P75NTR+CD64+ neutrophils promote sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Patients suffering from sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) exhibit a high mortality rate, and their prognosis is closely associated with infiltration of neutrophils into the lungs. In this study, we found a significant elevation of CD64+ neutrophils, which highly expressed p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in peripheral blood of mice and patients with sepsis-induced ALI. p75NTR+CD64+ neutrophils were also abundantly expressed in the lung of ALI mice induced by lipopolysaccharide. Conditional knock-out of the myeloid lineage's p75NTR gene improved the survival rates, attenuated lung tissue inflammation, reduced neutrophil infiltration and enhanced the phagocytic functions of CD64+ neutrophils. In vitro, p75NTR+CD64+ neutrophils exhibited an upregulation and compromised phagocytic activity in blood samples of ALI patients. Blocking p75NTR activity by soluble p75NTR extracellular domain peptide (p75ECD-Fc) boosted CD64+ neutrophils phagocytic activity and reduced inflammatory cytokine production via regulation of the NF-κB activity. The findings strongly indicate that p75NTR+CD64+ neutrophils are a novel pathogenic neutrophil subpopulation promoting sepsis-induced ALI.

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy to treat congenital nasolacrimal canal dysplasia: a retrospective analysis in 40 children.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) to treat congenital nasolacrimal canal dysplasia (CNCD). METHODS: Forty children (50 eyes) with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) and lacrimal bony dysplasia, including 8 children with bony atresia (10 eyes) and 32 with bony stenosis (40 eyes), were recruited in this retrospective study. Standardized EN-DCR was performed in all cases. The postoperative observations included relief of symptoms, fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT), syringing of lacrimal passages and anastomotic patency under nasal endoscopy. Patients were followed up for 8-18 months. RESULTS: Standardized EN-DCR surgery had a success (cure and improvement) rate of 100%, including a cure rate of 82% and an improvement rate of 18%. The cure rate among 40 cases of bony nasolacrimal duct stenosis was 82.5%, while that of 10 cases of bony nasolacrimal duct atresia was 80%. Statistical analysis showed that nether the receipt of other treatments before surgery nor the type of bony nasolacrimal duct dysplasia affected the cure rate. No significant complications were observed during postoperative follow-up except for four cases (4 eyes) that suffered middle turbinate and nasal mucosal adhesion and two cases with sinusitis. CONCLUSIONS: CNCD is a type of CNLDO that does not respond to conservative and conventional treatment. EN-DCR represents a safe and effective treatment for children with CNCD. In addition, the combination of EN-DCR with lacrimal CT scanning provides advantages over traditional lacrimal surgery in that it has a high success rate with a low incidence of complications.

Degradation of Mcl-1 through GSK-3ß Activation Regulates Apoptosis Induced by Bufalin in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer H1975 Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member, is often overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Bufalin has been reported to induce apoptosis in various tumor cells. However, there is no report showing that bufalin could downregulate Mcl-1 expression in NSCLC. METHODS: Cell proliferation was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay in H1975 cells. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Mcl-1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The expression of apoptosis-associated proteins in H1975 cells was detected by western blotting. The levels of Mcl-1 ubiquitination and NOXA were analyzed by Immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS: Cell growth was inhibited by bufalin in a time and dose-dependent manner. Bufalin induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells by activating caspase cascades and downregulating Mcl-1 expression. However, overexpression of Mcl-1 diminished bufalin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, bufalin did not reduce Mcl-1 mRNA expression in H1975 cells, but strongly promoted Mcl-1 protein degradation. Proteasome inhibitor MG132 markedly prevented the degradation of Mcl-1 and blocked bufalin-induced Mcl-1 reduction. Bufalin did not significantly affect NOXA protein levels, but downregulated the expression of p-GSK-3ß. GSK-3 inhibitor and GSK-3ß siRNA resulted in increased levels of Mcl-1 and reversed the bufalin-induced Mcl-1 degradation. CONCLUSION: Bufalin induced cell apoptosis in H1975 cells may be through downregulation of Mcl-1. Proteasomal degradation of Mcl-1 via GSK-3ß activation was involved in bufalin-induced apoptosis.

Study on establishment and mechanics application of finite element model of bovine eye.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma mainly induced by increased intraocular pressure (IOP), it was believed that the pressure that wall of eyeball withstands were determined by material properties of the tissue and stereoscopic geometry of the eyeball. In order to study the pressure changes in different parts of interior eyeball wall, it is necessary to develop a novel eye ball FEM with more accurate geometry and material properties. Use this model to study the stress changes in different parts of eyeball, especially the lamina cribrosa (LC) under normal physiological and pathological IOP, and provide a mathematical model for biomechanical studies of selected retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) death. METHODS: (1) Sclera was cut into 3.8-mm wide, 14.5-mm long strips, and cornea was cut into 9.5-mm-wide and 10-mm-long strips; (2) 858 Mini BionixII biomechanical loading instrument was used to stretch sclera and cornea. The stretching rate for sclera was 0.3 mm/s, 3 mm/s, 30 mm/s, 300 mm/s; and for cornea were 0.3 mm/s and 30 mm/s. The deformation-stress curve was recorded; (3) Naso-temporal and longitudinal distance of LC were measured; (4) Micro-CT was used to accurately scan fresh bovine eyes and obtain the geometrical image and data to establish bovine eye model. 3-D reconstruction was performed using these images and data to work out the geometric shape of bovine eye; (5) IOP levels for eyeball FEM was set and the inner wall of eyeball was used taken as load-bearing part. Simulated eyeball FE modeling was run under the IOP level of 10 mmHg, 30 mmHg, 60 mmHg and 100 mmHg, and the force condition of different parts of eyeball was recorded under different IOP levels. RESULTS: (1) We obtained the material parameters more in line with physiological conditions and established a more realistic eyeball model using reversed engineering of parameters optimization method to calculate the complex nonlinear super-elastic and viscoelastic parameters more accurately; (2) We observed the following phenomenon by simulating increased pressure using FEM: as simulative IOP increased, the stress concentration scope on the posterior half of sclera became narrower; in the meantime, the stress-concentration scope on the anterior half of scleral gradually expanded, and the stress on the central part of LC is highest. CONCLUSION: As simulative IOP increased, stress-concentration scope on the posterior half of sclera gradually narrowed; in the meantime, the stress-concentration scope on the anterior half of sclera gradually expanded, and the stress on the LC is mainly concentrated in the central part, suggesting that IOP is mainly concentrated in the anterior part of the eyeball as it increases. This might provide a biomechanical evidence to explain why RGCs in peripheral part die earlier than RGCs in central part under HIOP.

Microglial activation in the medial prefrontal cortex after remote fear recall participates in the regulation of auditory fear extinction.

Excessive or inappropriate fear responses can lead to anxiety-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have shown that microglial activation occurs after fear conditioning and that microglial inhibition impacts fear memory. However, the role of microglia in fear memory recall remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the activated profiles of microglia after the recall of remote-cued fear memory and the role of activated microglia in the extinction of remote-cued fear in adult male C57BL/6 mice. The results revealed that the expression of the microglia marker Iba1 increased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) at 10 min and 1 h following remote-cued fear recall, which was accompanied by amoeboid morphology. Inhibiting microglial activation through PLX3397 treatment before remote fear recall did not affect recall, reconsolidation, or regular extinction but facilitated recall-extinction and mitigated spontaneous recovery. Moreover, our results demonstrated reduced co-expression of Iba1 and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in the mPFC, along with decreases in the p-PI3K/PI3K ratio, p-Akt/Akt ratio, and KLF4 expression after PLX3397 treatment. Our results suggest that microglial activation after remote fear recall impedes fear extinction through the pruning of synapses in the mPFC, accompanied by alterations in the expression of the PI3K/AKT/KLF4 pathway. This finding can help elucidate the mechanism involved in remote fear extinction, contributing to the theoretical foundation for the intervention and treatment of PTSD.

CK2 negatively regulates the extinction of remote fear memory.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, rooted in exposure therapy, is currently the primary approach employed in the treatment of anxiety-related conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In laboratory settings, fear extinction in animals is a commonly employed technique to investigate exposure therapy; however, the precise mechanisms underlying fear extinction remain elusive. Casein kinase 2 (CK2), which regulates neuroplasticity via phosphorylation of its substrates, has a significant influence in various neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well as in the process of learning and memory. In this study, we adopted a classical Pavlovian fear conditioning model to investigate the involvement of CK2 in remote fear memory extinction and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that the activity of CK2 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice was significantly upregulated after extinction training of remote cued fear memory. Notably, administration of the CK2 inhibitor CX-4945 prior to extinction training facilitated the extinction of remote fear memory. In addition, CX-4945 significantly upregulated the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB in the mPFC. Our results suggest that CK2 negatively regulates remote fear memory extinction, at least in part, by inhibiting the ERK-CREB pathway. These findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of remote cued fear extinction, thereby offering a theoretical foundation and identifying potential targets for the intervention and treatment of PTSD.

Degradation of perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex promotes extinction and reduces reinstatement of methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in female mice.

The high rate of relapse to compulsive methamphetamine (MA)-taking and seeking behaviors after abstinence constitutes a major obstacle to the treatment of MA addiction. Perineuronal nets (PNNs), essential components of the extracellular matrix, play a critical role in synaptic function, learning, and memory. Abnormalities in PNNs have been closely linked to a series of neurological diseases, such as addiction. However, the exact role of PNNs in MA-induced related behaviors remains elusive. Here, we established a MA-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in female mice and found that the number and average optical density of PNNs increased significantly in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice during the acquisition, extinction, and reinstatement stages of CPP. Notably, the removal of PNNs in the mPFC via chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) before extinction training not only facilitated the extinction of MA-induced CPP and attenuated the relapse of extinguished MA preference but also significantly reduced the activation of c-Fos in the mPFC. Similarly, the ablation of PNNs in the mPFC before reinstatement markedly lessened the reinstatement of MA-induced CPP, which was accompanied by the decreased expression of c-Fos in the mPFC. Collectively, our results provide more evidence for the implication of degradation of PNNs in facilitating extinction and preventing relapse of MA-induced CPP, which indicate that targeting PNNs may be an effective therapeutic option for MA-induced CPP memories.

[Visual function of seven children with malignant osteopetrosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To detect long-term ocular alteration of children with malignant osteopetrosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS: Children diagnosed as osteopetrosis from 5 months to 31 months underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Computed tomography of optic canal, FVEP, ERG and fundus examination were applied to assess the visual function. RESULTS: Bone marrow transplantation was successful. Peripheral blood test, splenohepatomegalia and osteosclerosis improved gradually. The mean optic canal diameters of right eyes before transplantation was (1.7 ± 0.4)mm. The mean optic canal diameters of right eyes was (3.2 ± 0.7)mm after transplantation. The mean optic canal diameters of left eyes before transplantation was (1.9 ± 0.5)mm . The mean optic canal diameters of left eyes was (3.1 ± 0.8)mm after transplantation. The difference between above two groups was statistically significant(t = -5.204, -4.211;P < 0.05). P2 latency period of FVEP prolonged in 7 cases before transplantation. Mean P2 latency period of FVEP decreased 21.13 ms in 5 cases after transplantation. Mean P2 latency period of FVEP prolonged 22.25 ms in 2 cases after transplantation. Under light adaptation and dark adaptation, ERG amplitude depressed obviously in 2 cases. Two cases with optic nerve atrophy did not change after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an effective way to deal with malignant osteopetrosis. Successful transplantation has been shown to arrest visual deterioration in some cases.

[Congenital dacryocystocele: presentation and treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To report the presentation, complications, and treatment strategies for infants with congenital dacryocystocele. METHOD: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients presenting with dacryocystoceles to Beijing Children's Hospital between 2007 and 2011. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (33 eyes) were identified, presenting at a median age of 10 days of life. Twenty-four (72.72%) patients presented with cellulitis or dacryocystitis and required systemic antibiotics. Two (6.45%) patients presented with respiratory compromise. Resolution occurred with conservative treatment for 6 eyes, but 27 (81.82%) required surgical intervention. All 27 eyes received probing, and 20 (74.07%) were successful. The other 7 eyes required marsupialization of an intranasal cyst. CONCLUSIONS: Although congenital dacryocystoceles may resolve with conservative measures, many become infected and require systemic antibiotic treatment, and most require surgical intervention. Referral in the early neonatal period can aid in timely intervention before complications such as infection occur.

[Application value of computed tomography dacryocystography in children lacrimal diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of computed tomography (CT) dacryocystography in children lacrimal diseases. METHODS: Retrospective case series. The results of CT dacryocystography in 300 children (395 eyes) with lacrimal diseases from October 2009 to October 2011 in Beijing Children Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among 240 children (326 eyes) with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, the sites of obstruction were in the common canaliculus or upper position in 6 eyes (1.8%), in the lacrimal sac in 38 eyes (11.7%), at the borderline between lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct in 213 eyes (65.3%) and at the terminal of nasolacrimal duct in 69 eyes (21.2%). CT dacryocystography could display the obstruction position of lacrimal duct in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. In unilateral congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, CT dacryocystography indicated that nasolacrimal canal in affected side were much larger than that in normal side. It could show the destruction of lacrimal soft tissue and the fossa of lacrimal sac in traumatic lacrimal duct obstruction. CT dacryocystography was also the main subsidiary method for the diagnosis of congenital dacryocystocele, congenital nasolacrimal canal agenesis and lacrimal sac diverticula. CONCLUSIONS: CT dacryocystography can provide important aspects for the diagnosis and treatment of children lacrimal diseases. Therefore, it can be used as an important image examination method in children with lacrimal diseases.

Female rats prefer to forage food from males, an effect that is not influenced by stress.

As social beings, animals and humans alike make real life decisions that are often influenced by other members. Most current research has focused on the influence of same-sex peers on individual decision-making, with potential opposite sex effect scarcely explored. Here, we developed a behavioral model to observe food foraging decision-making in female rats under various social situations. We found that female rats preferred to forage food from male over female rats or from the no-rat storage side. Female rats were more likely to forage food from familiar males than from unfamiliar. This opposite-sex preference was not altered by the lure of sweet food, or with estrous cycle, nor under stress conditions. These results suggest that the opposite sex influences food foraging decision-making in female rats. The behavioral model established could facilitate future investigation into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.

Injection of Anti-proBDNF Attenuates Hippocampal-Dependent Learning and Memory Dysfunction in Mice With Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy.

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a risk factor for cognitive and memory dysfunction; however, the mechanism remains unclear. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was reported to have a positive effect on cognition and emotion regulation, but the study of its precursor, proBDNF, has been limited. This study aimed to elucidate the effects and associated mechanisms of hippocampal proBDNF in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced SAE mouse model. In this study, we found that the mice exhibited cognitive dysfunction on day 7 after LPS injection. The expression of proBDNF and its receptor, p75 NTR , was also increased in the hippocampus, while the levels of BDNF and its receptor, TrkB, were decreased. A co-localization study showed that proBDNF and p75 NTR were mainly co-localized with neurons. Furthermore, LPS treatment reduced the expression of NeuN, Nissl bodies, GluR4, NR1, NR2A, and NR2B in the hippocampus of SAE mice. Furthermore, an intrahippocampal or intraperitoneal injection of anti-proBDNF antibody was able to ameliorate LPS-induced cognitive dysfunction and restore the expression of NeuN, Nissl bodies, GluR4, NR1, NR2A, NR2B, and PSD95. These results indicated that treatment with brain delivery by an intrahippocampal and systemic injection of mAb-proBDNF may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for treating patients with SAE.

Hippocampal LASP1 ameliorates chronic stress-mediated behavioral responses in a mouse model of unpredictable chronic mild stress.

Substantial evidence has revealed that abnormalities in synaptic plasticity play important roles during the process of depression. LASP1 (LIM and SH3 domain protein 1), a member of actin-binding proteins, has been shown to be associated with the regulation of synaptic plasticity. However, the role of LASP1 in the regulation of mood is still unclear. Here, using an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of LASP1 were decreased in the hippocampus of stressed mice and that UCMS-induced down-regulation of LASP1 was abolished by chronic administration of fluoxetine. Adenosine-associated virus-mediated hippocampal LASP1 overexpression alleviated the UCMS-induced behavioral results of forced swimming test and sucrose preference test in stressed mice. It also restored the dendritic spine density, elevated the levels of AKT (a serine/threonine protein kinase), phosphorylated-AKT, insulin-like growth factor 2, and postsynaptic density protein 95. These findings suggest that LASP1 alleviates UCMS-provoked behavioral defects, which may be mediated by an enhanced dendritic spine density and more activated AKT-dependent LASP1 signaling, pointing to the antidepressant role of LASP1.

[Analysis of changes of ultrasonic image and hemodynamics of retrobulbar blood vessels in Coats disease].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changes of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and hemodynamics of retrobulbar blood vessels in Coats disease. METHODS: It was a prospective and self-comparative study in which 18 cases (18 eyes) were included. Axial eye length was measured with A scan. Routine CDFI was performed in all cases. We examined ophthalmic arteries (OA), central retinal arteries (CRA) and posterior ciliary arteries (PCA) by CDFI, and recorded the peak systolic velocities (PSV), end diastolic velocities (EDV), time averaged maximum velocities (TAMX), pulsatility indexes (PI) and resistance indexes (RI) in all cases. Each hemodynamic parameter in the affected eye (21.36 ± 1.19) mm was compared with those in the contralateral normal eye (controls). T-test was used for the estimation of significance of the difference between the diseased and normal eyes. RESULTS: The axial length in diseased eyes was significantly shorter than that of the controls (22.92 ± 1.09) mm (t = 3.617, P < 0.05). The changes of CDFI in diseased eyes included retinal detachment, retinal cyst, subretinal organization, etc. Vitreoretinal traction, intraocular ossification and calcification were uncommon. The PSV (6.96 ± 1.21) cm/s and EDV (1.99 ± 0.36) cm/s in the diseased eyes were significantly lower than the PSV (8.30 ± 1.46) cm/s and EDV (2.48 ± 0.47) cm/s in the control eyes (t = 2.995, 3.476;P < 0.05). No significance difference was present in other hemodynamic parameters between diseased and normal eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Coats disease is a congenital disease that may influence the development of the eye. The ultrasonography is helpful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis in Coats disease. Low perfusion of the central optic artery might exist in Coats disease. The hemodynamics changes in Coats disease require further studies.

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR in cervical cancer: Molecular marker, mechanistic insight, and therapeutic target.

Cervical cancer is a common gynecologic malignant tumor with high mortality. HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR), a trans-acting long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) containing six exons in humans, is transcribed from the antisense strand of homeobox gene C cluster. This lncRNA serves as a modular scaffold for gene silencing and protein ubiquitination. In patients with cervical cancer, elevated HOTAIR levels are significantly associated with poor prognosis. HOTAIR plays an oncogenic role in cervical cancer by promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion and autophagy, inhibiting cell apoptosis, stimulating angiogenesis, accelerating cell cycle progression, and inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, blockade of HOTAIR by artesunate or propofol shows promise for further development of this lncRNA as a potential therapeutic target in cervical cancer. In this review, we summarized the latest advances regarding the role of HOTAIR in cervical cancer with an emphasis on its diagnostic and prognostic values.

Corticosterone Induced the Increase of proBDNF in Primary Hippocampal Neurons Via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Major depression disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that greatly threaten the mental health of a large population worldwide. Previous studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of depression, and current research suggests that brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) is involved in the development of depression. However, the relationship between ER and proBDNF in the pathophysiology of depression is not well elucidated. Here, we treated primary hippocampal neurons of mice with corticosterone (CORT) and evaluated the relationship between proBDNF and ERS. Our results showed that CORT induced ERS and upregulated the expression of proBDNF and its receptor, Follistatin-like protein 4 (FSTL4), which contributed to significantly decreased neuronal viability and expression of synaptic-related proteins including NR2A, PSD95, and SYN. Anti-proBDNF neutralization and ISRIB (an inhibitor of the ERS) treatment, respective ly, protected neuronal viabilities and increased the expression of synaptic-related proteins in corticosterone-exposed neurons. ISRIB treatment reduced the expression of proBDNF and FSTL4, whereas anti-proBDNF treatment did not affect ERS markers (Grp78, p-PERK, ATF4) expression. Our study presented evidence that CORT-induced ERS negatively regulated the neuronal viability and the level of synaptic-related protein of primary neurons via the proBDNF/FSTL4 pathway.

The Role of miR-150 in Stress-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior in Mice.

Stress plays a crucial role in several psychiatric disorders, including anxiety. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we used acute stress (AS) and chronic restraint stress (CRS) models to develop anxiety-like behavior and investigate the role of miR-150 in the hippocampi of mice. Corticosterone levels as well as glutamate receptors in the hippocampus were evaluated. We found that anxiety-like behavior was induced after either AS or CRS, as determined by the open-field test (OFT) and elevated plus-maze test (EPM). Increased corticosterone levels were observed in the blood of AS and CRS groups, while the expression of miR-150 mRNA in the hippocampus was significantly decreased. The expressions of GluN2A, GluR1, GluR2, and V-Glut2 in the hippocampus were decreased after either AS or CRS. Hippocampal GAD67 expression was increased by AS but not CRS, and GluN2B expression was decreased by CRS but not AS. Adult miR-150 knockout mice showed anxiety-like behavior, as assessed by the OFT and EPM. The expressions of GluN2A, GluN2B, GluR1, and GluR2 were also downregulated, but the expression of V-Glut2 was upregulated in the hippocampi of miR-150 knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. Interestingly, we found that the miR-150 knockout mice showed decreased dendrite lengths, dendrite branchings, and numbers of dendrite spines in the hippocampus compared with wild-type mice. These results suggest that miR-150 may influence the synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus and play a significant role in stress-induced anxiety-like behavior in adult mice.

Acute restraint stress alters food-foraging behavior in rats: Taking the easier Way while suffered.

Stress can influence decision-making in humans from many cognitive perspectives, while the underlying neurobiological mechanism remains incompletely understood. Food-foraging is a rodent behavior involving strategic possessing of nutritional supply in social context; experimental model of this behavior could help explore the effect of stress on decision-making and the brain mechanism thereof. In the present study, the influence of stress on food-foraging behavior was assessed in rats using an open field choosing paradigm wherein food collection (standard food or sweet food) were associated with social competition (with or without a rat in the cage). Acute restraint stress (ARS) was induced by placing the rat in a plastic restrainer for 2 h before food-foraging behavioral tests, with the effect of stress also determined biochemically and immunohistochemically. Restraint stressed rats showed anxiety-like behavior and elevation of serum corticosterone (CORT) and epinephrine (EPI) relative to controls. Both restraint and control animals preferred sugared food. However, the former group tended to forage food from a cage not occupied by a conspecific rat, whereas the control rats preferred to obtain food from the cage with a social competitor. Thus, the total amount of food foraged and eaten are reduced in the restrained rats than in controls. While the restraint animals had normal social interaction with other rats, they displayed enhanced social agonistic behavior. In brain examination, ARS attenuated the increase in immunolabeling and protein levels of c-fos, p-CREB, p-ERK1/2 in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) observed in control animals in association with food-foraging. These results indicate that restraint stressed rats tend to forage food by taking the advantage of a less competitive opportunity. Mechanistically, this decision-making alternative appears to be mediated through a neuronal deactivation in the ACC. The current findings provide novel insights into neuronal processing of decision-making behavior under the influence of stress.

LncRNA HOTAIR alleviates rheumatoid arthritis by targeting miR-138 and inactivating NF-κB pathway.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and autoimmune-mediated inflammatory disease. We aimed to investigate the regulation of lncRNA HOTAIR in LPS-treated chondrocytes and RA mouse. Our results showed that HOTAIR expression was significantly reduced in LPS-treated chondrocytes. The HOTAIR was then over-expressed in chondrocytes by transfecting recombinant lentivirus carrying sequences encoding HOTAIR. The LPS-induced reduction of cell proliferation rate and production of two inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-17, IL-23 were markedly inhibited. Enforced expression of HOTAIR also led to the upregulation of proliferation-related protein Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Moreover, a negative correlation was detected between the expression of HOTAIR and microRNA (miR)-138, and the expression of miR-138 was significantly increased in LPS-induced chondrocytes. The effects of HOTAIR over-expression on the proliferation and inflammation were partly reversed by miR-138 overexpression. Furthermore, the overexpression of HOTAIR significantly inhibited the activation of nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) in LPS-treated chondrocytes by suppressing p65 to cell nucleus, resulting in the down-regulation of IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. In addition, the in vivo experiments exhibited that overexpression of HOTAIR increased cell proliferation and inhibited inflammation in RA rats, which were demonstrated by upregulation of Ki67 and PCNA, reduced CD4+IL-17+,CD4+IL-23+ cells, and down-regulation of p-p65, IL-1ß and TNF-α. In summary, our study suggests HOTAIR plays a protective role in RA by increasing proliferation rate and inhibiting inflammation, which may be related with the regulation of miR-138 expression and NF-κB signaling pathway. These results suggest that the regulation of HOTAIR may be a promising therapeutic strategy for RA.

Role of early environmental enrichment on the social dominance tube test at adulthood in the rat.

RATIONALE: Environmental enrichment (EE) could influence brain plasticity and behavior in rodents. Whether the early EE may predispose individuals to a particular social hierarchy in the social dominance tube test (SDTT) at adulthood is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: The present study directly investigated the influence of EE on competitive success in the SDTT among adult rats. METHODS: Male rats were maintained in EE from postnatal days 21 to 35. Social dominance behavior was determined by SDTT, competitive food foraging test, and mate preference test at adulthood. IBA-1 expression in the hypothalamus was examined using immunohistochemistry and western blot. RESULTS: EE rats were prone to become submissive during a social encounter with standard environment (SE) rats in the SDTT. No difference was found in food foraging in the competitive food foraging test between SE and EE rats. Male EE rats were more attractive than the SE to the female rats in the mate preference test. IBA-1 expression was found to be decreased in the hypothalamus of EE rats compared to SE group. Infusion of a microglia inhibitor reduced percentage of forward in SE rats in the SDTT. Infusion of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor prevented the development of subordinate status in EE rats and restored the expression of IBA-1 in the hypothalamus. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that early EE did not lead to reduced social hierarchy in the male rat. However, EE caused a reduction in the percentage of forward in the SDTT, which might be associated with reduced number of microglia in the hypothalamus.