A rare olive compound oleacein functions as a TrkB agonist and mitigates neuroinflammation both in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation is widely acknowledged as a characteristic feature of almost all neurological disorders and specifically in depression- and anxiety-like disorders. In recent years, there has been significant attention on natural compounds with potent anti-inflammatory effects due to their potential in mitigating neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity. METHODS: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of oleacein (OC), a rare secoiridoid derivative found in extra virgin olive oil. Our goal was to explore the BDNF/TrkB neurotrophic activity of OC and subsequently assess its potential for modulating neuroinflammatory response using human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y cells) and an in vivo model of depression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammation. RESULTS: In SH-SY5Y cells, OC exhibited a significant dose-dependent increase in BDNF expression. This enhancement was absent when cells were co-treated with inhibitors of BDNF's receptor TrkB, as well as downstream molecules PI3K and MEK. Whole-transcriptomics analysis revealed that OC upregulated cell cycle-related genes under normal conditions, while downregulating inflammation-associated genes in LPS-induced conditions. Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays demonstrated that OC exhibited a stronger and more stable binding affinity to TrkB compared to the positive control, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone. Importantly, bioluminescence imaging revealed that a single oral dose of OC significantly increased BDNF expression in the brains of Bdnf-IRES-AkaLuc mice. Furthermore, oral administration of OC at a dosage of 10 mg/kg body weight for 10 days significantly reduced immobility time in the tail suspension test compared to the LPS-treated group. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that OC significantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines Tnfα, Il6, and Il1ß, while simultaneously enhancing Bdnf expression, as well as both pro and mature BDNF protein levels in mice hippocampus. These changes were comparable to those induced by the positive control antidepressant drug fluoxetine. Additionally, microarray analysis of mouse brains confirmed that OC could counteract LPS-induced inflammatory biological events. CONCLUSION: Altogether, our study represents the first report on the potential antineuroinflammatory and antidepressant properties of OC via modulation of BDNF/TrkB neurotrophic activity. This finding underscores the potential of OC as a natural therapeutic agent for depression- and anxiety-related disorders.

Inter-subspecies mouse F1 hybrid embryonic stem cell lines newly established for studies of allelic imbalance in gene expression.

Allele-specific monoallelic gene expression is a unique phenomenon and a great resource for analyzing gene regulation. To study this phenomenon, we established new embryonic stem (ES) cell lines derived from F1 hybrid blastocysts from crosses between four mouse subspecies (Mus musculus domesticus, C57BL/6; M. musculus molossinus, MSM/Ms; M. musculus musculus, PWK; M. musculus castaneus, HMI/Ms) and analyzed the expression levels of undifferentiated pluripotent stem cell markers and karyotypes of each line. To demonstrate the utility of our cell lines, we analyzed the allele-specific expression pattern of the Inpp5d gene as an example. The allelic expression depended on the parental alleles; this dependence could be a consequence of differences in compatibility between cis- and trans-elements of the Inpp5d gene from different subspecies. The use of parental mice from four subspecies greatly enhanced genetic polymorphism. The F1 hybrid ES cells retained this polymorphism not only in the Inpp5d gene, but also at a genome-wide level. As we demonstrated for the Inpp5d gene, the established cell lines can contribute to the analysis of allelic expression imbalance based on the incompatibility between cis- and trans-elements and of phenotypes related to this incompatibility.

Antidiabetic Effect of Urolithin A in Cultured L6 Myotubes and Type 2 Diabetic Model KK-Ay/Ta Mice with Glucose Intolerance.

Diabetes is caused by abnormal glucose metabolism, and muscle, the largest tissue in the human body, is largely involved. Urolithin A (UroA) is a major intestinal and microbial metabolite of ellagic acid and ellagitannins and is found in fruits such as strawberry and pomegranate. In this present study, we investigated the antidiabetic effects of UroA in L6 myotubes and in KK-Ay/Ta, a mouse model of type 2 diabetes (T2D). UroA treatment elevated the glucose uptake (GU) of L6 myotubes in the absence of insulin. This elevation in GU by UroA treatment was partially inhibited by the concurrent addition of LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) which activates Akt (PKB: protein kinase B) or Compound C, an inhibitor of 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Moreover, UroA was found to activate both pathways of Akt and AMPK, and then to promote translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) from the cytosol to the plasma membrane in L6 myotubes. Based on these in vitro findings, an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed after the oral administration of UroA for 3 weeks to KK-Ay/Ta mice with glucose intolerance. UroA was demonstrated to alleviate glucose intolerance. These results suggest that UroA is a biofactor with antihyperglycemic effects in the T2D state.

Transcriptomic comparison between populations selected for higher and lower mobility in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum.

Movement is an important behavior observed in a wide range of taxa. Previous studies have examined genes controlling movement using wing polymorphic insects and genes controlling wing size. However, few studies have investigated genes controlling movement activity rather than morphological traits. In the present study, we conducted RNA sequencing using populations with higher (WL) and lower (WS) mobility established by artificial selection in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and compared gene expression levels between selected populations with two replicate lines. As a result, we found significant differences between the selected populations in 677 genes expressed in one replicate line and 1198 genes expressed in another replicate line, of which 311 genes were common to the two replicate lines. Furthermore, quantitative PCR focusing on 6 of these genes revealed that neuropeptide F receptor gene (NpF) was significantly more highly expressed in the WL population than in the WS population, which was common to the two replicate lines. We discuss differences in genes controlling movement between walking activity and wing polymorphism.

Transcriptomics and biochemical evidence of trigonelline ameliorating learning and memory decline in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) model by suppressing proinflammatory cytokines and elevating neurotransmitter release.

In recent years, exploring natural compounds with functional properties to ameliorate aging-associated cognitive decline has become a research priority to ensure healthy aging. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Trigonelline (TG), a plant alkaloid, on memory and spatial learning in 16-week-old senescence-accelerated mouse model SAMP8 using an integrated approach for cognitive and molecular biology aspects. After 30 days of oral administration of TG at the dose of 5 mg/kg/day, the mice were trained in Morris Water Maze task. TG-treated SAMP8 mice exhibited significant improvement in the parameters of escape latency, distance moved, and annulus crossing index. Next, we performed a whole-genome transcriptome profiling of the mouse hippocampus using microarrays. Gene ontology analyses showed that a wide range of biological processes, including nervous system development, mitochondrial function, ATP synthesis, and several signaling pathways related to inflammation, autophagy, and neurotransmitter release, were significantly enriched in TG-treated SAMP8 compared to nontreated. Further, a nonlinear dimensionality reduction technique, Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), was applied to identify clusters of functions that revealed TG primarily regulated pathways related to inflammation, followed by those involved in neurotransmitter release. In addition, a protein-protein interaction network analysis indicated that TG may exert its biological effects through negatively modulating Traf6-mediated NF-κB activation. Finally, ELISA test showed that TG treatment significantly decreased proinflammatory cytokines- TNFα and IL6 and increased neurotransmitters- dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin in mouse hippocampus. Altogether, our integrated bio-cognitive approach highlights the potential of TG in alleviating age-related memory and spatial impairment.

BRD9 determines the cell fate of hematopoietic stem cells by regulating chromatin state.

ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complexes exist in three subcomplexes: canonical BAF (cBAF), polybromo BAF (PBAF), and a newly described non-canonical BAF (ncBAF). While cBAF and PBAF regulate fates of multiple cell types, roles for ncBAF in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have not been investigated. Motivated by recent discovery of disrupted expression of BRD9, an essential component of ncBAF, in multiple cancers, including clonal hematopoietic disorders, we evaluate here the role of BRD9 in normal and malignant HSCs. BRD9 loss enhances chromatin accessibility, promoting myeloid lineage skewing while impairing B cell development. BRD9 significantly colocalizes with CTCF, whose chromatin recruitment is augmented by BRD9 loss, leading to altered chromatin state and expression of myeloid-related genes within intact topologically associating domains. These data uncover ncBAF as critical for cell fate specification in HSCs via three-dimensional regulation of gene expression and illuminate roles for ncBAF in normal and malignant hematopoiesis.

Hematinic Potential of Olive Leaf Extract: Evidence from an In Vivo Study in Mice and a Pilot Study in Healthy Human Volunteers.

Natural resources have recently received considerable attention as complementary or alternative hematinic agents. In this regard, olive leaf extract, which is rich in bioactive phenolic compounds, has been reported to induce erythroid differentiation in human hematopoietic stem cells. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to explore the potential hematinic properties of aqueous olive leaf extract (WOL) in vivo. After 24 days of administering WOL to healthy mice orally, red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit, reticulocyte, and reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) showed a significant increase. Additionally, WOL promoted plasma iron levels and the expression of splenic ferroportin (Fpn), an iron transporter. Additionally, a single-arm pilot study involving a limited number of healthy volunteers was conducted to assess WOL's feasibility, compliance, and potential benefits. Following an 8-week intervention with WOL, RBC count and hemoglobin level were significantly increased. Notably, there were no significant changes in the safety measures related to liver and kidney functions. Furthermore, we identified oleuropein and oleuroside as the active components in WOL to induce erythroid differentiation in the K562 cell line. Altogether, our study presents evidence of the hematinic potential of WOL in the in vivo studies, opening up exciting possibilities for future applications in preventing or treating anemia.

Structure Revision of Trichomide D by Total Synthesis.

A structure revision of trichomide D has been achieved by its total synthesis. The sterically hindered peptide sequence was successfully prepared using not only a conventional amidation with EDCI but also coupling with an Fmoc-protected amino acid chloride derivative. The cyclization precursor was synthesized by coupling of a tetrapeptide with an acylproline derivative and subsequent removal of silyl groups at the N- and C-termini. Macrolactonization using MNBA/DMAPO followed by preparation of a chlorohydrin moiety furnished the proposed structure of trichomide D, whose spectra were not identical to those of the natural product. Finally, we succeeded in the elucidation of the true structure of trichomide D by its total synthesis, and the absolute configuration of the chlorohydrin moiety was revised to be S. The cytotoxicities of the natural product and its synthetic derivatives against MCF-7 and HeLa S3 cells were evaluated by the MTT method, revealing that the configuration of the chlorohydrin moiety is a pivotal factor for exhibiting potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells.

Nintedanib induces gene expression changes in the lung of induced-rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease mice.

Nintedanib is a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor widely used to treat progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases because it slows the reduction in forced vital capacity. However, the prognosis for patients treated with nintedanib remains poor. To improve nintedanib treatment, we examined the effects of nintedanib on gene expression in the lungs of induced-rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease model mice, which develop rheumatoid arthritis and subsequent pulmonary fibrosis. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified 27 upregulated and 130 downregulated genes in the lungs of these mice after treatment with nintedanib. The differentially expressed genes included mucin 5B and heat shock protein 70 family genes, which are related to interstitial lung diseases, as well as genes associated with extracellular components, particularly the myocardial architecture, suggesting unanticipated effects of nintedanib. Of the genes upregulated in the nintedanib-treated lung, expression of regulatory factor X2, which is suspected to be involved in cilia movement, and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2, which is involved in the pathology of pulmonary hypertension, was detected by immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization in peripheral airway epithelium and alveolar cells. Thus, the present findings indicate a set of genes whose expression alteration potentially underlies the effects of nintedanib on pulmonary fibrosis. It is expected that these findings will contribute to the development of improved nintedanib strategies for the treatment of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.

MoG+: a database of genomic variations across three mouse subspecies for biomedical research.

Laboratory mouse strains have mosaic genomes derived from at least three major subspecies that are distributed in Eurasia. Here, we describe genomic variations in ten inbred strains: Mus musculus musculus-derived BLG2/Ms, NJL/Ms, CHD/Ms, SWN/Ms, and KJR/Ms; M. m. domesticus-derived PGN2/Ms and BFM/Ms; M. m. castaneus-derived HMI/Ms; and JF1/Ms and MSM/Ms, which were derived from a hybrid between M. m. musculus and M. m. castaneus. These strains were established by Prof. Moriwaki in the 1980s and are collectively named the "Mishima Battery". These strains show large phenotypic variations in body size and in many physiological traits. We resequenced the genomes of the Mishima Battery strains and performed a comparative genomic analysis with dbSNP data. More than 81 million nucleotide coordinates were identified as variant sites due to the large genetic distances among the mouse subspecies; 8,062,070 new SNP sites were detected in this study, and these may underlie the large phenotypic diversity observed in the Mishima Battery. The new information was collected in a reconstructed genome database, termed MoG+ that includes new application software and viewers. MoG+ intuitively visualizes nucleotide variants in genes and intergenic regions, and amino acid substitutions across the three mouse subspecies. We report statistical data from the resequencing and comparative genomic analyses and newly collected phenotype data of the Mishima Battery, and provide a brief description of the functions of MoG+, which provides a searchable and unique data resource of the numerous genomic variations across the three mouse subspecies. The data in MoG+ will be invaluable for research into phenotype-genotype links in diverse mouse strains.

Antidiabetic Effect of Taxifolin in Cultured L6 Myotubes and Type 2 Diabetic Model KK-Ay/Ta Mice with Hyperglycemia and Hyperuricemia.

Muscle is the largest tissue in our body and plays an important role in glucose homeostasis and hence diabetes. In the present study, we examined the effects of taxifolin (TXF) on glucose metabolism in cultured L6 muscle cells (myotubes) and in type 2 diabetic (T2D) model KK-Ay/Ta mice. TXF dose-dependently increased glucose uptake (GU) in L6 myotubes under the condition of insulin absence. This increase in GU was partially, but significantly canceled by TXF treatment in combination with either LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which phosphorylates protein kinase B (Akt) or Compound C, an inhibitor of 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Furthermore, TXF was demonstrated to activate (=phosphorylate) both Akt and AMPK, and promote glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the plasma membrane from cytosol of L6 myotubes via both PI3K/Akt and AMPK signaling pathways. Based on these in vitro findings, we conducted an in vivo experiment in KK-Ay/Ta mice with hyperglycemia and hyperuricemia. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, uric acid levels and an index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) increased significantly in the T2D model mice compared with normal ones. Such rises in the T2D state were significantly suppressed by oral administration of TXF for four weeks. These results suggest that TXF is a potent antihyperglycemic and antihyperuricemic phytochemical in the T2D state.

Quercetin enhances fatty acid ß-oxidation by inducing lipophagy in AML12 hepatocytes.

Recent evidence demonstrated that chronic intake of quercetin attenuated hepatic fat accumulation in various animal models of obesity and diabetes. However, whether quercetin has the ability to enhance energy metabolism in hepatocytes and its exact mechanisms have yet to be identified. In the present study, we investigated whether quercetin directly enhanced the energy metabolism of cultured hepatocytes by focusing on lipophagy, involving selective autophagic degradation of lipid droplets. As an indicator of mitochondrial respiration, oxygen consumption was measured following 12-h treatment with quercetin or its related flavonoids, isorhamnetin and rutin (10 µM) using an extracellular flux analyzer. Treatment of alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) hepatocytes with quercetin enhanced mitochondrial respiration, but isorhamnetin and rutin did not. Results of a palmitate-bovine serum albumin fatty acid oxidation assay showed that quercetin significantly increased the oxygen consumption of AML12 hepatocytes, suggesting enhanced fatty acid ß-oxidation. However, as expression levels of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation proteins were unaltered by quercetin, we explored whether lipophagy contributed to enhanced fatty acid ß-oxidation. Increased colocalization of lipid droplets and lysosomes confirmed that quercetin promoted lipophagy in AML12 hepatocytes. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway abolished the enhancement of fatty acid ß-oxidation induced by quercetin in AML12 hepatocytes, suggesting that the enhancement of lipophagy by quercetin contributed to increased fatty acid ß-oxidation. Finally, we showed that quercetin could activate AMPK signaling, which regulates autophagy even under nutrient-sufficient conditions. Our findings indicate that quercetin enhanced energy metabolism by a potentially novel mechanism involving promotion of lipophagy to produce the substrate for fatty acid ß-oxidation in mitochondria through activation of AMPK signaling. Our results suggest the possibility that nutrient-induced lipophagy might contributes to the reduction of fat in hepatocytes.

Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of erythroid differentiation potential of olive leaf in haematopoietic stem cells.

Anaemia is one of the leading causes of disability in young adults and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly. With a global target to reduce the disease burden of anaemia, recent researches focus on novel compounds with the ability to induce erythropoiesis and regulate iron homeostasis. We aimed to explore the biological events and potential polypharmacological effects of water-extracted olive leaf (WOL) on human bone marrow-derived haematopoietic stem cells (hHSCs) using a comprehensive gene expression analysis. HPLC analysis identifies six bioactive polyphenols in the WOL. Treatment with WOL for 12 days regulated gene expressions related to erythroid differentiation, oxygen homeostasis, iron homeostasis, haem metabolism and Hb biosynthesis in hHSCs. Functional clustering analysis reveals several major functions of WOL such as ribosomal biogenesis and mitochondrial translation machinery, glycolytic process, ATP biosynthesis and immune response. Additionally, the colonies of both primitive and mature erythroid progenitors, CFU-E and BFU-E, were significantly increased in WOL-treated hHSCs. The expressions of erythroid markers, CD47, glycophorin A (GYPA), and transferrin receptor (TFRC) and adult Hb subunits-HBA and HBB were also confirmed in immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometer analysis in WOL-treated hHSCs. It is well known that induction of lineage-specific differentiation, as well as the maturation of early haematopoietic precursors into fully mature erythrocytes, involves multiple simultaneous biological events and complex signalling networks. In this regard, our genome-wide transcriptome profiling with microarray study on WOL-treated hHSCs provides general insights into the multitarget prophylactic and/or therapeutic potential of WOL in anaemia and other haematological disorders.

Comparative effects of quercetin, luteolin, apigenin and their related polyphenols on uric acid production in cultured hepatocytes and suppression of purine bodies-induced hyperuricemia by rutin in mice.

Hyperuricemia, the high uric acid (UA) state in blood, has been accepted as an important risk factor for gout. The liver is a main factory of UA production. In the present study, we have examined the effects of three kinds of flavonol and flavones as typical aglycons, i.e., quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, their glycosides and related compounds, on UA productivity in cultured hepatocytes, adopting allopurinol as the positive control drug. Quercetin, luteolin, diosmetin (4'-O-methylluteolin) and apigenin at 10, 30 and 100 µM as well as allopurinol at 0.1, 0.3 and 1 µM dose-dependently and significantly decreased UA production in the hepatocytes, when compared with 0 µM (control). Both rutin (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside) and quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-ramnoside) significantly reduced UA production in the hepatocytes at 100 µM. Luteolin glycosides such as orientin (luteolin-8-C-glucoside) and isoorientin (luteolin-6-C-glucoside) exerted no influences on it even at 100 µM. Likewise, apigenin glycosides such as vitexin (apigenin-8-C-glucoside) and isovitexin (apigenin-6-C-glucoside) showed no inhibitory effect on it, while apigetrin (apigenin-7-O-glucoside) significantly reduced it at 100 µM. In model mice with purine bodies-induced hyperuricemia, allopurinol completely suppressed the hyperuricemia at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. Rutin suppressed significantly the hyperuricemia at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight, while vitexin showed no significant effect up to 300 mg/kg body weight. Thus, rutin (O-glycoside) is demonstrated to be hypouricemic in both cultured hepatocytes and model mice with recently contrived purine bodies-induced hyperuricemia.

Antihyperuricemic Effect of Urolithin A in Cultured Hepatocytes and Model Mice.

Hyperuricemia is defined as a disease with high uric acid (UA) levels in the blood and a strong risk factor for gout. Urolithin A (UroA) is a main microbial metabolite derived from ellagic acid (EA), which occurs in strawberries and pomegranates. In this study, we evaluated antihyperuricemic effect of UroA in both cultured hepatocytes and hyperuricemic model mice. In cultured hepatocytes, UroA significantly and dose-dependently reduced UA production. In model mice with purine bodies-induced hyperuricemia, oral administration of UroA significantly inhibited the increase in plasma UA levels and hepatic xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. In addition, DNA microarray results exhibited that UroA, as well as allopurinol, a strong XO inhibitor, induced downregulation of the expression of genes associated with hepatic purine metabolism. Thus, hypouricemic effect of UroA could be, at least partly, attributed to inhibition of purine metabolism and UA production by suppressing XO activity in the liver. These results indicate UroA possesses a potent antihyperuricemic effect and it could be a potential candidate for a molecule capable of preventing and improving hyperuricemia and gout.

Comparative genomic analyses illuminate the distinct evolution of megabats within Chiroptera.

The revision of the sub-order Microchiroptera is one of the most intriguing outcomes in recent mammalian molecular phylogeny. The unexpected sister-taxon relationship between rhinolophoid microbats and megabats, with the exclusion of other microbats, suggests that megabats arose in a relatively short period of time from a microbat-like ancestor. In order to understand the genetic mechanism underlying adaptive evolution in megabats, we determined the whole-genome sequences of two rousette megabats, Leschenault's rousette (Rousettus leschenaultia) and the Egyptian fruit bat (R. aegyptiacus). The sequences were compared with those of 22 other mammals, including nine bats, available in the database. We identified that megabat genomes are distinct in that they have extremely low activity of SINE retrotranspositions, expansion of two chemosensory gene families, including the trace amine receptor (TAAR) and olfactory receptor (OR), and elevation of the dN/dS ratio in genes for immunity and protein catabolism. The adaptive signatures discovered in the genomes of megabats may provide crucial insight into their distinct evolution, including key processes such as virus resistance, loss of echolocation, and frugivorous feeding.

A dedifferentiated intracranial solitary fibrous tumor with osteosarcoma components: rapid tumor progression and lethal clinical course.

Solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma is a mesenchymal tumor that originates from a common NAB2-STAT6 fusion gene and is known to very rarely demonstrate dedifferentiation in the pattern of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Here we describe for the first time a rare case of intracranial dedifferentiated solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma with osteosarcoma components that developed in an 84-year-old man after frequent gamma knife radiosurgery over a 14-year period. We performed tumor-debulking and gamma knife radiosurgery, but unfortunately the patient died shortly after the development of dedifferentiation. There is no established treatment for dedifferentiated cases due to the rare histology and limited published data, and therefore further accumulation of histological and genetic profiles is necessary to develop novel target gene therapies.

Microarray analysis of verbenalin-treated human amniotic epithelial cells reveals therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a major world health problem as the population ages. There is still no available treatment that can stop or reverse the progression of AD. Human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs), an alternative source for stem cells, have shown neuroprotective and neurorestorative potentials when transplanted in vivo. Besides, studies have suggested that stem cell priming with plant-derived bioactive compounds can enhance stem cell proliferation and differentiation and improve the disease-treating capability of stem cells. Verbenalin is an iridoid glucoside found in medicinal herbs of Verbenaceae family. In the present study, we have conducted microarray gene expression profiling of verbenalin-treated hAECs to explore its therapeutic potential for AD. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed verbenalin treatment significantly enriched AD-associated gene sets. Genes associated with lysosomal dysfunction, pathologic angiogenesis, pathologic protein aggregation, circadian rhythm, age-related neurometabolism, and neurogenesis were differentially expressed in the verbenalin-treated hAECs compared to control cells. Additionally, the neuroprotective effect of verbenalin was confirmed against amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Our present study is the first to report the therapeutic potential of verbenalin for AD; however, further in-depth research in the in vitro and in vivo models are required to confirm our preliminary findings.

Whole-genome sequencing and comparative analysis of the genomes of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Escherichia coli isolated from a healthy resident in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report the draft genome sequences of two multidrug-resistant bacteria (Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron F9-2 and Escherichia coli 09-02E) isolated from stool samples of a healthy resident in Vietnam. METHODS: Genome sequences were determined using MiSeq and MinION platforms. Genome assembly was performed using Platanus Assembler v.1.2.4 and Canu v.1.7. The DDBJ Fast Annotation and Submission Tool were used for genome annotation. RESULTS: The genome of B. thetaiotaomicron F9-2 comprised 6 283 774 bp with a GC content of 42.7% and 4802 protein coding sequences (CDS), whereas the genome of E. coli 09-02E comprised 5 246 320 bp with a GC content of 50.6% and 4991 protein CDS. Both strains harboured common antimicrobial resistance genes, such as those for sulfonamides (sul2) and aminoglycosides (strA, strB). However, the sul2-strA-strB cassette was located on the chromosome of B. thetaiotaomicron F9-2, whereas it was located on a plasmid in E. coli 09-02E. These genes were flanked by different insertion sequences. CONCLUSION: Considering their diversities in the human gut resistome, these strains would be of considerable interest for detailed comparative genomic analysis. Notably, the same sul2 cassette was found in facultative and obligate anaerobic bacterial isolates (resident in humans). However, the different location of the cassette indicates a possible mechanism of gene transfer among gut microbes.

High-grade Glioma Masquerading as a Small Cerebral Hemorrhage: A Case Report.

We report a rare case of a high-grade glioma masquerading as a small subcortical hemorrhage. A 71-year-old woman came to a local hospital with sudden right upper extremity numbness. Computed tomography revealed a small subcortical hemorrhage with faint perifocal edema in the left postcentral gyrus. Conservative treatment was initiated, and she was discharged from the hospital with no neurological deficits. Six months later after discharge, she suffered an acute partial seizure of the right upper extremity. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium demonstrated a ring-enhancing mass surrounded by severe perifocal edema in the hemorrhagic scar. We performed complete resection of the tumor, and the histological diagnosis was anaplastic oligodendroglioma. The diagnosis of a high-grade glioma was delayed due to intratumoral hemorrhages mimicking a small subcortical hemorrhage; consequently, we suspected the hemorrhage was induced by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. It may be important to repeat radiological follow up, if necessary, and to maintain clinical observance of possible intracranial neoplasm, even when the hemorrhage is small, particularly when the cause of bleeding is unknown.