Notoginsenoside R1 attenuates oxidative stress-induced osteoblast dysfunction through JNK signalling pathway.

Oxidative stress (OS)-induced mitochondrial damage and the subsequent osteoblast dysfunction contributes to the initiation and progression of osteoporosis. Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1), isolated from Panax notoginseng, has potent antioxidant effects and has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. This study aimed to investigate the protective property and mechanism of NGR1 on oxidative-damaged osteoblast. Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were pretreated with NGR1 24 h before hydrogen peroxide administration simulating OS attack. Cell viability, apoptosis rate, osteogenic activity and markers of mitochondrial function were examined. The role of C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling pathway on oxidative injured osteoblast and mitochondrial function was also detected. Our data indicate that NGR1 (25 µM) could reduce apoptosis as well as restore osteoblast viability and osteogenic differentiation. NGR1 also reduced OS-induced mitochondrial ROS and restored mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate production and mitochondrial DNA copy number. NGR1 could block JNK pathway and antagonize the destructive effects of OS. JNK inhibitor (SP600125) mimicked the protective effects of NGR1while JNK agonist (Anisomycin) abolished it. These data indicated that NGR1 could significantly attenuate OS-induced mitochondrial damage and restore osteogenic differentiation of osteoblast via suppressing JNK signalling pathway activation, thus becoming a promising agent in treating osteoporosis.

Mitochondrial abnormalities are involved in periodontal ligament fibroblast apoptosis induced by oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress (OS)-induced apoptosis of periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) has been suggested to be an important pathogenic factor of periodontitis. Mitochondrial abnormalities are closely linked to OS and act as the main players in apoptosis. Our aim was to investigate the potential mitochondrial abnormalities in PDLCs apoptosis induced by OS. In this study, significant reduction in viability and increased apoptosis were observed in H2O2-treated hPDLCs. H2O2 also induced mitochondrial dysfunction, judging by increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species amounts, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential as well as ATP levels. Furthermore, H2O2 significantly enhanced mitochondrial fission by decreasing the expression of Mfn1 and Mfn2, along with increasing the expression of Drp1, Fis1 and the cleavage of OPA1. Notably, NAC stabilized the balance of the mitochondrial dynamics, attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction, and inhibited apoptosis of hPDLCs in the presence of H2O2. In conclusion, the OS-induced apoptosis of hPDLCs may be mediated by mitochondria-dependent pathway.

A pharmacovigilance study of adverse event profiles and haemorrhagic safety of bevacizumab based on the FAERS database.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab is used for the treatment of advanced malignant tumors; it acts by inhibiting angiogenesis. This study aimed to examine adverse events (AEs) of bevacizumab, especially hemorrhage, using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The reporting odds ratio (ROR) and proportional reporting ratio (PRR) were used to analyze the AEs of bevacizumab using FAERS registration data from January 2004 to September 2022. Clinical information regarding hemorrhagic signals was further analyzed. RESULTS: The number of bevacizumab-associated AE reports was 96,477. Our study found that 892 significant preferred terms (PTs) were spread throughout 25 organ systems. The system organ classes (SOCs) focus on general disorders, administration site conditions, blood and lymphatic system disorders, injury, poisoning, and procedural complications. A total of 2,847 bevacizumab-related hemorrhage cases were reported, and 37 hemorrhagic signals were identified. Hemorrhagic signals were focused on SOC levels in vascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous system disorders. Colorectal, lung, and breast cancers are the three most common malignancies associated with BV-induced hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The AE report from the present study confirms the majority of label information for bevacizumab, while also identifying new AEs. In addition, this was a large descriptive study of bevacizumab-induced hemorrhage.

Discovery of ellagic acid as a competitive inhibitor of Src homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase 2 (SHP2) for cancer treatment: In vitro and in silico study.

Targeting SHP2 has become a potential cancer treatment strategy. In this study, ellagic acid was first reported as a competitive inhibitor of SHP2, with an IC50 value of 0.69 ± 0.07 µM, and its inhibitory potency was 34.86 times higher that of the positive control NSC87877. Ellagic acid also had high inhibitory activity on the SHP2-E76K and SHP2-E76A mutants, with the IC50 values of 1.55 ± 0.17 µM and 0.39 ± 0.05 µM, respectively. Besides, the IC50 values of ellagic acid on homologous proteins SHP1, PTP1B, and TCPTP were 0.93 ± 0.08 µM, 2.04 ± 0.28 µM, and 11.79 ± 0.83 µM, with selectivity of 1.35, 2.96, and 17.09 times, respectively. The CCK8 proliferation experiment exhibited that ellagic acid would inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells. It was worth noting that the combination of ellagic acid and KRASG12C inhibitor AMG510 would produce a strong synergistic effect in inhibiting NCI-H358 cells. Western blot experiment exhibited that ellagic acid would downregulate the phosphorylation levels of Erk and Akt in NCI-H358 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies revealed the binding information between SHP2 and ellagic acid. In summary, this study provides new ideas for the development of SHP2 inhibitors.

Emerging poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in water and sediment from Qiantang River-Hangzhou Bay.

Many emerging poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are being used in China, due to the gradual phase out of legacy PFASs. Occurrence and environmental behaviors of emerging PFASs in Chinese fresh water environment are still not well known. In this study, 31 PFASs, including 14 emerging PFASs, were measured in 29 pairs of water and sediment samples from Qiantang River-Hangzhou Bay, an important drinking water resource for cities in Yangtze River basin. Perfluorooctanoate was consistently the predominant legacy PFAS in water (8.8-130 ng/L) and sediment (3.7-49 ng/g dw). Twelve emerging PFASs were detected in water, with the dominance of 6:2 chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonates (6:2 Cl-PFAES; mean 11 ng/L, 0.79-57 ng/L) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS; 5.6 ng/L, < LOD-29 ng/L). Eleven emerging PFASs were found in sediment, and were also dominated by 6:2 Cl-PFAES (mean 4.3 ng/g dw, 0.19-16 ng/g dw) and 6:2 FTS (2.6 ng/g dw, < LOD-9.4 ng/g dw). Spatially, sampling sites closed to the surrounding cities had comparatively higher water concentrations of PFASs. Among emerging PFASs, 8:2 Cl-PFAES (3.0 ± 0.34) had the highest mean field-based log-transformed organic­carbon normalized sediment-water partition coefficient (log Koc), followed by 6:2 Cl-PFAES (2.9 ± 0.35) and hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (2.8 ± 0.32). p-perfluorous nonenoxybenzene sulfonate (2.3 ± 0.60) and 6:2 FTS (1.9 ± 0.54) had relatively lower mean log Koc values. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive study investigating the occurrence and partitioning behaviors of emerging PFASs in Qiantang River.

Silibinin Attenuates Experimental Periodontitis by Downregulation of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.

Periodontitis is an oral microbiota-induced inflammatory disease, in which inflammation and oxidative stress play a critical role. Silibinin (SB), a Silybum marianum-derived compound, exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. We adopted a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model and a lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) model to evaluate the protective effects of SB. In the in vivo model, SB reduced alveolar bone loss and apoptosis of PDLCs in the periodontal tissue. SB also maintained the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key regulator of cellular resistance to oxidative stress, and attenuated lipid, protein, and DNA oxidative damages in the periodontal lesion area. Meanwhile, in the in vitro model, SB administration reduced the production of intracellular reactive oxidative species (ROS). Furthermore, SB exerted a strong anti-inflammatory property in both in vivo and in vitro models by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory mediators including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) as well as nucleotide binding oligomerization domain- (NOD-) like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and downregulating the levels of proinflammatory cytokines. This study, for the first time, demonstrates that SB exhibits the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties against periodontitis by downregulating the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 and upregulating Nrf2 expression, suggesting a promising potential clinical application of SB in periodontitis.

PU14, a Novel Matrix Protein, Participates in Pearl Oyster, Pinctada Fucata, Shell Formation.

Biomineralization is a widespread biological process, involved in the formation of shells, teeth, and bones. Shell matrix proteins have been widely studied for their importance during shell formation. In 2015, our group identified 72 unique shell matrix proteins in Pinctada fucata, among which PU14 is a matrix protein detected in the soluble fraction that solely exists in the prismatic layer. However, the function of PU14 is still unclear. In this study, the full-length cDNA sequence of PU14 was obtained and functional analyses of PU14 protein during shell formation were performed. The deduced protein has a molecular mass of 77.8 kDa and an isoelectric point of 11.34. The primary protein structure contains Gln-rich and random repeat units, which are typical characteristics of matrix protein and indicate its potential function during shell formation. In vivo and in vitro experiments indicated PU14 has prismatic layer functions during shell formation. The tissue expression patterns showed that PU14 was mainly expressed in the mantle tissue, which is consistent with prismatic layer formation. Notching experiments suggested that PU14 responded to repair and regenerate the injured shell. After inhibiting gene expression by injecting PU14-specific double-stranded RNA, the inner surface of the prismatic layer changed significantly and became rougher. Further, in vitro experiments showed that recombinant protein rPU14 impacted calcite crystal morphology. Taken together, characterization and functional analyses of a novel matrix protein, PU14, provide new insights about basic matrix proteins and their functions during shell formation.

Elevated SYNC Expression Is Associated with Gastric Tumorigenesis and Infiltration of M2-Polarized Macrophages in the Gastric Tumor Immune Microenvironment.

Aims: To assess the expression and epigenetic regulation of Syncoilin, intermediate filament protein (SYNC) in gastric cancer tissues, and to determine its associations with clinicopathological features; immune infiltration of macrophages in tumors; and patient survival. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological features, expression profiles, and methylation data of the SYNC gene were obtained from multi-institutional real-world public datasets. A total of 1601 samples from patients with gastric cancer were examined. The associations between clinicopathological features and SYNC expression levels were assessed by the chi-square test; survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. The infiltration levels of M1, 2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in a gastric tumor immune microenvironment were quantified using deconvolution, and the correlation between SYNC expression level and M1, 2-polarized macrophages' infiltration was examined using the Pearson correlation test. SYNC gene methylation data were analyzed to investigate epigenetic control of its expression. Results: SYNC expression was elevated in gastric cancer tissues (p < 0.01), and was associated with a poorer overall survival (p < 0.01) and poorer postprogression survival (p = 0.01). Higher SYNC levels were significantly associated with more aggressive clinicopathological features in gastric cancer patients (p < 0.05). SYNC was also associated with the infiltration of M2-polarized TAMs in the gastric tumor immune microenvironment (p < 0.001). Hypomethylation was shown to be associated with SYNC's upregulation (p < 0.05). Conclusion: SYNC is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and has the potential to be a therapeutic target and to serve as a prognostic marker.

Hydroxytyrosol prevents periodontitis-induced bone loss by regulating mitochondrial function and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling of bone cells.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction promotes the alveolar bone loss during the development of periodontitis. Mitochondria are the principal source of ROS. Hydroxytyrosol (HT), a natural phenolic compound present in olive oil, is well known for its antioxidant and mitochondrial-protective prosperities. Nonetheless, the impact of HT on periodontitis and its related mechanisms underlying bone cell behavior remains unknown. Osteoclasts differentiated from RAW264.7 model and oxidative stress (OS) induced pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell injury model were treated with and without HT. Cell viability, apoptosis, differentiation, mitochondrial function along with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway were investigated. Meanwhile, the effect and related mechanisms of HT on bone loss in mice with periodontitis were also detected. HT inhibited osteoclast differentiation and prevented OS induced pre-osteoblast cells injury via regulating mitochondrial function as well as ERK and JNK signaling pathways. Moreover, HT attenuated the alveolar bone loss, increased bone forming activity, inhibited the osteoclasts differentiation and decreased the level of OS in mice with periodontitis. Our findings, for the first time, revealed a novel function of HT in bone remodeling of periodontitis, and highlighted its therapeutical potential for the prevention/treatment of periodontitis.

Crosstalk between reactive oxygen species and Dynamin-related protein 1 in periodontitis.

Excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have great impacts on the development of periodontitis. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) mediated mitochondrial fission is the main reason and the result of excessive ROS generation. However, whether Drp1 and crosstalk between ROS and Drp1 contribute to the process of periodontitis remains elusive. We herein investigated the role and functional significance of crosstalk between ROS and Drp1 in periodontitis. Firstly, human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) or Drp1 inhibitor mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1). Cell viability, apoptosis, osteogenic differentiation, expression of Drp1, and mitochondrial function were investigated. Secondly, mice with periodontitis were treated with NAC or Mdivi-1. Finally, gingival tissues were collected from periodontitis patients and healthy individuals to evaluate ROS and Drp1 levels. H2O2 induced cellular injury and inflammation, excessive ROS production, mitochondrial abnormalities, and increased expression of p-Drp1 and Drp1 in hPDLCs, which could be reversed by NAC and Mdivi-1. Moreover, both NAC and Mdivi-1 ameliorated tissue damage and inflammation, and decreased expression of p-Drp1 and Drp1 in mice with periodontitis. More importantly, patients with periodontitis presented significantly higher levels of ROS-induced oxidative damage and p-Drp1 than that in healthy individuals and correlated with clinical parameters. In summary, ROS-Drp1 crosstalk greatly promotes the development of periodontitis. Pharmacological blockade of this crosstalk might be a novel therapeutic strategy for periodontitis.

Elevated TUBA1A Might Indicate the Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Gastric Cancer, Being Associated with the Infiltration of Macrophages in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: TUBA1A belongs to the tubulin superfamily, and its role in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study assessed the expression and effect of TUBA1A in GC, as well as its association with survival and clinicopathological features. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) results revealed that high TUBA1A expression was associated with multiple pathways, including those that contributed to the infiltration of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Since increased infiltration of macrophages can lead to oxaliplatin resistance, we analyzed the association between TUBA1A, the infiltration of macrophages to the tumor microenvironment, and the inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of oxaliplatin. In addition, we analyzed the possible epigenetic regulation mechanism. METHODS: A total of 1,881 samples, including 1,618 patients with GC and 263 normal samples, were examined. The associations between clinicopathological features and TUBA1A were assessed by chi-square test, survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the potential mechanisms. The associations between TUBA1A and immune infiltration of M0-, M1-, and M2- polarized macrophages were examined by applying deconvolution's quantification and Pearson's correlation analysis. The association of TUBA1A with the IC50 of oxaliplatin was analyzed by Pearson correlation test. The mechanisms of TUBA1A dysregulation were studied by analyzing methylation data. A single-cell TUBA1A mRNA expression map of the stomach was drawn from the analysis of stomach single-cell RNA sequencing data that included more than 13,000 single cells of 17 stomach cell types. RESULTS: TUBA1A expression was elevated in GC (p<0.01) and indicated poorer overall survival (p<0.001), first progression survival (p<0.001), and post-progression survival (p<0.01). High TUBA1A expression was significantly correlated with more aggressive clinicopathological features of GC patients (p<0.001). Elevated TUBA1A contributes to the infiltration of macrophages to the tumor microenvironment (p<0.001) and increased the IC50 of oxaliplatin in vitro (p<0.05), while hypomethylation was shown to contribute to the upregulation of TUBA1A (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TUBA1A might be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in GC. TUBA1A is significantly associated with the infiltration of M2-polarized macrophages in GC, and the IC50 of oxaliplatin. Hypomethylation contributes to the upregulation of TUBA1A in GC.

A novel matrix protein PfX regulates shell ultrastructure by binding to specific calcium carbonate crystal faces.

Here, we have identified a novel matrix protein, named PfX, from the pearl oyster Pinctada fucada, and investigated the effects of recombinant PfX protein on calcium carbonate crystallization. The expression of PfX was spatially concentrated in the mantle tissue and gill, the former of which is responsible for the formation of shell structures. The shell notching assay showed a PfX expression response during injured shell repair and regeneration, suggesting the potential involvement of this matrix protein in shell biomineralization. Further, an in vitro crystallization assay showed that PfX could alter the CaCO3 morphologies of both calcite and aragonite polymorphs. Correspondingly, a binding assay indicated that PfX has strong binding affinity for CaCO3 crystals, especially aragonite. Further, the protein's calcite binding capacity increased obviously when particular crystal faces were induced. In addition, PfX conjugated with fluorescent dye cyanine-5 (cy5) was preferentially distributed on rough crystal faces instead of the smooth and common (1 0 4) faces of calcite during the crystallization. These results suggest that matrix protein PfX might regulate CaCO3 morphology via selective binding and inhibit the growth of certain crystal faces, providing new clues for understanding biomineralization mechanisms in mollusk.

Enhanced Oxidative Damage and Nrf2 Downregulation Contribute to the Aggravation of Periodontitis by Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus is a well-recognized risk factor for periodontitis. The goal of the present study was to elucidate whether oxidative stress and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) participate in the aggravation of periodontitis by diabetes. For this purpose, we assigned Wistar rats to control, periodontitis, diabetes, and diabetic periodontitis groups. Two weeks after induction of diabetes by streptozotocin, periodontitis was induced by ligation. Two weeks later, periodontal tissues and blood were harvested and analyzed by stereomicroscopy, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. We found that ligation induced more severe bone loss and periodontal cell apoptosis in diabetic rats than in normal rats (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, periodontitis significantly enhanced local oxidative damage (elevated expression of 3-nitrotyrosine, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine), whereas diabetes significantly increased systemic oxidative damage and suppressed antioxidant capacity (increased malondialdehyde expression and decreased superoxide dismutase activity) (p < 0.05). Simultaneous periodontitis and diabetes synergistically aggravated both local and systemic oxidative damage (p < 0.05); this finding was strongly correlated with the more severe periodontal destruction in diabetic periodontitis. Furthermore, gene and protein expression of Nrf2 was significantly downregulated in diabetic periodontitis (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the reduced Nrf2 expression was strongly correlated with the aggravated periodontal destruction and oxidative damage in diabetic periodontitis. We conclude that enhanced local and systemic oxidative damage and Nrf2 downregulation contribute to the development and progression of diabetic periodontitis.