Baricitinib Attenuates Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice by Inhibiting TGF-ß1 Signaling Pathway.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease with unknown etiology, high mortality and limited treatment options. It is characterized by myofibroblast proliferation and extensive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), which will lead to fibrous proliferation and the destruction of lung structure. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) is widely recognized as a central pathway of pulmonary fibrosis, and the suppression of TGF-ß1 or the TGF-ß1-regulated signaling pathway may thus offer potential antifibrotic therapies. JAK-STAT is a downstream signaling pathway regulated by TGF-ß1. JAK1/2 inhibitor baricitinib is a marketed drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but its role in pulmonary fibrosis has not been reported. This study explored the potential effect and mechanism of baricitinib on pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. The in vivo studies have shown that baricitinib can effectively attenuate bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and in vitro studies showed that baricitinib attenuates TGF-ß1-induced fibroblast activation and epithelial cell injury by inhibiting TGF-ß1/non-Smad and TGF-ß1/JAK/STAT signaling pathways, respectively. In conclusion, baricitinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor, impedes myofibroblast activation and epithelial injury via targeting the TGF-ß1 signaling pathway and reduces BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Investigation of differentially expressed gene profile for cisplatin-treated lung cancer patients.

The purpose of the study was to establish a comprehensive differential gene profile for lung cancer patients treated with cisplatin compared with control patients without any chemotherapy drug treatment. The RNA sequencing data and miRNA sequencing data of 108 lung cancer patients treated with cisplatin only and 232 lung cancer patients treated without any chemotherapeutic drugs, were analyzed using differential expression, protein-protein interaction, and immune cell infiltration ratio analysis. Compared with control patients, the cisplatin-treated patients demonstrated 336 differentially expressed genes, which included 48 upregulated genes and 288 downregulated genes. Meanwhile, 12 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), including 7 upregulated miRNAs and 5 downregulated miRNAs showed a differentially expressed pattern. With further instigation, five miRNAs (hsa-miR-548ah, hsa-miR-466, hsa-miR-552, hsa-miR-371a, and hsa-miR-4445) were suggested to be the key targets in the cisplatin-treated patients. At the same time, we also found a significant correlation between the cisplatin treatment and six immune checkpoints including programmed cell death ligand. This study helped us better understand the potential targets and underline molecular mechanisms for cisplatin treatment and provided references to eliminate existing side effects in the future.

FOXO3 regulates Smad3 and Smad7 through SPON1 circular RNA to inhibit idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Forkhead box protein O3 (FOXO3) has good inhibition ability toward fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix, especially for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. How FOXO3 regulates pulmonary fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we reported that FOXO3 had binding sequences with F-spondin 1 (SPON1) promoter, which can activate its transcription and selectively promote the expression of SPON1 circRNA (circSPON1) but not mRNA expression. We further demonstrated that circSPON1 was involved in the extracellular matrix deposition of HFL1. In the cytoplasm, circSPON1 directly interacted with TGF-ß1-induced Smad3 and inhibited the activation of fibroblasts by inhibiting nuclear translocation. Moreover, circSPON1 bound to miR-942-5p and miR-520f-3p that interfered with Smad7 mRNA and promoted Smad7 expression. This study revealed the mechanism of FOXO3-regulated circSPON1 in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Potential therapeutic targets and new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis based on circRNA were also provided.

Sedum sarmentosum Bunge extract ameliorates lipopolysaccharide- and D-galactosamine-induced acute liver injury by attenuating the hedgehog signaling pathway via regulation of miR-124 expression.

BACKGROUND: Sedum sarmentosum is traditionally used to treat various inflammatory diseases in China. It has protective effects against acute liver injury, but the exact mechanism of such effects remains unclear. This study investigated the protective effects of S. sarmentosum extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced acute liver injury in mice and the mechanism of such effects. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into control, treatment, model, and model treatment groups. Acute liver injury was induced in model mice via intraperitoneal injection of LPS and D-GalN with doses of 10 µg/kg of LPS and 500 mg/kg, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of miR-124, Hedgehog, Patched (Ptch), Smoothened (Smo), and glioma-associated oncogene homolog (Gli) in liver tissues were determined through RT-PCR, and the protein levels of Hedgehog, Ptch, Smo, Gli, P13k, Akt, HMGB1, TLR4, IkB-α, p-IkB-α, and NF-kB65 were evaluated via Western blot analysis. The serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, IL-12, and ICAM-1 were determined via ELISA. TLR4 and NF-κBp65 activity and the levels of DNA-bound NF-KB65 and TLR4 in LPS/D-GalN-induced liver tissues were also determined. We recorded the time of death, plotted the survival curve, and calculated the liver index. We then observed the pathological changes in liver tissue and detected the levels of liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and aspartate transaminase [AST]) in the serum and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and plasma inflammatory factors in the liver homogenate. Afterward, we evaluated the protective effects of S. sarmentosum extracts on acute liver injury in mice. RESULTS: Results showed that after S. sarmentosum extract was administered, the expression level of miR-124 increased in liver tissues. However, the protein expression levels of Hedgehog, Ptch, Smo, Gli, P13k, p-Akt, HMGB1, TLR4, p-IκB-α, and NF-κB65 and the mRNA expression levels of Hedgehog, Ptch, Smo, and Gli decreased. The MPO level in the liver, the IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, IL-12, and MMP-9 levels in the plasma, and the serum ALT and AST levels also decreased, thereby reducing LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury and improving the survival rate of liver-damaged animals within 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: S. sarmentosum extract can alleviate LPS/D-GalN-induced acute liver injury in mice and improve the survival rate of mice. The mechanism may be related to the increase in miR-124 expression, decrease in Hedgehog and HMGB1 signaling pathway activities, and reduction in inflammatory responses in the liver. Hedgehog is a regulatory target for miR-124.

LncRNA TP73-AS1 sponges miR-141-3p to promote the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through the up-regulation of BDH2.

LncRNA TP73 antisense RNA 1T (TP73-AS1) plays an important role in human malignancies. However, the levels of TP73-AS1 and its functional mechanisms in pancreatic cancer metastasis remain unknown, and the clinical significance of TP73-AS1 in human pancreatic cancer is also unclear. In the present study, the levels of TP73-AS1 and its candidate target miR-141 in pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal tissue were detected using qRT-PCR. The association between TP73-AS1 levels and the clinicopathologic characteristics of pancreatic cancer patients were analyzed. The relationship between TP73-AS1 and miR-141, and miR-141 and its candidate target 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase type 2 (BDH2) was confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter assays. TP73-AS1 and/or miR-141 were knocked down using siRNA or an inhibitor in pancreatic cancer cells and cell migration and invasion then examined. The results showed that TP73-AS1 was up-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissue and cell lines. High levels of TP73-AS1 were correlated with poor clinicopathological characteristics and shorter overall survival. MiR-141 was a direct target for TP73-AS1, while BDH2 was a direct target for miR-141. The knockdown of TP73-AS1 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, while the miR-141 inhibitor significantly restored the migration and invasion. Therefore, TP73-AS1 positively regulated BDH2 expression by sponging miR-141. These findings suggest that TP73-AS1 serves as an oncogene and promotes the metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Moreover, TP73-AS1 could serve as a predictor and a potential drug biotarget for pancreatic cancer.

[The expression and clinical significance of HIF-1α, COX-2 and E-cadherin in patients with lung adenocarcinoma].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The incidence of lung adenocarcinoma increases rapidly, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), E-cadherin play an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of cancer cell. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of the expression of HIF-1α, COX-2, E-cadherin in patients with lung adenocarcinoma and the internal relationship among them. METHODS: The expression levels of HIF-1α, COX-2 and E-cadherin were determined in 10 cases of normal lung issue and in 45 cases of issue of lung adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The positive expression rate of HIF-1α and COX-2 was 60% (27/45) and 40% (18/45) respectively in 45 cases of lung adenocarcinoma, was null in 10 cases of normal lung issue. The positive expression rate of E-cadherin was 48.9% (22/45) in 45 cases of lung adenocarcinoma, was 100% in 10 cases of normal lung issue. The expression of HIF-1α was positively correlated with the size of the cancer (P < 0.05), but not with age, smoking, lymphatic metastasis, differentiated degree and surgical-pathologic staging (P > 0.05). The expression of COX-2 was positively correlated with the size of the cancer, lymphatic metastasis, surgical-pathologic and expression of HIF-1α (P < 0.05), but not with age, smoking and differentiated degree (P > 0.05). The expression of E-cadherin was positively correlated with differentiated degree and lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05), but not with age, smoking, the size of the cancer, surgical-pathologic and expression of HIF-1α (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The overexpression of HIF-1α and COX-2 and the downregulation of E-cadherin is found in lung adenocarcinoma. The overexpression of HIF-1α may induce the overexpression of COX-2, and is non-correlated with expression of E-cadherin.