Corticotrophin-releasing factor-mediated effects of DA-9701 in Postoperative Ileus Guinea Pig Model

BACKGROUND

Postoperative ileus (POI) is abdominal surgery-induced impaired gastrointestinal (GI) motility. We aimed to investigate the effects of DA-9701, a prokinetic agent formulated from Pharbitis Semen and Corydalis tuber, likely mediated via corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) pathways, in a POI model.

METHODS

A laparotomy with cecal manipulation was performed to induce POI in guinea pigs. GI transit was measured based on charcoal migration after intragastric administration of DA-9701 1, 3, and 10 mg kg^-1 . CRF1 receptor antagonist, CP-154 526 (subcutaneous) or agonist, human/rat (h/r) CRF (intraperitoneal) was injected. Then, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were measured, and the average intensity of the CRF expression was analyzed in the proximal colon and hypothalamus, and c-Fos in the hypothalamus.

KEY RESULTS

DA-9701 significantly increased delayed GI transit in POI in a dose-dependent manner and decreased plasma ACTH levels at 10 mg kg^-1 . CP-154 526 significantly decreased plasma ACTH levels but was not as effective on GI transit as DA-9701 was. h/r CRF did not significantly affect GI transit and plasma ACTH levels. No significant difference was observed in GI transit and plasma ACTH levels in both groups administered DA-9701 with h/r CRF and h/r CRF alone. CRF expression in the proximal colon decreased after DA-9701 administration, but not significantly, compared with levels in POI alone. However, CRF expression in the hypothalamus was significantly lower in the DA-9701-pretreated POI than in the untreated POI.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

The DA-9701-induced improvement in GI transit and inhibition of plasma ACTH levels was mediated by the central CRF pathway.

Wing-wake interaction: comparison of 2D and 3D flapping wings in hover flight

The wing-wake interaction of flapping wings while hovering has been investigated, with the focus on the difference in wing-wake interaction between 2D and 3D flapping wings. Numerical simulations are conducted at a Reynolds number of 100, and the flapping configurations are divided into the 2D, quasi-3D and 3D categories. Variations of the aspect ratio and Rossby number allow the flapping configuration to morph gradually between categories. The wing-wake interaction mechanisms are identified and the effect of three-dimensionality on these mechanisms is discussed. Three-dimensionality affects wing-wake interaction through four primary aerodynamic mechanisms, namely, induced jet, downwash/upwash, leading-edge vortex (LEV) shedding due to vortex pairing, and the formation of a closely attached LEV. The first two mechanisms are well-established in the literature. With regard to the LEV shedding mechanism, it is revealed that the interaction between the LEV and the residue vortex from the previous stroke plays an important role in the early vortex shedding of 2D flapping wings. This effect diminishes with increasing three-dimensionality. With regard to the mechanism of the closely attached LEV, the wake encourages the formation of an LEV that is closely attached to the wing's top surface, which is beneficial to lift generation. This closely attached LEV mechanism accounts for most of the lift enhancement that arises from wake effects. Three-dimensionality alters the efficacy of the different aerodynamic mechanisms. Consequently, the dual peak lift coefficient pattern typically seen on 2D flapping wings transforms into the single peak lift coefficient pattern of the 3D flapping wing. It is also demonstrated that the mean lift enhancement due to wing-wake interaction diminishes rapidly when three-dimensionality is introduced. Results suggest that, for wings with parameters close to those of natural flyers, wing-wake interaction yields marginal lift enhancement and a small increase in energy consumption.

Amodiaquine improves insulin resistance and lipid metabolism in diabetic model mice

AIMS

Although peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs)α/γ dual agonists can be beneficial for treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, their use is limited owing to various side effects, including body weight gain, edema, and heart failure. We aimed to demonstrate that amodiaquine, an antimalarial agent, has potential as a PPARα/γ dual agonist with low risk of adverse effects.

METHODS

We screened a Prestwick library (Prestwick Chemical; Illkirch, France) to identify novel PPARα/γ dual agonists and selected amodiaquine (4-[(7-chloroquinolin-4-yl)amino]-2-[(diethylamino)methyl]phenol), which activated both PPAR-α & -γ, for further investigation. We performed both in vitro, including glucose uptake assay and fatty acid oxidation assay, and in vivo studies to elucidate the anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects of amodiaquine.

RESULTS

Amodiaquine selectively activated the transcriptional activities of PPARα/γ and enhanced both fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake without altering insulin secretion in vitro. In high-fat diet-induced obese and genetically modified obese/diabetic mice, amodiaquine not only remarkably ameliorated insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and fatty liver but also decreased body weight gain.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that amodiaquine exerts beneficial effects on glucose and lipid metabolism by concurrent activation of PPARα/γ. Furthermore, amodiaquine acts as an alternative insulin-sensitizing agent with a positive influence on lipid metabolism and has potential to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes while reducing the risk of lipid abnormalities.

Highly stable gold nanoparticles green-synthesized by upcycling cartilage waste extract from yellow-nose skate (Dipturus chilensis) and evaluation of its cytotoxicity, haemocompatibility and antioxidant activity

Skate (Dipturus chilensis) cartilage extract was utilized as a green reducing agent for the synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles with an average size of 16.7 ± 0.2 nm. The gold nanoparticle solution showed a surface plasmon resonance at 543 nm with a wine-red colour. A strong X-ray diffraction pattern and clear lattice structure in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicated a face-centred cubic structure of the gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles retained excellent colloidal stability. Gold nanoparticles showed strong antioxidant activity in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. In vitro cytotoxicity was observed for seven cancer cells assessed by the water-soluble tetrazolium assay. Among the seven cancer cells, the highest cytotoxicity was observed for MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinoma cell) followed by HeLa (human epithelial cervix adenocarcinoma cell) and lastly by HT-29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell). Furthermore, gold nanoparticles showed excellent haemocompatibility, indicating the possibility of their use as a future nanomedicine. These results strongly suggest that gold nanoparticles green-synthesized by upcycling skate cartilage waste extract will be valuable carriers or vehicles for the delivery of drugs or bioactive molecules, such as anti-cancer agents, for the treatment of cancers.

Anisotropic Snowman-Like Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Caesalpinia sappan Extract and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity

Anisotropic snowman-like silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the extract of Caesalpinia sappan heartwood as a reducing agent in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Two surface plasmon resonance bands of the orange solution were observed at 446 nm and 539 nm in UV-visible spectra. High-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the face-centered cubic structure of the AgNPs. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images clearly revealed snowman-like AgNPs with an average size of 34.36 ± 11.44 nm. The C-O functional group was most likely involved in the synthesis of the AgNPs, which was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectra. Most interestingly, the snowman-like AgNPs exhibited higher antibacterial activity than the spherical AgNPs and the extract alone. Among the tested strains, the snowman-like AgNPs showed the highest activity against Staphylococcus aureus, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 4.69 μg/mL for the extract and 0.443 μg/mL for the silver. The antibacterial activity of the snowman-like AgNPs increased 24-fold against S. aureus. These results strongly suggested that the snowman-like AgNPs synthesized from C. sappan extract have potential for treating infected disease caused by S. aureus when the antibacterial activity was combined from plant extract and AgNPs. To our knowledge, the present report is the first in which the snowman-like AgNPs synthesized using a plant extract as a reducing agent showed excellent In Vitro antibacterial activity.

Phenotypic and Functional Changes of Peripheral Ly6C+ T Regulatory Cells Driven by Conventional Effector T Cells

A relatively high affinity/avidity of T cell receptor (TCR) recognition for self-peptide bound to major histocompatibility complex II (self-pMHC) ligands is a distinctive feature of CD4 T regulatory (Treg) cells, including their development in the thymus and maintenance of their suppressive functions in the periphery. Despite such high self-reactivity, however, all thymic-derived peripheral Treg populations are neither homogenous in their phenotype nor uniformly immune-suppressive in their function under steady state condition. We show here that based on the previously defined heterogeneity in the phenotype of peripheral Treg populations, Ly6C expression on Treg marks a lower degree of activation, proliferation, and differentiation status as well as functional incompetence. We also demonstrate that Ly6C expression on Treg in a steady state is either up- or downregulated depending on relative amounts of tonic TCR signals derived from its contacts with self-ligands. Interestingly, peripheral appearance and maintenance of these Ly6C-expressing Treg cells largely differed in an age-dependent manner, with their proportion being continuously increased from perinatal to young adult period but then being gradually declined with age. The reduction of Ly6C⁺ Treg in the aged mice was not due to their augmented cell death but rather resulted from downregulation of Ly6C expression. The Ly6C downregulation was accompanied by proliferation of Ly6C⁺ Treg cells and subsequent change into Ly6C⁻ effector Treg with concomitant restoration of immune-suppressive activity. Importantly, we found that this phenotypic and functional change of Ly6C⁺ Treg is largely driven by conventional effector T cell population. Collectively, these findings suggest a potential cross-talk between peripheral Treg subsets and effector T cells and provides better understanding for Treg homeostasis and function on maintaining self-tolerance.

Renoprotective Effects of Carbon Monoxide-Releasing Molecule 3 in Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Cisplatin-Induced Toxicity

BACKGROUND

We investigated the effects of a soluble carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (CORM) in cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in vitro.

METHODS

The effects of CORM-3 (12.5-200 μM) were assessed in normal kidney epithelial cells (HK-2, LLC-PK1) and renal cancer cells (Caki-1, Caki-2) subjected to cisplatin (50-200 μM) or IRI. To induce IRI, cells were placed in an anaerobic chamber (37°C, 95% nitrogen, 5% carbon dioxide) for 48 hours. Cells were transferred to complete medium and incubated at 37°C, 5% carbon dioxide for 6 hours. Cell viability (CCK assays), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α messenger RNA (mRNA) levels (quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), and protein expression of cleaved-caspase 3 and oxidative stress markers (including Erk1/2, JNK, and P38; Western blot) were assessed.

RESULTS

Viability after IRI was approximately 40% of control. Protective effects of CORM-3 in the IRI model were dose-dependent. Cell viability was 40% recovered in 200-μM CORM-3-pretreated cells compared with control. The protective effects of CORM-3 in cells exposed to cisplatin for 24 hours were weaker than in the IRI model. TNF-α mRNA was induced by stimulated IRI or cisplatin exposure; CORM-3 pretreatment attenuated the rise in TNF-α mRNA. IRI or cisplatin-induced activated oxidative stress markers decreased in CORM-3-pretreated cells. CORM-3 reduced expression of the apoptotic marker cleaved-caspase 3.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate the protective effects of CORM-3 in cisplatin cytotoxicity and IRI in both normal kidney cells and renal cancer cells in vitro. CORM-3 exerts these effects by ameliorating inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.

Platycodon saponins from Platycodi Radix (Platycodon grandiflorum) for the Green Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

A green synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles is described in the present report using platycodon saponins from Platycodi Radix (Platycodon grandiflorum) as reducing agents. Platycodin D (PD), a major triterpenoidal platycodon saponin, was enriched by an enzymatic transformation of an aqueous extract of Platycodi Radix. This PD-enriched fraction was utilized for processing reduction reactions of gold and silver salts to synthesize gold nanoparticles (PD-AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (PD-AgNPs), respectively. No other chemicals were introduced during the reduction reactions, providing an entirely green, eco-friendly, and sustainable method. UV-visible spectra showed the surface plasmon resonance bands of PD-AuNPs at 536 nm and PD-AgNPs at 427 nm. Spherically shaped nanoparticles were observed from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with average diameters of 14.94 ± 2.14 nm for PD-AuNPs and 18.40 ± 3.20 nm for PD-AgNPs. Minor triangular and other polygonal shapes were also observed for PD-AuNPs along with spherical ones. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images also demonstrated that both nanoparticles were mostly spherical in shape. Curvature-dependent evolution was employed to enhance the AFM images and precisely measure the sizes of the nanoparticles. The sizes were measured as 19.14 nm for PD-AuNPs and 29.93 nm for PD-AgNPs from the enhanced AFM images. Face-centered cubic structures for both nanoparticles were confirmed by strong diffraction patterns from high-resolution X-ray diffraction analyses. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed the contribution of -OH, aromatic C=C, C-O, and C-H functional groups to the synthesis. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of PD-AuNPs was assessed with a reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride. The catalytic activity results suggest the potential application of these gold nanoparticles as catalysts in the future. The green strategy reported in this study using saponins as reducing agents will pave new roads to develop novel nanomaterials with versatile applications.

Differential Expression Patterns of Irf3 and Irf7 in Pediatric Lymphoid Disorders

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) are multifunctional transcriptional factors. To define the role of IRFs in lymphoid disorders, we determined the expression patterns of IRF3 and IRF7 by immunohistochemistry in 5 normal lymph nodes, 12 reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes, and 27 pediatric lymphomas. IRF3 was prominently expressed in the nuclei of the histiocytes, and was expressed very weakly in the cytoplasm of most of the lymphocytes of the normal lymph nodes. However, IRF7 was expressed strongly in the nuclei of over 50% of the lymphocytes throughout the normal lymph nodes, but the histiocytes and fibroblasts were spared. In the reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes, the number of IRF3- and IRF7-positive cells in the nuclei was elevated. In the lymphomas, the number of IRF3-positive cells in the nucleus appeared to have decreased, and the cells were scattered throughout the lymphoma tissue in no specific pattern. However, in most cases the number of IRF7-positive cells was elevated.

These results suggested that IRF3 was activated principally in the histiocytes and T cells under inflammatory conditions, but IRF3 activation was attenuated in cases of lymphoma. However, the number of IRF7-positive cells was found to be elevated in the reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes and pediatric lymphoma.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) activation in myeloid cells accelerates DSS-induced colitis progression in mice

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease, in which the intestinal epithelium loses its barrier function. Given the existence of the oxygen gradient in the intestinal epithelium and that inflammation further contributes to the tissue hypoxia, we investigated the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), a transcription factor activated under hypoxic conditions in myeloid cells, in the progression of IBD. To do this, we utilized myeloid-specific knockout (KO) mice targeting HIF pathways, created by a Cre-loxP system with human MRP8 (hMRP8), an intracellular calcium-binding protein, as the myeloid promoter. By feeding 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to hMRP8 von Hippel Lindau (Vhl) KO mice, in which HIF-1α and HIF-2α are constitutively activated in myeloid cells, we found that these mice were highly susceptible to DSS-induced colitis, demonstrating greater body weight loss, increased mortality, faster onset of rectal bleeding, shortened colon length, and increased CD11b- or Gr-1-positive myeloid cells in the colon compared with wild-type (WT) mice. These parameters were restored to, if not better than, the WT levels when we examined hMRP8 Hif-1a KO mice upon 5% DSS feeding. hMRP8 Hif-2a KO mice, on the other hand, exhibited a similar degree of DSS-induced colitis to that of WT mice. Lastly, when DSS was given together with azoxymethane to induce tumorigenesis in the colon, we found that hMRP8 Hif-1a KO mice exhibited comparable levels of colorectal tumors to those of WT mice, indicating that HIF-1α in myeloid cells is dispensable for tumorigenesis. Collectively, our results suggest that HIF-1α activation in myeloid cells critically regulates IBD progression.

Summary: We challenged myeloid-specific knockout mice targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis, demonstrating that HIF-1α, but not HIF-2α, activation in myeloid cells regulates colitis severity in mice.

Plasma indoxyl sulfate concentration predicts progression of chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats

Indoxyl sulfate is a protein-bound uremic toxin that increases as the severity of impaired renal function increases in humans, laboratory animals, dogs and cats. An elevation of indoxyl sulfate is related to prognosis among people with chronic kidney disease. However, whether indoxyl sulfate is able to predict the progression of chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats has not been previously studied. In the present study, 58 cats and 36 dogs with chronic kidney disease were enrolled. Plasma indoxyl sulfate was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Renal progression was defined as an increase by one International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage and/or a rise in serum creatinine concentration of 0.5mg/dL during the same stage within a 3-month period. Compared with the non-progression groups, across different stages of renal failure, the baseline plasma indoxyl sulfate concentration was increased in the renal progression group (P<0.05), especially for IRIS stages 2 and 3 animals. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curves of indoxyl sulfate, when predicting renal progression, was above 0.75 for both dogs and cats. Indoxyl sulfate concentrations were also correlated with the increase of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and phosphate and the decrease of hematocrit among cats; while in dogs, concentrations were only correlated with the increase of phosphate concentrations. Indoxyl sulfate served as a biomarker of progression risk in dogs and cats with chronic kidney disease.

Lineage Differentiation Program of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are innate T cells restricted by CD1d molecules. They are positively selected in the thymic cortex and migrate to the medullary area, in which they differentiate into 3 different lineages. Promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) modulates this process, and PLZF^high, PLZF^intermediate, and PLZF^low iNKT cells are designated as NKT2, NKT17, and NKT1 cells, respectively. Analogous to conventional helper CD4 T cells, each subset expresses distinct combinations of transcription factors and produces different cytokines. In lymphoid organs, iNKT subsets have unique localizations, which determine their cytokine responses upon antigenic challenge. The lineage differentiation programs of iNKT cells are differentially regulated in various mice strains in a cell-intrinsic manner, and BALB/c mice contain a high frequency of NKT2 cells. In the thymic medulla, steady state IL-4 from NKT2 cells directly conditions CD8 T cells to become memory-like cells expressing Eomesodermin, which function as premade memory effectors. The genetic signature of iNKT cells is more similar to that of γδ T cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) than of conventional helper T cells, suggesting that ILCs and innate T cells share common developmental programs.

YH12852, a potent and highly selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist, significantly improves both upper and lower gastrointestinal motility in a guinea pig model of postoperative ileus

BACKGROUND

Postoperative ileus (POI) is a transient gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility that commonly develops after abdominal surgery. YH12852, a novel, potent and highly selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT₄ ) receptor agonist, has been shown to improve both upper and lower GI motility in various animal studies and may have applications for the treatment of POI. Here, we investigated the effects and mechanism of action of YH12852 in a guinea pig model of POI to explore its therapeutic potential.

METHODS

The guinea pig model of POI was created by laparotomy, evisceration, and gentle manipulation of the cecum for 60 seconds, followed by closure with sutures under anesthesia. Group 1 received an oral administration of vehicle or YH12852 (1, 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg) only, while POI Group 2 was intraperitoneally pretreated with vehicle or 5-HT₄ receptor antagonist GR113808 (10 mg/kg) prior to oral dosing of vehicle or YH12852 (3 or 10 mg/kg). Upper GI transit was evaluated by assessing the migration of a charcoal mixture in the small intestine, while lower GI transit was assessed via measurement of fecal pellet output (FPO).

KEY RESULTS

YH12852 significantly accelerated upper and lower GI transit at the doses of 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg and reached its maximal effect at 10 mg/kg. These effects were significantly blocked by pretreatment of GR113808 10 mg/kg.

CONCLUSION AND INFERENCES

Oral administration of YH12852 significantly accelerates and restores delayed upper and lower GI transit in a guinea pig model of POI. This drug may serve as a useful candidate for the treatment of postoperative ileus.

The effects and mechanism of action of methane on ileal motor function

BACKGROUND

Methane has been associated with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, slowing intestinal transit time by augmenting contractile activity. However, the precise mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the effect of methane on contractile activity, and whether such effects are mediated by nerve impulses or muscular contraction.

METHODS

We connected guinea pig ileal muscle strips to a force/tension transducer and measured amplitudes of contraction in response to electrical field stimulation (EFS; 1, 2, 8, 16 Hz) following methane infusion in the presence of tetradotoxin (TTX), atropine, guanethidine, or GR 113808. We then performed calcium imaging using Oregon Green 488 BAPTA-1 AM in order to visualize changes in calcium fluorescence in response to EFS following methane infusion in the presence of TTX, atropine, or a high K⁺ solution.

KEY RESULTS

Methane significantly increased amplitudes of contraction (P<.05), while treatment with TTX abolished such contraction. Methane-induced increases in amplitude were inhibited when lower-frequency (1, 2 Hz) EFS was applied following atropine infusion (P<.05). Neither guanethidine nor GR 113808 significantly altered contraction amplitudes. Methane significantly increased calcium fluorescence, while this increase was attenuated following atropine infusion (P<.05). Although calcium fluorescence was increased by the high K⁺ solution under pretreatment with TTX, the intensity of fluorescence remained unchanged after methane infusion.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

The actions of methane on the intestine are influenced by the cholinergic pathway of the enteric nervous system. Our findings support the classification of methane as a gasotransmitter.

CD8αα intraepithelial lymphocytes arise from two main thymic precursors

TCRαβ⁺CD4^-CD8α⁺CD8β^- intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (CD8αα IELs) are an abundant population of thymus-derived T cells that protect the gut barrier surface. We sought to better define the thymic IEL precursor (IELp) through analysis of its maturation, localization and emigration. We defined two precursor populations among TCRβ⁺CD4^-CD8^- thymocytes by dependence on the kinase TAK1 and rigorous lineage-exclusion criteria. Those IELp populations included a nascent PD-1⁺ population and a T-bet⁺ population that accumulated with age. Both gave rise to intestinal CD8αα IELs after adoptive transfer. The PD-1⁺ IELp population included more strongly self-reactive clones and was largely restricted by classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Those cells localized to the cortex and efficiently emigrated in a manner dependent on the receptor S1PR1. The T-bet⁺ IELp population localized to the medulla, included cells restricted by non-classical MHC molecules and expressed the receptor NK1.1, the integrin CD103 and the chemokine receptor CXCR3. The two IELp populations further differed in their use of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) α-chain variable region (V_α) and β-chain variable region (V_β). These data provide a foundation for understanding the biology of CD8αα IELs.

WSSV envelope protein VP51B links structural protein complexes and may mediate virus infection

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus, is the causative agent of a disease that has led to severe mortalities of cultured shrimps in Taiwan and many other countries. In the previous study, Penaeus monodon chitin-binding protein (CBP) and glucose transporter 1 (Glut1), two cell membrane proteins, were found to at least interact with other 10 WSSV envelope proteins including VP51B. These envelope proteins might form a protein complex. According to the known information, VP51B was used to identify its role in the protein complex. Western blotting of the intact viral particles and fractionation of the viral components confirmed that VP51B is one of WSSV envelope proteins. In this study, the protein-protein interaction between VP51B and other WSSV envelope proteins was identified by far-western blot experiment and VP51B was found to interact with VP24, VP31, VP32, VP39B and VP41A. Furthermore, the in vivo neutralization experiment using recombinant VP51B plus with VP39B showed the best inhibition. These data indicate that VP51B participates in the WSSV protein complex and plays an important role in WSSV infection.

Mantidis ootheca induces vascular relaxation through PI3K/AKT-mediated nitric oxide-cyclic GMP-protein kinase G signaling in endothelial cells

Mantidis ootheca (Sang Piao Xiao) is well known mantis eggs in a foamy pouch. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the underlying cellular mechanisms of the nitric oxide (NO)-releasing property of the aqueous extract of Mantidis ootheca (AMO) in rat aorta and vascular endothelial cells. AMO was examined for its vascular relaxant effect in isolated phenylephrine-precontracted rat thoracic aortic rings. The roles of the nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the AMO-induced effects were tested in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVEC treated with AMO produced higher amount of NO compared to control. However, AMO-induced increases in NO production were blocked by pretreatment with N^G-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) or wortmannin. AMO increased in phosphorylation levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and Akt in HUVECs, which were attenuated by a NOS and Akt inhibitors. In aortic ring, AMO-induced dose-dependent relaxation of phenylephrine-precontracted aorta was abolished by removal of functional endothelium. Pretreatment with L-NAME, ¹H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazolo-[4,3-alpha]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), and KT5823 inhibited the AMO-induced vasorelaxation. Similarly, wortmannin and LY-294002, an inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), an upstream signaling molecule of eNOS, attenuated the AMO-induced vasorelaxation. Moreover, AMO-induced increases in cGMP production were blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME or ODQ. The vasorelaxant effect of AMO was attenuated by tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, and glibenclamide. We conclude that AMO relaxed vascular smooth muscle via endothelium-dependent activation of PI3K/Akt-mediated NO-cGMP-PKG signaling pathway and possible involvement of K⁺ channel.

A New Chemical Compound, NecroX-7, Acts as a Necrosis Modulator by Inhibiting High-Mobility Group Box 1 Protein Release During Massive Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

BACKGROUND

Necrotic cell death is common in a wide variety of pathologic conditions, including ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. The aim of this study was to develop an IR injury-induced hepatic necrosis model in dogs by means of selective left hepatic inflow occlusion and to test the efficacy of a new chemical compound, NecroX-7, against the IR injury-induced hepatic damage.

METHODS

A group of male Beagle dogs received intravenous infusions of either vehicle or different doses of NecroX-7 (1.5, 4.5, or 13 mg/kg) for a 20-minute period before a 90-minute left hepatic inflow occlusion followed by reperfusion.

RESULTS

The gross morphology in the NecroX-7-treated groups after occlusion appeared to be less congested and less swollen than that in vehicle-treated control group. Circulating alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels in the control group were elevated during the course of IR, and were effectively blocked in the 4.5 and 13 mg/kg NecroX-7-treated groups. The serum levels of high-mobility group box 1 protein showed a peak at 8 hours after occlusion in control group, and this elevation was significantly blunted by 4.5 mg/kg NecroX-7 treatment. Histologic analysis showed a marked ischemia or IR injury-induced hepatocytic degenerations, sinusoidal and portal vein congestions, and inflammatory cell infiltrations in the control group, whereas the treatment groups showed significantly diminished histopathology in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrated that NecroX-7 attenuated the hepatocyte lethality caused by hepatic IR injury in a large animal setting. We conclude that NecroX-7 may provide a wide variety of therapeutic options for IR injury in human patients.

Supplementation with nutrients modulating insulin-like growth factor-1 negatively correlated with changes in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in community-dwelling elderly people at risk of undernutrition

BACKGROUND

Suboptimal nutrition accompanied by chronic low-grade increases in circulating cytokine levels is more common in elderly people. We explored the improvement in nutritional status, especially in the level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its relationship with changes in circulating cytokine levels, after providing extra protein and energy content to community-dwelling older adults at risk of undernutrition.

METHODS

Sixty nondiabetic subjects, aged ≥65 years and living independently in a community for elderly people, with a serum pre-albumin level ≤30 mg dL^-1 and a body mass index <25 kg m^-2 , were recruited. The subjects were followed for a 2-week pre-intervention period, during which they maintained routine dietary habits. This was followed by an intervention period, during which they received oral nutritional supplementation for 2 weeks.

RESULTS

Following 2 weeks of intervention, there were significant increases in total lymphocyte count (TLC) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, pre-albumin and transferrin compared to baseline. Body weight and mid-arm circumference significantly increased without alteration of tricep skinfold thickness at the end of the intervention. There was a significant reduction in interleukin (IL)-6 levels and a trend toward a decrease in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels. At baseline, age was negatively correlated with IGF-1 levels and positively correlated with IL-6 and TNF-α levels. The change (▵, from baseline) in IGF-1 level was positively correlated with age and negatively correlated with ▵IL-6 and ▵TNF-α.

CONCLUSIONS

A 2-week intervention with oral nutritional supplementation improved nutritional status and decreased circulating cytokine levels. Specifically, ▵IGF-1 was negatively correlated with changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in community-dwelling elderly people at risk of undernutrition. (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02656186).

Ground effect on the aerodynamics of three-dimensional hovering wings

This paper reports the results of combined experimental and numerical studies on the ground effect on a pair of three-dimensional (3D) hovering wings. Parameters investigated include hovering kinematics, wing shapes, and Reynolds numbers (Re). The results are consistent with the observation by another study (Gao and Lu, 2008 Phys. Fluids, 20 087101) which shows that the cycle-averaged aerodynamic forces generated by two-dimensional (2D) wings in close proximity to the ground can be broadly categorized into three regimes with respect to the ground clearance; force enhancement, force reduction, and force recovery. However, the ground effect on a 3D wing is not as significant as that on a 2D flapping wing reported in (Lu et al 2014 Exp. Fluids, 55 1787); this could be attributed to a weaker wake capture effect on 3D wings. Also, unlike a 2D wing, the leading edge vortex (LEV) remains attached on a 3D wing regardless of ground clearance. For all the wing kinematics considered, the three above-mentioned regimes are closely correlated to a non-monotonic trend in the strength of downwash due to the restriction of root and tip vortex formation, and a positional shift of wake vortices. The root vortices in interaction with the ground induce an up-wash in-between the two wings, causing a strong 'fountain effect' (Maeda and Liu, 2013 J. Biomech. Sci. Eng., 8 344) that may increase the body lift of insects. The present study further shows that changes in wing planform have insignificant influence on the overall trend of ground effect except for a parallel shift in force magnitude, which is caused mainly by the difference in aspect ratio and leading edge pivot point. On the two Reynolds numbers investigated, the results for the low Re case of 100 do not deviate significantly from those of a higher Re = 5000 except for the difference in force magnitudes, since low Reynolds number generates lower downwash, weaker LEV, and lower rotational circulation. Additionally, lower Re leads to a weaker fountain effect.

Aspect ratio effects on revolving wings with Rossby number consideration

Numerical simulations have been conducted to investigate the effect of aspect ratio (AR) on the mean lift generation of a revolving flat rectangular wing. The purpose of the study is to address some discrepancies reported in the literature regarding the influence of AR on mean lift coefficient. Here, we consider a range of AR from 1 to 10 and Rossby number (Ro) from 0.58 to 7.57, and our results show that different degrees of coupling between AR and Ro yield different trends of a mean lift coefficient with respect to increasing AR. The choice of reference velocity for the normalisation of mean lift forces also has a significant effect on the perceived AR effect. By isolating the effect of Ro, we found that higher AR produces higher mean lift coefficient until it plateaus at a sufficiently high AR. This finding is consistent with conventional fixed wing aerodynamics. Additionally, our results show that increasing AR reduces the three-dimensional wing tip effect and is beneficial to mean lift generation while higher Ro increases leading-edge vortex instability, which is detrimental to mean lift generation. Therefore, mean lift generation on revolving wings is dictated by the competition between these two factors, which represent two fundamentally independent phenomena.

Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Odontobutis obscura using Illumina paired-end sequencing and the test of cross-species amplification

Odontobutis obscura is a bottom-dwelling freshwater fish native to East Asia. Its range encompasses southwest China, western Japan, and Geoje Island in South Korea. Despite its widespread range in China and Japan, only a small and spatially isolated population is found in South Korea. We developed a total of 23 novel and polymorphic microsatellite loci of O. obscura using Illumina paired-end shotgun sequencing and characterized them using 80 Japanese and Korean samples. An extensive genetic polymorphism was detected at these 23 loci, with the observed number of alleles at a locus ranging from 2 to 15 and expected and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0 to 0.656 and 0 to 0.547, respectively. Korean O. obscura exhibited a much lower level of genetic variability than the Japanese population did, probably as a result of long-term isolation combined with historical bottlenecks. The Japanese and Korean populations showed a high level of genetic differentiation with F_ST = 0.700 and R_ST = 0.913. Many of our primer sets were successfully transferable to congeneric O. interrupta and O. platycephala, which exhibited even greater polymorphism than Korean O. obscura. In conclusion, our study showed that these 23 microsatellite markers are useful for understanding the conservation biology and population genetic structure of O. obscura and other congeneric species.