[Xinfeng capsule inhibits immune inflammation in osteoarthritis by inhibiting the miR- 23a-3p/PETN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway]

Complement 3 and 4 impact in osteoarthritis

Aim: To investigate the association between serum complement 3 and 4 (C3 and C4) levels and clinical characteristics in osteoarthritis (OA) patients.Methods: This retrospective study included 361 OA patients divided into groups based on complement levels. Clinical data and laboratory test results, including C3, C4, ESR and CRP levels, were analyzed using non-parametric tests, Spearman correlation and multivariate regression.Results: The AC-OA group had lower PA, C3, C4, ESR, CRP and IgA levels compared with controls. C3 levels were positively correlated with ESR (r = 0.260, p < 0.001) and CRP (r = 0.243, p < 0.001). C4 levels also correlated with ESR (r = 0.175, p = 0.001) and CRP (r = 0.263, p < 0.001) and were significantly associated with the number of affected joints.Conclusion: Serum C4 levels are effective indicators of disease activity in OA, particularly in terms of joint involvement and CRP levels, while C3 levels showed no significant association. These findings suggest a potential role for C4 in predicting OA activity.

Alcohol intake exacerbates experimental autoimmune prostatitis through activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-mediated Th1 differentiation

Background

Epidemiological investigations have revealed a significant association between alcohol consumption and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Nevertheless, the potential mechanisms are still inadequately revealed. This research aimed to investigate the impact of alcohol on CP/CPPS using an animal model and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We first established the widely used animal model for CP/CPPS, experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP). During the induction of EAP, mice were fed with alcohol or control diet. The HE staining, ELISA, and behavioral experiments were employed to assess the severity of inflammation in EAP mice and EAP-alcohol mice. Patients with a history of chronic alcohol consumption were also included to evaluate the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on CP/CPPS. Subsequently, proteomic analysis, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were utilized to investigate the underlying mechanism involved both in vivo and in vitro.

Results

HE staining, ELISA, and behavioral experiments showed that alcohol exacerbated the severity of EAP in mice and patients. Proteomic and KEGG pathway analyses showed that abnormal Th1 differentiation and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were significantly enriched. Subsequent mechanistic research showed that alcohol significantly activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and increased the Th1 cell differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. In contrast, PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and shRNA-PI3K plasmid inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation, reduced Th1 cell differentiation, and alleviated EAP inflammation severity, respectively.

Conclusion

Our study is the first to demonstrate that alcohol intake promotes Th1 cell differentiation and exacerbates EAP by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Additionally, the role of LY294002 in inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to relieve EAP suggests that it can serve as a promising therapeutic target for CP/CPPS.

Circular RNA Circ_0122396 Regulates Human Lens Epithelial Cell Progression by Regulating miR-23a-3p and MMP16 in Age-Related Cataract

BACKGROUND

CircRNA plays a regulatory role in multiple life processes. Circ_0122396 could participate in the regulation of age-related cataract (ARC) progression. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of circ_0122396 In ARC remain enigmatic.

METHODS

Circ_0122396, microRNA (miR)-23a-3p, and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-16 (MMP16) expression levels were detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was used to detect the levels of MMP16 and apoptosis-related proteins. Cell counting kit-8 analysis and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay were used to assess human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) proliferation. Flow cytometry was performed to determine cell apoptosis. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were measured using commercial kits. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and RNA pull-down assay were used to examine the interaction among circ_0122396, miR-23a-3p, and MMP16.

RESULTS

Circ_0122396 and MMP16 were down-regulated while miR-23a-3p was up-regulated in ARC. H2O2 constrained proliferation and GSH-PX level, promotes apoptosis and MDA level in HLECs, and overexpression of circ_0122396 attenuated these effects. miR-23a-3p was a direct target of circ_0122396, and MMP16 was a direct target of miR-23a-3p. The effect of circ_0122396 overexpression on H2O2-induced HLECs was reversed by miR-23a-3p, and MMP16 elevation overturned the impacts of miR-23a-3p in H2O2-induced HLECs.

CONCLUSIONS

Circ_0122396 may regulate the progression of ARC via the miR-23a-3p/MMP16 pathway in H2O2-stimulated HLECs, which may serve as a potentially valuable biomarker and novel therapeutic target for ARC.

MiR-29a-3p mediates phosphatase and tensin homolog and inhibits osteoarthritis progression

Despite substantial progress in clinical trials of osteoarthritis (OA) gene therapy, the prevalence of OA is still on the rise. MiRNAs have a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for OA. OA cartilage and chondrosarcoma cells were studied to determine the role of miR-29a-3p and PTEN. OA cartilage and human chondrosarcoma cells (SW1353) were obtained. miR-29a-3p and PTEN signature expression was determined by RT-qPCR. The binding relationship between miR-29a-3p and PTEN was investigated by dual-luciferase reporter gene and western blot assay. TUNEL, immunohistochemistry, CCK-8, and flow cytometry were utilized to determine the proliferation and apoptosis of SW1353 cells. This study indicated downregulation of miR-29a-3p expression and upregulation of PTEN expression in human OA primary chondrocytes or OA tissue samples, compared with the normal cartilage cells or tissues. PTEN expression was negatively correlated with miR-29a-3p expression, and miR-29a-3p targeted PTEN mechanistically. miR-29a-3p reduced SW1353 cell activity and proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. However, the aforementioned effects could be reversed by downregulating PTEN. miR-29a-3p can stimulate chondrocyte proliferation and inhibit apoptosis by inhibiting PTEN expression.

Multiplex Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Exosomes MicroRNAs of Untreated Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) and Proposing Noninvasive Diagnostic Biomarkers

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging diagnostic biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to detect relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)-specific miRNAs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum exosomes with diagnostic potential. One ml of CSF and serum sample were collected from each of the 30 untreated RRMS patients and healthy controls (HCs). A panel of 18 miRNAs affecting inflammatory responses was applied, and qRT-PCR was conducted to detect differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs in CSF and serum of RRMS patients. We identified that 17 out of 18 miRNAs displayed different patterns in RRMS patients compared to HCs. Let-7 g-5p, miR-18a-5p, miR-145-5p, and miR-374a-5p with dual pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory actions and miR-150-5p and miR-342-3p with anti-inflammatory action were significantly upregulated in both CSF and serum-derived exosomes of RRMS patients compared to corresponding HCs. Additionally, anti-inflammatory miR-132-5p and pro-inflammatory miR-320a-5p were significantly downregulated in both CSF and serum-derived exosomes of RRMS patients compared to HCs. Ten of 18 miRNAs were differentially expressed in CSF and serum exosomes of the patients. Furthermore, miR-15a-5p, miR-19b-3p, and miR-432-5p were upregulated, and miR-17-5p was downregulated only in CSF exosomes. Interestingly, U6 housekeeping gene was differentially expressed in CSF and serum exosomes, in both RRMS and HCs. As the first report describing CSF exosomal miRNAs expression profile compared to that of serum exosomes in untreated RRMS patients, we showed that CSF and serum exosomes are not identical in terms of biological compounds and display different patterns in miRNAs and U6 expression.

Correlation analysis of differentially expressed long non-coding RNA HOTAIR with PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway and inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis and the effect of baicalin intervention

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the correlation of long non-coding RNA HOX transcript antisense RNA (lncRNA HOTAIR) with the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway and clinical-related indicators in osteoarthritis (OA) and determine the effect of baicalin intervention.

METHODS

The levels of clinical lipid metabolism indexes and immune-inflammatory indexes in OA patients and normal controls was detected. OA chondrocytes (OA-CHs) were induced with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), followed by baicalin treatment (50 ug/mL). RT-qPCR was performed to measure lncRNA HOTAIR expression. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and adiponectin were detected using ELISA kits. CCK-8 assay was used to assess the viability of CHs. The related protein expression was measured using Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

LncRNA HOTAIR might act as a biomarker of OA in vivo. LncRNA HOTAIR was positively correlated with TC, hs-CRP, IgA, TNF-α, and VAS score. Overexpression of lncRNA HOTAIR in vitro inhibited cell proliferation, reduced IL-10 and PTEN expression, but augmented TNF-α, p-PI3K, and p-AKT proteins in OA-CHs stimulated by OA-PBMCs. The changes of above indexes were also observed in OA-CHs stimulated by OA-PBMCs treated with si-lncRNA HOTAIR or baicalin, implying the synergistic effects of baicalin and lncRNA HOTAIR silencing on OA.

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusively, lncRNA HOTAIR was highly expressed in OA-CHs, which facilitated OA inflammatory responses by orchestrating inflammatory cytokines and the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway. Baicalin exerted therapeutic effects by inhibiting the expression of lncRNA HOTAIR, decreasing the protein levels of p-PI3K and p-AKT, and increasing the protein levels of PTEN, APN, and ADIPOR1.

Chinese herbal medicine reduces the risk of readmission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis combined with hyperlipidemia: A population‑based retrospective cohort study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is associated with high degrees of disability and mortality. Patients with RA are generally more prone to a multitude of comorbidities, with hyperlipidemia (HL) one of the most frequently observed. Therefore, the present study investigated the possible association between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) treatment and the risk of readmission in patients with RA combined with HL (RA-HL). The aim of the present study was to potentially provide an evidence-based strategy for decreasing the risk of readmission in patients with RA-HL. The present study enrolled 839 patients with RA admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of the Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from June 2014 to June 2015. Subsequently, 425 patients with RA were included into the present study after those with incomplete follow-up and laboratory parameter data were excluded. These 425 patients were then classified into the RA-HL and RA-non-HL groups, before incidences of sex distribution, age group, medication and readmission with propensity score matching were all compared. In total 263 patients with RA-HL were then included and arranged into the CHM and non-CHM groups. In particular, the variables of age, sex and diagnosis year between one patient in the CHM group and one in the non-CHM group were adjusted with propensity score matching to decrease selection bias and interference from confounding factors. Finally, 127 patients with RA-HL were included into the CHM group and 127 patients with RA-HL were allocated into the non-CHM group. The proportion of readmitted patients (including RA-HL and RA-non-HL, RA-CHM and RA-non-CHM) was analyzed and compared using the χ² test and Kaplan-Meier curves. Bivariate logistics regression analysis was used to evaluate the possible factors that can influence the readmission of patients with RA-HL, whereas the potential association between CHM and improvements in the clinical indicators of the patients with RA-HL was assessed using association rules based on Apriori algorithm. It was found through the follow-up data that patients with RA-HL were at higher risk of readmission compared with that in those with RA-non-HL (P<0.05). The CHM treatments included both oral CHM decoction and Chinese patent medicine, including Xinfeng capsule and Huangqin chubi capsule, which may reduce the risk of readmission and improve the recovery of immune-inflammatory indicators in patients with RA-HL (P<0.05). Overall, CHM, as a protective factor, is associated with a reduced risk of readmission in RA-HL.

Network Pharmacology-Based Prediction and Verification of the Potential Targets of Pinoresinol Diglucoside for OA Treatment

Objective

This study aimed to explore the effects and related mechanisms of pinoresinol diglucoside (PDG) on osteoarthritis (OA) via a combination of pharmacology and animal experiments.

Methods

Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) Drugbank, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, and GeneCards databases were used to predict the putative targets of PGD against OA. A protein protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed in STING database to analyze the interaction network of these targets. Enrichment analysis was performed with DAVID database. The OA model was built by anterior cruciate ligament transection and then injected with PDG for 5 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and safranin-fixed green staining were used to evaluate the pathological change. ELISA was applied to measure the serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the protein levels of kinase B (AKT), BAX, Bcl2, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) in knee cartilage tissues.

Results

Seventy-one key targets were identified, including AKT1, epidermal growth factor receptor, SRC, estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), and MMP9. Enrichment analysis revealed a series of pathway related to cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and proteoglycans in cancer. Animal experiments showed that PDG alleviated the abnormal histomorphological changes of OA; suppressed TIPM, serum IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, and PI3K and AKT activation; and increased MMP-1 expression and Bcl2/Bax ratio.

Conclusion

PDG has a cartilage-protecting effect associated with PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in rabbit with OA and therefore might serve as a potential agent for the treatment of this disease.