[Effects of muscle derived-IL-6 on insulin resistance of skeletal muscle cells and its mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of exogenous calcium-load on promoting muscle-derived IL-6 secretion, and regulating AMPK and p38MAPK signal pathway to improve insulin resistance. METHODS: C2C12 cell lines and palmitic acid-induced insulin resistance C2C12 cell lines were selected as the experimental objects. Preliminary experiment was aimed to determinate the glucose concentrations of culture solutions and observe contraction status of cells under microscope following different calcium concentrations culture 24 h. In the first official experiment, cells were divided into four groups: control group (A group, normal culture solution), IR group(B group, 0.6 mmol/L palmitic acid culture cells 24 h), 1 000 ng/ml IL-6 culture IR B group cells 48 h(IL-6+IR group) and IL-6 shRNA culture A group cells (IL-6shRNA group). In the second official experiment, cells were divided into three groups: IR group(A group), 100 µmol/L CaCl2 culture IR group cells 48 h(CaCl2+IR group) and 100 µmol/L CaCl2 and IL-6shRNA co- culture IR group cells 48 h(CaCl2+IL-6shRNA+IR group). The expression levels of GLUT4 mRNA and IL-6 mRNA were measured by real-time PCR, the protein expression levels of p-AMPK, p-p38MAPK, p-IRS-1 and p-PI-3K were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: Preliminary experiment results showed that compared with 0 µmol/L CaCl2 group, the glucose concentrations were decreased significantly after cells treated with CaCl2, at different concentrations. The cell contractions were observed under microscope and the cell contraction was most obvious treated with 100 µmol/L CaCl2. The first official experiment results showed that compared with IR group, the contents of p-AMP-activated protein kinase(p-AMPK), p-insulin receptor substrate 1(p-IRS-1), p-phosphoinositide-3 kinase(p-PI-3K), the expression level of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4) mRNA and the glucose uptake of IL-6+IR group were increased significantly(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), the p-p38MAPK protein expression level was decreased significantly (P＜0.01) ; Compared with control group, the expression levels of p-AMPK, P-IRS-1, p-PI-3K, the expression level of GLUT4 mRNA and the glucose uptake of IL-6shRNA group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), the p-p38MAPK protein expression level was increased significantly (P＜0.01). The second official experiment results showed that compared with IR group, the expression levels of p-AMPK, P-IRS-1, p-PI-3K, the level of GLUT4 mRNA of CaCl2+IR group were increased significantly (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), the p-p38MAPK protein expression level was decreased significantly (P＜0.01); Compared with CaCl2+IR group, the contents of p-AMPK, P-IRS-1, p-PI-3K, the expression level of GLUT4 mRNA and the glucose uptake of CaCl2+IL-6 shRNA+IR group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), the p-p38MAPK protein expression level was increased significantly (P＜0.01). CONCLUSION: Exogenous Ca-load can stimulate muscle cells contraction, and exercise-induced IL-6 improves insulin resistance by activating AMPK, PI-3Kand inhibiting p38MAPK signal pathway.

Energy Transfer in a Hybrid Ir(III) Carbene-Pt(II) Acetylide Assembly for Efficient Hydrogen Production.

A new heterometallic supramolecular complex, consisting of an iridium carbene-based unit appended to a platinum terpyridine acetylide unit, representing a new Ir(III) -Pt(II) structural motif, was designed and developed to act as an active species for photocatalytic hydrogen production. The results also suggested that a light-harvesting process is essential to realize the solar-to-fuel conversion in an artificial system as illustrated in the natural photosynthetic system.

Hydrogen photogeneration promoted by efficient electron transfer from iridium sensitizers to colloidal MoS2 catalysts.

We report the utilization of colloidal MoS2 nanoparticles (NPs) for multicomponent photocatalytic water reduction systems in cooperation with a series of cyclometalated Ir(III) sensitizers. The effects of the particle size and particle dispersion of MoS2 NPs catalyst, reaction solvent and the concentration of the components on hydrogen evolution efficiency were investigated. The MoS2 NPs exhibited higher catalytic performance than did other commonly used water reduction catalysts under identical experiment conditions. The introduction of the carboxylate anchoring groups in the iridium complexes allows the species to be favorably chem-adsorbed onto the MoS2 NPs surface to increase the electron transfer, resulting in enhancement of hydrogen evolution relative to the non-attached systems. The highest apparent quantum yield, which was as high as 12.4%, for hydrogen evolution, was obtained (λ = 400 nm).

Water reduction systems associated with homoleptic cyclometalated iridium complexes of various 2-phenylpyridines.

The photoreduction of water to hydrogen represents a promising method for generating sustainable clean fuel. The molecular processes of this photoreduction require an effective light absorber, such as the ruthenium polybipyridine complex, to collect and convert the solar energy into a usable chemical form. In the search for a highly active and stable photosensitizer (PS), iridium complexes are attractive because of their desirable photophysical characteristics. Herein, a series of homoleptic tris-cyclometalated iridium complexes, based on different 2-phenylpyridine ligands, were utilized as PSs in photocatalytic systems for hydrogen production with [Rh(dtb-bpy)3 ](PF6 )3 (dtb-bpy=4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-dipyridyl) serving as the water reduction catalyst (WRC) and triethanolamine (TEOA) as the electron donor. The photophysical and electrochemical properties of these complexes were systematically investigated. The excited state of neutral iridium complexes (PS*) could not be quenched by using TEOA as an electron donor, but they could be quenched by using [Rh(dtb-bpy)3 ](PF6 )3 as an electron acceptor, indicating that the PS* quenching pathway in catalytic reactions was most likely an oxidative quenching process. A set of long-lived and highly active systems for hydrogen evolution were obtained in Ir(III) -Rh(III) -TEOA systems. These systems maintained their activity for more than 72 h with visible-light irradiation, and the total turnover number was up to 3040. Comparative studies indicated that the photocatalytic performance of these homoleptic tris-cyclometalated iridium compounds was superior to that of the cationic iridium complex [Ir(ppy)2 (bpy)](PF6 ) (ppy=2-phenylpyridine, bpy=2,2'-dipyridyl) (4), which was used as a reference. The significant increase in the photocatalytic efficiencies was in part attributed to the higher photostability of the neutral Ir(III) complexes. This assumption was supported by their different coordination modes, photophysical, and electrochemical properties.

The roles of aerobic exercise training and suppression IL-6 gene expression by RNA interference in the development of insulin resistance.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the hypothesis that aerobic exercise training inhibits the development of insulin resistance through IL-6 and probe into the possible molecular mechanism about it. METHODS: Rats were raised with high-fat diets for 8 weeks to develop insulin resistance, and glucose infusion rates (GIRs) were determined by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamping to confirm the development of insulin resistance. Aerobic exercise training (the speed and duration time in the first week were respectively 16 m/min and 50 min, and speed increased 1m/min and duration time increased 5 min every week following it) and/or IL-6shRNA plasmid injection (rats received IL-6shRNA injection via the tail vein every two weeks) were adopted during the development of insulin resistance. The serum IL-6, leptin, adiponectin, fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin, GIR, IL-6 gene expression levels, p-p38 in various tissues and p-STAT3/t-STAT3 ratio in the liver were measured. RESULTS: Rats fed with high-fat diets for 8 weeks were developed insulin resistance and the IL-6mRNA levels of IL-6shRNA injection groups in various tissues were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.05), respectively. The development of insulin resistance in exercise rats significantly decreased, however, compared with that, the GIR of exercise rats injected by IL-6shRNA was lower (P<0.05). The IL-6mRNA levels were highest in the fat tissue and lowest in the skeletal muscles in all the rats. The serum adiponectin levels decreased (P<0.05) following the development of insulin resistance, and it increased (P<0.05) when the rats were intervened by aerobic exercise training for 8 weeks at the same time. However, there were not significant differences when serum leptin concentrations were compared (P>0.05). The p-p38 significantly increased in the rats fed with high-fat diets, however, p-p38 of the exercise high-fat diets rats in the liver and fat tissues significantly decreased than that (P<0.05). The changes of p-p38 in exercise rats injected by IL-6shRNA were irregular. The activation of STAT3 in the liver significantly increased (P<0.05) following the development of insulin resistance, and it decreased (P<0.05) when the rats were intervened by aerobic exercise training for 8 weeks at the same time, and the gene silencing of IL-6 did not have effects on the activation of STAT3 in the liver (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, aerobic exercise training prevented the development of insulin resistance through IL-6 to a certain degree. The gene expression and secretion of IL-6 could inhibit the development of insulin resistance. The mechanism of the effects were possibly related with elevating the levels of serum adiponectin, and/or inhibiting the activation of STAT3 in the liver and p38MAPK in the skeletal muscles, liver and fat tissues.

Charge-neutral amidinate-containing iridium complexes capable of efficient photocatalytic water reduction.

Two new charge-neutral iridium complexes, [Ir(tfm-ppy)(2)(N,N'-diisopropyl-benzamidinate)] (1) and [Ir(tfm-ppy)(2)(N,N'-diisopropyl-4-diethylamino-3,5-dimethyl-benzamidinate)] (2) (tfm-ppy=4-trifluoromethyl-2-phenylpyridine) containing an amidinate ligand and two phenylpyridine ligands were designed and characterised. The photophysical properties, electrochemical behaviours and emission quenching properties of these species were investigated. In concert with the cobalt catalyst [Co(bpy)(3)](2+), members of this new class of iridium complexes enable the photocatalytic generation of hydrogen from mixed aqueous solutions via an oxidative quenching pathway and display long-term photostability under constant illumination over 72 h; one of these species achieved a relatively high turnover number of 1880 during this time period. In the case of complex 1, the three-component homogeneous photocatalytic system proved to be more efficient than a related system containing a charged complex, [Ir(tfm-ppy)(2)(dtb-bpy)](+) (3, dtb-bpy=4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-dipyridyl). In combination with a rhodium complex as a water reduction catalyst, the performances of the systems using both complexes were also evaluated, and these systems exhibited a more efficient catalytic propensity for water splitting than did the cobalt-based systems that have been studied previously.

[Analysis of the small supernumerary marker chromosome in Turner syndrome with 45, X/46, X, + mar karyotype].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the origin and study the morphology of small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) in Turner syndrome with 45, X/46, X, + mar karyotype. METHODS: Using the conventional chromosome G-banding technique, 10 cases of Turner syndrome with 45, X/46, X, + mar chromosome karyotype were obtained, dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to study the origin and morphology of the sSMC. RESULTS: In the 10 cases of Turner syndrome with 45, X/46, X, + mar karyotype, the sSMC of 7 cases was derived from X chromosome [sSMC(X)], the sSMC of 2 cases was derived from Y chromosome [sSMC(Y)] and the remaining 1 case was derived from the autosome. There were 4 cases of ring(r) chromosomes and 3 of centric minutes (min) in the 7 sSMC (X) cases. In the 2 sSMC(Y), one case was dicentric (dic) and the other was centric minute (min). The sSMC originated from the autosome was a centric minute (min). CONCLUSION: The origin of sSMC of Turner syndrome with 45, X/46, X, + mar karyotype was almost all from sex chromosomes, and rarely from autosomes. sSMC can exist as isodicentric, ring, or centric minute. The molecular cytogenetic features of the sSMC can provide useful information for genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis and treatment of the Turner syndrome patients with a 45, X/46, X, + mar karyotype.