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The transcriptional profile of adrenomedullin (AM), a new metastasis-related factor involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its specific receptors (CLR, RAMP1, RAMP3) were evaluated in liver tissues of HCV-positive HCC subjects undergoing liver transplantation (LR) and in donors (LD). AM and its specific receptor expression were also assessed in extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by tumorigenic (HepG2) and non-tumorigenic (WRL68) cells by Real-Time PCR. AM expression resulted significantly elevated in LR concerning LD (p = 0.0038) and, for the first time, significantly higher levels in HCC patients as a function of clinical severity (MELD score), were observed. RAMP3 and CLR expression increased in LR as a function of clinical severity while RAMP1 decreased. Positive correlations were found among AM, its receptors, and apoptotic markers. No AM mRNA expression difference was observed between HepG2 and WRL68 EVs. RAMP1 and RAMP3 resulted lower in HepG2 concerning WRL68 while significantly higher levels were observed for CLR. While results at tissue level characterize AM as a regulator of carcinogenesis-tumor progression, those obtained in EVs do not indicate AM as a target candidate, neither as a pathological biomarker nor as a marker involved in cancer therapy.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Humanos , Adrenomedulina/genética , Adrenomedulina/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Proteína 3 Modificadora da Atividade de Receptores/genética , Proteína 3 Modificadora da Atividade de Receptores/metabolismo , Proteína 2 Modificadora da Atividade de Receptores/genética , Proteína 2 Modificadora da Atividade de Receptores/metabolismo , Proteína Semelhante a Receptor de Calcitonina/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Linhagem Celular , CarcinogêneseRESUMO
Recent evidence suggested the role of secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the intracellular signalling within the liver becoming a promising candidate as biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Osteopontin (OPN) seems to play a relevant role both for early diagnosis of HCC than on the mechanisms that drive oncogenesis but, to date, information on the expression levels of OPN in EVs secreted by HCC tumor cell line are missing. The study aimed to verify, by transcriptional and proteomic study, the presence of OPN in EVs secreted by tumorigenic (HepG2) and non-tumorigenic hepatocyte cell line (WRL68), and to analyse the expression variations of OPN, its isoforms and miRNA-181a in both these EVs. "In silico analysis" was also performed via the Gene expression Profiling Interactive analysis (GEPIA) and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Database (HCCDB). An up-regulation of OPN in EVs secreted by HepG2 with respect to WRL68 was found in line with the results obtained by the "in silico analysis". The study demonstrates, for the first time, the OPN isoforms and its modulator miRNA-181a expression in EVs secreted by both cell lines, highlighting high levels of OPN isoforms in EVs secreted by HepG2 and identifying OPN as a promising biomarker for HCC diagnosis.
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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. The study aimed to perform a data mining analysis of the expression and regulatory role of key genes in HCC to reveal novel potential biomarkers of diagnosis prognosis, or progression since their availability is still almost lacking. Starting from data of our cohort of patients (HCV-positive HCC pts undergoing liver transplantation (LR, n = 10) and donors (LD, n = 14), deeply analyzed previously, in which apelin, osteopontin, osteoprotegerin, NOTCH-1, CASP-3, Bcl-2, BAX, PTX3, and NPTX2 were analyzed, we applied statistical analysis and in-silico tools (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, HCCDB database and GeneMania, UALCAN) to screen and identify the key genes. Firstly, we performed a stepwise regression analysis using our mRNA-datasets which revealed that higher expression levels of apelin and osteopontin were positively associated with the HCC and identified that the most consistently differentially expressed gene across multiple HCC expression datasets was only OPN. This comprehensive strategy of data mining evidenced that OPN might have a potential function as an important tumor marker-driven oncogenesis being associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Apelina/genética , Apelina/metabolismo , Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Mineração de Dados , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Osteopontina/genética , PrognósticoRESUMO
Background and Methods: Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) and microRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, a multifactorial disease that is characterized by inflammation, cardiometabolic complications, and increased cancer risk among other co-morbidities. The up/down regulation of LncRNAs and microRNAs may play an important role in this condition to identify new diagnostic/prognostic markers. The aim of the study was to identify circulating inflammatory LncRNAs in obese adolescents (n = 54) and to evaluate whether their expression behaved differently compared to normal-weight adolescents (n = 26). To have a more complete insight, the expression of some circulating miRNAs that are linked to obesity (miR-33a, miR-223, miR-142, miR-199a, miR-181a, and miR-4454) were also analyzed. Results: LncRNAs and miRNAs were extracted simultaneously from plasma samples and amplified by Real-Time PCR. Among the 86 LncRNAs that were analyzed with custom pre-designed plates, only four (RP11-347E10.1, RP11-10K16.1, LINC00657, and SNHG12) were amplified in both normal-weight and obese adolescents and only SNHG12 showed significantly lower expression compared to the normal-weight adolescents (p = 0.026). Circulating miRNAs showed a tendency to increase in obese subjects, except for miR-181a expression. LncRNAs and miRNAs correlated with some clinical and metabolic parameters. Conclusions: Our results suggest the importance of these new biomarkers to better understand the molecular mechanisms of childhood obesity and its metabolic disorder.
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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-released vesicles acting as transporters of proteins, lipids and short/long non-coding RNA (miRNAs and lncRNAs). They are released by normal and pathological cells, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To date, studies focused on miRNAs and lncRNAs contained in EVs derived from HCC are limited. Our aim was to analyze the transcriptional profile of potential regulating miRNAs and lncRNAs in EVs secreted by HCC tumor cell line (HepG2, n = 6), and from a non-tumorigenic hepatocyte cell line (WRL68, n = 6), to compare their differential expression profile and to identify novel molecular diagnostic markers of HCC. EVs were isolated from the conditioned medium, through differential centrifugations. The expression profile of miRNAs (miR-23a, miR-16-2, miR-181a, miR-373, miR-205, miR-27a, miR-1323, and miR-532) and lncRNAs (HULC, HOTAIR, XIST, MALAT-1, GAS-5, H19) was performed in Real-time PCR, and their transcript was found both in HepG2 and WRL68 EVs. Lower miR-181a, miR-205 and miR-1323 expression were detected in EVs secreted by HepG2 compared to WRL68, while an opposite trend was observed for miR-23a, miR-16-2, miR-373, miR-27a, and miR-532. Several significant correlations were found between miRNA and lncRNA. An in silico analysis was also performed. The results obtained could identified them as new potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of HCC.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Vesículas Extracelulares , Neoplasias Hepáticas , MicroRNAs , RNA Longo não Codificante , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Vesículas Extracelulares/metabolismo , Vesículas Extracelulares/patologia , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , RNA Longo não Codificante/genética , RNA Longo não Codificante/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Leptin resistance occurs in obese patients, but its independent contribution to adiposity and the accompanying metabolic diseases, i.e., diabetes, liver steatosis, and steatohepatitis, remains to be established. This study was conducted in an extreme model of leptin resistance to investigate mechanisms initiating diabetes, fat expansion, liver steatosis, and inflammatory disease, focusing on the involvement of glucose intolerance and organ-specific glucose uptake in brown and subcutaneous adipose tissues (BAT, SAT) and in the liver. METHODS: We studied preobese and adult Zucker rats (fa/fa, fa/+ ) during fasting or glucose loading to assess glucose tolerance. Relevant pancreatic and intestinal hormonal levels were measured by Milliplex. Imaging of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose by positron emission tomography was used to quantify glucose uptake in SAT, BAT, and liver, and evaluate its relationship with adipocyte size and biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH). RESULTS: Preobese fa/fa pups showed impaired glucose tolerance, adipocyte enlargement, hepatic microsteatosis, and lobular inflammation, with elevated hepatic post-glucose load glucose uptake and production. Adult fa/fa rats had more severe glucose intolerance, fasting hyperglycemia, hormonal abnormalities, elevated glucose uptake in SAT and BAT, and more markedly in the liver, together with macrosteatosis, and highly prevalent hepatic inflammation. Organ glucose uptake was proportional to the degree of fat accumulation and tissue inflammation and was able to dissect healthy from NAFLD and NAFLD/NASH livers. Most severe NASH livers showed a decline in glucose uptake and liver enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: In fa/fa Zucker rats, leptin resistance leads to glucose intolerance, mainly due to hepatic glucose overproduction, preceding obesity, and explaining pancreatic and intestinal hormonal changes and fat accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes. Our data support the involvement of liver glucose uptake in the pathogenesis of liver inflammatory disease. Its potential as more generalized biomarker or diagnostic approach remains to be established outside of our leptin-receptor-deficient rat model.
Assuntos
Fígado Gorduroso/metabolismo , Leptina/metabolismo , Obesidade/complicações , Adipócitos/metabolismo , Adipócitos/fisiologia , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Fígado Gorduroso/complicações , Glucose/análise , Obesidade/sangue , Ratos , Ratos Zucker/anormalidades , Ratos Zucker/metabolismoRESUMO
The long pentraxin (PTX) 3 and the neuronal pentraxin (NPTX) 2 has been found to exert pleiotropic roles in cancers due to their action in inflammation. However, the accurate clinical significance of PTX3 and NPTX2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the commonest cancers in the world has not been well-defined. The aim of the study was to analyze the expression profile of PTX3 and NPTX2 in liver biopsies of HCV-positive HCC patients (liver recipients, LR, n = 14, age 59.4 ± 1.8 years) undergoing liver transplantation and in donors (LD, n = 14, age 62.1 ± 17.3 years), trying both to identify them as predictive biomarkers of clinical liver severity in HCC patients and to understand if they were mutually substitutable. The PTX3 and NPTX2 transcripts were significantly up regulated in HCC tissues (p = 0.004 and p = 0.02 LD vs. LR, respectively). Dividing patients following MELD score, PTX3 expression increased as a function of liver disease severity, while this trend was not observed for NPTX2, which mRNA level increased similarly in both MELD group, reaching the significance only in patients with MELD score < 9 (p = 0.01). A positive correlation was found between PTX3 and NPTX2 expression (p = 0.001; r = 0.69). This is the first study that concerns PTX3 and NPTX2 as a function of clinical severity from which emerged that both of them are unequivocally involved in HCC, but only PTX3 could be considered a staging marker in these HCV-related HCC patients, unlike NPTX2, which could only play a role as an inflammatory marker.
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Proteína C-Reativa , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso , Adulto , Idoso , Biomarcadores , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Componente Amiloide P SéricoRESUMO
Apelin, a peptide of 77 amino acids, and its endogenous ligand, angiotensin-like-receptor 1 (APJ), play a key role in the development of tumors by enhancing angiogenesis, metastasis, cell proliferation, development of cancer stem cells and drug resistance and inhibiting apoptosis of cancer cells. However, little is known about Apelin/APJ system involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate Apelin and APJ expression in liver specimens, obtained from subjects with HCV-positive HCC who underwent liver transplantation, according to liver disease severity (liver recipients, LR, n = 14, age 59.4 ± 1.8) and in donors (liver donors, LD, n = 14, age 62.1 ± 17.3). Apelin/APJ axis, apoptotic and inflammatory markers were evaluated by Real-Time PCR analysis. The Apelin/APJ system expression resulted significantly higher in LR in comparison with LD (p < 0.05), in particular in those with more severe liver disease. The apoptotic (Bcl-2, BAX, NOTCH-1, Casp-3) and inflammatory (IL-6, TNF-α) markers were increased as a function of disease severity (p < 0.05). Multiple significant positive correlations were found between Apelin/APJ axis and the other markers. Although further investigations are needed to better understand the role of Apelin/APJ axis in HCC, our result indicated a potential role of this axis in its development and progression as well as in recognizing novel therapeutic targets opening a new avenue for treatment.
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Receptores de Apelina/fisiologia , Apelina/fisiologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/etiologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/etiologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Apelina/genética , Receptores de Apelina/genética , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , TranscriptomaRESUMO
Circulating miRNAs (c-miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for HF diagnosis and prognosis. There are no studies on HF pediatric patients undergoing VAD-implantation. Aims of this study were: to examine the c-miRNAs profile in HF children; to evaluate the effects of VAD on c-miRNAs levels; to in vitro validate putative c-miRNA targets. c-miRNA profile was determined in serum of HF children by NGS before and one month after VAD-implant. The c-miRNA differentially expressed were analyzed by real time-PCR, before and at 4 hrs,1,3,7,14,30 days after VAD-implant. A miRNA mimic transfection study in HepG2 cells was performed to validate putative miRNA targets selected through miRWalk database. Thirteen c-miRNAs were modified at 30 days after VAD-implant compared to pre-VAD at NSG, and, among them, six c-miRNAs were confirmed by Real-TimePCR. Putative targets of the validated c-miRNAs are involved in the hemostatic process. The in vitro study confirmed a down-regulatory effect of hsa-miR-409-3p towards coagulation factor 7 (F7) and F2. Of note, all patients had thrombotic events requiring pump change. In conclusion, in HF children, the level of six c-miRNAs involved in the regulation of hemostatic events changed after 30 days of VAD-treatment. In particular, the lowering of c-miR-409-3p regulating both F7 and F2 could reflect a pro-thrombotic state after VAD-implant.
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MicroRNA Circulante/sangue , Insuficiência Cardíaca/terapia , Coração Auxiliar/efeitos adversos , Trombose/diagnóstico , Biomarcadores/sangue , Pré-Escolar , MicroRNA Circulante/agonistas , MicroRNA Circulante/metabolismo , Biologia Computacional , Regulação para Baixo , Fator VII/genética , Feminino , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Insuficiência Cardíaca/sangue , Células Hep G2 , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , MicroRNAs/agonistas , MicroRNAs/sangue , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Projetos Piloto , Prognóstico , Protrombina/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Trombose/sangue , Trombose/etiologiaRESUMO
AIM: To explore possible inter-relationships of various biomarkers of inflammation and lifestyle and other cardiovascular risk factors (age, gender, smoking history, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, alteration of circadian rhythms, body mass index, calf circumference, thigh circumference, abdominal circumference) in the Mugello study oldest old. METHODS: In 399 noninstitutionalized nonagenarians (291 women), whole blood cells, mean platelet volume, C-reactive protein, uric acid, gamma-glutamyl transferase were assessed. RESULTS: Aging resulted as the only independent determinant for uric acid (<0.05), and abdominal circumference for C-reactive protein. Female gender (<0.01), and thigh circumference (<0.05) remained as determinants for mean platelet volume, age (<0.01), and male gender (<0.01) for gamma-glutamyl transferase, and Type 2 diabetes (≤0.01) and alteration of circadian rhythms (<0.05) for whole blood cells. CONCLUSION: Several inflammatory parameters remain associated with adverse lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors even among nonagenarians.
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Biomarcadores/sangue , Doenças Cardiovasculares/patologia , Estilo de Vida , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Plaquetas/citologia , Proteína C-Reativa/análise , Citocinas/análise , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/patologia , Feminino , Humanos , Leucócitos/metabolismo , Masculino , Estresse Oxidativo , Fatores de Risco , Fatores Sexuais , Sono , Ácido Úrico/sangue , gama-Glutamiltransferase/sangueRESUMO
Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder presenting fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, for which no effective treatments are currently available. Increasing evidence indicates that the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), a nucleotide-gated ionotropic channel primarily involved in the inflammatory response, may also have a key role in the development of tissue fibrosis in different body districts. This study was aimed at investigating P2X7R expression and function in promoting a fibrogenic phenotype in dermal fibroblasts from SSc patients, also analyzing putative underlying mechanistic pathways. Methods: Fibroblasts were isolated by skin biopsy from 9 SSc patients and 8 healthy controls. P2X7R expression, and function (cytosolic free Ca2+ fluxes, α-smooth muscle actin [α-SMA] expression, cell migration, and collagen release) were studied. Moreover, the role of cytokine (interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) production, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) activation in mediating P2X7R-dependent pro-fibrotic effects in SSc fibroblasts was evaluated. Results: P2X7R expression and Ca2+ permeability induced by the selective P2X7R agonist 2'-3'-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)ATP (BzATP) were markedly higher in SSc than control fibroblasts. Moreover, increased αSMA expression, cell migration, CTGF, and collagen release were observed in lipopolysaccharides-primed SSc fibroblasts after BzATP stimulation. While P2X7-induced cytokine changes did not affect collagen production, it was completely abrogated by inhibition of the ERK pathway. Conclusion: In SSc fibroblasts, P2X7R is overexpressed and its stimulation induces Ca2+-signaling activation and a fibrogenic phenotype characterized by increased migration and collagen production. These data point to the P2X7R as a potential, novel therapeutic target for controlling exaggerated collagen deposition and tissue fibrosis in patients with SSc.
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Recently osteopontin (OPN), a protein of the extracellular matrix, has generated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) a significant interest as a prognostic factor. Aim of this study was to confirm, in liver tissues of subjects with HCV-positive HCC undergoing liver transplantation (RL, n=10) and of donors (DL, n=14), the increase of OPN plasma and tissue concentration, the OPN splicing isoforms expression profiling together with those of thrombin, and to evaluate a possible association between OPN measurements. Their association with Notch-1, IV-Collagen-7s domain, IL-6 and TNF-α were also evaluated. Real-Time PCR experiments and immunometric assay were performed. mRNA expression resulted higher in RL than in DL for all analyzed genes and several correlations were found between them. The more relevant association were between OPN-a and OPN-b (p<0.0001), between thrombin and OPN-a (p=0.007), between 7s-collagen and OPN isoforms (p<0.05) and between Notch-1 with OPN-c (p=0.004). Both OPN plasma and liver tissue extract concentrations were assessed confirming the trend observed at the mRNA level. An important association was found between OPN plasma and protein (p<0.0001, r=0.96) even splitting patients in DL (p<0.0001, r=0.93) and RL (p<0.0001, r=0.96). A reduction of OPN plasma levels was found at 6months after transplantation. Considering MELD score as liver disease severity, the mRNA expression of our markers as well as of OPN plasma and tissue concentrations resulted increased as a function of clinical severity. Our results might be considered a useful starting point to validate OPN as a prognostic and diagnostic marker of HCC.
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Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Osteopontina/metabolismo , Processamento Alternativo/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/sangue , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Colágeno/metabolismo , Progressão da Doença , Feminino , Seguimentos , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Interleucina-6/genética , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Neoplasias Hepáticas/sangue , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Metástase Neoplásica , Osteopontina/sangue , Isoformas de Proteínas/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Trombina/genética , Trombina/metabolismo , Fatores de Tempo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/genética , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismoRESUMO
PURPOSE: Eight A2AR variants are reported in humans while no A2AR isoforms in pigs. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential isoforms presence in cardiac pig tissue to better define possible involvement of A2AR in the cardiovascular pathophysiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In adult male minipigs (n = 4) left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) was induced by pacing at 200 bpm in the right ventricular (RV) apex. In these animals and in sham operated pigs (C-SHAM, n = 4) cardiac tissue was collected from LV-septal wall (LV-SW)-close to pacing site-and from lateral (opposite) site (LV-OSW). A2AR specific primers, derived from Sus scrofa AY772412 sequence, were used for Real-Time PCR. The DNA was sequenced using the Sanger method. Histological analysis was also performed. RESULTS: In LV-SW of LVD minipigs the A2AR melting curves were characterized by a sharp peak between 87 and 91 °C (short isoform, 1-94 bp) on the right of the principal peak corresponding to a long A2AR isoform (GenBank: JQ229674.1) 1-213 bp. As for C-SHAM only one peak was observed in LV-OSW region of LVD animals. The short isoform had an alternative promoter region and a specific translated protein. Histology showed in LVD-LV-SW prominent Purkinje cells compared to LV-OSW and C-SHAM. No difference in A2AR expression was observed between LVD animals and C-SHAM although a slight decrease was observed in LVD-LV-OSW. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of two different isoforms in the myocardium close to the insertion of pacing is suggestive of a differential state-specific expression of A2AR in cardiac tissue.
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Miocárdio/metabolismo , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , Receptor A2A de Adenosina/genética , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/genética , Adenosina/metabolismo , Animais , Ventrículos do Coração/metabolismo , Ventrículos do Coração/patologia , Humanos , Miocárdio/patologia , Suínos , Porco Miniatura , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/metabolismo , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/patologiaRESUMO
Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) mediates the effect of Interleukin-33 (IL-33). Few data are reported on the relationship between IL-33/ST2 and obesity. We aimed to investigate effects of obesity on IL-33/ST2 system in heart, adipose tissue and liver in a rodent model of obesity. The relationship of cardiac expression of IL-33/ST2 system with natriuretic peptides (NPs) system and inflammatory mediators was also studied. mRNA expression of IL-33/ST2 system was evaluated in cardiac, adipose and hepatic biopsies from obese Zucker rats (O) and controls (CO). Expression levels of sST2 was significantly lower in O rats compared with CO (p<0.05) in all tissues. Besides, the mRNA levels of IL-33 decreased significant in fat of O respect to CO, while, expression levels of ST2L was significantly higher in liver of CO than in O. A strong relationship of IL-33/ST2 with NPs and classical inflammatory mediators was observed in cardiac tissue. Expression of sST2 in cardiac, adipose and liver tissue decreased in O compared with controls, suggesting an involvement for IL-33/ST2 system in molecular mechanisms of obesity. The strong relationships with NP systems and inflammatory mediators could suggest an involvement for IL-33/ST2 in molecular pathways leading to cardiac dysfunction and inflammation associated with obesity.
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Tecido Adiposo/metabolismo , Interleucina-33/metabolismo , Fígado/metabolismo , Miocárdio/metabolismo , Obesidade/genética , Receptores de Interleucina-1/metabolismo , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Interleucina-33/genética , Masculino , Obesidade/patologia , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Ratos Zucker , Receptores de Interleucina-1/genética , TranscriptomaRESUMO
CONTEXT: Adenosine restores tissue homeostasis through the interaction with its membrane receptors (AR) expressed on fibroblasts, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and leukocytes, but their modulation is still not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether changes in the transcriptomic profiling of adenosine receptors (AR) occur in cardiac fibroblasts (CF) of patients (pts) with LV dysfunction due to valvular disease (V). The secondary aim was to compare in the same pts the results obtained at cardiac level with those found in circulating leukocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Auricle fragments were excised from 13 pts during prosthetic implantation while blood samples were collected from pts (n = 9) and from healthy subjects (C, n = 7). In 7 pts cardiac biopsy and blood samples were taken simultaneously. A human CF atrial cell line (cc) was used as control. RESULTS: AR higher levels of mRNA expression were observed with real-time PCR in Vpts compared to C, both at cardiac (overexpression A1R:98%, A2AR:63%, A2BR:87%, A3R:85%, CD39:92%, CD73:93%) and at peripheral level (A1R vs C: p = .0056; A2AR vs C: p = .0173; A2BR vs C: p = .0272; A3R vs C: p = .855; CD39 vs C: p = .0001; CD73 vs C: p = .0091). CONCLUSION: All AR subtypes were overexpressed in CF of Vpts. The same trends in AR expression at cardiac level was assessed on circulating leukocytes, thus opening a new road to minimally invasive studies of the adenosinergic system in cardiac patients.
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Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas/sangue , Receptores A2 de Adenosina/genética , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/sangue , Feminino , Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Fibroblastos/patologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas/complicações , Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Família Multigênica , Miocárdio/metabolismo , Miocárdio/patologia , Receptores A2 de Adenosina/biossíntese , Transcriptoma/genética , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/complicações , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
The fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5)/Irisin, a novel energy-regulating hormone, is associated with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. It is produced in low amounts by normal hepatic tissue, while in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in which aberrant de novo lipogenesis (DNL) occurs, the hepatic expression of FNDC5/Irisin is still unknown. The gene expression of FNDC5/Irisin, associated to key regulators of DNL, inflammation and cancer progression was evaluated in liver tissue of 18 patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation and of 18 deceased donors. Hepatic mRNA expression of FNDC5/Irisin and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD-1), main enzymatic regulator of DNL, were significantly higher in HCC patients than in donors (p<0.0001 and p=0.015, respectively). The hepatic mRNA expression of the neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 1 (NOTCH1) tended to be higher in HCC patients than in donors (p=0.06). Only in HCC patients, hepatic FNDC5/Irisin strongly correlated with the transcription factor sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1, SCD-1, NOTCH1, tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-6 mRNA expression. Further, in HCC patients, FNDC5/Irisin mRNA tended to correlate to plasma lipid profile namely triglycerides, palmitic/linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratios. In conclusion, HCC-liver tissue over-expressed FNDC5/Irisin in association with gene expression of mediators involved in lipogenesis, inflammation and cancer, suggesting a possible protective role of the hormone from the liver damage.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Idoso , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Ácidos Graxos , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Lipogênese/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Transplante de Fígado , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Músculo Esquelético , Receptor Notch1/genética , Estearoil-CoA Dessaturase/genética , Triglicerídeos/sangueRESUMO
Gap junctions (GJ) mediate electrical coupling between cardiac myocytes, allowing the spreading of the electrical wave responsible for synchronized contraction. GJ function can be regulated by modulation of connexon densities on membranes, connexin (Cx) phosphorylation, trafficking and degradation. Recent studies have shown that adenosine (A) involves Cx43 turnover in A1 receptor-dependent manner, and dipyridamole increases GJ coupling and amount of Cx43 in endothelial cells. As the abnormalities in GJ organization and regulation have been described in diseased myocardium, the aim of the present study was to assess the regional expression of molecules involved in GJ regulation in a model of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). For this purpose the distribution and quantitative expression of Cx43, its phosphorylated form pS368-Cx43, PKC phosphorylated substrates, RhoA and A receptors, were investigated in experimental models of right ventricular-pacing induced LVD, undergoing concomitant dipyridamole therapy or placebo, and compared with those obtained in the myocardium from sham-operated minipigs. Results demonstrate that an altered pattern of factors involved in Cx43-made GJ regulation is present in myocardium of a dysfunctioning left ventricle. Furthermore, dipyridamole treatment, which shows a mild protective role on left ventricular function, seems to act through modulating the expression and activation of these factors as confirmed by in vitro experiments on cardiomyoblastic cell line H9c2 cells.
Assuntos
Conexina 43/metabolismo , Dipiridamol/uso terapêutico , Junções Comunicantes/efeitos dos fármacos , Ventrículos do Coração/efeitos dos fármacos , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/tratamento farmacológico , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Conexina 43/genética , Dipiridamol/administração & dosagem , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Eletrocardiografia , Junções Comunicantes/metabolismo , Junções Comunicantes/patologia , Ventrículos do Coração/metabolismo , Ventrículos do Coração/patologia , Miócitos Cardíacos/efeitos dos fármacos , Miócitos Cardíacos/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Ratos , Transdução de Sinais , Suínos , Porco Miniatura , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/metabolismo , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/patologiaRESUMO
To evaluate the possible variations of adenosine receptor (AR) profile together with TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA in cardiac tissue of obese Zucker rats (OZR) during fasting conditions (fc) and during the induction of acute hyperglycemia (AH). OZR (O, n=21) and age-matched lean control rats (CO, n=18) were studied during fc (COfc, n=8; Ofc, n=13) and during the induction of AH (COAH, n=10; OAH, n=8). The histopathologic analysis performed on O and CO heart samples did not show abnormalities of myocardial structure. The AR transcriptomic profile was analyzed in O and CO by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a significantly lower mRNA expression was observed for A2AR in O with respect to CO (p=0.047), while a significant upregulation was observed for A3R in O with respect to CO (p=0.002). No significant differences between O and CO were observed for TNF-α or IL-6. Correlations were found between glycemia and A1R (p=0.03) and A2BR (p=0.002); total cholesterol and A2BR (p=0.02) and A3R (p=0.0002), as well as between IL-6 and A1R (p=0.05) and TNF-α and A2AR (p<0.0001). The modulation of ARs in these settings could represent a promising approach to pharmacological treatment, which must be supported by diet restrictions and physical exercise.
Assuntos
Jejum/fisiologia , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Coração/fisiologia , Hiperglicemia/genética , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Receptores Purinérgicos P1/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismo , Animais , Hiperglicemia/metabolismo , Hiperglicemia/patologia , Técnicas Imunoenzimáticas , Interleucina-6/genética , Masculino , Obesidade/genética , Obesidade/metabolismo , Obesidade/patologia , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Zucker , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Receptores Purinérgicos P1/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/genéticaRESUMO
Obesity has been implicated in the development of many cancers. This can lead to genome damage, especially in the form of double-strand break, the presence of which is now easily detected through nuclear phosphorylation of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) focus assay. Recently, the endothelin (ET) axis has also been shown to have a role in the growth and progression of several tumors, including lung cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ET-1 system transcriptional alterations and γ-H2AX in lung tissue of Zucker rats subdivided into obese (O, n=22) and controls (CO, n=18) rats: under either fasting conditions (CO(fc)-O(fc)) or acute hyperglycemia (CO(AH)-O(AH)). Significantly higher prepro-ET-1 (p=0.05) and ET-converting enzyme (ECE)-2 mRNA expression was observed in O with respect to CO. A significant positive association was observed between prepro-ET-1 and ET-A in the whole rat population (p=0.009) or in the obese group alone (p=0.007). The levels of γ-H2AX in O and in O(AH) rats were significantly higher (p=0.019) than in the corresponding CO and CO(AH) rats (p=0.038). The study shows an inappropriate secretion of ET-1 in O animals with a parallel DNA damage in their lungs, providing novel mechanisms by which ET receptor antagonist may exert organ protection.