The polysaccharides from Balanophora polyandra enhanced neuronal autophagy to ameliorate brain function decline in natural aging mice through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

The decline of aging brain neurons is the main cause of various neurodegenerative disease. This study aimed to examine the impact of Balanophora polyandra polysaccharides (BPP) against aging related neuronal deterioration. C57BL/6 mice were fed with regular feed for 27 months to establish a natural aging mouse model. From 3 months of age, mice in the drug-treated group were respectively fed with feed containing 0.05 or 0.18% BPP until 27 months of age. The effects of BPP treatment on the pathological changes of neurons in mice brain were evaluated, as well as autophagy-related and signaling pathway proteins. BPP treatment had a notable positive impact on the pathological injury of cortical and hippocampal neurons, alleviated neuronal degeneration, and enhanced the staining of Nissl bodies in natural aging mice. Furthermore, BPP upregulated autophagy-related proteins LC3 II/I, Parkin, and PINK1 in the cortex and hippocampus of aging mice, and significantly decreased the expression of p62, PI3K, p-protein Kinase B (AKT), and p-mTOR. Immunofluorescence results showed a reduction in the brightness of LC3, which mainly coexpressed with NeuN in natural aging mice brain, and increased LC3-positive neurons were observed after BPP treatment. Collectively, BPP treatment enhanced neuronal autophagy to improve brain functional degradation through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in natural aging mice. These finding suggested that BPP has potential to mitigate or delay the neurodegeneration associated with aging and further investigation was needed to validate its efficacy in elderly populations.

LncRNA XIST: A Breakthrough in Inflammation-related Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA that plays an important role in the body and accounts for the majority of RNA, and this non-coding RNA can regulate disease onset and progression with its wide range of functions. LncRNA Xist, also known as the long non-coding RNA X inactive specific transcript, is a member of them. It can regulate the development of organismal diseases by acting downstream on specific target genes. In addition to this, it can also influence disease onset and progression by acting on apoptosis, migration, invasion, and other processes. It has been shown that XIST plays an important role in the development of inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the role played by XIST in inflammation-related diseases and to explore its mechanism of action. METHODS: This paper summarizes and analyzes the role played by XIST in inflammation- related diseases by conducting a search in PubMed. CONCLUSION: In this paper, we summarize the mechanism of action of XIST in different types of inflammation-related diseases and propose new protocols for the future clinical treatment of these diseases.

[Research progress on development and utilization of minor ginsenosides].

Minor ginsenosides are a class of processed saponins with minor natural content, high bioavailability, and outstanding bio-logical activity, which are usually obtained by biological or chemical transformation of prototype saponins directly extracted from Panax plants. In recent years, with the clarification of the biosynthetic pathway of saponins and the development of synthetic biology, it has become possible to use synthetic metabolic engineering methods with microorganisms as hosts to produce saponins. Minor ginsenosides have received widespread attention because of their remarkable biological activities in enhancing the immune function of the body and antitumor property. At present, most of the reviews on minor ginsenosides focus on transformation preparation, process optimization, and pharmacological activity, but there are some deficiencies in industrial analysis. This study summarized structural types, pharmacological activities, sources of acquisition, and transformation pathways of minor ginsenosides based on the relevant literature in China and abroad, proposed problems in the preparation of existing minor ginsenosides, and discussed the future research and utilization prospects, to provide a theoretical basis for improving the basic research of minor ginsenosides and promoting their industrialization.

LncRNA Gm15232 Promotes Lipogenesis in Aging Mice Through the miR-192-3p/GCR Pathway.

Recent scientific studies have highlighted the importance of long-chain noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in a variety of metabolic diseases, but the specific functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in aberrant lipid synthesis associated with aging are unknown. In this work, we inspected the effects of lncRNAs on the lipid metabolism in aging mice, as substantial evidence suggests that aging disturbs lipid metabolism. The results revealed that the expression of lncRNA Gm15232 was significantly elevated in the epididymal white adipose tissue of aging mice compared to adult mice. This upregulation of Gm15232 functioned as a competitive endogenous RNA by inhibiting the expression of miR-192-3p, and the ensuing downregulation of miR-192-3p increased the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, which ultimately stimulated fat synthesis. The upregulation of Gm15232 thus increased lipogenesis through this mechanism. This study reveals a potential target for the treatment of age-related abnormalities of lipid metabolism.

Sweet triterpenoid glycoside from Cyclocarya paliurus ameliorates obesity-induced insulin resistance through inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory pathway.

Our prophase studies have manifested that the sweet triterpenoid glycoside from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus (CPST) effectively improved the disorders of glucolipid metabolism in vitro and in patients. The current purpose was to further detect its mechanisms involved. The results demonstrated that CPST could ameliorate high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance (IR), which was linked to reducing HFD-induced mice's body weight, serum glucose (GLUO), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lowering the area under the oral glucose tolerance curve and insulin tolerance, elevating the percentage of brown adipose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), reducing fat droplets of adipocytes in interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) and cross-sectional area of adipocytes. Further studies manifested that CPST obviously downregulated TLR4, MyD88, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, cleased-caspase-1, IL-18, IL-1ß, TXNIP, and GSDMD protein expressions and p-NF-кB/NF-кB ratio in iBAT. These aforementioned findings demonstrated that CPST ameliorated HFD induced IR by regulating TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway, which in turn enhancing insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

Triterpenoid Compounds from Cyclocarya paliurus: A Review of Their Phytochemistry, Quality Control, Pharmacology, and Structure-Activity Relationship.

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinskaja (C. paliurus) is a single species of Cyclocarya paliurus in Juglandaceae. It is a unique rare medicinal plant resource in China that is mainly distributed in the south of China. The leaves of C. paliurus, as a new food ingredient, are processed into tea products in daily life. Triterpenoids are the main active ingredient in C. paliurus. So far, 164 triterpenoid compounds have been isolated and identified from C. paliurus, which are included 3,4-seco-dammaranes, dammaranes, oleanane, ursane, lupinanes, taraxeranes, and norceanothanes. Modern pharmacological studies manifested that these ingredients have a wide range of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo, such as reducing blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, and anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and other activities. In addition, current results indicate that the pharmacological mechanisms of triterpenoids were closely related to their chemical structure, molecular signaling pathways, and the expression of related proteins. In order to further study C. paliurus based on the current research situation, this review summarizes the prospect and systematic summary of the triterpenes of C. paliurus from the aspects of structural characteristics, quality control, biological activity, and the structure-activity relationship, which provide a reference for further research and application of the triterpenoids from C. paliurus in the field of functional food and medicine.

Kaempferol ameliorated alcoholic liver disease through inhibiting hepatic bile acid synthesis by targeting intestinal FXR-FGF15 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by the disturbance of bile acids homeostasis, which further deteriorates ALD. Bile acid metabolism and its related signal molecules have become new therapeutic targets for alcoholic liver disease. This study aimed to investigate the impact of kaempferol (KAE) on ALD and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: C57BL/6 N mice were utilized to establish Binge-on-Chronic alcohol exposure mice model. KAE was administered as an interventional drug to chronic alcohol-fed mice for four weeks to assess its effects on liver damage and bile acid metabolism. And Z-Guggulsterone (Z-Gu), a global FXR inhibitor, was used to investigate the impact of intestinal FXR-FGF15 signal in ALD mice. Additionally, intestinal epithelial cells were exposed to alcohol or specific bile acid to induce the damage of FXR activity in vitro. The dual luciferase activity assay was employed to ascertain the interplay between KAE and FXR activity. RESULTS: The results indicated that KAE treatment exhibited a significant hepatoprotective effect against chronic alcohol-fed mice. Accompanied by the intestinal FXR activation, the administration of KAE suppressed hepatic bile acid synthesis and promoted intestinal bile acid excretion in chronic ALD mice. And the notable alterations in total bile acid levels and composition were observed in mice after chronic alcohol feeding, which were reversed by KAE supplementation. And more, the protective effects of KAE on ALD mice were deprived by the inhibition of intestinal FXR activation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that KAE effectively activated FXR-FGF15 signaling, mitigated the damage to FXR activity in intestinal epithelial cells caused by alcohol or specific bile acids. Additionally, luciferase activity assays revealed that KAE directly promoted FXR expression, thereby enhancing FXR activity. CONCLUSION: KAE treatment inhibited hepatic bile acids synthesis, maintained bile acids homeostasis in ALD mice by directly activating intestinal FXR-FGF15 signaling, which effectively alleviated liver injury induced by chronic alcohol consumption.

SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 suppresses type I interferon production by inhibiting IRF3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), poses a significant threat to global public health security. Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 has developed various strategies to inhibit the production of interferon (IFN). Here, we have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 obviously reduces the expression of IFN-ß and IFN-stimulated genes (ISG56, CXCL10), and also inhibits IRF3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation by antagonizing the RLR-mediated antiviral signaling pathway. Mechanically, we found that the poly-U-specific endonuclease domain (EndoU) of Nsp15 directly associates with the kinase domain (KD) of TBK1 to interfere TBK1 interacting with IRF3 and the flowing TBK1-mediated IRF3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, Nsp15 also prevented nuclear translocation of phosphorylated IRF3 via binding to the nuclear import adaptor karyopherin α1 (KPNA1) and promoting it autophagy-dependent degradation. These findings collectively reveal a novel mechanism by which Nsp15 antagonizes host's innate immune response.

Selenium-enriched Polysaccharides from Pyracantha fortuneana (SePFP) Ameliorated Hepatic Lipid Accumulation through Enhancing Mitochondrial Fatty Acid ß-Oxidation in Aging Mice.

Selenium-enriched polysaccharides from Pyracantha fortuneana (SePFP) has many beneficial physiological activities, but how it improves the aging associated abnormal lipid metabolism is still unclear. Therefore, we explored the mechanisms of the regulatory role of SePFP on liver lipid accumulation in aging mice. METHODS: 60 naturally aged C57BL/6J male mice were divided into 6 groups: adult group, aging group (21-month-old mice), aging mice treated with low-, medium- and high-doses of SePFP (SePFP-L, SePFP-M, SePFP-H), and aging mice treated with resveratrol (RSV). SePFP and RSV were administrated daily via oral gavage from 16 to 21 months old. The parameters of energy metabolism were measured in all mice before sacrifice, and liver tissues were collected to determine the levels of metabolism-related enzymes by real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: We found that SePFP significantly reduced the body weight, liver to bodyweight ratio, and white fat to body weight ratio in aging mice. SePFP also down-regulated the triglycerides and cholesterol levels in liver and serum, and decreased respiratory quotient in aging mice. The mechanism of SePFP regulating lipid metabolism was mainly through promoting fatty acid transportation to mitochondria and enhancing mitochondrial ß-oxidation and ketone body production. CONCLUSION: SePFP attenuates liver lipid deposition in aging mice by enhancing hepatic mitochondrial ß-oxidation.

Tormentic acid, a triterpenoid isolated from the fruits of Chaenomeles speciose, protected indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion via modulating miR-139 and the CXCR4/CXCL12/PLC/PKC/Rho a/MLC pathway.

CONTEXT: Tormentic acid (TA), an effective triterpenoid isolated from Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai (Rosaceae) fruits, exerts an effective treatment for gastric damage. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the gastroprotective effect of TA on indomethacin (IND) damaged GES-1 cells and rats, and explore potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TA concentrations of 1.563-25 µM were used. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration were performed using MTT, colony formation, wound healing, migration, Hoechst staining assays. SD rats were divided into control, IND, TA (1, 2 and 4 mg/kg) + IND groups, once a day for 21 continuous days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, all groups except the control group were given IND (100 mg/kg) by gavage. Gastric juice parameters, gastric ulcer, gastric blood flow (GBF), blood biochemical parameters and cytokine analysis and gastric mucosal histopathology were detected for 2 h and 6 h after IND oral administration. The mRNA and protein expression of miR-139 and the CXCR4/CXCL12/PLC/PKC/Rho A/MLC pathway were analyzed in the IND-damaged GES-1 cells and gastric tissue of rats. RESULTS: TA might ameliorate the gastric mucosal injury by accelerating the IND-damaged GES-1 cell proliferation and migration, ameliorating GBF, ulcer area and pathologic changes, the redox system and cytokine levels, the gastric juice parameters, elevating the gastric pH in IND damaged rats; suppressed miR-139 mRNA expression, elevated CXCR4 and CXCL12 mRNA and protein expression, p-PLC, p-PKC, Rho A, MLCK and p-MLC protein expression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: TA may have potential use as a clinical drug candidate for gastric mucosal lesion treatment.

Metabolite profiling of Drynariae Rhizoma using 1H NMR and HPLC coupled with multivariate statistical analysis.

Drynariae Rhizoma has been used to treat bone diseases and kidney deficiency in traditional medicine. Recently its aqueous extract was reported to enhance memory function. Although the Japanese standards for non-Pharmacopoeial crude drugs 2022 prescribed Drynaria roosii as the botanical origin, some counterfeits and both raw and stir-fired crude drugs are available in markets. To distinguish Drynariae Rhizoma derived from D. roosii appropriately from others and verify the validity of uses of stir-fried ones, 1H NMR-based metabolite profiling coupled with HPLC were performed. Raw samples derived from D. roosii contained naringin (1), neoeriocitrin (2), 5,7-dihydroxychromone-7-O-neohesperidoside (3), caffeic acid 4-O-ß-D-glucoside (4), protocatechuic acid (5), trans-p-coumaric acid 4-O-ß-D-glucoside (6), and kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnoside 7-O-ß-D-glucoside (8). Stir-fried samples were characterized by presence of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (13), and were divided into two types; one possessing similar composition to raw samples (Type I) and another without above components except 5 (Type II). Quantitative analyses using qHNMR and HPLC, followed by principal component analysis demonstrated that the raw samples had higher contents of 1 (0.93-9.86 mg/g), 2 (0.74-7.59 mg/g), 3 (0.05-2.48 mg/g), 4 (0.27-2.51 mg/g), 6 (0.14-1.26 mg/g), and 8 (0.04-0.52 mg/g), and Type II had a higher content of 5 (0.84-1.32 mg/g). The counterfeit samples derived from Araiostegia divaricata var. formosana were characterized by higher content of ( -)-epicatechin 3-O-ß-D-allopyranoside (10) (1.44-11.49 mg/g) without 1 and 2. These results suggested that Drynariae Rhizoma samples derived from other botanical origins and Type II stir-fried samples cannot substitute for D. roosii rhizome.

The impact of suction addition to simple water seal on the outcomes after pulmonary surgery: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chest tube drainage during pulmonary surgery is fundamental to removing air and fluid, as well as for lung re-expansion. However, the advantages of adding external suction to the water seal are under debate. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to conduct a meta-analysis in order to assess the effects of adding suction to a simple water seal on the outcomes of lung surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A search of the literature up to November 2021 found 14 studies with 2449 lung surgery patients. Of these patients, 1092 received suction drainage and 1357 received a simple water-seal drainage. The studies reported the effects of adding suction to a simple water seal on postoperative outcomes after lung surgery. A randomor fixed-effect model determined the odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to compare the outcomes. RESULTS: In patients undergoing lung surgery, suction resulted in a substantially longer chest tube duration (MD = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.90-1.40, p = 0.03, Z = 2.21) and a smaller postoperative pneumothorax (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.59, p = 0.02, Z = 2.24) than a simple water seal. However, no differences existed in prolonged air leak (p = 0.91, Z = 0.12), air leak duration (p = 0.28, Z = 1.07) or length of hospital stay (p = 0.23, Z = 1.2) between the 2 approaches. CONCLUSION: Suction led to considerably longer chest tube duration and lower postoperative pneumothorax, but no significant difference in sustained air leak, air leak duration or length of hospital stay was observed compared to a simple water seal in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery. Further research is needed to validate these findings and increase confidence, particularly regarding the postoperative pneumothorax results.

Total saponins from Panax japonicus reduce inflammation in adipocytes through the miR155/SOCS1/NFκB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The rising incidence of metabolic diseases due to chronic inflammation in the adipose tissue has been attributed to factors such as high fat diet (HFD). Previous studies have demonstrated that the total saponins from Panax japonicus (TSPJ) can reduce HFD-induced adipocyte inflammation, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this work, we explored the molecular mechanism by which TSPJ reduces inflammation response in adipocytes. METHODS: We first established C57BL/6 mouse and 3T3-L1 adipocyte models. Lentiviruses packaged with the plasmids were injected into mice through the tail vein or into adipocytes to generate the in vivo and in vitro models with miR155 knockdown and overexpression. The mice were fed with HFD to trigger inflammation and administered TSPJ (25 mg/kg∙d and 75 mg/kg∙d) by gavage. The adipocytes were treated with palmitic acid (PA) to trigger inflammation response, then treated with TSPJ (25 µg/ml and 50 µg/ml). Finally, the expression of miR155, inflammatory factors, SOCS1, and NFκB pathway-related proteins was explored. RESULTS: TSPJ significantly inhibited the expression of inflammation-related genes and the miR155 expression in adipocytes both in vitro and in vivo. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that miR155 mediated the downregulation of SOCS1. TSPJ significantly inhibited and upregulated the phosphorylation of the NFκB protein and the SOCS1 proteins, respectively. CONCLUSION: TSPJ inhibits miR155 to upregulate the SOCS1 expression, which subsequently inhibits the NFκB signaling pathway, thereby mitigating the inflammatory response in the adipocytes of HFD mice.

Identification of avihepadnaviruses and circoviruses in an unexplained death event in farmed ducks.

Research into disease pathogens can greatly benefit from viral metagenomics technology. Using this technique, we investigated potential disease pathogens that resulted in the death of many ducks on a duck farm. Two duck circoviruses (DuCV) and one duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) were detected and identified, and all three strains were closely related to avian-associated viruses. Two duck circoviruses had 81.64%-97.65% genome-wide sequence identity to some reference strains, and duck hepatitis B virus shared 75.85%-98.92% identity with other strains. Clinical characteristics of the diseased ducks, including ruffled feathers, lethargy, and weight loss, were comparable to those observed in cases of DuCV infection. Further research is needed to determine whether coinfection with DHBV leads to liver damage and exacerbation of the disease.

Diversity of viral communities in faecal samples of farmed red foxes.

Emerging and existing viruses from various human and animal samples have been studied and analyzed using viral metagenomics, which has proven to be an effective technique. Foxes, as a kind of significant economic animal, are widely raised in China. Viruses carried by foxes may potentially infect humans or other animals. There are currently very few studies of faecal virome in farmed foxes. Using viral metagenomics, we evaluated the faecal virome of twenty-four foxes collected from the same farm in Jilin Province, China. Some sequences more closely related to the families Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Smacoviridae, Anelloviridae, and Herpesviridae were detected in the faecal sample. The main animal viruses that infect farmed red foxes were parvovirus and picornavirus. Five smacovirus strains were found and provided evidence for genetic diversity in the genus Smacoviridae. In addition, some viruses infecting avian species or rats were detected in this study. The study helped us better understand faecal virome in farmed red foxes and assisted in the surveillance and prevention of viral diseases in these animals.

LncSNHG14 promotes nutlin3a resistance by inhibiting ferroptosis via the miR-206 /SLC7A11 axis in osteosarcoma cells.

The most prevalent form of primary osseous malignant tumor in adolescents and children is osteosarcoma (OS). A combination of surgery and neoadjuvant/post-surgery chemotherapy is currently the standard therapy. While the chemoresistance associated with OS generally leads to poor efficacy of therapeutic agents, the relevant molecular interaction is still elusive. Here, the lncRNA (long non-coding RNA) SNHG14 was found to be significantly upregulated in the nutlin3a-resistant OS cell line NR-SJSA1 and contributes to treatment resistance by suppressing ferroptosis. In NR-SJSA1 cells, knockdown of LncRNA SNHG14 resulted in a reversal of drug resistance and activation of ferroptosis, which disappeared when ferrostatin-1, a ferroptosis inhibitor, was added. Mechanistically, lncRNA SNHG14 targeted and down-regulated the expression of miR-206, further affecting the common ferroptosis inhibitor SLC7A11, and preventing NR-SJSA1 cells from undergoing ferroptosis. In conclusion, our findings highlight the involvement of lncRNA SNHG14 in ferroptosis and chemotherapy resistance of nutlin3a-resistant NR-SJSA1 cells, thus shedding new insight on how to overcome drug resistance in osteosarcoma cells and improve treatment efficacy.

Expanding known viral diversity in plants: virome of 161 species alongside an ancient canal.

BACKGROUND: Since viral metagenomic approach was applied to discover plant viruses for the first time in 2006, many plant viruses had been identified from cultivated and non-cultivated plants. These previous researches exposed that the viral communities (virome) of plants have still largely uncharacterized. Here, we investigated the virome in 161 species belonging to 38 plant orders found in a riverside ecosystem. RESULTS: We identified 245 distinct plant-associated virus genomes (88 DNA and 157 RNA viruses) belonging to 27 known viral families, orders, or unclassified virus groups. Some viral genomes were sufficiently divergent to comprise new species, genera, families, or even orders. Some groups of viruses were detected that currently are only known to infect organisms other than plants. It indicates a wider host range for members of these clades than previously recognized theoretically. We cannot rule out that some viruses could be from plant contaminating organisms, although some methods were taken to get rid of them as much as possible. The same viral species could be found in different plants and co-infections were common. CONCLUSIONS: Our data describe a complex viral community within a single plant ecosystem and expand our understanding of plant-associated viral diversity and their possible host ranges.

Relationship between Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Incident Proteinuria: A 5 Year Retrospective Cohort Study.

The objective of this study was to examine whether a higher number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics are beneficial for lowering the risk of proteinuria. This is a retrospective cohort study with an average follow-up of 5 years. Participants between 21 and 75 years old and without a history of cardiovascular disease and proteinuria were enrolled. CVH metrics, including smoking, diet, physical activity, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, and fasting glucose, were assessed by questionnaires, physical examination, and blood analysis. Proteinuria was assessed by dipstick measurement. During the follow-up period, 169,366 participants were enrolled, and 1481 subjects developed proteinuria. A higher number of ideal CVH metrics was related to a lower risk of proteinuria after adjustment. Among the components of CVH metrics, ideal blood pressure (HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.25-0.43), fasting glucose (HR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.12-0.22), and BMI (HR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.15-0.27) had beneficial effects on proteinuria. Despite no significant benefit of diet score, the corresponding lower sodium intake showed a lower risk of proteinuria (HR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.43-0.79). Incident proteinuria was inversely related to the number of ideal CVH metrics. CVH metrics may be a predictor of proteinuria, and achieving a higher number of ideal scores should be recommended as a proteinuria prevention strategy.

Viral Metagenomics Reveals Diverse Viruses in Tissue Samples of Diseased Pigs.

The swine industry plays an essential role in agricultural production in China. Diseases, especially viral diseases, affect the development of the pig industry and threaten human health. However, at present, the tissue virome of diseased pigs has rarely been studied. Using the unbiased viral metagenomic approach, we investigated the tissue virome in sick pigs (respiratory symptoms, reproductive disorders, high fever, diarrhea, weight loss, acute death and neurological symptoms) collected from farms of Anhui, Jiangsu and Sichuan Province, China. The eukaryotic viruses identified belonged to the families Anelloviridae, Arteriviridae, Astroviridae, Flaviviridae, Circoviridae and Parvoviridae; prokaryotic virus families including Siphoviridae, Myoviridae and Podoviridae occupied a large proportion in some samples. This study provides valuable information for understanding the tissue virome in sick pigs and for the monitoring, preventing, and treating of viral diseases in pigs.

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals the Function of GPRC6A in Amino Acid and Lipid Metabolism in Mice.

GPRC6A is an amino acid sensor in the cytomembrane. Despite substantial evidence for the role of GPRC6A in metabolism, the specific effects and mechanism by which this gene acts on metabolic processes are still unresolved. In this study, serum biochemical parameters related to liver and kidney function and serum amino acid levels were determined in GPRC6A wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice. An untargeted serum metabolomics analysis was also conducted for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, to decipher the function of GPRC6A in metabolic processes. GPRC6A was involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism, mainly by affecting liver function. A loss of GPRC6A function may perturb bile acid metabolism, thus leading to abnormal unsaturated fatty acid metabolism. GPRC6A KO may lead to excessive protein breakdown under starvation, and the loss of GPRC6A had a significant effect on phenylalanine metabolism-related pathways. Our metabolomics data provide a novel basis for further functional studies of GPRC6A.