Avenanthramide C induces cellular senescence in colorectal cancer cells via suppressing ß-catenin-mediated the transcription of miR-183/96/182 cluster.

Cellular senescence is representing a potential anticancer therapeutic arsenal. Avenanthramide C (AVN C), as a signature compound of oats, exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-tumor activities. However, the relationship between AVN C and cellular senescence in tumors remains largely unclear. Here, we elucidated that AVN C treatment predisposed colorectal cancer cells to senescent phenotype confirmed by flattened and enlarged shape characteristics, elevated senescence-associated ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-Gal) activity, and G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, AVN C triggered cellular senescence via transcriptionally repressing miR-183/96/182 cluster and subsequently reduced the levels of mature miR-183, -96, and -182. Mechanistically, AVN C exerted its senescence induction by attenuating ß-catenin-mediated transactivation of miR-183/96/182 cluster to unleash its common target FOXO1 and two other targets, FOXO3 and SMAD4, which subsequently foster the p21 and p16 expression. In addition, AVN C is also noted to facilitate p53-mediated p21 transactivation via suppressing ß-catenin. Collectively, we identified a novel mechanism of ß-catenin/miR-183/96/182 cluster/FOXO1 mediated-CRC cellular senescence that entails that AVN C serves as an auxiliary agent for CRC treatment.

Chemerin/CMKLR1 ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by promoting autophagy and alleviating oxidative stress through the JAK2-STAT3 pathway.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a global public health challenge. Overwhelmed oxidative stress and impaired autophagy play an important role in the progression of NASH. Chemerin is an adipokine that has attracted much attention in inflammation and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to examine the effects of chemerin in NASH and its association with oxidative stress and autophagy. In this study, chemerin was found to significantly ameliorate high-fat diet (HFD) induced NASH, marked by decreased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), decreased insulin resistance (IR) and leptin resistance (LR), and improved liver lesions. Besides, chemerin prevented enhanced oxidative stress in NASH mice by regulating the antioxidant defense system (MDA downregulation and upregulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD)). Moreover, chemerin contributed to the alleviation of NASH through autophagy activation (p62 downregulation, and upregulation of beclin-1 and LC3). Furthermore, these effects were related to increased phosphorylation of JAK2-STAT3 stimulated by chemerin, which could be inhibited by the CMKLR1 specific inhibitor α-NETA. In conclusion, excess chemerin highly probably ameliorated NASH by alleviating oxidative stress and promoting autophagy, the mechanism responsible for this process was related, at least in part, to the increased phosphorylation of JAK2-STAT3 stimulated by chemerin/CMKLR1. Rh-chemerin may represent promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of NASH.

MiR-223-3p promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of colon cancer cells by negative regulating PRDM1.

Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, while the molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. miR-223-3p plays an important role in cancer development. Here, we found that miR-223-3p was up-regulated in 30 cases of colon cancer tissues as compared with their adjacent normal tissues. Lentivirus-mediated miR-223-3p over-expression promoted the proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. Inverse results were observed in miR-223-3p knockdown cells. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was regulated by miR-223-3p. In addition, cell apoptosis was suppressed and enhanced by miR-223-3p over-expression and knockdown, respectively. We further identified PRDM1, a tumor suppressor, was the target of miR-223-3p using microarray and luciferase assay. Our findings suggested that miR-223-3p acts as an oncogenic microRNA in colon cancer through regulating EMT and PRDM1.

Therapeutic Effect of HGF on NASH Mice Through HGF/c-Met and JAK2-STAT3 Signalling Pathway.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to ameliorate liver inflammation and fibrosis; however, the mechanism underlying its effects in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is unclear. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the JAK2-STAT3 signalling pathway and the ameliorating effect of HGF on NASH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks, and then plasma and hepatic tissues were collected. Histological and clinical chemistry assays were performed to assess liver disease. The mRNA and protein levels of JAK2, STAT3, and c-Met were assessed by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: Serum ALT, AST, and TG levels were increased in NASH mice. Histological analysis showed different degrees of steatosis, inflammatory infiltrates, and fibrosis in HFD animals. Exogenous administration of recombinant human (rh) HGF via the tail vein for 14 days markedly decreased ALT and AST to levels lower than those in the control group. Compared with the levels in HFD mice, c-Met, p-c-Met, JAK2, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 levels were increased in mice that were administered HGF (P < 0.05). Furthermore, silencing of HGF or blocking of its receptor c-Met affected JAK2 and STAT3 protein phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Excess HGF highly probable improved NASH liver function. Combined with its ligand, c-Met, HGF may promote the phosphorylation of JAK2-STAT3 and inhibit inflammation in NASH. Therefore, it may be potentially useful treatment for NASH.

Ameliorative effects of glycine in an experimental nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and its correlation between TREM-1 and TREM-2.

Inflammation plays an important role in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 and 2 (TREM-1 and TREM-2) modulates inflammatory and innate immune, they have been investigated in various inflammatory diseases, but not in NASH. Meanwhile we added glycine in HFO (HFOG) to investigate if the liver pathologic relief is related with TREM-1 and TREM-2. Liver tissue staining and serum indexes showed that the NASH was successful from the 4(th) weekend and glycine can improved many features of NASH. Results from Q-PCR and ELISA study showed that compareaded with control, TREM-1 is upregulated and TREM-2 is downregulated respectively in 4 and 8-week NASH model (TREM-1: p < 0.001; TREM-2: p < 0.001).Compared with HFO group, HFOG group with an extra 5% Glycine into the diet of NASH, we found that all model liver pathologic and serum indexes ameliorated in this group. Furthermore, Results from Q-PCR and ELISA study showed that compareaded with HFO group, TREM-2 of this group is upregulated and TREM-1 is downregulated respectively from the 4(th) weekend, which is more significant at the 8(th) weekend (TREM-1: p <0.001; TREM-2: p =0.048). Pearson correlation showed that TREM-1 and TREM-2 were closely associated with serum ET, TNF-α, TLR-4 and PC III. Besides, using multiple-stepwise regression analysis, we found that the ameliorative effects of glycine in HFOG was mainly related to its counteraction of PC III, TREM-1 and upregulation of TREM-2. Furthermore, we detected the expression of TREM-1 and TREM-2 in gall stone patients without drinking excessively before undergoing cholecystectomy, and found that the rise of TREM-1 and reduction of TREM-2 was close associated with the severity of fatty liver. To conclude, our results support the concept that TREM-1 and TREM-2 were close strongly linked to NASH and NALFD. Glycine can relieve NASH by its anti-fibrosis effect, and this ameliorative effect is related to the expression change of TREM-1/2 to some extent.