Increase of SOX9 promotes hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury by activating TGF-β1

Influence of Sex in the Development of Liver Diseases

The liver is a sexually dimorphic organ. Sex differences in prevalence, progression, prognosis, and treatment prevail in most liver diseases, and the mechanism of how liver diseases act differently among male versus female patients has not been fully elucidated. Biological sex differences in normal physiology and disease arise principally from sex hormones and/or sex chromosomes. Sex hormones contribute to the development and progression of most liver diseases, with estrogen- and androgen-mediated signaling pathways mechanistically involved. In addition, genetic factors in sex chromosomes have recently been found to contribute to the sex disparity of many liver diseases, which might explain, to some extent, the difference in gene expression pattern, immune response, and xenobiotic metabolism between men and women. Although increasing evidence suggests that sex is one of the most important modulators of disease prevalence and outcomes, at present, basic and clinical studies have long been sex unbalanced, with female subjects underestimated. As such, this review focuses on sex disparities of liver diseases and summarizes the current understanding of sex-specific mechanisms, including sex hormones, sex chromosomes, etc. We anticipate that understanding sex-specific pathogenesis will aid in promoting personalized therapies for liver disease among male versus female patients.

Profibrotic role of the SOX9-MMP10-ECM biosynthesis axis in the tracheal fibrosis after injury and repair

Fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition play an important role in the tracheal abnormal repair process and fibrosis. As a transcription factor, SOX9 is involved in fibroblast activation and ECM deposition. However, the mechanism of how SOX9 regulates fibrosis after tracheal injury remains unclear. We investigated the role of SOX9 in TGF-β1-induced fibroblast activation and ECM deposition in rat tracheal fibroblast (RTF) cells. SOX9 overexpression adenovirus (Ad-SOX9) and siRNA were transfected into RTF cells. We found that SOX9 expression was up-regulated in RTF cells treated with TGF-β1. SOX9 overexpression activated fibroblasts and promoted ECM deposition. Silencing SOX9 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and ECM deposition, induced G2 arrest, and increased apoptosis in RTF cells. RNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) assays identified MMP10, a matrix metalloproteinase involved in ECM deposition, as a direct target of SOX9, which promotes ECM degradation by increasing MMP10 expression through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vivo, SOX9 knockdown ameliorated granulation proliferation and tracheal fibrosis, as manifested by reduced tracheal stenosis. In conclusion, our findings indicate that SOX9 can drive fibroblast activation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis resistance in tracheal fibrosis via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The SOX9-MMP10-ECM biosynthesis axis plays an important role in tracheal injury and repair. Targeting SOX9 and its downstream target MMP10 may represent a promising therapeutic approach for tracheal fibrosis.

BACH1 impairs hepatocyte regeneration after hepatectomy with repeated ischemia/reperfusion by reprogramming energy metabolism and exacerbating oxidative stress

BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) regulates biological processes, including energy metabolism and oxidative stress. Insufficient liver regeneration after hepatectomy remains an issue for surgeons. The Pringle maneuver is widely used during hepatectomy and induces ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in hepatocytes. A rat model of two-thirds partial hepatectomy with repeated I/R treatment was used to simulate clinical hepatectomy with Pringle maneuver. Delayed recovery of liver function after hepatectomy with the repeated Pringle maneuver in clinic and impaired liver regeneration in rat model were observed. Highly elevated lactate levels, along with reduced mitochondrial complex III and IV activities in liver tissues, indicated that the glycolytic phenotype was promoted after hepatectomy with repeated I/R. mRNA expression profile analysis of glycolysis-related genes in clinical samples and further verification experiments in rat models showed that high BACH1 expression levels correlated with the glycolytic phenotype after hepatectomy with repeated I/R. BACH1 overexpression restricted the proliferative potential of hepatocytes stimulated with HGF. High PDK1 expression and high lactate levels, together with low mitochondrial complex III and IV activities and reduced ATP concentrations, were detected in BACH1-overexpressing hepatocytes with HGF stimulation. Moreover, HO-1 expression was downregulated, and oxidative stress was exacerbated in the BACH1-overexpressing hepatocytes with HGF stimulation. Cell experiments involving repeated hypoxia/reoxygenation revealed that reactive oxygen species accumulation triggered the TGF-β1/BACH1 axis in hepatocytes. Finally, inhibiting BACH1 with the inhibitor hemin effectively restored the liver regenerative ability after hepatectomy with repeated I/R. These results provide a potential therapeutic strategy for impaired liver regeneration after repeated I/R injury.

Diverse functions of SOX9 in liver development and homeostasis and hepatobiliary diseases

The liver is the central organ for digestion and detoxification and has unique metabolic and regenerative capacities. The hepatobiliary system originates from the foregut endoderm, in which cells undergo multiple events of cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation to form the liver parenchyma and ductal system under the hierarchical regulation of transcription factors. Studies on liver development and diseases have revealed that SRY-related high-mobility group box 9 (SOX9) plays an important role in liver embryogenesis and the progression of hepatobiliary diseases. SOX9 is not only a master regulator of cell fate determination and tissue morphogenesis, but also regulates various biological features of cancer, including cancer stemness, invasion, and drug resistance, making SOX9 a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis and progression. This review systematically summarizes the latest findings of SOX9 in hepatobiliary development, homeostasis, and disease. We also highlight the value of SOX9 as a novel biomarker and potential target for the clinical treatment of major liver diseases.

Hepatic transcriptome, transcriptional effects and antioxidant responses in Poecilia vivipara exposed to sanitary sewage

Aquatic environments are subject to threats from multiple human activities, particularly through the release of untreated sanitary sewage into the coastal environments. These effluents contain a large group of natural or synthetic compounds referred to as emerging contaminants. Monitoring the types and quantities of toxic substances in the environment, especially complex mixtures, is an exhausting and challenging task. Integrative effect-based tools, such as biomarkers, are recommended for environmental quality monitoring programs. In this study, fish Poecilia vivipara were exposed for 24 and 96 h to raw untreated sewage diluted 33 % (v/v) in order to identify hepatic genes to be used as molecular biomarkers. Through a de novo hepatic transcriptome assembly, using Illumina MiSeq, 54,285 sequences were assembled creating a reference transcriptome for this guppy species. Transcripts involved in biotransformation systems, antioxidant defenses, ABC transporters, nuclear and xenobiotic receptors were identified and evaluated by qPCR. Sanitary sewage induced transcriptional changes in AhR, PXR, CYP2K1, CYP3A30, NQO1, UGT1A1, GSTa3, GSTmu, ST1C1, SOD, ABCC1 and SOX9 genes from liver of fish, particularly after 96 h of exposure. Changes in hepatic enzyme activities were also observed. The enzymes showed differences in fish exposed to both periods, while in the gills there was a prevalence of significant results after 96 h. The observed differences were associated to gender and/or to sewage exposure. The obtained results support the use of P. vivipara as sentinel and model organism for ecotoxicological studies and evidence the importance of understanding the differential responses associated to gender.

Empagliflozin ameliorates liver fibrosis in NASH rat model via targeting hepatic NF-κB/SOX9/OPN signaling and osteocalcin level

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may be associated with tissue fibrotic changes and can be treated via different therapeutic tools which may however either initiate weak or long-term side effects that minimize its use. Empagliflozin (EMPA) is an oral anti-diabetic drug which has characteristic effects during hepatic steatosis regarding lipid accumulation and insulin resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate an additional mechanism through which EMPA can exert and potentiate its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in NASH rat model. Male Wistar albino rats fed on high fat diet (HFD) and 20% fructose in drinking water for 18 weeks and received EMPA (30 mg/kg/day, orally) starting from week 11. Body and liver weights, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, liver function tests, other biochemical and histological parameters were determined. HFD joined with fructose intake significantly increased body and liver weights, HOMA-IR value, hepatic inflammatory and fibrotic markers, liver transaminases, hepatic expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), sex determining region Y box 9 (SOX 9), and osteopontin (OPN) with significant decrease in hepatic osteocalcin (OCN). Intense hepatic lesions with severe microsteatosis and deposition of collagen fibers were clearly observed. Effectively, EMPA restored the normal liver functions, downregulated hepatic inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB, SOX 9, OPN, and increased OCN level. These results highlight another pathway illustrated the anti-fibrotic effects of EMPA against liver fibrosis probably through downregulation of NF-κB/SOX 9/OPN signaling along with upregulation of hepatic OCN which may potentiate the valuable anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects of EMPA.

Thiophene derivative inflicts cytotoxicity via an intrinsic apoptotic pathway on human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

In an effort to identify novel anti-cancer agents, we employed a well-established High Throughput Screening (HTS) assay to assess the cytotoxic effect of compounds within the ChemBridge DIVERSet Library on a lymphoma cell line. This screen revealed a novel thiophene, F8 (methyl 5-[(dimethylamino)carbonyl]-4-methyl-2-[(3-phenyl-2-propynoyl) amino]-3-thiophenecarboxylate), that displays anti-cancer activity on lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancer cell lines. Thiophenes and thiophene derivatives have emerged as an important class of heterocyclic compounds that have displayed favorable drug characteristics. They have been previously reported to exhibit a broad spectrum of properties and varied uses in the field of medicine. In addition, they have proven to be effective drugs in various disease scenarios. They contain anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, estrogen receptor modulating, anti-mitotic, kinase inhibiting and anti-cancer activities, rendering compounds with a thiophene a subject of significant interest in the scientific community. Compound F8 consistently induced cell death at a low micromolar range on a small panel of cancer cell lines after a 48 h period. Further investigation revealed that F8 induced phosphatidylserine externalization, reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial depolarization, kinase inhibition, and induces apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that F8 has promising anti-cancer activity.

Hepatocyte-specific Sox9 knockout ameliorates acute liver injury by suppressing SHP signaling and improving mitochondrial function

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Sex determining region Y related high-mobility group box protein 9 (Sox9) is expressed in a subset of hepatocytes, and it is important for chronic liver injury. However, the roles of Sox9+ hepatocytes in response to the acute liver injury and repair are poorly understood.

METHODS

In this study, we developed the mature hepatocyte-specific Sox9 knockout mouse line and applied three acute liver injury models including PHx, CCl4 and hepatic ischemia reperfusion (IR). Huh-7 cells were subjected to treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in order to induce cellular damage in an in vitro setting.

RESULTS

We found the positive effect of Sox9 deletion on acute liver injury repair. Small heterodimer partner (SHP) expression was highly suppressed in hepatocyte-specific Sox9 deletion mouse liver, accompanied by less cell death and more cell proliferation. However, in mice with hepatocyte-specific Sox9 deletion and SHP overexpression, we observed an opposite phenotype. In addition, the overexpression of SOX9 in H2O2-treated Huh-7 cells resulted in an increase in cytoplasmic SHP accumulation, accompanied by a reduction of SHP in the nucleus. This led to impaired mitochondrial function and subsequent cell death. Notably, both the mitochondrial dysfunction and cell damage were reversed when SHP siRNA was employed, indicating the crucial role of SHP in mediating these effects. Furthermore, we found that Sox9, as a vital transcription factor, directly bound to SHP promoter to regulate SHP transcription.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our findings unravel the mechanism by which hepatocyte-specific Sox9 knockout ameliorates acute liver injury via suppressing SHP signaling and improving mitochondrial function. This study may provide a new treatment strategy for acute liver injury in future.

miR‑30c reduces myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by targeting SOX9 and suppressing pyroptosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are commonly involved in regulating myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by binding and silencing their target genes. However, whether miRNAs regulate myocardial I/R-induced pyroptosis remains unclear. The present study established an in vivo rat model of myocardial I/R injury and in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury model in rat primary cardiomyocytes to investigate the function and the underlying mechanisms of miRNAs on I/R injury-induced pyroptosis. RNA sequencing was utilized to select the candidate miRNAs between normal and I/R group. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were performed to detect candidate miRNAs (miR-30c-5p, also known as miR-30c) and SRY-related high mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX9) expression, as well as expression of pyroptosis-associated proteins (NF-κB, ASC, caspase-1, NLRP3) in the myocardial I/R model. ELISA was used to measure pyroptosis-associated inflammatory markers IL-18 and IL-1β. Moreover, the link between miR-30c and SOX9 was predicted using bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assay. In myocardial I/R injured rats, miR-30c was downregulated, while the expression of SOX9 was upregulated. Overexpression of miR-30c inhibited pyroptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, miR-30c negatively regulated SOX9 expression by binding its 3'untranslated region. In conclusion, the miR-30c/SOX9 axis decreased myocardial I/R injury by suppressing pyroptosis, which may be a potential therapeutic target.

Effects of 4-n-nonylphenol in liver of male and female viviparous fish (Poecilia vivipara)

4-n-Nonylphenol (NP) is one of the most toxic alkylphenols found in the environment. To evaluate the transcriptional effects of NP in the viviparous fish Poecilia vivipara, a hepatic transcriptome and qPCR analysis of genes were carried out. Guppies separated by sex were injected with two doses of NP (15 μg/g and 150 μg/g) or peanut oil (control). After 24 h, analysis of transcriptional level of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), Estrogen Nuclear Receptor Alpha (ESR1), Pregnane X Receptor (PXR), Cytochromes P450 (CYP1A, CYP2K1 and CYP3A30), Glutathione S-transferase A3 and Mu 3 (GSTa3 and GSTMu3), SRY-Box Transcription Factor 9 (SOX9), Vitellogenin-1 (VIT), ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily C Member 1 (ABCC1), Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 2 (MRP2) and UDP Glucuronosyltransferase Family 1 Member A1 (UGT1A1) was evaluated. 205,046 transcripts were assembled and protein prediction resulted in 203,147 predicted peptides. In females, no significant changes were detected in the transcription of some phase I biotransformation and ABC transporter genes. AhR, PXR, GSTa3 and SOX9 genes where higher in the lower dose group (15 μg/g) compared to control. In male fish, no changes were observed in the transcript levels of the nuclear receptors, in endocrine disruption and phase I biotransformation genes. GSTa3 showed lower transcription in fish treated with both doses. ABCC1 was higher in guppies treated with the lower dose while MRP2 showed less transcripts. This short-term and low-dose exposure to NP caused changes that could serve as early indicators of deleterious processes. These results indicate P. vivipara as a good sentinel in biomonitoring programs.

Knockdown of SOX9 alleviates tracheal fibrosis through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Trachealfibrosis is an important cause of tracheal stenosis without effective treatments, and new drug targets need to be developed. The role of SOX9 in the injury and repair of the trachea is unknown; this study aims to investigate the role of SOX9 in the regulation of tracheal fibrosis based on clinical samples from patients with tracheal injury and a model of tracheal fibrosis produced by tracheal brushing in rats. The results showed that the expressions of SOX9 and mesenchymal and ECM-related indicators were increased in the injury and fibrosis of the trachea in patients and rats. Serum SOX9 levels exhibited a sensitivity of 83.87% and specificity of 90% in distinguishing patients with tracheal fibrosis from healthy volunteers when the cut‑off value was 13.24 ng/ml. Knockdown SOX9 can markedly inhibit granulation tissue proliferation, reduce inflammation and ECM deposition, promote epithelial regeneration and granulation tissue apoptosis, and attenuate the tracheal fibrosis after injury. Additionally, RNA sequencing showed that the proliferation, migration, and ECM deposition of tracheal granulation tissue were related to the activation of Wnt pathway, activation of the β-catenin, and p-GSK3β after injury can be inhibited by the knockdown of SOX9. In summary, SOX9 is upregulated in tracheas fibrosis and may be a novel factor to promote tracheal fibrosis progression. Inhibiting SOX9 may be used to prevent and treat tracheal fibrosis in the future. KEY MESSAGE : The expression of SOX9 is upregulated the process of injury and repair of the tracheal fibrosis. Knocking down SOX9 can attenuate tracheal fibrosis after injury by inhibiting inflammation response, granulation tissue proliferation, ECM deposition, and promoting granulation tissue apoptosis. The Wnt/β-catenin-SOX9 axis is activated during tracheal injury and fibrosis, and inhibition of SOX9 can partially alleviate tracheal fibrosis. SOX9 may act as a new diagnostic and therapeutic target in patients with tracheal fibrosis in the future.

Epigenetic modification mechanism of histone demethylase KDM1A in regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R) play a prevalent role in heart-related diseases. Histone demethylases are involved in myocardial injury. In this study, the mechanism of the lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A/LSD1) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) was investigated. Firstly, HL-1 cells were treated with H/R to establish the MIRI models. The expressions of KDM1A and Sex Determining Region Y-Box Transcription Factor 9 (SOX9) in H/R-treated HL-1 cells were examined. The cell viability, markers of myocardial injury (LDH, AST, and CK-MB) and apoptosis (Bax and Bcl-2), and Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein activities were detected, respectively. We found that H/R treatment promoted cardiomyocyte apoptosis and downregulated KDM1A, and overexpressing KDM1A reduced apoptosis in H/R-treated cardiomyocytes. Subsequently, tri-methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) level on the SOX9 promoter region was detected. We found that KDM1A repressed SOX9 transcription by reducing H3K4me3. Then, HL-1 cells were treated with CPI-455 and plasmid pcDNA3.1-SOX9 and had joint experiments with pcDNA3.1-KDM1A. We disclosed that upregulating H3K4me3 or overexpressing SOX9 reversed the inhibitory effect of overexpressing KDM1A on apoptosis of H/R-treated cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, KDM1A inhibited SOX9 transcription by reducing the H3K4me3 on the SOX9 promoter region and thus inhibited H/R-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

USP7-SOX9-miR-96-5p-NLRP3 network regulates myocardial injury and cardiomyocyte pyroptosis in sepsis

Sepsis is a common life-threatening pathology. This study investigated the role of transcription factor sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (SOX9) in sepsis-induced cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. A murine model of sepsis was established, followed by detection of cardiac functions and myocardial injury. HL-1 cells were induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The levels of IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, MDA, and SOD in myocardial tissues and HL-1 cells were determined. SOX9 ubiquitination level was measured. The binding relationships between SOX9-miR-96-5p and miR-96-5p-NLRP3 were analyzed, and the interaction between ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) and SOX9 was measured. SOX9 was highly expressed in septic mice and LPS-induced HL-1 cells. SOX9 silencing improved cardiac function, alleviated myocardial injury, reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, cleaved caspase-1, GSDMD-N, TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA in myocardial tissues and HL-1 cells, increased the level of SOD, and alleviated cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. USP7 upregulated SOX9 expression through deubiquitination. SOX9 inhibited miR-96-5p expression and miR-96-5p targeted NLRP3. miR-96-5p silencing or USP7 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of SOX9 silencing on cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. Collectively, USP7 upregulated SOX9 expression through deubiquitination, and SOX9 suppressed miR-96-5p expression by binding to the miR-96-5p promoter region, thereby promoting NLRP3 expression and then exacerbating sepsis-induced myocardial injury and cardiomyocyte pyroptosis.

Bellidifolin Inhibits SRY-Related High Mobility Group-Box Gene 9 to Block TGF-β Signalling Activation to Ameliorate Myocardial Fibrosis

Myocardial fibrosis is the main morphological change of ventricular remodelling caused by cardiovascular diseases, mainly manifested due to the excessive production of collagen proteins. SRY-related high mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX9) is a new target regulating myocardial fibrosis. Bellidifolin (BEL), the active component of G. acuta, can prevent heart damage. However, it is unclear whether BEL can regulate SOX9 to alleviate myocardial fibrosis. The mice were subjected to isoproterenol (ISO) to establish myocardial fibrosis, and human myocardial fibroblasts (HCFs) were activated by TGF-β1 in the present study. The pathological changes of cardiac tissue were observed by HE staining. Masson staining was applied to reveal the collagen deposition in the heart. The measurement for expression of fibrosis-related proteins, SOX9, and TGF-β1 signalling molecules adopted Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The effects of BEL on HCFs, activity were detected by CCK-8. The result showed that BEL did not affect cell viability. And, the data indicated that BEL inhibited the elevations in α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III by decreasing SOX9 expression. Additionally, SOX9 suppression by siRNA downregulated the TGF-β1 expression and prevented Smad3 phosphorylation, as supported by reducing the expression of α-SMA, Collagen I, and Collagen III. In vivo study verified that BEL ameliorated myocardial fibrosis by inhibiting SOX9. Therefore, BEL inhibited SOX9 to block TGF-β1 signalling activation to ameliorate myocardial fibrosis.

Sox9 Promotes Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis After Acute Myocardial Infarction by Promoting miR-223-3p and Inhibiting MEF2C

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a severe and even fatal cardiovascular disease. The effect of transcription factors on AMI is intensively explored. Our experiment attempts to probe the role of Sox9 in cardiomyocyte apoptosis after AMI. AMI cell model was established in AC16 cells by hypoxia treatment. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed. Then, the levels of BAX, Bcl-2, Sox9, miR-223-3p, and MEF2C were detected. The binding relation between Sox9 and miR-223-3p and between miR-223-3p and MEF2C was verified. The expression of miR-223-3p was upregulated using the miR-223-3p mimic, and collaborative experiments were conducted as si-Sox9 or si-MEF2C was transfected into cells to inhibit the expression of Sox9 or MEF2C. Sox9 was highly expressed in cardiomyocyte apoptosis after hypoxia, while Sox9 silencing protected hypoxia-treated cardiomyocytes from apoptosis by enhancing cell viability, quenching apoptosis, and reducing activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Essentially, Sox9 bound to the miR-223-3p promoter region to upregulate its expression. miR-223-3p targeted MEF2C transcription. miR-223-3p overexpression and MEF2C silencing could counteract the suppressive role of Sox9 silencing in hypoxia-treated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Sox9 exacerbated hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by promoting miR-223-3p expression and inhibiting MEF2C transcription.

Flurbiprofen axetil protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via regulating miR-30c-5p and SOX9

The modulatory mechanism of flurbiprofen axetil (FPA) by which it relieves cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (CIRI) is still obscure. In the present work, adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were pre-treated with FPA before the construction of a rat model of CIRI. Longa's scoring method and dry-wet method were employed to examine the neurological function and brain water content of the rats. MiR-30c-5p, SOX9, AQP4, SOX9, NF-κB, and p-NF-κB expression levels in the brain tissues of the rats were examined by qRT-PCR or Western blot. ELISA was executed to evaluate the IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the serum of rat. SOD and MDA levels in rat brain homogenates were also examined to indicate the oxidative stress. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to examine the pathological changes of the brain tissues. Dual-luciferase reporter gene experiment was implemented to validate the binding relationship between miR-30c-5p and SOX9. In the present work, compared with the rats with CIRI, FPA pre-treatment attenuated neurological injury, cerebral edema, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and cerebral pathological changes in the rat model with CIRI. FPA up-modulated miR-30c-5p expression. SOX9 was a downstream target of miR-30c-5p. In conclusion, FPA ameliorates CIRI through up-modulating miR-30c-5p expression and reducing SOX9 expression.

miR-139-5p sponged by LncRNA NEAT1 regulates liver fibrosis via targeting β-catenin/SOX9/TGF-β1 pathway

Liver fibrosis is a patho-physiological process which can develop into cirrhosis, and hepatic carcinoma without intervention. Our study extensively investigated the mechanisms of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-139-5p in regulating liver fibrosis progression. Our results demonstrated that the expression of lncRNA NEAT1 was increased and the expression of miR-139-5p was decreased in fibrotic liver tissues. LncRNA NEAT1 could sponge miR-139-5p and promoted hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation by directly inhibiting the expression of miR-139-5p. The co-localization of lncRNA NEAT1 with miR-139-5p was shown in the cytosols of activated HSCs. miR-139-5p upregulation could suppress the expression of β-catenin. The overexpression of β-catenin promoted HSCs activation. Moreover, we found that β-catenin could interact with SOX9 promoted HSCs activation. Our further studies demonstrated that SOX9 could bind with the TGF-β1 promoter and promoted the transcription activity of TGF-β1. The upregulation of TGF-β1 further promoted HSCs activation. In vivo study also suggested that lncRNA NEAT1 knockdown and miR-139-5p overexpression alleviated murine liver fibrosis. LncRNA NEAT1 exacerbated liver fibrosis by suppressing the expression of miR-139-5p. Collectively, our study suggested that miR-139-5p sponged by lncRNA NEAT1 regulated liver fibrosis via targeting β-catenin/SOX9/TGF-β1 Pathway.

Long Non-coding RNA N1LR Protects Against Myocardial Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury Through Regulating the TGF-β Signaling Pathway

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play critical roles in various cell biological processes. However, the mechanism of lncRNAs in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not fully understood. Previous studies showed that lncRNA N1LR was down-regulated in ischemic cerebral stroke and its up-regulation was protective. The current study was designed to assess the protective effect of N1LR and further to explore potential mechanisms of N1LR in ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury after AMI. Male C57BL/6J mice and H9c2 cardiomyocytes were selected to construct in vivo and in vitro pathological models. In H9c2 cell line, N1LR expression was markedly decreased after H₂O₂ and CoCl₂ treatments and N1LR overexpression alleviated apoptosis, inflammation reaction, and LDH release in cardiomyocytes treated with H₂O₂ and CoCl₂. Mouse in vivo study showed that overexpression of N1LR enhanced cardiac function and suppressed inflammatory response and fibrosis. Mechanistically, we found that the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and smads were significantly decreased in the N1LR overexpression group exposed to H₂O₂. In a summary, our study indicated that N1LR can act as a protective factor against cardiac ischemic-reperfusion injury through regulating the TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway.

NR4A1 knockdown confers hepatoprotection against ischaemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing TGFβ1 via inhibition of CYR61/NF-κB in mouse hepatocytes

Nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1 (NR4A1) can aggravate ischaemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury in the heart, kidney and brain. Thus, the present study aimed to unravel the role of NR4A1 on hepatic I/R injury. For this purpose, the mouse hepatic I/R model and H/R‐exposed mouse hepatocytes model were established to stimulate the hepatic and hepatocellular damage. Then, the levels of ALT and AST as well as TNF‐α and IL‐1β expression were measured in the mouse serum and supernatant of hepatocyte s, respectively. Thereafter, we quantified the levels of NR4A1, CYR61, NF‐kB p65 and TGFβ1 under pathological conditions, and their interactions were analysed using ChIP and dual‐luciferase reporter gene assays. The in vivo and in vitro effects of NR4A1, CYR61, NF‐kB p65 and TGFβ1 on I/R‐induced hepatic and H/R‐induced hepatocellular damage were evaluated using gain‐ and loss‐of‐function approaches. NR4A1 was up‐regulated in the hepatic tissues of I/R‐operated mice and in H/R‐treated hepatocytes. Silencing NR4A1 relieved the I/R‐induced hepatic injury, as supported by suppression of ALT and AST as well as TNF‐α and IL‐1β. Meanwhile, NR4A1 knockdown attenuated the H/R‐induced hepatocellular damage by inhibiting the apoptosis of hepatocyte s. Moreover, we also found that NR4A1 up‐regulated the expression of CYR61 which resulted in the activation of the NF‐κB signalling pathway, thereby enhancing the transcription of TGFβ1, which was validated to be the mechanism underlying the contributory role of NR4A1 in hepatic I/R injury. Taken together, NR4A1 silencing reduced the expression of CYR61/NF‐κB/TGFβ1, thereby relieving the hepatic I/R injury.

SOX9 Knockdown-Mediated FOXO3 Downregulation Confers Neuroprotection Against Ischemic Brain Injury

Background

Evidence exists uncovering that SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) plays a role in ischemic brain injury (IBI). Thus, the current study was conducted to elucidate the specific role of SOX9 and the mechanism by which SOX9 influenced IBI.

Methods

The IBI-associated regulatory factors were searched by bioinformatics analysis. The rat model of IBI was generated using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) treatment. Neuronal cells were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). The expressions of SOX9, forkhead box O3 (FOXO3), transcription of Cbp/p300-interacting transactivator with Glu/Asp-rich carboxy-terminal domain 2 (CITED2), and IκB kinase α (IKKα) in OGD-treated neuronal cells were characterized using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. The interaction among CITED2, IKKα, and FOXO3 was identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual luciferase reporter gene assays. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to verify the relationship among SOX9, FOXO3, CITED2, and IKKα and to investigate their functional effects on apoptosis and the inflammatory response of OGD-treated neuronal cells as well as neurological deficit and infarct area of the rat brain.

Results

SOX9, FOXO3, CITED2, and IKKα were highly expressed in OGD-treated neuronal cells. Silencing of SOX9 inhibited OGD-induced neuronal apoptosis and inflammatory response and reduced the neurological deficit and infarct area of the brain in the rats, which were caused by MCAO but were reversed by overexpressing FOXO3, CITED2, or IKKα.

Conclusion

Taken together, our study suggested that upregulation of SOX9 promoted IBI though upregulation of the FOXO3/CITED2/IKKα axis, highlighting a basic therapeutic consideration for IBI treatment.

microRNA-30e up-regulation alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and promotes ventricular remodeling via SOX9 repression

AIM

At present, studies have focused on microRNAs (miRNAs) in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI). But the specific role of miR-30e hasn't been fully explored. Thus, this study is to uncover the mechanism of miR-30e in MI/RI.

METHODS

MI/RI models of rats and hypoxia/reoxygenation injury (H/R) models of H9C2 cardiomyocytes were established. Rats were injected with miR-30e and SRY-related high mobility group-box gene 9 (SOX9)-related oligonucleotides or vectors to explore their roles in MI/RI. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were transfected with restored miR-30e and depleted SOX9 to decipher their function in H/R injury. miR-30e and SOX9 expression in myocardial tissues and cardiomyocytes were detected. Online website prediction and luciferase activity assay were applied to validate the targeting relationship between miR-30e and SOX9.

RESULTS

Decreased miR-30e and increased SOX9 were found in myocardial tissues of MI/RI rats and H/R-treated cardiomyocytes. miR-30e targeted SOX9. miR-30e up-regulation or SOX9 down-regulation reduced cardiac function damage and suppressed oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial enzymes in myocardial tissues of MI/RI rats. Restoring miR-30e or silencing SOX9 energized cell viability and inhibited apoptosis of H/R-treated cardiomyocytes. Down-regulating SOX9 reversed the effects of miR-30e down-regulation on myocardial injury, ventricular remodeling, cardiomyocyte damage and apoptosis in MI/RI.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that miR-30e elevation alleviated cardiac function damage and promoted ventricular remodeling via SOX9 repression.

Ginsenoside Rb3 Alleviates the Toxic Effect of Cisplatin on the Kidney during Its Treatment to Oral Cancer via TGF-β-Mediated Mitochondrial Apoptosis

Objective

The research aimed to confirm the role of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in cisplatin- (CPT-) evoked kidney toxicity and elucidate the mechanism that ginsenoside Rb3 (Rb3) could alleviate the kidney toxicity by CPT during its treatment to oral cancer via TGF-β-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis.

Methods

The model of xenograft nude mice bearing oral carcinoma cells ACC83 was established and treated with CPT and/or Rb3, respectively. Bodyweights of the treated mice were weighed, and the kidney tissues were collected; following, the histopathology and the expression of TGF-β were examined using H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Afterward, the renal cells GP-293 were treated with CPT and/or Rb3. The expression and phosphoration of TGF-β, Smad2, Smad3, Bcl-2, and Bax in GP-293 cells were detected by Western blotting. The cellular apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential were analyzed using flow cytometry.

Results

The xenograft nude mice exposure to CPT presented the bodyweight loss, necrotic areas, and the increased expression of TGF in kidney tissue, and Rb3 pretreatment relieved these changes evoked by CPT. In GP-293 cells, CPT administration induced the phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3, and Rb3 pretreatment suppressed the induced phosphorylation by CPT. Besides, flow cytometry analysis showed that Rb3 inhibited the CPT-evoked cellular apoptosis ratio and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. The Western blotting test indicated that Rb3 alleviated the cleavage of PARP, caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9, the induction of Bax expression, and inhibition of Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, after treating with the TGF inhibitor of disitertide, Rb3 exhibited no alleviation effects on CPT-evoked cellular apoptosis ratio, inhibition of Bax expression, and induction of Bcl-2 expression in GP-293 cells.

Conclusion

Rb3 could alleviate CPT-evoked toxic effects on kidney cells during its treatment to oral cancer via TGF-β-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis.

Remifentanil up-regulates HIF1α expression to ameliorate hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury via the ZEB1/LIF axis

Ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced hepatic injury is regarded as a main reason of hepatic failure after transplantation or lobectomy. The current study aimed to investigate how the opioid analgesic remifentanil treatment affects I/R-induced hepatic injury and explore the possible mechanisms related to HIF1α. Initially, an I/R-induced hepatic injury animal model was established in C57BL/6 mice, and an in vitro hypoxia-reoxygenation model was constructed in NCTC-1469 cells, followed by remifentanil treatment and HIF1α silencing treatment. The levels of blood glucose, lipids, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in mouse serum were measured using automatic chemistry analyser, while the viability and apoptosis of cells were detected using CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. Our results revealed that mice with I/R-induced hepatic injury showed higher serum levels of blood glucose, lipids, ALT and AST and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) expression, and lower HIF1α and ZEB1 expression (P < .05), which were reversed after remifentanil treatment (P < .05). Besides, HIF1α silencing increased the serum levels of blood glucose, lipids, ALT and AST (P < .05). Furthermore, hypoxia-induced NCTC-1469 cells exhibited decreased HIF1α and ZEB1 expression, reduced cell viability, as well as increased LIF expression and cell apoptosis (P < .05), which were reversed by remifentanil treatment (P < .05). Moreover, HIF1α silencing down-regulated ZEB1 expression, decreased cell viability, and increased cell apoptosis (P < .05). ZEB1 was identified to bind to the promoter region of LIF and inhibit its expression. In summary, remifentanil protects against hepatic I/R injury through HIF1α and downstream effectors.

Necroptosis in Hepatosteatotic Ischaemia-Reperfusion Injury

While liver transplantation remains the sole treatment option for patients with end-stage liver disease, there are numerous limitations to liver transplantation including the scarcity of donor livers and a rise in livers that are unsuitable to transplant such as those with excess steatosis. Fatty livers are susceptible to ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury during transplantation and IR injury results in primary graft non-function, graft failure and mortality. Recent studies have described new cell death pathways which differ from the traditional apoptotic pathway. Necroptosis, a regulated form of cell death, has been associated with hepatic IR injury. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL) are thought to be instrumental in the execution of necroptosis. The study of hepatic necroptosis and potential therapeutic approaches to attenuate IR injury will be a key factor in improving our knowledge regarding liver transplantation with fatty donor livers. In this review, we focus on the effect of hepatic steatosis during liver transplantation as well as molecular mechanisms of necroptosis and its involvement during liver IR injury. We also discuss the immune responses triggered during necroptosis and examine the utility of necroptosis inhibitors as potential therapeutic approaches to alleviate IR injury.

Pirfenidone attenuates homocysteine‑induced apoptosis by regulating the connexin 43 pathway in H9C2 cells

Pirfenidone (PFD) is an anti-fibrotic agent that is clinically used in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. PFD has been shown to exert protective effects against damage to orbital fibroblasts, endothelial cells, liver cells and renal proximal tubular cells; however, its effect on myocardial cell apoptosis remains unclear. The present study aimed to characterize the effects of PFD on homocysteine (Hcy)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and investigated the underlying mechanisms. H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes were pre-treated with PFD for 30 min followed by Hcy exposure for 24 h. The effects of PFD on cell cytotoxicity were evaluated by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis rate of each group was determined by flow cytometry. The protein and mRNA levels of connexin 43 (Cx43), Bax, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and caspase-3 were measured by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, respectively. The present results demonstrated that the apoptotic rate increased following Hcy exposure, whereas the apoptotic rate significantly decreased following PFD pre-treatment. Furthermore, the ratio of Bax/Bcl2 was upregulated following Hcy exposure, and Hcy upregulated the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Cx43. Notably, these effects were prevented by PFD. Additionally, the effects of PFD were inhibited by the Cx43 agonist, AAP10. In summary, the findings of the present study demonstrate that PFD protects H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes against Hcy-induced apoptosis by modulating the Cx43 signaling pathway.

TGF-β1 alleviates HgCl2 induced apoptosis via P38 MAPK signaling pathway in human trophoblast cells

It is well known that embryonic development can be perturbed by environmental factors such as heavy metals. Mercury is one of the most significant threats to the environment and human health. Mercury can damage many parts of the human body, including lungs, kidneys, nerves and fetus. However, the effect of mercury on human embryo remains unknown. Here, we showed that HgCl₂ treatment resulted in a significant increase in apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo cells. However, the effect of HgCl₂ on apoptosis was partially reduced by the combination treatment with TGF-β1 and HgCl₂ in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Moreover, HgCl₂ treatment gradually decreased the expression of TGF-β1 in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, a P38 MAPK inhibitor, SB202190, decreased the cell apoptosis and caspase activation induced by HgCl₂ in trophoblast cells. In addition, TGF-β1 alleviated HgCl₂ induced apoptosis of HTR-8/SVneo cells via p38 MAPK signaling pathway, which was involved in the TAK1 expression. These results might provide a theoretical basis for mercury induced trophoblast associated embryo damage and a potential avenue of intervention.

Curcumin Can Improve Spinal Cord Injury by Inhibiting TGF-β-SOX9 Signaling Pathway

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe nervous system disease with high morbidity and disability rate. Signaling pathways play a key role in the neuronal restorative mechanism following SCI. SRY-related high mobility group (HMG)-box gene 9 (SOX9) affects glial scar formation via Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway. Activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is transferred into nucleus to upregulate TGF-β-SOX9. Curcumin exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Curcumin can play an important role in SCI recovery by inhibiting the expression of NF-κB and TGF-β-SOX9. Herein, we review the potential mechanism of curcumin-inhibiting SOX9 signaling pathway in SCI treatment. The inhibition of NF-κB and SOX9 signaling pathway by curcumin has the potentiality of serving as neuronal regenerative mechanism following SCI.

Downregulated microRNA-330 suppresses left ventricular remodeling via the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway by targeting SRY in mice with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

microRNAs (miRs) are essential in the development of heart failure. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of microRNA-330 (miR-330) on left ventricular remodeling via the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway by targeting the sex-determining region Y (SRY) in mice with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). Differentially expressed gene (DEG) in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) was screened out and the miR that targeted the DEG was also predicted and verified. A model of MIRI was established to detect the expression of miR-330, SRY, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1), and Sekelsky mothers against dpp3 (Smad3). To further investigate the role of miR-330 in MIRI with the involvement of SRY and TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway, the modeled mice were treated with different mimic, inhibitor, or small interfering RNA (siRNA) to observe the changes of the related gene expression, as well as the myocardial infarction size and volume of myocardial collagen. SRY was screened out and verified as a target gene of miR-330. The MIRI mice showed enlarged myocardial infarction size, increased volume of myocardial collagen, increased expression of miR-330, TGF-β1 and Smad3, while decreased the expression of SRY. The MIRI mice treated with miR-330 inhibitor showed decreased myocardial infarction size, the volume of myocardial collagen, and expression of TGF-β1 and Smad3 but promoted expression of SRY. Our findings demonstrated that downregulated miR-330 could suppress left ventricular remodeling to inhibit the activation of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway via negatively targeting of SRY in mice with MIRI. This can be a potential target in the strategy to attenuate patient suffering.