Recent advances in age-related metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects approximately 25% of the world's population and has become a leading cause of chronic liver disease. In recent years, an increasing amount of data suggests that MASLD is associated with aging. As the population ages, age-related MASLD will become a major global health problem. Targeting an aging will become a new approach to the treatment of MASLD. This paper reviews the current studies on the role of aging-related factors and therapeutic targets in MASLD, including: Oxidative stress, autophagy, mitochondrial homeostasis, bile acid metabolism homeostasis, and dysbiosis. The aim is to identify effective therapeutic targets for age-related MASLD and its progression.

Hydrogen-rich water ameliorates neuropathological impairments in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease through reducing neuroinflammation and modulating intestinal microbiota

Hydrogen exhibits the potential to treat Alzheimer's disease. Stereotactic injection has been previously used as an invasive method of administering active hydrogen, but this method has limitations in clinical practice. In this study, triple transgenic (3×Tg) Alzheimer's disease mice were treated with hydrogen-rich water for 7 months. The results showed that hydrogen-rich water prevented synaptic loss and neuronal death, inhibited senile plaques, and reduced hyperphosphorylated tau and neurofibrillary tangles in 3×Tg Alzheimer's disease mice. In addition, hydrogen-rich water improved brain energy metabolism disorders and intestinal flora imbalances and reduced inflammatory reactions. These findings suggest that hydrogen-rich water is an effective hydrogen donor that can treat Alzheimer's disease. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics and Welfare Committee of Shenzhen University, China (approval No. AEWC-20140615-002) on June 15, 2014.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of 3-phenyl-2-thio-quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide derivatives in hypoxia and in normoxia

A series of novel 3-phenyl-2-ethylthio/ethylsulfinyl/ethylsulfonyl/phenylthio/ phenylsulfonyl-quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide derivatives were synthesized and screened for their cytotoxicity in vitro on human leukaemia cell line HL-60, human esophagus cancer cell line ECA-109, human prostate cancer cell line PC-3, human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901, and human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in hypoxia and in normoxia. Half of tested compounds showed higher cytotoxic activity both in hypoxia and in normoxia. The mechanism of one potent compound, 67, in hypoxia showed that the mitochondria pathway is involved in the antitumor activity of this class of compounds.

Termination of early pregnancy in the mouse, rat and hamster with DL111-IT and RU486

The effectiveness of DL111-IT and RU486 given alone and in combination for terminating early pregnancy was tested in the rat, mouse, and hamster. In the mouse and rat, the combination of RU486 and DL111-IT is much more effective in terminating pregnancy than either of the two compounds used alone (single or multiple treatment). A low-effective dose of DL111-IT in combination with a non-effective or a sub-effective dose of RU486, exerted additive or synergistic effects resulting in resorption of embryos and termination of pregnancy. The serum progesterone concentrations were significantly suppressed by these combinations when pregnancy was terminated. In the hamster, single treatment with DL111-IT plus RU486 exhibited a strong effect on interrupting early pregnancy. The ED50 of RU486 in combination of a non-effective dose of DL111-IT was decreased to 163-fold lower dose than RU486 given alone. It is concluded that in mouse, rat, and hamster, the synergistic action between DL111-IT and RU486 not only greatly enhances efficacy in terminating pregnancy but also reduces substantially the dose required to produce this effect.

Synergistic effects of DL111-IT combined with mifepristone on termination of early pregnancy in rhesus monkeys

The objectives of this study were to determine the synergistic effects of DL111-IT in combination with mifepristone (RU486) on termination of early pregnancy in rhesus monkeys. Pregnancy was confirmed by tactile sensation of pregnant uterus via anus with finger and ultrasound examination. Pregnancy termination was obtained with vaginal bleeding and abortion materials including fetuses and placentae after treatment. With multiple doses of DL111-IT or RU486 given alone between d24 and d50 of gestation, pregnancy arrests were obtained in 40% (2/5) of monkeys treated with DL111-IT intramuscularly (im) (25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x 3 days), in 20% (1/5) of monkeys treated with 9 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x 2 days, and 4.5 mg x kg(-1) on day 3 with RU486 intragastrically (ig). DL111-IT (25 mg x kg(-1) on day 1, im) in combination with RU486 (the same treatment as above) resulted in 100% (10/10) termination of pregnancy and uterine bleeding lasted 6.6 +/- 1.3 days. RU486 (as above treatment) in combination with misoprostal (Miso, 109 microg x kg(-1) on day 3, ig) showed 71.4% (5/7) termination of pregnancy, and uterine bleeding lasted 12.9 +/- 9.6 days. The synergistic effect of DL111-IT plus RU486 enhances termination of early pregnancy and significantly shortens the bleeding time than RU486 plus Miso does in rhesus monkeys.