Development and evaluation of real-time quantitative PCR assays for detection of Phellinus noxius causing brown root rot disease.

Brown root rot disease (BRRD) is a highly destructive tree disease. Early diagnosis of BRRD has been challenging because the first symptoms and signs are often observed after extensive tissue colonization. Existing molecular detection methods, all based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, were developed without testing against global Phellinus noxius isolates, other wood decay fungi, or host plant tissues. This study developed SYBR Green real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for P. noxius. The primer pair Pn_ITS_F/Pn_ITS_R targets the ITS, and the primer pair Pn_NLR_F/Pn_NLR_R targets a P. noxius-unique group of homologous genes identified through a comparative genomics analysis. The homologous genes belong to the nucleotide-binding-oligomerization-domain-like receptor (NLR) superfamily. The new primer pairs and a previous primer pair G1F/G1R were optimized for qPCR conditions and tested for specificity using 61 global P. noxius isolates, five other Phellinus species, and 22 non-Phellinus wood decay fungal species. While all three primer pairs could detect as little as 100 fg (about 2.99 copies) of P. noxius genomic DNA, G1F/G1R had the highest specificity and Pn_NLR_F/Pn_NLR_R had the highest efficiency. To avoid false positives, the cutoff Cq values were determined as 34 for G1F/G1R, 29 for Pn_ITS_F/Pn_ITS_R, and 32 for Pn_NLR_F/Pn_NLR_R. We further validated these qPCR assays using Ficus benjamina seedlings artificially inoculated with P. noxius, six tree species naturally infected by P. noxius, rhizosphere soil, and bulk soil. The newly developed qPCR assays provide sensitive detection and quantification of P. noxius, which is useful for long-term monitoring of BRRD status.

Endothelial Chromatin-Remodeling Enzymes Regulate the Production of Critical ECM Components During Murine Lung Development.

BACKGROUND: The chromatin-remodeling enzymes BRG1 (brahma-related gene 1) and CHD4 (chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4) independently regulate the transcription of genes critical for vascular development, but their coordinated impact on vessels in late-stage embryos has not been explored. METHODS: In this study, we genetically deleted endothelial Brg1 and Chd4 in mixed background mice (Brg1fl/fl;Chd4fl/fl;VE-Cadherin-Cre+), and littermates that were negative for Cre recombinase were used as controls. Tissues were analyzed by immunostaining, immunoblot, and flow cytometry. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine gene expression, and chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed gene targets of BRG1 and CHD4 in cultured endothelial cells. RESULTS: We found Brg1/Chd4 double mutants grew normally but died soon after birth with small and compact lungs. Despite having normal cellular composition, distal air sacs of the mutant lungs displayed diminished ECM (extracellular matrix) components and TGFß (transforming growth factor-ß) signaling, which typically promotes ECM synthesis. Transcripts for collagen- and elastin-related genes and the TGFß ligand Tgfb1 were decreased in mutant lung endothelial cells, but genetic deletion of endothelial Tgfb1 failed to recapitulate the small lungs and ECM defects seen in Brg1/Chd4 mutants. We instead found several ECM genes to be direct targets of BRG1 and CHD4 in cultured endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data highlight essential roles for endothelial chromatin-remodeling enzymes in promoting ECM deposition in the distal lung tissue during the saccular stage of embryonic lung development.

Two-dimensional spin-crossover coordination polymers based on the 1,1,2,2-tetra(pyridin-4-yl)ethene ligand.

A series of two-dimensional (2D) spin-crossover coordination polymers (SCO-CPs) [FeII(TPE)(NCX)2]·solv (1: X = BH3, solv = H2O·2CH3OH·DMF; 2: X = Se, solv = H2O·2CH3OH·0.5DMF; 3: X = S, solv = H2O·2CH3OH·0.5DMF) were synthesized by employing 1,1,2,2-tetra(pyridin-4-yl)ethene (TPE) and pseudohalide (NCX-) coligands. Magnetic measurements indicated that complexes 1-3 exhibited SCO behaviors with diminishing thermal hysteresis (7/4/0 K) upon decreasing the ligand-field strength. The critical temperatures (Tc) during spin transition were found to be inversely proportional to the coordination ability parameters (a™) with a linear correlation. The guest effect was also investigated in the solvent-exchanged phases 1-SE/2-SE/3-SE wherein the DMF molecules were replaced by methanol molecules. Compared with 1-3, 1-SE/2-SE/3-SE displayed more abrupt and complete single-step SCO behaviors but narrower thermal hysteretic loops. The results reported here demonstrate that the Tc values of these two families were dominated by the ligand-field strength of the NCX- anions (NCBH3 > NCSe > NCS), whereas the guest effect only modulated the kinetic factor of the SCO nature in this system.

Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 6 Deficiency Attenuates Arterial-Injury-Induced Intimal Hyperplasia in Mice.

In response to injury, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of the arterial wall dedifferentiate into a proliferative and migratory phenotype, leading to intimal hyperplasia. The ERK1/2 pathway participates in cellular proliferation and migration, while dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6, also named MKP3) can dephosphorylate activated ERK1/2. We showed that DUSP6 was expressed in low baseline levels in normal arteries; however, arterial injury significantly increased DUSP6 levels in the vessel wall. Compared with wild-type mice, Dusp6-deficient mice had smaller neointima. In vitro, IL-1ß induced DUSP6 expression and increased VSMC proliferation and migration. Lack of DUSP6 reduced IL-1ß-induced VSMC proliferation and migration. DUSP6 deficiency did not affect IL-1ß-stimulated ERK1/2 activation. Instead, ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 prevented DUSP6 induction by IL-1ß, indicating that ERK1/2 functions upstream of DUSP6 to regulate DUSP6 expression in VSMCs rather than downstream as a DUSP6 substrate. IL-1ß decreased the levels of cell cycle inhibitor p27 and cell-cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin in VSMCs, whereas lack of DUSP6 maintained their high levels, revealing novel functions of DUSP6 in regulating these two molecules. Taken together, our results indicate that lack of DUSP6 attenuated neointima formation following arterial injury by reducing VSMC proliferation and migration, which were likely mediated via maintaining p27 and N-cadherin levels.

[Linderae Radix water extract treats diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in rats: a serum metabolomics study].

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of Linderae Radix water extract(LRWE) in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D) based on serum metabolomics. Eighteen 2-week-old male SD rats were randomized into control, IBS-D model, and LRWE groups. The rats in other groups except the control group received gavage of senna concentrate combined with restraint stress for the modeling of IBS-D. The rats in the LRWE group were administrated with LRWE(5.4 g·kg~(-1)) by gavage, and those in the control and IBS-D model groups with an equal volume of distilled water for a total of 14 days. The visceral sensitivity was evaluated by the abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR) score, and the degree of diarrhea was assessed by the fecal water content(FWC). The morphological changes of the colon and the morphology and number of goblet cells were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and periodic acid-schiff(PAS) staining, respectively. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) was used for the screening of the potential biomarkers in the rat serum and their related metabolic pathways. The results showed that LRWE reduced the AWR score, decreased FWC, and alleviated visceral sensitivity and diarrhea symptoms in IBS-D rats. HE and PAS staining showed that LRWE mitigated low-grade intestinal inflammation and increased the number of mature secretory goblet cells in the colonic epithelium of IBS-D rats. A total of 25 potential biomarkers of LRWE in treating IBS-D were screened out in this study, which were mainly involved in riboflavin, tryptophan, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism. The regulatory effects were the most significant on the riboflavin and tryptophan metabolism pathways. LRWE may alleviate the visceral hypersensitivity by promoting energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and improving intestinal immune function in IBS-D rats.

Cytokine-Mediated Degradation of the Transcription Factor ERG Impacts the Pulmonary Vascular Response to Systemic Inflammatory Challenge.

BACKGROUND: During infectious diseases, proinflammatory cytokines transiently destabilize interactions between adjacent vascular endothelial cells (ECs) to facilitate the passage of immune molecules and cells into tissues. However, in the lung, the resulting vascular hyperpermeability can lead to organ dysfunction. Previous work identified the transcription factor ERG (erythroblast transformation-specific-related gene) as a master regulator of endothelial homeostasis. Here we investigate whether the sensitivity of pulmonary blood vessels to cytokine-induced destabilization is due to organotypic mechanisms affecting the ability of endothelial ERG to protect lung ECs from inflammatory injury. METHODS: Cytokine-dependent ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of ERG were analyzed in cultured HUVECs (human umbilical vein ECs). Systemic administration of TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) or the bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide was used to cause a widespread inflammatory challenge in mice; ERG protein levels were assessed by immunoprecipitation, immunoblot, and immunofluorescence. Murine Erg deletion was genetically induced in ECs (Ergfl/fl;Cdh5[PAC]-CreERT2), and multiple organs were analyzed by histology, immunostaining, and electron microscopy. RESULTS: In vitro, TNFα promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of ERG in HUVECs, which was blocked by the proteasomal inhibitor MG132. In vivo, systemic administration of TNFα or lipopolysaccharide resulted in a rapid and substantial degradation of ERG within lung ECs but not ECs of the retina, heart, liver, or kidney. Pulmonary ERG was also downregulated in a murine model of influenza infection. Ergfl/fl;Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2 mice spontaneously recapitulated aspects of inflammatory challenges, including lung-predominant vascular hyperpermeability, immune cell recruitment, and fibrosis. These phenotypes were associated with a lung-specific decrease in the expression of Tek-a gene target of ERG previously implicated in maintaining pulmonary vascular stability during inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data highlight a unique role for ERG in pulmonary vascular function. We propose that cytokine-induced ERG degradation and subsequent transcriptional changes in lung ECs play critical roles in the destabilization of pulmonary blood vessels during infectious diseases.

On-site detection system of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus by using TaqMan probe-based insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction (iiPCR).

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most destructive diseases of citrus plants caused by the obligate and phloem-limiting bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las). Reliable detection methods are important for successful control of the disease. This study was aimed to develop a rapid and user-friendly on-site detection system for Las using the TaqMan probe-based insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction (iiPCR) assay. The Las-specific on-site detection system could be completed within one hour by simple DNA extraction coupled with a portable POCKIT device, which can perform PCR amplification and automatically provide qualitative results derived from fluorescence signals. The sensitivity of the TaqMan probe-iiPCR assay could be as low as single copy of Las, comparable to a real-time PCR method. Further testing of the field citrus samples showed 100% agreement between the TaqMan probe-iiPCR assay and the real-time PCR method, and the on-site detection system also demonstrated a great performance of Las detection. With high specificity and sensitivity, the on-site detection system developed in this study becomes a simple, rapid and powerful tool for detecting Las in fields.

Cytokine-Mediated Degradation of the Transcription Factor ERG Impacts the Pulmonary Vascular Response to Systemic Inflammatory Challenge.

Background: During infectious diseases, pro-inflammatory cytokines transiently destabilize interactions between adjacent vascular endothelial cells (ECs) to facilitate the passage of immune molecules and cells into tissues. However, in the lung the resulting vascular hyperpermeability can lead to organ dysfunction. Previous work identified the transcription factor ERG as a master regulator of endothelial homeostasis. Here we investigate whether the sensitivity of pulmonary blood vessels to cytokine-induced destabilization is due to organotypic mechanisms affecting the ability of endothelial ERG to protect lung ECs from inflammatory injury. Methods: Cytokine-dependent ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of ERG was analyzed in cultured Human Umbilical Vein ECs (HUVECs). Systemic administration of TNFα or the bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to cause a widespread inflammatory challenge in mice; ERG protein levels were assessed by immunoprecipitation, immunoblot, and immunofluorescence. Murine Erg deletion was genetically induced in ECs ( Erg fl/fl ;Cdh5(PAC)Cre ERT2 ), and multiple organs were analyzed by histology, immunostaining, and electron microscopy. Results: In vitro, TNFα promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of ERG in HUVECs, which was blocked by the proteasomal inhibitor MG132. In vivo, systemic administration of TNFα or LPS resulted in a rapid and substantial degradation of ERG within lung ECs, but not ECs of the retina, heart, liver, or kidney. Pulmonary ERG was also downregulated in a murine model of influenza infection. Erg fl/fl ;Cdh5(PAC)-Cre ERT2 mice spontaneously recapitulated aspects of inflammatory challenges, including lung-predominant vascular hyperpermeability, immune cell recruitment, and fibrosis. These phenotypes were associated with a lung-specific decrease in the expression of Tek , a gene target of ERG previously implicated in maintaining pulmonary vascular stability during inflammation. Conclusions: Collectively, our data highlight a unique role for ERG in pulmonary vascular function. We propose that cytokine-induced ERG degradation and subsequent transcriptional changes in lung ECs play critical roles in the destabilization of pulmonary blood vessels during infectious diseases.

Assessing the Suitability of Chinese Cabbage as an Alternative Host for Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

When the favored host of an herbivorous insect pest is absent, the availability of alternative host plants can maintain insect pest populations. Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major invasive, polyphagous insect pest in China. To investigate the suitability of Chinese cabbage as an alternative host for S. frugiperda, oviposition preferences and life history traits were determined for S. frugiperda on Chinese cabbage, corn, and winter wheat over three generations. Results showed that S. frugiperda females preferred to lay their eggs on corn compared to winter wheat and Chinese cabbage. The survival rate of S. frugiperda decreased after switching from corn to Chinese cabbage, only 6% of individuals successfully pupated in the third generation. In addition, S. frugiperda reared on Chinese cabbage had lower pupal weight and fecundity. Winter wheat was a good host for S. frugiperda; although the survival rate decreased when S. frugiperda switched from corn to winter wheat in the parental generation, the survival rate increased over the next two generations to be as high as those reared on corn. Chinese cabbage is not a good long-term host for S. frugiperda, but it could maintain the pest population for at least two generations when more suitable host plants are unavailable. These results will inform management strategies for S. frugiperda.

Shift of Host Range for the Immature Stages of the Lanternfly, Pyrops watanabei (Matsumura) (Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) Native to Taiwan.

Although Pyrops watanabei is a species native to Taiwan, many fundamental aspects of the species are still poorly documented. Populations of the lanternfly in locations of northern Taiwan were found in abundance and were suitable for the conduction of an investigation from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. We established the shift in the main host plants with different developmental stages. The occurrence of immature individuals on Heptapleurum heptaphyllum increased with age from eggs to nymphs in the third instar; however, it declined from the fourth instar onwards due to a shift in preference to Triadica sebifera. In 2021, the earliest detection of an egg mass was on 1 July. More eggs were recorded in August, and some could be found in September and October of the same year. In 2022, we found an egg mass on 28 June. In August 2021, nymphs in the first and second instars were detected. Then, nymphs in the third and fourth instars appeared after September and October 2021, respectively. Furthermore, nymphs in the fifth instar were sighted as late as March 2022. Finally, this study will provide a basis for further evaluation of the impact of invasion of Pyrops candelaria on the ecology of Pyrops watanabei.

IL-1ß Impacts Vascular Integrity and Lymphatic Function in the Embryonic Omentum.

BACKGROUND: The chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1 (brahma-related gene 1) regulates gene expression in a variety of rapidly differentiating cells during embryonic development. However, the critical genes that BRG1 regulates during lymphatic vascular development are unknown. METHODS: We used genetic and imaging techniques to define the role of BRG1 in murine embryonic lymphatic development, although this approach inadvertently expanded our study to multiple interacting cell types. RESULTS: We found that omental macrophages fine-tune an unexpected developmental process by which erythrocytes escaping from naturally discontinuous omental blood vessels are collected by nearby lymphatic vessels. Our data indicate that circulating fibrin(ogen) leaking from gaps in omental blood vessels can trigger inflammasome-mediated IL-1ß (interleukin-1ß) production and secretion from nearby macrophages. IL-1ß destabilizes adherens junctions in omental blood and lymphatic vessels, contributing to both extravasation of erythrocytes and their uptake by lymphatics. BRG1 regulates IL-1ß production in omental macrophages by transcriptionally suppressing the inflammasome trigger RIPK3 (receptor interacting protein kinase 3). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic deletion of Brg1 in embryonic macrophages leads to excessive IL-1ß production, erythrocyte leakage from blood vessels, and blood-filled lymphatics in the developing omentum. Altogether, these results highlight a novel context for epigenetically regulated crosstalk between macrophages, blood vessels, and lymphatics.

Host Plants of the Immature Stages of the Invasive Longan Lanternfly, Pyrops candelaria (L.) (Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) in Taiwan.

The longan lanternfly, Pyrops candelaria (L.), has been invading mainland Taiwan since 2018, but the distribution of the species has been confined to northern Taiwan until now. The manual removal of the adult insects from the longan is still the main control strategy because of the uncertainty around other key host plants, especially for eggs and nymphs. In this study, large numbers of eggs and nymphs were found on Triadica sebifera (L.) Small and Acacia confusa Merr. The occurrence of immature individuals on Triadica sebifera increased with developmental stage from eggs to the last instar from May to July 2021. On 30 April, the first egg mass was recorded. More egg masses were recorded in May, and some could be found in July. In May, only two younger instars were detected. Third and fourth instars began to appear from June, while the fifth instar was mainly recorded from July onwards. The results of this study provide great strategic value for decision-makers to allow for effective control of the target tree species. For now, we proved that longan and pomelo trees, preferred by adults, are not the key hosts for the immature stages of this insect, because few immature individuals were found on them. Therefore, we suggest that the existence of Triadica sebifera should be considered when analyzing possible spreading areas of this invasive lanternfly in Taiwan.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of benzo[b]thiophene 1,1-dioxide derivatives as potent STAT3 inhibitors.

As a member of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family, STAT3 plays a critical role in several biological pathways such as cell proliferation, migration, survival, and differentiation. Due to abnormal continuous activation in tumors, inhibition of STAT3 has emerged as an attractive approach for the treatment of various cancer cells. Herein, we report a series of novel STAT3 inhibitors based on benzo[b]thiophene 1,1-dioxide scaffold and evaluated their anticancer potency. Among them, compound 8b exhibited the best activity against cancer cells. Compound 8b induced apoptosis and blocked the cell cycle. Meanwhile, 8b reduced intracellular ROS content and caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Further research revealed that 8b significantly blocked STAT3 phosphorylation and STAT3-dependent dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments showed that compound 8b has a marked inhibition of STAT3-mediated Firefly luciferase activity. Molecular modeling studies revealed compound 8b occupied the pocket well with the SH2 domain in a favorable conformation.

Exposure to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Disrupts Endothelial Tight and Adherens Junctions and Induces Pulmonary Inflammatory Cell Infiltration.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are frequently encountered nanomaterials in our daily lives. Despite the benefits of ZnONPs in a variety of applications, many studies have shown potential health hazards of exposure to ZnONPs. We have shown that oropharyngeal aspiration of ZnONPs in mice increases lung inflammation. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration remain to be elucidated. Endothelium functions as a barrier between the blood stream and the blood vessel wall. Endothelial barrier dysfunction may increase infiltration of immune cells into the vessel wall and underlying tissues. This current study examined the effects of ZnONPs exposure on endothelial barriers. ZnONPs exposure increased leukocyte infiltration in the mouse lungs. In endothelial cells, ZnONPs reduced the continuity of tight junction proteins claudin-5 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) at the cell junctions. ZnONPs induced adherens junction protein VE-cadherin internalization from membrane to cytosol and dissociation with ß-catenin, leading to reduced and diffused staining of VE-cadherin and ß-catenin at cell junctions. Our results demonstrated that ZnONPs disrupted both tight and adherens junctions, compromising the integrity and stability of the junction network, leading to inflammatory cell infiltration. Thus, ZnONPs exposure in many different settings should be carefully evaluated for vascular effects and subsequent health impacts.

Cycloastragenol ameliorates experimental heart damage in rats by promoting myocardial autophagy via inhibition of AKT1-RPS6KB1 signaling.

Cycloastragenol, a naturally occurring compound in Astragali Radix, has been demonstrated to possess various pharmacological actions including anti-aging, anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis, antibacterial, liver and endothelium protection. However, whether cycloastragenol ameliorates heart failure remains unclear. Isoproterenol administration to rats triggered classic cardiac damage, as demonstrated by objective parameters of cardiac dysfunction. The treatment of cycloastragenol improved deranged cardiac parameters in the isoproterenol-induced heart damage model in a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, cycloastragenol markedly ameliorated cardiac histological changes and down-regulated serum levels of various neuroendocrine factors including norepinephrine, aldosterone, brain natriuretic peptide, endothelin 1, angiotensin II and so on. Moreover, the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in rat heart were also inhibited by cycloastragenol. Mechanistically, augmenting autophagy of myocardial cells via the inhibition of AKT1-RPS6KB1 signaling contributed to the improvement of isoproterenol-induced rat heart failure by cycloastragenol. These results suggest that cycloastragenol ameliorates cardiac dysfunction and remodeling through promoting autophagy in myocardial cells and suppressing MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions, indicating that it could be a drug candidate for patients with congestive heart failure.

Internal Marketing and Its Moderating Effects between Service-Oriented Encounter and Patient Satisfaction

Abstract Objective: To investigate how the internal marketing perception of nurses could have a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between service-oriented encounter and patient satisfaction in nursing negligence. Methods: The subjects were nurses in the surgery units of hospitals at the regional level or higher in Taiwan. A total of 669 questionnaires were distributed and 609 questionnaires were recovered between December 2014 and January 2015, the number of valid questionnaires was 534 for a valid questionnaire recovery rate of 79.8%. Finally, we adopted the SPSS 18.0 analysis software for analysis and processing. Results: Results indicate that service-oriented encounter has a significant positive influence on patient satisfaction and internal marketing perception among nurses has a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between service-oriented encounter and patient satisfaction. Conclusions: This study suggests that hospital managers need to recognize the importance of internal marketing for the more expressions toward service-oriented encounter, and further improve patient satisfaction. This kind of relationship is rarely discussed in the research literature, and it can be applied for human resources management of nursing staff. Hospitals must integrate the goal of patients first into the individual performance evaluation of nursing personnel by providing nursing personnel with information related to the evaluation standards of the organizations to help them understand and determine the job performance or service-oriented behavior expected by the organizations while acknowledging the objectivity and fairness of the performance evaluation system.

Heme oxygenase-1 deficiency exacerbates angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm in mice.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic but often fatal disease in elderly population. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress response protein with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. HO-1 has been shown to protect against atherogenesis and arterial intimal thickening. Emerging evidences suggest that AAA and arterial occlusive disease have distinct pathogenic mechanisms. Thus, in this study we investigated the role of HO-1 in angiotensin II-induced AAA formation in HO-1+/+apoE-/- and HO-1-/-apoE-/- mice. We found that complete loss of HO-1 increased AAA incidence and rupture rate, and drastically increased aneurysmal area and severity, accompanied with severe elastin degradation and medial degeneration. Interestingly, we often observed not only AAA but also thoracic aortic aneurysm in HO-1-/-apoE-/- mice. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species levels, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) loss, macrophage infiltration, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity were markedly enhanced in the aneurysmal aortic wall in HO-1-/-apoE-/- mice. In addition, HO-1-/-apoE-/- VSMCs were more susceptible to oxidant-induced cell death and macrophages from HO-1-/-apoE-/- mice had aggravated responses to angiotensin II with substantial increases in inflammatory cytokine productions and MMP9 activity. Taken together, our results demonstrate the essential roles of HO-1 in suppressing the pathogenesis of AAA. Targeting HO-1 might be a promising therapeutic strategy for AAA.

Nodal signaling modulates the expression of Oct-4 via nuclear translocation of ß-catenin in lung and prostate cancer cells.

Nodal is a member of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) superfamily. Nodal promotes the self-renewal of human cancer stem cells (CSCs) and triggers carcinogenesis of human cancers via an autocrine manner through Smad2/3 pathway. In our study, generation of Nodal-overexpressed cancer cells was constructed, and the effect of Nodal on the stem cell marker Oct-4 was evaluated by overexpression or blocked Nodal/ALKs signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer cells A549 and prostate cancer cells PC3. Functionally, Nodal also increased the proliferation via the ß-catenin nuclear translocation. This increase was attributed to GSK-3ß dephosphorylating, and activin receptor-like kinase 4/7 (ALK4/7) played a major role in human cancer cells. Our study provides a positive understanding of Nodal function in cancer cells and suggests a potential novel target for clinical therapeutic research.

Icariin attenuated oxidative stress induced-cardiac apoptosis by mitochondria protection and ERK activation.

Our previous study showed that Icariin (ICA) has anti-cardiac hypertrophy effect in rats with an unknown mechanism. In the present study, we aimed to clarify the cardiac protective effect and mechanism of ICA in vitro. H9C2 cardiac myocytes were incubated with H2O2 to build up the oxidative stress injury model. The results showed that pre-treatment of ICA protected cells against the toxicity induced by H2O2. H2O2 treatment significantly reduced H2O2-induced apoptosis, evidenced by lower Annexin V/PI stained cells and less PARP and caspase-3/9 activation. Mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) dissipation occurred following the exposure of H2O2, which could be prevented by ICA treatment. Moreover, Ca2+ homeostasis was preserved by ICA and ROS generation was significantly suppressed by ICA incubation. Interestingly, ICA treatment increased the phosphorylation of upstream ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) while ERK inhibitor U1026 could reverse the protective effect of ICA. Overall, ICA seems to protect the cardiac cells from oxidative stress injury through ROS scavenge and stimulation of ERK pathway which may explain its effects in vivo.

A Novel Protective Function of 5-Methoxytryptophan in Vascular Injury.

5-Methoxytryptophan (5-MTP), a 5-methoxyindole metabolite of tryptophan metabolism, was recently shown to suppress inflammatory mediator-induced cancer cell proliferation and migration. However, the role of 5-MTP in vascular disease is unknown. In this study, we investigated whether 5-MTP protects against vascular remodeling following arterial injury. Measurements of serum 5-MTP levels in healthy subjects and patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) showed that serum 5-MTP concentrations were inversely correlated with CAD. To test the role of 5-MTP in occlusive vascular disease, we subjected mice to a carotid artery ligation model of neointima formation and treated mice with vehicle or 5-MTP. Compared with vehicle-treated mice, 5-MTP significantly reduced intimal thickening by 40% 4 weeks after ligation. BrdU incorporation assays revealed that 5-MTP significantly reduced VSMC proliferation both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, 5-MTP reduced endothelial loss and detachment, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expressions, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the ligated arterial wall, suggesting attenuation of endothelial dysfunction. Signaling pathway analysis indicated that 5-MTP mediated its effects predominantly via suppressing p38 MAPK signaling in endothelial and VSMCs. Our data demonstrate a novel vascular protective function of 5-MTP against arterial injury-induced intimal hyperplasia. 5-MTP might be a therapeutic target for preventing and/or treating vascular remodeling.