Integrin αV mediated activation of myofibroblast via mechanoparacrine of transforming growth factor ß1 in promoting fibrous scar formation after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) dramatically changes the mechanical stress, which is intensified by the fibrotic remodeling. Integrins, especially the αV subunit, mediate mechanical signal and mechanoparacrine of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) in various organ fibrosis by activating CFs into myofibroblasts (MFBs). We investigated a possible role of integrin αV mediated mechanoparacrine of TGF-ß1 in MFBs activation for fibrous reparation in mice with MI. METHODS: Heart samples from MI, sham, or MI plus cilengitide (14 mg/kg, specific integrin αV inhibitor) treated mice, underwent functional and morphological assessments by echocardiography, and histochemistry on 7, 14 and 28 days post-surgery. The mechanical and ultrastructural changes of the fibrous scar were further evaluated by atomic mechanics microscope (AFM), immunofluorescence, second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging, polarized light and scanning electron microscope, respectively. Hydroxyproline assay was used for total collagen content, and western blot for protein expression profile examination. Fibroblast bioactivities, including cell shape, number, Smad2/3 signal and expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) related proteins, were further evaluated by microscopic observation and immunofluorescence in polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogel with adjustable stiffness, which was re-explored in fibroblast cultured on stiff matrix after silencing of integrin αV. The content of total and free TGF-ß1 was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in both infarcted tissue and cell samples. RESULT: Increased stiffness with heterogeneity synchronized with integrin αV and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive MFBs accumulation in those less mature fibrous areas. Cilengitide abruptly reduced collagen content and disrupted collagen alignment, which also decreased TGF-ß1 bioavailability, Smad2/3 phosphorylation, and α-SMA expression in the fibrous area. Accordingly, fibroblast on stiff but not soft matrix exhibited obvious MFB phenotype, as evidenced by enlarged cell, hyperproliferation, well-developed α-SMA fibers, and elevated ECM related proteins, while silencing of integrin αV almost abolished this switch via attenuating paracrine of TGF-ß1 and nuclear translocation of Smad2/3. CONCLUSION: This study illustrated that increased tissue stiffness activates CFs into MFBs by integrin αV mediated mechanoparacrine of TGF-ß1, especially in immature scar area, which ultimately promotes fibrous scar maturation.

Photodynamic Therapy Synergizes CD47 Blockade Strategy for Enhanced Antitumor Therapy.

The antitumor strategies based on innate immunity activation have become favored by researchers in recent years. In particular, strategies targeting antiphagocytic signaling blockade to enhance phagocytosis have been widely reported. For example, the addition of prophagocytic signals such as calreticulin could make the strategy significantly more effective. In this study, an antitumor strategy that combines photodynamic therapy (PDT) with CD47 blockade has been reported. This approach promotes the maturation of dendritic cells and the presentation of tumor antigens by PDT-mediated tumor immunogenic cell death, as well as the enhancement of cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration in tumor areas and the phagocytic activity of phagocytes. Furthermore, the downregulation and blockage of CD47 protein could further promote phagocytic activity, strengthen the innate immune system, and ultimately elevate the antitumor efficacy and inhibit tumor metastasis.

Wireless rotating bipolar electrochemiluminescence for enzymatic detection.

New dynamic, wireless and cost-effective analytical devices are developing rapidly in biochemical analysis. Here, we report on a remotely-controlled rotating electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing system for enzymatic detection of a model analyte, glucose, on both polarized sides of an iron wire acting as a bipolar electrode. The iron wire is controlled by double contactless mode, involving remote electric field polarization, and magnetic field-induced rotational motion. The former triggers the interfacial polarization of both extremities of the wire by bipolar electrochemistry, which generates ECL emission of the luminol derivative (L-012) with the enzymatically produced hydrogen peroxide in presence of glucose, at both anodic and cathodic poles, simultaneously. The latter generates a convective flow, leading to an increase in mass transfer and amplifying the corresponding ECL signals. Quantitative glucose detection in human serum samples is achieved. The ECL signals were found to be a linear function of the glucose concentration within the range of 10-1000 µM and with a limit of detection of 10 µM. The dynamic bipolar ECL system simultaneously generates light emissions at both anodic and cathodic poles for glucose detection, which can be further applied to biosensing and imaging in autonomous devices.

Involvement of CONSTANS-like Proteins in Plant Flowering and Abiotic Stress Response.

The process of flowering in plants is a pivotal stage in their life cycle, and the CONSTANS-like (COL) protein family, known for its photoperiod sensing ability, plays a crucial role in regulating plant flowering. Over the past two decades, homologous genes of COL have been identified in various plant species, leading to significant advancements in comprehending their involvement in the flowering pathway and response to abiotic stress. This article presents novel research progress on the structural aspects of COL proteins and their regulatory patterns within transcription complexes. Additionally, we reviewed recent information about their participation in flowering and abiotic stress response, aiming to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the functions of COL proteins.

Enhanced Cathodic Electrochemiluminescence of Luminol on Iron Electrodes.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior of luminol derivative was investigated in reduction on different electrode materials. We found that luminol and its widely used L-012 derivative, emitting at physiological pH values, exhibit strong cathodic ECL emission on iron and stainless steel electrodes with hydrogen peroxide, whereas no ECL signal was observed with other classic electrode materials (Au, Pt, and C). On a Ni electrode, a low cathodic ECL signal was observed. This points out to the essential role of iron-containing materials to enhance the cathodic ECL emission. Under the reported conditions, the cathodic ECL signal of L-012 is comparable to the classically used anodic ECL emission. Thus, dual bright ECL emissions with L-012 were obtained simultaneously in oxidation and in reduction on iron materials as imaged in a wireless bipolar electrochemistry configuration. Such an ECL system generating light emission concomitantly in oxidation and in reduction is extremely rare and it opens appealing (bio)analytical and imaging applications, in biosensing, remote detection, bipolar ECL analysis, and ECL-based cell microscopy.

Apparatus for measuring the uniformity of the optical transmittance of a semispherical surface at normal incidence.

In this paper, we build an apparatus for measuring the optical transmittance and its uniformity for a semispherical surface at normal incidence; the system is primarily comprised of a traditional double-beam photometric framework and a novel custom-made mechanical structure with multidimensional degrees of freedom. During the measurement process, a key aligning step is adopted to guarantee that the center point of the semispherical surface stands still in the light beam while scanning the hemispherical optical element point by point around the horizontal and vertical axes, which ensures that the laser beam is always normally incident onto the surface of the hemisphere. The experimental results show that the uniformity of the optical transmittance for a semispherical optical glass can be successfully characterized by the system, with a three-cycle repeatability error of 0.026% being demonstrated. Our system solves the problem of traditional spectrophotometers when measuring the spectral property of a hemispherical surface and thus can be popularized in similar applications.

Stachydrine hydrochloride protects the ischemic heart by ameliorating endoplasmic reticulum stress through a SERCA2a dependent way and maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis.

This study aimed to explore the effects and mechanism of action of stachydrine hydrochloride (Sta) against myocardial infarction (MI) through sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum stress-related injury. The targets of Sta against MI were screened using network pharmacology. C57BL/6 J mice after MI were treated with saline, Sta (6 or 12 mg kg-1) for 2 weeks, and adult mouse and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (AMCMs and NRCMs) were incubated with Sta (10-4-10-6 M) under normoxia or hypoxia for 2 or 12 h, respectively. Echocardiography, Evans blue, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining were used for morphological and functional analyses. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), unfolded protein reaction (UPR), apoptosis signals, cardiomyocyte contraction, and Ca2+ flux were detected using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), western blotting, immunofluorescence, and sarcomere and Fluo-4 tracing. The ingredient-disease-pathway-target network revealed targets of Sta against MI were related to apoptosis, Ca2+ homeostasis and ERS. Both dosages of Sta improved heart function, decreased infarction size, and potentially increased the survival rate. Sta directly alleviated ERS and UPR and elicited less apoptosis in the border myocardium and hypoxic NRCMs. Furthermore, Sta upregulated sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) in both ischaemic hearts and hypoxic NRCMs, accompanied by restored sarcomere shortening, resting intracellular Ca2+, and Ca2+ reuptake time constants (Tau) in Sta-treated hypoxic ARCMs. However, 2,5-di-t-butyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone (BHQ) (25 µM), a specific SERCA inhibitor, totally abolished the beneficial effect of Sta in hypoxic cardiomyocytes. Sta protects the heart from MI by upregulating SERCA2a to maintain intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, thus alleviating ERS-induced apoptosis.

Microbiota-gut-adipose axis: butyrate-mediated the improvement effect on inflammatory response and fatty acid oxidation dysregulation attenuates obesity in sleep-restricted mice.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient sleep was considered as a substantial cause of obesity. The present study further explored the mechanism whereby sleep restriction (SR)-mediated intestinal dysbiosis induced metabolic disorder and ultimately lead to obesity in mice and the improvement effect of butyrate exerting on it. METHODS: A continuous 3 months SR mouse model with or without butyrate supplementation and fecal microbiota transplantation to explore the key role of intestinal microbiota in butyrate improving inflammatory response in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) and fatty acid oxidation dysfunction in brown adipose tissue (BAT), further ameliorating SR-induced obesity. RESULTS: SR-mediated gut microbiota dysbiosis (down-regulation in butyrate level and up-regulation in LPS level) induced intestinal permeability increase and inflammatory response in iWAT and fatty acid oxidation dysfunction in BAT, ultimately resulting in obesity. Further, we demonstrated butyrate ameliorated gut microbiota homeostasis, suppressed inflammatory response via GPR43/LPS/TLR4/MyD88/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin loop in iWAT and restored fatty acid oxidation function via HDAC3/PPARα/PGC-1α/UCP1/Calpain1 pathway in BAT, ultimately reversing SR-induced obesity. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed that gut dysbiosis is a key factor for SR-induced obesity and provided a better understanding of the effects of butyrate. We further expected that reversing SR-induced obesity by improving microbiota-gut-adipose axis disorder could be a possible treatment for metabolic diseases.

[Inhibitory effect of Biejiajian pills against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the inhibitory effect of Biejiajian pills (BJJ) agaisnt diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and explore the relation between this effect and the inflammasome signaling pathway. METHODS: Sixty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, DEN model group, and 3 BJJ treatment groups at low, medium and high dose (with daily dose of 0.55, 1.1 and 2.2 g/kg, respectively, for 12 consecutive weeks starting from the 5th week after modeling). The pathological changes of the liver tissue were observed with HE and Masson staining, and serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL) of the rats were detected using ELISA. Oxidation stress in the liver tissue was assessed with ELISA, and Western blotting and ELISA were used to detect the molecular expressions of inflammasome-related pathway. RESULTS: BJJ significantly inhibited tumor growth in the liver of the rats. HE and Masson staining showed that BJJ treatment obviously ameliorated liver fibrosis and reduced cancer cell and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver. BJJ significantly reduced elevations of serum ALT, AST, ALP and TBIL levels, increased the contents of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver and suppressed malondialdehyde in Den-treated rats. BJJ also dose-dependently decreased the expressions of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), caspase-1, pro-IL-1ß, pro-IL-18, IL-1ß and IL-18 in the liver of Den-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: BJJ treatment can dose-dependently inhibit DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by enhancing antioxidant capacity and down-regulating inflammatory-related pathways in rats.

Sulforaphane inhibits the activation of hepatic stellate cell by miRNA-423-5p targeting suppressor of fused.

Liver fibrosis, a common pathological process in chronic liver diseases, is characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and considered as a wound healing response to chronic liver injury. Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation plays a key role in liver fibrosis development. Previous studies showed that sulforaphane (SFN) has wide protective effects against tissue injury and inflammation. Accumulating evidence has shown that microRNAs play important roles in the development of hepatic fibrosis, some of which have been identified as potential therapeutic targets. This study was conducted to explore the role of SFN in the suppression of HSC activation. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that HSC miR-423-5p levels were up-regulated during HSC activation and down-regulated after SFN administration. Further, transfection of a miR-423-5p mimic demonstrated that inhibition of HSC activation by SFN required down-regulation of miR-423-5p. We showed that suppressor of fused is the direct target of miR-423-5p. SFN may play a role in inhibiting hepatic fibrosis by downregulating miRNA-423-5p. MiRNA-423-5p may be useful as a therapeutic target for treating hepatic fibrosis.