MicroRNA-30a-5p Promotes Chronic Heart Failure in Rats by Targeting Sirtuin-1 to Activate the Nuclear Factor-κB/NOD-Like Receptor 3 Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNA-30a-5p (miR-30a-5p) has been identified as a marker of heart failure; however, its functional mechanisms in chronic heart failure (CHF) remain unknown. We aim to investigate the role of miR-30a-5p targeting sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) in myocardial remodeling in CHF via the nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor 3 (NF-κB/NLRP3) signaling pathway. METHODS: CHF rat models were established using aortic coarctation. The expression of miR-30a-5p, SIRT1, and the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway-related factors in CHF rats was determined. The CHF rats were then respectively treated with altered miR-30a-5p or SIRT1 to explore their roles in cardiac function, myocardial function, inflammatory response, pathological changes, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The binding relation between miR-30a-5p and SIRT1 was confirmed. RESULTS: MiR-30a-5p was upregulated whereas SIRT1 was downregulated in myocardial tissues of CHF rats. MiR-30a-5p inhibition or SIRT1 overexpression improved cardiac and myocardial function, and suppressed the inflammatory response, alleviated pathological changes and inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis in CHF rats. MiR-30a-5p targeted SIRT1 to regulate the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. In CHF rats, downregulated miR-30a-5p and silenced SIRT1 could reverse the beneficial effects of downregulated miR-30a-5p. CONCLUSION: Inhibited miR-30a-5p inhibits CHF progression via the SIRT1-mediated NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

[Progress on the molecular mechanisms of PCSK9-mediated degradation of low density lipoprotein receptor].

Elevated serum level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. LDL receptor (LDLR)-mediated LDL clearance is the major factor determining the LDL-C level in the circulation. LDL binds to the LDLR on the cell surface and enters the cells through classical clathrin-coated vesicles. In the acidic endosome, LDLR is uncoupled from LDL and recycles back to the cell surface. The released LDL is transported to the lysosome for degradation. The proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) gene encodes a hepatic secretory protein, and its mutations are strongly associated with levels of LDL-C. We and others have shown that PCSK9 directly interacts with LDLR on the cell surface and both are internalized through the clathrin-coated vesicles. However, in the acidic endosome, PCSK9 and LDLR form a tight complex and are targeted to lysosome for degradation, thereby reducing the level of LDLR on the surface of hepatocytes and decreasing hepatic clearance of LDL-C, which plays an important role in maintaining a relatively constant level of LDL in the plasma. Thus, blocking PCSK9 function has become a new strategy to treat hypercholesterolemia.In this review, we will summarize the latest progress in the functional and mechanistic studies of PCSK9 and also highlight the research progress of PCSK9 inhibitors. It aims to provide a reference for the study of PCSK9-LDLR pathway and the regulation of cholesterol metabolism.

[Effects of predator stress on the expression of cAMP responsive element binding protein in hippocampus: experiment with rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neurobiological basis involved in the pathogenesis of the lasting emotionality and cognitive impairment following severe psychological stress. METHODS: Ninety-six male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 2 equal groups: group of predator stress (Group PS) put into a cage in the experimental box singly to be exposed to a cat in the box but outside the cage for 23-57 min until tremor, polypnea, and nares flaring appeared for 6 min so as to establish predator stress models, and control group, put into the cage without non-injurious exposure of cat. 1, 12, and 24 hours later 8 rats from each group were killed with the hippocampus taken out. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) and CREB binding protein (CBP). Twelve hours after the experiment 24 rats from each group were killed with their brains taken out to obtain serial coronary sections. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive immunoreactivities of CREB, pCREB, and CBP. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed that the absorbance (A) value of CREB-in the tissues of hippocampus and frontal cortex 12h after the cat exposure of Group PS were 0.55 +/- 0.13 and 0.88 +/- 0.20 respectively, both significantly lower than those of the control group (1.78 +/- 0.40 and 1.18 +/- 0.26 respectively, both P < 0.01), the A values of. pCREB in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of Group PS were 1.51 +/- 0.34 and 1.07 +/- 0.24 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the control group (0.47 +/- 0.11 and 0.48 +/- 0.11 respectively, both P < 0.01), and the A values of CBP in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of Group PS were 1.01 +/- 0.23 and 0.81 +/- 0.18 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the control group (0.52 +/- 0.12 and 0.29 +/- 0.07 respectively, both P < 0.01). Western blotting showed that the CREB protein expression levels 1 h and 24 h after the cat exposure of Group PS were 2.82 +/- 0.65 and 5.12 +/- 1.13 respectively, both significantly lower than those of the control group (11.86 +/- 2.47 and 10.56 +/- 2.38 respectively, both P < 0.01), the CBP protein expression levels 1 h and 24 h after the cat exposure of Group PS were 1.77 +/- 0.39 and 2.44 +/- 0.55 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the control group (1.06 +/- 0.24 and 0.86 +/- 0.20 respectively, both P < 0.01), and the pCREB protein expression levels 1 h and 12 h after the cat exposure of Group PS were 2.56 +/- 0.59 and 1.93 +/- 0.41 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the control group (1.04 +/- 0.22 and 0.96 +/- 0.21 respectively, both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The dysfunction of CREB signaling in the central nervous system, especially in the hippocampal formation after predation stress may play an important role in the long-term neuropsychological sequelae following severe stress.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduces mouse airway inflammation of neutrophilic asthma by transcriptional modulation of interleukin-17A.

Corticosteroid resistance and severe airflow obstruction have been proved to participate in the neutrophilic inflammation of airway in uncontrollable asthmatics. IL-17 is one of the pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by Th17 cells, and it plays an important role in the neutrophilic inflammation of airway in steroid-resistant asthmatics. Recent data have proved that 1,25(OH)2D3 represses IL-17A in inflammation and Th17-mediated autoimmunity through vitamin D receptors(VDR) at the level of transcription. Our study validated that 1,25-(OH)2D3 can modulate IL-17A on the transcriptional level by using Runx1, thus reducing inflammation in the airway of mice with neutrophilic asthma. 1,25(OH)2D3 may be promising for the therapeutic applications of neutrophilic asthma.

Identification and expression profiles of fifteen delta-class glutathione S-transferase genes from a stored-product pest, Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae).

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) comprise a diverse family of enzymes found ubiquitously in aerobic organisms and they play important roles in insecticide resistance. In this study, we tested the sensitivities of Liposcelis entomophila, collected from four different field populations, to three insecticides. The results showed that the insects from Tongliang population had a relatively higher tolerance to malathion and propuxor than insects from other field populations. The insecticide sensitivities of different populations detected in psocids may be due to the different control practices. Through sequence mining and phylogenetic analyses, we identified 15 delta class GST genes that contained the conserved motifs of the GSTs. Quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) analysis indicated that the 15 GST genes were expressed at all tested developmental stages, and 12 GST genes had significantly higher expression levels in adulthood than in egg stage. The expression levels of 15 GST genes in different field populations showed that 9 GST genes were significantly higher in Tongliang population compared to other populations. Furthermore, Q-PCR confirmed that the expression of several delta class GSTs was upregulated at different times after malathion, propuxor and deltamethrine exposure with the LC50 concentration of insecticide. Taken together, these findings showed that delta class GST genes have various expression levels in different developmental stages and different field populations, and they were up-regulated in response to insecticide exposure, which suggested that these GSTs may be associated with insecticide metabolism in psocids.

Microarray analysis of transcriptome of medulla identifies potential biomarkers for Parkinson's disease.

To complement the molecular pathways contributing to Parkinson's disease (PD) and identify potential biomarkers, gene expression profiles of two regions of the medulla were compared between PD patients and control. GSE19587 containing two groups of gene expression profiles [6 dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNV) samples from PD patients and 5 from controls, 6 inferior olivary nucleus (ION) samples from PD patients and 5 from controls] was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. As a result, a total of 1569 and 1647 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were, respectively, screened in DMNV and ION with limma package of R. The functional enrichment analysis by DAVID server (the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) indicated that the above DEGs may be involved in the following processes, such as regulation of cell proliferation, positive regulation of macromolecule metabolic process, and regulation of apoptosis. Further analysis showed that there were 365 common DEGs presented in both regions (DMNV and ION), which may be further regulated by eight clusters of microRNAs retrieved with WebGestalt. The genes in the common DEGs-miRNAs regulatory network were enriched in regulation of apoptosis process via DAVID analysis. These findings could not only advance the understandings about the pathogenesis of PD, but also suggest potential biomarkers for this disease.