathway in the process of Irisin inducing the browning of 3T3-L1 cells. Compared with si-NC, si-AMPKα1 not only decreased the number of Irisin-induced lipid droplets, but also attenuated the expression of Irisin-induced UCP1, PGC-1α, and PRDM16 protein and mRNA levels in 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, the results showed that Irisin increased the positive distribution of UCP1 and PGC-1α, and upregulated the expression of UCP1, PGC-1α, and PRDM16 at both protein and mRNA levels in WAT. Once siRNA treated mice, the facilitation of Irisin on UCP1 and PGC-1α in si-AMPKα1-injected mice was lower than that in si-NC-injected mice. Compared with si-NC, si-AMPKα1 significantly downregulated the expression of UCP1, PGC-1α, and PRDM16 in Irisin-injected mice. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Irisin activates the AMPKα1 pathway to promote the browning of WAT by upregulating the mRNA and protein levels of UCP1, PGC-1α, and PRDM16.