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Objectives: Proper cardiac function is greatly dependent on adequate supply and metabolism of energy substrates. Environmental pollutants exposure including plasticizers can trigger adverse cardiac metabolic events. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative effect of rutin (Rt) on dysregulated cardiac energy metabolism in plasticizer-exposed rats. Materials and Methods: Forty-two rats were randomised into seven groups (n = 6): Control (0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide), bisphenol A (BPA, 25 mg/kg, p.o), dibutyl phthalate (DBP, 25 mg/kg, p.o), BPA + Rt 25 mg/kg, Rt 50 mg/kg, DBP + Rt (25 mg/kg, Rt 50 mg/kg), BPA + DBP and BPA + DBP + Rt, daily for 21 days. Results: BPA and DBP exposure increased plasma glucose, reduced insulin, and increased plasma and cardiac free fatty-acid. Cardiac glucose-6-phosphate level, hexokinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase activities increased in DBP while BPA reduced these variables. Cardiac glucose transporter-4 expression was reduced in BPA group, while cardiac peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR?) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression increased in BPA and DBP-treated rats. However, Rt administration prevents impaired cardiac bioenergetics and glucometabolic regulation. Conclusion: Summarily, Rt improves BPA and DBP-impaired cardiac bioenergetics through PPAR? and AMPK modulation.
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Due to its high incidence and mortality rate， acute myocardial infarction poses a serious threat to public health. Reperfusion therapy is the preferred treatment strategy for acute myocardial infarction， which can quickly restore blood circulation to the ischemic myocardium， rescue dying myocardial cells， reduce infarct size， and lower the mortality rate. However， reperfusion may lead to additional heart damage， known as myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury （MIRI）. Therefore， how to alleviate MIRI has become one of the urgent issues in cardiovascular therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has the advantage of multiple components， multiple pathways， and multiple targets in the treatment of MIRI， providing new ideas for reducing MIRI. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate （AMP）-activated protein kinase （AMPK） is closely related to MIRI， and it plays an important role in alleviating MIRI by regulating inflammation， oxidative stress， autophagy， apoptosis， and ferroptosis. This article reviewed the basic structure of the AMPK signaling pathway and its role in MIRI， as well as the research progress of TCM in the treatment of MIRI by regulating the AMPK pathway， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of MIRI.
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@#Osteoclasts are the only cells responsible for bone resorption in the body, and osteoblasts are the main cells responsible for bone regeneration in the body. Under physiological conditions, these cells maintain a dynamic balance to maintain bone homeostasis. It was widely believed that the imbalance of bone metabolism is mainly affected by the expression of related inflammatory factors. However, with the gradual expansion of related studies in recent years, autophagy has been shown to be closely related to the differentiation, apoptosis and functions of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important regulator of energy metabolism in vivo and is involved in the regulation of autophagy and bone homeostasis in bone metabolism-related cells. Periodontitis is a chronic infectious disease, and its typical symptoms are alveolar bone resorption. At present, controlling the level of periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone resorption more effectively in clinical practice remains a challenge. The detection of AMPK and autophagy levels in bone metabolism-related cells shows certain prospects for the clinical prevention and treatment of periodontitis in the future. Therefore, this article reviews the regulation of periodontal inflammation levels and bone homeostasis through cell autophagy related to AMPK-mediated bone metabolism.
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ObjectiveTo observe the effect of salvianolate on the protein expressions of adenosine monophosphate （AMP）-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， silent information regulator 1 （SIRT1） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）， autophagy and apoptosis in kidney tissue of rats with membranous nephropathy （MN）， and to explore its possible molecular mechanism against MN. MethodEighty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， benazepril hydrochloride group （10 mg·kg-1）， and salvianolate low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （16.7， 33.3 and 66.7 mg·kg-1）. The rats were modeled by injection of cationized bovine serum albumin （C-BSA） into the tail vein. After successful modeling， rats in the administration groups were given corresponding doses of drugs for 4 consecutive weeks， and then 24-hour urine， serum and kidney tissue were collected for the detection of 24-hour urinary protein （UTP）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， C reactive protein （CRP）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and malondialdehyde （MDA）. The pathological changes of kidneys were observed by light microscope， electron microscope and immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of phospho-AMPK （p-AMPK）， AMPK， phospho-SIRT1 （p-SIRT1）， SIRT1 and PGC-1α in rat kidney tissue. The protein expressions of autophagy-specific gene （Beclin-1）， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） Ⅱ， ubiquitin-binding protein （p62）， B cell lymphoma （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X （Bax）， and cysteine aspartic protease-7 （Caspase-7） in rat kidney tissue were determined by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. ResultCompared with the conditions in the normal group， the levels of UTP， IL-6， TNF-α， CRP and MDA in the model group were increased （P<0.05） while the levels of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased （P<0.05）， and there was no difference in BUN and SCr. Compared with the model group， the administration groups had lowered UTP， IL-6， TNF-α， CRP and MDA （P<0.05） while elevated SOD and GSH-Px （P<0.05）. It could be seen from hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， immunofluorescence and electron microscopy that the pathological damage of rat kidney tissue in the model group was significant， but after treatment with benazepril hydrochloride and salvianolate， the pathological damage of kidney cells was gradually improved. The expressions of p-AMPK/AMPK， p-SIRT1/SIRT1， PGC-1α， Bcl-2， Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ in rat kidney in the model group were lower than those in the normal group （P<0.05） while the expressions of Bax， Caspase-7 and p62 were higher （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， benazepril hydrochloride group and salvianolate groups had an up-regulation in the expressions of p-AMPK/AMPK， p-SIRT1/SIRT1， PGC-1α， Bcl-2， Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ in the kidney （P<0.05） while a down-regulation in the expressions of Bax， Caspase-7 and p62 （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe protective effect of salvianolate on the kidneys of MN rats may be related to the activation of AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway， the up-regulation of autophagy and the reduction of apoptosis.
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La isoforma AMPKß2 (proteína quinasa activada por AMP) favorece la homeostasis glucémica a través de un mecanismo independiente de insulina. Muchos "importagogos" de glucosa como SC4 actúan como activadores de AMPK, pero su consumo prolongado se asocia a efectos indeseables. Objetivo: en este trabajo se utilizó el acoplamiento molecular para analizar la posible interacción entre sapogeninas y AMPK. Métodos: se ha procedido a la preparación de los blancos proteicos, preparación de los ligandos y el acoplamiento molecular. Resultados: los resultados mostraron que ocho sapogeninas presentes en Chenopodium quinoa interactúan en el mismo sitio de unión que SC4 correspondiente al sitio ADaM de AMPK. Estas interacciones puntuaron valores de ΔG que oscilan entre -6,2 y -7,7 kcal/mol, siendo el ácido serjánico la sapogenina con el ΔG más bajo. La adición de grupos hidrofílicos como -OH y -COOH en la estructura química del ácido serjánico mejoró su afinidad de unión a la isoforma AMPKß2 abriendo la posibilidad de generar fármacos semi-sintéticos a partir de compuestos naturales con mayor actividad biológica y mejor especificidad.
The AMPKP2 (AMP-activated protein kinase) isoform promotes glycemic homeostasis through an insulin-independent mechanism. Many glucose "importers" such as SC4 act as AMPK activators, but their prolonged consumption is associated with undesirable effects. Objetive: in this work, molecular docking was used to analyze the possible interaction between sapogenins and AMPK. Methods: the preparation of the protein blanks, preparation of the ligands and molecular coupling have been carried out. Results: the results showed that eight sapogenins present in Chenopodium quinoa interact at the same binding site as SC4 corresponding to the ADaM site of AMPK. These interactions scored ΔG values ranging from -6.2 to -7.7 kcal/mol, with Serjanic acid being the sapogenin with the lowest ΔG. The addition of hydrophilic groups such as -OH and -COOH in the chemical structure of Serjanic acid improved its binding affinity to the AMPKß2 isoform opening the possibility of generating semi-synthetic drugs from natural compounds with higher biological activity and better specificity.
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is a chronic liver disease with complex and diverse pathogenesis， and there is no effective treatment or specific drugs for its clinical treatment. In recent years， its incidence has been on the rise， and it has become the earnest expectation of medical researchers in China and abroad that related patients could be treated. AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK） functions to regulate cellular energy homeostasis and mitochondrial homeostasis. When activated， it has a good intervention effect on NAFLD progression with lipid metabolism disorders and mitochondrial homeostasis disorders. For NAFLD， the activation of AMPK can inhibit the production of new lipogenesis in the liver， promote the oxidation of fatty acids in the liver， and enhance the mitochondrial function of adipose tissues. As a key target of metabolic diseases， AMPK can also improve apoptosis， liver fibrosis， autophagy， and inflammation. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is good at treating diseases from multiple targets and multiple pathways and is also commonly used in the treatment of chronic liver disease in clinical practice. A large number of in vitro and in vivo experimental studies on NAFLD have shown that TCM monomers have good prospects for the treatment of NAFLD through the AMPK signaling pathway， including glycosides， phenols， alkaloids， flavonoids， quinones， terpenoids， and lignans， which are natural activators of AMPK. This study reviewed the research progress on TCM monomers in regulating the AMPK pathway to prevent and treat NAFLD， providing a broader perspective for TCM treatment of NAFLD.
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OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effect mechanism of Xibining prescription （XBN） on knee osteoarthritis （KOA） model rats based on AMP-activated protein kinase（AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. METHODS Totally 36 rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， XBN group （12.56 g/kg）， XBN+metformin （AMPK agonist） group （12.56 g/kg XBN+100 mg/kg metformin）， with 9 rats in each group. Except for blank group， KOA model was induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection in other groups. After modeling， each group was given relevant medicine/normal saline， XBN and normal saline intragastrically， once a day， and metformin intraperitoneally， every other day， for 4 consecutive weeks. The pathomorphological changes of cartilage tissue in rats were observed and Mankin scoring was conducted. The expression level of Aggrecan in rat cartilage， mRNA and protein expressions of platelet reactive protein disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 （ADAMTS-4）， ADAMTS-5， matrix metalloproteinase 3 （MMP-3） and MMP- 13， and the phosphorylation level of AMPK and mTOR proteins were detected. RESULTS Compared with blank group， the structure of cartilage tissue in the model group was disordered， the matrix of cartilage layer was lightly stained，the tide line was distorted or interrupted， and Mankin score was significantly increased （P＜0.05）. The protein expression of Aggrecan in cartilage tissue and the phosphorylation level of AMPK protein were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； mRNA and protein expressions of ADAMTS-4， ADAMTS-5， MMP-3 and MMP-13 and the phosphorylation levels of mTOR protein were significantly increased in cartilage tissues （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the pathological morphology of cartilage was improved significantly in each administration group， and above score or indexes were reversed significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with XBN group， the degree of cartilage lesions in rats was further alleviated in XBN+ metformin group， and the levels of above score or indicators were further improved （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS XBN can ameliorate cartilage injury in KOA model rats， promote cartilage synthesis and reduce cartilage degradation， the mechanism of which may be associated with activating AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.
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Diabetic kidney disease （DKD） is one of the typical microvascular complications in patients with diabetes and a major cause of end-stage renal disease， with the pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. It may be associated with hemodynamic effects， genetic factors， kidney inflammatory injury， oxidative stress， autophagy dysregulation， metabolic disorders and so on. Because of its complex mechanism， there are no specific prevention and treatment measures in clinical practice. AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway is a classical pathway involved in the regulation of autophagy. This pathway can be activated for treating DKD. Recent studies have demonstrated that the active components in Chinese medicinal herbs play a role in the prevention and treatment of DKD by directly acting on targeted cells and autophagy targets， which has attracted extensive attention. Researchers have extensively studied the occurrence and development of DKD and the mechanism of drug intervention in DKD， and the results prove that AMPK/mTOR pathway plays a role in the development of this disease. The active components in Chinese medicinal herbs regulate the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to affect autophagy， alleviate oxidative stress， inflammation， and extracellular matrix aggregation， and promote the generation of autophagosomes， thus mitigating kidney injury. This paper mainly reviews the relationship between AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway， autophagy， and DKD and the mechanism of active components in Chinese medicinal herbs in mediating autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of DKD.
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Total flavonoids of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (TFDM) is an effective component extracted and isolated from the traditional Uighur medicinal herb Cymbidium fragrans. Cymbidium fragrans has the effects of tonifying the heart and brain, promoting blood circulation and resolving blood stasis, and has been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases for a long time. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of total flavonoids from Cymbidium fragrans on hypoxia/re-oxygenation (H/R) injury in H9c2 (rat cardiomyocytes) cells and its mechanism. A model (H/R) of hypoxia/re-oxygenation injury in H9c2 cells was established using hypoxia and glucose deprivation for 9 h combined with re-oxygenation and rehydration for 2 h to simulate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. The effects of total flavonoids from Cymbidium fragrans on cell viability, markers of myocardial cell damage, oxidative stress levels, and reactive oxygen radical (ROS) content were investigated, Western blot was used to detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway related proteins. The results showed that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium fragrans significantly increased the viability of myocardial cells after H/R injury, and decreased the content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase isozyme (CK-MB) in the cell supernatant. It significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, and decreased intracellular ROS and nitric oxide (NO) content. Western blot analysis showed that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium fragrans decreased Bax levels in H9c2 cells damaged by H/R and increased Bcl-2 expression. Total flavones of Cymbidium fragrans upregulate VEGF-B/AMPK pathway related proteins VEGF-B, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR-1), neuropilin 1 (NRP-1), peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein (p-AMPK) and phospho mechanistic target of rapamycin (p-MTOR) levels. The above research results indicate that the total flavonoids of Cymbidium can significantly reduce the H/R injury of myocardial cells, which may be related to the upregulation of VEGF-B/AMPK pathway and inhibition of oxidative stress response.
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Osteoporosis （OP）， a common systemic skeletal disease in the elderly， is characterised by bone loss and bone microstructural degeneration. Its clinical manifestations include increased bone fragility and bone pain. Furthermore， OP increases the risk of fracture due to the high bone fragility， which leads to lifelong disability or death， imposing a heavy economic and psychological burden on the patients and their families. The pathogenesis of OP is extremely complex and associated with a variety of factors such as proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts， impairment of osteoclast activity and function， and abnormalities in autophagy activation. Recent studies have found that mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaing pathway is involved in the regulation of bone homeostasis， which can promote bone formation and improve bone metabolism and bone microstructure by regulating osteoblast proliferation and differentiation and osteoclast function and activating cellular autophagy， thus playing a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of OP. The prevention and treatment of OP with Chinese medicine has a long history， clear efficacy， multiple targets of action， low adverse effects， and wide medicine sources. Therefore， this paper briefly describes the role of mTOR signaling pathway in the development of OP by reviewing the latest research reports and summarizes in detail the latest research results on the treatment of OP with Chinese medicine extracts and prescriptions via the mTOR signaling pathway. This review aims to provide a basis for the in-depth research on the relationship between mTOR signaling pathway and OP and the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of OP.
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Objective:To investigate the protective effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium (HucMSC-cm) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and relevant mechanism of action.Methods:Forty 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were selected and randomized (random number) into the sham group, LPS group, LPS + HucMSC-cm (LPS+cm) group, and LPS+HucMSC-cm+Compound C (LPS+cm+cc) group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice were intratracheally injected with LPS (5 mg/kg) to establish ALI model, and intratracheally injected with hucMSC-CM (50 μL) 4 h after LPS treatment. Mice in the LPS+cm+cc group were intraperitoneally treated with Compound C (15 mg/kg) prior to LPS treatment. Neutrophils in peripheral blood were counted with the automated hematology analyzer 72 h after LPS administration. After that, mice were sacrificed, and the lung tissue pathology was observed using hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining. Besides, the expressions of IL-6, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and P-AMP-activated protein kinase (P-AMPK) in the lung tissues were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemical assay. In vitro, human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HuLEC-5a) were cultured and divided into three groups: control group, LPS group (10 μg/ mL), and LPS + HucMSC-cm group. After 24 h of treatment, the expressions of p-AMPK and AMPK were detected by Western blot, and the expressions of IL-6 and IL-8 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Oneway analysis of variance was used to compare the mean values of normally distributed measurement data between groups. Comparisons between two groups were performed using the Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Results:Compared with the sham group, the LPS group showed lungs with congestion and swelling, thickened pulmonary septum, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Moreover, in the LPS group, the protein expressions of IL-6 ( P=0.003), ICAM-1 ( P<0.001) and VCAM-1 ( P=0.001) were increased significantly, while the expression of p-AMPK was decreased ( P=0.013), accompanied by an increase in the proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood ( P<0.001). Compared with the LPS group, the LPS+HucMSC-cm group demonstrated eased congestion, edema and pathological injury of lung tissue, reversed protein expressions of IL-6 ( P=0.003), ICAM-1 ( P=0.002), VCAM-1 ( P=0.006) and P-AMPK ( P=0.002), as well as decreased proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood ( P<0.005). Compared with the LPS+HucMSC-cm group, the LPS+cm+cc group exhibited more severe lung histopathological injury, significantly increased protein expressions of IL-6, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in lung tissues, as well as decreased expression of P-AMPK protein. The results of immunohistochemistry were consistent with those of protein. In vitro experiment, after LPS treatment, the mRNA expressions of IL-6 ( P<0.001) and IL-8 ( P=0.027) were increased and p-AMPK protein expression ( P=0.005) was decreased as compared with the control group. In comparison with the LPS group, the LPS+HucMSC-cm group showed decreased mRNA expression levels of IL-6 ( P=0.003) and IL-8 ( P=0.002), but increased protein level of p-AMPK ( P=0.003). Conclusions:HucMSC-cm has a protective effect against LPS-induced acute lung injury, which is mainly attributed to the inhibited expression of adhesion molecules and inflammatory factors under the activation of AMPK.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prominent form of dementia in the elderly, has no cure. Strategies focused on the reduction of amyloid beta or hyperphosphorylated Tau protein have largely failed in clinical trials. Novel therapeutic targets and strategies are urgently needed. Emerging data suggest that in response to environmental stress, mitochondria initiate an integrated stress response (ISR) shown to be beneficial for healthy aging and neuroprotection. Here, we review data that implicate mitochondrial electron transport complexes involved in oxidative phosphorylation as a hub for small molecule-targeted therapeutics that could induce beneficial mitochondrial ISR. Specifically, partial inhibition of mitochondrial complex I has been exploited as a novel strategy for multiple human conditions, including AD, with several small molecules being tested in clinical trials. We discuss current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in this counterintuitive approach. Since this strategy has also been shown to enhance health and life span, the development of safe and efficacious complex I inhibitors could promote healthy aging, delaying the onset of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling exert essential regulatory function in microbial-and onco-immunology through the induction of cytokines, primarily type I interferons. Recently, the aberrant and deranged signaling of the cGAS-STING axis is closely implicated in multiple sterile inflammatory diseases, including heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, aortic aneurysm and dissection, obesity, etc. This is because of the massive loads of damage-associated molecular patterns (mitochondrial DNA, DNA in extracellular vesicles) liberated from recurrent injury to metabolic cellular organelles and tissues, which are sensed by the pathway. Also, the cGAS-STING pathway crosstalk with essential intracellular homeostasis processes like apoptosis, autophagy, and regulate cellular metabolism. Targeting derailed STING signaling has become necessary for chronic inflammatory diseases. Meanwhile, excessive type I interferons signaling impact on cardiovascular and metabolic health remain entirely elusive. In this review, we summarize the intimate connection between the cGAS-STING pathway and cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. We also discuss some potential small molecule inhibitors for the pathway. This review provides insight to stimulate interest in and support future research into understanding this signaling axis in cardiovascular and metabolic tissues and diseases.
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Objective:To investigate the mechanism of resolvin D1 (RvD1) in alleviating brain injury after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through regulating autophagy pathway in pigs.Methods:Nineteen male domestic pigs, weighing 30-41 kg, were divided into 3 groups using a random number table method: sham group (S group, n=5), CPR group ( n=7), and RvD1 group ( n=7). In the S group, the animals only experienced general preparation. In the CPR and RvD1 groups, the pig CPR model was established by 8 min of cardiac arrest caused by electrically induced ventricular fibrillation, and followed by 5 min of CPR. At 5 min after resuscitation, a dose of 0.6 μg/kg of resolvin D1 was injected via femoral vein in the RvD1 group, and the same amount of vehicle was similarly administered in the other two groups. At 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after resuscitation, blood samples were collected from the femoral vein to measure serum concentrations of neuron specific enolase (NSE) and S100β protein by ELISA. At 24 h after resuscitation, neurological function was evaluated by neurological deficit score (NDS), and then the animals were euthanized to obtain cerebral cortex for measuring the expressions of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3 II) and p62 by Western blot. The variables were compared with One-way analysis of variance and then the Bonferroni test among the three groups. Results:During 24 h after resuscitation, the NDS was significantly increased accompanied with significantly greater concentrations of NSE and S100β in serum in the CPR and RvD1 groups compared to the S group (all P<0.05). However, the NDS was significantly decreased at 24 h after resuscitation [(182±34) vs.(124±18), P<0.05], and serum NSE and S100β were significantly reduced starting 3 h after resuscitation in the RvD1 group compared to the CPR group [NSE (ng/mL): (23.1±3.8) vs. (18.0±2.2) at 3 h, (27.3±2.9) vs. (19.8±1.4) at 6 h, and (28.1±1.3) vs. (15.1±2.1) at 24 h; S100B (pg/mL): (1 611±208) vs. (1 322±100) at 3 h, (1 825±197) vs. (1 410±102) at 6 h, and (1 613±138) vs. (1 183±139) at 24 h, all P<0.05]. The expression levels of p-AMPK and LC3 II were significantly increased while the expression levels of p-mTOR and p62 were significantly decreased at 24 h after resuscitation in the CPR and RvD1 groups compared to the S group (all P<0.05). However, the expression levels of p-AMPK and LC3 II were significantly lower and the expression levels of p-mTOR and p62 were significantly higher at 24 h after resuscitation in the RvD1 group compared to the CPR group [p-AMPK: (0.28±0.08) vs. (0.17±0.03); LC3 II: (0.33±0.09) vs. (0.21±0.04); p-mTOR: (0.13±0.02) vs. (0.16±0.02); p62: (0.16±0.05) vs. (0.22±0.02), all P<0.05]. Conclusions:The protective mechanism by which RvD1 alleviates brain injury after CPR in pigs might be related to the inhibition of neuronal autophagy mediated by AMPK/mTOR pathway.
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Preclinical studies have shown that metformin, an activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) , can inhibit the growth of lymphoma cells without affecting the function of normal lymphocytes, promote the apoptosis of lymphoma cells and improve the tumor immune environment. Clinical studies have shown that metformin can improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and prognosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) . Through the influence on glucose metabolism, it can improve blood glucose level and reduce the incidence of steroid diabetes. The main molecular mechanisms of metformin against NHL include activating AMPK in tumor cells, inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin signal, inhibiting key cholesterol synthesis, improving glucose metabolism, enhancing highly cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and so on. Current research shows that metformin may become a new strategy for the treatment of NHL.
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ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Qingzao Jiufeitang on the expression of adenosine 5′-monophosphate （AMP）-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， and UNC-51-like kinase 1 （ULK1） in lung cancer cells after the application of AMPK inhibitor （compound C）. MethodMale C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a model group， a cyclophosphamide （CTX） group （50 mg·kg-1）， a Qingzao Jiufeitang group （11 g·kg-1）， an AMPK inhibitor group （10 mg·kg-1）， and a Qingzao Jiufeitang combined with AMPK inhibitor group （combination group） （11 g·kg-1+10 mg·kg-1）. Lewis lung cancer cells were subcutaneously injected into the right axilla to induce a tumor-bearing model. 24 hours after modeling， the mice in the CTX group were intraperitoneally injected once every other day for seven times in total. The mice in the AMPK inhibitor group and the combination group received intraperitoneal injection of compound C， once a day for 14 days. The mice in the Qingzao Jiufeitang group and the combination group were administered orally at the set dose for 14 days before and after modeling. At the end of the experiment， the mice in each group were sacrificed. The tumor-bearing tissues were collected， and the tumor weight of each group was counted. Transmission electron microscopy （TEM） was used to observe the formation of autolysosomes in lung cancer tissues of each group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of AMPK， phosphorylated AMPK （p-AMPK）， mTOR， phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR）， ULK1， phosphorylated ULK1 （p-ULK1）， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B）， and p62. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung cancer in each group. ResultCompared with the model group， the Qingzao Jiufeitang group showed decreased tumor weight （P<0.01）， the formation of autolysosomes under the electron microscope， increased protein expression of p-AMPK， p-ULK1， LC3B， LC3B-Ⅱ， and p-AMPK/AMPK， p-ULK1/ULK1， and LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B-Ⅰratios （P<0.01， P<0.05）， and reduced protein expression of p-mTOR， p62， and p-mTOR/mTOR ratio （P<0.05）. Compared with the Qingzao Jiufeitang group， the combination group showed no autolysosomes formation under the electron microscope， decreased protein expression of p-AMPK， p-ULK1， LC3B， LC3B-Ⅱ， and p-AMPK/AMPK， p-ULK1/ULK1， LC3B-Ⅱ/LC3B-Ⅰ ratios （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and increased p62 protein expression （P<0.05）. HE staining results showed that the pathological changes of lung cancer tissues in the groups with drug intervention were improved compared with those in the model group. ConclusionQingzao Jiufeitang can promote the elevation of LC3B-Ⅱ and decrease the expression of p62 protein， thus inducing autophagy. The mechanism of autophagy initiation may be achieved by the AMPK/ULK1 pathway instead of the mediation by the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway.
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The occurrence, development and prognosis of sepsis are closely related to immune regulation.Immunometabolism has been the research hotspot of immune intervention in sepsis in recent years.AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)are star molecules involved in metabolic regulation.As an important way of immunometabolic regulation in sepsis, AMPK-mTOR is involved in the process of chemotaxis of neutrophils, the polarization of macrophages, the development and differentiation of natural killer cells and dendritic cells, and the development and functional regulation of T cells.This article reviewed the research progress of AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway on regulating metabolic reprogramming in immune cells, which contributes to immunoregulation in sepsis.
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Objective To investigate the effect of incremental load training on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in skeletal muscle satellite cells of aged mice. Methods Experimental mice were divided into 3 groups: young control group (YC group, n=12), old control group (OC group, n=12) and old training group (OT group, n=12). The mice in OT group received incremental load training, and CD45-/CD31-/Sca1-/VCAM (CD106) + cells were isolated by flow cytometry sorting. Desmin, Myod myogenic staining and myogenic differentiation culture were used for identification of muscle satellite cells, and the p-AMPK level of muscle satellite cells was detected by immunohistochemistry combined with Western blotting method. Results The expression levels of AMPK and p-AMPK in skeletal muscle satellite cells in YC group were significantly higher than those in OC group (P0.05), while p-AMPK expression level in OT group was significant higher than that in OC group (P<0.05). Conclusions Incremental load training can promote AMPK phosphorylation of skeletal muscle satellite cells in aged mice, and improve energy metabolism of skeletal muscle in aged mice.
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Background A prominent feature of endemic arsenic poisoning is severe liver damage. Studies have found that liver injury is closely related to oxidative stress, lysosomes, and autophagy. Objective Through establishing a liver injury model of rats by sodium arsenite (NaAsO2)administration in drinking water, this experiment is designed to explore the roles of oxidative stress, lysosomes, and AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Unc-51 like kinase 1 (ULK1) pathway in this model. Methods Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups with six rats in each group (half male and half female), including control group and 25, 50, 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups. A rat liver injury model was established by drinking water containing NaAsO2 freely for 24 weeks. Then liver of rats was dissected after sacrificed, and the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bile acid (TBA), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in liver tissues were detected by assay kits. The levels of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2), cathepsin B (CTSB), and acid phosphatase (ACP2) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA transcriptional expressions of AMPK, ULK1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and sequestosome 1 (p62) were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The protein expressions of p-AMPK, p-ULK1, LC3, and p62 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Following the NaAsO2 administration, significant differences were found in the levels of ALT, ALP, and TBA among the designed groups (F=12.09, 72.11, and 23.58, P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of ALT in the 50mg·L−1 and 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups were increased (P<0.05); the levels of ALP and TBA in the 25, 50, and 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups were increased (P<0.05); the level of LPO in the 100 mg·L−1 group was increased (P<0.05); the levels of CAT and T-AOC in the 25, 50, and 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups were decreased (P<0.05). According to the results of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, the levels of ACP2 in the 25, 50, and 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups, the level of CTSB in the 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 group, and the levels of LAMP2 in the 50 and 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups were decreased compared with the control group (P<0.05). Based on the results of RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, the mRNA transcriptional and protein expressions of AMPK, ULK1, and LC3 in some arsenic groups were elevated to varying degrees compared with the control group, and the increment in the 100 mg·L−1 NaAsO2 group was significant for all the indicators (P<0.05); the mRNA transcriptional expressions of p62 in the three arsenic groups and the protein expressions of p62 in the 50 and 100mg·L−1 NaAsO2 groups also increased compared with the control group (P<0.05). Besides, the results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation of T-AOC with LAMP2, CTSB, and ACP2 (r=0.651, 0.673, 0.626; P<0.05), a negative correlation of LPO with CTSB and ACP2 (r=−0468, −0.482; P<0.05), a negative correlation of p62 with LAMP2, CTSB, and ACP2 (r=−0.57, −0.626, −0.591; P<0.05), and a positive correlation of p62 with ALT, ALP, and TBA (r=0.709, 0.897, and 0.857, P<0.05). Conclusion Long-term arsenic exposure may induce oxidative stress, damage lysosomes, and activate the AMPK/ULK1 pathway, which can lead to the blockage of autophagy process, and eventually result in liver damage.
ABSTRACT
A major mitochondrial enzyme for protecting cells from acetaldehyde toxicity is aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). The correlation between ALDH2 dysfunction and tumorigenesis/growth/metastasis has been widely reported. Either low or high ALDH2 expression contributes to tumor progression and varies among different tumor types. Furthermore, the ALDH2∗2 polymorphism (rs671) is the most common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Asia. Epidemiological studies associate ALDH2∗2 with tumorigenesis and progression. This study summarizes the essential functions and potential ALDH2 mechanisms in the occurrence, progression, and treatment of tumors in various types of cancer. Our study indicates that ALDH2 is a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy.