[Genetic screening and prenatal diagnosis for high risk families of Fragile X syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of genetic testing for Fragile X syndrome (FXS). METHODS: A domestically made diagnostic kit based Tri-primer-PCR method was used to detect mutations of the FMR1 gene among 6 pedigrees with unexplained intellectual disability. The results were verified by methylation PCR and Southern blotting. RESULTS: Pedigrees 1 and 6 were positive for the screening. In pedigree 1, a full-mutation allele with methylation was identified in the proband and his mother, which was passed on to the fetus. In pedigree 6, the proband was mosaic for a full-mutation allele and a pre-mutation allele. His sister was asymptomatic with a full-mutation. His mother carried pre-mutation allele, while his father and sister's baby were normal. The number of CGG repeats of the pedigrees 2 to 5 were in the normal range. CONCLUSION: Genetic testing can provide an effective way to prevent FXS caused by FMR1 mutations and enable prenatal diagnosis for families with a high risk for the disease.

Valproic acid exposure sequentially activates Wnt and mTOR pathways in rats.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, limited verbal communication and repetitive behaviors. Recent studies have demonstrated that Wnt signaling and mTOR signaling play important roles in the pathogenesis of ASD. However, the relationship of these two signaling pathways in ASD remains unclear. RESULTS: We assessed this question using the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism. Our results demonstrated that VPA exposure activated mTOR signaling and suppressed autophagy in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of autistic model rats, characterized by enhanced phospho-mTOR and phospho-S6 and decreased Beclin1, Atg5, Atg10, LC3-II and autophagosome formation. Rapamycin treatment suppressed the effect of VPA on mTOR signaling and ameliorated the autistic-like behaviors of rats in our autism model. The administration of VPA also activated Wnt signaling through up-regulating beta-catenin and phospho-GSK3beta. Suppression of the Wnt pathway by sulindac relieved autistic-like behaviors and attenuated VPA-induced mTOR signaling activation in autistic model rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that VPA exposure sequentially activates Wnt signaling and mTOR signaling in rats. Suppression of the Wnt signaling pathway relieves autistic-like behaviors partially by deactivating the mTOR signaling pathway in VPA-exposed rats.

Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG sensitizes Bcl-2 inhibitor (-)-gossypol by suppressing ERK-mediated protective autophagy and Mcl-1 accumulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Natural BH3-memitic (-)-gossypol shows promising antitumor efficacy in several kinds of cancer. However, our previous studies have demonstrated that protective autophagy decreases the drug sensitivities of Bcl-2 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. In the present study, we are the first to report that Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG enhanced (-)-gossypol-induced apoptosis via suppressing (-)-gossypol-triggered protective autophagy and Mcl-1 accumulation. The suppression effect of 17-AAG on autophagy was mediated by inhibiting ERK-mediated Bcl-2 phosphorylation while was not related to Beclin1 or LC3 protein instability. Meanwhile, 17-AAG downregulated (-)-gossypol-triggered Mcl-1 accumulation by suppressing Mcl-1(Thr163) phosphorylation and promoting protein degradation. Collectively, our study indicates that Hsp90 plays an important role in tumor maintenance and inhibition of Hsp90 may become a new strategy for sensitizing Bcl-2-targeted chemotherapies in HCC cells.

The Bcl-2/xL inhibitor ABT-263 increases the stability of Mcl-1 mRNA and protein in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of mortality. ABT-263 is a newly synthesized, orally available Bcl-2/xL inhibitor that shows promising efficacy in HCC therapy. ABT-263 inhibits the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, but not Mcl-1. Previous reports have shown that ABT-263 upregulates Mcl-1 in various cancer cells, which contributes to ABT-263 resistance in cancer therapy. However, the associated mechanisms are not well known. METHODS: Western blot, RNAi and CCK-8 assays were used to investigate the relationship between Mcl-1 upregulation and ABT-263 sensitivity in HCC cells. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect Mcl-1 mRNA and protein levels. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA synthesis inhibition assay were adopted to analyze the mechanism of Mcl-1 mRNA upregulation. Western blot and the inhibition assays for protein synthesis and proteasome were used to explore the mechanisms of ABT-263-enhanced Mcl-1 protein stability. Trypan blue exclusion assay and flow cytometry were used to examine cell death and apoptosis. RESULTS: ABT-263 upregulated Mcl-1 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells, which contributes to ABT-263 resistance. ABT-263 increased the mRNA level of Mcl-1 in HCC cells by enhancing the mRNA stability without influencing its transcription. Furthermore, ABT-263 increased the protein stability of Mcl-1 through promoting ERK- and JNK-induced phosphorylation of Mcl-1Thr163 and increasing the Akt-mediated inactivation of GSK-3ß. Additionally, the inhibitors of ERK, JNK or Akt sensitized ABT-263-induced apoptosis in HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: ABT-263 increases Mcl-1 stability at both mRNA and protein levels in HCC cells. Inhibition of ERK, JNK or Akt activity sensitizes ABT-263-induced apoptosis. This study may provide novel insights into the Bcl-2-targeted cancer therapeutics.

GLP-1RA Liraglutide and Semaglutide Improves Obesity-Induced Muscle Atrophy via SIRT1 Pathway.

Background: Obesity is related to the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function (sarcopenia). The co-existence of obesity and sarcopenia is called sarcopenic obesity (SO). Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are widely used in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. However, the protective effects of GLP-1RA on skeletal muscle in obesity and SO are not clear. This study investigated the effects of GLP-1RA liraglutide and semaglutide on obesity-induced muscle atrophy and explored the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Thirty-six male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups and fed a regular diet and a high-fat diet for 18 weeks, respectively. After establishing an obesity model, mice were further divided into six groups: control group, liraglutide (LIRA) group, semaglutide (SEMA) group, high-fat diet (HFD) group, HFD + LIRA group, HFD + SEMA group, and subcutaneous injection for 4 weeks. The body weight, muscle mass, muscle strength, glycolipid metabolism, muscle atrophy markers, myogenic differentiation markers, GLUT4 and SIRT1 were analyzed. C2C12 myotube cells treated with palmitic acid (PA) were divided into four groups: control group, PA group, PA + LIRA group, PA + SEMA group. The changes in glucose uptake, myotube diameter, lipid droplet infiltration, markers of muscle atrophy, myogenic differentiation markers, GLUT4 and SIRT1 were analyzed, and the changes in related indicators were observed after the addition of SIRT1 inhibitor EX527. Results: Liraglutide and semaglutide reduced HFD-induced body weight gain, excessive lipid accumulation and improved muscle atrophy. Liraglutide and semaglutide eliminated the increase of muscle atrophy markers in skeletal muscle and C2C12 myotubes. Liraglutide and semaglutide restored impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. However, these beneficial effects were attenuated by inhibiting SIRT1 expression. Conclusion: Liraglutide and semaglutide protects skeletal muscle against obesity-induced muscle atrophy via the SIRT1 pathway.

Valproic acid exposure decreases the mRNA stability of Bcl-2 via up-regulating miR-34a in the cerebellum of rat.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, limited verbal communication and repetitive behaviors. Previous studies have shown that the level of Bcl-2 in the brain tissues of ASD patients is significantly decreased. However, the mechanisms underlie the down-regulation of Bcl-2 in ASD is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the alteration of Bcl-2 level and associated mechanisms in valproic acid (VPA) exposed ASD rats. VPA exposure resulted in ASD-like behaviors in rats, such as repetitive behavior and social interaction impairment. VPA exposure also down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 both at mRNA and protein levels, either in cerebellar cortex or primary cerebellar cortical neuronal cells. Furthermore, VPA treatment decreased the mRNA stability of Bcl-2 instead of down-regulating its transcriptional activity. Meanwhile, VPA exposure up-regulated the expression of miR-34a in cerebellar cortex and primary cerebellar cortical neuronal cells. The mimics of miR-34a directly inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 and its antagonist blocked the down-regulation effect of VPA on Bcl-2 in primary cerebellar cortical neuronal cells. Our study implies that VPA may influence ASD through sequential up-regulating miR-34a and therefore down-regulating Bcl-2 in the brain tissues of rats.

[Effect of sulindac on improving autistic behaviors in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of sulindac on autistic behaviors in a rat model and explore the possible mechanisms. METHODS: Autistic rat models were established by a single intraperitoneal injection of sodium valproate (VPA) at 12.5 days of pregnancy. The pregnant rats were treated with oral sulindac at a daily dose of 80 mg/kg until weaning of the newborn rats (23 days after being born), which were divided into control, VPA treatment, sulindac treatment, and VPA+ sulindac treatment groups. The social interaction and neuroethology of the newborn rats were evaluated at 35 days, and the levels of ß-catenin and phosphorylated Gsk3ß in the brain tissues were investigated by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control rats, the rats treated with VPA showed lower social interaction, longer moving time in central area, and reduced standing times. Treatment with sulindac alone resulted in no obvious changes in the social interaction or neuroethology of the newborn rats, but sulindac treatment corrected VPA-induced autistic-like behaviors. Sulindac also attenuated VPA-triggered p-Gsk3ß downregulation and ß-catenin upregulation in the prefrontal lobe, seahorse and cerebellum. CONCLUSION: Sulindac can improve the behaviors of autistic rats possibly by suppressing Wnt signaling pathway.

A meta-analysis of the associations between the Q141K and Q126X ABCG2 gene variants and gout risk.

BACKGROUND: Gout is an inflammatory disease in which genetic factors play a role. ABCG2 is a urate transporter, and the Q141K and Q126X variants of ABCG2 have been associated with a risk of developing gout, though previous studies of these associations have been inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the relationship between these genetic variants and gout. METHODS: We examined 8 electronic literature databases. In total, 9 eligible articles on the associations between the Q141K (rs2231142) and Q126X (rs72552713) variants and gout risk, including 11 case-control studies were selected. We used odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess the strength of these relationships in dominant, recessive, and co-dominant models. RESULTS: This study included 6652 participants (2499 gout patients and 4153 controls). The Q141K variant was found to significantly increase the risk of gout in Asians (dominant model: OR=2.64, 95% CI=2.04-3.43, P=0.02 for heterogeneity; recessive model: OR=3.19, 95% CI=2.56-3.97, P=0.28 for heterogeneity; co-dominant model: OR=1.37, 95% CI=1.18-1.59, P=0.09 for heterogeneity) and other populations (dominant model: OR=1.85, 95% CI=1.20-2.85, P<0.0001 for heterogeneity; recessive model: OR=3.78, 95% CI=2.28-6.27, P=0.19 for heterogeneity; co-dominant model: OR=1.48, 95% CI=1.26-1.74, P=0.19 for heterogeneity). The Q126X variant also significantly increased the risk of gout in Asians (dominant model: OR=3.87, 95% CI=2.07-7.24, P=0.06 for heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest associations between the rs2231142 and rs72552713 ABCG2 gene polymorphisms and gout risk, which led to unfavorable outcomes. However, studies with larger sample sizes and homogeneous populations should be performed to confirm these results.

AU4S: a novel synthetic peptide to measure the activity of ATG4 in living cells.

ATG4 plays a key role in autophagy induction, but the methods for monitoring ATG4 activity in living cells are limited. Here we designed a novel fluorescent peptide named AU4S for noninvasive detection of ATG4 activity in living cells, which consists of the cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), ATG4-recognized sequence "GTFG," and the fluorophore FITC. Additionally, an ATG4-resistant peptide AG4R was used as a control. CPP can help AU4S or AG4R to penetrate cell membrane efficiently. AU4S but not AG4R can be recognized and cleaved by ATG4, leading to the change of fluorescence intensity. Therefore, the difference between AU4S- and AG4R-measured fluorescence values in the same sample, defined as "F-D value," can reflect ATG4 activity. By detecting the F-D values, we found that ATG4 activity paralleled LC3B-II levels in rapamycin-treated cells, but neither paralleled LC3B-II levels in starved cells nor presented a correlation with LC3B-II accumulation in WBCs from healthy donors or leukemia patients. However, when DTT was added to the system, ATG4 activity not only paralleled LC3B-II levels in starved cells in the presence or absence of autophagy inhibitors, but also presented a positive correlation with LC3B-II accumulation in WBCs from leukemia patients (R(2) = 0.5288). In conclusion, this study provides a convenient, rapid, and quantitative method to monitor ATG4 activity in living cells, which may be beneficial to basic and clinical research on autophagy.

Identification of a novel linear epitope in tetanus toxin recognized by a protective monoclonal antibody: implications for vaccine design.

Tetanus, a severe infectious disease, is caused by tetanus toxin (TT) from Clostridium tetani, which remains one of the most critical unsolved health problems despite preventive strategies. The carboxyl terminal of TT (TTC) is responsible for the binding of TT to neurons and for its toxicity and has been proven to be immunogenic and protective in various forms. It would therefore be extremely interesting to identify the epitope on TTC at a molecular level. In this study, we generated a neutralizing monoclonal antibody, 5C4, which inhibited TT binding to its receptor and was efficiently protective at 73.7 IU/mg. Moreover, 5C4 recognized a novel linear epitope on TT, namely TC((1155-1171)), which spans from Lys1155 to Val1171. In addition, TC((1155-1171)) was shown to elicit the production of a serum IgG that protected mice against a challenge with TT. These results suggested that TC((1155-1171)) and the monoclonal antibody 5C4 are good candidates for the development of epitope-based vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against tetanus.

Effect of heparin on production of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and TGF-beta1 mRNA expression by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts.

Heparin affects both dermal fibroblast proliferation and collagen and may mediate these effects by altering the levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) production and TGF-beta1 mRNA expression as a wound healing modulator. The purpose of this study is to probe the effect of heparin on TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta1 mRNA production by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts. This research investigates the effect of heparin on TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta1 mRNA production by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts with exposure to 0 microg/mL, 100 microg/mL, 300 microg/mL, or 600 microg/mL heparin for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours in a serum-free in vitro model. Levels of TGF-beta1 in the supernatants and TGF-beta1 mRNA expression of fibroblasts were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real time RT-PCR, respectively. Heparin (300 microg/mL and 600 microg/mL) stimulated TGF-beta1 production by normal skin (26% to 83%) and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts (63% to 85%), with statistical significance (P < 0.05) at various time points. Heparin (300 microg/mL and 600 microg/mL) also stimulated TGF-beta1 mRNA expression by normal skin (12% to 53%) and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts (33% to 52%), with statistical significance (P < 0.05) at various time points. These effects of heparin on normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts may have implications for hyperplastic scar formation and wound healing in vivo.

Effect of heparin on production of basic fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta1 by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts.

Heparin affects both dermal fibroblast proliferation and collagen and may mediate these effects by altering the levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) production as a wound healing modulator. The purpose of this study is to probe the effect of heparin on bFGF and TGF-beta1 production by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts. This research investigates the effect of heparin on bFGF and TGF-beta1 production by human normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts with exposure to 0, 100, 300, or 600 microg/ml heparin for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours in a serum-free in vitro model. Levels of bFGF and TGF-beta1 in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. All doses of heparin significantly stimulated production of bFGF by normal skin (393% to 1019% increase) and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts (405% to 899% increase) at all time points (P < .05). Heparin (300 and 600 microg/ml) also stimulated TGF-beta1 production by normal skin (26% to 83%) and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts (63% to 85%) with statistical significance (P < .05) at various time points. These effects of heparin on normal skin and hyperplastic scar fibroblasts may have implications for hyperplastic scar formation and wound healing in vivo.