RESUMO
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic liver condition and metabolic disorder, has emerged as a significant health issue worldwide. D-mannose, a natural monosaccharide widely existing in plants and animals, has demonstrated metabolic regulatory properties. However, the effect and mechanism by which D-mannose may counteract NAFLD have not been studied. In this study, network pharmacology followed by molecular docking analysis was utilized to identify potential targets of mannose against NAFLD, and the leptin receptor-deficient, genetically obese db/db mice was employed as an animal model of NAFLD to validate the regulation of D-mannose on core targets. As a result, 67 targets of mannose are predicted associated with NAFLD, which are surprisingly centered on the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Further analyses suggest that mTOR signaling is functionally enriched in potential targets of mannose treating NAFLD, and that mannose putatively binds to mTOR as a core mechanism. Expectedly, repeated oral gavage of supraphysiological D-mannose ameliorates liver steatosis of db/db mice, which is based on suppression of hepatic mTOR signaling. Moreover, daily D-mannose administration reduced hepatic expression of lipogenic regulatory genes in counteracting NAFLD. Together, these findings reveal D-mannose as an effective and potential NAFLD therapeutic through mTOR suppression, which holds translational promise.
Assuntos
Manose , Farmacologia em Rede , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR , Animais , Camundongos , Fígado/metabolismo , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Manose/farmacologia , Manose/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/tratamento farmacológico , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/metabolismo , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/patologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/efeitos dos fármacos , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/metabolismoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Cephalic Index (CI), the ratio of head width to length, is one of the indexes reflecting cranial morphological characteristics. Current norms were established by European and American countries. The purpose of the study was to study anthropometry of cranial parameters using computed tomography scans to establish the CI of the sampled Chinese Children. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was carried out on patients of age younger than 14 years old at Shanghai Children's Medical Center. The measurement of maximum cranial breadth and maximum cranial length were taken on a computed tomography scan machine and recorded for analysis. Cephalic Index was calculated for each age and sex group and compared with previously established norms. RESULTS: Five hundred eighteen patients met the inclusion criteria, including 301 males and 217 females. The means for boys and girls were 87.1 (SD: 4.3) and 85.8 (SD: 4.3), respectively. There was a significant difference between boys and girls (P < 0.01). Cephalic Index in different ages and on applying the 1-way analysis of variance association was statistically insignificant (P = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese head shape was brachycephalic. A statistically significant correlation was seen between the CI and sex, while not age.
RESUMO
Probiotics are not only a food supplement, but they have shown great potential in their nutritional, health and therapeutic effects. To maximize the beneficial effects of probiotics, it is commonly achieved by adding prebiotics. Prebiotics primarily comprise indigestible carbohydrates, specific peptides, proteins, and lipids, with oligosaccharides being the most extensively studied prebiotics. However, these rapidly fermenting oligosaccharides have many drawbacks and can cause diarrhea and flatulence in the body. Hence, the exploration of new prebiotic is of great interest. Besides oligosaccharides, protein hydrolysates have been demonstrated to enhance the expression of beneficial properties of probiotics. Consequently, this paper outlines the mechanism underlying the action of protein hydrolysates on probiotics, as well as the advantageous impacts of proteins hydrolysates derived from various food sources on probiotics. In addition, this paper also reviews the currently reported biological activities of protein hydrolysates. The aim is a theoretical basis for the development and implementation of novel prebiotics.
RESUMO
ß-arrestin2, a member of the arrestin family, mediates the desensitization and internalization of most G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and functions as a scaffold protein in signalling pathways. Previous studies have demonstrated that ß-arrestin2 expression is dysregulated in malignant tumours, fibrotic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases, suggesting its pathological roles. Transcription and post-transcriptional modifications can affect the expression of ß-arrestin2. Furthermore, post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation and S-nitrosylation affect the cellular localization of ß-arrestin2 and its interaction with downstream signalling molecules, which further regulate the activity of ß-arrestin2. This review summarizes the structure and function of ß-arrestin2 and reveals the mechanisms involved in the regulation of ß-arrestin2 at multiple levels. Additionally, recent studies on the role of ß-arrestin2 in some major diseases and its therapeutic prospects have been discussed to provide a reference for the development of drugs targeting ß-arrestin2.
Assuntos
beta-Arrestina 2 , Humanos , beta-Arrestina 2/metabolismo , Animais , Transdução de Sinais , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Neoplasias/patologia , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional , Doenças Cardiovasculares/metabolismoRESUMO
Recently, the incidence of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) has gradually increased, and the disease can eventually develop into cirrhosis or even hepatoma if left untreated. AIH patients are often characterized by gut microbiota dysbiosis, but whether gut microbiota dysbiosis contributes to the progression of AIH remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in the occurrence and development of AIH in mice with dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) induced colitis. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group, S100-induced AIH group, and DSS+S100 group (1 % DSS in the drinking water), and the experimental cycle lasted for four weeks. We demonstrate that DSS administration aggravates hepatic inflammation and disruption of the intestinal barrier, and significantly changes the composition of gut microbiota in S100-induced AIH mice, which are mainly characterized by increased abundance of pathogenic bacteria and decreased abundance of beneficial bacteria. These results suggest that DSS administration aggravates liver injury of S100-induced AIH, which may be due to DSS induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, leading to disruption of the intestinal barrier, and then, the microbiota translocate to the liver, aggravating hepatic inflammation.
Assuntos
Colite , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , Hepatite Autoimune , Humanos , Camundongos , Animais , Sulfato de Dextrana/efeitos adversos , Hepatite Autoimune/etiologia , Hepatite Autoimune/patologia , Disbiose/microbiologia , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Inflamação/patologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Colo/patologiaRESUMO
Innervation and extracellular vesicle secretion co-exist in the local tissue microenvironment for message transfer, but whether they are interconnected to regulate organ homeostasis remains unknown. Sympatho-adrenergic activation is implicated in stress-induced depression and leads to bone loss, but the mechanisms and therapeutics are incompletely elucidated. Here, it is revealed that sympathetic neurostress through the ß1/2 -adrenergic receptor (ß1/2-AR) signaling triggers the transcription response of a microRNA, miR-21, in osteoblasts, which is transferred to osteoclast progenitors via exosomes for dictating osteoclastogenesis. After confirming that miR-21 deficiency retards the ß1/2-AR agonist isoproterenol (ISO)-induced osteopenia, it is shown that the pharmacological inhibition of exosome release by two clinically-relevant drugs, dimethyl amiloride and omeprazole, suppresses osteoblastic miR-21 transfer and ameliorates bone loss under both ISO and chronic variable stress (CVS)-induced depression conditions. A targeted delivery approach to specifically silence osteoblastic miR-21 is further applied, which is effective in rescuing the bone remodeling balance and ameliorating ISO- and CVS-induced osteopenias. These results decipher a previously unrecognized paradigm that neural cues drive exosomal microRNA communication to regulate organ homeostasis and help to establish feasible strategies to counteract bone loss under psychological stresses.
Assuntos
Doenças Ósseas Metabólicas , Exossomos , MicroRNAs , Osso e Ossos , Exossomos/genética , Homeostase , Humanos , MicroRNAs/genéticaRESUMO
Reversible phosphorylation of proteins, controlled by kinases and phosphatases, is involved in various cellular processes. Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) can dephosphorylate phosphorylated serine, threonine and tyrosine residues. This family consists of 61 members, 44 of which have been identified in human, and these 44 members are classified into six subgroups, the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) protein phosphatases (PTENs), mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatases (MKPs), atypical DUSPs, cell division cycle 14 (CDC14) phosphatases (CDC14s), slingshot protein phosphatases (SSHs), and phosphatases of the regenerating liver (PRLs). Growing evidence has revealed dysregulation of DUSPs as one of the common phenomenons and highlighted their key roles in human cancers. Furthermore, their differential expression may be a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis. Despite this, there are still many unstudied members of DUSPs need to further explore their precise roles and mechanism in cancers. Most importantly, the systematic review is very limited on the functional/mechanistic characteristics and clinical application of DUSPs at present. In this review, the structures, functions and underlying mechanisms of DUSPs are systematically reviewed, and the molecular and functional characteristics of DUSPs in different tumor types according to the current researches are summarized. In addition, the potential roles of the unstudied members and the possible different mechanisms of DUSPs in cancer are discussed and classified based on homology alignment and structural domain analyses. Moreover, the specific characteristics of their expression and prognosis are further determined in more than 30 types of human cancers by using the online databases. Finally, their potential application in precise diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of different types of cancers, and the main possible problems for the clinical application at present are prospected.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Fosfatases de Especificidade Dupla/metabolismo , Neoplasias/enzimologia , Progressão da Doença , Fosfatases de Especificidade Dupla/genética , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Fosfatases da Proteína Quinase Ativada por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/patologia , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase/metabolismo , Fosfoproteínas Fosfatases/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatases/metabolismo , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
Therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) infusion have been revealed in various human disorders, but impacts of diseased micro-environments are only beginning to be noticed. Donor diabetic hyperglycemia is reported to impair therapeutic efficacy of stem cells. However, whether recipient diabetic condition also affects MSC-mediated therapy is unknown. We and others have previously shown that MSC infusion could cure osteopenia, particularly in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Here, we discovered impaired MSC therapeutic effects on osteopenia in recipient type 1 diabetes (T1D). Through intensive glycemic control by daily insulin treatments, therapeutic effects of MSCs on osteopenia were maintained. Interestingly, by only transiently restoration of recipient euglycemia using single insulin injection, MSC infusion could also rescue T1D-induced osteopenia. Conversely, under recipient hyperglycemia induced by glucose injection in OVX mice, MSC-mediated therapeutic effects on osteopenia were diminished. Mechanistically, recipient hyperglycemic micro-environments reduce anti-inflammatory capacity of MSCs in osteoporotic therapy through suppressing MSC interaction with T cells via the Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. We further revealed in diabetic micro-environments, double infusion of MSCs ameliorated osteopenia by anti-inflammation, attributed to the first transplanted MSCs which normalized the recipient glucose homeostasis. Collectively, our findings uncover a previously unrecognized role of recipient glycemic conditions controlling MSC-mediated therapy, and unravel that fulfillment of potent therapeutic effects of MSCs requires tight control of recipient micro-environments.
Assuntos
Doenças Ósseas Metabólicas/terapia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/complicações , Hiperglicemia/complicações , Transplante de Células-Tronco Mesenquimais , Transplantados , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , Usos TerapêuticosRESUMO
Domestic wastewater was treated by five constructed wetland beds in series. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) collected from influent and effluent samples from the constructed wetland was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy combined with fluorescence regional integration (FRI), parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis, and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS). This study evaluates the capability of these methods in detecting the spectral characteristics of fluorescent DOM fractions and their changes in constructed wetlands. Fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) combined with FRI analysis showed that protein-like materials displayed a higher removal ratio compared to humic-like substances. The PARAFAC analysis of wastewater DOM indicated that six fluorescent components, i.e., two protein-like substances (C1 and C6), three humic-like substances (C2, C3 and C5), and one non-humic component (C4), could be identified. Tryptophan-like C1 was the dominant component in the influent DOM. The removal ratios of six fluorescent components (C1-C6) were 56.21, 32.05, 49.19, 39.90, 29.60, and 45.87 %, respectively, after the constructed wetland treatment. Furthermore, 2D-COS demonstrated that the sequencing of spectral changes for fluorescent DOM followed the order 298 nm â 403 nm â 283 nm (310-360 nm) in the constructed wetland, suggesting that the peak at 298 nm is associated with preferential tryptophan fluorescence removal. Variation of the fluorescence index (FI) and the ratio of fluorescence components indicated that the constructed wetland treatment resulted in the decrease of fluorescent organic pollutant with increasing the humification and chemical stability of the DOM.