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1.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 275(Pt 2): 133720, 2024 Jul 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38987000

ABSTRACT

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a zoonotic pathogen, can cause severe neurological complications and fatal outcomes in humans. Early diagnosis of TBEV infection is crucial for clinical practice. Although serological assays are frequently employed for detection, the lack of antibodies in the early stages of infection and the cross-reactivity of antibodies limit their efficacy. Conventional molecular diagnostic methods such as RT-qPCR can achieve early and accurate identification but require specialized instrumentation and professionals, hindering their application in resource-limited areas. Our study developed a rapid and visual TBEV molecular detection method by combining RT-recombinase-aided amplification, the CRISPR/Cas13a system, and lateral flow dipsticks. The diagnostic sensitivity of this method is 50 CFU/ml, with no cross-reactivity with a variety of viruses. The detection can be carried out within 1 h at a temperature between 37 and 42 °C, and the results can be visually determined without the need for complex instruments and professionals. Subsequently, this assay was used to analyze clinical samples from 15 patients suspected of TBEV infection and 10 healthy volunteers, and its sensitivity and specificity reached 100 %, which was consistent with the results of RT-qPCR. These results indicate that this new method can be a promising point-of-care test for the diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis.

2.
Microbiol Spectr ; 11(3): e0517022, 2023 06 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37022182

ABSTRACT

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are common viruses that can cause local outbreaks in schools, communities and military camps, posing a huge threat to public health. An ideal POCT device for adenovirus detection in resource-limited settings is critical to control the spread of the virus. In this study, we developed an integrated and electricity-independent sample-to-answer system that can complete nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection at room temperature. This system is suitable for field and on-site detection because of its rapidity, sensitivity, lack of contamination, and lack of requirements of high-precision instruments and skilled technicians. It consists of two separate modules, ALP FINA (alkaline lysis with the paper-based filtration isolation of nucleic acid) and SV RPA (sealed and visual recombinase polymerase amplification). The extraction efficiency of ALP FINA can reach 48 to 84%, which is close to that of the conventional centrifuge column. The detection sensitivity of SV RPA is close to 10 copies/µL of AdvB and AdvE without aerosol contamination after repeated operations. When SV RPA was applied to the detection of nasopharyngeal swab samples of 19 patients who were infected with AdvB or AdvE as well as 10 healthy volunteers, its sensitivity and specificity reached 100%, respectively. IMPORTANCE HAdV infections are readily transmittable and, in some instances, highly contagious. Early and rapid diagnosis is essential for disease control. In this work, we developed a portable, disposable, and modularized sample-to-answer detection system for AdvB and AdvE, which rendered the entire test to be completely independent of electricity and other laboratory infrastructure. Thus, this detection system can be applied in resource-limited settings, and it has the potential to be further developed as an early diagnosis method in the field.


Subject(s)
Adenoviruses, Human , Nucleic Acids , Humans , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/methods , Adenoviridae , Sensitivity and Specificity , Adenoviruses, Human/genetics , Recombinases
3.
Biotechnol Appl Biochem ; 70(2): 688-696, 2023 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35932185

ABSTRACT

The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus secretes an adhesive polysaccharide called holdfast, which is the known strongest underwater adhesive in nature. The deacetylase encoded by hfs (holdfast synthesis) H gene is a key factor affecting the adhesion of holdfast. Its structure and function are not yet clear, and whether other polysaccharide deacetylases exist in C. crescentus is still unknown. The screening of both HfsH and its structural analogue as well as their purification from the artificial expression products of Escherichia coli is the first step to clarify these questions. Here, we determined the conserved domains of HfsH via sequence alignment among carbohydrate esterase family 4 enzymes and screened out its structural analogue (CC_2574) in C. crescentus. The recombinant HfsH and CC_2574 were effectively expressed in E. coli. Both of them were purified by chromatography from their corresponding productions in E. coli and were then functionally analyzed. The results indicated that a high deacetylase activity (61.8 U/mg) was observed in recombinant HfsH but not in CC_2574, which suggesting that HfsH might be the irreplaceable gene mediating adhesion of holdfast in C. crescentus. Moreover, the divalent metal ions Zn2+ , Mg2+ , and Mn2+ could promote the activity of recombinant HfsH at the concentration from 0.05 to 1 mM, but inhibit its activity when the concentration exceeds 1 mM. In sum, our study first realized the artificial production of polysaccharide deacetylase HfsH and its structural analogue, and further explored their functions, both of which laid the foundation for the development of new adhesive materials.


Subject(s)
Bacterial Adhesion , Caulobacter crescentus , Bacterial Adhesion/genetics , Caulobacter crescentus/genetics , Caulobacter crescentus/metabolism , Escherichia coli/genetics , Escherichia coli/metabolism , Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human/metabolism , Polysaccharides/metabolism , Bacterial Proteins/genetics
4.
China CDC Wkly ; 4(26): 577-581, 2022 Jul 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35919456

ABSTRACT

Air pollution is a significant risk factor contributing to the burden of disease in China. Health risk assessment and management are important to reduce the impact of air pollution on public health. To help formulate standardized health risk assessment techniques, a series of studies were conducted from 2006 to 2019. Through systematic review, study of molecular mechanisms, epidemiological investigation, and health effect monitoring, the overall project established a monitoring and evaluation indicator system, a comprehensive information platform, software for automatic data cleaning, and standardized health risk assessment techniques. Technical specifications have been issued by the National Health Commission for promoting health risk assessments across China. This paper introduces the project, the research approach, its main research accomplishments, innovations, and public health significance, and describes directions for further research.

5.
Neuro Oncol ; 22(12): 1797-1808, 2020 12 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32492707

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) are a subpopulation of glioblastoma (GBM) cells that are critical for tumor invasion and treatment resistance. However, little is known about the function and mechanism of tripartite motif-containing 24 (TRIM24) in GSCs. METHODS: Immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and western blot analyses were used to evaluate TRIM24 and cluster of differentiation (CD)133 expression profiles in GBM surgical specimens and GSC tumorspheres. Different TRIM24 expression levels in patients' tumors, as measured by both immunohistochemistry and western blot, were related to their corresponding MRI data. Wound healing, Matrigel invasion, and xenograft immunohistochemistry were conducted to determine GBM cell invasion. RESULTS: We identified that TRIM24 was coexpressed with CD133 and Nestin in GBM tissues and tumorsphere cells. Limiting dilution assays and xenotransplantation experiments illustrated that knockdown of TRIM24 expression reduced GSC self-renewal capacity and invasive growth. TRIM24 expression levels were positively associated with the volumes of peritumoral T2 weighted image abnormality. Rescue experiments indicated TRIM24 participation in GBM infiltrative dissemination. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, reporter gene assay, PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that TRIM24 activated the expression of the pluripotency transcription factor sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) to regulate GBM stemness and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the close relationship between TRIM24 and Sox2 was validated by testing samples enrolled in our study and exploring external databases. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings uncover essential roles of the TRIM24-Sox2 axis in GBM stemness and invasiveness, suggesting TRIM24 as a potential target for effective GBM management.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Glioblastoma , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Carrier Proteins , Cell Differentiation , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Glioblastoma/genetics , Humans , Neoplastic Stem Cells , SOXB1 Transcription Factors/genetics
6.
Int J Biol Sci ; 16(1): 49-60, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31892845

ABSTRACT

PM2.5 exposure exacerbates cardiovascular diseases via oxidative stress and inflammation, the detailed mechanism of which is unclear. In this study, the effects of oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as vascular structure and function were studied by multiple PM2.5 exposure model of ApoE-/- mice. The results indicated that NO produced by iNOS not cNOS might play important roles in inducing vascular dysfunction after PM2.5 exposure. The occurrence order and causality among NO, other oxidative stress indicators and inflammation is explored by single PM2.5 exposure. The results showed that NO generated by iNOS occurred earlier than that of other oxidative stress indicators, which was followed by the increased inflammation. Inhibition of NOS could effectively block the raise of NO, oxidative stress and inflammation after PM2.5 exposure. All in all, we firstly confirmed that NO was the initiation factor of PM2.5 exposure-induced oxidative stress, which led to inflammation and the following vascular dysfunction.


Subject(s)
Apolipoproteins E/metabolism , Inflammation/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism , Particulate Matter/toxicity , Animals , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Blotting, Western , Immunohistochemistry , Inflammation/genetics , Interleukin-6/blood , Male , Mice , Mice, Mutant Strains , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood
7.
Environ Pollut ; 256: 113342, 2020 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31676093

ABSTRACT

PM2.5 exposure aggravates type 2 diabetes, in which inflammatory factors play an important role. In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanisms responsible for aggravating diabetes after PM2.5 exposure, and study the roles of inflammatory factors in insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes. Our study indicated that short-time PM2.5 exposure enhances insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic rats and significantly raises inflammatory factors, including IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1, in lungs. However, we found that of these inflammatory factors only IL-6 levels are elevated in blood, liver, adipose tissue, and macrophages, but not in skeletal muscle. IL-6 induced activation of the STAT3/SOCS3 pathway in liver, but not other downstream pathways including STAT1, ERK1/2, and PI3K. Both STAT3 inhibition and IL-6 neutralization effectively alleviated the disorders of glucose metabolism after PM2.5 exposure. Taken together, this suggests that the systemic increase in IL-6 may play an important role in the deterioration of the type 2 diabetes via IL-6/STAT3/SOCS3 pathway in liver after short-time exposure to PM2.5. Besides, we unexpectedly found a stronger resistance to the PM2.5 exposure-induced increase in IL-6 in skeleton muscle than those of many other tissues.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/immunology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/immunology , Interleukin-6/blood , Particulate Matter/toxicity , Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein/metabolism , Animals , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Liver/drug effects , Liver/immunology , Lung/drug effects , Lung/immunology , Male , Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects , Muscle, Skeletal/immunology , Particulate Matter/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Signal Transduction
8.
Int J Biol Macromol ; 146: 781-789, 2020 Mar 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31730959

ABSTRACT

The heterologous nature of SAK, a thrombolytic drug, elicits high titers of neutralizing antibodies, which limits its clinical use. Here, we aim to establish a SAK mutant with equivalent activity to the wild type but reduced antigenicity, which may allow for multiple injections. Biosun software was used to predict SAK antigenic epitopes, and several main epitopes were modified by gene deletion and mutation. Ten SAK mutants were constructed, and their thrombolytic activity and immunogenicity were analyzed in vitro. SAK6, with a high expression level (45%), similar thrombolytic activity, and lower antibody reaction, was chosen for in vivo analysis in rhesus monkey. In the nearly 8-month experimental period, the antibody level of the SAK6 group was significantly lower than that of the SAK group. Moreover, only 5% of SAK activity was retained, whereas 75.6% of SAK6 activity was retained after incubating with respective antiserum. Overall, these results demonstrated that SAK6, established through comprehensive site-directed mutagenesis program, had identical thrombolytic activity to SAK, low immunogenicity, and less side effects, demonstrating its efficient clinical potential for thrombus disease.


Subject(s)
Fibrinolytic Agents/chemistry , Fibrinolytic Agents/immunology , Metalloendopeptidases/chemistry , Metalloendopeptidases/genetics , Metalloendopeptidases/immunology , Animals , Antibodies , Disease Models, Animal , Epitopes , Female , Fibrinolytic Agents/pharmacology , Macaca mulatta , Male , Metalloendopeptidases/pharmacology , Mutagenesis , Mutagenesis, Site-Directed , Mutation , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Thrombosis
10.
Neuroscience ; 422: 134-145, 2019 12 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31682951

ABSTRACT

Schwann cells (SCs) combined with acellular nerve allografts (ANAs) effectively promote the regeneration and repair of peripheral nerves, but the exact mechanism has not been fully elucidated. However, the disadvantages of SCs include their limited source and slow rate of expansion in vitro. Previous studies have found that adipose-derived stem cells have the ability to differentiate into Schwann-like cells. Therefore, we speculated that Schwann-like cells combined with ANAs could profoundly facilitate nerve regeneration and repair. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of regeneration and repair. In this study, tissue-engineered nerves were first constructed by adipose-derived Schwann-like cells and ANAs to bridge missing sciatic nerves. Then, the rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 12 per group): a Control group; a Model group; an ADSC group; an SC-L group; and a DMEM group. Twelve weeks postsurgery, behavioral function tests and molecular biological techniques were used to evaluate the function of regenerated nerves and the relevant molecular mechanisms after sciatic nerve injury (SNI). The results showed that adipose-derived Schwann-like cells combined with ANAs markedly promoted sciatic nerve regeneration and repair. These findings also demonstrated that the expression of neurotrophic factors (NFs) was increased, and the expression of Janus activated kinase2 (JAK2)/P-JAK2, signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3)/P-STAT3 was decreased in the spinal cord after SNI. Therefore, these results suggested that highly expressed NFs in the spinal cord could promote nerve regeneration and repair by inhibiting activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.


Subject(s)
Allografts/transplantation , Janus Kinase 2/physiology , Nerve Regeneration/physiology , STAT3 Transcription Factor/physiology , Sciatic Nerve/physiopathology , Animals , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis , Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis , Male , Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods , Nerve Growth Factor/biosynthesis , Neurons/transplantation , Rats , Recovery of Function/physiology , Sciatic Nerve/injuries , Sciatic Nerve/surgery , Signal Transduction/physiology , Spinal Cord/metabolism
11.
J Drug Target ; 27(10): 1108-1117, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31056958

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to realize the oral delivery of SAK-HV protein and improve its oral bioavailability based on chitosan quaternary ammonium salt-PLGA microsphere. The results showed that the SAK-HV-loaded microsphere can overcome the multiple obstacles for oral adsorption and adhere effectively to the jejunal segment of a rat. The pharmacokinetic analysis of the oral drug-loaded microspheres in rats showed that the blood drug concentration of SAK-HV reached the peak value at 4 h after oral administration, and the relative oral bioavailability of SAK-HV was 3.4%. Additionally, after oral administration to the mice, a higher level of antibody against SAK-HV was produced on day 21 compared with that in the control and injection groups, and the antibody titre was 7.2 times that of the tail vein group. This work suggests that the microsphere of the chitosan quaternary ammonium salt-PLGA may be a promising drug delivery system for the oral administration of SAK-HV protein.


Subject(s)
Chitosan/chemistry , Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer/chemistry , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/chemistry , Quaternary Ammonium Compounds/chemistry , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/chemistry , Administration, Oral , Animals , Drug Carriers/chemistry , Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Male , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Microspheres , Rats , Rats, Wistar
12.
Biomed J ; 42(1): 36-45, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30987703

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury is a frequent clinical damage, in which the oxidative stress and inflammation play an important role. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a natural anti-inflammatory factor, however, its effect on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury remains unclear. METHODS: The rat model of intestinal I/R was induced by occlusion (for 60 min) and reopening (for 60 min) of superior mesenteric artery. The rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups: sham-operation(S), model (I/R),10 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C1),20 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C2), and30 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C3). RESULTS: In this study it was the first time to confirm that IL-1Ra had a significant protection against the intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury. IL-1Ra not only effectively inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors (such as IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α) and the activation of neutrophil in intestinal tissues, but also decreased the death of intestinal cells and the damages of intestinal tissues. Interestingly, besides anti-inflammation effect, it was also found that IL-1Ra possessed a significant inhibitory effect on the oxidative stress caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury. Furthermore, the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the phosphorylation level of Nrf2 were greatly promoted by IL-1Ra. At the same time, IL-1Ra inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathway. CONCLUSION: IL-1Ra had the protective effect against intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury, its mechanism included anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress in which the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway played an important role. The above-mentioned results may extend the clinical application of IL-1Ra in the treatment of intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury.


Subject(s)
Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism , Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein/metabolism , NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism , Reperfusion Injury/metabolism , Animals , Cytokines/metabolism , Inflammation/immunology , Inflammation/metabolism , Male , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reperfusion Injury/immunology
13.
Int J Biol Sci ; 15(1): 24-33, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30662344

ABSTRACT

Exposure to airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equivalent to 2.5 microns (PM2.5) easily induces acute myocardial infarction in populations with high-risk cardiovascular diseases such as hyperlipidemia, but its mechanism remains unclear. In this study, hyperlipidemic rats were used to examine the effects of PM2.5 exposure on the cardiovascular system and the mechanism for its induction of cardiovascular events. We found that PM2.5 exposure resulted in bigger changes in the myocardial enzyme profile (cTnI, LDH, CK, CK-MB) in hyperlipidemic rats than that of control rats, as well as a significant increase in the C-reactive protein (CRP) level and a decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. It promoted a hypercoagulable state, significantly increased blood pressure and heart rate, while decreased the variability of heart rate in hyperlipidemic rats. In addition, pathological test showed that PM2.5 exposure more easily deteriorated myocardial injury in hyperlipidemic rats. It upregulated the phosphorylation levels of myocardial c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and P53, resulting in the elevated expression of downstream effector protein Bax and the decreased expression of Bcl-2, and then increased caspase3 level leading to cardiomyocyte apoptosis, while little change of caspase2 was observed. Taken together, PM2.5 exposure induced more serious inflammation and oxidative stress in the circulation system of hyperlipidemic rats, promoted a hypercoagulable state and triggered cardiomyocyte apoptosis, in which JNK/P53 pathway played a key role.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Caspase 3/metabolism , Hyperlipidemias/metabolism , Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Particulate Matter/toxicity , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Animals , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects , Male , Prothrombin Time , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism
14.
Mol Genet Genomics ; 294(2): 277-286, 2019 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30374564

ABSTRACT

Gene circuits are constructed to run complex logical operations for the precise regulation of biological metabolic processes. At present, the implementation of most genetic circuits is based on the regulatory mechanism of various circuit components, but we hope to realize complex logic gates through biological metabolic pathways of organisms. In this study, we matched the regulatory elements of different functional mechanisms to build a Boolean logic gate model by means of a dual-vector circuit. In Escherichia coli, we made 12 circuit logic gate modules and validated the functions of four of the logic gates, including "AND", "NAND", "OR" and "NOR" by the expression and analysis of a reporter gene. The inputs were converted into outputs by an intermediate product of the host metabolism. The results indicated that these logic gate circuits had the expected efficacy and regulatory characteristics. Our study provides new ideas for designing genetic circuits and precisely controlling metabolic pathways.


Subject(s)
Escherichia coli/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial/genetics , Gene Regulatory Networks/genetics , Metabolic Networks and Pathways/genetics , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics
15.
Int J Biol Sci ; 14(14): 1993-2002, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30585263

ABSTRACT

Macrophage migration plays an essential role in immune system and is also involved in many pathological situations. However, the regulatory mechanism of macrophage migration remains to be elucidated due to its diverse responses to various stimuli. SAK-HV, a multifunctional protein possessing thrombolytic and lipid-lowering activity, can selectively induce the macrophage proliferation. Here, we reported SAK-HV significantly triggered RAW264.7 cells migration through its functional domain of SAK-mutant by activating both c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. Meanwhile, SAK-HV upregulated the expression of some effector proteins, among which only the expression of Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was inhibited by the blockade of JNK and NF-κB pathways. Further research showed that MCP-1 promoted migration ultimately by interacting with Chemokine (C-C motif) Receptor 2 (CCR2) in an autocrine manner. In summary, SAK-HV induced RAW264.7 cells migration through its SAK-mutant domain, during which MCP-1 chemokine mediated by JNK and NF-κB pathways played a key role. These results revealed a novel effect of SAK-HV on modulating macrophage migration and also deepened the understanding of its pharmacodynamics.


Subject(s)
Cell Movement/physiology , Chemokine CCL2/metabolism , Animals , Cell Movement/genetics , Chemokine CCL2/genetics , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics , JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Macrophages/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , NF-kappa B/genetics , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Phosphorylation/genetics , Phosphorylation/physiology , RAW 264.7 Cells , RNA, Small Interfering/genetics , Receptors, CCR2/genetics , Signal Transduction/genetics , Signal Transduction/physiology , Transfection , Wound Healing/genetics , Wound Healing/physiology
16.
Int J Biol Sci ; 14(5): 557-564, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29805307

ABSTRACT

The biggest victim of ambient air pollution is the respiratory system. Mainly because of the harmful components, especially the particulate matters with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5µm (PM2.5), can be directly inhaled and deeply penetrate into the lung alveoli, thus causing severe lung dysfunction, including chronic cough, bronchitis and asthma, even lung cancer. Unfortunately, the toxicological mechanisms of PM2.5 associations with these adverse respiratory outcomes have still not been clearly unveiled. Here, we found that PM2.5 rapidly induced inflammatory responses, oxidative injure and cell death in human bronchial epithelium cells through upregulation of IL-6 expression, ROS production and apoptosis. Furthermore, PM2.5 specifically induced nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) expression and NO generation to elevate excessive autophagy. Finally, disruption of NOS2 signaling effectively blocked autophayosome formation and the subsequent cell death. Our novel findings systemically reveled the role of autophagy-mediated cell death in PM2.5-treated human bronchial epithelium cells and provided potential strategy for future clinic intervention.


Subject(s)
Autophagy , Epithelial Cells/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism , Particulate Matter/adverse effects , Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Apoptosis , Bronchi/cytology , Cell Death , Epithelial Cells/cytology , Epithelium/metabolism , Humans , Inflammation , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Lung/cytology , Oxidative Stress , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Up-Regulation
17.
Oncol Rep ; 39(6): 2915-2923, 2018 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29693188

ABSTRACT

Receptor­interacting protein 2 (RIP2) has recently been reported to be involved in tumor infiltration and cancer metastasis. However, the function of RIP2 in human astrocytoma remains unclear. In the present study, we showed that the expressions of RIP2 and Bcl­xL were positively correlated with the malignant grade in 28 cases of astrocytoma of various grades and 6 cases of normal human tissues. In addition, increased activity of the NF­κB and p38 signaling pathways in astrocytoma tissue was observed. Cytological experiments indicated that RIP2 promoted human glioblastoma cell proliferation by inducing expression of Bcl­xL, and knockdown of endogenous RIP2 promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, knockdown of RIP2 suppressed downstream events including the canonical and alternative NF­κB pathway as well as the mitogen­activated protein kinase (p38) pathway. In addition, the present study also demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor receptor­associated factor 3 (TRAF3), as a novel RIP2 binding partner, was downregulated in glioma tissues and functionally was a negative regulator involved in RIP2­induced glioma cell growth. Taken together, the present study established a negative link between RIP2 and TRAF3 proteins and identifies a new pathway for regulating astrocytoma progression.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Glioma/pathology , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2/genetics , TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 3/genetics , bcl-X Protein/genetics , Adult , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Glioma/genetics , Glioma/metabolism , Humans , MAP Kinase Signaling System , Male , Middle Aged , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Neoplasm Grading , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2/metabolism , TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 3/metabolism , bcl-X Protein/metabolism
18.
J Neuroinflammation ; 15(1): 16, 2018 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29334965

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Current options to treat clinical relapse in inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) conditions such as cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury are limited, and agents that are more effective are required. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier is an early feature of lesion formation that correlates with clinical exacerbation and facilitates the entry of inflammatory medium and inflammatory cells. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory antagonist of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) family. The broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory effects of IL-1RA have been investigated against various forms of neuroinflammation. However, the effect of IL-1RA on blood-brain barrier disruption following ischemia-reperfusion has not been reported. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of IL-1RA and a novel protein (IL-1RA-PEP) that was fused to IL-1RA with a cell penetrating peptide, on blood-brain barrier integrity, in male rats subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. RESULTS: After intravenous administration, IL-1RA-PEP (50 mg/kg) penetrated cerebral tissues more effectively than IL-1RA. Moreover, it preserved blood-brain barrier integrity, attenuated changes in expression and localization of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinases, and enhanced angiogenesis in ischemic brain tissue. Further study suggested that the effects of IL-1RA-PEP on preserving blood-brain barrier integrity might be closely correlated with the p65/NF-κB pathway, as evidenced by the effects of the inhibitor JSH-23. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results demonstrated that IL-1RA-PEP could effectively penetrate the brain of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and ameliorate blood-brain barrier disruption. This finding might represent its novel therapeutic potential in the treatment of the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.


Subject(s)
Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism , Brain Ischemia/metabolism , Cysteamine/analogs & derivatives , Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein/metabolism , Peptides/metabolism , Reperfusion Injury/metabolism , Administration, Intravenous , Animals , Blood-Brain Barrier/drug effects , Brain Ischemia/drug therapy , Cysteamine/administration & dosage , Cysteamine/metabolism , Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein/administration & dosage , Male , Peptides/administration & dosage , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reperfusion Injury/drug therapy
19.
Int J Mol Sci ; 18(7)2017 Jul 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28714941

ABSTRACT

Epidemiological and clinical studies have increasingly shown that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which share the common feature of PM2.5-induced vascular inflammation; however, the underlying mechanisms of how PM2.5 triggers increased inflammatory response in vascular endothelial cells are not well understood. After treating mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) with different concentrations of PM2.5, we assessed interleukin (IL)-6 and four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) expression in cell supernatant by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot, respectively, as well as activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and immune-response signaling pathways. Additionally, changes in pathway activation, IL-6 expression, and autophagy were evaluated under PM2.5 exposure, following FHL2 knockdown with small interfering RNA. Our results indicated that PM2.5 exposure induced FHL2 expression and IL-6 secretion, as well as activation of pathways associated with immune response. Additionally, following FHL2 knockdown, the activation of NF-κB-related pathways and IL-6 secretion was inhibited under PM2.5 exposure, although the Akt- and p38-signaling pathways were not affected. Furthermore, PM2.5 exposure induced autophagy, whereas autophagy inhibition eventually inhibited PM2.5-induced FHL2 expression. These findings suggested a novel link between autophagy induced FHL2 upregulation and IL-6 production in MAECs under PM2.5 exposure.


Subject(s)
Aorta/cytology , Interleukin-6/metabolism , LIM-Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism , Muscle Proteins/metabolism , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Particulate Matter/toxicity , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Up-Regulation , Animals , Aorta/drug effects , Aorta/immunology , Autophagy , Cell Survival/drug effects , Endothelial Cells/cytology , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Endothelial Cells/immunology , Gene Knockdown Techniques , LIM-Homeodomain Proteins/genetics , Mice , Muscle Proteins/genetics , Signal Transduction , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcriptional Activation
20.
Exp Neurol ; 297: 1-13, 2017 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28602833

ABSTRACT

Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are involved in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, in which Interleukin 1 (IL-1), as an effective intervention target, is implicated. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) is the natural inhibitor of IL-1, but blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the brain penetration of intravenously administered IL-1RA, thereby restricting its therapeutic effect against neuroinflammation. In this study, we evaluated the potential effects of anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress of a novel protein IL-1RA-PEP, which fused IL-1RA with a cell penetrating peptide (CPP). Studies were carried out in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats and oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in primary cortical neurons. In MCAO rat model, IL-1RA-PEP (50mg/kg) injected i.v., penetrated BBB effectively, and alleviated brain infarction, cerebral edema, neurological deficit score and motor performance as well as inhibited the inflammatory cytokines expression. Furthermore, our results firstly showed that IL-1RA-PEP also regulated the oxidases expression, decreased the levels of NO, MDA and ROS. In addition, the inhibitory effects of IL-1RA-PEP on oxidative stress and inflammation were confirmed in rat cortical neurons induced by OGD/R, it reduced ROS, IL-6 and TNF-α. Further study showed that the effects of IL-1RA-PEP were closely associated with the NF-κB and p38 pathways which were proved respectively by their inhibitors JSH-23 and SB203580. Our results indicated that IL-1RA-PEP could effectively penetrate the brain of MCAO rats, alleviated the cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury by inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, showing a great clinical potential for stroke.


Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia/metabolism , Brain/metabolism , Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein/metabolism , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Reperfusion Injury/metabolism , Animals , Brain/drug effects , Brain Ischemia/drug therapy , Cells, Cultured , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Humans , Inflammation/drug therapy , Inflammation/metabolism , Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein/administration & dosage , Male , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Pregnancy , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reperfusion Injury/drug therapy
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