OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of miR-203/CREB1 signaling regulation mediated by DNA methylation on the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. METHODS: The methylation level of miR-203 in the RPMI 8226 cells was detected by bisulfite sequcucing polymerase chain reaction (BSP). The mRNA expression of miR-203 was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RPMI 8226 cells were treated with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR). The miR-203 mimic in MM cell line RPMI 8226 was transfected to establish overexpressed miR-203 cell. The proliferation, invasion ability and apoptosis of RPMI 8226 cell was detected by CCK-8 assay, Transwell, and flow cytometry, respectively. The targeting relationship between miR-203 and CREB1 was verified by double luciferase report assay. Western blot was used to detect the expression of CREB1 protein. RESULTS: Hypermethylation of miR-203 promoter region and low expression level of miR-203 mRNA were detected in the RPMI 8226 cells, which showed that demethylation could induce the expression of miR-203. The proliferation and invasion ability of RPMI 8226 cells after treated by 5-Aza-CdR were inhibited, and showed statistical significance as compared with blank control group (both P<0.05)，while the apoptosis rate was promoted (P<0.05). The proliferation, invasion ability and apoptosis of overexpressed miR-203 were the same as the demethylation group. Double luciferase report assay confirmed that CREB1 was the direct target of miR-203. The protein level of CREB1 was inhibited by demethylation and showed statistical significance as compared with control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION MiR-203 targeting CREB1 mediated by DNA methylation leads to maintain the malignant biological behaviors of MM cells.
Apoptosis ; Azacitidine/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/pharmacology* ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Multiple Myeloma/genetics* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

Taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) is one of the main effective components of bile acid, playing critical roles in apoptosis and immune responses through the TGR5 receptor. In this study, we reveal the interaction between TCDCA and TGR5 receptor in TGR5-knockdown H1299 cells and the regulation of inflammation via the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA)-cAMP response element binding (CREB) signal pathway in NR8383 macrophages. In TGR5-knockdown H1299 cells, TCDCA significantly activated cAMP level via TGR5 receptor, indicating TCDCA can bind to TGR5; in NR8383 macrophages TCDCA increased cAMP content compared to treatment with the adenylate cyclase (AC) inhibitor SQ22536. Moreover, activated cAMP can significantly enhance gene expression and protein levels of its downstream proteins PKA and CREB compared with groups of inhibitors. Additionally, TCDCA decreased tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8 and IL-12 through nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activity. PKA and CREB are primary regulators of anti-inflammatory and immune response. Our results thus demonstrate TCDCA plays an essential anti-inflammatory role via the signaling pathway of cAMP-PKA-CREB induced by TGR5 receptor.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cyclic AMP/metabolism* ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/metabolism* ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; Rats ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Acorus tatarinowii Schott and its active component 5- hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) on learning and memory and ERK/CREB signal in hippocampus of rats with exercise-induced fatigue. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into normal group (A), exercise group (B), exercise + HMF low, middle and high dose treatment group (C, D, E), exercise + acorus tatarinowii Schott low, middle and high dose treatment group (F, G, H), with ten rats in each group. The rats in group C, D and E were treated with HMF at the doses of 0.10, 1.00 and 3.00 mg. kg by ig. The rats in group F, G and H were treated with the extracts of Acorus tatarinowii Schott at the doses of 0.12, 1.20 and 4.80 g. kg by ig. Learning and memory of rats were tested by the method of water maze experiment, and the expression levels of p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB protein in hippocampus of rats were tested by the method of Western blot in the end of the experiment. RESULTS: The escape latencies of E and H groups were lower than those of groups B, C, D, F and G; and the numbers of plateau crossing were more than those of groups B, C, D, F and G and the expression levels of p-ERK1/2, p-CREB protein were higher than those of groups B, C, D, F and G , respectively(P ＜ 0.01). There was no significant difference in the above indexes among groups A, E and H(P＞0.05) except that the expression levels of p-ERK2 protein in group E were lower than those in group A and H (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION Acorus tatarinowii and its active component- HMF can improve the learning and memory of rats with exercise-induced fatigue, and the mechanism is related to the up-regulation of ERK / CREB signal in hippocampus of rats with exercise-induced fatigue.
Acorus ; chemistry ; Animals ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Fatigue ; drug therapy ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Phytochemicals ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of exendin-4(Ex-4) on the differentiation of neural stem cells(NSCs) in adult mouse subventricular zone(SVZ)and its mechanism . METHODS: NSCs in the SVZ were derived from 5-week C57BL/6J mice and the expression of nestin was detected by immunofluorescence. The cell morphology was observed after the cells treatmed with 100 nmol/L Ex-4 for 14 days.The expressions of nestin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) were detected by immunofluorescence. GLP-1R was knocked down by using shRNA and the study was divided into four groups: control group, Ex-4 group, GLP-1R knockdown group, GLP-1R knockdown + Ex-4 group. After treatment with 100 nmol/L Ex-4 for 14 d, β-tublin III and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were labeled by immunofluorescence and then the proportion of β-tublin III positive cells were counted. Western blot was used to detect the activation of cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) in NSCs. In order to further study the effects of Ex-4 on mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K) pathways, the cells were pretreated with MAPK inhibitor U0126 at a concentration of 0.07 μmol/L for 30 min or PI3K inhibitor LY294002 at 50 μmol for 2 h, respectively. The study was divided into six groups: control group, Ex-4 group, U0126 group, U0126 + Ex-4 group, LY294002 group, LY294002 + Ex-4 group. The activation of CREB in each group was detected by Western blot. The experiment was repeated three times independently. RESULTS: NSCs were successfully extracted from SVZ of C57BL/6J mice. Immunofluorescence showed that nestin and GLP-1R were positive in NSCs. Compared with the control group, the proportion of neurons differentiated from Ex-4 group was higher. The percentage of neurons in GLP-1R knockdown + Ex-4 group was basically the same as that in control group (P＜0.01). The positive cells of beta-tublin III showed positive activation of GLP-1R and CREB. Western blot showed that CREB was significantly activated in the Ex-4 group, and knockdown of GLP-1R abolished its activation (P＜0.01). U0126 did not affect Ex-4-mediated CERB activation, and LY294002 significantly reduced Ex-4-mediated CREB activation (P＜0.01). CONCLUSION Ex-4 promotes the differentiation of NSCs into neurons in SVZ of adult mice through GLP-1R receptor, which may be achieved through PI3K/CREB pathway.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Exenatide ; pharmacology ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lateral Ventricles ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases

OBJECTIVETo research Angelica tenuissima Nakai (ATN) for use in novel Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapeutics.

METHODSThe effect of a 30% ethanol extract of ATN (KH032) on AD-like cognitive impairment and neuropathological and neuroinflammatory changes induced by bilateral intracerebroventricular injections of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide (Aβ) was investigated. Male C57Bl/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, 10 in each group. KH032-treated groups were administrated with a low or high dose of KH032 (50 and 200 mg/kg, respectively), intragastrically for 16 days; distilled water was applied in the sham and negative groups. Open fifield test, Y maze and Morris water maze test were used for behavior test and cognitive ability. In addition, the neuroprotective effects of KH032 in Aβ-infused mice on the histopathological markers [neuronspecific nuclear protein (NeuN), Aβ] of neurodegeneration were examined. The levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), NeuN, phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/ERK, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylation cAMP response element-binding (CREB)/CREB protein expression were measured by Western blot.

RESULTSKH032 treatment ameliorated cognitive impairments, reduced the overexpression of Aβ, and inhibited neuronal loss and neuroinflammatory response in the Aβ-infused mice. Moreover, KH032 treatment enhanced BDNF expression levels in the hippocampus. Finally, KH032 treatment increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB, vital for ERK-CREB signaling.

CONCLUSIONSKH032 attenuated cognitive defificits in the Aβ-infused mice by increasing BDNF expression and ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation and inhibiting neuronal loss and neuroinflflammatory response, suggesting that KH032 has therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative disorders such as AD.

Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Angelica ; chemistry ; Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory, Short-Term ; drug effects ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neurogenesis ; drug effects ; Neuroglia ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Plaque, Amyloid ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Huannao Yicong Formula (, HYF) on learning and memory and it's regulating effect on γ-secretase related anterior pharynx defective 1 (APH-1), presenilin enhancer-2 (PEN-2) signaling pathway, so as to discuss and further clarify the mechanism of HYF on Alzheimer's disease.

METHODSSixty APP/PS1 transgenic mice, randomly allocated into 4 groups, the model group, the donepezil group (0.65 mg/kg), HYF low-dose group (HYF-L, 5.46 g/kg) and HYF high-dose group (HYF-H, 10.92 g/kg), 15 for each group. Another 15 C57BL/6J mice with the same age and same genetic background were allocated into the control group, proper dosage of drugs or distilled water were given by intragastric administration once daily for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks of administration, the learning and memory abilities of mice in each group was evaluated by the morris water maze test, amyloid precursor protein (APP), Aβand Aβlevels in hippocampus were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, γ-secretase was detected by dual luciferase assaying, the levels of APH-1a, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and PEN-2 and their mRNA expression was measured by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSHYF can ameliorate learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by decreasing the escape latency, improving the number of platform crossing and swimming speed (P<0.01, P<0.05). HYF can decrease the levels of APP, Aβ, Aβand the activity of γ-secretase in hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease model mice. HYF can down-regulate the levels of CREB and PEN-2 and the expression of their mRNA.

CONCLUSIONHYF can improve the learning and memory ability by inhibiting the activity of γ-secretase through the CREB/PEN-2 signaling pathway, and this may be one of the therapeutic mechanisms of HYF in Alzheimer's disease.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory Disorders ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Presenilin-1 ; metabolism ; Presenilin-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Jianpi Bushen Qingchang Huashi Recipe (JBQHR) on proliferation and migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

METHODSBMSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro with adherence screening method to prepare cell suspension. No drug intervention was given to BMSCs in the vehicle control group. JBQHR at 0.39, 0.78, 1.56 µg/mL was added in BMSCs of low, mid, and high dose JBQHR groups for co-incubation. Its effect on the proliferation of BMSCs was detected by CCK-8. BMSCs migration and chemotactic ability was detected using Transwell method. Each dose JBQHR combined ERK kinase inhibitor U0126 was set up as control. The phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) and CAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the vehicle control group, the proliferation of BMSCs and BMSCs migration number could be promoted in the 3 JBQHR groups (P < 0.05). Besides, the proliferation of BMSCs was better in mid and high dose JBQHR groups than in the low dose JBQHR group (P < 0.05). Compared with the vehicle control group, the phosphorylation of ERK and CREB could be elevated in the 3 JBQHR groups (P < 0.05), and could be inhibited by U0126 (P < 0.01). Compared with the low dose JBQHR group, the phosphorylation of ERK increased in mid and high dose JBQHR groups with statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJBQHR could promote the proliferation and migration of BMSCs, and its mechanism might be related to ERK/CREB signaling pathway

Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects

The present study was aimed at determining the effects of Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction (TQHXD) on the Ca(2+)-CaMKII-CREB pathway and the memory and learning capacities of rats with vascular dementia (VD). The rat VD model was established by using an improved bilateral carotid artery ligation method. The Morris water maze experiment was used to evaluate the ethology of the VD rats following treatments with TQHXD at 3.01, 6.02, and 12.04 g·kg(-1) per day for 31 days. At the end of experiment, the hippocampus were harvested and analyzed. Western blotting and RT-PCR were used to measure the expression levels of calmodulin-binding protein kinase II(CaMKII), protein kinase A(PKA), cAMP-response element binding protein(CREB), and three N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A, and NR2B). Our results revealed that TQHXD could alleviate the loss of learning abilities and increase the memory capacity (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 vs the model group, respectively). The treatment with 6.02 and 12.04 g·kg(-1) of TQHXD significantly up-regulated the Ca(2+)-CaMKII-CREB pathway in the hippocampus. In conclusion, TQHXD showed therapeutic effects on a bilateral carotid artery ligation-induced vascular dementia model, through the up-regulation of calcium signalling pathways.
Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Dementia, Vascular ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; psychology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Learning Disabilities ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Memory Disorders ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Up-Regulation

To observe the effect of Astragali Radix polysaccharides (APS) on the learning and memory functions of aged rats, in order to explore its mechanism for improving the learning and memory functions. Natural aging female SD rats were selected in the animal model and randomly divided into the control group, the APS low-dose group (50 mg x kg(-1)), the APS high-dose group (150 mg x kg(-1)) and the piracetam-treated group (560 mg x kg(-1)). They were orally administered with the corresponding drugs for consecutively 60 days. Besides, a young control group was set. The learning and memory functions of the rats were tested by the open-field test and the Morris water maze task. The Western-blot method was used to observe the levels of relevant neural plasticity protein N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA receptor) in hippocampus, calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II), protein kinase (PKA), the phosphorylation level of CAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and the protein expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF). In this study, the authors found that the learning and memory functions and the hippocampus neural plasticity protein expression of the aged rat group were much lower than that of the young control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the aged rat group, the APS group showed the significant improvement in the impaired learning and memory functions of aged rats and the up-regulation in the hippocampus neural plasticity protein expression. The results showed that APS may improve the learning and memory functions of aged rats by increasing the expressions of relevant neural plasticity proteins.
Aging ; drug effects ; metabolism ; psychology ; Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEEffects of ginsenoside Rb1, Rg1 and Re on neurotrophic factor signal transduction pathway using liposome-mediated transfection of eukaryotic cells approach.

METHODThe injury model was established by treating SH-SY5Y cells with 0.6 mmol x L(-1) of corticosterone (CORT) by 24 h. SH-SY5Y cell were pretreated with CORT for 30 min followed by co-treated with 120,60 and 20 micromol x L(-1) of Rb1, 120, 80 and 40 micromol x L(-1) of Rg1 and 120, 80 and 40 micromol x L(-1) of Re for 24 h. Cells viability was determined by Cell Counting Kit (CCK) assay. CREB expressing Luciferase reporter gene was constructed and transfected with plasmid containing hRaf, hcAMP, hAkt, hCaMK gene into human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells using liposornal transfection reagent lipofection 2000. The expression of CREB before and after it addion of Rb1, Rg1 and Re was examined by Luc assay system and Western blotting.

RESULTCompared with normal control group, CORT significantly decreased the viability of SH-SY5Y cells to 67.21% (P < 0.01). CCK results show that Rb1 (60 micromol x L(-1)), Rg1 (80 micromol x L(-1)) and Re (80 micromol x L(-1)) on SH-SY5Y cells have significant protective effect (P < 0.01). Lucassay and Western blotting results show that the gene and protein levels of CREB increased significantly through the pathway of Raf and Akt with Rb1 and Rg1 (P < 0.01), Re can increase significantly the gene and protein levels of CREB through the pathway of Raf and CaMK II.

CONCLUSIONRb1, Rg1 and Re protects SH-SY5Y cells from CORT-induced damage and the neuroprotective mechanism may be associated with the Raf-CREB, Akt-CREB and CaMK II -CREB pathways.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Genes, Reporter ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Panax ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; raf Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism