Inhibition of neuropilin-1 improves non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high-fat-diet induced obese mouse.

BACKGROUND: Research findings indicate that neuropilin-1 plays a critical role in lipid metabolism and obesity-associated insulin resistance; on such a basis, the aim of this study was to explore the effects and working mechanism of neuropilin-1 inhibition on the non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) disease in high-fat-diet (HFD) induced obese mice. METHODS: Firstly, the pcDNA3.1-NRP-1 recombinant plasmid containing neuropilin-1 (NRP1) gene and NRP1 RNA interference plasmid shRNA-NRP1 were successfully constructed. A total of 36 C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 6 groups, blank group, control group, pcDNA3.1 injection group, pcDNA3.1-NRP-1 injection group, pGenesil-1.1 injection group and shRNA-NRP1 injection group. Expression of phospho-PI3K, phospho-AKT, phospho-mTOR and neuropilin-1 in liver was measured as well as body and liver weight, blood glucose, serum transaminases and lipid levels of the mice. RESULTS: The weight and liver mass of HFD fed mice injected with pcDNA3.1-NRP-1 were significantly higher than those from the control group, but their body weight and liver mass decreased significantly after shRNA-NRP1 injection. The results also showed that neuropilin-1 expression can significantly influence the severity of hepatic steatosis in HFD fed mice, decreased serum FPG, LDL, AST, ALT levels and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-6 mRNA. In addition, the Neuropilin-1 expression will also influence the p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR in mice. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that the inhibition of neuropilin-1 could improve NAFLD disease by decreasing body weight and reduce inflammation in HFD induced obese mice by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Understanding the Pathways from Depression to Suicidal Risk from the Perspective of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide.

Suicide is a major public health concern, especially in adolescence. Identifying risk factors for suicide is important to effectively prevent such behavior. Depression is one of the most widely examined risk factors for suicidal risk. How depression and suicidal risk are related, however, is still not clear. This study tested a model with three key constructs of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS)-perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)-as mediators in the relationship between depression and suicidal risk among Chinese adolescents. Chinese high school students (N = 1,074; 54.2% male; Mage  = 13.87 years, SD = 1.48) completed questionnaires assessing all study variables. Results suggested that perceived burdensomeness and NSSI partially mediated the relationship between depression and suicidal risk. Findings of this study emphasize the importance of the IPTS framework in understanding the possible mechanisms underlying the relationship between depression and suicidal risk, and suggest a possible avenue for suicide interventions.

Differentiating Suicide Attempters from Suicide Ideators: The Role of Capability for Suicide.

This study examined whether different components of capability for suicide (i.e., fearlessness about death, pain tolerance, pain insensitivity, preparation for suicide, suicide plan, and courage), as well as painful and provocative events, nonsuicidal self-injury, depressive symptoms, and hopelessness, could distinguish between suicide attempters, suicide ideators, and non-suicidal controls. A total of 930 Chinese adolescents completed questionnaires, and a multinomial logistic regression was conducted to identify factors that could distinguish among the 3 groups. We found that higher levels of pain tolerance, more detailed suicide plans, more positive attitudes towards suicide, as well as more painful and provocative experiences and more severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with increased likelihood of the engagement in both suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Only nonsuicidal self-injury increased the likelihood of falling in the suicide attempt group as compared to the suicide ideation group. Findings of this study emphasize the role of nonsuicidal self-injury in intervening suicidality.

Low self-esteem, entrapment, and reason for living: A moderated mediation model of suicidal ideation.

Adolescent suicidal ideation has become a top public health concern. It is thus significant to explore both risk and protective factors of adolescent suicidal ideation. The present study tested a moderated mediation model of suicidal ideation in a sample of Chinese adolescents. Chinese adolescents of 1074 (54.2% females, aged between 11 and 18 years) completed questionnaires assessing self-esteem, entrapment, reason for living, and suicidal ideation. We found that entrapment mediated the association between low self-esteem and suicidal ideation. The association between entrapment and suicidal ideation was moderated by reason for living. Findings of this study may expand our understanding of the development of suicidal ideation, and facilitate future research exploring the interplay of risk and protective factors of suicidality. Clinical implications of these findings were also discussed.

The mediating role of coping strategy in the association between family functioning and nonsuicidal self-injury among Taiwanese adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Nock's (2009) integrated theoretical model suggests that both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors contribute to the development of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Based on this model, the present study examined the roles of family functioning and coping strategy in predicting NSSI, as well as the mediating effect of coping strategy in the relationship between family functioning and NSSI. Gender differences on the associations of these variables were also examined. METHOD: A sample of 1,989 secondary school students (52.0% females) in Taiwan was assessed by self-report measures of perceived family functioning, coping strategy, and NSSI. RESULTS: Results showed that both family functioning and avoidance/emotion-focused coping strategy predicted NSSI. Additionally, the association between family functioning and NSSI was mediated by avoidance/emotion-focused coping strategy. Gender differences were not found on the associations among these study variables. CONCLUSIONS: These data provided evidences that the Nock's (2009) integrated theoretical model may help to explain how coping strategy mediates the effect of family functioning on NSSI. The implications of the findings for future research and intervention were discussed.

Developmental Trajectories of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Adolescence and Intrapersonal/Interpersonal Risk Factors.

This 3-wave study investigated the developmental trajectories of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and intrapersonal/interpersonal risk factors among 3,381 Chinese adolescents (56.2% females) aged from 13 to 17 years during a 1-year period. Using an accelerated longitudinal design and latent class growth analysis, we identified four subgroups of NSSI trajectories: negligible (74.6%), experimental (12.8%), moderate decreasing (10.8%), and high fluctuating (1.9%). Adolescents reporting both intrapersonal (i.e., impulsive behaviors and depression) and interpersonal (i.e., unstable relationships and parental criticism) risk factors were significantly more likely to follow the latter three trajectories. The findings of this study suggest there is heterogeneity in NSSI development among adolescents and highlight the contributions of both intrapersonal and interpersonal risk factors in the engagement in NSSI.