Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg^-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg^-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D₃03)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.

Objective:To investigate the value of soluble interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor (sIL-6R) level in predicting ultrafiltration insufficiency in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:It was a prospective cohort study. The patients who received continuous ambulatory PD and regular follow-up between November 2016 and July 2018 in the PD Center of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University were enrolled. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine dialysate sIL-6R and its appearance rate (AR) was calculated. Patients were divided into high sIL-6R AR group and low sIL-6R AR group according to median value of sIL-6R AR and prospectively followed up until death, PD cessation, or the end of the study (December 31, 2022). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the related factors of sIL-6R AR. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare the survival rate difference of ultrafiltration insufficiency between high sIL-6R AR group and low sIL-6R AR group. Multivariate Cox regression and multivariate competing risk models were used to assess the risk factors associated with occurrence of ultrafiltration insufficiency.Results:A total of 198 PD patients were enrolled, including 115 (58.1%) males, with age of (54.9±13.7) years old and PD duration of 22.5 (6.6, 65.0) months. The sIL-6R AR of the cohort was 2 094.7 (1 672.4, 2 920.9) pg/min. Compared with low sIL-6R AR（<2 094.7 pg/min）group, high sIL-6R AR（>2 094.7 pg/min）group had older age ( t=-3.269, P=0.001), higher body mass index ( t=-3.248, P=0.001), proportion of combined diabetes mellitus ( χ2=8.890, P=0.003), 24 h glucose exposure ( Z=-2.257, P=0.024), 24 h ultrafiltration capacity ( Z=-2.515, P=0.012), 4 h dialysate creatinine to serum creatinine ratio ( t=-2.609, P=0.010), mass transfer area coefficient of creatinine ( Z=-2.308, P=0.021), IL-6 AR ( Z=-3.533, P<0.001) and solute glycoprotein 130 AR ( Z=-8.670, P<0.001), and lower serum albumin ( t=2.595, P=0.010) and residual renal function ( t=2.133, P=0.033). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that body mass index ( β=0.194, P=0.005), serum albumin ( β=-0.215, P=0.002) and dialysate lg[IL-6 AR] ( β=0.197, P=0.011) were independently correlated with sIL-6R AR. By the end of the study, 57 (28.8%) patients developed ultrafiltration insufficiency. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high sIL-6R AR group had a significantly inferior ultrafiltration insufficiency-free survival rate than that in low sIL-6R AR group (log-rank χ 2=5.375, P=0.020). Multivariate Cox regression analysis and multivariate competing risk models showed that high dialysate sIL-6R AR (>2 094.7 pg/min) was an independent influencing factor of ultrafiltration insufficiency ( HR=2.286 , 95% CI 1.254-4.165 , P=0.007 ; SHR=2.074, 95% CI 1.124-3.828, P=0.020) in PD patients. Conclusions:Dialysate sIL-6R level was associated with body mass index, serum albumin and dialysate IL-6 level. Dialysate sIL-6R may be a predictive factor of ultrafiltration insufficiency in PD patients.

Background Due to the limited availability of established research models, very few studies addressed the health effects and underlying mechanisms following exposure to diesel exhaust during the initiation of pulmonary respiration. It is highly demanded to elucidate such health effects and underlying mechanisms, so as to exert protective measures during the early stages of life. Objective To evaluate the health effects of diesel exhaust very-early-in-life inhalation in hatchling chicken with a novel chicken embryo air cell inhalation exposure model, and to explore the potential roles of aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathways in the observed effects with a specific aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor. Methods Fertilized chicken eggs were assigned into five groups randomly (15 eggs per group): control group, air control group, aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor (PDM2) group, diesel exhaust group, and diesel exhaust + aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor (PDM2) group. Fertilized eggs were incubated with standard procedure. At embryonic day 17 (ED17), aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor was administered to the corresponding animals. During embryonic day 18-19 (ED18-19), chicken embryos were exposed to diesel exhaust via air cell inhalation, then placed back to incubator until hatch. The air control group received clean air infusion during ED18-19, while the control group did not receive any treatment. Within 24 h post-hatch, 26 hatchling chickens were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital, subjected to electrocardiography, and sacrificed to harvest tissue samples of heart and lung. Cardiopulmonary toxicities were evaluated by histopathology, and potential changes in the protein expression levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway molecule cytochrome P450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP1A1) and fibrosis-related pathway molecule phosphorylated SMAD family member 2 (pSMAD2) were assessed by Western blotting. The remaining 29 hatchling chickens were reared until two weeks old, and then subjected to identical treatments. Results The inhalation exposure to diesel exhaust at initiation of pulmonary respiration resulted in thickened right ventricular wall (by 220.3% relative to the control group, same hereafter) and elevated heart rate (17.4%) in one-day-old hatchling chickens. Although no remarkable fibrotic lesions were observed at this point, the expression levels of CYP1A1 and phosphorylation levels of SMAD2 in the lung tissues significantly increased (by 81.3% and 71.6%, respectively). Such changes were effectively abolished by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor PDM2 pretreatment. In the two-week-old animals, the thickened right ventricular wall (by 339.3%) and elevated heart rate (by 18.9%) persisted, and significant fibrotic lesions were observed in the lung tissue samples under Masson staining. Again, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor PDM2 pretreatment effectively abolished such changes. In addition, no statistically significant changes in CYP1A1 expression levels were observed in the two-week-old chicken lung samples, and a remarkable down-regulation of SMAD2 phosphorylation was observed. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor inhibitor PDM2 pretreatment independently decreased the phosphorylation levels of SMAD2 in the two-week-old chicken lung samples. Conclusion Inhalation exposure to diesel exhaust at initiation of pulmonary respiration could result in persistent cardiopulmonary injury in hatchling chickens, and the underlying mechanism might be associated with the regulation of pSMAD2 by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathway.

Krüppel-like transcription factor 2 (KLF2) plays a key regulatory role in endothelial inflammation, thrombosis, angiogenesis and macrophage inflammation and polarization, and up-regulation of KLF2 expression has the potential to prevent and treatment atherosclerosis. In this study, trichostatin C (TSC) was obtained from the secondary metabolites of rice fermentation of Streptomyces sp. CPCC 203909 as a KLF2 up-regulator by using a high throughput screening model based on a KLF2 promoter luciferase reporter assay. TSC significantly inhibited the adhesion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) induced monocytes (THP-1) to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Western blot results showed that TSC decreased TNFα induced the protein expression increase of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and thereby inhibited endothelial inflammation. The results of histone deacetylase (HDAC) overexpression and molecular docking experiments showed that TSC upregulated the expression of KLF2 by inhibiting subtypes of HDAC 4/5/7. In conclusion, this study suggests that TSC up-regulates the expression of KLF2 through inhibiting HDAC 4/5/7 and thus inhibits TNFα induced endothelial inflammation, and it has the potential to prevent and treat atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Shenyankangfu Tablet (SYKFT) is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT, for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients, against the standard drug, losartan potassium. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Primary glomerulonephritis patients, aged 18-70 years, with blood pressure ≤ 140/90 mmHg, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 45 mL/min per 1.73 m MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level, after 48 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A total of 735 participants were enrolled. The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78% ± 2.56% (P = 0.006) more than that in the losartan 50 mg group, which was 0.51% ± 2.54% (P = 1.000) less than that in the losartan 100 mg group. Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39% ± 2.49% (P < 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein level. Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77% ± 2.52% (P = 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein. With a superiority threshold of 15%, neither was statistically significant. eGFR, serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant. The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT (-3.00 [-6.00, -2.00]) and who did not take SYKFT (-2.00 [-5.00, 0]) was statistically significant (P = 0.003). No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group. CONCLUSION: SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients, with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR. SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

BACKGROUND: Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) is a major cause of adult limb loss worldwide. Autophagy of vascular endothelial cell (VEC) contributes to the ASO progression. However, the molecular mechanism that controls VEC autophagy remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of the GRB2 associated binding protein 1 (GAB1) in regulating VEC autophagy. METHODS: In vivo and in vitro studies were applied to determine the loss of adapt protein GAB1 in association with ASO progression. Histological GAB1 expression was measured in sclerotic vascular intima and normal vascular intima. Gain- and loss-of-function of GAB1 were applied in VEC to determine the effect and potential downstream signaling of GAB1. RESULTS: The autophagy repressor p62 was significantly downregulated in ASO intima as compared to that in healthy donor (0.80 vs. 0.20, t = 6.43, P < 0.05). The expression level of GAB1 mRNA (1.00 vs. 0.24, t = 7.41, P < 0.05) and protein (0.72 vs. 0.21, t = 5.97, P < 0.05) was significantly decreased in ASO group as compared with the control group. Loss of GAB1 led to a remarkable decrease in LC3II (1.19 vs. 0.68, t = 5.99, P < 0.05), whereas overexpression of GAB1 significantly led to a decrease in LC3II level (0.41 vs. 0.93, t = 7.12, P < 0.05). Phosphorylation levels of JNK and p38 were significantly associated with gain- and loss-of-function of GAB1 protein. CONCLUSION Loss of GAB1 promotes VEC autophagy which is associated with ASO. GAB1 and its downstream signaling might be potential therapeutic targets for ASO treatment.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Adult ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans/genetics* ; Autophagy ; GRB2 Adaptor Protein ; Humans ; Phosphoproteins/metabolism* ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Binding ; Signal Transduction

Objective:To construct oxaliplatin (L-OHP) drug-resistant cell line HCT-116/L-OHP in human colon cancer, in order to observe the reversal effect of curcumin (cur) on its drug resistance, and preliminarily explore the possible drug resistance mechanism. Method:The concentration gradient increasing method was used to gradually increase the L-OHP concentration of HCT-116 in parental colon cancer cells, and the cell line HCT-116/L-OHP resistant to L-OHP was established. The cytotoxicity of L-OHP and curcumin to HCT-116 and HCT-116/L-OHP cells was detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method to observe whether curative resistance could be reversed. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of drug-resistance-related proteins. Real-time PCR was used to detect changes in related genes. Result:Human colon cancer cell line resistant to L-OHP were successfully established and named as HCT-116/L-OHP, with a drug resistance index of 12.6.Compared with HCT-116 cell lines, the expression levels of resected and repaired cross complementation gene 1 (ERCC1) protein and gene in HCT-116/L-OHP cell lines were significantly increased (P<0.01). The expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), glutathione-s-transferase-consciousness (GST-consciousness), multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and apoptotic inhibitory gene (Survivin) also increased significantly (P<0.01). After the treatment with different concentrations of curcumin (5,10,20,30,40 μmol·L^-1), the expression of ERCC1 decreased (P<0.01), and the expressions of Bcl-2,GST-π,MRP,P-gp,Survivin also decreased to different degrees (P<0.05). Conclusion:HCT-116/L-OHP cell lines have a stable drug resistance, and its drug resistance mechanism may be up-regulated with the expression of ERCC1, which leads to the up-regulation of Bcl-2,GST-π,MRP,P-gp,Survivin and other related proteins, and enables tumor cells to acquire drug resistance. Curcumin can reverse the drug resistance of HCT-116/L-OHP, and its mechanism may be to reduce the expression of ERCC1, thereby down-regulating the expressions of Bcl-2,GST-π,MRP,P-gp,Survivin and other drug-resistant related genes and proteins, and increase the sensitivity of tumor to L-OHP, so as to reverse the drug resistance of tumor cells.

Objective To construct a recombinant lentiviral vector carrying the casitas B-lineage lymphoma (Cbl)-b short hairpin RNA (shRNA),and to evaluate its effect on the biological behavior of A375 melanoma cells in vitro.Methods Three specific shRNAs targeting Cbl-b gene and a negative control shRNA were designed and synthesized,and recombinant lentiviral vectors were constructed.A375 cells were divided into 5 groups to be transfected with 3 kinds of lentiviral vector expressing Cbl-b genespecific shRNAs (CBLB-shRNA-1 group,CBLB-shRNA-2 group and CBLB-shRNA-3 group),a lentiviral vector containing negative control shRNA (negative control group),and an empty vector (blank control group).Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to determine the silencing efficiency at 72 hours after transfection.Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8)assay was conducted to evaluate cellular proliferative activity at 24,48,72 and 96 hours after transfection,flow cytometry to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle at 72 hours after transfection,and Transwell invasion assay to assess cellular invasive activity at 72 hours after transfection.Results Three recombinant lentiviral vectors containing Cbl-b shRNA were constructed successfully.As Western blot analysis revealed,the CBLB-shRNA-3 showed the highest silencing efficiency.CCK-8 assay indicated that the proliferative activity of A375 cells was significantly lower in the CBLB-shRNA-3 group than in the negative control group and blank control group at 72 and 96 hours after transfection(all P ＜ 0.01).Flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate of A375 cells was significantly higher in the CBLB-shRNA-3 group (22.73％ ± 6.58％) than in the negative control group (6.08％ ± 1.35％,P ＜ 0.01) and blank control group (6.34％ ± 1.07％,P ＜ 0.01).The CBLB-shRNA-3 group showed a significantly higher proportion of A375 cells at G1 phase,but a significantly lower proportion of A375 cells at S phase compared with the negative control group and blank control group(all P ＜ 0.01).Transwell assay showed that there were significant differences in the number of A375 cells crossing the artificial basement membrane (matrigel) at 72 hours after transfection among the negative control group,blank control group and CBLB-shRNA-3 group (76.60 ± 1.82,73.20 ± 3.83,19.60 ± 1.14,respectively;F =794.50,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions A recombinant CBLB-shRNA-3-expressing lentiviral vector which can efficiently silence Cbl-b gene has been successfully constructed.It can inhibit the proliferation,cell cycle progression and invasive activity of A375 cells,but promote the apoptosis of A375 cells.

Objective To analyze differentially expressed proteins in A375 melanoma cells before and after short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated Cbl-b gene silencing.Methods The label-free quantitative proteomics approach was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins between A375 cells transfected with lentiviral vectors containing Cbl-b shRNA (Cbl-b shRNA group) and those with control lentiviral vectors (control group).Then,the properties of differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) enrichment analysis.Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the expression of differential proteins (EphA2 and GSK3β) and phosphorylated protein kinase (p-AKT) after shRNA-mediated Cbl-b gene silencing.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test of two independent-samples for comparison of protein expression abundance between the two groups with SPSS 23.0 software.Additionally,the results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were analyzed by Fisher's exact test.Results A total of 3 449 proteins were identified and quantified,and 74 of them were differentially expressed between the Cbl-b shRNA group and control group.Compared with the control group,52 proteins were up-regulated and 22 were down-regulated in the Cbl-b shRNA group.GO enrichment analysis of differential proteins revealed that the top five significantly enriched biological processes were integrin-mediated cell adhesion,single-organism metabolic process,regulation of integrin-mediated cell adhesion,regulation of protein-targeting mitochondria and nucleic acid metabolic process.The top five significantly enriched molecular functions included DNA binding,2-iron,2-sulfur cluster binding,signaling receptor activity,cadherin binding and cell adhesion molecule binding.The top five significantly enriched cell components included nucleosome,DNA packaging complex,photoreceptor connecting cilium,DNA-protein complex and extracellular region part.KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that the top five significantly enriched melanoma-related signaling pathways were folate biosynthesis,axon guidance,extracellular matrix-receptor interaction,adherens junction and Wnt signaling pathways.As Western blot analysis revealed,the Cbl-b shRNA group showed lower protein expression of EphA2 (0.369),but higher protein expression of GSK3β (3.524) compared with the control group (1),which were consistent with the results of proteomics analysis.Additionally,the protein expression of p-AKT was down-regulated in Cbl-b shRNA group (0.453) compared with the control group (1).Conclusion Cbl-b may be involved in the occurrence of melanoma through a variety of biological pathways,and the EphA2/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be one important pathway.

Objective To investigate the influential factors of serum drug concentration/dosage ratio (C/D) for schizophrenia patients after oral administration of risperidone.Methods Medical records of inpatients who received oral administration of risperidone in Guangzhou Huiai Hospital during 2016 were consulted and the C/Ds were calculated.Effects of age,gender,dosage form,combined medication,comorbidity and serum concentration ratio of 9-OH risperidone and risperidone were evaluated.Results C/D in patients aged 60 or older was (10.06 ± 6.61) ng · mL-1 · mg-1 · d.It was significantly larger than those under 60 years old,which were (7.82 ± 3.31) and (8.02 ±4.05) ng · mL-1 · mg-1 · d for 40-59 and under 40 years old,respectively.In addition,C/D was decreased with the increase of 9-OH risperidone/ risperidone ratio.The C/D were(10.96 ±6.46),(8.71 ±4.45)and (6.30 ± 2.99) ng · mL-1 · mg-1 · d for 9-OH risperidone/risperidone ratio ＜ 1,1-10 and ＞ 10,respectively.Gender,dosage form andthe major combined medications and comorbidities in the recruited patients hardly affected the C/D of oral risperidone.Conclusion The dose of risperidone that administered to the aged should be reduced properly.Serum concentration ratio of 9-OH risperidone and risperidonehas a potential to be used as an indirect index of the activity of metabolic enzymes.