Corynoline Suppresses Osteoclastogenesis and Attenuates ROS Activities by Regulating NF-κB/MAPKs and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways

Declining estrogen production in postmenopausal females causes osteoporosis in which the resorption of bone exceeds the increase in bone formation. Although clinical drugs are currently available for the treatment of osteoporosis, sustained medication use is accompanied by serious side effects. Corydalis bungeana Herba, a famous traditional Chinese herb listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission, constitutes various traditional Chinese Medicine prescriptions, which date back to thousands of years. One of the primary active components of C. bungeana Turcz. is Corynoline (Cor), a plant isoquinoline alkaloid derived from the Corydalis species, which possesses bone metabolism disease therapeutic potential. The study aimed at exploring the effects as well as mechanisms of Cor on osteoclast formation and bone resorption. TRAcP staining, F-actin belt formation, and pit formation were employed for assessing the osteoclast function. Western blot, qPCR, network pharmacology, and docking analyses were used for analyzing the expression of osteoclast-associated genes and related signaling pathways. The study focused on investigating how Cor affected OVX-induced trabecular bone loss by using a mouse model. Cor could weaken osteoclast formation and function by affecting the biological receptor activators of NF-κB and its ligand at various concentrations. Mechanistically, Cor inhibited the NF-κB activation, and the MAPKs pathway stimulated by RANKL. Besides, Cor enhanced the protein stability of the Nrf2, which effectively abolished the RANKL-stimulated ROS generation. According to an OVX mouse model, Cor functions in restoring bone mass, improving microarchitecture, and reducing the ROS levels in the distal femurs, which corroborated with its in vitro antiosteoclastogenic effect. The present study indicates that Cor may restrain osteoclast formation and bone loss by modulating NF-κB/MAPKs and Nrf2 signaling pathways. Cor was shown to be a potential drug candidate that can be utilized for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Poliumoside protects against type 2 diabetes-related osteoporosis by suppressing ferroptosis via activation of the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes is often linked with osteoporosis (T2DOP), a condition that accelerates bone degeneration and increases the risk of fractures. Unlike conventional menopausal osteoporosis, the diabetic milieu exacerbates the likelihood of fractures and osteonecrosis. In particular poliumoside (Pol), derived from Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun, has shown promising anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Yet, its influence on T2DOP remains to be elucidated.

PURPOSE

The focus of this study was to elucidate the influence of Pol in HGHF-associated ferroptosis and its implications in T2DOP.

STUDY DESIGN

A murine model of T2DOP was established using a minimal dosage of streptozotocin (STZ) through intraperitoneal infusion combined with a diet high in fat and sugar. Concurrently, to mimic the diabetic condition in a lab environment, bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were maintained in a high-glucose and high-fat (HGHF) setting.

METHODS

The impact of Pol on BMSCs in an HGHF setting was determined using methods, such as BODIPY-C11, FerroOrange staining, mitochondrial functionality evaluations, and Western blot methodologies, coupled with immunoblotting and immunofluorescence techniques. To understand the role of Pol in a murine T2DOP model, techniques including micro-CT, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, dual-labeling with calcein-alizarin red, and immunohistochemistry were employed for detailed imaging and histological insights.

RESULTS

Our findings suggest that Pol acts against HGHF-induced bone degradation and ferroptosis, as evidenced by an elevation in glutathione (GSH) and a decline in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, Pol treatment led to increased bone density, enhanced GPX4 markers, and reduced ROS in the distal femur region. On investigating the underlying mechanism of action, it was observed that Pol triggers the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway, and the introduction of lentivirus-Nrf2 negates the beneficial effects of Pol in HGHF-treated BMSCs.

CONCLUSION

Pol is effective in treating T2DOP by activating the Nrf2/GPX4 signaling pathway to inhibit ferroptosis.

Gamma-oryzanol alleviates osteoarthritis development by targeting Keap1-Nrf2 binding to interfere with chondrocyte ferroptosis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder pathologically correlated to chondrocyte ferroptosis. Gamma-oryzanol (γ-Ory), as a first-line drug for autonomic disorders, aroused our interest because of its antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic potential. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential impact and mechanism of γ-Ory in treating OA. And the inhibition of γ-Ory in extracellular matrix molecule (ECM) degradation, ferroptosis, and Keap1-Nrf2 binding in IL-1β-exposed chondrocytes was detected via immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation. Micro-CT, SO staining, and immunofluorescence have been conducted to assess the impact of γ-Ory treatment on ACLT-mediated OA in rats at both imaging and histological stages. We found that γ-Ory dose-dependently suppressed IL-1β-induced ECM deterioration and chondrocyte ferroptosis. Our animal experiments revealed that γ-Ory delayed ACLT-mediated OA development. Mechanistically, γ-Ory interfered with the binding of Keap1 to Nrf2 to promote the latter's nuclear import, thereby increasing the expression of detoxification enzymes. Summarily, our works support γ-Ory's potential as a candidate drug for the treatment of OA.

Safranal inhibits estrogen-deficiency osteoporosis by targeting Sirt1 to interfere with NF-κB acetylation

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a prevalent bone metabolic disease in menopause, and long-term medication is accompanied by serious side effects. Estrogen deficiency-mediated hyperactivated osteoclasts is the initiating factor for bone loss, which is regulated by nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling. Safranal (Saf) is a monoterpene aldehyde produced from Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and possesses multiple biological properties, particularly the anti-inflammatory property. However, Saf's role in osteoporosis remains unknown.

PURPOSE

This study aims to validate the role of Saf in osteoporosis and explore the potential mechanism.

STUDY DESIGN

The RANKL-exposed mouse BMM (bone marrow monocytes) and the castration-mediated osteoporosis model were applied to explore the effect and mechanism of Saf in vitro and in vivo.

METHOD

The effect of Saf on osteoclast formation and function were assessed by TRAcP staining, bone-resorptive experiment, qPCR, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, etc. Micro-CT, HE, TRAcP and immunohistochemical staining were performed to estimate the effects of Saf administration on OVX-mediated osteoporosis in mice at imaging and histological levels.

RESULTS

Saf concentration-dependently inhibited RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation without affecting cellular viability. Meanwhile, Saf-mediated anti-osteolytic capacity and Sirt1 upregulation were also found in ovariectomized mice. Mechanistically, Saf interfered with NF-κB signaling by activating Sirt1 to increase p65 deacetylation and inactivating IKK to decrease IκBα degradation.

CONCLUSION

Our results support the potential application of Saf as a therapeutic agent for osteoporosis.

Cedrol, a Ginger-derived sesquiterpineol, suppresses estrogen-deficient osteoporosis by intervening NFATc1 and reactive oxygen species

Osteoporosis is a prevalent bone metabolic disease in menopause, and long-term medication is accompanied by serious side effects. Ginger, a food spice and traditional medicine with ancient history, exhibits the potential to alleviate osteoporosis in preclinical experiments, whereas its complex composition leads to ambiguous pharmacological mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Ced in estrogen-deficient osteoporosis, a sesquiterpene alcohol recently discovered from Ginger with multiple pharmacological properties. RANKL was stimulated BMM (bone marrow macrophages) differentiation into osteoclasts in vitro. And the osteoclast activity and number were assessed by TRAcP and SEM. We found that Ced mitigated RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by descending the ROS content and obstructing NFATc1, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling. Also, Ced-mediated anti-osteolytic property was found in ovariectomized mice by Micro-CT scanning and histological staining. Summarily, our works demonstrated the anti-osteoporotic potential of Cedrol in Ginger for the first time, which also offered more pharmacological evidence for Ginger as food or medicine used for bone metabolic disease.

Gamma-oryzanol alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration development by intercepting the IL-1β/NLRP3 inflammasome positive cycle

BACKGROUND

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal disorder characterized by a local inflammatory response associated with the IL-1β/NLRP3 inflammasome positive feedback loop. Rice bran-derived gamma-oryzanol (Ory) as a sterol ferulate has attracted much attention due to its powerful anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic health effects. As a clinical pharmaceutical for autonomic disorders, Ory's role in musculoskeletal degenerative disease remains unknown.

PURPOSE

This study aims to validate the role of Ory in IVDD and explore the potential mechanism.

STUDY DESIGN

Establishing the in vitro and in vivo IVDD models to detect the protective effect and molecular mechanism of Ory.

METHOD

The anti-ECM degradation, antioxidant and anti-NLRP3 inflammasome activation effects of Ory on IL-1β-stimulated nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, etc. MRI, S-O staining and immunohistochemistry were performed to estimate the effects of Ory administration on acupuncture-mediated IVDD in rats at imaging and histological levels.

RESULTS

Ory treatment inhibited IL-1β-mediated ECM degradation, oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in NP cells. By interfering with NF-κB signaling and ROS overproduction, Ory interrupted IL-1β/NLRP3-inflammasome positive cycle. In vivo experiments showed that Ory delayed acupuncture-mediated IVDD development.

CONCLUSION

Our results support the potential application of Ory as a therapeutic compound for IVDD.

[Progressive massive fibrosis in pneumoconiosis is mimicking lung malignancy on (18)F-FDGPET-CT: two cases report]

Occupational pneumoconiosis is one of the main occupational diseases in China. Progressive massive fibrosis in pneumoconiosis should be distinguished from lung cancer for their similar imaging features which is often identified by (18)F-FDG PET-CT in clinic. Here we reported two cases of pneumoconiosis. Both of them were suspected of carrying malignant tumors by preoperative PET-CT exam, however, nodules in these two patients were all proved to be benign by intraoperative pathology which suggested that there is false-positive possibility in the distinguishment of pneumoconiosis nodules by (18)F-FDG PET-CT.

Genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity of multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often presents with multiple nodules within the liver, with limited effective interventions. The high genetic heterogeneity of HCC might be the major cause of treatment failure. We aimed to characterize genomic heterogeneity, infer clonal evolution, investigate RNA expression pattern and explore tumour immune microenvironment profile of multifocal HCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing were carried out in 34 tumours and 6 adjacent normal liver tissue samples from 6 multifocal HCC patients. Protein expression of Ki67, AFP, P53, Survivin and CD8 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was carried out to validate the amplification status of sorafenib-targeted genes.

RESULTS

We deciphered genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity among tumours in each multifocal HCC patient including mutational profiles, copy number alterations, tumour evolutionary trajectory and tumour immune microenvironment profiles. Of note, sorafenib-targeted alterations were identified in the trunk of phylogenetic tree in only one out of the six patients, which may explain the relative low treatment response rate to sorafenib in clinical practice. Moreover, we demonstrated RNA expression patterns and tumour immune microenvironment profiles of all nodules. We found that RNA expression pattern was associated with Edmondson-Steiner grading. Based on the differential expression of 66 reported immune markers, unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis of 34 nodules identified immune subsets: one low expression cluster with seven nodules and one high expression cluster with 11 nodules. CD8+ T cells were more enriched in nodules of the high expression cluster.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provided a detailed view of genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity, clonal evolution and immune infiltration of multifocal HCC. The heterogeneity of druggable targets and immune landscape might help interpret the clinical responsiveness to targeted drugs and immunotherapy for multifocal HCC patients.

[Application of directed acyclic graphs in control of confounding]

Observational study is a method most commonly used in the etiology study of epidemiology, but confounders, always distort the true causality between exposure and outcome when local inferencing. In order to eliminate these confounding, the determining of variables which need to be adjusted become a key issue. Directed acyclic graph(DAG)could visualize complex causality, provide a simple and intuitive way to identify the confounding, and convert it into the finding of the minimal sufficient adjustment for the control of confounding. On the one hand, directed acyclic graph can choose less variables, which increase statistical efficiency of the analysis. On the other hand, it could help avoiding variables that is not measured or with missing values. In a word, the directed acyclic graph could facilitate the reveal of the real causality effectively.

The availability of 16S rRNA for the identification of forensically important flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in China

Many species of Muscidae are cosmopolitan synanthropic insects. It is frequently found on dead bodies after death, so an accurate identification of each species is necessary for the correct estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI). Identification species of Muscidae is traditionally performed through their morphological features. However, the morphological similarity of Muscidae in the level of species usually poses a challenge for forensic entomologists. Therefore a molecular method used 16S rRNA sequence on mitochondrial DNA was established for species identification. In this study, a 289 base pair region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coding for 16S rRNA was investigated for identification of the following forensically important species of Muscidae. The specimens were from four genera, including 18 Musca domestica (Linnaeus, 1758), 2 Ophyra spinigera (Stein, 1910), 2 Ophyra chalcogaster (Wiedemann, 1824), 1 Morellia hortorum (Fallén, 1817), and 1 Fannia canicularis (Linnaeus, 1761). 16S rDNA region allowed the identification of these species of Muscidae, indicating the possibility of separation congeneric species with molecular method.

[Computer simulation for infrared spectra of pollution clouds with FTIS remote detection]

A computer model of radiometric scene simulation for simulated spectra for pollution clouds in complicated environment is proposed. The model is used to introduce the effects of an actual hazardous pollution clouds, such as (CH3)2CHO(CH3)FPO or (CLCH2CH2)2S, into exiting measured background spectra by passive Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIS). The simulated results agree well with the experimental results.

[The frequency distribution and establishment of fruit fly strain of segregation distorter in Drosophila melanogaster in China]

Segregation Distorter (SD) is a meiotic drive system of natural occurrence. Heterozygous SD/SD+ males transmit the SD chromosome in vast excess over the normal homolog. SD chromosomes have been recovered at low frequency (1%-5%) from almost every population that has been screened for them in many places of the world. To examine whether there is SD system in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster in China, we surveyed a few populations of D. melanogaster in Beijing and Qingdao respectively. The results suggested that SD is also found in every population examined at frequency of 1%-5%. On the basis of learning distribution of SD in China, we established a fruit fly stoch of SD from wild population of D. melanogaster in Beianhe district of Beijing. Furthermore, instead of using traditional genetic hybridization, we used molecular approach, PCR, to examine the distribution of SD chromosomes, which has been proved a very effective, quick and convenient method.

[Mitochondrial DNA genetic polymorphism of Drosophila immigrans in China]

This article uses RFLP to analyze the mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) variation in geographic populations of Drosophila immigrans from 6 regions of mainland of China. With the use of fourteen restriction endonucleases, we only discoveried a total of 11 mtDNA haplotypes among 46 isofemale lines. The mean value of I is 0.833, the mean value of J is 0.797, and the estimated Gst value is only 16.8%. We recognized that the genetic structures among the geographic populations of D. immigrans are highly uniform, and the genetic differentiation rate is low. The UPGMA analysis of nucleotide diversity of the 6 populations shows specific characteristics of mtDNA variation in population of Huayang, Qinling Mountains Regions. From the haplotypes special included in each population, the event that the population spread into the high altitute localities of Yunnan perhaps happened more recently. Referring other references, we inferred the population of D. immigrans distributed in mainland of China is more original than that in Chinese Taiwan and Japan.

[Olivopontocerebellar atrophy: clinical analysis of 100 cases]

The clinical features in 100 patients suffered from olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) and their genetic trait were studied. The diagnosis was verified in all cases with computed tomography, demonstrating the atrophy of cerebellum and brainstem, vascular, neoplastic, infectious and any other organic disorder suspected were excluded. 53 out of 100 cases were sporadic (SOPCA) and the remainder (47 cases) was familial (FOPCA). The age of onset in SOPCA group was 36.1 +/- 14.95 (M +/- SD) in average, while in FOPCA group was 28.9 +/- 11.8. It seems that the symptoms in FOPCA group develop earlier than that in SOPCA group (P less than 0.05). All 47 cases of FOPCA group belong to 36 families in which altogether 166 persons were involved. According to pedigree patterns, there were 26 families inherited as autosomal dominant trait and probably so in another 5 families. Autosomal recessive trait could be confirmed in 2 families, in which the parents of proband were consanguineous, and in 3 other families autosomal recessive trait of inheritance was highly suspected. Anticipation was demonstrated in 26 families with dominant inheritance. Generally, ataxia and weakness of legs develop as initial symptoms in 88% of cases, then followed by dysarthria, and ataxia of upper extremities. The rapid alternating test of hand was impaired in 95% of patients, however, tension tremor was revealed only in 53% of patients. A method for assessing the ataxia quantitatively was proposed, our data suggest that the quantitative alternating test in the upper extremity and the measurement of base-width in lower extremity seem to be valuable in identifying the intensity of ataxia.