PRDX1 negatively regulates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis via inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and lung fibroblast proliferation in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a major category of end-stage changes in lung diseases, characterized by lung epithelial cell damage, proliferation of fibroblasts, and accumulation of extracellular matrix. Peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1), a member of the peroxiredoxin protein family, participates in the regulation of the levels of reactive oxygen species in cells and various other physiological activities, as well as the occurrence and development of diseases by functioning as a chaperonin. METHODS: Experimental methods including MTT assay, morphological observation of fibrosis, wound healing assay, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA, western blot, transcriptome sequencing, and histopathological analysis were used in this study. RESULTS: PRDX1 knockdown increased ROS levels in lung epithelial cells and promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the PI3K/Akt and JNK/Smad signalling pathways. PRDX1 knockout significantly increased TGF-ß secretion, ROS production, and cell migration in primary lung fibroblasts. PRDX1 deficiency also increased cell proliferation, cell cycle circulation, and fibrosis progression through the PI3K/Akt and JNK/Smad signalling pathways. BLM treatment induced more severe pulmonary fibrosis in PRDX1-knockout mice, mainly through the PI3K/Akt and JNK/Smad signalling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly suggest that PRDX1 is a key molecule in BLM-induced lung fibrosis progression and acts through modulating EMT and lung fibroblast proliferation; therefore, it may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of BLM-induced lung fibrosis.

Low calf circumference is associated with frailty in diabetic adults aged over 80 years.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is now seen as a significant factor in older people with diabetes, whose mortality and disability increased. This study aims to investigate the association between calf circumference (CC) with frailty in diabetic adults aged over 80 years. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on the data of 426 diabetic adults aged over 80 years. On admission, demographic data and laboratory parameters were recorded. CC was measured on the lower right leg at the point of the maximal circumference. All participants accepted frailty assessments. Frailty was mainly defined using the Fried frailty phenotype criteria. RESULTS: The CC levels were significantly lower in the frail than the non-frail (26.7 ± 4.0 vs. 31.2 ± 4.0, P < 0.001). CC was negatively correlated with the Fried frailty phenotype index (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis of frailty revealed that age (Odds Ratio (OR), 1.368; 95% Confidential Interval (CI) 1.002-1.869; P = 0.049), CC (OR, 0.756; 95%CI 0.598-0.956; P = 0.019) were independent impact factors of frailty after adjusting all the potential confounders. Participants with low CC tertile had a significantly higher Fried frailty phenotype index than those with high CC tertiles. The best CC cut-off value for predicting frailty was 29.3 cm, its sensitivity was 75.0%, and the specificity was 78.6%, and areas under the curve (AUC) was 0.786 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CC was strongly related to frailty in diabetic adults aged over 80 years, suggesting that CC may be helpful for monitoring physical frailty in older adults in clinical and research settings.

Peroxiredoxin 5 protects HepG2 cells from ethyl ß-carboline-3-carboxylate-induced cell death via ROS-dependent MAPK signalling pathways.

Peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) is the member of Prxs family, widely reported to be involved in various types of cell death. We previously found that PRDX5 knockdown increases the susceptibility of cell death upon oxidative stress treatment. Ethyl ß-carboline-3-carboxylate (ß-CCE), an alkaloid extracted from Picrasma quassioides, has been reported to play a role in neuronal disease, but its anti-cancer potential on liver cancers remains unknown. Here, we studied the effect of PRDX5 on ethyl ß-carboline-3-carboxylate (ß-CCE)-induced apoptosis of hepatomas. High expression level of PRDX5 was deeply related with the postoperative survival of patients with liver cancer, indicating that PRDX5 may be a biomarker of live cancer processing. Moreover, PRDX5 over-expression in HepG2 cells significantly inhibited ß-CCE-induced cell apoptosis and cellular ROS levels as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. Signalling pathway analysis showed that ß-CCE could significantly up-regulate the ROS-dependent MAPK signalling, which were in turn boosts the mitochondria-dependent cell apoptosis. Moreover, PRDX5 over-expression could reverse the anti-cancer effects induced by ß-CCE in HepG2 cells. Our findings suggest that PRDX5 has a protective role on ß-CCE-induced liver cancer cell death and provides new insights for using its anti-cancer properties for liver cancer treatment.

Knockdown of Peroxiredoxin V increased the cytotoxicity of non-thermal plasma-treated culture medium to A549 cells.

Administration of non-thermal plasma therapy via the use of plasma-activated medium (PAM) might be a novel strategy for cancer treatment, as it induces apoptosis by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Peroxiredoxin V (PRDX5) scavenges ROS and reactive nitrogen species and is known to regulate several physiological and pathological reactions. However, its role in lung cancer cells exposed to PAM is unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of PRDX5 in PAM-treated A549 lung cancer cells and determined the mechanism underlying its cytotoxicity. Cell culture medium was treated with low temperature plasma at 16.4 kV for 0, 60, 120, or 180 s to develop PAM. PRDX5 was knocked down in A549 cells via transfection with short hairpin RNA targeting PRDX5. Colony formation and wound healing assays, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and western blotting were performed to detect the effect of PRDX5 knockdown on PAM-treated A549 cells. PAM showed higher cytotoxicity in lung cancer cells than in control cells, downregulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and induced apoptosis. PRDX5 knockdown significantly inhibited cell colony formation and migration, increased ROS accumulation, and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in lung cancer cells. Hence, PRDX5 knockdown combined with PAM treatment represents an effective option for lung cancer treatment.

Ethyl ß-Carboline-3-Carboxylate Increases Cervical Cancer Cell Apoptosis Through ROS-p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Ethyl ß-carboline-3-carboxylate (ß-CCE) is one of the effective ingredients of Picrasma quassioides (P. quassioides). As a ß-carboline alkaloid, it can antagonize the pharmacological effects of benzodiazepines by regulating neurotransmitter secretion through receptors, thus affecting anxiety and physiology. However, its efficacy in cancer treatment is still unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We explored the effect of b-CCE on SiHa cells using MTT assay, western blot, flow cytometry, LDH release, T-AOC, SOD, and MDA assays. RESULTS: We investigated the cytotoxicity of ß-CCE in SiHa cells and verified that ß-CCE could induce cell apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In this process, treatment with ß-CCE significantly increased the levels of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), which disturb the oxidation homeostasis by regulating the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) production. Notably, the addition of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (ROS scavenger) effectively alleviated ß-CCE-induced apoptosis in SiHa cells. In addition, ß-CCE might activate the p38/MAPK signaling pathway, as the pre-treatment with SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) significantly reduced ß-CCE-induced apoptosis in SiHa cells. CONCLUSION: ß-CCE has an anti-tumor activity. It activates the p38/MAPK signaling pathway by increasing intracellular ROS levels, which subsequently induce SiHa cell apoptosis. Our results provide a novel therapeutic target for treatment of cervical cancer.

Regulatory function of peroxiredoxin I on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced lung cancer development.

Smoking is a major cause of lung cancer, and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is one of the most important carcinogens in cigarette smoke. NNK modulates the expression of peroxiredoxin (Prdx) I in lung cancer. Prdx1 is upregulated in lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma, and considered a potential biomarker for lung cancer. The current article reviewed the role and regulatory mechanisms of Prdx1 in NNK-induced lung cancer cells. Prdx1 protects erythrocytes and DNA from NNK-induced oxidative damage, prevents malignant transformation of cells and promotes cytotoxicity of natural killer cells, hence suppressing tumor formation. In addition, Prdx1 has the ability to prevent NNK-induced lung tumor metabolic activity and generation of large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-induced apoptosis, thus promoting tumor cell survival. In contrast to this, Prdx1, together with NNK, can promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration of lung tumor cells. The signaling pathways associated with NNK and Prdx1 in lung cancer cells have been discussed in present review; however, numerous potential pathways are yet to be studied. To develop novel methods for treating NNK-induced lung cancer, and improve the survival rate of patients with lung cancer, further research is needed to understand the complete mechanism associated with NNK.

Peroxiredoxin V Silencing Elevates Susceptibility to Doxorubicin-induced Cell Apoptosis via ROS-dependent Mitochondrial Dysfunction in AGS Gastric Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Peroxiredoxin V (Prx V) plays crucial roles in cellular apoptosis and proliferation in various cancer cells by regulating the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we examined the possible regulatory effects of Prx V on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cellular apoptosis and its mechanisms in the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS cells). RESULTS: Our findings suggest that Prx V knockdown may significantly increase the DOX-induced apoptosis by aggravating intracellular ROS accumulation. We also found that DOX-induced mitochondrial ROS levels and membrane permeability were significantly higher in short hairpin Prx V cells than in mock cells, and these phenomena were dramatically reversed by ROS scavenger treatment. Prx V knockdown also significantly upregulated the cleaved caspase 9, 3, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)-associated agonist of cell death/Bcl2 protein expression levels, suggesting that Prx V knockdown activates mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Taken together, this study suggests that Prx V may be a strong molecular target for gastric cancer (GC) chemotherapy, and further elucidates the role of Prx V in oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosis.

Curcumin Activates ROS Signaling to Promote Pyroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Curcumin is a polyphenol that exerts a variety of pharmacological activities and plays an anti-cancer role in many cancer cells. It was recently reported that gasdermin E (GSDME) is involved in the progression of pyroptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of curcumin and cell viability was examined using MTT assay, apoptosis was analysed using flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels using dihydroethidium, LDH release using an LDH cytotoxicity assay, and protein expression using western blot. RESULTS: Curcumin increased the expression of the GSDME N-terminus and proteins involved in pyrolysis, promoted HspG2 cell pyrolysis and increased intracellular ROS levels. Moreover, inhibition of the production of intracellular ROS with n-acetylcysteine (NAC) improved the degree of apoptosis and pyrolysis induced by curcumin. CONCLUSION: Curcumin induces HspG2 cell death by increasing apoptosis and pyroptosis, and ROS play a key role in this process. This study improves our understanding of the potential anti-cancer properties of curcumin in liver cancer.

Comparison of the efficacy of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 and Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form in recognizing sarcopenia and predicting its mortality.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the efficacy of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) and Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) in recognizing sarcopenia and predicting its mortality in Chinese geriatric hospitalized patients. METHODS: A prospective analysis was performed in 430 hospitalized geriatric patients. Nutrition status was assessed using the NRS2002 and MNA-SF scales. Anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters were carried out for each patient. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised consensus definition of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). Patients were follow-up for up to 26 months. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 35.3% in this population. In the sarcopenic patients, 53 (34.9%) were malnutrition/nutritional risk according to NRS2002 assessment and 101 (66.4%) patients were malnutrition/nutritional risk according to MNA-SF assessment. NRS2002 vs MNA-SF showed moderate agreement (κ = 0.460, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve of MNA-SF was larger than NRS2002 in recognizing sarcopenia (0.763 vs 0.649, P = 0.001). During a median follow-up time of 20.22 months, 48 (31.6%) sarcopenic patients died. The Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated that malnutrition/nutritional risk patients according to whether NRS2002 or MNA-SF assessment had a higher risk of death than the normal nutrition patients (χ2 = 15.728, P < 0.001; χ2 = 7.039, P = 0.008, respectively). Age, serum albumin levels, and NRS2002 score were independent factors influencing the mortality. CONCLUSION: MNA-SF score may be better than the NRS2002 score to recognize sarcopenia in Chinese geriatric population. Both NRS2002 and MNA-SF scores could predict mortality, but NRS2002 score was the independent predict factor.

Comparison of the value of malnutrition and sarcopenia for predicting mortality in hospitalized old adults over 80 years.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of malnutrition and sarcopenia for mortality in old adults over 80 years. METHODS: A prospective analysis was performed in 427 hospitalized old adults. Anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters were carried out for each patient. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised consensus definition of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). Malnutrition was defined according to the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) criteria. Mortality data were available for up to 32 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sarcopenia and malnutrition was 35.1% and 19.4%, respectively. The percentage of coexistence of sarcopenia and malnutrition was 12.2%. Of the 427 participants, 83 deaths were reported during the mean follow-up periods of 24.9 months. Compared with non-sarcopenic subjects with well-nutrition, sarcopenic subjects with well-nutrition and non-sarcopenic subjects with well-nutrition had higher mortality risk (Hazard Ratio (HR), 2.36; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.31-4.24, P < 0.001; HR, 4.33; 95% CI, 2.12-8.85, P = 0.004; respectively). The patients who coexisted with sarcopenia and malnutrition had the highest risk of mortality (HR, 7.31; 95% CI, 4.21-12.69, P < 0.001). Both sarcopenia and malnutrition could predict mortality separately. Still, from the components of the Cox regression multivariate models, the malnutrition was one of the independent factors influencing the death, sarcopenia was not. CONCLUSION: When malnutrition and sarcopenia were compared together in a longitude cohort, malnutrition was an independent risk factor for mortality, while sarcopenia was not. The coexistence of malnutrition and sarcopenia showed a synergistically accumulated risk for death.

Anti-tumor Properties of Picrasma quassioides Extracts in H-RasG12V Liver Cancer Are Mediated Through ROS-dependent Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Picrasma quassioides (PQ) is a traditional Asian herbal medicine with anti-tumor properties that can inhibit the viability of HepG2 liver cancer cells. H-Ras is often mutated in liver cancer, however, the effect of PQ treatment on H-Ras mutated liver cancer is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of PQ on ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in H-ras mutated HepG2 (HepG2G12V) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PQ ethanol extract-induced HepG2G12V apoptosis was analyzed by the MTT assay, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and western blotting. RESULTS: PQ treatment affected cell migration and colony formation in HepG2G12V cells. Cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9 and BCL2 associated agonist of cell death (BAD) expression levels were increased, while the levels of B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) were decreased with PQ treatment. PQ treatment led to a reduction of H-Ras expression levels in liver cancer cells, thus reducing their abnormal proliferation. Furthermore, it led to increased expression levels of Peroxiredoxin VI, which regulates the redox signal in cells. CONCLUSION: Taken together these results provide a new functional significance for the role of PQ in treating HepG2G12V liver cancer.

Picrasma quassioides Extract Elevates the Cervical Cancer Cell Apoptosis Through ROS-Mitochondrial Axis Activated p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Picrasma quassioides (P. quassioides) is used in traditional Asian medicine widely for the treatment of anemopyretic cold, eczema, nausea, loss of appetite, diabetes mellitus, hypertension etc. In this study we aimed to understand the effect of P. quassioides ethanol extract on SiHa cervical cancer cell apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The P. quassioides extract-induced apoptosis was analyzed using the MTT assay, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and western blotting. RESULTS: P. quassioides extract induced cellular apoptosis by increasing the accumulation of cellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and inhibiting ATP synthesis. Pretreatment with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), a classic antioxidant, decreased the intracellular ROS production and inhibited apoptosis. In addition, the P38 MAPK signaling pathway is a key in the apoptosis of SiHa cells induced by the P. quassioides extract. CONCLUSION: The P. quassioides extract exerts its anti-cancer properties on SiHa cells through ROS-mitochondria axis and P38 MAPK signaling. Our data provide a new insight for P. quassioides as a therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer treatment.

Low Calf Circumference Predicts Nutritional Risks in Hospitalized Patients Aged More Than 80 Years.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether low calf circumference (CC) could predict nutritional risk and the cutoff values of CC for predicting nutritional risk in hospitalized patients aged ⪖ 80 years. METHODS: A total of 1,234 consecutive patients aged ⪖ 80 years were enrolled in this study. On admission, demographic data, CC, and laboratory parameters were obtained. Patients with Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) total score ⪖ 3 were considered as having nutritional risk. RESULTS: CC values were significantly lower in patients with nutritional risk compared to those in patients without nutritional risk [27.00 (24.50-31.00) vs. 31.00 (29.00-33.50], P < 0.001]. CC was negatively correlated with age and nutritional risk scores. Logistic regression analysis of nutritional risk revealed that body mass index, albumin level, hemoglobin level, cerebral infarction, neoplasms, and CC (OR, 0.897; 95% confidence interval, 0.856-0.941; P < 0.001) were independent impact factors of nutritional risk. Nutritional risk scores increased with a decrease in CC. In men, the best CC cutoff value for predicting nutritional risk according to the NRS-2002 was 29.75 cm. In women, the cutoff value was 28.25 cm. CONCLUSION: CC is a simple, noninvasive, and valid anthropometric measure to predict nutritional risk for hospitalized patients aged ⪖ 80 years.