Panax notoginseng saponins promote liver regeneration through activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cell proliferation pathway and upregulation of the AKT/Bad cell survival pathway in mice.

BACKGROUD: The regenerative capacity of the liver is crucial for the host to survive after serious hepatic injuries, tumor resection, or living donor liver transplantation. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) have been reported to exert protective effects during organ injuries. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of PNS on liver regeneration(LR) and on injuries induced by partial hepatectomy (PH). METHODS: We performed 70% partial PH on C57BL/6 J mice treated with or without PNS. LR was estimated by liver weight/body weight, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and cell proliferation, and the related cellular signals were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Different concentrations of PNS promoted hepatocyte proliferation in vitro. Mice in the PNS group showed higher liver/body weight ratios at 2 d and 7 d (P < 0.05) after PH and lower levels of serum ALT and AST (P < 0.05) compared to those of mice in the normal control (NC) group. Histological analysis showed that the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) at 2 d and 7 d after PH was significantly higher in the PNS group than in the NC group (P < 0.05). Mechanistically, the AKT/mTOR cell proliferation pathway and AKT/Bad cell survival pathway were activated by PNS, which accelerated hepatocyte proliferation and inhibited apoptosis (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PNS promoted liver regeneration through activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and upregulated the AKT/Bad cell pathways in mice.

Low ketolytic enzyme levels in tumors predict ketogenic diet responses in cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, very-low-carbohydrate diet that triggers a fasting state by decreasing glucose and increasing ketone bodies, such as ß-hydroxybutyrate (ßHB). In experimental models and clinical trials, the KD has shown anti-tumor effects, possibly by reducing energy supplies to cells, which damage the tumor microenvironment and inhibit tumor growth. Here, we determined expression levels of genes encoding the ketolytic enzymes 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 (BDH1) and succinyl-CoA: 3-oxoacid CoA transferase 1 (OXCT1) in 33 human cancer cell lines. We then selected two representative lines, HeLa and PANC-1, for in vivo examination of KD sensitivity in tumors with high or low expression, respectively, of these two enzymes. In mice with HeLa xenografts, the KD increased tumor growth and mouse survival decreased, possibly because these tumors actively consumed ketone bodies as an energy source. Conversely, the KD significantly inhibited growth of PANC-1 xenograft tumors. ßHB added to each cell culture significantly increased proliferation of HeLa cells, but not PANCI-1 cells. Downregulation of both BDH1 and OXCT1 rendered HeLa cells sensitive to the KD in vitro and in vivo. Tumors with low ketolytic enzyme expression may be unable to metabolize ketone bodies, thus predicting a better response to KD therapy.

The noncoding RNA HOXD-AS1 is a critical regulator of the metastasis and apoptosis phenotype in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Despite accumulating evidence that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with cancer development in multiple types of cancer, the biological roles of many lncRNAs in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis have not been well characterized. METHODS: A lncRNA+ mRNA human gene expression microarray analysis was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in metastatic HCC tissues compared to non-metastatic tissue. RESULTS: We observed remarkable overexpression of HOXD-AS1 in metastatic cancer tissues. In vitro and in vivo gain- or loss-of-function studies re-affirmed that HOXD-AS1 is able to facilitate cancer metastasis and inhibit apoptosis. Moreover, we identified that HOXD-AS1 upregulated the Rho GTPase activating protein 11A (ARHGAP11A) by competitively binding to microRNA-19a (miR19a), resulting in induced metastasis. Interestingly, the regulator of G-protein signaling 3 (RGS3), a potential inhibitor of the MEK-ERK1/2 signaling axis, was also found to be downregulated by ectopic HOXD-AS1 overexpression, leading to a remarkably reduced apoptotic effect. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation strongly indicates that HOXD-AS1 is an oncogenic lncRNA that promotes HCC metastasis and that its pro-metastatic phenotype can partially be attributed to the HOXD-AS1/miR19a/ARHGAP11A signaling axis.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 ameliorates liver ischemia/reperfusion injury via an energy-dependent mitochondrial mechanism.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The mechanisms of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3)-mediated cytoprotection during liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) remain controversial, particularly in older organs. This study explores the role and potential mechanisms of GSK-3 in young and aging livers. METHODS: A rodent partial warm I/R model was used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of GSK-3 modulation during hepatic I/R in young and aging Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS: GSK-3 inhibition through IPC or SB216763 (SB21) preconditioning protected young rats from I/R-induced liver injury. This protection was absent in old animals but could be restored by glucose infusion prior to the I/R insult. The protection conferred by GSK-3 inhibition depended on mitochondrial metabolism regulation. Indeed, the inhibition of GSK-3 suppressed mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, triggering mitohormesis in young animals, whereas insufficient fuel suppressed mitochondrial metabolism and inactivated the GSK-3-related protection in old animals. SB21 and glucose reactivated the mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase and subsequent protective cascades in the senescent liver. These effects were antagonized by an ATPase inhibitor and by an MPTP opener. CONCLUSIONS: The protection conferred by GSK-3 inhibition during hepatic I/R insult is energy dependent, particularly in senescent livers. These findings demonstrate a key role for GSK-3-related mitochondrial energy homeostasis, which may shed new light on the clinical use of GSK-3 inhibitors to protect liver function in surgical settings, particularly for older patients.

Underexpressed CNDP2 participates in gastric cancer growth inhibition through activating the MAPK signaling pathway.

Increasing evidence suggests that cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase 2 (CNDP2) appears to do more than just perform an enzymatic activity; it is functionally important in cancers as well. Here, we show that the expression of CNDP2 is commonly down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues. The ectopic expression of CNDP2 resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and suppressed gastric tumor growth in nude mice. We further revealed that the reintroduction of CNDP2 transcriptionally upregulated p38 and activated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), whereas the loss of CNDP2 increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK). These results suggest that CNDP2 acts as a functional tumor suppressor in gastric cancer via activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.

MicroRNA-127 post-transcriptionally downregulates Sept7 and suppresses cell growth in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers worldwide. It has been suggested that microRNAs, a class of small regulatory RNAs, are associated with tumorigenesis by targeting the mRNAs of hundreds of genes that modulate a variety of biological processes, including cellular differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism, and proliferation. METHODS/RESULTS: we analyzed the expression levels of mir-127 in 33 HCC and non-cancerous tissues using qRT-PCR. MiR-127 is downregulated in 69.7% of HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, but its expression level is not correlated with the TNM stage, AFP level, or age. In vitro, miR-127 can arrest Huh7 at the G2/M phase and inhibit Huh7 cell proliferation. In an in vivo xenograft model, the overexpression of miR-127 can inhibit Huh7 cell tumorigenicity. The luciferase reporter and western blot results confirm that miR-127 downregulates Sept7 expression by targeting its 3'UTR. Furthermore, the knockdown of Sept7 has the same effect on cell proliferation as the overexpression of miR-127 in Huh7 cells. CONCLUSION: miR-127 plays a tumor-suppressor role and can serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for HCC.

KIN enhances stem cell-like properties to promote chemoresistance in colorectal carcinoma.

Chemotherapy is widely used in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, especially in advanced stage patients. However, it is inevitable to develop chemoresistance. Recently, cancer cells acquired stem cell-like properties or cancer stem cells (CSC) were proved to attribute to chemoresistance. Here, we found that KIN protein was elevated in CRC cell lines and tissue specimens as compared to normal controls. Upregulation of KIN positively correlates with the metastatic status of CRC patients. Patients with high KIN expression showed poor prognosis and were with a short survival time. Overexpression of KIN enhanced, while silencing KIN impaired, chemoresistance to oxaliplatin (Ox) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in CRC cell lines. Further investigation demonstrated that overexpression of KIN rendered CRC cells enriching CSC markers and CSC phenotype, and silencing KIN reduced CSC markers and CSC phenotype. Our findings suggest that the KIN level may be a suitable marker for predicting chemotherapy response in CRC, and silencing KIN plus chemotherapy may be a novel therapy for CRC treatment.

Up-regulation of CNDP2 facilitates the proliferation of colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cytosolic nonspecific dipetidase (CN2) belongs to the family of M20 metallopeptidases. It was stated in previous articles that higher expression levels of CN2 were observed in renal cell carcinoma and breast cancer. Our study explored the correlation between CN2 and colon carcinogenesis. METHODS: We analysed the relationship between 183 patients clinicopathological characteristics and its CN2 expression. To detect the levels of CN2 in colon cancer cell lines and colon cancer tissues by western blot. To verify cell proliferation in colon cancer cells with knockdown of CNDP2 and explore the causes of these phenomena. RESULTS: The expression levels of CN2 in clinical colon tumors and colon cancer cell lines were significantly higher than that in normal colon mucosa and colon cell lines. The difference in CN2 levels was associated with tumor location (right- and left-sided colon cancer), but there was no significant association with age, gender, tumor size, tumor grade, tumor stage or serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Knockdown of CNDP2 inhibited cell proliferation, blocked cell cycle progression and retarded carcinogenesis in an animal model. The signaling pathway through which knockdown of CNDP2 inhibited cell proliferation and tumorigenesis involved in EGFR, cyclin B1 and cyclin E. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of CNDP2 can inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer in vitro and retarded carcinogenesis in vivo.

P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop regulates the termination of liver regeneration.

BACKGROUND: The capacity of the liver to restore its architecture and function assures good prognoses of patients who suffer serious hepatic injury, cancer resection, or living donor liver transplantation. Only a few studies have shed light on the mechanisms involved in the termination stage of LR. Here, we attempt to further verify the role of the p53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop in the termination of liver regeneration and its possible relationship with liver cancer. METHOD: We performed partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice transfected with adenovirus (Ade) overexpressing P53 and adenovirus-associated virus (AAV) overexpressing miR-34a. LR was analyzed by liver weight/body weight, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and cell proliferation, and the related cellular signals were investigated. Bile acid (BA) levels during LR were analyzed by metabolomics of bile acids. RESULTS: We found that the P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop was activated in the late phase of LR. Overexpression of P53 or miR-34a terminated LR early and enhanced P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop expression and its proapoptotic effect. T-ß-MCA increased gradually during LR and peaked at 7 days after PH. T-ß-MCA inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis via facilitating the P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop during LR by suppressing FXR/SHP. The P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop was abolished in HCC patients with P53 mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The P53/miR-34a/SIRT1 positive feedback loop plays an important role in the termination of LR. Our findings showed the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of LR termination and provide a potential therapeutic alternative for treating P53-wild-type HCC patients.

SD118-xanthocillin X (1), a novel marine agent extracted from Penicillium commune, induces autophagy through the inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway.

A compound named SD118-xanthocillin X (1) (C(18)H(12)N(2)O(2)), isolated from Penicillium commune in a deep-sea sediment sample, has been shown to inhibit the growth of several cancer cell lines in vitro. In the present study, we employed a growth inhibition assay and apoptotic analysis to identify the biological effect and detailed mechanism of SD118-xanthocillin X (1) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. SD118-xanthocillin X (1) demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of HepG2 cells and caused slight cellular apoptosis and significantly induced autophagy. Autophagy was detected as early as 12 h by the conversion of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3-I) to LC3-II, following cleavage and lipid addition to LC3-I. The pharmacological autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine largely attenuates the growth inhibition and autophagic effect of SD118-xanthocillin X (1) in HepG2 cells. Our data also indicated that the autophagic effect of SD118-xanthocillin X (1) occurs via the down-regulation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and the up-regulated class III PI3K/Beclin 1 signaling pathway.

A comparative study of the effect of a gentle ketogenic diet containing medium-chain or long-chain triglycerides on chronic sleep deprivation-induced cognitive deficiency.

The ketogenic diet (KD) is well known for its neuroprotective effect, but little is known about its prophylactic efficacy against chronic sleep deprivation (SD) induced cognitive deficiency. An emerging study indicated that ferroptosis plays an important role in neurologic diseases but has been rarely reported in chronic SD. Here, we investigated the prophylactic effects of a medium-chain triglyceride-enriched KD (MKD) and a long-chain triglyceride-enriched KD (LKD) on cognitive deficiency and revealed the underlying mechanism focused on ferroptosis in chronic SD model mice. The results showed that the MKD exhibited stronger effects than the LKD on improving cognitive deficiency via suppressing ferroptosis and improving synaptic plasticity. Further mechanism results indicated that MKD produced higher Sirt3 protein levels than LKD, which probably contributed to the synergistic effect of beta hydroxybutyric acid and decanoic acid. Our finds provide novel evidence for the KD as a safe and feasible dietary intervention to prevent chronic SD-induced cognitive deficiency, and suggest a better choice of medium-chain fatty acid-enriched KD.

The Long Non-Coding RNA FAM222A-AS1 Negatively Modulates MiR-Let-7f to Promote Colorectal Cancer Progression.

Accumulating evidence indicates that lncRNAs are potential biomarkers and key regulators of tumor development and progression. The present study aimed to screen abnormal expression lncRNAs and investigate the mechanisms underlying the function in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Potential CRC prognosis-associated dysregulated lncRNAs were screened and identified using bioinformatics analysis. Loss/gain-of-function experiments were performed to detect the biological roles of FAM222A-AS1 in CRC cell phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. The potential microRNAs that interact with FAM222A-AS1 were identified using online tools and were verified using qRT-PCR and luciferase reporter assay. The expression of FAM222A-AS1 is significantly upregulated in CRC tumor samples and cell lines. CRC patients with elevated FAM222A-AS1 expression in the tumor samples had unfavorable overall survival and disease-free survival. Silencing FAM222A-AS1 expression significantly inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, FAM222A-AS1 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. It may directly bound to miR-let-7f and inhibit its expression and upregulate MYH9. In summary, FAM222A-AS1, as a novel oncogene in CRC, may promote the CRC progression by inhibiting miR-let-7f/MYH9 axis. The FAM222A-AS1/miR-let-7f/MYH9 signaling pathway may be a novel valuable target for inhibiting CRC.

Lipid metabolism and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathways participate in late-phase liver regeneration.

Liver regeneration (LR) is of great clinical significance in various liver-associated diseases. LR proceeds along a sequence of three distinct phases: priming/initiation, proliferation, and termination. Compared with the recognition of the first two phases, little is known about LR termination and structure/function reorganization. A combination of "omics" techniques, along with bioinformatics, may provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of the late-phase LR. Gene, protein, and metabolite profiles of the rat liver were determined by cDNA microarray, two-dimensional electrophoresis, and HPLC-MS analysis. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify the pathways: 427 differentially expressed genes extracted from the microarray experiment revealed two expression patterns representing the early and late phase of LR. Functionally, the genes expressing at a higher level at the early phase than at the late phase were mainly involved in the response to stress, proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis, while those expressing at a lower level at the early phase than at the late phase were mainly engaged in lipid metabolism. Compared with the sham-operation control (SH) group, 5 proteins in the 70% partial hepatectomy (70%PHx) group were upregulated at the protein level, and 3 proteins were downregulated at 168 h after the 70%PHx. E-FABP, an upregulated fatty acid binding protein, was found to be involved in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. The metabolomic data confirmed the enhancement of lipid metabolism by the detection of the intermediate and final metabolites. We've concluded that increased lipid metabolism and activated PPAR signaling pathways play important roles in late-phase LR.

Anti-aging effects of a functional food via the action of gut microbiota and metabolites in aging mice.

Wushen (WS) is a mixed food containing 55 natural products that is beneficial to human health. This study aimed to reveal the preventive effect of WS on aging via a combined analysis of gut microbiome and metabolome. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were used as aging model and senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice as control. The mice were fed four diet types; control diet (for SAMR1 mice), standard diet (for SAMP8 mice, as SD group), WS diet, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT; transplanted from aging-WS mice). Our results showed that the weight, food intake, neurological function, and general physical conditions significantly improved in WS-fed mice compared to those fed with SD. The CA1 hippocampal region in WS-fed aged mice showed fewer shriveled neurons and increased neuronal layers compared to that of the SD group. WS-fed mice showed a decrease in malondialdehyde and an increase in superoxide dismutase levels in the brain; additionally, IL-6 and TNF-α levels significantly decreased, whereas IL-2 levels and the proportion of lymphocytes, CD3+CD8+ T, and CD4+IFNγ+T cells increased in WS-fed mice. After fed with WS, the abundance of Ruminococcus and Butyrivibrio markedly increased, whereas Lachnoclostridium and Ruminiclostridium significantly decreased in the aging mice. In addition, 887 differentially expressed metabolites were identified in fecal samples, among these, Butyrivibrio was positively correlated with D-glucuronic acid and Ruminococcus was positively associated with 5-acetamidovalerate. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the impact of WS on aging, and WS may be a valuable diet for preventing aging.

A Functional Food Inhibits Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Inflammatory Colorectal Cancer in Mice.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the potential antitumor effects and mechanisms underlying the action of a functional food containing 55 different natural food ingredients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium was used to establish a mouse model of colorectal cancer. Serum levels of cytokines, diamine oxidase, D-lactate, and endotoxin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Immune cells from the mouse spleen and tumor tissue were analyzed by flow cytometry. Finally, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to study the fecal microbiota and microbial metabolites, respectively. RESULTS: The tumor growth was significantly lower in the FFD group than in the model group. The intestinal barrier function, fat mass, and lean body mass were significantly improved in the FFD group compared with the model group. The levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly lower in the FFD group, while the proportions of total T cells, CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, and interferon-γ-producing CD4+ T cells were significantly higher. Analysis of the diversity of the gut microbiota identified 60 differential bacterial genera between the FFD and model groups, with lower abundances of Desulfovibrio and unclassified Ruminococcaceae and higher abundances of the beneficial bacterial genera Bacteroides and Parasutterella in the FFD group. The fecal metabolite analysis revealed 635 differential metabolites between the FFD and model groups, with lower levels of deuteroporphyrin IX and citrulline and higher levels of acetic acid and ascorbic acid in the FFD group. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the functional food tested can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer. This effect may be due to the ability of this food to improve nutritional status, enhance intestinal barrier function, and regulate the tumor microenvironment via changes in the intestinal microbiota and metabolites.

High stromal nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) indicates poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Nicotinamide n-methyltransferase (NNMT) has good biochemical activity and epigenetic regulation, and has been reported as a major metabolic regulator of cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate the significance of stromal NNMT expression in colorectal cancer (CRC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Stromal expression of NNMT in primary CRC, metastasis CRC, and their non-cancerous tissues from 1088 CRC patients was examined by immunohistochemistry. The associations between stromal NNMT expression and survival outcomes in 967 patients with stage I-III CRC were further evaluated with Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox model analyses. RESULTS: NNMT expression was mainly sourced from stromal compartments and also elevated in CRC. Patients with high stromal NNMT (IHC-score ≥ 106) have a worse survival than those patients with low stromal NNMT. In multiple Cox analyses, high expression of stromal NNMT remained as an independent risk factor in CRC for disease-free survival with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.415 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.015-1.972) and disease-specific survival with a HR of 5.004 (95% CI, 2.301-10.883). In addition, high stromal NNMT expression in CRC also indicates the poor survival outcomes in patients with early stage CRC (stage I and II) and in patients who undergo chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: NNMT is mainly located in CRC stromal compartment. High stromal NNMT expression predicts an unfavorable postoperative prognosis.

Inhibitory Effect of a Microecological Preparation on Azoxymethane/Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Inflammatory Colorectal Cancer in Mice.

This study aims to investigate the antitumor effect and the possible mechanism of a microecological preparation (JK5G) in mice. The mice treated with AOM/DSS were then randomly divided into the two model groups and the JK5G group, and the blank control group was included. Fecal samples were used for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses to reveal metabolic perturbations and gut flora disorders to demonstrate the effects of JK5G. Compared with the mice in the control group, the weight and food intake of mice after JK5G treatment were both upregulated. Moreover, JK5G could inhibit the growth of colon tumors and prolong the survival rate of mice, as well as inhibit the levels of cytokines in serum. The proportions of lymphocytes, T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, and CD3+CD8+ T cells in the spleen of the JK5G mice were all significantly increased compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, compared with the model group, the proportions of lymphocytes, B cells, T cells, natural killer T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, and CD3+CD8+ T cells in the intestinal tumors of the JK5G mice were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing data revealed that Alloprevotella in the JK5G group was significantly upregulated, and Ruminiclostridium, Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, and Acetitomaculum were significantly downregulated. Fecal and serum metabolite analysis detected 939 metabolites, such as sildenafil and pyridoxamine, as well as 20 metabolites, including N-Palmitoyl tyrosine and dihydroergotamine, which were differentially expressed between the JK5G and model groups. Integrated analysis of 16s rRNA and metabolomics data showed that there were 19 functional relationship pairs, including 8 altered microbiota, such as Ruminiclostridium and Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, and 16 disturbed metabolites between the JK5G and model groups. This study revealed that JK5G treatment was involved in the growth of colorectal cancer, which may be associated with the role of JK5G in improving the nutritional status of mice and regulating the tumor microenvironment by regulating the changes of intestinal microbiota and metabolite bands on different pathways.

Pim-1 Protects Retinal Ganglion Cells by Enhancing Their Regenerative Ability Following Optic Nerve Crush.

Provirus integration site Moloney murine leukemia virus (Pim-1) is a proto-oncogene reported to be associated with cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. This study was to explore the neuroprotective role of Pim-1 in a rat model subjected to optic nerve crush (ONC), and discuss its related molecules in improving the intrinsic regeneration ability of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Immunofluorescence staining showed that AAV2- Pim-1 infected 71% RGCs and some amacrine cells in the retina. Real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that retina infection with AAV2- Pim-1 up-regulated the Pim-1 mRNA and protein expressions compared with AAV2-GFP group. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining, γ-synuclein immunohistochemistry, Cholera toxin B (CTB) tracing and TUNEL showed that RGCs transduction with AAV2-Pim-1 prior to ONC promoted the survival of damaged RGCs and decreased cell apoptosis. RITC anterograde labeling showed that Pim-1 overexpression increased axon regeneration and promoted the recovery of visual function by pupillary light reflex and flash visual evoked potential. Western blotting showed that Pim- 1 overexpression up-regulated the expression of Stat3, p-Stat3, Akt1, p-Akt1, Akt2 and p-Akt2, as well as ßIII-tubulin, GAP-43 and 4E-BP1, and downregulated the expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3, Cleaved caspase 3, Bad and Bax. These results demonstrate that Pim-1 exerted a neuroprotective effect by promoting nerve regeneration and functional recovery of RGCs. In addition, it enhanced the intrinsic regeneration capacity of RGCs after ONC by activating Stat3, Akt1 and Akt2 pathways, and inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptosis pathways. These findings suggest that Pim-1 may prove to be a potential therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of optic nerve injury.

Dual roles of glutathione S-transferase mu 1 in the development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in carcinogenesis, and cellular antioxidant systems are important for detoxifying ROS and reversing oxidant-mediated modifications. Glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM) belongs to a family of phase II detoxification enzymes that catalyze the conjugation of reduced glutathione (GSH) to a wide range of endogenous and exogenous electrophilic compounds. The genotype of GSTM1 was associated with the risk and prognosis of cancer in several meta-analyses. This study explored the function of GSTM1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting (WB) were used to detect the levels of gene and protein expression. MTS assays, Transwell assays, and flow cytometry were used to explore the function of GSTM1 in vitro. The xenograft assay and tail vein injection model were used to explore the function of GSTM1 in vivo. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression of GSTM1 was downregulated in HCC, but the expression levels of GSTM1 were not correlated with patient survival time. In vitro, Transwell and doxorubicin (DOX)-induced apoptosis assays revealed that GSTM1 showed opposite functions in different HCC cell lines with varied TP53 genotype statuses. The overexpression of GSTM1 in the above cell lines led to a significant decrease in ROS and an increase in GSH concentration and TP53 levels, suggesting that the controversial role of GSTM1 resulted from the TP53 genotype of HCC cells. The overexpression of GSTM1 promoted cell migration and inhibited apoptosis in the MHCC-97H cell line (TP53, R249S), but inhibited cell migration and increased apoptosis in the SMMC-7721 cell line (TP53 wildtype). CONCLUSION: GSTM1 down-regulation may partially account for ROS-mediated oxidative damage and HCC carcinogenesis. GSTM1 also regulates tumor progression by disrupting the ROS-TP53 axis in HCC cells with different genetic backgrounds.

Nanotherapy Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment.

Cancer is characterized by high mortality and low curability. Recent studies have shown that the mechanism of tumor resistance involves not only endogenous changes to tumor cells, but also to the tumor microenvironment (TME), which provides the necessary conditions for the growth, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells, akin to Stephen Paget's hypothesis of "seed and soil." Hence, the TME is a significant target for cancer therapy via nanoparticles, which can carry different kinds of drugs targeting different types or stages of tumors. The key step of nanotherapy is the achievement of accurate active or passive targeting to trigger drugs precisely at tumor cells, with less toxicity and fewer side effects. With deepened understanding of the tumor microenvironment and rapid development of the nanomaterial industry, the mechanisms of nanotherapy could be individualized according to the specific TME characteristics, including low pH, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and increased expression of metalloproteinase. However, some abnormal features of the TME limit drugs from reaching all tumor cells in lethal concentrations, and the characteristics of tumors vary in numerous ways, resulting in great challenges for the clinical application of nanotherapy. In this review, we discuss the essential role of the tumor microenvironment in the genesis and development of tumors, as well as the measures required to improve the therapeutic effects of tumor microenvironment-targeting nanoparticles and ways to reduce damage to normal tissue.