Imaginal disc growth factor is involved in melanin synthesis and energy metabolism in Bombyx mori.

The imaginal disc growth factor (IDGF), belonging to the glycoside hydrolase 18 family, plays an important role in various physiological processes in insects. However, the detail physiological function of IDGF is still unclear. In this study, transcriptome analysis was performed on the fatbody isolated from staged control and BmIDGF mutant silkworm larvae. Transcriptional profiling revealed that the absence of BmIDGF significantly affected differentially expressed genes involved in tyrosine and purine metabolism, as well as multiple energy metabolism pathways, including glycolysis, galactose, starch, and sucrose metabolism. The interruption of BmIDGF caused similar and specific gene expression changes to male and female fatbody. Furthermore, a genome-scale metabolic network integrating metabolomic and transcriptomic datasets revealed 11 pathways significantly altered at the transcriptional and metabolic levels, including amino acid, carbohydrate, uric acid metabolism pathways, insect hormone biosynthesis, and ABC transporters. In conclusion, this multiomics analysis suggests that IDGF is involved in gene-metabolism interactions, revealing its unique role in melanin synthesis and energy metabolism. This study provides new insights into the physiological function of IDGF in insects.

SS31 ameliorates age-related activation of NF-κB signaling in senile mice model, SAMP8.

Aging has been attributed to oxidative stress and inflammatory response, in which NF-κB and Nrf2-ARE signaling pathways play significant roles. Senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) is generally used an animal model for aging studies. Here, we investigated the NF-κB and Nrf2-ARE signaling pathways in SAMP8 brains at different ages and their responses to SS31 peptide treatment. Thirty six SAMP8 mice were separated into aging groups and SS31-treatment groups. The hippocampus from each mouse was dissected for RNA and protein extraction. Cytokines and ROS levels were measured using ELISA and standardised method. Gene expressions of NF-κB, Nrf2 and HO-1 were measured by RT-qPCR. Total protein amount of NF-κB and HO-1, as well as the concentrations of nuclear and cytoplasmic Nrf2 were measured using Western blots. Our data showed that aging could activate both NF-κB and Nrf2-ARE signaling pathways, which could be suppressed and activated by SS31 treatment respectively. Regression analysis revealed that NF-κB gene expression was the most important parameter predicting aging process and SS31 treatment effects in SAMP8. Our findings suggested that SS31 treatment may modulate the inflammatory and oxidative stress status of the aged brains and exert protective effects during brain aging.

[A clinical trial of anti-CD4 CD8 monoclonal antibodies combined with cyclosporine A in treatment of severe aplastic anemia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of a therapeutic regimen for treating severe aplastic anemia (SAA) in its early stage. METHODS: Two groups of SAA patients were enrolled in the present study. One was a treatment group including 21 patients being treated with anti-CD(4), CD(8) monoclonal antibodies as well as cyclosporine A. Another was a control group including 20 patients being treated with anti-lymphocyte globulin and cyclosporine A. RESULTS: The response rates in the two groups were more or less some, being 76.2% for the treatment group and 65.0% for the control group (P > 0.05), but the blood routine examination results showed quicker recovery in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05) and the incidences of side effects related to therapy such as fever were less in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of anti-CD(4), CD(8) monoclonal antibodies and cyclosporine A is safe and efficient in treating SAA.