Yu Linzhu alleviates primary ovarian insufficiency in a rat model by improving proliferation and energy metabolism of granulosa cells through hif1α/cx43 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Yu Linzhu (YLZ) is a classical Chinese traditional formula, which has been used for more than 600 years to regulate menstruation to help pregnancy. However, the mechanism of modern scientific action of YLZ needs to be further studied. METHODS: Thirty SD female rats were divided into three groups to prepare the blank serum and drug-containing serum, and then using UHPLC-QE-MS to identify the ingredients of YLZ and its drug-containing serum. Twenty-four SD female rats were divided into four groups, except the control group, 4-vinylcyclohexene dicycloxide (VCD) was intraperitoneally injected to establish a primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) model of all groups. Using vaginal smear to show that the estrous cycle of rats was disturbed after modeling, indicates that the POI model was successfully established. The ELISA test was used to measure the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in the serum of rats. HE stain was used to assess the morphology of ovarian tissue. The localization and relative expression levels of CX43 protein were detected by tissue immunofluorescence. Primary ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) were identified by cellular immunofluorescence. CCK8 was used to screen time and concentration of drug-containing serum and evaluate the proliferation effect of YLZ on VCD-induced GCs. ATP kit and Seahorse XFe24 were used to detect energy production and real-time glycolytic metabolism rate of GCs. mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF1α, CX43, PEK, LDH, HK1 were detected by RT-PCR and WB. RESULTS: UHPLC-QE-MS found 1702 ingredients of YLZ and 80 constituents migrating to blood. YLZ reduced the FSH while increasing the AMH and E2 levels. In ovarian tissues, YLZ improved ovarian morphology, follicle development, and the relative expression of CX43. In vitro studies, we found that YLZ increased the proliferative activity of GCs, ATP levels, glycolytic metabolic rate, HIF1α, CX43, PEK, HK1, LDH mRNA, and protein levels. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that YLZ increased the proliferation and glycolytic energy metabolism of GCs to improve follicular development further alleviating ovarian function.

Antimicrobial research of carbohydrate polymer- and protein-based hydrogels as reservoirs for the generation of reactive oxygen species: A review.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in biological milieu. Recently, the rapid growth in our understanding of ROS and their promise in antibacterial applications has generated tremendous interest in the combination of ROS generators with bulk hydrogels. Hydrogels represent promising supporters for ROS generators and can locally confine the nanoscale distribution of ROS generators whilst also promoting cellular integration via biomaterial-cell interactions. This review highlights recent efforts and progress in developing hydrogels derived from biological macromolecules with embedded ROS generators with a focus on antimicrobial applications. Initially, an overview of passive and active antibacterial hydrogels is provided to show the significance of proper hydrogel selection and design. These are followed by an in-depth discussion of the various approaches for ROS generation in hydrogels. The structural engineering and fabrication of ROS-laden hydrogels are given with a focus on their biomedical applications in therapeutics and diagnosis. Additionally, we discuss how a compromise needs to be sought between ROS generation and removal for maximizing the efficacy of therapeutic treatment. Finally, the current challenges and potential routes toward commercialization in this rapidly evolving field are discussed, focusing on the potential translation of laboratory research outcomes to real-world clinical outcomes.

Vitamin D3 can effectively and rapidly clear largemouth bass ranavirus by immunoregulation.

Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) is a highly destructive pathogen that causes significant mortality rates among largemouth bass populations. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of drug development efforts specifically aimed at treating LMBV. To address this, our study sought to investigate the potential effectiveness of incorporating varying doses of VD3 into the diet as a treatment for LMBV. Through qRT-PCR and semi-qPCR, we observed significant suppression and clearance of LMBV pathogens in largemouth bass fed with 15000 IU/Kg and 20000 IU/Kg of VD3 within 14 days. In addition, VD3 treatment significantly increased the expression levels of key immune-related genes such as IL-1ß, IFN-γ, Mx, and IgM. Encouragingly, we observed that VD3 significantly increased antioxidant and immune activities such as TSOD, TAOC and C3 in serum and maintained total protein levels. Additionally, tissue pathology sections highlighted a dose-dependent relationship between VD3 supplementation and tissue damage, with the 15000 IU and 20000 IU groups exhibiting minimal damage. In conclusion, a reasonable concentration of VD3 effectively reduced LMBV replication and tissue damages, while improved immune-related genes expression and serum biochemical indices. These findings declare the considerable therapeutic potential of VD3 supplementation for combating LMBV disease and provide an alternative treatment option for fish farming.

The Combination of ß-Glucan and Astragalus Polysaccharide Effectively Resists Nocardia seriolae Infection in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides).

Effectively treating and preventing outbreaks is crucial for improving the economic benefits of aquaculture. Therefore, utilizing immunostimulants, either alone or in combination, is regarded as a promising strategy. In this study, ß-glucan + APS (200 mg/kg + 200 mg/kg), ß-glucan (200 mg/kg), APS (200 mg/kg), enrofloxacin (15 mg/kg), and sulfadiazine (15 mg/kg) were added to feed to assess the effects against Nocardia seriolae infection in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) within 14 days. The survival rates did not differ between the enrofloxacin group and the ß-glucan + APS group, but both were significantly higher than that of the control group. Additionally, the enrofloxacin group and the ß-glucan + APS group exhibited the lowest bacterial loads and tissue damage. Importantly, the ß-glucan + APS treatment significantly improved serum enzyme activities (total superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, total protein) and the expression of immune genes (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IgM) compared to the other treatment groups. The enrofloxacin group showed similar efficacy to the ß-glucan + APS group in combating N. seriolae infection, but N. seriolae in the enrofloxacin group developed drug resistance. In summary, the combined use of ß-glucan and APS is a promising strategy for treating bacterial diseases, thereby contributing to the promotion of sustainable aquaculture development.

The oral antigen-adjuvant fusion vaccine P-MCP-FlaC provides effective protective effect against largemouth bass ranavirus infection.

Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) is highly contagious and lethal to largemouth bass, causing significant economic losses to the aquaculture industry. Oral vaccination is generally considered the most ideal strategy for protecting fish from viral infection. In this study, the fusion protein MCP-FlaC, consisting of the main capsid protein (MCP) as the antigen and flagellin C (FlaC) as the adjuvant, was intracellularly expressed in Pichia pastoris. Subsequently, the recombinant P. pastoris was freeze-dried to prepare the oral vaccine P-MCP-FlaC. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the morphology and structure of the freeze-dried recombinant P. pastoris vaccine remained intact. The experiment fish (n = 100) was divided into five groups (P-MCP-FlaC, P-MCP, P-FlaC, P-pPIC3.5K, control) to evaluate the protective efficacy of the recombinant vaccine. Oral P-MCP-FlaC vaccine effectively up-regulated the serum enzymes activity (total superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, total antioxidant capacity, and complement component 3). The survival rate of P-MCP-FlaC group was significantly higher than that of the other groups. The mRNA expression of crucial immune genes (IL-1ß, TNF-α, MHC-II, IFN-γ, Mx, IgM, IgT) was also signally elevated in P-MCP-FlaC group. Vaccine P-MCP-FlaC markedly inhibited the replication of LMBV in the spleen, head kidney, and intestine, while reducing the degree of lesion in the spleen. These results suggest that the oral P-MCP-FlaC vaccine could effectively control LMBV infection, proving an effective strategy for viral diseases prevention in aquaculture.

Nanopeptide CI20 remarkably enhances growth performance and disease resistances by improving the mucosal structure, antioxidant capacity, and immunity in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi).

Soybean meal, excessively used in place of fish meal (FM) in aquaculture, has a detrimental impact on fish. In this study, the nanopeptide CI20, which was created by conjugating antimicrobial peptide gcIFN-20H and CMCS, were evaluated the feeding effect in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). Compared with the control group, 150 mg/kg C-I20-fed fish showed the second highest growth performance with no significant changes in body composition. C-I20-fed fish showed more goblet cells and thicker mucin after feeding. The 150 mg/kg CI20 diet boosted the antioxidant capacity, immunity, and digestive enzymes. After Aeromonas hydrophila and infection spleen and kidney necrosis virus infection, the survival rates in the 150 mg/kg CI20 group were highest. Meanwhile, many tissues in the 150 mg/kg CI20 group had significantly lower pathogen loads than the other groups. Treatment with 150 mg/kg CI20 was effective in increasing antioxidant capacity and immunity. The minimum tissue lesions were observed in the 150 mg/kg CI20 group. The goblet cell number and mucin thickness were significantly increased by CI20 treatment after infection. The study results herein showed that a reasonable dietary concentration of CI20 feed promoted growth performance and disease resistances in fish, suggesting a prospective nano antimicrobial peptide for the aquaculture.

A hierarchical porous aerohydrogel for enhanced water evaporation.

Natural solar-powered steam generation provides a promising strategy to deal with deteriorating water resources. However, the practical applications of this strategy are limited by the tedious manufacturing of structures at micro-nano levels to concentrate heat and transport water to heat-localized regions. Herein, this work reports the fabrication of hierarchically porous aerohydrogel with enhanced light absorption and thermal localization at the air-solid interface. This aerohydrogel steam generator is fabricated by a simple yet controllable micropore generation approach to assemble air and hydrogel into hierarchically porous gas-solid hybrids. The tunable micropore size in a wide range from 99±49µm to 316±58µm not only enables contrasting sunlight absorptance (0.2 - 2.5µm) by reducing the reflection of solar light but also harnesses water transportation to the heating region via a capillary force-driven liquid flow. Therefore, a solar-vapor conversion efficiency of 91.3% under one sun irradiation was achieved using this aerohydrogel evaporator, reaching a ready evaporation rate of 2.76kg m-2 h-1 and 3.71kg m-2 h-1 under one and two sun irradiations, respectively. Our work provides a versatile and scalable approach to engineering porous hydrogels for highly efficient steam generation and opens an avenue for other potential practical applications based on this aerohydrogel.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Empagliflozin Are Associated With Gut Microbiota and Plasma Metabolites in Type 2 Diabetes.

CONTEXT: Cardiovascular benefits of empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been reported; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that the cardiovascular benefits of empagliflozin are associated with altered gut microbiota and plasma metabolites, and that empagliflozin may be used as an initial treatment for patients with T2DM at risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). METHODS: This randomized, open-label, 3-month, 2-arm clinical trial included 76 treatment-naïve patients with T2DM and risk factors for CVD who were treated with either empagliflozin (10 mg/d, n = 40) or metformin (1700 mg/d, n = 36). We investigated changes in clinical parameters related to glucose metabolism and CVD risk factors, gut microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and plasma metabolites using LC-MS. RESULTS: We found significant and similar reduction in HbA1c levels and alleviation of glucose metabolism in both groups. However, only empagliflozin improved CVD risk factors. Empagliflozin significantly reshaped the gut microbiota after 1 month of treatment; this alteration was maintained until the end of the trial. Empagliflozin increased the levels of plasma metabolites such as sphingomyelin, but reduced glycochenodeoxycholate, cis-aconitate, and uric acid levels. Concurrently, empagliflozin elevated levels of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria such as species from Roseburia, Eubacterium, and Faecalibacterium, and reduced those of several harmful bacteria including Escherichia-Shigella, Bilophila, and Hungatella. CONCLUSION: Empagliflozin may be a superior initial therapy for patients with T2DM at risk of CVDs; its cardiovascular benefits may be associated with shifts in gut microbiota and plasma metabolites.

Identification of thiophene-benzenesulfonamide derivatives for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

A series of thiophene-benzenesulfonamide derivatives was designed and synthesized by exploring the structure-activity relationship of lead compounds 2,3-disubstituted thiophenes 25a and 297F as antituberculosis agents, which displayed potent antimycobacterial activity against drug-susceptible and clinically isolated drug-resistant tuberculosis. In particular, compound 17b, which had improved activity (minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.023 µg/mL) compared with the lead compounds, displayed good intracellular antimycobacterial activity in macrophages with a reduction of 1.29 log10 CFU. A druggability evaluation indicated that compound 17b had favorable hepatocyte stability, low cytotoxicity, and low hERG channel inhibition. Moreover, compound 17b exhibited modest in vivo efficacy in an acute mouse model of tuberculosis. In addition, the molecular docking study elucidated the binding mode of compound 17b in the active site of DprE1. Therefore, compound 17b may be a promising antituberculosis lead for further research.

Rapidly Self-Deactivating and Injectable Succinyl Ester-Based Bioadhesives for Postoperative Antiadhesion.

Postoperative adhesion not only causes severe complications for patients but also increases their economic burden. Injectable bioadhesives with adhesiveness to tissues can cover irregular wounds and stay stable in situ, which is a promising barrier for antiadhesion. However, the potential tissue adhesion caused by bioadhesives' indiscriminate adhesiveness between normal and wounded tissue is still a problem. Herein, by using poly(ethylene glycol) succinimidyl succinate (PEG-SS) and gelatin, a succinyl ester-based bioadhesive (SEgel) was fabricated with self-deactivating properties for postoperative antiadhesion. Because N-hydroxysuccinimide esters (NHS-esters) were used as the adhesive group, the bioadhesives' side in contact with the tissue built covalent anchors quickly to maintain the stability, but the superficial layer facing outward withstood fast hydrolysis and then lost its adhesion within minutes, avoiding the indiscriminate adhesiveness. In addition, because of the specific degradation behavior of succinyl ester, the SEgel with proper in vivo retention was achieved without the worry of causing foreign body reactions and unexpected tissue adhesion. Both the cecum-sidewall adhesion and hepatic adhesion models showed that the SEgel markedly reduced the severity of tissue adhesion. These results, together with the ease of the preparation process and well-proven biocompatibility of raw materials, revealed that the SEgel might be a promising solution for postoperative antiadhesion.

Discovery of Novel Thiophene-arylamide Derivatives as DprE1 Inhibitors with Potent Antimycobacterial Activities.

In this study, we report the design and synthesis of a series of novel thiophene-arylamide compounds derived from the noncovalent decaprenylphosphoryl-ß-d-ribose 2'-epimerase (DprE1) inhibitor TCA1 through a structure-based scaffold hopping strategy. Systematic optimization of the two side chains flanking the thiophene core led to new lead compounds bearing a thiophene-arylamide scaffold with potent antimycobacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. Compounds 23j, 24f, 25a, and 25b exhibited potent in vitro activity against both drug-susceptible (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 0.02-0.12 µg/mL) and drug-resistant (MIC = 0.031-0.24 µg/mL) tuberculosis strains while retaining potent DprE1 inhibition (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 0.2-0.9 µg/mL) and good intracellular antimycobacterial activity. In addition, these compounds showed good hepatocyte stability and low inhibition of the human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG) channel. The representative compound 25a with acceptable pharmacokinetic property demonstrated significant bactericidal activity in an acute mouse model of tuberculosis. Moreover, the molecular docking study of template compound 23j provides new insight into the discovery of novel antitubercular agents targeting DprE1.

Association Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Cognitive Dysfunction Analyzed by MRI in Diabetes Patients.

AIM: To explore the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and cognitive dysfunction in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: T1DM patients (n=32), T2DM patients (n=90) and age-matched controls (n=36 and 81, respectively) were included. The 72-hour dynamic blood glucose test and cognitive function, including visuoconstructive function, executive function, learning and memory, attention, language expression ability, and orientation, were analyzed. The head, body and tail grey matter of the hippocampus were analyzed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, serum HMGB1, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α concentrations were examined. RESULTS: HbA1C, MAGE and MODD were higher in T1DM patients than in T2DM patients (p<0.05). MoCA scores and IL-1ß and IL-6 levels in patients with T2DM were higher than T1DM patients. NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr of the hippocampus were higher in patients with T1DM than in those with T2DM. Levels of inflammatory factors in T1DM and T2DM patients were higher than in nondiabetic subjects (p<0.05). Regression analysis showed that cognition was associated with MAGE, MODD, NAA/Cr of the left hippocampus and HMGB1 in T1DM patients, after adjustment for age, sex, BMI and other co-variables. In T2DM patients, cognitive impairment was associated with MAGE, NAA/Cr of the left hippocampus, HMGB1 and IL-6, after adjustment for co-variables such as sex, age and BMI. CONCLUSION: T2DM patients have more cognitive impairment than T1DM patients. Changes in brain function connections and metabolites may be the structural basis of the differences in cognitive functional impairment. Inflammation is related to cognitive impairment in diabetes patients, especially in T2DM patients.

Association of masked uncontrolled hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in treated hypertensive patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) and prevalence of cardiovascular disease in treated hypertensive patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients' demographics and prior medical histories were collected. Fasting venous blood was drawn for evaluation of serum creatinine level, which was used to calculate glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Clinic blood pressure (BP) and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) measurements were performed. Based on the clinic BP and 24 h ABPM results, patients were divided into MUCH and non-masked hypertension groups. RESULTS: Compared to patients without masked hypertension, MUCH patients were older (62.4 ±11.2 vs. 59.7 ±10.4 years, p < 0.05), more likely to be male (66.9% vs. 63.4%), had diabetes (33.9% vs. 29.6%), longer hypertension duration (12.4 ±5.3 vs. 9.5 ±4.5 years, p < 0.05), lower GFR (79.5 ±11.6 vs. 82.4 ±10.3 ml/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.05), treated with ß-blocker (39.0% vs. 32.7%, p < 0.05) and required more antihypertensive medications (2.7 ±0.5 vs. 2.2 ±0.3, p < 0.05). MUCH patients have higher cardiovascular disease prevalence than that without masked hypertension (30.1% vs. 23.4%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for covariates, MUCH was still independently associated with higher cardiovascular disease prevalence with odds ratio 1.38 (95% confidence interval 1.17-1.62, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The MUCH is independently associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease in treated hypertensive patients. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether correction of MUCH can improve patients' outcomes.

Epidemiology, risk factors across the spectrum of age-related metabolic diseases.

BACKGROUND: Population aging is dynamic process of increasing proportion of older adults in the total population, which is an inescapable result of decline in fertility rate and extension in life expectancy. Inevitably, age-related metabolic diseases, for example obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, are becoming epidemic globally along with the demographic transition. CONTENT: The review examines the literatures related to: 1) the epidemiology of age related metabolic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; and 2) the risk factors of age related metabolic diseases including genetic factors, diet, smoking, Physical activity, intestinal microbiota and environmental factors. CONCLUSION: Population aging is becoming epidemic worldwide, resulting in increasing incidence and prevalence of a serious of age-related metabolic diseases. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the diseases, thus interventions targeting on these factors may have beneficial effect on the development of age-related metabolic diseases.

Gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) describes a set of risk factors that can eventually lead to the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. A detailed understanding of the MetS mechanism will be helpful in developing effective prevention strategies and appropriate intervention tools. In this article, we discuss the relationship between the clinical symptoms of MetS and differences in the gut microbial community compared with healthy individuals, characterized by the proliferation of potentially harmful bacteria and the inhibition of beneficial ones. Interactions between gut microbiota and host metabolism have been shown to be mediated by a number of factors, including inflammation caused by gut barrier defects, short-chain fatty acids metabolism, and bile acid metabolism. However, although we can clearly establish a causal relationship between gut microbial profiles and MetS in animal experiments, the relationship between them is still controversial in humans. Therefore, we need more clinical studies to augment our understanding of how we can manipulate the gut microbiota and address the role of the gut microbiota in the prevention and treatment of MetS.