Inhibitory Effect of PIK-24 on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Entry by Blocking Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase Signaling.

Phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling modulates many cellular processes, including cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Currently, it is known that the establishment of respiratory syncytial virus infection requires phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling. However, the regulatory pattern of phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling or its corresponding molecular mechanism during respiratory syncytial virus entry remains unclear. Here, the involvement of phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling in respiratory syncytial virus entry was studied. PIK-24, a novel compound designed with phosphoinositide-3 kinase as a target, had potent anti-respiratory syncytial virus activity both in vitro and in vivo PIK-24 significantly reduced viral entry into the host cell through blocking the late stage of the fusion process. In a mouse model, PIK-24 effectively reduced the viral load and alleviated inflammation in lung tissue. Subsequent studies on the antiviral mechanism of PIK-24 revealed that viral entry was accompanied by phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling activation, downstream RhoA and cofilin upregulation, and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. PIK-24 treatment significantly reversed all these effects. The disruption of actin cytoskeleton dynamics or the modulation of phosphoinositide-3 kinase activity by knockdown also affected viral entry efficacy. Altogether, it is reasonable to conclude that the antiviral activity of PIK-24 depends on the phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling and that the use of phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling to regulate actin cytoskeleton rearrangement plays a key role in respiratory syncytial virus entry.

Effect of high pressure homogenization treatment on the rheological properties of citrus peel fiber/corn oil emulsion.

BACKGROUND: Citrus fiber is a main component in the peel of citrus and contains natural dietary fiber. It is often used as a functional additive to improve the texture or nutritional property of food. It is also widely used to reduce the content of absorbable fat in sausages and other meat products, and to improve food stability as an emulsifier. In this research, the dynamic rheological properties (linear and non-linear) of citrus peel fiber/corn oil (CF/CO) emulsion system under high pressure homogenization (HPH) treatment was investigated. RESULT: Rheological results illustrated HPH treatment significantly increased the apparent viscosity of the emulsion, reduced the activation energy of the emulsion and distinctly improved the viscoelasticity of the emulsion. Meanwhile, HPH treatment increased the linear viscoelastic region of the sample, and the behavior of the emulsion converted from strain thinning (without HPH treatment) to weak strain overshoot (with HPH treatment). Lissajous curves indicated the viscosity of the sample increased first and then decreased with strain increasing and the third harmonic contributed much more to the first harmonic compared with the fifth harmonic. Chebyshev stress decomposition revealed that, as strain increased, the samples with HPH treatment showed internal-cycle strain hardening behavior first, then turned to internal-cycle softening behavior. CONCLUSION: HPH treatment can significantly improve the processing performance of CF/CO emulsion as well as the stability against large periodic oscillations in food processing. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Screening of reference genes based on real-time quantitative PCR analysis in Monochasma savatieri].

Monochasma savatieri belongs to Scrophulariaceae family. It is a facultative parasitic plant distributed in southern China that has been found in Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian provinces. Previous studies on this plant have focused on its chemical constituents and pharmacological effects. The research foundation of molecular biology and functional genomics is still very in-depth, and there is no report on the reference genes. In this study, 6 reference gene(UBQ, GAPDH, AP-2, ACT, TUB and CYP) from transcriptome database, were selected and analyzed in M. savatieri.The experiment mainly involve two variables, soil moisture content and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis(Rhizophagus irregularis). And the different combination of the factors result in a total of 6 treatments.Statistical tools, including GeNorm, NormFinder and Bestkeeper were utilized to assess the suitability of reference genes based on their stability rankings for different treatment. The result showed that the stability of 6 reference genes were significantly different. TUB and GAPDH were the most stable gene, while ACT was the most instable one. The results would provide reliable and optional available reference genes in gene expression analysis of M. savatieri, which has important application value.

Discovery and evaluation of novel nitrodihydroimidazooxazoles as promising anti-tuberculosis agents.

New analogues of antitubercular drug Delamanid were prepared, seeking drug candidates with enhanced aqueous solubility and high efficacy. The strategy involved replacement of phenoxy linker proximal to the 2-nitroimidazooxazole of Delamanid by piperidine fused 5 or 6-membered ring heterocycles (ring A). The new compounds were all more hydrophilic than Delamanid, and several class of analogues showed remarkable activities against M. bovis. And among these series, the tetrahydro-naphthyridine-linked nitroimidazoles displayed excellent antimycobacterial activity against both replicating (MABA) and nonreplicating (LORA) M. tb H37Rv and low cytotoxicity. Compared to Delamanid, these new compounds (6, 7, 45) demonstrated dramatically improved physicochemical properties and are suitable for further in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Determination of Arsenic Species in Ophiocordyceps sinensis from Major Habitats in China by HPLC-ICP-MS and the Edible Hazard Assessment.

This study sought to determine the concentration and distribution of arsenic (As) species in Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis), and to assess its edible hazard for long term consumption. The total arsenic concentrations, measured through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), ranged from 4.00 mg/kg to 5.25 mg/kg. As determined by HPLC-ICP-MS, the most concerning arsenic species­AsB, MMAV, DMAV, AsV, and AsШ­were either not detected (MMAV and DMAV) or were detected as minor As species (AsB: 1.4⁻2.9%; AsV: 1.3⁻3.2%, and AsШ: 4.1⁻6.0%). The major components were a cluster of unknown organic As (uAs) compounds with AsШ, which accounted for 91.7⁻94.0% of the As content. Based on the H2O2 test and the chromatography behavior, it can be inferred that, the uAs might not be toxic organic As. Estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and cancer risk (CR) caused by the total As content; the sum of inorganic As (iAs) and uAs, namely i+uAs; and iAs exposure from long term O. sinensis consumption were calculated and evaluated through equations from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the uncertainties were analyzed by Monte-Carlo Simulation (MCS). EDItotal As and EDIi+uAs are approximately ten times more than EDIiAs; HQtotalAs and HQi+uAs > 1 while HQiAs < 1; and CRtotal As and CRi+uAs > 1 × 10−4 while CRiAs < 1 × 10−4. Thus, if the uAs is non-toxic, there is no particular risk to local consumers and the carcinogenic risk is acceptable for consumption of O. sinensis because the concentration of toxic iAs is very low.

[The Influence of Transferrin Gene Polymorphism on Measuring Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin by Capillary Electrophoresis].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of isoforms of transferrin (Tf) on the detection of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) by capillary electrophoresis (CE). METHODS: A total of 51,17,and 65 serum samples were collected from the healthy participants,the patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases,and the patients with alcoholic liver diseases,respectively. Serum CDT was measured by CE. The genotype ofTf of the samples without a good separation was further analyzed using high resolution melting (HRM) methods. Those with suspected mutation were confirmed by sequencing. RESULTS: Six samples showed incomplete separation (2 from the healthy participants,3 from the patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases,1 from the patient with alcoholic liver diseases). Of the 133 serum samples,2.3% (3/133) were detected withTf-Dchi heterozygote. But noTf-D1 andTf-B2 heterozygote were identified. CONCLUSION: Tf-Dchi variant influences the measurement of carbohydrate deficientTf by CE,leading to unreliable results.

[Evolution of Dissolved Organic Matter Properties in a Constructed Wetland of Xiao River, Hebei].

The evolution of water DOC and COD, and the source, chemical structure, humification degree and redox of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a constructed wetland of Xiao River, Hebei, was investigated by 3D excitation--emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with ultraviolet spectroscopy and chemical reduction, in order to explore the geochemical processes and environmental effects of DOM. Although DOC contributes at least 60% to COD, its decrease in the constructed wetland is mainly caused by the more extensive degradation of elements N, H, S, and P than C in DOM, and 65% is contributed from the former. DOM is mainly consisted of microbial products based on proxies f470/520 and BIX, indicating that DOM in water is apparently affected by microbial degradation. The result based on PARAFAC model shows that DOM in the constructed wetland contains protein-like and humus-like components, and Fulvic- and humic-like components are relatively easier to degrade than protein-like components. Fulvic- and humic-like components undergo similar decomposition in the constructed wetland. A common source of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) exists; both CDOM and FDOM are mainly composed of a humus-like material and do not exhibit selective degradation in the constructed wetland. The proxies E2 /E3, A240-400, r(A, C) and HIX in water have no changes after flowing into the constructed wetland, implying that the humification degree of DOM in water is hardly affected by wet constructed wetland. However, the constructed wetland environment is not only beneficial in forming the reduced state of DOM, but also facilitates the reduction of ferric. It can also improve the capability of DOM to function as an electron shuttle. This result may be related to the condition that the aromatic carbon of DOM can be stabilized well in the constructed wetland.

[Readthrough on transcription factor NKX2.5 premature stop codon by tRNA suppressors].

Human NKX2.5 (NK2 homeobox 5) premature stop codon (PTC) mutations cause congenital heart diseases such as atrial septal defect and atrioventricular block. At present, eight NKX2.5 PTC mutations were reported as E109X, Q149X, Q170X, Q187X, Q198X, Y256X, Y259X and C264X. To observe the ability of tRNA suppressors to read through NKX2.5 PTC mutations and produce functional full-length proteins, eight NKX2.5 PTC mutations were cloned into pcDNA3.1(-) vectors and four fragments (wild-type NKX2.5, E109X, Q149X and C264X) were cloned in pEGFP-N1 vectors to acquire NKX2.5-EGFP fusing plasmids. After transfection of NKX2.5-EGFP with or without corresponding tRNA suppressor into HeLa cells, the quantity of EGFP was measured to confirm the readthrough ability of the PTCs. NKX2.5 full-length and truncated protein expression levels were examined by Western blotting and the readthrough efficiency of tRNA suppressors on the PTCs was calculated respectively. The activity of NKX2.5 full-length and truncated protein was confirmed on NKX2.5 target gene-Cx43 mRNA level measured by Real-time PCR. Three tRNA suppressors were used: tRNA am, tRNA oc and tRNA op. tRNA am could suppress UAG-containing PTCs Q149X, Q170X, Q187X, Q198X and the readthrough efficiency for the latter three was above 50%. tRNA op could suppress UGA-containing PTC C264X with ~50% readthrough efficiency. tRNA oc failed to read through NKX2.5 PTC mutations. The relative Cx43 mRNA level in all readthrough samples was increased to 7%-41.7%. In conclusion, tRNA am and tRNA op could suppress NKX2.5 PTCs and induce functional protein expression. However, the effects of tRNA suppressors on cellular function are not clear yet, warranting further researches.

Erratum: Author correction to 'Amino-functionalized poloxamer 407 with both mucoadhesive and thermosensitive properties: Preparation, characterization and application in vaginal drug delivery system' [Acta Pharm Sin B 7 (2017) 593-602].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2017.03.002.].

Correction: Ci et al. Enhanced Delivery of Imatinib into Vaginal Mucosa via a New Positively Charged Nanocrystal-Loaded in Situ Hydrogel Formulation for Treatment of Cervical Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2019, 11, 15.

In the original publication [...].

Derivation and validation of a prediction rule for estimating advanced colorectal neoplasm risk in average-risk Chinese.

No prediction rule is currently available for advanced colorectal neoplasms, defined as invasive cancer, an adenoma of 10 mm or more, a villous adenoma, or an adenoma with high-grade dysplasia, in average-risk Chinese. In this study between 2006 and 2008, a total of 7,541 average-risk Chinese persons aged 40 years or older who had complete colonoscopy were included. The derivation and validation cohorts consisted of 5,229 and 2,312 persons, respectively. A prediction rule was developed from a logistic regression model and then internally and externally validated. The prediction rule comprised 8 variables (age, sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, green vegetables, pickled food, fried food, and white meat), with scores ranging from 0 to 14. Among the participants with low-risk (≤3) or high-risk (>3) scores in the validation cohort, the risks of advanced neoplasms were 2.6% and 10.0% (P < 0.001), respectively. If colonoscopy was used only for persons with high risk, 80.3% of persons with advanced neoplasms would be detected while the number of colonoscopies would be reduced by 49.2%. The prediction rule had good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.70, 0.78) and calibration (P = 0.77) and, thus, provides accurate risk stratification for advanced neoplasms in average-risk Chinese.

Vitamin E ameliorates ox-LDL-induced foam cells formation through modulating the activities of oxidative stress-induced NF-κB pathway.

The role of antioxidant supplementation with vitamin E in the prevention of atherosclerosis has been a topic of considerable recent interest. The relevance of vitamin E for macrophage-derived foam cell formation, a hallmark of atherosclerosis, however, has not been unequivocally resolved. Here, we investigated the effect of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and vitamin E on lipid accumulation and total cholesterol content in U937 macrophages, reactive oxygen species generation and expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. The results showed that the mRNA expression and protein levels of P-selectin were evident in U937 macrophages treated with ox-LDL and vitamin E, which indicating that expression of P-selectin is important in macrophage-derived foam cell formation. Moreover, P-selectin changes in ox-LDL-induced foam cell formation can be mediated by vitamin E through activities of nuclear NF-κB activated by serine phosphorylation of NF-κB inhibitor α, suggesting that activation of NF-κB pathway by macrophages may occur. Taken together, these data suggested that vitamin E can prevent ox-LDL-induced foam cell macrophages formation through modulating the activities of oxidative stress-induced NF-κB pathway.

[Association of sex, age, renal function, metabolic index and types of diseases with serum cystatin-C in patients].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the determinants of serum cystatin-C (Cys C) in patients. METHODS: The medical records of 31235 patients admitted to West China hospital from September to October, 2009 and their first laboratorial test results were examined. Liner regression analyses were performed to determine the association of sex, age, renal function, and metabolic index serum Cys C. One-way ANOVA and LSD tests were performed to determine the association between different diseases and serum Cys C. RESULTS: The multiple linear regression equation was obtained: Cys C = 0.331 + 0. 686Crea + 0. 174Urea + 0.119Age + 0. 068Uric - 0. 057HDL-C -0.041Sex + 0.038eGFR -0.031LDL-C -0. 026Glu, with a correlation coefficient of 0. 859 and a coefficient of determination of 0. 738. The level of serum Cys C varied with different diseases, with urinary diseases showing the highest level followed by vascular and respiratory diseases. CONCLUSION: Serum Cys C is associated with renal function, but not with metabolic index. Cys C tends to rise in patients renal function injury.

Effect of low-frequency high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) on the physicochemical properties of chickpea protein.

The aim of this study was to improve the functional properties of chickpea protein for its potential application in the food industry. The effects of low frequency high intensity ultrasound (HIU) at different power (0-300 W) and time (15-30 min) on the rheological properties, gelation, thermal stability, solubility and microstructure of chickpea protein were tested and analyzed. Based on the analysis, it was found that HIU caused the disruption of non-covalent bonds between protein chains leading to the unfolding of chickpea. The HIU-treated chickpea isolate protein aggregates were smaller and more uniformly dispersed, with increased orderly structure, thermal stability, and exposure of hydrophobic and charged groups originally buried in the interior. The experimental results also showed that the effect of HIU did not become more pronounced with increasing power and time, as the power exceeding 150 W for 30 min led to the formation of new polymers by the interactions between the exposed non-covalent groups, which were more ordered and homogeneous than those without HIU.

Evaluation of the diagnostic utility of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in chronic alcoholism: Results from Southwest China.

ABSTRACT: Although recent gathered evidence indicates that obtaining the diagnostic value of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin might be more useful for identifying alcohol abuse than other widely available biochemical tests; however, its precise value as an indicator of chronic alcoholism is unclear. The main objective is to investigate the diagnostic significance of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in chronic alcoholism in the Chinese population.In this study, we enrolled (1) 52 physically healthy subjects, (2) 20 patients with nonalcoholic liver disease, and (3) 70 alcoholics. Patients with liver injuries and a history of liver surgery were excluded. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and mean corpuscular volume were determined by standard biochemical assays, and serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin was estimated in each group using capillary electrophoresis. Subsequently, the diagnostic value of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in chronic alcoholism was determined based on differences between each indicator among the three groups.The CDT level in the alcoholic group was significantly higher than that of the non-alcoholic liver disease and healthy control groups (P < .05). The area under the curve for alcoholism diagnosis was the highest for CDT, at 0.922, whereas those for gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and mean corpuscular volume were 0.860, 0.744, 0.615, and 0.754, respectively. When the cutoff value of CDT was set at 1.25%, the sensitivity and specificity were 85.5% and 89.6%, respectively. However, the correlation between CDT and daily alcohol consumption was weak (r = 0.175; P = .16).Compared with the other parameters evaluated, CDT was a better indicator of alcoholism. It should, therefore, be actively promoted in clinical practice. However, the correlation between CDT and daily alcohol consumption needs further evaluation.

[Changes of soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and enzyme activities in East Dongting Lake wetlands at different water levels]. / ä¸åŒæ°´ä½æ—¶æœŸä¸œæ´žåº­æ¹–æ¹¿åœ°åœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç”Ÿç‰©é‡ç¢³æ°®å’Œé ¶æ´»æ€§å˜åŒ–.

We analyzed soil quality based on soil microbial characteristics of three different vegetation types in the wetlands of East Dongting Lake, including Carex tristachya wetland (CTW), Phragmites australis wetland (PAW), and Salix babylonica wetland (SBW). The soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), nitrogen (MBN) and enzyme activities were measured and the key influen-cing factors were analyzed during the normal, flood, and dry periods. The results showed that: 1) The amounts of MBC, MBN, and the activities of invertase and cellulase (except cellulase of dry season) in 0-10 cm were higher than those in 10-20 cm for all wetlands, while the catalase activity showed an opposite pattern. 2) The amounts of MBC and MBN and the values of MBC/TOC and MBN/TN for the 0-20 cm soil layer of each vegetation type wetland were the lowest in flood period. 3) Soil invertase activity for each vegetation type wetland in the 0-20 cm soil layer peaked in the dry period, while soil cellulase activity peaked in the normal period. The seasonal fluctuation of soil catalase activities in all wetlands were small, with activities being slightly higher in flood period than the other two periods. 4) Among different vegetation types, soil invertase activity of PAW was significantly higher than that of other vegetation types, and cellulase activity of which was the lowest in both normal and flood periods. There was no difference in these two enzymes activities among wetlands during the dry period. The highest soil catalase activity was found in CTW during normal period and in SBW during dry period, respectively, while its lowest value was in PAW during flood period. 5) Soil MBC, MBN and invertase activity were correlated positively with soil TOC, TN and TP, and negatively correlated with soil pH. The activities of soil cellulase and catalase were significantly negatively correlated with TOC, TN, TP and positively correlated with pH. It suggested that the seasonal fluctuation of water level affected soil C, N, P contents and pH values, with consequences on soil MBC, MBN and enzyme activities.

Characterization of a Novel High Internal Phase Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Soy Protein Self-Assembled Gel Particles.

In this paper, a novel high-internal-phase Pickering emulsion (HIPPE) prepared by acid-induced self-assembly SPI gel (A/S-SPIG) was investigated. The steady-state shear test results showed that all HIPPEs were typical shear thinning emulsion, which could form stable emulsion (0.2-1.2% SPI concentration). The network structure of HIPPE stabilized by A/S-SPIG particles (0.2-1.2% SPI concentration) was continuously enhanced with increasing SPI concentration. The high concentration of SPI particles increased the crystallization temperature of the stabilized HIPPE. Meanwhile, at a concentration of 1.2%, HIPPE has the best cohesive property and stability against delamination due to weakened mobility. In conclusion, A/S-SPIG was proved excellent HIPPE stabilized particle.

[Source of variations of serum urea levels and consideration of reference interval in urban Chengdu].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the serum Urea levels in healthy adults living in urban Chengdu and to identify factors that influence the serum urea levels for the purpose of establishing reference interval. METHODS: Serum urea levels were determined in 17 787 healthy adults in urban Chengdu who underwent physical examinations. The characteristics of distribution of serum urea levels in the population and its relationships with liver function, renal function, serum glucose, and serum lipid were analyzed. RESULTS: Increased Crea, Uric, Glu, and HDL-C levels and decreased Glb level were associated with increased serum urea levels, which was independent of the impact of sex and age. The association between serum urea and Crea, Glu, and HDL-C existed in normal healthy adults. Men had higher urea levels than women. Regardless of gender, serum urea increased with age (with a cut off point at 30, 50, 60 and 70 years). CONCLUSION: Serum urea levels in healthy adults living in urban Chengdu vary in different gender and age groups. Serum urea levels are associated with serum Crea, Glu, the HDL-C levels. It is necessary to establish gender and age-specific reference intervals for serum urea.

[Characteristics of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity on different positions and their controlling factors of granite collapsing gullies]. / èŠ±å²—å²©å´©å²—ä¸åŒéƒ¨ä½åœŸå£¤é¥±å’Œå¯¼æ°´çŽ‡ç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ .

Collapsing gully is a common phenomenon of hydraulic-gravity combined soil erosion in granite hilly area of south China. The study aimed to explore the relationship between soil hydraulics pro-perties and erosion mechanism and the intrinsic controlling factors. The active, semi-stable, and stable types of granite collapsing gullies in southeastern Guangxi were selected to examine the spatial variation of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity and identify the influencing factors. Main results were as follows: 1) Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity of collapsing gullies fluctuated on different positions, with the bottom of collapsing wall showing the minimum value, the top of colluvial deposit showing the maximum, and followed by the top of alluvial fan. 2) All the models being selected to model the soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, including Cosby, Compbell, Julià, and Hypre, performed poor. 3) Results of correlation analysis showed that soil saturated hydraulic conductivity was negatively correlated with capillary porosity and clay content, and positively correlated with non-capillary porosity and sand content. 4) Results of path analysis showed that sand content was the most influencing factor in controlling soil saturated hydraulic conductivity of collapsing gullies, followed by non-capillary porosity and soil bulk density, where sand content and non-capillary porosity exerted a positive effect and bulk density exerted a negative one. Our findings will provide theoretical basis for the mechanistic understanding and prevention of collapsing gullies erosion.

Endogenous hydrogen sulfide and ERK1/2-STAT3 signaling pathway may participate in the association between homocysteine and hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Homocysteine (Hcy) is a risk factor for hypertension, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. METHODS: We first explored the relationship between Hcy levels and blood pressure (BP) by analyzing the clinical data of primary hypertensive patients admitted to our hospital. Secondly, we explored a rat model to study the effect of Hcy on blood pressure and the role of H2S. An hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) rat model was induced to explore the effect of Hcy on blood pressure and the possible mechanism. We carried out tissue histology, extraction and examination of RNA and protein. Finally, we conducted cell experiments to determine a likely mechanism through renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway. RESULTS: In primary hypertensive inpatients with HHcy, blood pressure was significantly higher as compared with inpatient counterparts lacking HHcy. In the rat model, blood pressure of the Wistar rats was significantly increased with increases in serum Hcy levels and decreased after folate treatment. Angiotensin converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) expression in the Wistar Hcy group was enhanced comparing to controls, but was decreased in the Wistar folate group. Angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) levels in the kidney tissue increased in the Wistar folate group. Both serum H2S and kidney cystathionine γ-lyase decreased with elevated levels of serum Hcy. In vitro, increased concentrations and treatment times for Hcy were associated with increased expression of collagen type 1 and AGTR1. This dose and time dependent response was also observed for p-STAT3 and p-ERK1/2 expression. CONCLUSION: Endogenous H2S might mediate the process of altered blood pressure in response to changes in serum Hcy levels, in a process that is partly dependent on activated RAAS and ERK1/2-STAT3 signaling pathway.