Sirt1 inhibits renal tubular cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition through YY1 deacetylation in diabetic nephropathy.

Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) is a deacetylase, which plays an important role in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Our previous study shows that Yin yang 1 (YY1), a widely expressed zinc finger DNA/RNA-binding transcription factor, is a novel regulator of renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy. Since the activity of YY1 is regulated via acetylation and deacetylation modification, this study aimed to explore whether Sirt1-induced deacetylation of YY1 mediated high glucose (HG)-induced renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and renal fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. We first confirmed that Sirt1 expression level was significantly decreased in the kidney of db/db mice and in HG-treated HK-2 cells. Diabetes-induced Sirt1 reduction enhanced the level of YY1 acetylation and renal tubular EMT. Then, we manipulated Sirt1 expression in vivo and in vitro by injecting resveratrol (50 mg·kg-1·d-1. ip) to db/db mice for 2 weeks or application of SRT1720 (2.5 µM) in HG-treated HK-2 cells, we found that activation of Sirt1 reversed the renal tubular EMT and YY1 acetylation induced by HG condition. On the contrary, Sirt1 was knocked down in db/m mice or EX527 (1 µM) was added in HK-2 cells, we found that inhibition of Sirt1 exacerbated renal fibrosis in diabetic mice and enhanced level of YY1 acetylation in HK-2 cells. Furthermore, knockdown of YY1 inhibited the ameliorating effect of resveratrol on renal tubular EMT and renal fibrosis in db/db mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Sirt1 plays an important role in renal tubular EMT of DN through mediating deacetylation of YY1.

[Effects of the Immobilization of Cadmium in Soil Alone or Combined with Foliar Application of Selenium on Cadmium Accumulation in the Plants of Different Genotypes of Tsai-tai].

To explore the safe utilization of technology in mildly and moderately cadmium (Cd)-contaminated farmland and realize the safe production of agricultural products, two different cadmium-accumulating genotypes of Tsai-tai were used as test crops, using the pot experiment method. The same six treatments were set on the soil where the two test crops were planted:control (CK), addition of 3% (mass fraction) biochar (BC), addition of 0.17% calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizers (CMP), foliar application of 3 mg·L-1 Na2SeO3 aqueous solution (Se), BC+Se, and CMP+Se, to study the changes in available cadmium in soil under different treatments and the characteristics of cadmium accumulation in different parts of the plant. The results showed that:① Under the same treatment, the content of available cadmium in soil near the root of the low-cadmium-accumulating genotype of Tsai-tai of Jinqiuhong Ⅲ was significantly lower than that of the high-cadmium-accumulating genotype of Shiyuehong. BC and CMP had a significant passivating effect on cadmium in the soil near the root of Jinqiuhong Ⅲ, and the passivating effect of BC was better than that of CMP; the effect of passivating treatment was significantly better than that of foliar application of selenium. ② The root system of Tsai-tai of Jinqiuhong Ⅲ had a stronger ability to accumulate cadmium than that of Shiyuehong, and the accumulated cadmium tended to be stored in the root. There were no synergistic effects between the foliar application of selenium and the two kinds of passivants on inhibiting the transfer and enrichment of cadmium to the edible parts of Tsai-tai. ③ Under the treatments of BC and CMP, the content of cadmium in the edible part of Tsai-tai of Jinqiuhong Ⅲ was lower than the limit value of cadmium in GB 2762-2017 (0.10 mg·kg-1). This study shows that for mildly and moderately cadmium-contaminated farmland, applying green passivants such as biochar, calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizers, and planting crops with weak absorption and low accumulation can achieve the safe use of the cadmium-contaminated farmland and safe production of agricultural products.

Influence of bacterial extracellular polymeric substances on the sorption of Zn on γ-alumina: A combination of FTIR and EXAFS studies.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) isolated from bacteria, are abound of functional groups which can react with metals and consequently influence the immobilization of metals. In this study, we combined with Zn K-edge Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) techniques to study the effects of EPS isolated from Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida on Zn sorption on γ-alumina. The results revealed that Zn sorption on aluminum oxide was pH-dependent and significantly influenced by bacterial EPS. At pH 7.5, Zn sorbed on γ-alumina was in the form of Zn-Al layered doubled hydroxide (LDH) precipitates, whereas at pH 5.5, Zn sorbed on γ-alumina was as a Zn-Al bidentate mononuclear surface complex. The amount of sorbed Zn at pH 7.5 was 1.3-3.7 times higher than that at pH 5.5. However, in the presence of 2 g L-1 EPS, regardless of pH conditions and EPS source, Zn + EPS + γ-alumina ternary complex was formed on the surface of γ-alumina, which resulted in decreased Zn sorption (reduced by 8.4-67.8%) at pH 7.5 and enhanced Zn sorption (increased by 10.0-124.7%) at pH 5.5. The FTIR and EXAFS spectra demonstrated that both the carboxyl and phosphoryl moieties of EPS were crucial in this process. These findings highlight EPS effects on Zn interacts with γ-alumina.

[Killing effect of garlic extract on Schistosoma japonicum cercariae and Oncomelania snails].

The killing effect of different concentrations of garlic extract solution on Schistosoma japonicum cercariae and Oncomelania snails was observed under dissecting microscope. Mice were infected by cercariae through the abdominal skin daubed by garlic solution or by deionized water as control. The results showed that the cercariae were killed in (77.33 +/- 25.01) s in average, it needed (73.00 +/- 1.73)- (299.67 +/- 18.96) s under the garlic solution concentrations of 50.00%-0.79% respectively, while the cercariae kept alive in 600 s in the control. The snails were killed in 1 d by 100% garlic solution but no death in the control in 2 d. No mouse daubed with different concentrations of garlic solution was found infected by schistosomes while 100% of the control mice got infected. It is concluded that the garlic shows satisfactory effect in killing cercariae and Oncomelania snails, and may prevent schistosome infection by daubing the skin.