Influence of exercise prescription intervention based on WeChat on glycolipid metabolism and fitness of suboptimal-health teachers.

Exercise is an effective means to promote health, but adherence is low. Due to the advantages of immediacy, economy and effectiveness, the use of WeChat social software has permeated into every aspect in daily life in China. To explore the influence of WeChat-based exercise prescription intervention mode on glycolipid metabolism and fitness of suboptimal-health teachers. 293 suboptimal-health teachers with senior professional titles were randomized to a control group (CG) or an experimental group (e.g.). The CG exercised on its own, while the e.g. adopted the exercise prescription intervention based on WeChat. The intervention period was 6 months. Finally, 264 cases were adhered to and completed, including 132 cases in the CG and 132 cases in the e.g.. The Suboptimal-Health Status Questionnaires-25 scores (SHSQ-25 scores), exercise adherence, subjective feelings, physical fitness, blood glucose and blood lipids were detected before and after intervention and compared between 2 groups. After the intervention, the SHSQ-25 scores in the e.g. was significantly decreased than those in the CG (P < .01). The complete exercise adherence in the e.g. was significantly higher than those in the CG (P < .01). After intervention, the subjective feelings of e.g. were significantly improved compared to CG (P < .05). The body shape, body function and physical quality in the e.g. was higher than those in the CG (P < .05). Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased significantly in the e.g. but not in the CG (P < .05). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) decreased significantly in the e.g. but not in the CG, with a significant difference between groups (P < .05). The subjects in the e.g. were very satisfied with WeChat management. WeChat-based exercise prescription intervention could improve SHS, exercise adherence, subjective feelings, physical fitness and glycolipid metabolism.

The role of MOTS-c-mediated antioxidant defense in aerobic exercise alleviating diabetic myocardial injury.

Myocardial remodeling and dysfunction are commonly observed in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Aerobic exercise can partly alleviate diabetes-induced myocardial dysfunction through its antioxidant actions. MOTS-c is a potential exercise mimic. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MOTS-c on improving diabetic heart function and its mechanism and to identify whether MOTS-c improved antioxidant defenses due to aerobic exercise. Herein, we established a rat model of T2DM induced by high-fat diet combined with a low-dose streptozotocin injection. Interventions were performed using intraperitoneal injections of MOTS-c (i.p. 0.5 mg/kg/day, 7 days/week) or aerobic exercise training (treadmill, 20 m/min, 60 min/day, 5 days/week) for 8 weeks. Myocardial ultrastructure was assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), myocardial lipid peroxidation levels (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) levels were assessed using colorimetric methods, and molecular analyses including MOTS-c, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK)and phospho-AMPK (p-AMPK) were examined using Western blot. The results showed that MOTS-c, with or without exercise, reduced myocardial ultrastructural damage and improved glucolipid metabolism and cardiac function in T2DM. Furthermore, MOTS-c increased antioxidant markers such as SOD, CAT, and the protein expression of myocardial MOTS-c, Keap1, Nrf2, and p-AMPK. MOTS-c with exercise treatment reduced myocardial MDA and increased p-AMPK significantly comparing to only exercise or MOTS-c alone. Our findings suggest that MOTS-c may be a helpful supplement for overcoming exercise insufficiency and improving myocardial structure and function in diabetes.

Advances in the Role of Leucine-Sensing in the Regulation of Protein Synthesis in Aging Skeletal Muscle.

Skeletal muscle anabolic resistance (i.e., the decrease in muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in response to anabolic stimuli such as amino acids and exercise) has been identified as a major cause of age-related sarcopenia, to which blunted nutrition-sensing contributes. In recent years, it has been suggested that a leucine sensor may function as a rate-limiting factor in skeletal MPS via small-molecule GTPase. Leucine-sensing and response may therefore have important therapeutic potential in the steady regulation of protein metabolism in aging skeletal muscle. This paper systematically summarizes the three critical processes involved in the leucine-sensing and response process: (1) How the coincidence detector mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 localizes on the surface of lysosome and how its crucial upstream regulators Rheb and RagB/RagD interact to modulate the leucine response; (2) how complexes such as Ragulator, GATOR, FLCN, and TSC control the nucleotide loading state of Rheb and RagB/RagD to modulate their functional activity; and (3) how the identified leucine sensor leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS) and stress response protein 2 (Sestrin2) participate in the leucine-sensing process and the activation of RagB/RagD. Finally, we discuss the potential mechanistic role of exercise and its interactions with leucine-sensing and anabolic responses.

Slow anion channel GhSLAC1 is essential for stomatal closure in response to drought stress in cotton.

Drought is one of the abiotic stresses which affects the growth and development of plants, including cotton. The role of stomatal anion channel SLAC1 has been well established in regulating stomatal closure in response to drought stress in several plant species. However, the gene encoding for the main S-type anion channel SLAC1 in cotton has not been identified hence its role in drought stress response remains uncharacterized. In this study, we identified Gh_A08G1582 as the gene encoding for GhSLAC1 in cotton. The gene exhibited abundant expression in leaves and was localized in cell membrane. Furthermore, the expression of GhSLAC1 in Arabidopsis slac1-3 mutants rescued the defective stomatal movement phenotypes of the mutants, pointing to its role in stomata regulation. GhSLAC1 channel was activated by AtOST1 in Xenopus laevis oocytes and showed greater permeability for nitrate than chloride. Further data demonstrated that transgenic cotton lines with silenced GhSLAC1 exhibited obvious leaf wilting phenotype and strong stomatal closure insensitivity under drought stress. Taken together, these results demonstrate that GhSLAC1 is an essential element for stomatal closure in response to drought in cotton.

The Effect of Exercise on Gene Expression and Signaling in Mouse Melanoma Tumors.

PURPOSE: To screen for candidate hub genes associated with the effects of exercise on melanoma tumor tissues and to review the potential signaling pathways involved in this process using bioinformatics analysis. METHODS: The GSE62628 expression profile was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. This data set contains 10 melanoma tumor tissues from two groups of exercise and nonexercise mice. The R software was utilized to identify differentially expressed genes between samples, and functional annotation and pathway analysis were performed. Results were visualized using Cytoscape software. RESULTS: In total, 315 differentially expressed genes were obtained, including 294 upregulated and 21 downregulated genes. The functional analysis showed that these genes were mainly enriched in immune response, inflammatory response, and positive regulation of the ERK1/2 cascade in biological process functional groups. The top 10 candidate hub genes were C3, Kng1, C3ar1, Ptafr, Fgg, Alb, Pf4, Orm1, Aldh3b1, and Apob. The pathway analysis of the most significant module identified from the protein-protein interaction network revealed that the complement and coagulation cascades, Staphylococcus aureus infection, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, chemokine signaling pathway and phagosome were mainly involved. C3, C3ar1, Kng1, Ptafr, and Fgg may be the critical genes in the complement and coagulation cascades pathway, and S. aureus in the infection pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise may ameliorate the immune response and inflammatory response in melanoma tissue, and further studies exploring their relationships are warranted.

Correction to: Functional analysis of GhCHS, GhANR and GhLAR in colored fiber formation of Gossypium hirsutum L.

In the original publication of this article [1], the authors pointed out the Fig. 4b was same with Fig. 4c. The correct Fig. 4b should be below.

Exercise modulates heat shock protein 27 activity in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Heat shock protein 27 regulates homeostasis of skeletal and cardiac muscle proteins in various stressful states including diabetes and exercise. Aerobic exercise can inhibit or ameliorate cardiac structural abnormality and dysfunction in diabetic cardiomyopathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of HSP27 in aerobic exercise improving cardiac diastolic dysfunction in type 2 diabetic rats. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following groups: control, control + aerobic exercise, diabetic, and diabetic + aerobic exercise. Diabetes was induced by feeding with a high-fat high-sugar diet for 7-weeks followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) in male rats. Moderate aerobic exercise training was performed on a treadmill for 8 weeks after induction of diabetes. KEY FINDINGS: Aerobic exercise increased left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, myocardial HSP27 protein expression, HSP27-S82 phosphorylation levels, pHSP27-titin binding and improved cardiac muscle fibre alignment in diabetic rats. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study indicates that moderate aerobic exercise increases HSP27 activation, improves cardiomyocyte fibre alignment and restores cardiac diastolic function.

Functional analysis of GhCHS, GhANR and GhLAR in colored fiber formation of Gossypium hirsutum L.

BACKGROUND: The formation of natural colored fibers mainly results from the accumulation of different anthocyanidins and their derivatives in the fibers of Gossypium hirsutum L. Chalcone synthase (CHS) is the first committed enzyme of flavonoid biosynthesis, and anthocyanidins are transported into fiber cells after biosynthesis mainly by Anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) and Leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR) to present diverse colors with distinct stability. The biochemical and molecular mechanism of pigment formation in natural colored cotton fiber is not clear. RESULTS: The three key genes of GhCHS, GhANR and GhLAR were predominantly expressed in the developing fibers of colored cotton. In the GhCHSi, GhANRi and GhLARi transgenic cottons, the expression levels of GhCHS, GhANR and GhLAR significantly decreased in the developing cotton fiber, negatively correlated with the content of anthocyanidins and the color depth of cotton fiber. In colored cotton Zongxu1 (ZX1) and the GhCHSi, GhANRi and GhLARi transgenic lines of ZX1, HZ and ZH, the anthocyanidin contents of the leaves, cotton kernels, the mixture of fiber and seedcoat were all changed and positively correlated with the fiber color. CONCLUSION: The three genes of GhCHS, GhANR and GhLAR were predominantly expressed early in developing colored cotton fibers and identified to be a key genes of cotton fiber color formation. The expression levels of the three genes affected the anthocyanidin contents and fiber color depth. So the three genes played a crucial part in cotton fiber color formation and has important significant to improve natural colored cotton quality and create new colored cotton germplasm resources by genetic engineering.

Changes in Titin and Collagen Modulate Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Diabetic Cardiac Function.

Diastolic dysfunction is a common complication that occurs early in diabetes mellitus. Titin and collagen are two important regulators of myocardial passive tension, which contributes to diabetic myocardial diastolic dysfunction. Exercise therapy significantly improves the impaired diabetic cardiac function, but its benefits appear to depend on the type of exercise used. We investigated the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on cardiac diastolic function in diabetic rats induced by high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin injection. Interestingly, although resistance training had a more pronounced effect on blood glucose control than did aerobic training in type 2 diabetic rats, improvements in cardiac diastolic parameters benefited more from aerobic training. Moreover, aerobic exercise did significantly increase the expression levels of titin and decrease collagen I, TGFß1 expression level. In summary, out data suggest that aerobic exercise may improve diabetic cardiac function through changes in titin-dependent myocardial stiffness rather than collagen-dependent interstitial fibrosis.

Targeting Inflammation and Downstream Protein Metabolism in Sarcopenia: A Brief Up-Dated Description of Concurrent Exercise and Leucine-Based Multimodal Intervention.

Sarcopenia is defined as the progressive loss of muscle mass with age, and poses a serious threat to the physiological and psychological health of the elderly population with consequential economic and social burdens. Chronic low-grade inflammation plays a central role in the development of sarcopenia such that it alters cellular protein metabolism to favor proteolysis over synthesis, and thereby accelerates muscular atrophy. The purpose of this review is to highlight how exercise and nutrition intervention strategies can attenuate or treat sarcopenia. Resistance exercise increases not only muscle mass but also muscle strength, while aerobic exercise is able to ameliorate the age-related metabolic disorders. Concurrent exercise training integrates the advantages of both aerobic and resistance exercise, and may exert a significant synergistic effect in the aging organism. Higher protein intakes rich in the amino acid leucine appear to restore skeletal muscle protein metabolism balance by rescuing protein synthesis in older adults. There is good reason to believe that a multimodal treatment, a combination of exercise and increased leucine consumption in the diet, can combat some of the muscle loss associated with aging. Future research is needed to consolidate these findings to humans, and to further clarify to what extent and by which mechanisms protein metabolism might be directly involved in sarcopenia pathogenesis and the multimodal treatment responses.

Hypertrophy-Promoting Effects of Leucine Supplementation and Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise in Pre-Senescent Mice.

Several studies have indicated a positive influence of leucine supplementation and aerobic training on the aging skeletal muscle signaling pathways that control muscle protein balance and muscle remodeling. However, the effect of a combined intervention requires further clarification. Thirteen month old CD-1(®) mice were subjected to moderate aerobic exercise (45 min swimming per day with 3% body weight workload) and fed a chow diet with 5% leucine or 3.4% alanine for 8 weeks. Serum and plasma were prepared for glucose, urea nitrogen, insulin and amino acid profile analysis. The white gastrocnemius muscles were used for determination of muscle size and signaling proteins involved in protein synthesis and degradation. The results show that both 8 weeks of leucine supplementation and aerobic training elevated the activity of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and its downstream target p70S6K and 4E-BP1, inhibited the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and increased fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) in white gastrocnemius muscle. Moreover, leucine supplementation in combination with exercise demonstrated more significant effects, such as greater CSA, protein content and altered phosphorylation (suggestive of increased activity) of protein synthesis signaling proteins, in addition to lower expression of proteins involved in protein degradation compared to leucine or exercise alone. The current study shows moderate aerobic training combined with 5% leucine supplementation has the potential to increase muscle size in fast-twitch skeletal muscle during aging, potentially through increased protein synthesis and decreased protein breakdown.

Effects of combined traditional Chinese exercises on blood pressure and arterial function of adult female hypertensive patients.

This study examined the effects of combined traditional Chinese physical and mental exercises on the blood pressure of adult female hypertensive patients. Twenty female hypertensive patients aged between 50 and 60 years voluntarily participated in the study. The participants performed the combined exercises for 24 weeks, twice a week, and 60 min each time in low-to-moderate intensity. After the 24-week training, the participants showed significant decreases in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.000), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.006), pulse pressure (p = 0.001), and right ankle brachial pressure index (p = 0.041). The combined Chinese traditional physical and mental exercises were found to have beneficial effects on adult female hypertensive patients.

Effects of moderate and high intensity exercise on T1/T2 balance.

Type 1 (TI) and Type 2 (T2) lymphocytes promote cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity respectively. Evidence accumulated over the past two decades has demonstrated diverse responses of T1 and T2 cells to acute exercise or long-term training at moderate and high intensities. This brief review highlights the current findings from animal and human experimental models on the relationship between the T1 and T2 cell counts and the cytokines these cells produce, in response to moderate and high intensity exercise. The potential of using the T1/T2 balance as an indicator of immune function changes in response to exercise is discussed.

FOXM1 expression correlates with tumor invasion and a poor prognosis of colorectal cancer.

FOXM1, a member of the Forkhead Box (Fox) family of transcription factors, plays a critical role in tumor development and metastasis. The aim of this study was to elucidate its role in colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly prognosis and metastasis. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot assays were used to measure the expression levels of FOXM1 mRNA and protein in 15 CRC and adjacent normal mucosa tissues. Immunohistochemical assay was performed to detect FOXM1 protein expression in 112 CRC tissues and further determine its clinicopathological and prognostic significance. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to knockdown endogenous FOXM1 expression in CRC cell lines and to analyze the effects of FOXM1 knockdown on migration and invasion of CRC cells. The relative expression levels of FOXM1 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in CRC tissues than in adjacent normal mucosa tissues (P<0.01). In addition, the immunostaining of FOXM1 protein was stronger in CRC tissues than in adjacent normal mucosa tissues. By statistical analysis, we showed that high FOXM1 expression was closely correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis, incidence of liver metastasis, and advanced TNM stage. Moreover, the cumulative 5-year survival rate of CRC patients with high FOXM1 expression was lower than that of those with low FOXM1 expression (P=0.0047). Multivariate analysis showed that the status of FOXM1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for CRC patients (P=0.025). Furthermore, RNAi-mediated FOXM1 knockdown could significantly inhibit growth, migration and invasion of CRC cells. Our results showed that FOXM1 over-expression is a molecular marker predicting increased invasive/metastatic potential of CRC and a poorer prognosis.

Overexpression of survivin is correlated with increased invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of survivin expression with metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: RT-PCR and Western blot assays were performed to detect survivin expression in CRC cells and normal intestinal epithelial cell. The expression of survivin gene was also detected in 15 CRC tissues, surrounding and adjacent colon tissues. Moreover, survivin expression in 48 CRC tissues with or without lymph node metastasis was analyzed. Multivariate analysis for lymph node metastasis was performed using logistic regression model. RNA interference was used to inhibit survivin expression in CRC cells and analyze its effect on invasion and metastasis of CRC cells. RESULTS: The expression levels of survivin mRNA and protein were higher in CRC cells than in normal intestinal epithelial cell line. The average levels of survivin mRNA and protein were higher in CRC tissues than surrounding or adjacent colon tissues (P < 0.05). High survivin expression was an independent factor for predicting lymph node metastasis of CRC (P = 0.043). RNAi-mediated survivin knockdown could significantly inhibit in vitro invasion and in vivo metastasis of CRC cells, which might be inactivation of matrix metalloproteinases. CONCLUSION: Targeting survivin will be a potential strategy to suppress metastasis of CRC.

Synchronous Gastric Carcinoma and Nodal Malignant Lymphoma: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review.

Synchronous double malignancies of gastric carcinoma (GC) and malignant lymphoma (ML) are rare and very difficult to treat. We report a case of synchronous GC and nodal ML, regarding which clinical and pathological features and treatment are discussed. A 68-year-old woman with a history of inguinal hernia was admitted for abdominal pain and high fever and subsequently underwent herniorrhaphy, but the fever remained. Computerized tomography showed a stomach mass and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity and inguinal regions. Gastric adenocarcinoma coexistent with advanced in situ follicular lymphoma was confirmed by endoscopy, biopsy of inguinal lymph nodes and bone marrow examination. Two chemotherapy regimens, R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, perarubicin, vincristine and prednisone) and systemic therapy (5-fluorouracil and calcium folinate) combined with regional perfusion (oxaliplatin and etoposide) through the left gastric artery were performed at intervals against ML and GC, respectively. Partial remission in both tumors was achieved after 4 courses of treatment, but the patient finally died of heart failure. Scrupulous biopsy of non-draining lymph nodes in patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas is supposed to improve the diagnostic rate of simultaneous nodal ML. The interval chemotherapy strategy with two independent regimens is beneficial for such patients, especially for those unable to tolerate major surgery.

Rapid Remission in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma of the Nasal Type by the Bortezomib plus CHOP Therapy.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is rare and difficult to treat for its high relapse rate. The authors report a case of PTCL of the skin, regarding which clinical and pathological features, treatment, and prognosis were discussed. A 66-year-old woman was admitted with complaints of enlarging erythematous noduloplaques on the right anterior tibial skin for one year and similar lesions on the left for 6 months. Surgical resection of right leg lesion and biopsy of enlarged inguinal lymph nodes histologically indicated a PTCL of the nasal type. The patient was treated by CHOP plus bortezomib, reached complete remission just after two courses of chemotherapy and then received another two as consolidation. The patient remained in remission for 11 months until local relapse. As for cutaneous lesions, detailed lymph node examination and prompt tissue biopsy are judicious choices prior to any medical management. The chemotherapy consisting of bortezomib and CHOP is safe and efficient in PTCL of the skin.

Effects of allicin supplementation on plasma markers of exercise-induced muscle damage, IL-6 and antioxidant capacity.

To investigate the effects of allicin supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and antioxidative capacity, a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted in well-trained athletes. Subjects were randomly assigned to an allicin supplementation group (AS group) and a control group, and received either allicin or placebo for 14 days before and 2 days after a downhill treadmill run. Plasma creatine kinase (CK), muscle-specific creatine kinase (CK-MM), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), IL-6, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidative capacity (TAC), and perceived muscle soreness were measured pre and post exercise. AS group had significantly lower plasma levels of CK, CK-MM and IL-6, and reduced perceived muscle soreness after exercise, when compared with the control group. AS group also demonstrated a trend toward reducing plasma concentration of LDH after exercise (P = 0.08), although not statistically significant. Allicin supplementation induced a higher value of TAC at rest, and this higher value was maintained 48 h after exercise, however, there was no difference in SOD values after exercise between the two groups. The results suggested that allicin might be a potential agent to reduce EIMD. Further studies concerning anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of allicin on EIMD are needed.

Autoimmune responses induced by Helicobacter pylori improve the prognosis of gastric carcinoma.

Gastric carcinoma (GC) remains one of most serious malignant tumors worldwide, with Helicobacter pylori being the definite carcinogen. The H. pylori components, cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), vacuolating toxin A (VacA) and blood-group antigen-binding adhesin gene (BabA), can mimic and bind to specific receptors or surface molecules both on gastric epithelial cells and platelets, in which CagA and VacA may also be directly involved in loosening of tight junctions in monolayers of polarized gastric epithelial cells. It has been shown that a history of H. pylori infection is found in the majority of patients with GC, and that anti-CagA, anti-VacA and anti-BabA antibodies targeting both H. pylori components and host mimic molecules can be detected in them with increased levels. Patients with GC who are positive for H. pylori prospectively have a better outlook than those negative. The stimulation of mentioned autoantibodies in antigen processing and presentation and subsequent T-cell activation and proliferation improves host immune status. On the other hand, in an autoimmune response, autoantibodies can induce the cross-reaction against those localized or circulating GC cells, which are characterized by mimic or absorbed H. pylori antigens, and lead to the killing and even suppressing of metastasis of cancer cells. Therefore, we here hypothesize that autoimmune responses induced by H. pylori components may play a key role in improving the prognosis of patients with gastric carcinoma.