Low Serum 3-Methylhistidine Levels Are Associated With First Hospitalization in Kidney Transplantation Recipients

Serum biomarkers associated with health impacts of high residential radon exposure: a metabolomic pilot study

Long-term epidemiological evidence suggests that populations exposed to high natural radiation levels for extended periods may have an increased risk of cancer and other diseases. However, research on health effects in high-radon areas, particularly regarding disease-related biomarkers, remains limited. This study aimed to investigate serum metabolic biomarkers associated with diseases in individuals from areas with high radon exposure. Metabolic profiling was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry on 30 healthy participants comprising 15 individuals from a low-residential radon exposure group and 15 from a high-residential radon exposure group. Multivariate analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were applied. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the two groups, identifying 92 metabolites. ROC analysis (AUC ≥ 0.85) highlighted 12 key candidates associated with high radon exposure. KEGG pathway analysis linked D-sphingosine to lung cancer development and 3-methylhistidine to kidney disease, early preeclampsia, and Alzheimer's disease. These findings suggest that D-sphingosine and 3-methylhistidine are promising serum biomarkers for identifying high-risk individuals with prolonged radon exposure and contribute to the identification of novel biomarkers in future studies on high-radon exposure areas.

Uncovering the potential molecular mechanism of liraglutide to alleviate the effects of high glucose on myoblasts based on high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technique

BACKGROUND

Myoblasts play an important role in muscle growth and repair, but the high glucose environment severely affects their function. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential molecular mechanism of liraglutide in alleviating the effects of high glucose environments on myoblasts.

METHODS

MTT, western blot, and ELISA methods were used to investigate the role of liraglutide on C2C12 myoblasts induced by high glucose. The high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technique was used to sequence C2C12 myoblasts from different treated groups. The DESeq2 package was used to identify differentially expressed-mRNAs (DE-mRNAs). Then, functional annotations and alternative splicing (AS) were performed. The Cytoscape-CytoHubba plug-in was used to identify multicentric DE-mRNAs.

RESULTS

The MTT assay results showed that liraglutide can alleviate the decrease of myoblasts viability caused by high glucose. Western blot and ELISA tests showed that liraglutide can promote the expression of AMPKα and inhibit the expression of MAFbx, MuRF1 and 3-MH in myoblasts. A total of 15 multicentric DE-mRNAs were identified based on the Cytoscape-CytoHubba plug-in. Among them, Top2a had A3SS type AS. Functional annotation identifies multiple signaling pathways such as metabolic pathways, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cAMP signaling pathway and cell cycle.

CONCLUSION

Liraglutide can alleviate the decrease of cell viability and degradation of muscle protein caused by high glucose, and improves cell metabolism and mitochondrial activity. The molecular mechanism of liraglutide to alleviate the effect of high glucose on myoblasts is complex. This study provides a theoretical basis for the clinical effectiveness of liraglutide in the treatment of skeletal muscle lesions in diabetes.

Low serum 3-methyl histidine level is associated with aortic stiffness in maintenance hemodialysis patients

3-Methylhistidine (3MH) is an indicator of muscle catabolism. Subclinical protein malnutrition is an independent predictor of aortic stiffness (AS). We aimed to study the relationship between serum 3MH level and AS among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was applied to measure AS of 110 MHD patients. Serum 3MH levels were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. AS was defined as cfPWV >10 m/s. Forty-five (40.9%) patients were categorized as having AS. Multivariable logistic (odds ratio: 0.792, p < 0.001) and linear (β = -0.322, p < 0.001) regression analysis revealed that serum 3MH is an independent factor associated with AS among MHD patients. The diagnostic power of 3MH for AS in patients undergoing MHD was 0.691 (95% CI: 0.595-0.775, p = 0.0002). Low serum 3MH levels could be a potential biomarker related to AS among MHD patients.