Single-cell RNA sequencing unveils Lrg1's role in cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury by modulating various cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury causes significant harm to human health and is a major contributor to stroke-related deaths worldwide. Current treatments are limited, and new, more effective prevention and treatment strategies that target multiple cell components are urgently needed. Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1 (Lrg1) appears to be associated with the progression of cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury, but the exact mechanism of it is unknown. METHODS: Wild-type (WT) and Lrg1 knockout (Lrg1-/-) mice were used to investigate the role of Lrg1 after cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury. The effects of Lrg1 knockout on brain infarct volume, blood‒brain barrier permeability, and neurological score (based on 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, evans blue dye, hematoxylin, and eosin staining) were assessed. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), immunofluorescence, and microvascular albumin leakage tests were utilized to investigate alterations in various cell components in brain tissue after Lrg1 knockout. RESULTS: Lrg1 expression was increased in various cell types of brain tissue after cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury. Lrg1 knockout reduced cerebral edema and infarct size and improved neurological function after cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of WT and Lrg1-/- mouse brain tissues after cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury revealed that Lrg1 knockout enhances blood‒brain barrier (BBB) by upregulating claudin 11, integrin ß5, protocadherin 9, and annexin A2. Lrg1 knockout also promoted an anti-inflammatory and tissue-repairing phenotype in microglia and macrophages while reducing neuron and oligodendrocyte cell death. CONCLUSIONS: Our results has shown that Lrg1 mediates numerous pathological processes involved in cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury by altering the functional states of various cell types, thereby rendering it a promising therapeutic target for cerebral ischemia‒reperfusion injury.

NMMHC IIA triggered lipid metabolize reprogramming resulting in vascular endothelial cellular tight junction injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIA, played an essential role in the promotion of tight junction injury in vascular endothelial cells under oxygen glucose deprivation condition. Rat microvascular endothelial cells had been confirmed to have the susceptibility to ox-LDL stimulation under OGD condition. We proposed the hypothesis that lipid metabolic reprogramming might be the root cause for damage to RBMCs tight junction. METHODS: Untargeted shotgun and targeted lipid metabolomics mass spectrometry approaches combined with principal component analysis was applied to better define the lipids contributing to the variance observed between control and different OGD time. The protein expression of tight junction of RBMCs: occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1 were detected with immunofluorescence staining and western blot. The proof of the interaction between NMMHC IIA and SREBP1 was investigated via GST-pull down, while their specific binding fragments were also confirmed. The regulation mechanism of NMMHC IIA on SREBP1 was investigated to explore downstream regulatory signaling pathways. RESULTS: Untargeted and targeted shotgun lipidomics data revealed that OGD might be the conditional factor in reshaping lipid components. Mechanistic studies showed that with the increase of OGD time, PCA analysis of lipidomics obtained from RBMCs indicated their specificity in reshaping lipid components, while ≥80% major lipid components phospholipids and sphingolipids transferred from phospholipids, sphingolipids, and neutral lipids, of which neutral lipids taken the largest proportion with OGD time course. Perturbing reprogramming of lipid composition was less susceptible to OGD condition via knockdown of NMMHC IIA of vascular endothelial cells. Knockdown of NMMHC IIA could promote tight junction defense to OGD condition. NMMHC IIA could directly bind with SREBP1, then could affect sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 to adjust lipid metabolize reprogramming of RBMCs. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanistic studies showed that perturbing reprogramming of lipid composition could enhance tight junction damage, which was mediated by the opposing effects of NMMHC IIA.

Myosin IIA Regulated Tight Junction in Oxygen Glucose-Deprived Brain Endothelial Cells Via Activation of TLR4/PI3K/Akt/JNK1/2/14-3-3ε/NF-κB/MMP9 Signal Transduction Pathway.

Non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMMHC IIA), a member of Myosin II family, plays a critical role in various cellular physiological processes. Our previous research had suggested that NMMHC IIA could participate in regulating tight junction morphological changes induced by ischemia stroke. Thus, in the current study, we attempted to uncover the regulation pattern of NMMHC IIA on tight junction dysfunction in oxygen glucose-deprived (OGD) mouse brain bEND.3 endothelial cells. The regulation of NMMHC IIA on tight junction in OGD-stimulated bEND.3 cells was evaluated by western blotting assay. Morphologic change of occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1 tight junction proteins was compared with pretreatment with NMMHC II inhibitor blebbistatin via immunohistochemical staining. Detection of activation of NMMHC IIA on OGD-mediated tight junction transduction pathway was investigated via Koch's postulate using corresponding protein inhibitor. Our results showed that NMMHC IIA was activated in OGD-stimulated bEND.3 endothelial cells. The inhibition of NMMHC IIA could attenuate the morphologic change of occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1 tight junction proteins. NMMHC IIA participated in regulating downstream transduction pathway TLR4, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, JNK1/2, 14-3-3ε, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-кB) and matrix metalloprotein 9 (MMP9). Blocking of these pathways using indicated inhibitors demonstrated that NMMHC IIA destroyed the connection of tight junction via the activation of TLR4/PI3K/Akt/JNK1/2/14-3-3ε/NF-κB/MMP9 pathway. Our study described the key role of NMMHC IIA in OGD-stimulated mouse brain bEND.3 endothelial cells, while also exhibited the molecule effect on tight junction dysfunction via TLR4/PI3K/Akt/JNK1/2/14-3-3ε/NF-κB/MMP9 signal transduction pathway.

MicroRNA-27a Negatively Modulates the Inflammatory Response in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Microglia by Targeting TLR4 and IRAK4.

microRNA, a family of small non-coding RNA, plays significant roles in regulating gene expression, mainly via binding to the 3'-untranslated region of target genes. Although the role of miRNA in regulating neuroinflammation via the innate immune pathway has been studied, its role in the production of inflammatory mediators during microglial activation is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of miR-27a on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial inflammation. miR-27a expression was found to be rapidly decreased in microglia by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) after LPS stimulation. Over-expression of miR-27a significantly decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and nitric oxide (NO), whereas knockdown of miR-27a increased the expression of these inflammatory factors. We also demonstrated by loss- and gain-of-function studies that miR-27a directly suppressed the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4)-a pivotal adaptor kinase in the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway-by directly binding their 3'-UTRs: knocking down TLR4 or IRAK4 in microglia significantly decreased TLR4 or IRAK4 expression and inhibited the downstream production of inflammatory mediators. Moreover, the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1ß were regulated by IRAK4, whereas TNF-α and NO were more dependent on TLR4 activation. Thus, miR-27a might regulate the LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines in microglia independently of TLR4 and IRAK4. Taken together, our results suggest that miR-27a is associated with microglial activation and the inflammatory response.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Attenuates Neuron Damage by Suppressing the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced TLR4 Pathway in Activated Microglial Cells.

Microglia activation initiates a neurological deficit cascade that contributes to substantial neuronal damage and impairment following ischemia stroke. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in this cascade. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), an active ingredient extracted from Flos Carthami tinctorii, alleviated inflammatory damage, and mediated neurotrophic effects in neurons by inducing the TLR4 pathway in microglia. A non-contact Transwell co-culture system comprised microglia and neurons was treated with HSYA followed by a 1 mg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The microglia were activated prior to neuronal apoptosis, which were induced by increasing TLR4 expression in the activated microglia. However, HSYA suppressed TLR4 expression in the activated microglia, resulting in less neuronal damage at the early stage of LPS stimulation. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence indicated that dose-dependently HSYA down-regulated TLR4-induced downstream effectors myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor kappa b (NF-κB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)-regulated proteins c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK), protein kinase (ERK) 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 MAPK (p38), as well as the LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine release. However, HSYA up-regulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Our data suggest that HSYA could exert neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory functions in response to LPS stimulation by inhibiting TLR4 pathway-mediated signaling.

Classification of Kiwifruit Grades Based on Fruit Shape Using a Single Camera.

This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility for classifying kiwifruit into shape grades by adding a single camera to current Chinese sorting lines equipped with weight sensors. Image processing methods are employed to calculate fruit length, maximum diameter of the equatorial section, and projected area. A stepwise multiple linear regression method is applied to select significant variables for predicting minimum diameter of the equatorial section and volume and to establish corresponding estimation models. Results show that length, maximum diameter of the equatorial section and weight are selected to predict the minimum diameter of the equatorial section, with the coefficient of determination of only 0.82 when compared to manual measurements. Weight and length are then selected to estimate the volume, which is in good agreement with the measured one with the coefficient of determination of 0.98. Fruit classification based on the estimated minimum diameter of the equatorial section achieves a low success rate of 84.6%, which is significantly improved using a linear combination of the length/maximum diameter of the equatorial section and projected area/length ratios, reaching 98.3%. Thus, it is possible for Chinese kiwifruit sorting lines to reach international standards of grading kiwifruit on fruit shape classification by adding a single camera.

A customizable automated container-free multi-strip detection and line recognition system for colorimetric analysis with lateral flow immunoassay for lean meat powder based on machine vision and smartphone.

Ractopamine (RAC) and clenbuterol (CLE) are feed additives with adverse effects of consuming too much to food safety. It is necessary to develop an efficient and accurate colorimetric analysis method for immune-based detection of RAC and CLE. Traditional human-vision-based colorimetric analysis for lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is non-quantifiable and low-in-automation, while container-based and analysis-instrument-based methods are unrepeatable and high-cost. Therefore, a container-free colorimetric analysis method was developed with LFIAs image captured in dark background under smartphone flash. A multi-strip detection algorithm based on contours extraction, as well as line recognition algorithm based on grayscale projection of LFIA was developed. Finally, relative grayscale (RGS) of lines were calculated and then input into editable fitting curves to estimate concentrations. Results showed the multi-strip detection algorithm reached 98.85% and 93.70% of Recall and intersection over union (IoU), while the line recognition algorithm reached 95.07% and 97.95% of Recall and color similarity, respectively. As a result, an App was fabricated through employing LFIA of RAC and CLE, with colorimetric analysis accuracy of 98.25% and 94.50%, respectively. This study provides a container-free multi-strip colorimetric analysis method with low-cost and illumination robustness, which is a substitution for container-based and single-strip colorimetric analysis methods.

Advancement in artificial intelligence for on-farm fruit sorting and transportation.

On-farm sorting and transportation of postharvest fruit include sorting out defective products, grading them into categories based on quality, distributing them into bins, and carrying bins to field collecting stations. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can speed up on-farm sorting and transportation with high accuracy and robustness and significantly reduce postharvest losses. The primary objective of this literature review is to provide an overview to present a critical analysis and identify the challenges and opportunities of AI applications for on-farm sorting and transportation, with a focus on fruit. The challenges of on-farm sorting and transportation were discussed to specify the role of AI. Sensors and techniques for data acquisition were investigated to illustrate the tasks that AI models have addressed for on-farm sorting and transportation. AI models proposed in previous studies were compared to investigate the adequate approaches for on-farm sorting and transportation. Finally, the advantages and limitations of utilizing AI have been discussed, and in-depth analysis has been provided to identify future research directions. We anticipate that this survey will pave the way for further studies on the implementation of automated systems for on-farm fruit sorting and transportation.

Background and roles: myosin in autoimmune diseases.

The myosin superfamily is a group of molecular motors. Autoimmune diseases are characterized by dysregulation or deficiency of the immune tolerance mechanism, resulting in an immune response to the human body itself. The link between myosin and autoimmune diseases is much more complex than scientists had hoped. Myosin itself immunization can induce experimental autoimmune diseases of animals, and myosins were abnormally expressed in a number of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, myosin takes part in the pathological process of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autoimmune myocarditis, myositis, hemopathy, inclusion body diseases, etc. However, research on myosin and its involvement in the occurrence and development of diseases is still in its infancy, and the underlying pathological mechanisms are not well understood. We can reasonably predict that myosin might play a role in new treatments of autoimmune diseases.

The Role and Mechanism of the Vascular Endothelial Niche in Diseases: A Review.

Vascular endothelial cells, forming the inner wall of the blood vessels, participate in the body's pathological and physiological processes of immunity, tumors, and infection. In response to an external stimulus or internal pathological changes, vascular endothelial cells can reshape their microenvironment, forming a "niche". Current research on the vascular endothelial niche is a rapidly growing field in vascular biology. Endothelial niches not only respond to stimulation by external information but are also decisive factors that act on neighboring tissues and circulating cells. Intervention through the vascular niche is meaningful for improving the treatment of several diseases. This review aimed to summarize reported diseases affected by endothelial niches and signal molecular alterations or release within endothelial niches. We look forward to contributing knowledge to increase the understanding the signaling and mechanisms of the vascular endothelial niche in multiple diseases.

Research Progress on Leucine-Rich Alpha-2 Glycoprotein 1: A Review.

Leucine-rich alpha⁃2 glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is an important member of the leucine-rich repetitive sequence protein family. LRG1 was mainly involved in normal physiological activities of the nervous system, such as synapse formation, synapse growth, the development of nerve processes, neurotransmitter transfer and release, and cell adhesion molecules or ligand-binding proteins. Also, LRG1 affected the development of respiratory diseases, hematological diseases, endocrine diseases, tumor diseases, eye diseases, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatic immune diseases, infectious diseases, etc. LRG1 was a newly discovered important upstream signaling molecule of transforming growth factorâƒß (TGF⁃ß) that affected various pathological processes through the TGFâƒß signaling pathway. However, research on LRG1 and its involvement in the occurrence and development of diseases was still in its infancy and the current studies were mainly focused on proteomic detection and basic animal experimental reports. We could reasonably predict that LRG1 might act as a new direction and strategy for the treatment of many diseases.

Nonmuscle Myosin Heavy Chain â ¡A-Mediated Exosome Release via Regulation of the Rho-Associated Kinase 1/Myosin Light Chains/Actin Pathway.

Nonmuscle myosin ⅡA, a kind of ATP-dependent molecular motor, binds actin to form the molecular motors of the cell. We found that interfering with nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (NMMHC) ⅡA could affect the exosome release from microglial cells stimulated by LPS. LPS could enhance exosome release from microglial cells by increasing exosome concentration, elevating the rate of positively labeled CD9 and CD81 proteins and protein expression. The myosin inhibitor, blebbistatin, could decrease the concentration of released exosome and reduce CD9 and CD81 protein expression on the exosome surface compared with that in the LPS group. To further determine the exact subtype of myosin Ⅱ responsible for these effects, we transfected microglial cells with siRNA for MYH9, MYH10, and MYH14. The data showed that only the transfection of siRNA-MYH9, but not MYH10 or MYH14 could decrease the released exosome concentration and particle size compared with those in the LPS group. siRNA-MYH9 would also weaken the CD9 and CD81 protein positive rate and protein expression compared with that in the LPS group by the quantification of CD9 and CD81 fluorescence intensities and by western blotting. Western blots and immunofluorescence assays indicated that NMMHC ⅡA might trigger the ROCK1/MLC/actin signaling pathway of microglial cells upon stimulation by LPS, which might be the potential mechanism of exosome release. These observations demonstrated that NMMHC ⅡA might be the potential target required for exosome release.

Tanshinone IIA protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury through targeting Sirt1.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the effects and the mechanism of Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) on endotoxic shock-induced lung injury in a mouse model. METHODS: Mice were administered intraperitoneally with TIIA (10 mg/kg) 0.5 h before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge and then received additional injections every 24 h during the 3-day experimental period. The physiological indexes, the survival rate and the parameters for lung injury were examined. The protein levels of Sirt1, and the acetylation and activation of NF-κB p65 were determined. The expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory factors were evaluated, respectively. KEY FINDINGS: Treatment with TIIA significantly improved physiological indexes and increased the survival rate of mice in response to LPS challenge. TIIA treatment displayed an obvious up-regulation of Sirt1 protein, in accompany with reduced acetylation and activation of NF-κB p65 following LPS stimulation. In addition, TIIA attenuated LPS-induced lung injury and prevented the expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. However, the protective effects of TIIA were abolished by Sirt1 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: Tanshinone IIA prevents LPS-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines thus exerts protective effects against acute lung injury, probably via modulation of Sirt1/NF-κB signalling pathway.

The potential mechanism for Hydroxysafflor yellow A attenuating blood-brain barrier dysfunction via tight junction signaling pathways excavated by an integrated serial affinity chromatography and shotgun proteomics analysis approach.

Our previous studies elucidated that hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) exerted anti-inflammatory effects against ischemia stroke by inhibiting TLR4 pathway-mediated signaling transduction. However, only several targets were verified in that limited work. The integrated method of serial affinity chromatography (SAC) and shotgun proteomics analysis (SPA) might be an alternative approach for exploring a potential therapeutic role. SAC was induced to extract specific binding proteins in the brain tissue of 2 h of ischemia stroke mice via HSYA affinity matrices. SPA was conducted by nanoLC-MS/MS, while the identified proteins were mapped on to Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway components analysis. The protection of HSYA for blood-brain barrier in mice with ischemia stroke was assessed with the leakage of Evans Blue. The expression of tight junction proteins of blood-brain barrier: occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1 were detected with ischemia boundary positive areas staining. The regulation of nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMMHC IIA), TLR4-mediated PI3K/AKT/JNK1/2/14-3-3ε/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway were evaluated using western blot analysis. A total of 35 proteins with molecular eights ranging from 27,841.22 to 234,122.79 KD were identified. Gene Ontology annotation and KEGG pathways analysis of the identified proteins were conducted with tight junction and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. HSYA could significantly reduce the leakage of Evans Blue in mice with ischemia stroke, while attenuating the expression of occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1. Western blot demonstrated that regulation of NMMHC IIA, TLR4-mediated PI3K/AKT/JNK1/2/14-3-3ε/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway played an essential role in the protective effect of HSYA. The integrated method of SAC and SPA provides the promising explanations for exploring the mechanism underlying blood-brain barrier dysfunction via the tight junction pathway. HSYA could attenuate blood-brain barrier dysfunction in anti-inflammatory patterns in ischemia stroke mice via the tight junction pathway.

[Microvesicles derived from LPS-induced microglia aggravate the injury of tight junction in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells under oxygen-glucose deprivation].

Objective To study the effect of the administration of the circulating microvesicles (MV) obtained from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia supernatant into rat brain endothelial cells (RBECs) on the injury of tight junction in RBECs under the condition of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) as well as the underlying mechanism. Methods The circulating MV was isolated from the supernatant of microglia stimulated with LPS 1 mg/L for 24 hours and subjected to morphological identification. The expression of miR-27a in MV was detected by real-time PCR. RBECs were randomly divided into control group, MV-RBECs control group, OGD 6-hour group and OGD-MV group. The expressions of occludin and claudin-5 were detected by immunofluorescence staining in the four groups. Western blot analysis was used to investigate the expressions of occludin, claudin-5, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NF-κBp65 and p38 proteins in RBECs, and ELISA was applied to detect the levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in RBECs. Results The shape of MV was approximately circular double membrane vesicles, with an average diameter of 150 nm, in accordance with the morphological characteristics of MV. Under LPS stimulation, the level of miR-27a in the circulating MV was abnormally elevated. Compared with the control group, RBECs were not obviously influenced by the incubation of MV; under OGD condition, tight junction of RBECs was damaged with the decreasing expressions of occluding and claudin-5. The degree of injury was further damaged after the treatment with MV. Fluorescence intensity of occludin and claudin-5 were further reduced. Meanwhile, Western blot analysis showed the levels of occludin and claudin-5 proteins decreased in the OGD group after MV treatment, which was consistent with immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the control group, the expression of TLR4 protein and the phosphorylation of NF-κBp65 and p38 proteins increased in OGD group; after MV treatment, the level of TLR4 protein and the phosphorylation of NF-κBp65 and p38 proteins further increased, and the release of IL-1ß and TNF-α increased as well. Conclusion Treatment with the circulating MV containing miR-27a obtained from LPS-stimulated microglia supernatant damages the tight junction of RBECs under the OGD condition. The mechanism may be related to up-regulation TLR4 and phosphorylation of NF-κBp65 and p38.

[Mechanism of heart and lung injury induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in both young and old mice].

Objective To study the mechanism of heart and lung injury after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in mice. Methods C57BL/6J mice were divided into young and old groups according to their ages, the former being 5-6 months old and the latter being 20-21 months old. Each group was divided into five subgroups subjected to sham operation, middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1-hour ischemia followed by 1-, 12-, 24-, 48-hour reperfusion. At different reperfusion time, HE and TUNEL staining were used to observe the morphological changes of heart and lung tissues; meanwhile, chemical colorimetry was performed to determine the changes of cardiac Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase; the lung indexes were evaluated; the levels of nuclear factor (NF)-κBp65, p-NF-κBp65, IκBα, p-IκBα were detected by Western blotting; the levels of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were determined by ELISA; and the release of NO was examined by colorimetry. Results We observed inflammatory responses in the lung tissues of young and old mice at 24-hour reperfusion and 1-hour reperfusion, respectively, and hemorrhage in the heart tissues of young and old mice at 24-hour reperfusion and 12-hour reperfusion, respectively.Lung tissues showed earlier response to the stimulation of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion than heart tissues did. Meanwhile, the results of Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, lung index, NF-κB signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines in young and old mice were consistent with histological changes of heart and lung tissues. Conclusion Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion can cause heart and lung tissue injury in the old mice, and energy metabolism and inflammation cascade are the main mechanisms of the injury.

[Prediction of regulating network of innate immune signaling molecule hsa-miR-181a in stroke development based on bioinformatics analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To predict the regulating network of innate immunity signaling molecule hsa-miR-181a in stroke based on the methods of bioinformatics. METHODS: The UCSC genome browser, the human miRNA disease database (HMDD), the transcription factor-miRNA regulation database (TransmiR), the database on predicted and validated miRNA targets (miRwalk), the Genecards, the long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) disease database, the DIANA LAB-LncBase and the ConSite were employed to study the upstream transcription factor, downstream target genes and the interactive LncRNA of hsa-miR-181a and to draw the core regulating network of hsa-miR-181a. To verify the hsa-miR-181a regulating network, we used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate the BV2 cells transfected by lentivirus and real-time quantitative PCR to detect the changes of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor protein 63 (p63), miR-181a and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65. RESULTS: The UCSC genome browser showed that hsa-miR-181a had two subtypes, which were demonstrated with high conservatism in several species. Diseases analysis and literatures investigation revealed that the hsa-miR-181a was related with many diseases, especially ischemia diseases. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that hsa-miR-181a was regulated by the transcription factors p63, and at the same time, it could regulate 58 target genes such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), TLR4 etc. IncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 and its transcription factors Snail and n-MYC might also interact with hsa-miR-181a. All the relative genes composed a regulatory network with hsa-miR-181a as a core and played important roles in the process of stroke. In LPS-stimulated BV2 cells, the expression levels of TLR4, p63, miR-181a were up-regulated; while the levels of p63, miR-181a and NF-κB p65 decreased in the lentivirus-infected BV2 cells, indicating that p63 was the key signaling molecule in the process of TLR4 regulating miR-181a. CONCLUSION: The bioinformatics analysis and preliminary experimental verification predicted and demonstrated the regulating network of hsa-miR-181a in stroke.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A exerts neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia reperfusion-injured mice by suppressing the innate immune TLR4-inducing pathway.

The innate immune response, which is tightly regulated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway, has been shown to play a critical role in brain damage following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is the active component extracted from the Flos Carthami and has been reported to decrease neurological deficit scores following ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the precise mechanism by which it exerts these neuroprotective effects remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the administration of HSYA could significantly down-regulate TLR4 expression in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. Following the down-regulation of TLR4 by HSYA treatment, cerebral infarction and inflammatory neuronal damage was alleviated. The number of apoptotic neurons in the HSYA-treated group was significantly decreased along with the decrease in TLR4 expression in MCAO mice. Activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways was observed at 1h following ischemia and at 24h post-reperfusion. HSYA could significantly inhibit NF-κB p-p65, ERE1/2, JNK and p38 phosphorylation, which coincided with the suppressed secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and nitric oxide (NO). Moreover, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was up-regulated following 1h of ischemia and continued to increase initially during reperfusion but was down-regulated at later stages. Following treatment with HSYA, BDNF was up-regulated relative to control MCAO mice at 1h post-ischemia and at 12 and 24h post-reperfusion. Our data suggest that HSYA exerts neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory functions against ischemic stroke by inhibiting TLR4 pathway-mediated signaling responses.