Inhibition of Phagocytosis by Silibinin in Mouse Macrophages.

This study investigated the effects of silibinin, derived from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced morphological changes in mouse macrophages. Silibinin was treated at various doses and time points to assess its effects on macrophage activation, including morphological changes and phagocytosis. Silibinin effectively inhibited LPS-induced pseudopodia formation and size increase, while unstimulated cells remained round. Silibinin's impact on phagocytosis was dose- and time-dependent, showing a decrease. We explored its mechanism of action on kinases using a MAPK array. Among the three MAPK family members tested, silibinin had a limited effect on JNK and p38 but significantly inhibited ERK1/2 and related RSK1/2. Silibinin also inhibited MKK6, AKT3, MSK2, p70S6K, and GSK-3ß. These findings highlight silibinin's potent inhibitory effects on phagocytosis and morphological changes in macrophages. We suggest its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent due to its ability to target key inflammatory pathways involving ERK1/2 and related kinases. Overall, this study demonstrates the promising therapeutic properties of silibinin in modulating macrophage function and inflammation.

The CUG-translated WT1, not AUG-WT1, is an oncogene.

The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) gene is believed to act as a canonical tumor suppressor. However, it has also been reported to function as an oncogene. Germline WT1 deletion is associated with Wilms' tumor, and exogenous WT1 cDNA introduction into cells induces the transcriptional suppression of its oncogenic target genes. In contrast, high WT1 expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with various cancers. Why WT1 acts as a tumor suppressor under certain conditions but as an oncogene under other conditions is unknown. Here, we report that CUG initiation site for WT1 protein synthesis (CUG)-translated WT1 (cugWT1), an N-terminally extended form of canonical AUG initiation site for WT1 protein synthesis (AUG)-translated WT1 (augWT1), was overexpressed in most cancer cell lines and cancer tissues and functioned as an oncogene, whereas the classical augWT1 acted as a tumor suppressor as reported previously and inhibited the function of cugWT1. Translation of cugWT1 is initiated from a CUG codon upstream and in-frame with the coding region of augWT1. cugWT1 induced cell transformation and increased the gene expression of c-myc, bcl-2 and egfr, whereas overexpression of augWT1 repressed colony formation of cancer cells and inhibited the expression of the same target genes by recruiting histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). In addition, we found that protein kinase B (AKT)-phosphorylated cugWT1 on Ser62 and protected cugWT1 from proteasomal degradation induced by the F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 8 (FBXW8). These results provide an important breakthrough in the field of cancer biology and contribute significantly to the resolution of the chameleon function of WT1.

Inhibition of ERK1/2 by silymarin in mouse mesangial cells.

The present study aimed to show that pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and interleukin (IL)-1ß] synergistically induce the production of nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse mesangial cells, which play an important role in inflammatory glomerular injury. We also found that co-treatment with cytokines at low doses (TNF-α; 5 ng/ml, IFN-γ; 5 ng/ml, and IL-1ß; 1.25 U/ml) synergistically induced NO production, whereas treatment with each cytokine alone did not increase NO production at doses up to 100 ng/ml or 50 U/ml. Silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), attenuates cytokine mixture (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1ß)-induced NO production. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that silymarin inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in a dose-dependent manner. Silymarin also inhibited extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-1 and -2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Collectively, we have demonstrated that silymarin inhibits NO production in mouse mesangial cells, and may act as a useful anti-inflammatory agent.

Silymarin Inhibits Morphological Changes in LPS-Stimulated Macrophages by Blocking NF-κB Pathway.

The present study showed that silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced morphological changes in the mouse RAW264.7 macrophage cell line. We also showed that silymarin inhibited the nuclear translocation and transactivation activities of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), which is important for macrophage activation-associated changes in cell morphology and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines. BAY-11-7085, an NF-κB inhibitor, abrogated LPS-induced morphological changes and NO production, similar to silymarin. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with silymarin also inhibited LPS-stimulated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Collectively, these experiments demonstrated that silymarin inhibited LPS-induced morphological changes in the RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. Our findings indicated that the most likely mechanism underlying this biological effect involved inhibition of the MAPK pathway and NF-κB activity. Inhibition of these activities by silymarin is a potentially useful strategy for the treatment of inflammation because of the critical roles played by MAPK and NF-κB in mediating inflammatory responses in macrophages.

Kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder segmentation based on non-contrast enhanced computed tomography images using modified U-Net.

This study was performed to segment the urinary system as the basis for diagnosing urinary system diseases on non-contrast computed tomography (CT). This study was conducted with images obtained between January 2016 and December 2020. During the study period, non-contrast abdominopelvic CT scans of patients and diagnosed and treated with urinary stones at the emergency departments of two institutions were collected. Region of interest extraction was first performed, and urinary system segmentation was performed using a modified U-Net. Thereafter, fivefold cross-validation was performed to evaluate the robustness of the model performance. In fivefold cross-validation results of the segmentation of the urinary system, the average dice coefficient was 0.8673, and the dice coefficients for each class (kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder) were 0.9651, 0.7172, and 0.9196, respectively. In the test dataset, the average dice coefficient of best performing model in fivefold cross validation for whole urinary system was 0.8623, and the dice coefficients for each class (kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder) were 0.9613, 0.7225, and 0.9032, respectively. The segmentation of the urinary system using the modified U-Net proposed in this study could be the basis for the detection of kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder lesions, such as stones and tumours, through machine learning.

C1 Facetectomy and Ventral Fixation of Occipitoatlantoaxial Complex for Concurrent Congenital Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation and Atlantoaxial Instability in a Toy Poodle.

An 8-month-old, 3.4 kg, castrated male Toy Poodle was referred for progressive tetraparesis and respiratory disorder without a history of trauma. Repeated computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with different positions of the neck revealed concurrent atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) and atlantoaxial instability (AAI) with spinal cord compression. This case was unique due to its congenital nature and the absence of trauma. The surgical treatment involved precise removal of the C1 vertebra's ventral articular facet, which was compressing on the spinal cord, attributed to its fixed and malaligned position within the atlantooccipital joint. Following facetectomy, the stabilization of the occipital bone to the C2 vertebra was achieved by screws, wire, and polymethyl methacrylate. Two days after surgery, the dog recovered ambulation and showed gradual improvement in gait, despite mild residual ataxia. Postoperative CT and radiographs showed successful decompression of the spinal cord. The screw loosening was confirmed at 114 days, which was managed successfully by extracting the affected screws. Through the 21-month monitoring period, the dog showed a normal gait with a wide-based stance of the pelvic limbs when standing and experienced no pain. This case represents the first report of concurrent congenital AOD and AAI treated with a ventral surgical approach, contributing new insights to the understanding and management of such complex cranio-cervical junction disorders in veterinary neurosurgery.

Reconstruction of Bilateral Chronic Triceps Brachii Tendon Disruption Using a Suture-Mediated Anatomic Footprint Repair in a Dog.

A 2-year-old, intact female Pomeranian presented with bilateral forelimb lameness, characterized by the olecranon making contact with the ground. The patient experienced two separate incidents of falling, occurring four and three weeks before admission, respectively. Following each episode, non-weight-bearing lameness was initially observed in the left forelimb, followed by the development of crouch gait. Based on the physical examination, radiographic, and ultrasonographic findings, bilateral triceps brachii tendon disruption was diagnosed. Intraoperatively, excessive granulation tissue at the distal end of the tendon was excised. The footprint region of each triceps brachii tendon was decorticated with a high-speed burr until bleeding was observed. The triceps brachii tendon was reattached to completely cover its footprint on the olecranon using the Krackow suture technique. This method involves anchoring the suture through bone tunnels in the ulna. Trans-articular external skeletal fixation was applied to both forelimbs to immobile and stabilize the elbow joints for nine weeks. Subsequently, the dog gradually increased its walking activities while on a leash over a six-week period. At the three-year follow-up, the patient exhibited improved forelimb function and maintained a normal gait without signs of lameness. Suture-mediated anatomic footprint repair proved useful in this single case and may be an effective surgical alternative for the management of chronic triceps brachii tendon disruption in dogs.

Non surgically managed anteromedial coronoid fractures in posteromedial rotatory instability: three cases with 2 years follow-up.

Varus posteromedial rotatory instability refers to one of the complex elbow fracture-dislocation caused by anteromedial coronoid fracture with disruption of lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Recent clinical and biomechanical studies have demonstrated that this unstable complex injury resulted in incongruence of joint, which could lead to early posttraumatic arthritis. With reports of poor result after conservative treatment, surgical treatment including anteromedial fixation and LCL repair has been strongly recommended to achieve stable joint. This case series describes three patients with anteromedial coronoid fracture who were managed conservatively with excellent outcomes. This report suggests that anteromedial coronoid fracture associated with posteromedial rotatory instability might be treated using conservative treatment in selective cases when anteromedial coronoid fracture is minimally displaced and there is no evidence of elbow subluxation.

Radicicol Inhibits iNOS Expression in Cytokine-Stimulated Pancreatic Beta Cells.

Here, we show that radicicol, a fungal antibiotic, resulted in marked inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) transcription by the pancreatic beta cell line MIN6N8a in response to cytokine mixture (CM: TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1ß). Treatment of MIN6N8a cells with radicicol inhibited CM-stimulated activation of NF-κB/Rel, which plays a critical role in iNOS transcription, in a dose-related manner. Nitrite production in the presence of PD98059, a specific inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway, was dramatically diminished, suggesting that the ERK1/2 pathway is involved in CM-induced iNOS expression. In contrast, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38, had no effect on nitrite generation. Collectively, this series of experiments indicates that radicicol inhibits iNOS gene expression by blocking ERK1/2 signaling. Due to the critical role that NO release plays in mediating destruction of pancreatic beta cells, the inhibitory effects of radicicol on iNOS expression suggest that radicicol may represent a useful anti-diabetic activity.

Synergistic Induction of iNOS by IFN-γ and Glycoprotein Isolated from Dioscorea batatas.

Dioscorea species continue to be used in traditional Chinese medicine, and represent a major source of steroid precursors for conventional medicine. In the previous study, We isolated glycoprotein (GDB) from Dioscorea batatas, characterized, and demonstrated immunostimulating activity in C57BL/6 mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism whereby GDB activates macrophages. Macrophages activation by GDB was investigated by analyzing the effects of GDB on nitric oxide (NO) production, iNOS expression, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, and transcription factor activation. In the presence of IFN-γ, GDB strongly stimulated macrophages to express iNOS and produce NO. Furthermore, the activation of p38 was synergistically induced by GDB plus IFN-γ , but SB203580 (a p38 inhibitor) inhibited GDB plus IFN-γ-induced p38 activation. This study indicates that GDB is an important activator of macrophages. Furthermore, due to the critical role that macrophage activation plays in innate immune response, the activation effects of GDB on macrophages suggest that GDB may be a useful immunopotentiating agent.

Role of NEK6 in tumor promoter-induced transformation in JB6 C141 mouse skin epidermal cells.

NEK6 (NIMA-related kinase 6) is a homologue of the Aspergillus nidulans protein NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A). We demonstrate that overexpression of NEK6 induces anchorage-independent transformation of JB6 Cl41 mouse epidermal cells. Tissue arrays and Western immunoblot analysis show that NEK6 is overexpressed in malignant tissues and several cancer cell lines. Our data also show that NEK6 interacts with STAT3, an oncogenic transcription factor, and phosphorylates STAT3 on Ser(727), which is important for transcriptional activation. Additional studies using NEK6 mutants suggested that the phosphorylation on both Ser(206) and Thr(210) of NEK6 is critical for STAT3 phosphorylation and anchorage-independent transformation of mouse epidermal cells. Notably, knockdown of NEK6 decreased colony formation and STAT3 Ser(727) phosphorylation. Based on our findings, the most likely mechanism that can account for this biological effect involves the activation of STAT3 through the phosphorylation on Ser(727). Because of the critical role that STAT3 plays in mediating oncogenesis, the stimulatory effects of NEK6 on STAT3 and cell transformation suggest that this family of serine/threonine kinases might represent a novel chemotherapeutic target.

Phosphorylation of Sox2 cooperates in reprogramming to pluripotent stem cells.

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by transduction of reprogramming factors, including Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. A coordinated network of these factors was suggested to confer a pluripotency of iPSCs. Together with Oct4, Sox2 plays a major role as a master regulator in ESCs. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Sox2 contributes to self-renewal or reprogramming processes remain to be determined. Here, we provide new evidence for a phosphorylation-based regulation of Sox2 activity. Akt directly interacts with Sox2 and promotes its stabilization through phosphorylation at Thr118, which enhances the transcriptional activity of Sox2 in ESCs. Moreover, phosphorylation of Sox2 cooperates in the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts by enabling more efficient induction of iPSCs. Overall, our studies provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of Sox2 in ESCs and also provide a direct link between phosphorylation events and somatic cell reprogramming.

Akt-mediated Ephexin1-Ras interaction promotes oncogenic Ras signaling and colorectal and lung cancer cell proliferation.

ABSTRCT: Ephexin1 was reported to be highly upregulated by oncogenic Ras, but the functional consequences of this remain poorly understood. Here, we show that Ephexin1 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and lung cancer (LC) patient tissues. Knockdown of Ephexin1 markedly inhibited the cell growth of CRC and LC cells with oncogenic Ras mutations. Ephexin1 contributes to the positive regulation of Ras-mediated downstream target genes and promotes Ras-induced skin tumorigenesis. Mechanically, Akt phosphorylates Ephexin1 at Ser16 and Ser18 (pSer16/18) and pSer16/18 Ephexin1 then interacts with oncogenic K-Ras to promote downstream MAPK signaling, facilitating tumorigenesis. Furthermore, pSer16/18 Ephexin1 is associated with both an increased tumor grade and metastatic cases of CRC and LC, and those that highly express pSer16/18 exhibit poor overall survival rates. These data indicate that Ephexin1 plays a critical role in the Ras-mediated CRC and LC and pSer16/18 Ephexin1 might be an effective therapeutic target for CRC and LC.

Isoeugenol suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression is mediated by down-regulation of NF-kappaB, ERK1/2, and p38 kinase.

Isoeugenol, which is a naturally occurring o-methoxyphenol in a variety of foods and essential oils, is known to have anti-inflammatory effects, although the mechanism is not clear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of isoeugenol on NF-kappaB signaling leading to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Isoeugenol markedly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in dose- and time-dependent manners. The decrease in NO production was found to correlate with a decrease in iNOS expression, as determined by Western blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR. To characterize further the inhibitory mechanisms of isoeugenol at the transcriptional level, we examined the DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of NF-kappaB. Isoeugenol inhibited NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activity and DNA-binding activity by decreasing the nuclear translocation of p65, which is a component of NF-kappaB. In addition, isoeugenol blocked signaling upstream of NF-kappaB activation, such as degradation of I-kappaBalpha and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The isoeugenol analogues eugenol and allylbenzene also inhibited LPS-induced NF-kappaB signaling and iNOS expression, albeit with less potency than isoeugenol. These results suggest that isoeugenol and its analogues inhibit NO production and iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and that these effects are mediated, at least in part, by blocking the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 kinase, degradation of I-kappaBalpha, and activation of NF-kappaB.

Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of a Leu/Lys-rich antimicrobial peptide with Phe-peptoid residues.

To develop a novel cell-selective antimicrobial peptide with potent anti-inflammatory activity as well as high bacterial cell selectivity, we synthesized a Leu/Lys-rich model peptide, KLW-f (KWKKLLKKfLKLfKKLLK-NH(2)) containing two Phe-peptoid residues in its middle position. KLW-f exhibited high antimicrobial activity (the MIC range: 0.5 approximately 2.0microM) against the tested six bacterial cells. In contrast, KLW-f was no cytotoxic to human red blood cells and HeLa and NIH-3T3 cells. KLW-f caused no or little dye leakage from EYPE/EYPG (7:3, w/w) vesicles (bacterial membrane-mimicking environments), indicating its bacterial-killing action is probably not due to permeabilization/disruption of bacterial cytoplasmic membranes. Furthermore, KLW-f induced a significant inhibition in LPS-stimulated NO production from mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells at 10microg/ml. Taken together, our results suggest that KLW-f appear to have promising therapeutic potential for future development as a novel antisepsis agent as well as antimicrobial agent.

Chlorophyllin suppresses interleukin-1 beta expression in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells.

Our previous findings demonstrated that chlorophyllin (CHL) inhibits inducible nitric oxide gene expression in macrophages. In the present study, we show that CHL inhibited IL-1beta production and its mRNA expression in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage cell-line, RAW 264.7. The inhibitory effect of CHL on IL-1beta gene expression was further supported by an in vitro transfection assay using a pIL-1(870 bp)-CAT construct, where CHL inhibited the activation of the IL-1beta promoter. Furthermore, CHL attenuated the activation of NF-kappaB, NF-IL6 and AP-1, which are known to be responsible for IL-1beta gene expression, as determined by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and an in vitro transfection assay using p(NF-kappaB)3-CAT, p(NF-IL6)3-CAT, and p(AP-1)3-CAT, respectively. However, it was evident that the inhibitory activity of CHL on IL-1beta expression in the LPS-stimulated macrophages was independent of CRE/ATF. The immunoblot experiment demonstrated that CHL also caused a substantial decrease in the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7. These results suggest that CHL inhibits IL-1beta production in macrophages stimulated with LPS at transcriptional level by blocking the phosphorylation of p38 and by suppressing the activation of transcription factors, NF-kappaB, NF-IL6, and AP-1.

Macrophage activation by polysaccharide fraction isolated from Salicornia herbacea.

We demonstrate that polysaccharides isolated from Salicornia herbacea (Salicornia polysaccharides, SPS) significantly induces nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) transcription through the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB/Rel (NF-kappaB/Rel). SPS dose-dependently induced the production of NO in isolated mouse peritoneal macrophages and RAW 264.7, a mouse macrophage-like cell line. Moreover, iNOS gene expression was strongly induced by SPS in RAW 264.7 cells. To further investigate the mechanism responsible for the induction of iNOS gene expression, we investigated the effect of SPS on the activation of transcription factors including NF-kappaB/Rel and Oct, whose binding sites were located in the promoter of iNOS gene. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with SPS produced strong induction of NF-kappaB/Rel-dependent reporter gene expression, whereas Oct-dependent gene expression was not affected by SPS. Nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB/Rel was significantly induced by SPS. The treatment with NF-kappaB SN50, an inhibitor of NF-kappaB/Rel nuclear translocation, effectively inhibited the activation of NF-kappaB/Rel binding complexes and NO production. In conclusion, we demonstrate that SPS stimulates macrophages to express iNOS gene through the activation of NF-kappaB/Rel.

KIOM-79 inhibits LPS-induced iNOS gene expression by blocking NF-kappaB/Rel and p38 kinase activation in murine macrophages.

We demonstrate that KIOM-79, combined extracts obtained from Magnolia officinalis, Pueraria lobata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Euphorbia pekinensis, inhibits LPS-induced expression of iNOS gene in RAW 264.7 cells. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with KIOM-79 inhibited LPS-stimulated nitric oxide production in a dose-related manner. Immunohisto-chemical staining of iNOS and RT-PCR analysis showed that the decrease of NO was due to the inhibition of iNOS gene expression. Immunostaining of p65, EMSA, and reporter gene assay showed that KIOM-79 inhibited NF-kappa/Rel nuclear translocation, DNA binding, and transcriptional activation, respectively. Western immunoblot analysis of p38 kinase showed KIOM-79 significantly inhibited the phosphoylation of p38 kinase which is important in the regulation of iNOS gene expression. Collectively, this series of experiments indicates that KIOM inhibits iNOS gene expression by blocking NF-kappa/Rel and p38 kinase signaling. Due to the critical role that NO release plays in mediating inflammatory responses, the inhibitory effects of KIOM-79 on iNOS suggest that KIOM-79 may represent a useful anti-inflammatory agent.

Correction of a canted occlusal plane with miniscrews in a patient with facial asymmetry.

The inability of orthodontists to change the cant of the maxillary occlusal plane without surgical intervention is a limitation of orthodontic treatment. LeFort I osteotomy with asymmetric maxillary impaction is often used to correct this problem. However, canting caused by extruded teeth can be corrected easily with normal orthodontic appliances and skeletal anchorage. The correction occurs through intrusion of the extruded teeth on 1 side of the maxilla, thereby avoiding a more aggressive surgical approach. A 22-year-old Korean man with facial asymmetry and mandibular prognathism treated in this manner showed the possibility of correcting occlusal plane canting with miniscrews.

M-DNA/Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Hybrid Structure-based Bio-FET sensor with Ultra-high Sensitivity.

Here, we report a high performance biosensor based on (i) a Cu2+-DNA/MoS2 hybrid structure and (ii) a field effect transistor, which we refer to as a bio-FET, presenting a high sensitivity of 1.7 × 103 A/A. This high sensitivity was achieved by using a DNA nanostructure with copper ions (Cu2+) that induced a positive polarity in the DNA (receptor). This strategy improved the detecting ability for doxorubicin-like molecules (target) that have a negative polarity. Very short distance between the biomolecules and the sensor surface was obtained without using a dielectric layer, contributing to the high sensitivity. We first investigated the effect of doxorubicin on DNA/MoS2 and Cu2+-DNA/MoS2 nanostructures using Raman spectroscopy and Kelvin force probe microscopy. Then, we analyzed the sensing mechanism and performance in DNA/MoS2- and Cu2+-DNA/MoS2-based bio-FETs by electrical measurements (ID-VG at various VD) for various concentrations of doxorubicin. Finally, successful operation of the Cu2+-DNA/MoS2 bio-FET was demonstrated for six cycles (each cycle consisted of four steps: 2 preparation steps, a sensing step, and an erasing step) with different doxorubicin concentrations. The bio-FET showed excellent reusability, which has not been achieved previously in 2D biosensors.