Integration of ζ-deficient CARs into the CD3ζ gene conveys potent cytotoxicity in T and NK cells.

ABSTRACT: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected immune cells hold significant therapeutic potential for oncology, autoimmune diseases, transplant medicine, and infections. All approved CAR-T therapies rely on personalized manufacturing using undirected viral gene transfer, which results in nonphysiological regulation of CAR-signaling and limits their accessibility due to logistical challenges, high costs and biosafety requirements. Random gene transfer modalities pose a risk of malignant transformation by insertional mutagenesis. Here, we propose a novel approach utilizing CRISPR-Cas gene editing to redirect T cells and natural killer (NK) cells with CARs. By transferring shorter, truncated CAR-transgenes lacking a main activation domain into the human CD3ζ (CD247) gene, functional CAR fusion-genes are generated that exploit the endogenous CD3ζ gene as the CAR's activation domain. Repurposing this T/NK-cell lineage gene facilitated physiological regulation of CAR expression and redirection of various immune cell types, including conventional T cells, TCRγ/δ T cells, regulatory T cells, and NK cells. In T cells, CD3ζ in-frame fusion eliminated TCR surface expression, reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease in allogeneic off-the-shelf settings. CD3ζ-CD19-CAR-T cells exhibited comparable leukemia control to TCRα chain constant (TRAC)-replaced and lentivirus-transduced CAR-T cells in vivo. Tuning of CD3ζ-CAR-expression levels significantly improved the in vivo efficacy. Notably, CD3ζ gene editing enabled redirection of NK cells without impairing their canonical functions. Thus, CD3ζ gene editing is a promising platform for the development of allogeneic off-the-shelf cell therapies using redirected killer lymphocytes.

Unveiling facial kinship: The BioKinVis dataset for facial kinship verification and genetic association studies.

Facial image-based kinship verification represents a burgeoning frontier within the realms of computer vision and biomedicine. Recent genome-wide association studies have underscored the heritability of human facial morphology, revealing its predictability based on genetic information. These revelations form a robust foundation for advancing facial image-based kinship verification. Despite strides in computer vision, there remains a discernible gap between the biomedical and computer vision domains. Notably, the absence of family photo datasets established through biological paternity testing methods poses a significant challenge. This study addresses this gap by introducing the biological kinship visualization dataset, encompassing 5773 individuals from 2412 families with biologically confirmed kinship. Our analysis delves into the distribution and influencing factors of facial similarity among parent-child pairs, probing the potential association between forensic short tandem repeat polymorphisms and facial similarity. Additionally, we have developed a machine learning model for facial image-based kinship verification, achieving an accuracy of 0.80 in the dataset. To facilitate further exploration, we have established an online tool and database, accessible at http://120.55.161.230:88/.

Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Polysaccharide from Fructus Ligustri Lucidi Incorporated in PVA/Pectin Hydrogels Accelerate Wound Healing.

In cutaneous wound healing, an overproduction of inflammatory chemokines and bacterial infections impedes the process. Hydrogels can maintain a physiologically moist microenvironment, absorb chemokines, prevent bacterial infection, inhibit bacterial reproduction, and facilitate wound healing at a wound site. The development of hydrogels provides a novel treatment strategy for the entire wound repair process. Here, a series of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi polysaccharide extracts loaded with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and pectin hydrogels were successfully fabricated through the freeze-thaw method. A hydrogel containing a 1% mixing weight ratio of FLL-E (named PVA-P-FLL-E1) demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties such as swellability, water retention, degradability, porosity, 00drug release, transparency, and adhesive strength. Notably, this hydrogel exhibited minimal cytotoxicity. Moreover, the crosslinked hydrogel, PVA-P-FLL-E1, displayed multifunctional attributes, including significant antibacterial properties, earlier re-epithelialization, production of few inflammatory cells, the formation of collagen fibers, deposition of collagen I, and faster remodeling of the ECM. Consequently, the PVA-P-FLL-E1 hydrogel stands out as a promising wound dressing due to its superior formulation and enhanced healing effects in wound care.

Resident memory CD4+ T lymphocytes mobilize from bone marrow to contribute to a systemic secondary immune reaction.

Resident memory T lymphocytes (TRM ) of epithelial tissues and the Bm protect their host tissue. To what extent these cells are mobilized and contribute to systemic immune reactions is less clear. Here, we show that in secondary immune reactions to the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, CD4+ TRM are mobilized into the blood within 16 to 48 h after immunization in humans. This mobilization of TRM is cognate: TRM recognizing other antigens are not mobilized, unless they cross-react with the vaccine. We also demonstrate through methylome analyses that TRM are mobilized from the Bm. These mobilized cells make significant contribution to the systemic immune reaction, as evidenced by their T-cell receptor Vß clonotypes represented among the newly generated circulating memory T-cells, 14 days after vaccination. Thus, TRM of the Bm confer not only local, but also systemic immune memory.

Terahertz asymmetric metallic hole arrays with polarization-independent quasi-bound states in the continuum for membrane sensing.

Resonances with both high-quality factor and polarization-independent characteristics are highly desirable for terahertz (THz) sensing. Here, THz sensors based on asymmetric metallic hole arrays (AMHAs) are experimentally demonstrated. Such sensors consisting of four-hole arrays support polarization-independent quasi-bound states in the continuum (BICs). The induced quasi-BIC presents a quality factor exceeding 2000, which enables enhanced sensing for thin membranes. Results show that the frequency shift is 97.5 GHz for the 25-µm thick polyimide (PI), corresponding to a sensitivity of 147.7 GHz/RIU. The sensing performance strongly relates to the enhanced field originating from sharp quasi-BICs. A maximum field enhancement of 15.88 in contrast to the incident field is achieved. When the PI thickness is large than the decay length of enhanced fields, the interaction strength of field-PI becomes weak, resulting in a saturation effect for the shift of quasi-BICs. The proposed sensor possessing polarization-independent quasi-BICs has great potential for practical sensing applications in real-time chemical and biomolecular.

Synthetic approaches to 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-7-ones as basic heterocyclic structures of the antiviral drug Riamilovir ("Triazavirin®") active against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Fragments of 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-7-one are found in many compounds with various types of biological activities, including the antiviral drug Riamilovir (Triazavirin®), which shows activity against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Therefore, the development of convenient methods for the synthesis of new derivatives of 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-7-one is always in demand. This review systematizes the information on the most common synthetic methods for constructing the 1,2,4-triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-7-one heterocyclic system.

Triazavirin-A Novel Effective Antiviral Drug.

This review outlines the data of numerous studies relating to the broad-spectrum antiviral drug Triazavirin that was launched on the Russian pharmaceutical market in 2014 as an anti-influenza drug (the international non-patented name is Riamilovir). The range of antiviral activity of Triazavirin has been significantly expanded during recent years; in particular, it has been shown that Triazavirin exhibits activity against tick-borne encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, West Nile fever, and other infections of viral etiology. This drug has been approved for treatment of influenza and acute respiratory infections by the Russian Ministry of Health on the basis of comprehensive clinical trials involving over 450 patients. Triazavirin was found to be a highly effective and well-tolerated drug, allowing its over-the-counter sale. The recently published data on the use of Triazavirin in clinical practice for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 are discussed, with special attention paid to potential biological targets for this drug.

CircHelz activates NLRP3 inflammasome to promote myocardial injury by sponging miR-133a-3p in mouse ischemic heart.

Myocardial infarction (MI)-induced the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been well known to aggravate myocardial injury and cardiac dysfunction by causing inflammation and pyroptosis in the heart. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been demonstrated to play critical roles in cardiovascular diseases. However, the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in modulating cardiac inflammatory response and cardiomyocyte pyroptosis remain largely unknown. We revealed that circHelz, a novel circRNA transcribed from the helicase with zinc finger (Helz) gene, was significantly upregulated in both the ischemic myocardium of MI mouse and neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes (NMVCs) exposed to hypoxia. Overexpression of circHelz caused cardiomyocyte injury in NMVCs by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome and inducing pyroptosis, while circHelz silencing reduced these effects induced by hypoxia. Furthermore, knockdown of circHelz remarkably attenuated NLRP3 expression, decreased myocardial infarct size, pyroptosis, inflammation, and increased cardiac function in vivo after MI. Overexpression of miR-133a-3p in cardiomyocytes greatly prevented pyroptosis in the presence of hypoxia or circHelz by targeting NLRP3 in NMVCs. Mechanistically, circHelz functioned as an endogenous sponge for miR-133a-3p via suppressing its activity. Overall, our results demonstrate that circHelz causes myocardial injury by triggering the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pro-inflammatory response and subsequent pyroptosis in cardiomyocytes by inhibiting miR-133a-3p function. Therefore, interfering with circHelz/miR-133a-3p/NLRP3 axis might be a promising therapeutic approach for ischemic cardiac diseases.

Blue LED causes autophagic cell death in human osteosarcoma by increasing ROS generation and dephosphorylating EGFR.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumour in adolescence. Lately, light-emitting diodes (LED)-based therapy has emerged as a new promising approach for several diseases. However, it remains unknown in human OS. Here, we found that the blue LED irradiation significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of human OS cells, while we observed blue LED irradiation increased ROS production through increased NADPH oxidase enzymes NOX2 and NOX4, as well as decreased Catalase (CAT) expression levels. Furthermore, we revealed blue LED irradiation-induced autophagy characterized by alterations in autophagy protein markers including Beclin-1, LC3-II/LC3-I and P62. Moreover, we demonstrated an enhanced autophagic flux. The blockage of autophagy displayed a remarkable attenuation of anti-tumour activities of blue LED irradiation. Next, ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and NOX inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) blocked suppression of OS cell growth, indicating that ROS accumulation might play an essential role in blue LED-induced autophagic OS cell death. Additionally, we observed blue LED irradiation decreased EGFR activation (phosphorylation), which in turn led to Beclin-1 release and subsequent autophagy activation in OS cells. Analysis of EGFR colocalization with Beclin-1 and EGFR-immunoprecipitation (IP) assay further revealed the decreased interaction of EGFR and Beclin-1 upon blue LED irradiation in OS cells. In addition, Beclin-1 down-regulation abolished the effects of blue LED irradiation on OS cells. Collectively, we concluded that blue LED irradiation exhibited anti-tumour effects on OS by triggering ROS and EGFR/Beclin-1-mediated autophagy signalling pathway, representing a potential approach for human OS treatment.

CD69+ memory T lymphocytes of the bone marrow and spleen express the signature transcripts of tissue-resident memory T lymphocytes.

It is a matter of current debate whether the bone marrow is a hub for circulating memory T lymphocytes and/or the home of resident memory T lymphocytes. Here we demonstrate for CD69+ murine CD8+ , and CD69+ murine and human CD4+ memory T lymphocytes of the bone marrow, making up between 30 and 60% of bone marrow memory T lymphocytes, that they express the gene expression signature of tissue-resident memory T lymphocytes. This suggests that a substantial proportion of bone marrow memory T lymphocytes are resident. It adds to previous evidence that bone marrow memory T cells are resting in terms of mobility and proliferation, and maintain exclusive long-term memory to distinct, systemic antigens.

Kanglexin, a novel anthraquinone compound, protects against myocardial ischemic injury in mice by suppressing NLRP3 and pyroptosis.

Pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory cell death that could be driven by the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation following myocardial infarction (MI). Emerging evidence suggests the therapeutic potential for ameliorating MI-induced myocardial damages by targeting NLRP3 and pyroptosis. In this study, we investigated the myocardial protection effect of a novel anthraquinone compound (4,5-dihydroxy-7-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone-2-ethyl succinate) named Kanglexin (KLX) in vivo and in vitro. Male C57BL/6 mice were pre-treated either with KLX (20, 40 mg· kg-1per day, intragastric gavage) or vehicle for 7 consecutive days prior to ligation of coronary artery to induce permanent MI. KLX administration dose-dependently reduced myocardial infarct size and lactate dehydrogenase release and improved cardiac function as compared to vehicle-treated mice 24 h after MI. We found that MI triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation leading to conversion of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18 into their active mature forms in the heart, which could expand the infarct size and drive cardiac dysfunction. We also showed that MI induced pyroptosis, as evidenced by increased DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial swelling, and cell membrane rupture, as well as increased levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, including gasdermin D, N-terminal GSDMD, and cleaved caspase-1. All these detrimental alterations were prevented by KLX. In hypoxia- or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes, we showed that KLX (10 µM) decreased the elevated levels of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling- and propidium iodide-positive cells, and pyroptosis-related proteins. We conclude that KLX prevents MI-induced cardiac damages and cardiac dysfunction at least partly through attenuating NLRP3 and subsequent cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, and it is worthy of more rigorous investigations for its potential for alleviating ischemic heart disease.

Novel heart failure biomarkers: why do we fail to exploit their potential?

Plasma biomarkers are useful tools in the diagnosis and prognosis of heart failure (HF). In the last decade, numerous studies have aimed to identify novel HF biomarkers that would provide superior and/or additional diagnostic, prognostic, or stratification utility. Although numerous biomarkers have been identified, their implementation in clinical practice has so far remained largely unsuccessful. Whereas cardiac-specific biomarkers, including natriuretic peptides (ANP and BNP) and high sensitivity troponins (hsTn), are widely used in clinical practice, other biomarkers have not yet proven their utility. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) are the only novel HF biomarkers that are included in the ACC/AHA HF guidelines, but their clinical utility still needs to be demonstrated. In this review, we will describe natriuretic peptides, hsTn, and novel HF biomarkers, including Gal-3, sST2, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP-7), heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), soluble CD146 (sCD146), interleukin-6 (IL-6), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), procalcitonin (PCT), adrenomedullin (ADM), microRNAs (miRNAs), and metabolites like 5-oxoproline. We will discuss the biology of these HF biomarkers and conclude that most of them are markers of general pathological processes like fibrosis, cell death, and inflammation, and are not cardiac- or HF-specific. These characteristics explain to a large degree why it has been difficult to relate these biomarkers to a single disease. We propose that, in addition to clinical investigations, it will be pivotal to perform comprehensive preclinical biomarker investigations in animal models of HF in order to fully reveal the potential of these novel HF biomarkers.

Downregulation of Long Non-Coding RNA Kcnq1ot1: An Important Mechanism of Arsenic Trioxide-Induced Long QT Syndrome.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a known anti-acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) reagent, whose clinical applications are limited by its serious cardiac toxicity and fatal adverse effects, such as sudden cardiac death resulting from long QT syndrome (LQTS). The mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmia due to ATO exposure still need to be elucidated. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as major regulators of various pathophysiological processes. This study aimed to explore the involvement of lncRNAs in ATO-induced LQTS in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: For in vivo experiments, mice were administered ATO through the tail vein. For in vitro experiments, ATO was added to the culture medium of primary cultured neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. To evaluate the effect of lncRNA Kcnq1ot1, siRNA and lentivirus-shRNA were synthesized to knockdown lncRNA Kcnq1ot1. RESULTS: After ATO treatment, the Kcnq1ot1 and Kcnq1 expression levels were down regulated. lncRNA Kcnq1ot1 knockdown prolonged the action potential duration (APD) in vitro and exerted LQTS in vivo. Correspondingly, Kcnq1 expression was decreased after silencing lncRNA Kcnq1ot1. However, the knockdown of Kcnq1 exerted no effect on lncRNA Kcnq1ot1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this report is the first to demonstrate that lncRNA Kcnq1ot1 downregulation is responsible for QT interval prolongation induced by ATO at least partially by repressing Kcnq1 expression. lncRNA Kcnq1ot1 has important pathophysiological functions in the heart and could become a novel antiarrhythmic target.

Effects of Blue Light Emitting Diode Irradiation On the Proliferation, Apoptosis and Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been proven to affect the growth of several types of cells. The effects of blue LEDs have not been tested on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), which are important for cell-based therapy in various medical fields. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of blue LED on the proliferation, apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. METHODS: BMSCs were irradiated with a blue LED light at 470 nm for 1 min, 5 min, 10 min, 30 min and 60 min or not irradiated. Cell proliferation was measured by performing cell counting and EdU staining assays. Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by ALP and ARS staining. DCFH-DA staining and γ-H2A.X immunostaining were used to measure intracellular levels of ROS production and DNA damage. RESULTS: Both cell counting and EdU staining assays showed that cell proliferation of BMSCs was significantly reduced upon blue LED irradiation. Furthermore, treatment of BMSCs with LED irradiation was followed by a remarkable increase in apoptosis, indicating that blue LED light induced toxic effects on BMSCs. Likewise, BMSC osteogenic differentiation was inhibited after exposure to blue LED irradiation. Further, blue LED irradiation was followed by the accumulation of ROS production and DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our study demonstrated that blue LED light inhibited cell proliferation, inhibited osteogenic differentiation, and induced apoptosis in BMSCs, which are associated with increased ROS production and DNA damage. These findings may provide important insights for the application of LEDs in future BMSC-based therapies.

MiR-223-3p as a Novel MicroRNA Regulator of Expression of Voltage-Gated K+ Channel Kv4.2 in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a devastating cardiovascular disease with a high rate of morbidity and mortality, partly due to enhanced arrhythmogenicity. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to participate in the regulation of cardiac ion channels and the associated arrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to test our hypothesis that miR-223-3p contributes to the electrical disorders in AMI via modulating KCND2, the gene encoding voltage-gated channel Kv4.2 that carries transient outward K+ current Ito. METHODS: AMI model was established in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation. Evans blue and TTC staining was used to measure infarct area. Ito was recorded in isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes or cultured neonatal rat ventricular cells (NRVCs) by whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Western blot analysis was employed to detect the protein level of Kv4.2 and real-time RT-PCR to determine the transcript level of miR-223-3p. Luciferase assay was used to examine the interaction between miR-223-3p and KCND2 in cultured NRVCs. RESULTS: Expression of miR-223-3p was remarkably upregulated in AMI relative to sham control rats. On the contrary, the protein level of Kv4.2 and Ito density were significantly decreased in AMI. Consistently, transfection of miR-223-3p mimic markedly reduced Kv4.2 protein level and Ito current in cultured NRVCs. Co-transfection of AMO-223-3p (an antisense inhibitor of miR-223-3p) reversed the repressive effect of miR-223-3p. Luciferase assay showed that miR-223-3p, but not the negative control, substantially suppressed the luciferase activity, confirming the direct binding of miR-223-3p to the seed site within the KCND2 sequence. Finally, direct intramuscular injection of AMO-223-3p into the ischemic myocardium to knockdown endogenous miR-223-3p decreased the propensity of ischemic arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Upregulation of miR-223-3p in AMI repressed the expression of KCND2/Kv4.2 resulting in reduction of Ito density that can cause APD prolongation and promote arrhythmias in AMI, and therefore knockdown of endogenous miR-223-3p might be considered a new approach for antiarrhythmic therapy of ischemic arrhythmias.

MicroRNA-328, a Potential Anti-Fibrotic Target in Cardiac Interstitial Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Deregulated myocardial fibrosis is associated with a wide spectrum of cardiac conditions, being considered one of the major causes for heart disease. Our study was designed to investigate the role of microRNA-328 (miR-328) in regulating cardiac fibrosis. METHODS: We induced cardiac fibrosis following MI by occlusion of the left coronary artery in C57BL/6 mice. Real-time PCR was employed to evaluate the level of miR-328. Masson's Trichrome stain was used to evaluate the development of fibrosis. Luciferase activity assay was performed to confirm the miRNA's binding site in the TGFßRIII gene. Western blot analysis was used to examine TGFßRIII, p-smad2/3 and TGF-ß1 at protein level. RESULTS: In this study, we found that miR-328 was significantly upregulated in the border zone of infarcted myocardium of wild type (WT) mice; TGFßRIII was downregulated whereas TGF-ß1 was upregulated along with increased cardiac fibrosis. And miR-328 stimulated TGF-ß1 signaling and promoted collagen production in cultured fibroblasts. We further found that the pro-fibrotic effect of miR-328 was mediated by targeting TGFßRIII. Additionally, cardiac fibrosis was significantly reduced in infarcted heart when treated with miR-328 antisense. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that miR-328 is a potent pro-fibrotic miRNA and an important determinant of cardiac fibrosis in diseased heart.

Suppression of AKT expression by miR-153 produced anti-tumor activity in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. microRNAs have been shown to be a novel class of regulators in lung cancer. Here, we explored the role of miR-153 in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and its therapeutic potential. miR-153 was significantly decreased in lung cancer tissues than the adjacent tissues. The protein and mRNA levels of protein kinase B (AKT), which were shown to promote tumor growth, were both increased in lung cancer tissues than adjacent tissues. Overexpression of miR-153 significantly inhibited AKT protein expression, which were abrogated by co-transfection of AMO-153, the specific inhibitor of miR-153. Luciferase assay showed that transfection of miR-153 markedly suppressed the fluorescent intensity of chimeric vectors carrying the 3'UTR of AKT1, while produced no effect on the mutant construct, indicating that AKT is regulated by miR-153. Overexpression of miR-153 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration, and promoted apoptosis of cultured lung cancer cells in vitro, and suppressed the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo. Interestingly, lung cancer cells with lower endogenous miR-153 expression are more sensitive to ectopic overexpressed miR-153. The IC50 of miR-153 on lung cancer cells is positive correlated with the endogenous miR-153 level, while negative correlated with AKT level. Knockdown of AKT expression suppressed lung cancer cell proliferation. In summary, miR-153 exerted anti-tumor activity in lung cancer by targeting on AKT. The sensitivity of lung cancer cells to miR-153 is determined by its endogenous miR-153 level.

By targeting Stat3 microRNA-17-5p promotes cardiomyocyte apoptosis in response to ischemia followed by reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have confirmed the role of microRNAs in regulating ischemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac injury (I/R-I). MiR-17-5p has been regarded as an oncomiR in the development of cancer. However, its potential role in cardiomyocytes has not been exploited. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of miR-17-5p in I/R-I and the underlying mechanism through targeting Stat3, a key surviving factor in cardiomyocytes. METHODS: MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to detect the cell viability. ELISA and TUNEL were performed to measure apoptosis of neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs). Infarct area was estimated by TTC (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) and Evans blue staining. Western blot analysis was employed to detect the Stat3 and p-Stat3 levels and real-time RT-PCR was used to quantify miR-17-5p level. RESULTS: The miR-17-5p level was significantly up-regulated in I/R-I mice and in NRVCs under oxidative stress. Overexpression of miR-17-5p aggravated cardiomyocyte injury with reduced cell viability and enhanced apoptotic cell death induced by H2O2, whereas inhibition of miR-17-5p by its antisense AMO-17-5p abrogated the deleterious changes. Moreover, the locked nucleic acid-modified antisense (LNA-anti-miR-17-5p) markedly decreased the infarct area and apoptosis induced by I/R-I in mice. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-17-5p diminished the p-Stat3 level in response to H2O2. The results from Western blot analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed Stat3 as a target gene for miR-17-5p. CONCLUSION: Upregulation of miR-17-5p promotes apoptosis induced by oxidative stress via targeting Stat3, accounting partially for I/R-I.

The role of lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory networks in liver fibrosis.

In the dynamic realm of molecular biology and biomedical research, the significance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) continues to grow, encompassing a broad spectrum of both physiological and pathological conditions. Particularly noteworthy is their pivotal role in the intricate series of events leading to the development of hepatic fibrosis, where hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a central role. Recent strides in scientific exploration have unveiled the intricate involvement of lncRNAs as ceRNAs in orchestrating the activation of HSCs. This not only deepens our comprehension of the functioning of proteins, DNA, and the extensive array of coding and noncoding RNAs but also sheds light on the intricate molecular interactions among these molecules. Furthermore, the well-established ceRNA networks, involving classical interactions between lncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs), are not mere bystanders; they actively participate in instigating and advancing liver fibrosis. This underscores the pressing need for additional thorough research to fully grasp the potential of ceRNA. The unyielding pursuit of knowledge in this field remains a potent driving force with the capacity to enhance the quality of life for numerous individuals grappling with such diseases. It holds the promise of ushering in a new era of precision medicine, signifying a relentless dedication to unraveling the intricacies of molecular interactions that could pave the way for transformative advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

Ramelteon alleviates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) through Sirt3--dependent regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Reperfusion stands as a pivotal intervention for ischemic heart disease. However, the restoration of blood flow to ischemic tissue always lead to further damage, which is known as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). Ramelteon is an orally administered drug used to improve sleep quality, which is famous for its high bioadaptability and absence of notable addictive characteristics. However, the specific mechanism by which it improves MIRI is still unclear. Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3), primarily located in mitochondria, is crucial in mitigating many cardiac diseases, including MIRI. Based on the structure of Sirt3, we simulated molecular docking and identified several potential amino acid binding sites between it and ramelteon. Therefore, we propose a hypothesis that ramelteon may exert cardioprotective effects by activating the Sirt3 signaling pathway. Our results showed that the activation levels and expression level of Sirt3 were significantly decreased in MIRI tissue and H2O2 stimulated H9C2 cells, while ramelteon treatment upregulated Sirt3 activity and expression. After treat with 3-TYP, a classic Sirt3 activity inhibitor, we constructed myocardial ischemia/reperfusion surgery in vivo and induced H9C2 cells with H2O2 in vitro. The results showed that the myocardial protection and anti-apoptotic effects of ramelteon were antagonized by 3-TYP, indicating that the activation of Sirt3 is a key mechanism for ramelteon to exert myocardial protection. In summary, our results confirm a novel mechanism by which ramelteon improves MIRI by activating Sirt3 signaling pathway, providing strong evidence for the treatment of MIRI with ramelteon.