Identification and investigation of protein-related molecules in patients with hyperlipidemia using label-free combined with bioinformatics analysis.

This study aimed to identify proteins associated with high-fat diet patients and investigate their relationship with this dietary pattern. Five hyperlipidemia female patients and five normal individuals were included as the experiment and control groups, respectively. Blood samples were collected from both groups, and bioinformatics tools were employed for gene ontology annotation, KEGG pathway annotation, GO enrichment analysis, pathway enrichment analysis, and protein clustering to pinpoint genes, proteins, and pathways relevant to high-fat diet patients. Mass spectrometry analysis was subsequently used to confirm these proteins. The results indicated that bioinformatics analysis identified several proteins (P09871, P01019, P48740, P02654, P02649) potentially involved in the high-fat diet process by regulating downstream pathways. Label-free analysis revealed 3915 peptides in both groups, with 16 protein expression levels up-regulated in the experiment group, 13 of which showed significant differences. In contrast, 12 protein expression levels were down-regulated in the experiment group, with two showing significant differences. Notably, the proteins highlighted by bioinformatics analysis aligned with those identified through mass spectrometry. In conclusion, label-free analysis combined with bioinformatics can effectively identify proteins linked to high-fat diet patients. This research provides a fresh perspective on addressing high-fat diet-related issues using this approach.

Knockdown of prohibitin expression promotes glucose metabolism in eutopic endometrial stromal cells from women with endometriosis.

In this in-vitro study, the effect of prohibitin (PHB) on glucose metabolism in eutopic endometrial stromal cells from women with endometriosis was investigated. Endometrial stromal cells were isolated from endometrium in women with endometriosis, in women without endometriosis, or from endometrioma tissues. Glucose metabolic phenotype of stromal cells were examined in vitro. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the mRNA expression of glycolysis-related genes. Glucose consumption and lactate production were examined after knockdown of PHB expression in women with endometriosis with siRNA. In endometrioma tissue, significantly increased glucose consumption, lactate production and aberrant expression of glycolysis-related enzymes were found in women with endometriosis compared with women who do not have endometriosis (P < 0.05 versus P < 0.001). In women with endometriosis, PHB mRNA and protein were under-expressed in endometrioma tissue; in women without endometriosis, PHB mRNA and protein were over-expressed. Knockdown of PHB expression in women with endometriosis increased glucose consumption, although it had no effect on lactate production. This study suggests that aberrant expression of glycolysis-related enzymes in endometrioma tissue is associated with enhanced glycolytic metabolism. The malignant-like feature may be partially caused by low-expression of PHB gene in endometriotic stromal cells.

IGF2BP2 promotes the progression of ovarian endometriosis by regulating m6A-modified MEIS2 and GATA6.

BACKGROUND: m6A-RNA modification mediated by the N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation-related molecule methyltransferase-like 3 has been implicated in the progression of endometriosis. However, the functions of other m6A regulators, especially in ovarian endometriosis, remain unknown. METHODS: Three datasets (GSE7305, GSE7307, and GSE37837) with diagnosed ovarian endometriosis were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Using bioinformatics methods such as Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, protein-protein interaction, and correlation, hub genes were identified. Using dot blot and N6-methyladenosine-IP-qPCR, the total and individual N6-methyladenosine gene levels were quantified. On clinical ovarian ectopic and eutopic endometrium tissues, N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation sequencing was performed. To authenticate protein localization and expression level, immunohistochemical staining and western blot were conducted, respectively. The database Connectivity Map was used to predict small molecules with potential therapeutic effects. RESULTS: In ovarian endometriosis, the N6-methyladenosine "reader" molecule IGF2BP2 and related target genes MEIS2 and GATA6 were highly expressed. IGF2BP2 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ectopic endometrial stromal cells by stabilizing the mRNA of MEIS2 and GATA6. Synergistically, METTL3 and IGF2BP2 increased the N6-methyladenosine methylation of MEIS2 and GATA6. We developed five molecules (Mercaptopurine, MK-886, CP-863187, Canadine, and Securinine) that could be used to treat ovarian endometriosis based on IGF2BP2. CONCLUSION: Our findings provided additional support for a systematized understanding of the role of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in endometriosis and confirmed for the first time the mechanism of IGF2BP2 in promoting ovarian endometriosis. This provides the molecular foundation for potential future therapies for ovarian endometriosis. DATA AVAILABILITY: The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Adenosine as an endogenous regulating factor of hippocampal sharp waves.

The rodent hippocampus exhibits population activities called sharp waves (SPWs) during slow wave sleep and wake immobility. SPWs are important for hippocampal-cortical communication and memory consolidation, and abnormal sharp wave-ripple complexes are closely related to epileptic seizures. Although the SPWs are known to arise from the CA3 circuit, the local mechanisms underlying their generation are not fully understood. We hypothesize that endogenous adenosine is a local regulator of hippocampal SPWs. We tested this hypothesis in thick mouse hippocampal slices that encompass a relatively large hippocampal circuit and have a high propensity of generating spontaneous in vitro SPWs. We found that application of adenosine A1 receptor antagonists induced in vitro SPWs and that such induction was sensitive to blockade by NMDA receptor antagonists. By contrast, an increase in endogenous adenosine via pharmacological inhibition of adenosine transporters or adenosine degrading enzymes suppressed spontaneous in vitro SPWs. We thus suggest that the initiation and incidence of sharp wave-like population events are under tight control by the activity of endogenously stimulated A1 receptors.

Progesterone rise on hCG day is negatively correlated with IVF-ET outcomes in natural cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of progesterone rise on hCG day on the laboratory and clinical outcomes in natural cycles and to explore the possible factors related to the occurrence of progesterone elevation. PATIENTS AND STUDY METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed in 1157 infertile women with decreased ovarian reserve. Eligible infertile women undergoing IVF in natural cycles were assigned to four groups according to serum progesterone levels on the day of hCG administration: group 1, P<2nmol/L; group 2, 2

Smad3/4 Binding to Promoter II of P450arom So As to Regulate Aromatase Expression in Endometriosis.

Activin A can stimulate aromatase P450 (P450arom) expression in eutopic endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) of endometriosis by activin type I receptor-Smad pathway. In order to identify Smad3/4 binding to P450arom promoter II that mediates activin A response in ESCs, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of a serial truncated deletion of the P450arom promoter II region between -904 and +87 bp were inserted into the pGL3-basic vector to generate the promoter reporter plasmids. Luciferase reporter plasmids were cotransfected into cells with or without activin A (25 ng/mL). The pGL3 -705/+87 revealed a luciferase activity similar to pGL3 -904/+87, whereas progressive truncation to position -464/+87 and -192/+87, the luciferase activity was significant variation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Smad4-small interfering RNA (siRNA) testify that Smad3/4 binds to the activin A-responsive aromatase promoter in ESCs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay-PCR assay demonstrated anti-Smad3 antibody complexes could interact with the amplified DNA of the activin A-responsive P450arom promoter. Mutations of the binding site (-141/-138 bp, -165/-162 bp) in P450arom promoter II significantly reduced promoter activity of activin A fold-induction to 26% and 28%, respectively. We cotransfected pGL3 -705/+87 with control siRNA and Smad4-siRNA into ESCs in the presence of activin A. Luciferase analysis showed that Smad4-siRNA abolished increased promoter activity of activin A-induced P450arom expression. The effect of activin A on the p-Smad3 accumulation in the cytoplasm and nucleus was significantly abrogated following the pretreatment of ESCs with Smad4-siRNA. In conclusion, activated Smad3 proteins can bind to P450arom promoter -705/+87 bp region, responsive to activin A in ESCs, which can promote P450arom transcription.