A Comprehensive Study of the Association between LEPR Gene rs1137101 Variant and Risk of Digestive System Cancers.

Objective: The leptin receptor, encoded by the LEPR gene, is involved in tumorigenesis. A potential functional variant of LEPR, rs1137101 (Gln223Arg), has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system (DS) cancers, but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive. Here, we performed a case-control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk. Methods: A total of 1,727 patients with cancer (gastric/liver/colorectal: 460/480/787) and 800 healthy controls were recruited. Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results: After Bonferroni correction, the case-control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population. The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS, gastric, and liver cancer in the Chinese population. Conclusion: The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers (especially liver and gastric cancer) in the Chinese population.

Active components from Lagotis brachystachya maintain uric acid homeostasis by inhibiting renal TLR4-NLRP3 signaling in hyperuricemic mice.

Lagotis brachystachya Maxim is a herb widely used in traditional Tibetan medicine. Our previous study indicated that total extracts from Lagotis brachystachya could lower uric acid levels. This study aimed to further elucidate the active components (luteolin, luteoloside and apigenin) isolated from Lagotis brachystachya and the underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that treatment with luteolin and luteoloside reversed the reduction of organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) levels, while apigenin attenuated the elevation of urate transporter 1 (URAT1) and glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) levels in uric acid-treated HK-2 cells, which was consistent with the finding in the kidneys of potassium oxonate (PO)-induced mice. On the other hand, hepatic xanthine oxidase activity was inhibited by the components. In addition, all of these active components improved the morphology of the kidney in hyperuricemic mice. Moreover, molecular docking showed that luteolin, luteoloside and apigenin could bind Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3). Congruently, western blot analysis showed that the components inhibited TLR4/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/NLRP3 signaling. In conclusion, these results indicated that luteolin, luteoloside and apigenin could attenuate hyperuricemia by decreasing the production and increasing the excretion of uric acid, which were mediated by inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways.

Hippocampal BDNF signaling is required for the antidepressant effects of perillaldehyde.

BACKGROUND: Perillaldehyde is one of the main components in perilla. Previous studies have shown that perillaldehyde exerted an antidepressant effect in mice, some of which is mediated through regulation of the anti-inflammatory system and the monoamine system. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the possible effects of perillaldehyde on the neurotrophic system and to elucidate whether its antidepressant effect requires brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling. METHODS: Mice were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and orally administrated with perillaldehyde for 4 weeks for behavioral testing. RESULTS: Perillaldehyde not only reversed the decrease in sucrose preference but also attenuated the increase in feeding latency. In addition, perillaldehyde can attenuate the reduction of CUMS-induced hippocampal BDNF levels. Our further study found that the BDNF receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) antagonist K252a completely blocked the antidepressant effect of perillaldehyde in mice. Biochemical analysis showed that K252a pretreatment completely prevented the improvement of BDNF, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and synaptic protein. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that activation of BDNF-ERK signaling in the hippocampus was required, at least in part for the antidepressant effects of perillaldehyde.

Gallic acid activates hippocampal BDNF-Akt-mTOR signaling in chronic mild stress.

Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound. Previous study has shown that gallic acid possessed significant antidepressant-like activity in mice, which was partly mediated by increasing serotonin and catecholamine levels. The main aim of the present study is to investigate the possible effects of gallic acid on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling activation. Mice were exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) and orally administrated with gallic acid for four weeks. The behavioral results showed that gallic acid not only reversed the decreased sucrose preference, but also attenuated the increased immobility time. In addition, gallic acid promoted both the BDNF and p-TrkB levels in the hippocampus induced by CMS. Moreover, the results also demonstrated that the inactivated Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, as well as its downstream effectors induced by CMS was activated again by gallic acid. Last, immunofluorescence detection indicated that gallic acid reversed the newborn neurons inhibition in the dentate gyrus by CMS. In conclusion, these results show that the activation of the hippocampal BDNF-Akt-mTOR signaling is involved in the antidepressant-like effects of gallic acid.