1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate inhibit T cell glycolysis in prostate cancer microenvironment by SHP1/PKM2/LDHB axis.

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies demonstrated that 1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) released by prostate cancer cells inhibits T cell proliferation and function by increasing SHP1 expression. We designed this study to further explore the influence of P5C on T cell metabolism, and produced an antibody for targeting P5C to restore the functions of T cells. METHOD: We co-immunoprecipated SHP1 from T cells and analyzed the proteins that were bound to it using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). The influence of P5C on T cells metabolism was also detected by LC/MS-MS. Seahorse XF96 analyzer was further used to identify the effect of P5C on T cells glycolysis. We subsequently designed and produced an antibody for targeting P5C by monoclonal technique and verified its effectiveness to restore the function of T cells in vitro and in vivo. RESULT: PKM2 and LDHB bind SHP1 in T cells, and P5C could increase the levels of p-PKM2 while having no effect on the levels of PKM2 and LDHB. We further found that P5C influences T cell energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. P5C also inhibits the activity of PKM2 and decreases the content of intracellular lactic acid while increasing the activity of LDH. Using seahorse XF96 analyzer, we confirmed that P5C remarkably inhibits glycolysis in T cells. We produced an antibody for targeting P5C by monoclonal technique and verified that the antibody could oppose the influence of P5C to restore the process of glycolysis and function in T cells. Meanwhile, the antibody also inhibits the growth of prostate tumors in an animal model. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that P5C inhibits the process of glycolysis in T cells by targeting SHP1/PKM2/LDHB complexes. Moreover, it is important that the antibody for targeting P5C could restore the function of T cells and inhibit the growth of prostate tumors.

Inhibition of miR-9-5p suppresses prostate cancer progress by targeting StarD13.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the effects of inhibiting microRNA-9-5p (miR-9-5p) on the expression of StAR-related lipid transfer domain containing 13 (StarD13) and the progress of prostate cancer. METHODS: The mRNA expression levels of miR-9-5p and StarD13 were determined in several prostate cancer cell lines. We chose DU145 and PC-3 cells for further research. The CCK8 assay was used to measure the cell viability. The cell invasion and wound-healing assays were respectively applied to evaluate invasion and migration. The expression of E-cadherin (E-cad), N-cadherin (N-cad) and vimentin were measured via western blot. DU145 and PC-3 cells overexpressing StarD13 were generated to investigate the variation in proliferation, invasion and migration. A luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the target of miR-9-5p. RESULTS: Our results show that miR-9-5p was highly expressed and StarD13 was suppressed in prostate cancer cells. MiR-9-5p inhibition repressed the cells' viability, invasion and migration. It also increased the expression of E-cad and decreased that of N-cad and vimentin. StarD13 overexpression gave the same results as silencing of miR-9-5p: suppression of cell proliferation, invasion and migration. The bioinformatics analysis predicted StarD13 as a target gene of miR-9-5p. Quantitative RT-PCR, western blot analysis and the dual-luciferase reporter assay were employed to confirm the prediction. CONCLUSION: Our results show that miR-9-5p plays a powerful role in the growth, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of prostate cancer cells by regulating StarD13. A therapeutic agent inhibiting miR-9-5p could act as a tumor suppressor for prostate cancer.

Amelioration of Cavernosal Fibrosis and Erectile Function by Lysyl Oxidase Inhibition in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury.

BACKGROUND: Cavernous nerve injury (CNI) causes fibrosis and loss of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the corpus cavernosum and leads to erectile dysfunction, and lysyl oxidase (LOX) activation has been found to play an important role in fibrotic diseases. AIM: To evaluate the role of LOX in penile fibrosis after bilateral CNI (BCNI). METHODS: Rats underwent BCNI or a sham operation and were treated with vehicle or ß-aminopropionitrile, a specific LOX activity inhibitor. 30 days after BCNI, rats were tested for erectile function before penile tissue harvest. LOX and extracellular matrix component expression levels in the corpus cavernosum, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), fibronectin (FN), collagen (COL) I, and COL IV, were evaluated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Corporal fibrosis was evaluated by Masson trichrome staining. Localization of LOX and SMC content in the corpus cavernosum were assessed by immunohistochemistry. OUTCOMES: Ratio of intracavernous pressure to mean arterial blood pressure; LOX, MMPs, TIMPs, COL I, COL IV, and FN expression; penile fibrosis; penile SMC content. RESULTS: After BCNI, there was an increase in penile LOX expression and activity, increased penile fibrosis, decreased SMC content, and impaired erectile function. TIMP1, TIMP2, COL I, COL IV, and FN expression was markedly upregulated, whereas the enzyme activity of MMPs was decreased after BCNI. ß-Aminopropionitrile treatment, at least in part, prevented a decrease in the ratio of intracavernous pressure to mean arterial blood pressure, decreased penile expression of TIMP1, TIMP2, COL I, COL IV, and FN, increased MMP activity, prevented corporal fibrosis, and preserved SMC content. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: LOX over-activation contributes to penile fibrosis and LOX inhibition could be a promising strategy in preventing the progression of CNI-induced erectile dysfunction. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is the 1st study to demonstrate the role of LOX activation in penile fibrosis. However, the exact mechanism of how LOX influences extracellular matrix protein synthesis and SMC content preservation awaits further investigation. CONCLUSION: CNI induced LOX over-activation in cavernous tissue, and inhibition of LOX preserved penile morphology and improved erectile function in a rat model of BCNI. Wan Z-H, Li G-H, Guo Y-L, et al. Amelioration of Cavernosal Fibrosis and Erectile Function by Lysyl Oxidase Inhibition in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury. J Sex Med 2018;15:304-313.

Calpain Inhibition Improves Erectile Function in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) after cavernous nerve (CN) injury remains difficult to treat. Calpain plays a critical role in causing neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to evaluate whether calpain inhibition preserves erectile function in a rat model of CN injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats underwent sham surgery or CN crush injury. The CN-crushed rats were treated with vehicle or MDL-28170, a specific calpain inhibitor. At 1, 2, 3, and 7 days post-surgery, major pelvic ganglia (MPG) were harvested, followed by the measurement of erectile function, respectively. At 28 days, penile tissue and distal CN were harvested, followed by the measurement of erectile function in rats. Calpain activity in MPG and corpus cavernosum, as well as TGF-ß1/Smad2 and collagen content in corpus cavernosum, were measured by western blot. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) was observed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Increased calpain activity was observed in MPG and corpus cavernosum. CN crush markedly attenuated the erectile responses and nNOS expression in CN, and these were improved by MDL-28170 treatment. Furthermore, treatment prevented increased TGF-ß1/Smad2 and collagen expression in corpus cavernosum. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that calpain activation plays a role in pathogenesis of CN injury-associated ED. Calpain inhibition could be a novel approach for preventing the development of ED following CN injury.

Theaflavin pretreatment ameliorates renal ischemia/reperfusion injury by attenuating apoptosis and oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro.

Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis is an important pathological process in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RIRI). Theaflavin (TF) is the main active pigment and polyphenol in black tea. It has been widely reported because of its biological activity that can reduce oxidative stress and protect against many diseases. Here, we explored the role of theaflavin in the pathological process of RIRI. In the present study, the RIRI model of 45 min ischemia and 24 h reperfusion was established in C57BL/6 J male mice, and theaflavin was used as an intervention. Compared with the RIRI group, the renal filtration function, renal tissue damage and antioxidant capacity of the theaflavin intervention group were significantly improved, while the level of apoptosis was reduced. TCMK-1 cells were incubated under hypoxia for 48 h and then reoxygenated for 6 h to simulate RIRI in vitro. The application of theaflavin significantly promoted the translocation of p53 from cytoplasm to nucleus, upregulated the expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1) in cells, and inhibited oxidative stress damage and apoptosis. Transfection with p53 siRNA can partially inhibit the effect of theaflavin. Thus, theaflavin exerted a protective effect against RIRI by inhibiting apoptosis and oxidative stress via regulating the p53/GPx-1 pathway. We conclude that theaflavin has the potential to become a candidate drug for the prevention and treatment of RIRI.

Effects of grape seed-derived proanthocyanidin B2 pretreatment on oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury model of mice.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of grape seed-derived proanthocyanidin B2 (GSPB2) pretreatment on acute renal ischemia-reperfusion injury model of mice. METHODS: 50 mice were divided into 5 groups: Sham group: mice were treated with right nephrectomy. GSPB2 group: GSPB2 was injected intraperitoneally 45 min before right nephrectomy. IRI group: right kidney was resected and the left renal arteriovenous vessel was blocked for 45 min. GSPB2 + IRI group: GSPB2 was intraperitoneally injected 45 min before IRI established. GSPB2 + BRU + IRI group: GSPB2 and brusatol (BRU) were injected intraperitoneally 45 min before IRI established. Creatinine and urea nitrogen of mice were detected, and the kidney morphology and pathological changes of each group were detected by HE staining, PAS staining and transmission electron microscopy. Expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, GRP78, CHOP, and cleaved-caspase3 were detected by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting. RESULTS: Morphology and mitochondrial damages of kidney in GSPB2 + IRI group were significantly alleviated than those in IRI group. Expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 were significantly higher in GSPB2 + IRI group than those in IRI group. Expression levels of GRP78, CHOP and cleaved-caspase3 were significantly lower in GSPB2 + IRI group than those in IRI group. However, compared to GSPB2 + IRI group, protective effects of GSPB2 pretreatment were weakened in GSPB2 + BRU + IRI group. CONCLUSIONS: GSPB2 pretreatment could alleviate oxidative stress damage and reduce apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells, which might be related to activating the antioxidant system, up-regulating the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1, inhibiting the expressions of GRP78, CHOP and cleaved-caspase3. However, the protective effect could be reversed by brusatol.

Overexpression of RACGAP1 by E2F1 Promotes Neuroendocrine Differentiation of Prostate Cancer by Stabilizing EZH2 Expression.

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a lethal subtype of prostate cancer. It is characterized by the loss of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in neuroendocrine transdifferentiation, and finally, resistance to AR-targeted therapy. With the application of a new generation of potent AR inhibitors, the incidence of NEPC is gradually increasing. The molecular mechanism of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains largely unclear. In this study, using NEPC-related genome sequencing database analyses, we screened RACGAP1, a common differentially expressed gene. We investigated RACGAP1 expression in clinical prostate cancer specimens by IHC. Regulated pathways were examined by Western blotting, qRT-PCR, luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and immunoprecipitation assays. The corresponding function of RACGAP1 in prostate cancer was analyzed by CCK-8 and Transwell assays. The changes of neuroendocrine markers and AR expression in C4-2-R and C4-2B-R cells were detected in vitro. We confirmed that RACGAP1 contributed to NE transdifferentiation of prostate cancer. Patients with high tumor RACGAP1 expression had shorter relapse-free survival time. The expression of RACGAP1 was induced by E2F1. RACGAP1 promoted neuroendocrine transdifferentiation of prostate cancer by stabilizing EZH2 expression in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Moreover, overexpression of RACGAP1 promoted enzalutamide resistance of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. Our results showed that the upregulation of RACGAP1 by E2F1 increased EZH2 expression, which drove NEPC progression. This study explored the molecular mechanism of NED and may provide novel methods and ideas for targeted therapy of NEPC.

Construction of Glycolytic Regulator Gene Signature to Predict the Prognosis and Tumor Immune Cell Infiltration Levels for Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the commonly generated noncutaneous neoplasm among men worldwide. Glycolysis had been validated to promote cancer progression. However, the clinical significance of glycolytic regulators in PCa was not well understood. Here, we discovered that glycolytic regulators were dysregulated in PCa samples using GSE8511, GSE6919, and GEPIA. By detecting the expression of these regulators in PCa samples, we found that SLC2A1, SLC2A3, HK2, PFKFB2, TPI1, PKM2, and LDHA had higher expression in PCa compared with normal tissues. Moreover, both higher expression of TPI1, ALDOA, ENO1, LDHA, and PKM and lower expression of LDHB and HK2 were significantly related to shorter progression-free survival time in PCa. Of note, an 8 gene-based risk score was further constructed and confirmed to have a good performance in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) time in PCa. The signature risk score significantly correlated with NK cell, neutrophil cell, macrophage M2 cell, and myeloid dendritic cell infiltration levels in PCa. After bioinformatics analysis, our data suggested glycolytic regulators participated in the regulation of multiple nonmetabolic biological processes, such as RNA transport, biosynthesis of antibiotics, and cell cycle. We recapitulate that the glycolytic regulator signature was a prospective indicator for prognosis and immune cell infiltration levels in PCa.

Theaflavin ameliorates renal ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the Nrf2 signalling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Studies have demonstrated that oxidaive stress-induced apoptosis may be the main pathogenic mechanism of renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Theaflavin, a polyphenolic compound extracted from black tea, has been proven to exert strong antioxidant biological function. The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential role of theaflavin on renal I/R injury and its potential molecular mechanism both in vitro and in vivo. C57/BL6 J mice were used to create a model of I/R injury wherein mice were ligated with bilateral renal pedicles for 45 min, and then reperfused for 24 h. A hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model of TCMK-1 cells was used to simulate I/R in vitro. Theaflavin were administered to the treatment group first and then established the model. Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1), serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and 24-h urinary protein levels were evaluated and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and the ultrastructure of mitochondria were observed. Cell viability, oxidative stress damage, and apoptosis were assessed. The expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream target genes HO-1 and NQO1 were evaluated. Our results revealed that pretreatment with theaflavin significantly inhibited I/R- and H/R-induced renal injury and cell apoptosis. Theaflavin improved mitochondrial dysfunction by attenuating mitochondrial damage and promoting mitochondrial membrane potential. Theaflavin pretreatment significantly reduced malondialdehyde content, while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity in vivo and in vitro. It also reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis mainly by upregulating Nrf2 and its downstream targets in TCMK-1 cells. Thus, theaflavin exerted a protective effect against renal I/R injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis via activation of the Nrf2-NQO1/HO-1 pathway as well as correcting mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby presenting its potential as a clinical therapeutic in cases of acute kidney injury.

circITGA7 Acts as a miR-370-3p Sponge to Suppress the Proliferation of Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) refers to one of the most common tumors in male's genitourinary system. Emerging research has confirmed that circRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the correlation between circular RNA circITGA7 and PCa still remains unclear. Here, the role of circITGA7 in PCa was explored and the underlying mechanism was investigated as well. The circRNA expression profiles in PCa and the paracancerous tissues were established by high-throughput sequencing. The expression levels of circITGA7 in PCa tissues and cells were detected by qRT-PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, EdU, and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the effects of circITGA7 on PCa cell proliferation. To further explore the underlying mechanisms, bioinformatics analysis on downstream target genes was carried out. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the direct relationship between miR-370-3p and circITGA7 or P21CIP1. The present results demonstrated that circITGA7 was downregulated in PCa tissues and cells. Gain- or loss-of-function assays showed that circITGA7 inhibited the proliferation of PCa cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, circITGA7 served as a sponge for miR-370-3p, and miR-370-3p could target P21CIP1 in PCa cells. The inhibition of cell proliferation induced by circITGA7 could be reversed by transfecting miR-370-3p mimic. Collectively, our data indicated that circITGA7 played an important role in inhibiting tumor proliferation in PCa and might be a potential therapeutic target.

Gene Expression Analysis Reveals Key Genes and Signalings Associated with the Prognosis of Prostate Cancer.

It is urgent to identify novel biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) prognosis and to understand the mechanisms regulating the tumorigenesis for PCa treatment. In this study, GSE17951 and TCGA were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Our study demonstrated that 1533 genes with increased expression and 2301 genes with decreased expression in PCa. Bioinformatics analysis data indicated that these up-regulated genes had an association with the modulation of mitotic nuclear division, sister chromatid cohesion, cell division, and cell cycle. Additionally, our results revealed downregulated genes took part in modulating extracellular matrix organization, angiogenesis, signal transduction, and Ras signaling pathway. Hub upregulated and downregulated PPI networks were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and MCODE analysis. Of note, 12 cell cycle regulators, comprising CCNB1, CCNB2, PLK1, TTK, AURKA, CDC20, BUB1, PTTG1, CDC45, CDC25C, CCNA2, and BUB1B, were demonstrated to function crucially in PCa development. By detecting their expression in PCa cell lines, we confirmed that these cell cycle regulator expressions were heightened in PCa cells. GEPIA databases analysis showed that higher expression of these cell cycle regulators was correlated to shorter disease-free survival (DFS) time in PCa samples. Our findings collectively suggested targeting cell cycle pathways may offer novel prognosis and treatment biomarkers for PCa.

High Expression of SLC16A1 as a Biomarker to Predict Poor Prognosis of Urological Cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Tumor metabolism has always been the focus of cancer research. SLC16A1, as a key factor in catalysis of monocarboxylate transport across the plasma membrane, has been found to be associated with the occurrence and metastasis of a variety of cancers, but its prognostic significance and mechanism in different tumors are still unclear. METHODS: Based on the gene expression matrix and clinical information of human cancer tissues acquired from TCGA and GTEX databases, the differential expression of SLC16A1 in different tumors and normal tissues was analyzed. To confirm the association between its expression, the mutation of MMRS gene, and the expression level of DNMTs. Univariate Cox regression was applied to analyze the association between SLC16A1 expression and patient prognosis. The effect of SLC16A1 expression on patient survival was examined by Kaplan Meier analysis. GSEA was used to identify related signaling pathways. RESULTS: The expression of SLC16A1 was differentially expressed in most tumors, especially in the urinary tract where it is commonly highly expressed, and differential expression of SLC16A1 in different clinical stages. SLC16A1 expression was significantly positively correlated with MMRS gene mutation and DNMTS expression. Moreover, high SLC16A1 expression was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in urological cancers. In particular, the results of the enrichment analysis showed that SLC16A1 was associated with processes such as cell adhesion and many signaling pathways affecting cell cycle were significantly enriched in the group with high-expressed SLC16A1. CONCLUSION: SLC16A1 expression was upregulated in urological cancer. SLC16A1 may promote tumor development by regulating the epigenetic process of urological cancer and demonstrated a great potential as a prognostic biomarker of urological cancer patients.

Limonene terpenoid obstructs human bladder cancer cell (T24 cell line) growth by inducing cellular apoptosis, caspase activation, G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and stops cancer metastasis.

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of the current study was to investigate the antitumor activity of limonene which is a plant monoterpene along with evaluating its effects on cell apoptosis, cell cycle phase distribution, cell migration and invasion. METHODS: The cell proliferation of T24 bladder cancer cells was examined by WTS-1 assay. The apoptotic effects induced by limonene were investigated by a combination of fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry and then confirmed by western blot assay. The effects of limonene on cell cycle in T24 bladder cancer cells were studied by flow cytometry. The effects on cell migration and invasion were examined by wound healing assay and transwell assay using Matrigel. RESULTS: The results showed that limonene induced cytotoxic effects and reduced cell viability of T24 human bladder cancer cells showing an IC50 value of 9 µM. Limonene also induced significant apoptosis in bladder cancer cells since it induced significant nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and splitting of the nucleus, representative of the apoptotic cascade. The apoptotic cell percentage was 1.95, 5.35, 15.61 and 34.71% at limonene concentrations of 0, 9, 18 and 36 µM. Further, the apoptotic effects of limonene were also confirmed by Western blot analysis and the results showed increase in the expression of Bax and caspase-3 and decrease of Bcl-2 expression. Limonene also caused G2/M phase cell cycle arrest as well as suppression of cell migration and invasion. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that limonene might be used as a potent anticancer agent against human bladder cancer for which further in depth studies are needed, especially over its toxicological studies.

A-kinase interacting protein 1, a potential biomarker associated with advanced tumor features and CXCL1/2 in prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the correlation of A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) with chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and CXCL2, as well as their associations with clinical characteristics and prognosis in prostate cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 248 eligible prostate cancer patients who underwent surgery were consecutively recruited, and tumor tissues were collected during the surgery. AKIP1, CXCL1, and CXCL2 expression in tumor tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Disease-free survival and overall survival were recorded, and the median follow-up time was 27 months. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with AKIP1, CXCL1, and CXCL2 high expression was 56.5%, 63.7%, and 56.9%, respectively. Additionally, AKIP1 expression positively correlated with CXCL1 expression (P<0.001) and CXCL2 expression (P<0.001), and CXCL1 expression was positively associated with CXCL2 expression (P<0.001). Furthermore, AKIP1 expression positively correlated with pathological T stage (P<0.001) and pathological N stage (P=0.003). CXCL1 expression was positively associated with pathological T stage (P<0.001) and pathological N stage (P<0.001) as well. However, the CXCL2 expression only positively correlated with pathological T stage (P=0.002). Also, AKIP1 high expression correlated with worse disease-free survival (P=0.049) and OS (P=0.013), and CXCL1 high expression was associated with unfavorable disease-free survival (P=0.023) but not overall survival (P=0.052). CXCL2 expression was not correlated with disease-free survival (P=0.083) or overall survival (P=0.065). Multivariate Cox's regression disclosed that AKIP1 high expression independently predicted worse overall survival (P=0.009). CONCLUSION: AKIP1 positively associates with CXCL1/2 and is a potential biomarker for disease monitoring as well as prognosis in prostate cancer.

A 17-Gene Signature Predicted Prognosis in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which was one of the most common malignant tumors in urinary system, had gradually increased incidence and mortality in recent years. Although significant advances had been made in molecular and biology research on the pathogenesis of RCC, effective treatments and prognostic indicators were still lacking. In order to predict the prognosis of RCC better, we identified 17 genes that were associated with the overall survival (OS) of RCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and a 17-gene signature was developed. Through SurvExpress, we analyzed the expression differences of the 17 genes and their correlation with the survival of RCC patients in five datasets (ZHAO, TCGA, KIPAN, KIRC, and KIRP), and then evaluated the survival prognostic significance of the 17-gene signature for RCC. Our results showed that the 17-gene signature had a predictive prognostic value not only in single pathologic RCC, but also in multiple pathologic types of RCC. In conclusion, the 17-gene signature model was related to the survival of RCC patients and could help predict the prognosis with significant clinical implications.

Effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin B2 pretreatment on oxidative stress and renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis after renal ischemia reperfusion in mice.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin B2 (GSPB2) preconditioning on oxidative stress and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells in mice after renal ischemia-reperfusion (RIR). METHODS: Forty male ICR mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group A: mice were treated with right nephrectomy. Group B: right kidney was resected and the left renal vessel was clamped for 45 minutes. Group C: mice were intraperitoneally injected with GSPB2 before RIR established. Group D: mice were intraperitoneally injected with GSPB2 plus brusatol before RIR established. Creatinine and urea nitrogen of mice were determined. Pathological and morphological changes of kidney were checked. Expressions of Nrf-2, HO-1, cleaved-caspase3 were detected by Western-blot. RESULTS: Compared to Group B, morphology and pathological damages of renal tissue were less serious in Group C. Western-blot showed that expressions of Nrf-2 and HO-1 in Group C were obviously higher than those in Group B. The expression of cleaved-caspase3 in Group C was significantly lower than that in Group B. CONCLUSION: GSPB2 preconditioning could attenuate renal oxidative stress injury and renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis by up-regulating expressions of Nrf-2 and HO-1 and down-regulating the expression of cleaved-caspase-3, but the protective effect could be reversed by brusatol.

Adipose-derived stem cells modified by BDNF gene rescue erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve injury.

Cavernous nerve injury is the main cause of erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy. The recovery of erectile function following radical prostatectomy remains challenging. Our previous studies found that injecting adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) into the cavernosa could repair the damaged cavernous nerves, but the erectile function of the treated rats could not be restored to a normal level. We evaluated the efficacy of ADSCs infected with a lentiviral vector encoding rat brain-derived neurotrophic factor (lenti-rBDNF) in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury. The rats were equally and randomly divided into four groups. In the control group, bilateral cavernous nerves were isolated but not injured. In the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group, bilateral cavernous nerves were isolated and injured with a hemostat clamp for 2 minutes. In the ADSCGFP and ADSCrBDNF groups, after injury with a hemostat clamp for 2 minutes, rats were injected with ADSCs infected with lenti-GFP (1 × 106 in 20 µL) and lenti-rBDNF (1 × 106 in 20 µL), respectively. Erectile function was assessed 4 weeks after injury by measuring intracavernosal pressures. Then, penile tissues were collected for histological detection and western blot assay. Results demonstrated that compared with the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group, erectile function was significantly recovered in the ADSCGFP and ADSCrBDNF groups, and to a greater degree in the ADSCrBDNF group. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase content in the dorsal nerves and the ratio of smooth muscle/collagen were significantly higher in the ADSCrBDNF and ADSCGFP groups than in the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression was obviously higher in the ADSCrBDNF group than in the ADSCGFP group. These findings confirm that intracavernous injection with ADSCs infected with lenti-rBDNF can effectively improve erectile dysfunction caused by cavernous nerve injury. This study was approved by the Medical Animal Care and Welfare Committee of Wuhan University, China (approval No. 2017-1638) on June 20, 2017.

Low DAPK1 expression correlates with poor prognosis and sunitinib resistance in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

We investigated the prognostic significance of Death-Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) and its role in sunitinib resistance in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). DAPK1 mRNA levels were significantly lower in tumor tissues than normal kidney tissues in TCGA-KIRC dataset (n=428). Both overall survival and disease-free survival were significantly shorter in ccRCC patients with low DAPK1 expression than those with high DAPK1 expression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that low DAPK1 expression correlated with poor prognosis in ccRCC patients. Multivariate analysis confirmed that DAPK1 expression was an independent prognostic indicator in ccRCC. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that low DAPK1 expression correlates with upregulation of pathways related to metastasis, drug resistance, hypoxia and invasiveness in ccRCC patients. Sunitinib-resistant ccRCC cells show significantly lower DAPK1 mRNA and protein levels than sunitinib-sensitive ccRCC cells. DAPK1 overexpression enhances apoptosis in sunitinib-resistant ccRCC cells via the ATF6-dependent ER stress pathway. Xenograft tumors derived from DAPK1-overxpressing ccRCC cells were significantly smaller than the controls in nude mice. Our finding demonstrates that low DAPK1 expression is an independent prognostic indicator that correlates with ccRCC progression and sunitinib resistance.

Neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells for cavernous nerve injury in rats.

Although the remaining nerve tissue can regenerate and partly restore erectile function when the cavernous nerve is compressed/severed and function lost, the limited regenerative ability of these nerve tissues often fails to meet clinical needs. Adipose-derived stem cells are easy to obtain and culture, and can differentiate into neural cells. Their proliferation rate is easy to control and they may be used to help restore injured cavernous nerve function. Sprague-Dawley male rats (n = 45) were equally randomized into three groups: fifteen rats as a sham-operated group, fifteen rats as a bilateral nerve crush (BINC) group (with no further intervention), fifteen rats as a BINC with intracavernous injection of one million neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells (NAS) (BINC + NAS) group. After 4 weeks, erectile function was assessed by stimulating the cavernous body. The number of myelinated axons in the dorsal cavernous nerve was determined by toluidine blue staining. The area of neuronal nitric oxide synthase-positive fibers in the dorsal penile nerve was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Masson staining was used to analyze the ratio of smooth muscle to collagen in penile tissue. The results demonstrate that maximal intracavernous pressure, the ratio of maximal intracavernous pressure to mean arterial pressure, the numbers of myelinated axons and neuronal nitric oxide synthase-positive fibers in the dorsal penile nerve, and the ratio of smooth muscle to collagen could be increased after cell transplantation. These findings indicate that neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells can effectively alleviate cavernous nerve injury and improve erectile function. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (approval No. 2017-1925) on September 15, 2017.

Effect of ozone oxidative preconditioning on inflammation and oxidative stress injury in rat model of renal transplantation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) on inflammation and oxidative stress injury in rat model of renal transplantation. METHODS: Thirty six male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups. Sham group: rats were treated with opening and closing abdomen. Kidney transplantation group (KT group): SD rat received the donor's left kidney derived from another SD rat. Ozone oxidative preconditioning and kidney transplantation (OOP+KT group): donor SD rats received OzoneOP treatments by transrectal insufflations before kidney transplantation. After transplantation, parameters of renal function of recipients were determined. Morphology and pathological changes of renal allograft were examined. Expression of NF-κBp65, HMGB-1 were also determined by Western-blot. RESULTS: Compared to KT group, the morphology and pathological damages of renal allograft were less serious in OOP+KT group. Meanwhile, levels of SOD and GSH-Px of renal allograft in OOP+KT group were higher than those in KT group respectively. Western-blot showed that the expressions of NF-κBp65 and HMGB-1 in OOP+KT group were obviously less than those in KT group. CONCLUSION: Ozone oxidative preconditioning could attenuate the inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress injury in renal allograft, which might be related with the enhancement of anti-oxidative system and suppression of inflammatory reaction.