An IL-6/STAT3/MR/FGF21 axis mediates heart-liver cross-talk after myocardial infarction.

The liver plays a protective role in myocardial infarction (MI). However, very little is known about the mechanisms. Here, we identify mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) as a pivotal nexus that conveys communications between the liver and the heart during MI. Hepatocyte MR deficiency and MR antagonist spironolactone both improve cardiac repair after MI through regulation on hepatic fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), illustrating an MR/FGF21 axis that underlies the liver-to-heart protection against MI. In addition, an upstreaming acute interleukin-6 (IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway transmits the heart-to-liver signal to suppress MR expression after MI. Hepatocyte Il6 receptor deficiency and Stat3 deficiency both aggravate cardiac injury through their regulation on the MR/FGF21 axis. Therefore, we have unveiled an IL-6/STAT3/MR/FGF21 signaling axis that mediates heart-liver cross-talk during MI. Targeting the signaling axis and the cross-talk could provide new strategies to treat MI and heart failure.

Roles of oral microbiota and oral-gut microbial transmission in hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Considerable evidence has linked periodontitis (PD) to hypertension (HTN), but the nature behind this connection is unclear. Dysbiosis of oral microbiota leading to PD is known to aggravate different systematic diseases, but the alteration of oral microbiota in HTN and their impacts on blood pressure (BP) remains to be discovered. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the alterations of oral and gut microbiota and their roles in HTN. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional (95 HTN participants and 39 controls) and a 6-month follow-up study (52 HTN participants and 26 controls) to analyze the roles of oral and gut microbiota in HTN. Saliva, subgingival plaques, and feces were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing or metagenomic analysis. C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with antibiotics to deplete gut microbiota, and then transplanted with human saliva by gavage to test the impacts of abnormal oral-gut microbial transmission on HTN. RESULTS: BP in participants with PD was higher than no PD in both cross-sectional and follow-up cohort. Relative abundances of 14 salivary genera, 15 subgingival genera and 10 gut genera significantly altered in HTN and those of 7 salivary genera, 12 subgingival genera and 6 gut genera significantly correlated with BP. Sixteen species under 5 genera were identified as oral-gut transmitters, illustrating the presence of oral-gut microbial transmission in HTN. Veillonella was a frequent oral-gut transmitter stably enriched in HTN participants of both cross-sectional and follow-up cohorts. Saliva from HTN participants increased BP in hypertensive mice. Human saliva-derived Veillonella successfully colonized in mouse gut, more abundantly under HTN condition. CONCLUSIONS: PD and oral microbiota are strongly associated with HTN, likely through oral-gut transmission of microbes. Ectopic colonization of saliva-derived Veillonella in the gut may aggravate HTN. Therefore, precise manipulations of oral microbiota and/or oral-gut microbial transmission may be useful strategies for better prevention and treatment of HTN.

Characteristics and Correlations of the Oral and Gut Fungal Microbiome with Hypertension.

The mycobiome is an essential constituent of the human microbiome and is associated with various diseases. However, the role of oral and gut fungi in hypertension (HTN) remains largely unexplored. In this study, saliva, subgingival plaques, and feces were collected from 36 participants with HTN and 24 healthy controls for metagenomic sequencing. The obtained sequences were analyzed using the Kraken2 taxonomic annotation pipeline to assess fungal composition and diversity. Correlations between oral and gut fungi and clinic parameters, between fungi within the same sample types, and between different sample types were identified by Spearman's correlation analysis. Overall, the subgingival fungal microbiome had substantially higher alpha diversity than the salivary and fecal fungal microbiomes. The fungal microbiomes of the three sample types displayed distinct beta diversity from each other. Oral fungi but not gut fungi in HTN had beta diversity significantly different from that of controls. Among the fungi shared in the oral cavity and gut, Exophiala was the genus with the most notable changes. Exophiala spinifera was the most abundant salivary species in HTN. Some fungal species directly correlated with blood pressure, including gut Exophiala xenobiotica and Exophiala mesophila. The markedly impaired ecological cocorrelation networks of oral and gut fungi in HTN suggested compromised association among fungal species. Most fungi were shared in the oral cavity and gut, and their correlations suggested the potential interplays between oral and gut fungi. In conclusion, the oral cavity and intestine have unique fungal ecological environments. The fungal enrichment and ecology in HTN, the correlations between oral and gut fungi, and the associations between oral and gut fungi and clinical parameters suggest an important role that the fungal microbiome may play in HTN. IMPORTANCE Our study fills the gap in human studies investigating the oral and gut fungal microbiota in association with blood pressure. It characterizes the diversity and composition of the oral and gut fungal microbiome in human subjects, elucidates the dysbiosis of fungal ecology in a hypertensive population, and establishes oral-gut fungal correlations and fungus-clinical parameter correlations. Targeting fungi in the oral cavity and/or gut may provide novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.

NCOR1 maintains the homeostasis of vascular smooth muscle cells and protects against aortic aneurysm.

Phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysm (AA). The function of nuclear receptor corepressor1 (NCOR1) in regulation of VSMC phenotype and AA is unclear. Herein, using smooth muscle NCOR1 knockout mice, we demonstrated that smooth muscle NCOR1 deficiency decreased both mRNA and protein levels of contractile genes, impaired stress fibers formation and RhoA pathway activation, reduced synthesis of elastin and collagens, and induced the expression and activity of MMPs, manifesting a switch from contractile to degradative phenotype of VSMCs. NCOR1 modulated VSMC phenotype through 3 different mechanisms. First, NCOR1 deficiency increased acetylated FOXO3a to inhibit the expression of Myocd, which downregulated contractile genes. Second, deletion of NCOR1 derepressed NFAT5 to induce the expression of Rgs1, thus impeding RhoA activation. Third, NCOR1 deficiency increased the expression of Mmp12 and Mmp13 by derepressing ATF3. Finally, a mouse model combined apoE knockout mice with angiotensin II was used to study the role of smooth muscle NCOR1 in the development of AA. The results showed that smooth muscle NCOR1 deficiency increased the incidence of aortic aneurysms and exacerbated medial degeneration in angiotensin II-induced AA mouse model. Collectively, our data illustrated that NCOR1 interacts with FOXO3a, NFAT5, and ATF3 to maintain contractile phenotype of VSMCs and suppress AA development. Manipulation of smooth muscle NCOR1 may be a potential approach for AA treatment.

Mineralocorticoid receptor deficiency in Treg cells ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a classic nuclear receptor and an effective drug target in the cardiovascular system. The function of MR in immune cells such as macrophages and T cells has been increasingly appreciated. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of Treg MR in the process of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We treated Treg MR-deficient (MRflox/flox Foxp3YFP-Cre , KO) mice and control (Foxp3YFP-Cre , WT) mice with dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) to induce colitis and found that the severity of DSS-induced colitis was markedly alleviated in Treg MR-deficient mice, accompanied by reduced production of inflammatory cytokines, and relieved infiltration of monocytes, neutrophils and interferon γ+ T cells in colon lamina propria. Faecal microbiota of mice with colitis was analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the composition of gut microbiota was vastly changed in Treg MR-deficient mice. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics abolished the protective effects of Treg MR deficiency and resulted in similar severity of DSS-induced colitis in WT and KO mice. Faecal microbiota transplantation from KO mice attenuated DSS-induced colitis characterized by alleviated inflammatory infiltration compared to that from WT mice. Hence, our study demonstrates that Treg MR deficiency protects against DSS-induced colitis by attenuation of colonic inflammatory infiltration. Gut microbiota is both sufficient and necessary for Treg MR deficiency to exert the beneficial effects.

Osteoblast MR deficiency protects against adverse ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction.

RATIONALE: Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists have been clinically used to treat heart failure. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using osteoblast MR knockout (MRobko) mouse in combination with myocardial infarction (MI) model, we demonstrated that MR deficiency in osteoblasts significantly improved cardiac function, promoted myocardial healing, as well as attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and inflammatory response after MI. Gene expression profiling using RNA sequencing revealed suppressed expression of osteocalcin (OCN) in calvaria from MRobko mice compared to littermate control (MRfl/fl) mice with or without MI. Plasma levels of undercarboxylated OCN (ucOCN) were also markedly decreased in MRobko mice compared to MRfl/fl mice. Administration of ucOCN abolished the protective effects of osteoblast MR deficiency on infarcted hearts. Mechanistically, ucOCN treatment promoted proliferation and inflammatory cytokine secretion in macrophages. Spironolactone, an MR antagonist, significantly inhibited the expression and secretion of OCN in post-MI mice. More importantly, spironolactone decreased plasma levels of ucOCN and inflammatory cytokines in heart failure patients. CONCLUSIONS: MR deficiency in osteoblasts alleviates pathological ventricular remodeling after MI, likely through its regulation on OCN. Spironolactone may work through osteoblast MR/OCN axis to exert its therapeutic effects on pathological ventricular remodeling and heart failure in mice and human patients.

Periodontitis aggravates renal inflammatory response in a mouse model of renal fibrosis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of periodontitis on renal interstitial fibrosis in a mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty C57BL/6 male mice were divided into control, periodontitis (PD), unilateral ureteral ligation (UUO) and PD+UUO groups. Unilateral ureteral ligation was performed 6 days after periodontitis. After 2 weeks, all mice were sacrificed, and samples were collected for the assessment of gene expression, immune cells, biochemical indicators and renal pathology. RESULTS: Expression of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, and Ly6G in the kidneys in the PD+UUO group was significantly greater than in the UUO group. The percentage of CD11b+ Ly6G+ cells was significantly higher in the PD+UUO than in the UUO group. Fibrotic areas in the kidneys in the PD+UUO group were slightly, but not significantly, greater than those in the UUO group. Kidneys from the PD+UUO group showed markedly higher gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9, but not α-smooth muscle actin or collagen I, than those in the UUO group. There were no significant differences in blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and uric acid between the PD+UUO and UUO groups. CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis increases the renal inflammatory response without showing a significant influence on renal interstitial fibrosis or renal function in the UUO mouse model.

Activation of the M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 Signaling Pathway by Choline Alleviates Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis.

Angiotensin II- (Ang II-) induced cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis are major characteristics of early-stage heart failure. Choline exerts cardioprotective effects; however, its effects on Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis are unclear. In this study, the role and underlying mechanism of choline in regulating Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis were investigated using a model of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which was induced by exposing neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to Ang II (10-6 M, 48 h). Choline promoted heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) nuclear translocation and the intracellular domain of Notch1 (NICD) expression. Consequently, choline attenuated Ang II-induced increases in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and promotion of proapoptotic protein release from mitochondria, including cytochrome c, Omi/high-temperature requirement protein A2, and second mitochondrial activator of caspases/direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding protein with low P. The reversion of these events attenuated Ang II-induced increases in cardiomyocyte size and numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling-positive cells, presumably via type 3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3AChR). Indeed, downregulation of M3AChR or Notch1 blocked choline-mediated upregulation of NICD and nuclear HSF1 expression, as well as inhibited mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, indicating that M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 activation confer the protective effects of choline. In vivo studies were performed in parallel, in which rats were infused with Ang II for 4 weeks to induce cardiac apoptosis. The results showed that choline alleviated cardiac remodeling and apoptosis of Ang II-infused rats in a manner related to activation of the Notch1/HSF1 pathway, consistent with the in vitro findings. Taken together, our results reveal that choline impedes oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis by activating M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 antioxidant signaling, and suggest a novel role for the Notch1/HSF1 signaling pathway in the modulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Macrophage NCOR1 Deficiency Ameliorates Myocardial Infarction and Neointimal Hyperplasia in Mice.

Background NCOR1 (nuclear receptor corepressor 1) is an essential coregulator of gene transcription. It has been shown that NCOR1 in macrophages plays important roles in metabolic regulation. However, the function of macrophage NCOR1 in response to myocardial infarction (MI) or vascular wire injury has not been elucidated. Methods and Results Here, using macrophage Ncor1 knockout mouse in combination with a mouse model of MI, we demonstrated that macrophage NCOR1 deficiency significantly reduced infarct size and improved cardiac function after MI. In addition, macrophage NCOR1 deficiency markedly inhibited neointimal hyperplasia and vascular remodeling in a mouse model of arterial wire injury. Inflammation and macrophage proliferation were substantially attenuated in hearts and arteries of macrophage Ncor1 knockout mice after MI and arterial wire injury, respectively. Cultured primary macrophages from macrophage Ncor1 knockout mice manifested lower expression of inflammatory genes upon stimulation by interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, or lipopolysaccharide, together with much less activation of inflammatory signaling cascades including signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 and nuclear factor-κB. Furthermore, macrophage Ncor1 knockout macrophages were much less proliferative in culture, with inhibited cell cycle progression compared with control cells. Conclusions Collectively, our data have demonstrated that NCOR1 is a critical regulator of macrophage inflammation and proliferation and that deficiency of NCOR1 in macrophages attenuates MI and neointimal hyperplasia. Therefore, macrophage NCOR1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for MI and restenosis.

Metabolic profiles of serum samples from ground glass opacity represent potential diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening trials indicated that LDCT is effective for the early detection of lung cancer, but the findings were accompanied by high false positive rates. Therefore, the detection of lung cancer needs complementary blood biomarker tests to reduce false positive rates. METHODS: In order to evaluate the potential of metabolite biomarkers for diagnosing lung cancer and increasing the effectiveness of clinical interventions, serum samples from subjects participating in a low-dose CT-scan screening were analyzed by using untargeted liquid chromatography-hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS). Samples were acquired from 34 lung patients with ground glass opacity diagnosed lung cancer and 39 healthy controls. RESULTS: In total, we identified 9 metabolites in electron spray ionization (ESI)(+) mode and 7 metabolites in ESI(-) mode. L-(+)-gulose, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)(22:2(13Z,16Z)/15:0), cysteinyl-glutamine, S-japonin, threoninyl-glutamine, chlorate, 3-oxoadipic acid, dukunolide A, and malonic semialdehyde levels were observed to be elevated in serum samples of lung cancer cases when compared to those of healthy controls. By contrast, 1-(2-furanylmethyl)-1H-pyrrole, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, monoethyl carbonate, guanidinosuccinic acid, pseudouridine, DIMBOA-Glc, and 4-feruloyl-1,5-quinolactone levels were lower in serum samples of lung cancer cases compared with those of healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates evidence of early metabolic alterations that can possibly distinguish malignant ground glass opacity from benign ground glass opacity. Further studies in larger pools of samples are warranted.

Regulation of Atrial Fibrosis by the Bone.

MR (mineralocorticoid receptor) antagonists have been demonstrated to provide beneficial effects on preventing atrial fibrosis. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We aim to determine the role of osteoblast MR in atrial fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanism. Using osteoblast MR knockout mouse in combination with mutant TGF (transforming growth factor)-ß1 transgenic mouse, we demonstrated that MR deficiency in osteoblasts significantly attenuated atrial fibrosis. Mechanistically, MR directly regulated expression of OCN (osteocalcin) in osteoblasts. Both carboxylated and undercarboxylated OCNs (ucOC) were less secreted in osteoblast MR knockout mice. Mutant TGF-ß1 transgenic mice supplemented with recombinant ucOC showed aggravated atrial fibrosis. In cultured atrial fibroblasts, ucOC treatment promoted proliferation and migration of atrial fibroblasts, whereas cotreatment with an antagonist for a GPRC6A (G-protein-coupled receptor, family C, group 6, member A) abolished these effects. Western blotting analysis revealed upregulation of PKA (protein kinase A) and CREB (cAMP-response element-binding protein) phosphorylation after ucOC treatment. Inhibition of PKA with its antagonist reduced ucOC-induced proliferation and migration of atrial fibroblasts. Finally, the impact of osteoblast MR deficiency on atrial fibrosis was abolished by ucOC administration in mutant TGF-ß1 transgenic mice. Taken together, MR deficiency in osteoblasts attenuated atrial fibrosis by downregulation of OCN to promote proliferation and migration of atrial fibroblasts.

A miR-124/ITGA3 axis contributes to colorectal cancer metastasis by regulating anoikis susceptibility.

Metastasis is the major cause for the death of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Anoikis resistance enhances the survival of cancer cells during systemic circulation, thereby facilitating secondary tumor formation in distant organs. miR-124 is a pleiotropically tumor suppressive small non-coding molecule. However, its role and mechanism in the regulation of cancer cell anoikis are still unknown. Here, we found that overexpression of miR-124 promotes anoikis of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. In silico analysis and the experimental evidence supported that ITGA3 is a bona fide target of miR-124. Moreover, we identifies that ITGA3 plays a critical role in the regulation of anoikis sensitivity in CRC cells. Finally, our analysis in TCGA datasets demonstrates that high levels of ITGA3 are closely associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. Collectively, we establish a functional link between miR-124 and anoikis susceptibility and provide that a miR-124/ITGA3 axis could be a potential target for the treatment of metastatic CRC.

Long non-coding RNAs AC026904.1 and UCA1: a "one-two punch" for TGF-ß-induced SNAI2 activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer.

Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) has received much attention as a major inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during cancer progression, mainly by activating a set of pleiotropic transcription factors including SNAI2/Slug. However, the involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in TGF-ß-induced Slug activation and EMT remains largely unknown. Methods: In this study, we used microarray analysis to compare lncRNA expression profiles between TGF-ß treated and untreated breast cancer cells. Then, the clinical significance of lncRNAs in breast cancer was investigated by qPCR and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The molecular mechanisms and EMT-promoting effects in vitro were analyzed by confocal laser microscopy, Western blotting, chromosome conformation capture (3C), chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChIRP), ChIP, luciferase reporter assay and transwell migration assay. Lastly, the pro-metastatic effects in vivo were evaluated by bioluminescent imaging and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Results: We observed that TGF-ß induced genome-wide changes in lncRNA levels in breast cancer cells, among which AC026904.1 and UCA1 were highly expressed in metastatic breast cancer and closely associated with poor prognosis. Mechanistic study revealed that AC026904.1 and UCA1 were upregulated by non-canonical and canonical TGF-ß pathways, respectively. Further analysis showed that AC026904.1 functions as an enhancer RNA in the nucleus, whereas UCA1 exerts a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) activity in the cytoplasm. In addition, the biological functions of these two lncRNAs converged on the activation and maintenance of Slug, constituting a one-two punch in promoting EMT and tumor metastasis. Conclusion: These findings uncover for the first time that AC026904.1 and UCA1 could cooperatively upregulate Slug expression at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, exerting critical roles in TGF-ß-induced EMT. The present work provides new evidence that lncRNAs function as key regulators of EMT and hold great promise to be used as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for metastatic breast cancer.

Myeloid peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma deficiency aggravates myocardial infarction in mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparγ) have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in clinical trials and animal experiments. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. We aimed to reveal the functions of myeloid Pparγ in MI and explore the potential mechanisms in this study. METHODS: Myeloid Pparγ knockout (MPGKO) mice (n = 12) and control mice (n = 8) underwent coronary artery ligation to induce MI. Another cohort of MPGKO mice and control mice underwent coronary artery ligation and were then treated with IgG or neutralizing antibodies against interleukin (IL)-1ß. Infarct size was determined by TTC staining and cardiac function was measured using echocardiography. Conditioned media from GW9662- or vehicle-treated macrophages were used to treat H9C2 cardiomyocyte cell line. Gene expression was analyzed using quantitative PCR. Reactive oxygen species were measured using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Myeloid Pparγ deficiency significantly increased myocardial infarct size. Cardiac hypertrophy was also exacerbated in MPGKO mice, with upregulation of ß-myosin heavy chain (Mhc) and brain natriuretic peptide (Bnp) and downregulation of α-Mhc in the non-infarcted zone. Conditioned media from GW9662-treated macrophages increased expression of ß-Mhc and Bnp in H9C2 cells. Echocardiographic measurements showed that MPGKO mice had worsen cardiac dysfunction after MI. Myeloid Pparγ deficiency increased gene expression of NADPH oxidase subunits (Nox2 and Nox4) in the non-infarcted zone after MI. Conditioned media from GW9662-treated macrophages increased reactive oxygen species in H9C2 cells. Expression of inflammatory genes such as IL-1ß and IL-6 was upregulated in the non-infarcted zone of MPGKO mice after MI. With the injection of neutralizing antibodies against IL-1ß, control mice and MPGKO mice had comparable cardiac function and expression of inflammatory genes after MI. CONCLUSIONS: Myeloid Pparγ deficiency exacerbates MI, likely through increased oxidative stress and cardiac inflammation.

Metabolic profiles of adipose-derived and bone marrow-derived stromal cells from elderly coronary heart disease patients by capillary liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Adipose-tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADSC)-based therapy is a promising option for patients with atherosclerotic conditions, including coronary artery disease. However, the potential differences in the metabolic characteristics between bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and ADSCs have remained to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to compare the metabolic profiles of BMSCs and ADSCs via liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. BMSCs and ADSCs obtained from elderly coronary heart disease patients were cultured, and after three passages, supernatants of each cell type were collected and systematically analysed. Substantial differences were detected between the metabolite signatures of ADSCs and BMSCs. In addition, further analysis using partial least-squares discriminant analysis score plots indicated significant differences between the supernatants of the two cell types. The following metabolites were deemed to be responsible for the potential differences in the metabolic characteristics of BMSCs and ADSCs: D-lactic acid, hydroxyindoleacetaldehyde, α-D-glucose, bovinic acid, 9,10-epoxyoctadecenoic acid, glyceraldehyde, phenylpyruvic acid, L-octanoylcarnitine, retinyl ester, α-ketoisovaleric acid, guanidoacetic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid, imidazoleacetic acid riboside, sphingosine and pseudouridine 5'-phosphate. Based on these findings, there may be significant differences in the following metabolic pathways: The linoleic acid metabolic pathway, galactose metabolism, argentines and proline metabolism, retinol metabolism, glycine and serine metabolism, galactose metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. In conclusion, substantial differences in metabolic characteristics were detected between BMSCs and ADSCs, which may be associated with the different efficacies of atherosclerosis therapies employing these cell types.

Inhibition of neddylation by MLN4924 improves neointimal hyperplasia and promotes apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells through p53 and p62.

Targeting apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) represents an attractive approach to diminish the occurrence of restenosis. Neddylation is a highly conserved post-translational modification process and inhibition of neddylation has been shown to regulate apoptosis of other cells. However, the impacts of neddylation inhibition on VSMCs and neointimal hyperplasia have not been studied. In our present study, we have shown that MLN4924, a selective inhibitor of NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE), markedly inhibited neointimal hyperplasia and accumulation of VSMCs, whereas increased apoptosis in the vascular wall. In vitro studies revealed that MLN4924 induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human VSMCs. Knockdown of NAE1 had similar effects. MLN4924 upregulated p53 and p62 in human VSMCs. Knockdown of either p53 or p62 mitigated the impacts of MLN4924 on G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, p53 knockdown abolished MLN4924-induced upregulation of p62. Finally, smooth muscle p53 knockout mice were generated and subjected to femoral artery injury and MLN4924 treatment. Deficiency of p53 in smooth muscle blocked the effects of MLN4924 on neointimal hyperplasia and apoptosis. Together, our results revealed that neddylation inhibition induces apoptosis through p53 and p62 in VSMCs and improves neointimal hyperplasia mainly by promoting apoptosis through smooth muscle p53 in mice. These pre-clinical data provide strong translational implications for targeting restenosis by perturbation of neddylation using MLN4924.

Knockdown of MALAT1 expression inhibits HUVEC proliferation by upregulation of miR-320a and downregulation of FOXM1 expression.

Regulation of cancer angiogenesis could be a useful strategy in cancer therapy. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and can induce cancer cell proliferation, while lncRNAs, generally are able to act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges. The latter is a type of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that regulates expression of the targeting miRNAs and protein-coding genes. This study investigated the proliferative role of MALAT1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the underlying molecular events. The data showed that knockdown of MALAT1 expression using MALAT1 siRNA inhibited HUVEC proliferation and also significantly decreased levels of FOXM1 mRNA and protein in vitro, while knockdown of FOXM1 expression reduced HUVEC proliferation. Annotation of HUVEC microarray data revealed that seven miRNAs, including miR-320a, were upregulated after knockdown of MALAT1 expression in HUVECs. MALAT1 was shown to reciprocally interact with miR-320a, i.e., expression of one negatively regulated levels of the other, whereas knockdown of MALAT1 expression promoted miR-320a levels. Furthermore, miR-320a could directly target and inhibit FOXM1 expression in HUVECs. Knockdown of MALAT1 expression enhanced miR-320a expression but reduced FOXM1 expression resulting in downregulation of HUVEC proliferation. However, such an effect was inhibited by miR-320a depletion. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that miR-320a plays an important role in mediating the effects of MALAT1 on HUVEC proliferation by suppression of FOXM1 expression. Thus, targeting of this gene pathway could be a novel strategy in cancer therapy.

Deletion of Macrophage Mineralocorticoid Receptor Protects Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance Through ERα/HGF/Met Pathway.

Although the importance of macrophages in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been recognized, how macrophages affect hepatocytes remains elusive. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has been implicated to play important roles in NAFLD and T2DM. However, cellular and molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. We report that myeloid MR knockout (MRKO) improves glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in obese mice. Estrogen signaling is sufficient and necessary for such improvements. Hepatic gene and protein expression suggests that MRKO reduces hepatic lipogenesis and lipid storage. In the presence of estrogen, MRKO in macrophages decreases lipid accumulation and increases insulin sensitivity of hepatocytes through hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/Met signaling. MR directly regulates estrogen receptor 1 (Esr1 [encoding ERα]) in macrophages. Knockdown of hepatic Met eliminates the beneficial effects of MRKO in female obese mice. These findings identify a novel MR/ERα/HGF/Met pathway that conveys metabolic signaling from macrophages to hepatocytes in hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance and provide potential new therapeutic strategies for NAFLD and T2DM.

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Deficiency in Macrophages Inhibits Atherosclerosis by Affecting Foam Cell Formation and Efferocytosis.

Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has been considered as a potential target for treating atherosclerosis. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. We aim to explore the functions and mechanisms of macrophage MR in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis-susceptible LDLRKO chimeric mice with bone marrow cells from floxed control mice or from myeloid MR knock-out (MRKO) mice were generated and fed with high cholesterol diet. Oil red O staining showed that MRKO decreased atherosclerotic lesion area in LDLRKO mice. In another mouse model of atherosclerosis, MRKO/APOEKO mice and floxed control/APOEKO mice were generated and treated with angiotensin II. Similarly, MRKO inhibited the atherosclerotic lesion area in APOEKO mice. Histological analysis showed that MRKO increased collagen coverage and decreased necrosis and macrophage accumulation in the lesions. In vitro results demonstrated that MRKO suppressed macrophage foam cell formation and up-regulated the expression of genes involved in cholesterol efflux. Furthermore, MRKO decreased accumulation of apoptotic cells and increased effective efferocytosis in atherosclerotic lesions. In vitro study further revealed that MRKO increased the phagocytic index of macrophages without affecting their apoptosis. In conclusion, MRKO reduces high cholesterol- or angiotensin II-induced atherosclerosis and favorably changes plaque composition, likely improving plaque stability. Mechanistically, MR deficiency suppresses macrophage foam cell formation and up-regulates expression of genes related to cholesterol efflux, as well as increases effective efferocytosis and phagocytic capacity of macrophages.

Auphen and dibutyryl cAMP suppress growth of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating expression of aquaporins 3 and 9 in vivo.

AIM: To investigate whether the regulation of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and AQP9 induced by Auphen and dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) inhibits hepatic tumorigenesis. METHODS: Expression of AQP3 and AQP9 was detected by Western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and RT-PCR in HCC samples and paired non-cancerous liver tissue samples from 30 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. A xenograft tumor model was used in vivo. Nine nude mice were divided into control, Auphen-treated, and dbcAMP-treated groups (n = 3 for each group). AQP3 and AQP9 protein expression after induction of xenograft tumors was detected by IHC and mRNA by RT-PCR analysis. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay and histological evaluation were used to detect apoptosis of tumor cells, and the concentration of serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) was measured using RT-PCR and an ELISA kit. RESULTS: The volumes and weights of tumors decreased significantly in the Auphen- and dbcAMP-treated mice compared with the control mice (P < 0.01). The levels of AQP3 were significantly lower in the Auphen treatment group, and levels of AQP9 were significantly higher in thedbcAMP treatment mice than in the control mice (P < 0.01). The reduction of AQP3 by Auphen and increase of AQP9 by dbcAMP in nude mice suppressed tumor growth of HCC, which resulted in reduced AFP levels in serum and tissues, and apoptosis of tumor cells in the Auphen- and dbcAMP-treated mice, when compared with control mice (P < 0.01). Compared with para-carcinoma tissues, AQP3 expression increased in tumor tissues whereas the expression of AQP9 decreased. By correlating clinicopathological and expression levels, we demonstrated that the expression of AQP3 and AQP9 was correlated with clinical progression of HCC and disease outcomes. CONCLUSION: AQP3 increases in HCC while AQP9 decreases. Regulation of AQP3 and AQP9 expression by Auphen and dbcAMP inhibits the development and growth of HCC.