1.Research progress in effects of amino acids on endoplasmic reticulum stress
Wenlong XU ; Mengzhu CUI ; Hongyan LIANG ; Xiaofeng JIANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2019;40(3):273-276
The occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is involved in the development of various diseases in human body.Accurate and effective intervention and regulation of ERS has become a hot spot in recent years.Amino acids are the nutrients that make up the proteins that people need, and they are also important signal transduction molecules in the human body.Intervention and regulation of ERS stress by amino acids is likely to be an important and unexplored area, and it is expected to become a potential target for new prevention strategies such as malignant tumors and cardiovascular diseases.Therefore, in this article, we will briefly review the research progress of the effects of amino acids on cellular ERS stress in recent years.
2.Research progress on the role of matrix protein p17 in human immunodeficiency virus infection and related diseases
Mengzhu LI ; Rui SHEN ; Danhui WU ; Yanqiu LU ; Hong LIU ; Yemiao CHEN ; Hongjuan CUI ; Yaokai CHEN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases 2023;16(6):475-480
Matrix protein p17 is a structural protein of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV). It not only plays a key role in multiple stages of HIV life cycle,but also is closely associated with HIV-related lymphoma,neurocognitive impairment and breast cancer. This article reviews the role of matrix protein p17 in HIV infection and HIV-related diseases.
3.Effect of Modified Xiangsha Liujunzitang on Hepatic Kupffer Cell Inflammation Mediated by Intestinal-derived LPS in Rats with Hyperlipidemia and Spleen Deficiency Syndrome
Mengzhu CHE ; Lianqun JIA ; Dongyu MIN ; Guoyuan SUI ; Qi ZHANG ; Guanlin YANG ; Yunhao CUI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(16):77-86
ObjectiveThe study aims to investigate the intervention effect of modified Xiangsha Liujunzitang (M-XSLJZ) on intestinal-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated Kupffer cell inflammation in rats with hyperlipidemia spleen deficiency syndrome. MethodsSeventy male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups (n=10): blank control (CON), high-fat diet without spleen deficiency (HFD), high-fat diet with spleen deficiency (SD-HFD), M-XSLJZ low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (XS-L, XS-M, XS-H), and western medicine control (R). Spleen deficiency was induced in SD-HFD, XS-L, XS-M, XS-H, and R groups via irregular diet combined with exhaustive swimming for 15 days. The CON group received a standard diet, while other groups were fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks to establish the hyperlipidemia model. After successful modeling, rats were treated for 8 weeks: M-XSLJZ was administered at 3.51, 7.02, 14.04 g·kg-1 in XS-L, XS-M, and XS-H groups, respectively. The R group received 9×10-4 g·kg-1 of a reference drug. D-xylose excretion rate was measured by the phloroglucinol method. Blood lipids were assessed using an automated biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate the pathological conditions of the liver, and oil red O staining was used to observe the lipid deposition in the liver. The levels of LPS, portal vein serum LPS, LPS-binding protein (LBP), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate CD86 expression and CD68/TLR4 co-localization in the liver. Protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65, and p-NF-κB p65 in Kupffer cells were analyzed via Western blot automated protein analysis. Hepatic IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β mRNA and protein levels were measured using Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the CON group, the SD-HFD group showed a decrease in D-xylose excretion (P<0.01). TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). A large number of hepatic lipid vacuoles and orange-red lipid droplet deposition appeared in the liver. Ileal LPS, portal LPS, and LBP increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The levels of serum IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β increased (P<0.01). The expression of CD86 was upregulated (P<0.01), and the co-expression of CD68 and TLR4 was enhanced. The protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, and p-p65 in Kupffer cells increased (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the HFD group, the SD-HFD group exhibited decreased D-xylose excretion (P<0.01), higher HDL-C, LDL-C (P<0.05), increased portal LBP and LPS (P<0.05), increased serum IL-6 and TNF-α (P<0.01), upregulated CD86 (P<0.01), enhanced CD68/TLR4 co-expression, and higher TNF-α mRNA/protein (P<0.05). Compared with the SD-HFD group, all M-XSLJZ treatment groups showed reduced TC, TG, and LDL-C (P<0.05, P<0.01). XS-H and R groups displayed improved hepatic lipid deposition. XS-H and R groups had lower ileal LPS, portal LPS, and LBP levels (P<0.05, P<0.01). All M-XSLJZ treatment groups exhibited reduced serum IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α (P<0.01). The XS-H group showed downregulated CD86 (P<0.01) and weakened CD68/TLR4 co-expression. The XS-H group had reduced TLR4, MyD88, and p-NF-κB p65 in Kupffer cells (P<0.01). XS-H and R groups showed lower IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β mRNA/protein (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionM-XSLJZ may exert its lipid-lowering effects by inhibiting intestinal-derived LPS and alleviating Kupffer cell inflammation in the liver.
4.Effects of long-term noise exposure during sleep on liver circadian clock and lipid metabolism
Xinyao ZHANG ; Xiaojun SHE ; Yiming FU ; Bo FU ; Shuo WANG ; Mengzhu CHENG ; Rui WANG ; Bo CUI
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2024;41(1):41-46
Background Long-term exposure to noise during sleep may has adverse effects on metabolic system, and liver lipid metabolism is closely related to circadian clock genes. Objective To investigate the effects of long-term noise exposure during sleep on liver circadian clock and lipid metabolism in mice and its related mechanism. Methods Twenty C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into two groups: a noise exposure group and a control group with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the noise exposure group were exposed to white noise at 90 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for 30 consecutive days, 8 h a day, from 9:00 to 17:00. The mice in the control group were exposed to background noise ≤40 dB SPL. After noise exposure, the animals were neutralized at 14:00 (ZT6) and 2:00 (ZT18), 5 animals at each time spot, and the liver tissues were collected. Total cholesterol and triglyceride in liver were determined by cholesterol oxidase method and glycerol phosphate oxidase method respectively. The expressions of circadian clock genes (Clock, Bmal1, Rev-erbα, and Rev-erbβ) and lipid metabolism genes (Srebp1c, Hmgcr, Fasn, Lxrα, Acc1, and Chrebp) in liver were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Results Compared with the control group, the content of total cholesterol in liver in the noise exposure group increased by 48% (P<0.05) and the content of liver triglyceride increased by 61% (P<0.05) at ZT18. The mRNA expression levels of circadian clock genes Clock and Bmal1 in the noise exposure group was significantly increased at ZT18 and decreased at ZT6 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression level of Rev-erbα decreased at both ZT6 and ZT18 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression level of Rev-erbβ had no significant change at ZT6 and ZT18. The mRNA expression levels of liver lipid metabolism related genes Srebp1c, Hmgcr, Chrebp, and Lxrα in the noise exposure group were higher than those in the control group at ZT18 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of Acc1 and Fasn showed no significant change at ZT6, then an upward trend at ZT18, but no significant difference between the two time spots (P>0.05). Conclusion Long-term noise exposure during sleep can cause circadian clock and lipid metabolism disorders in mice. Among them, suppression of key circadian clock genes may be associated with Rev-erbα-mediated upregulation of the nuclear receptors Srebp1c and Chrebp for lipid synthesis and deposition in the liver, resulting in lipid metabolism disorder.