Expression of long non­coding RNA and mRNA in the hippocampus of mice with type 2 diabetes.

Long non­coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve key roles in cell growth, development and various diseases associated with the central nervous system. However, differential expression profiles of lncRNAs in type 2 diabetes have not been reported. The present study aimed to analyze the expression pattern of lncRNA­mRNA in a type 2 diabetic mouse model using microarray analysis. The mouse model of type 2 diabetes was established and the total RNAs were extracted from the hippocampus of the mice used in the present study. The total RNAs were then examined by the GeeDom human lncRNA + mRNA V4.0 expression profile and analyzed through comparing Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and signal pathway analysis with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. There were statistically significant differences between the expression of IncRNAs and mRNA in the healthy mice and that of the diabetic mice. In the diabetic mice, 130 different lncRNAs were expressed with 126  significantly upregulated and 4 significantly downregulated and 49 different mRNAs were detected with 45 significantly upregulated and 4 downregulated. GO analysis indicated that the mRNAs that are affected are involved in transport, cell adhesion, ion transport and metabolic processes. KEGG and Reactome enrichment analysis indicated that mRNAs impact on cholinergic synapses, nuclear factor­kB pathway, Toll like receptor 4 cascade and zinc transporter are correlated with cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. A dynamic lncRNA­mRNA network was constructed containing 123 lncRNAs and 48 mRNAs, which can elucidate the interaction between lncRNA and mRNA. Overall, this is the first study to indicate that lncRNAs are differentially expressed in the type 2 diabetic mice.

Association between serum uric acid level and multiple system atrophy: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Lower serum uric acid (UA) levels are considered to be related to the risk to develop many neurodegenerative disorders. However, the association between serum UA level and multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between serum UA level and MSA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for eligible studies. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated in a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model when appropriate. Subgroup analyses were carried out based on gender. A total of 6 eligible studies involving 547 MSA patients and 637 healthy individuals were identified. RESULTS: Meta-analysis results revealed that individuals with MSA had lower sera levels of UA as compared with healthy controls (pooled SMD is -0.51, 95%CI: -0.88 to -0.14; p = 0.006). The subgroup analysis to detect sex differences showed that the pooled SMD was -0.61 (95% CI: -0.82 to -0.40; p < 0.0001) for males and -0.22 (95% CI: -0.55 to 0.10; p = 0.18) for females compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis revealed that lower serum level of UA is associated with an increased risk of MSA and the relationship is significant in men but not in women.

Paeonol exerts potential activities to inhibit the growth, migration and invasion of human gastric cancer BGC823 cells via downregulating MMP­2 and MMP­9.

Paeonol (Pae) is an herbal extract that has attracted extensive attention for its anti­cancer effects demonstrated by a number of studies, which have predominantly demonstrated inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The influence of Pae on cancer cell metastasis has been less widely reported. The present study aimed to investigate the under­reported effects of Pae on the growth, invasion and migration of poorly differentiated BGC823 gastric cancer cells with strong invasive and metastatic abilities. The anti­proliferative and pro­apoptotic effects of Pae on BGC823 cells were verified by Cell Counting kit­8 and Annexin V­fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assays. Cell scratch­wound healing and Transwell methods were applied, and it was demonstrated that Pae could exert inhibitory activities on the invasion and migration of BGC823 cells. Furthermore, it was indicated by western blot analysis that Pae could downregulate the protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)­2 and ­9 in a concentration­dependent manner, which may support a novel potential mechanism accounting for its anti­cancer effects on gastric cancer.

Protective effect of allicin on high glucose/hypoxia-induced aortic endothelial cells via reduction of oxidative stress.

This study was designed to explore the protective effect of allicin on aortic endothelial cell injury induced by high glucose/hypoxia and to investigate the corresponding mechanisms. The primary-cultured murine aortic endothelial cells were subcultured. The third passage of cells was adopted and randomly divided into five groups: The normal group (NG), the mannitol group (MG), the high-glucose/hypoxia group (HG), the allicin group (AG) and the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor group (GG). The general morphology was observed under an inverted phase-contrast microscope and cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the endothelial cells were quantified using dihydroethidium staining. The levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the activity of PKC were measured using ELISA. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was adopted to evaluate the mRNA expression of Nox4, HIF-1α and NF-κB. The altered cell morphology observed in HG was notably ameliorated in the AG and GG. The protein levels of 8-OHdG, NF-κB, Nox4, HIF-1α and PKC in the HG were higher than those in the other groups. Furthermore, the cell viability in the AG was significantly increased and the protein levels of 8-OHdG, NF-κB, Nox4, HIF-1α and PKC were significantly decreased compared with those in the HG. The ROS production was found to be increased in the HG cells, while there was a significant decrease in the AG cells. These data indicate that allicin exerts a protective effect against high glucose/hypoxia-induced injury in aortic endothelial cells through its antioxidative action, which may involve the inhibition of the PKC pathway and regulation of HIF-1α.