Oleanolic acid alleviates obesity-induced skeletal muscle atrophy via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a pentacyclic triterpene with reported protective effects against various diseases, including diabetes, hepatitis, and different cancers. However, the effects of OA on obesity-induced muscle atrophy remain largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of OA on skeletal muscle production and proliferation of C2C12 cells. We report that OA significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and improved glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. OA inhibited dexamethasone (Dex)-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myoblasts by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In addition, it also inhibited expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin1 genes in skeletal muscle of obese mice suffering from muscle atrophy, and increased the activation of PI3K and Akt, thereby promoting protein synthesis, and eventually alleviating muscle atrophy. Taken together, these findings suggest OA may have potential for the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy.

A NAD(P)H oxidase mimic for catalytic tumor therapy via a deacetylase SIRT7-mediated AKT/GSK3β pathway

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and its phosphorylated form, NADPH, are essential cofactors that play critical roles in cell functions, influencing antioxidation, reductive biosynthesis, and cellular pathways involved in tumor cell apoptosis and tumorigenesis. However, the use of nanomaterials to consume NAD(P)H and thus bring an impact on signaling pathways in cancer treatment remains understudied. In this study, we employed a salt template method to synthesize a carbon-coated-cobalt composite (C@Co) nanozyme, which exhibited excellent NAD(P)H oxidase (NOX)-like activity and mimicked the reaction mechanism of natural NOX. The C@Co nanozyme efficiently consumed NAD(P)H within cancer cells, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential. Meanwhile, the generation of the biologically active cofactor NAD(P)+ promoted the expression of the deacetylase SIRT7, which in turn inhibited the serine/threonine kinase AKT signaling pathway, ultimately promoting apoptosis. This work sheds light on the influence of nanozymes with NOX-like activity on cellular signaling pathways in tumor therapy and demonstrates their promising antitumor effects in a tumor xenograft mouse model. These findings contribute to a better understanding of NAD(P)H manipulation in cancer treatment and suggest the potential of nanozymes as a therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy.

Nuciferine reduces vascular leakage and improves cardiac function in acute myocardial infarction by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway

The destruction of the microvascular structure and function can seriously affect the survival and prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Nuciferine has a potentially beneficial effect in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, albeit its role in microvascular structure and function during AMI remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and the related mechanisms of nuciferine in microvascular injury during AMI. Cardiac functions and pathological examination were conducted in vivo to investigate the effect of nuciferine on AMI. The effect of nuciferine on permeability and adherens junctions in endothelial cells was evaluated in vitro, and the phosphorylation level of the PI3K/AKT pathway (in the presence or absence of PI3K inhibitors) was also analyzed. In vivo results indicated that nuciferine inhibited ischemia-induced cardiomyocyte damage and vascular leakage and improved cardiac function. In addition, the in vitro results revealed that nuciferine could effectively inhibit oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) stimulated breakdown of the structure and function of human coronary microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs). Moreover, nuciferine could significantly increase the phosphorylation level of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Finally, the inhibitor wortmannin could reverse the protective effect of nuciferine on HCMECs. Nuciferine inhibited AMI-induced microvascular injury by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and protecting the endothelial barrier function in mice.

Flavokawain C inhibits proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells through FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

PURPOSE

This study investigated the potential applicability and the underlying mechanisms of flavokawain C, a natural compound derived from kava extracts, in liver cancer treatment.

METHODS

Drug distribution experiment used to demonstrate the preferential tissues enrichment of flavokawain C. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration effect of flavokawain C were determined by MTT, colony formation, EdU staining, cell adhesion, transwell, flow cytometry and western blot assay. The mechanism was explored by comet assay, immunofluorescence assay, RNA-seq-based Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis, molecular dynamics, bioinformatics analysis and western blot assay. The anticancer effect of flavokawain C was further confirmed by xenograft tumor model.

RESULTS

The studies first demonstrated the preferential enrichment of flavokawain C within liver tissues in vivo. The findings demonstrated that flavokawain C significantly inhibited proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells, induced cellular apoptosis, and triggered intense DNA damage along with strong DNA damage response. The findings from RNA-seq-based KEGG analysis, molecular dynamics, bioinformatics analysis, and western blot assay mechanistically indicated that treatment with flavokawain C notably suppressed the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in liver cancer cells. This effect was attributed to the induction of gene changes and the binding of flavokawain C to the ATP sites of FAK and PI3K, resulting in the inhibition of their phosphorylation. Additionally, flavokawain C also displayed the strong capacity to inhibit Huh-7-derived xenograft tumor growth in mice with minimal adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings identified that flavokawain C is a promising anticancer agent for liver cancer treatment.

The Modulation of Phospho-Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase and Phospho-Protein Kinase B Signaling Pathways plus Activity of Macrophage-Stimulating Protein Contribute to the Protective Effect of Stachydrine on Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury

Stachydrine, a prominent bioactive alkaloid derived from Leonurus heterophyllus, is a significant herb in traditional medicine. It has been noted for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. Consequently, we conducted a study of its hepatoprotective effect and the fundamental mechanisms involved in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury, utilizing a mouse model. Mice were intraperitoneally administered a hepatotoxic dose of APAP (300 mg/kg). Thirty minutes after APAP administration, mice were treated with different concentrations of stachydrine (0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg). Animals were sacrificed 16 h after APAP injection for serum and liver tissue assays. APAP overdose significantly elevated the serum alanine transferase levels, hepatic pro-inflammatory cytokines, malondialdehyde activity, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phospho-protein kinase B (AKT), and macrophage-stimulating protein expression. Stachydrine treatment significantly decreased these parameters in mice with APAP-induced liver damage. Our results suggest that stachydrine may be a promising beneficial target in the prevention of APAP-induced liver damage through attenuation of the inflammatory response, inhibition of the ERK and AKT pathways, and expression of macrophage-stimulating proteins.

Shenmai Injection Alleviates Myocardial Ferroptosis via Activating the AKT1/mTOR Pathway in Rats with Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) poses a serious burden on public health. Shenmai Injection (SMI) has been reported to have a cardioprotective effect and is used clinically attributed to its targeting of ferroptosis. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of SMI in treating AMI through the application of network pharmacology analysis.

METHODS

This study utilized network pharmacology to identify the bioactive ingredients and potential targets of SMI in treating AMI. A rat model of AMI was created by ligating the coronary arteries of rats, and a cell model was established by subjecting H9c2 cells to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) to reveal the cardioprotective effects of SMI. Western blotting was employed to measure protein expressions, while hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe relevant pathological changes. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to measure the levels of biomarkers associated with cardiac injury and oxidative stress.

RESULTS

A comprehensive analysis revealed a total of 225 putative targets of SMI in the context of AMI which exerted regulatory effects on numerous pathways and targeted multiple biological processes. AKT1 was identified as a core target mediating the effects of SMI on AMI by topological analysis. In vivo experiments revealed that SMI attenuated myocardial injury, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in rats with AMI. Furthermore, SMI was found to enhance the expression levels of p-AKT1 and p-mTOR proteins in the myocardial tissues of rats afflicted with AMI. Similar findings were also observed in H9c2 cells subjected to OGD. Of particular interest, the suppression of OGD-induced iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis-associated proteins by SMI in H9c2 cells was reversed upon inhibition of the AKT1/mTOR pathway via MK2206.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that SMI exerts a protective effect against myocardial injury and ferroptosis caused by AMI via the activation of the AKT1/mTOR pathway.

Immunosensitivity mediated by downregulated AKT1-SKP2 induces anti-PD-1-associated thyroid immune injury

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors evoke the immune system, which may cause immune-related adverse effects. The predictors and mechanisms of anti-PD-1-associated thyroid immune injury remain unclear.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis is conducted on 518 patients treated with anti PD-1/PD-L1. Firstly, the differences between anti PD-1 and anti PD-L1 are compared on the risk of thyroid immune injury. Then, the predictors of the risk and thyroid function for anti PD-1 related thyroid immune injury are analyzed. Furthermore, the in vitro mechanism of normal thyroid cells (NTHY) is studied. First, the effect of anti PD-1 on the cell viability and immune sensitivity of thyroid cells is observed. Cell viability includes cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, T4 secretion, while immune sensitivity includes molecular expression and CD8 + T cell aggregation and killing towards NTHY. Then the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) are screened by protein mass spectrometry. Enrichment of KEGG pathway and annotation of GO function on DEPs are conducted. Human protein-protein interactions are obtained from STRING database. The network is constructed and analyzed using Cytoscape software. In vitro, key proteins and their pathways are validated through overexpression plasmids or inhibitors. The recovery experiment and the immuno-coprecipitation experiment are designed to support the results. In vivo, the key proteins are detected in the thyroid tissue of mice fed with anti PD-1, as well as in the thyroid tissue of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

RESULTS

Thyroid irAE is associated with female, IgG, FT4, TPOAb, TGAb, TSHI, TFQI, and TSH. Peripheral lymphocytes are associated with thyroid function. In vitro, the NIVO group shows prologed G1 phase, decreased FT4, downregulated PD-L1, upregulated IFN-γ, and more CD8 + T cell infiltration and cytotoxicity. AKT1-SKP2 is chosen as the key protein. AKT1 overexpression and SKP2 inhibitor replies to NIVO and AKT1 overexpression, respectively. Immunoprecipitation shows SKP2 and PD-L1 interaction.

CONCLUSION

Female, impaired thyroid hormone sensitivity and IgG4 contribute to the risk of thyroid irAE, while peripheral blood lymphocyte characteristics affect thyroid function. Anti-PD-1 induces thyroid irAE by downregulating AKT1-SKP2 to enhance thyroid immunosensitivity.

Modulation of AKT Pathway-Targeting miRNAs for Cancer Cell Treatment with Natural Products

Many miRNAs are known to target the AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) pathway, which is critical for the regulation of several cell functions in cancer cell development. Many natural products exhibiting anticancer effects have been reported, but their connections to the AKT pathway (AKT and its effectors) and miRNAs have rarely been investigated. This review aimed to demarcate the relationship between miRNAs and the AKT pathway during the regulation of cancer cell functions by natural products. Identifying the connections between miRNAs and the AKT pathway and between miRNAs and natural products made it possible to establish an miRNA/AKT/natural product axis to facilitate a better understanding of their anticancer mechanisms. Moreover, the miRNA database (miRDB) was used to retrieve more AKT pathway-related target candidates for miRNAs. By evaluating the reported facts, the cell functions of these database-generated candidates were connected to natural products. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the natural product/miRNA/AKT pathway in the modulation of cancer cell development.

San Pian decoction can treat nitroglycerin-induced migraine in rats by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

San Pian decoction (SPD), a traditional Chinese medicine preparation composed of eight herbs, has been reported to alleviate migraine. However, its active ingredients and the potential mechanism of action remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively analyze SPD for the treatment of chronic migraine based on pharmacological direction and to identify the active ingredients and pharmacological mechanism of SPD in the treatment of migraine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The active components in SPD were identified by AB SCIEX quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and the prediction targets and pharmacological networks related to migraine were constructed. The mechanism of SPD in treating migraine was studied through network pharmacology, which was further verified using pharmacological experiments.

RESULTS

A total of 489 targets of 26 compounds were identified. Based on Venn analysis, we found 117 intersection targets between SPD and migraine, that is, these targets were related to the treatment of migraine. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the treatment of migraine using SPD was related to the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. The effect of SPD on migraine was verified by measuring the levels of the inflammatory factors, nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL-6), endothelin (ET),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenas (IDO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Lastly, real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to verify gene and protein expression in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. Expression of the genes P38, JNK, ERK, PI3K and AKT, and the protein expression of p-P38, p-JNK, p-ERK, p-AKT and p-PI3K were significantly downregulated. Our findings indicated that SPD could prevent inflammation by regulating the inflammatory cytokines and key genes and proteins in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways to treat migraine.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal that SPD could treat nitroglycerin-induced migraine by regulating p-AKT, p-pI3k, p-p38, p-ERK, p-JNK, IL-6, and TNF-α inflammatory factors in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways.

Synergistic effect of Aloe vera flower and Aloe gel on cutaneous wound healing targeting MFAP4 and its associated signaling pathway: In-vitro study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Liliaceae family) is a well-known traditional medicinal plant, that has been used to treat a variety of illnesses, for decades ranging from cancer to skin disorders including wounds. It has been included in the traditional and herbal healthcare systems of many cultures around the world, as well as the pharmacopeia of different countries. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have also confirmed its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing activities, etc. in the consistency of its historical and traditional uses. However, most studies to date are based on the A. vera gel and latex including its wound-healing effects. Very few studies have been focused on its flower, and rarely with its effects on cutaneous wound healing and its molecular mechanism.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the synergistic effect of the A. vera flower (AVF) and Aloe gel (PAG) on cutaneous wound-healing, as well as revealing its molecular mechanism targeting microfibril-associated glycoprotein 4 (MFAP4) and its associated signaling pathway.

METHODS

To investigate the synergistic effect of A. vera flower and Aloe gel in cutaneous wound healing, cell viability, and cell migration, as well proliferation assay was performed. This was followed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses in wounded conditions to check the effects of this mixture on protein and mRNA levels in normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells. Moreover, small interfering RNA (siRNA) -mediated knockdown of MFAP4 in NHDF cells was performed followed by migration assay and cell cycle analysis, to confirm its role in cutaneous wound healing. Additionally, HaCaT cells were included in this study to evaluate its migratory and anti-inflammatory effects.

RESULTS

Based on our obtained results, the PAG and AVF mixture synergistically induced the proliferation, migration, and especially ECM formation of NHDF cells by enhancing the expression of MFAP4. Other extracellular components associated with MFAP4 signaling pathway, such as fibrillin, collagen, elastin, TGF β, and α-SMA, also increased at both the protein and mRNA levels. Subsequently, this mixture initiated the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and AKT signaling pathways, and the S-phase of the cell cycle was also slightly modified. Also, the mixture induced the migration of HaCaT cells along with the suppression of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the siRNA-mediated knockdown highlighted the crucial role of MFAP4 in cutaneous wound healing in NHDF cells.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the mixture of PAG and AVF has significant wound healing effects targeting MFAP4 and its associated signaling pathway. Additionally, MFAP4 was recognized as a new potential biomarker of wound healing, which can be confirmed by further in vivo studies.

Neuregulin-1β Alleviates Sepsis-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy by Inhibiting Autophagy via AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Rats

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown that excessive protein degradation is a major cause of skeletal muscle atrophy induced by sepsis, and autophagy is the main pathway participating in protein degradation. However, the role of autophagy in sepsis is still controversial. Previously, we found that neuregulin-1β (NRG-1β) alleviated sepsis-induced diaphragm atrophy through the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling pathway. Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a classic signaling pathway to regulate autophagy, which maintains intracellular homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate whether NRG-1β could alleviate sepsis-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating autophagy.

METHODS

L6 rat myoblast cells were differentiated using 2% fetal bovine serum into myotubes, which were divided into four groups: Con group treated with normal serum; Sep group treated with septic serum to form a sepsis cell model; septic serum + NRG-1β (SN) group treated with septic serum for 24 h followed by injection with NRG-1β and incubation for another 48 h; and serum+NRG-1β+LY294002 group, in which the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was added 30 min before NRG-1β, and other treatments were similar to those in SN group. Effects of NRG-1β were also evaluated in vivo using Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, in which sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).

RESULTS

In L6 myotubes treated with septic serum, the expression of autophagy-related proteins UNC-51 like kinase 1, p-Beclin-1, and Beclin-1, and the ratio of LC3B II/I were highly increased, while protein p62 expression was decreased, indicating that autophagy was excessively activated. Moreover, NRG-1 expression was decreased, as detected by confocal immunofluorescence and western blotting. Upon exogenous addition of NRG-1β, autophagy was inhibited by the activation of Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and cell viability was also increased. These effects disappeared in the presence of LY294002. In SD rats, sepsis was induced by CLP. NRG-1β was shown to inhibit autophagy in these rats via the Akt/mTOR pathway, leading to increased body weight of the septic SD rats and alleviation of atrophy of the tibialis anterior muscle.

CONCLUSION

NRG-1β could alleviate sepsis-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by inhibiting autophagy via the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Increased expression of osteopontin in subchondral bone promotes bone turnover and remodeling, and accelerates the progression of OA in a mouse model

Osteopontin (OPN) has been proved to be closely related to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA), but the role of OPN in the pathogenesis of OA has not been fully clarified. Current studies on OPN in OA mostly focus on articular cartilage, synovial membrane and articular fluid, while ignoring its role in OA subchondral bone turnover and remodeling. In this study, we used a destabilization OA mouse model to investigate the role of OPN in OA subchondral bone changes. Our results indicate that increased expression of OPN accelerates the turnover and remodeling of OA subchondral bone, promotes the formation of h-type vessels in subchondral bone, and mediates articular cartilage degeneration induced by subchondral bone metabolism. In addition, our results confirmed that inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibits OPN-mediated OA subchondral bone remodeling and cartilage degeneration. This study revealed the role and mechanism of OPN in OA subchondral bone, which is of great significance for exploring specific biological indicators for early diagnosis of OA and monitoring disease progression, as well as for developing drugs to regulate the metabolism and turnover of subchondral bone and alleviate the subchondral bone sclerosis of OA.

OSI-906 restores the sensitivity of ovarian clear cell carcinoma to cisplatin by targeting the IGF1R/AKT pathway

Among the various histologic subtypes of ovarian cancers (OCs), ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) represents a great challenge due to its disease aggressiveness and resistance to chemotherapy. IGF1 is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and IGF1 pathway activation is related to the chemoresistance of various cancers. In this study, we found that the expression level of IGF1 was higher in OCCC than in the most common type of OC, high-grade serous adenocarcinoma (HGSC). Then, we investigated the role of IGF1 pathway activation in the progression of OCCC, observing that activation of the IGF1 pathway using IGF1 promoted the proliferation and migration of ES2 cells, while inactivation of the IGF1 pathway using the selective IGF1R inhibitor OSI-906 reversed the alteration mediated by IGF1. Based on the role of the IGF1 pathway in cancer chemoresistance, we proposed that OSI-906 may restore the sensitivity of OCCC to cisplatin. We first validated that IGF1 increased the IC50 value of cisplatin in ES2 cells, while OSI-906 decreased it. Then we confirmed that IGF1 decreased the apoptosis rate of ES2 cells induced by cisplatin, while OSI-906 increased it. Finally, we conducted animal experiments to investigate whether OSI-906 helps cisplatin control the growth of OCCC. As expected, OSI-906 increased the effect of cisplatin in attenuating the growth of OCCC in vivo. Therefore, we conclude that using OSI-906 may be an effective method to restore the sensitivity of OCCC to cisplatin by targeting the IGF1R/AKT pathway.

Norcantharidin counteracts acquired everolimus resistance in renal cell carcinoma by dual inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and complex 2 pathways in Vitro

Everolimus, an oral mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor, presents a therapeutic option in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients who were intolerant to, or previously failed, immune- and vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapies. However, the onset of drug resistance limits its clinical use. One possible mechanism underpinning the resistance is that inhibiting mTORC1 by everolimus results in mTORC2-dependent activation of v-Akt murine thymoma viral oncogene (AKT) and upregulation of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF). Norcantharidin (NCTD) is a demethylated derivative of cantharidin with antitumor properties which is an active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine Mylabris. In this study, everolimus-resistant RCC cells (786-O-R) obtained by chronic everolimus treatment revealed higher level of HIF2α and over-activated mTORC2 pathway and NCTD inhibits cell proliferation in both everolimus-resistant and -sensitive RCC cells by arresting cell cycle in G0/G1 phase and reducing cell cycle-related proteins of C-Myc and cyclin D. Furthermore, NCTD shows synergistic anticancer effects combined with everolimus in everolimus-resistant 786-O-R cells. Mechanically, NCTD repressed both mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling pathways as well as downstream molecular signaling pathways, such as p-4EBP1, p-AKT, HIF1α and HIF2α. Our findings provide sound evidence that combination of NCTD and everolimus is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating RCC and overcoming everolimus resistance by dual inhibition of mTORC1 and mTORC2.

Effect of berbamine on invasion and metastasis of human liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells and its possible mechanism

Berbamine is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Berberis poiretii of Berberis of Berberidaceae. It has been reported that it can significantly inhibit the proliferation of a variety of malignant tumor cells, including liver cancer. However, the effect of berbamine on the invasion and metastasis of liver cancer has not been reported. The present study demonstrated that berbamine inhibited the migration and invasion of SMMC-7721 cells in a concentration-dependent manner and obviously increased the gap junction function and the expression of Cx32 in SMMC-7721 cells compared with control group. However, after silencing Cx32, berbamine had no significant effect on cell invasion and metastasis. Before silencing Cx32, the expression of PI3K and P-AKT were decreased after berbamine treated on SMMC-7721 cells for 24 h. After silencing Cx32, the expression of PI3K and P-AKT were increased in SMMC-7721 cells. The expression of PI3K and P-AKT had no significant effect after berbamine treated on SMMC-7721 cells for 24 h with silencing Cx32. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that berbamine could inhibit the SMMC-7721 cell migration and invasion, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by enhancing the expression of Cx32.

Inhibition of immunoproteasome subunit low molecular mass polypeptide 7 with ONX-0914 improves hypoxic-ischemic brain damage via PI3K/Akt signaling

The immunoproteasome subunit low molecular mass polypeptide 7 (LMP7) leads to brain injuries, such as autoimmune neuritis and ischemic stroke, by activating inflammation. However, the roles and mechanisms of LMP7 in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) remain unclear. This study explored these issues in a rat model of HIBD. Pathology was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining. LMP7 expression was detected using western blot analysis, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and immunohistochemical staining. The presence of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, was tested using ELISA and RT-qPCR. Behavioral performance was evaluated using a short-term neurological function score and the Morris water maze test. Compared to those in the Sham group, the HIBD group exhibited obvious upregulated LMP7 and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. HIBD rats exhibited severe pathological and behavioral damage. LMP7 inhibition with ONX-0914 reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression, attenuated pathological damage, and enhanced behavioral performance of rats with HIBD. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling with LY29400 increased LMP7 expression and abolished the protective effects of ONX-0914 in HIBD rats. Our findings indicate that LMP7 aggravates brain injury by triggering inflammatory responses in HIBD rats. LMP7 inhibition with ONX-0914 exerts protective effects on HIBD rats, possibly via PI3K/Akt signaling.

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors enhance the cytotoxicity of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Sertraline and fluoxetine are the two most commonly used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of depression. Accumulating evidence has revealed that SSRIs can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but their therapeutic effects in HCC have not yet been elucidated. Previous studies have reported that sertraline and fluoxetine can suppress the growth of gastric carcinoma, melanoma and nonsmall cell lung cancers by inhibiting the mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR) activity. In this study, we found that sertraline and fluoxetine blocked the protein kinase B (AKT)/mTOR pathway and suppressed the growth of HCC cells in vitro, in xenografts and in diethylnitrosamine/carbon tetrachloride (DEN/CCL4)-induced primary liver mouse model. Sertraline and fluoxetine can synergize with sorafenib, the first approved standard therapy for advanced HCC, to inhibit the viability of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the combination of sorafenib and SSRIs synergistically inhibited the effects of the AKT/mTOR pathway. These results reveal novel therapeutic effects of a combination of SSRIs and sorafenib in HCC.

Actein antagonizes colorectal cancer through blocking PI3K/Akt pathways by downregulating IMPDH2

Actein, a triterpene glycoside, isolated from rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida, was reported to exhibit anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of actein on colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. As one of the most popular cancers all over the world, CRC ranked third place in both men and women. Recently, we investigated the potential anti-CRC effects of actein and its mechanisms. The Cell counting kit-8 cell proliferation assays, cell cycle detection, apoptosis detection, reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential evaluation, western blot, as well as SW480 xenograft mice model were conducted to illustrate the mechanisms of action on anti-CRC effects of actein. Actein could significantly inhibit the human CRC cell lines SW480 and HT-29 proliferation, whereas less antiproliferation effects were found in normal colorectal cell lines HCoEpiC and FHC. Administration of actein resulted in G1 phase cell cycle arrest in both SW480 and HT-29 cells. Moreover, mitochondria-mediated apoptosis was also observed after treatment with actein in SW480 and HT-29 cell lines. Further investigation of mechanisms of action on actein-mediated anti-CRC proliferation effects indicated that the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/Akt pathways were involved. Actein significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of key molecules in PI3K/Akt pathways, including mTOR, glycogen synthesis kinase 3β (GSK-3β), as well as FOXO1. In addition, inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase type II (IMPDH2) was also observed decreasing in both SW480 and HT-29 cell lines after actein treatment, suggesting that actein may inhibit the PI3K/Akt pathways by decreasing IMPDH2. Finally, our SW480 xenograft model verified the anti-CRC effects and the safety of actein in vivo. Our findings suggest actein is worthy of further investigation as a novel drug candidate for the treatment of CRC.

PIN1 Protects Hair Cells and Auditory HEI-OC1 Cells against Senescence by Inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway

A growing amount of evidence has confirmed the crucial role of the prolyl isomerase PIN1 in aging and age-related diseases. However, the mechanism of PIN1 in age-related hearing loss (ARHL) remains unclear. Pathologically, ARHL is primarily due to the loss and dysfunction of hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion cells (SGCs) in the cochlea. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the role of PIN1 in protecting hair cells and auditory HEI-OC1 cells from senescence. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the PIN1 protein level in the serum of ARHL patients and C57BL/6 mice in different groups, and in the SGCs and HCs of young and aged C57BL/6 mice. In addition, a model of HEI-OC1 cell senescence induced by H2O2 was used. Adult C57BL/6 mice were treated with juglone, or juglone and NAC, for 4 weeks. Interestingly, we found that the PIN1 protein expression decreased in the serum of patients with ARHL, in senescent HEI-OC1 cells, and in the cochlea of aged mice. Moreover, under H2O2 and juglone treatment, a large amount of ROS was produced, and phosphorylation of p53 was induced. Importantly, PIN1 expression was significantly increased by treatment with the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-α. Overexpression of PIN1 reversed the increased level of p-p53 and rescued HEI-OC1 cells from senescence. Furthermore, PIN1 mediated cellular senescence by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In vivo data from C57BL/6 mice showed that treatment with juglone led to hearing loss. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that PIN1 may act as a vital modulator in hair cell and HEI-OC1 cell senescence.

Glucocorticoids suppressed osteoblast differentiation by decreasing Sema3A expression via the PIK3/Akt pathway

Glucocorticoids(GCs) are extensively used to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Excessive prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. The inhibition of osteoblast differentiation by GCs is suggested as a major cause for GCs-induced osteoporosis (GIO). However, the precise mechanism underlying the role of GCs in osteoblasts differentiation is not fully elucidated. Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), a secreted member of the Semaphorin family, enhances bone formation and promotes fracture healing, which is known to increase osteoblastic differentiation and stimulate osteogenesis in bone metabolism. Here, the present study explored the effect of Sema3A in osteoblast differentiation using dexamethasone (Dex) treatment of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Dex treatment decreased Sema3A expression in BMSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, Dex stimulation suppressed the differentiation of osteoblasts by reducing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteoblastic marker genes expression and mineralization, but all of these effects were ameliorated by exogenous recombinant Sema3A administration. Furthermore, exogenous Sema3A administration reversed the Dex-mediated decrease in nuclear accumulation of β-catenin and β-catenin activity in BMSCs. Meanwhile, Dex was capable of simultaneously suppressing the phosphorylation of protein kinase B(Akt) and the expression level of Sema3A in BMSCs. These changes were significantly abolished by the PI3K/Akt agonist. These results suggest that Dex inhibits osteoblast differentiation by suppressing Sema3A expression via the PI3K/Akt pathway. These data provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of Dex-induced osteoblast differentiation inhibition.

Effects of β-carboline alkaloids from Peganum harmala on the FAK/PI3K/AKT/Mtor pathway in human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and tumor-bearing mice

This study investigates the effects of β-carboline alkaloids from Peganum harmala on FAK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and tumor-bearing mice. Western blot, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were performed to detect protein and mRNA expressions of BCL-2, Bax, FAK, PI3K, AKT and mTOR. Mice model of gastric tumor was established with SGC-7901 cells. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis. HE staining was used to observe morphological changes. In vitro, the protein and mRNA expressions of FAK, PI3K, AKT and mTOR in β-carboline alkaloids groups were significantly lower than those in control and fluorouracil groups (P<0.05). BCL-2 decreased while Bax increased. In vivo, the tumor weights of β-carboline alkaloids and fluorouracil groups were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.05). FAK, PI3K, AKT and mTOR proteins in tumor tissues of β-carboline alkaloids and fluorouracil groups were significantly lower than control group (P<0.05). Additionally, β-carboline alkaloids treatment in vivo caused obvious cell necrosis and apoptosis. Conclusively, β-carboline alkaloids can reduce FAK, PI3K, AKT and mTOR expressions at both protein and mRNA levels in SGC-7901 cells and tumor tissues formed by SGC-7901 cells. They may be targets of β-carboline in FAK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Phyllanthin prevents diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver carcinogenesis in rats and induces apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells

Liver cancer is a critical clinical condition with augmented malignancy, rapid progression, and poor prognosis. Liver cancer often initiates as fibrosis, develops as cirrhosis, and results in cancer. For centuries, medicinal plants have been incorporated in various liver-associated complications, and recently, research has recognized that many bioactive compounds from medicinal plants may interact with targets related to liver disorders. Phyllanthin from the Phyllanthus species is one such compound extensively used by folklore practitioners for various health benefits. However, most practices continue to be unrecognized scientifically. Hence, in this work, we investigated the protective role of phyllanthin on diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver carcinoma in Wistar Albino rats and the anti-tumor potential on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cells. The DEN-challenged liver cancer in experimental rats caused increased liver weight, 8-OHD, hepatic tissue injury marker, lipid peroxidation, and tumor markers levels. Remarkably, phyllanthin counteracted the DEN effect by ameliorating all the liver function enzymes, oxidative DNA damage, and tumor-specific markers by enhanced anti-oxidant capacity and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis through the mTOR/ PI3K signaling pathway. MTT assay demonstrated that phyllanthin inhibited the HepG2 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. Fascinatingly, phyllanthin did not demonstrate any substantial effect on the normal cell line, HL7702. In addition, HepG2 cells were found in the late apoptotic stage upon treatment with phyllanthin as depicted by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Overall, this work offers scientific justification that phyllanthin can be claimed to be a safe candidate with potential chemotherapeutic activity against HCC.

Melatonin prevents diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction from microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by activating autophagy via TLR4/Akt/mTOR pathway

Cognitive dysfunction often occurs in diabetes mellitus patients. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of melatonin (MLT) in improving diabetes-associated cognitive decline and the underlying mechanism involved. Type 2 diabetic mice and palmitic acid (PA)-stimulated BV-2 cells were treated by MLT, and the potential mechanisms among MLT, cognition, and autophagy were explored. The results showed that type 2 diabetic mice showed obvious learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze test compared with normal controls, which could be ameliorated by MLT treatment. Meanwhile, MLT administration significantly improved neuroinflammation and regulated microglial apoptosis. Furthermore, autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) increased the microglial inflammation and apoptosis, indicating that the treatment effect of MLT was mediated by autophagy. Lastly, MLT treatment significantly decreased the levels of toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), phosphorylated-protein kinase B (Akt), and phosphorylated-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), indicating that blocking TLR4/Akt/mTOR pathway might be an underlying basis for the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects of MLT. Collectively, our study suggested that MLT could improve learning and memory in type 2 diabetic mice by activating autophagy via the TLR4/Akt/mTOR pathway, thereby inhibiting neuroinflammation and microglial apoptosis.

Methyl-Donors Can Induce Apoptosis and Attenuate Both the Akt and the Erk1/2 Mediated Proliferation Pathways in Breast and Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Dietary methyl-donors play important roles in physiological processes catalyzed by B vitamins as coenzymes, and are used for complementary support in oncotherapy. Our hypothesis was that methyl-donors can not only assist in tolerating cancer treatment but may also directly interfere with tumor growth and proliferation. Therefore, we investigated the proposed cancer inhibitory effects of methyl-donors (in a mixture of L-methionine, choline chloride, folic acid, and vitamin B12) on MCF7 and T47D breast cancer as well as A549 and H1650 lung cancer cell lines. Indeed, methyl-donor treatment significantly reduced the proliferation in all cell lines, possibly through the downregulation of MAPK/ERK and AKT signaling. These were accompanied by the upregulation of the pro-apoptotic Bak and Bax, both in MCF7 and H1650 cells, at reduced anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 levels in MCF7 and H1650 cells, respectively. The treatment-induced downregulation of p-p53(Thr55) was likely to contribute to protecting the nuclear localization and apoptosis inducing functions of p53. The presented features are known to improve the sensitivity of cancer therapy. Therefore, these data support the hypothesis, i.e., that methyl-donors may promote apoptotic signaling by protecting p53 functions through downregulating both the MAPK/ERK and the AKT pathways both in breast and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Our results can emphasize the importance and benefits of the appropriate dietary supports in cancer treatments. However, further studies are required to confirm these effects without any adverse outcome in clinical settings.

Antidepressant mechanism and active compounds of saffron from network pharmacology study

Saffron has been applied in depression treatment, but its antidepressant compounds and mechanisms are unclear. In this research, a network pharmacology-based method was proposed to screen the active compounds and the potential mechanisms of saffron for depression treatment. Firstly, the chemical compounds of saffron were collected from literature and filtered by drug-like prediction. Secondly, common targets, by comparing the targets of saffron predicted by Pharm Mapper server with targets associated with depression collected from Genecards, were regarded as the antidepressant targets of saffron. Thirdly, common targets were mapped to KEGG pathways, considered as the pathways related with the antidepressant effects of saffron. Finally, the network of compounds-targets-pathways was constructed and analyzed by cytoscape 3.4.0. Ten compounds including crocetin, picrocrocin, (1R, 5S, 6R)-5-(hydroxymethyl)- 4, 4, 6-trimethyl-7-Oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-one and its glycoside were screened as the main antidepressant compounds, some of which were reported for the first time. They might have effective treatment for depression by acting on targets, such as MAP2K1, MAPK1, HRAS, PIK3R1, ALB and AKT1 and pathways related with immune system, signal transduction and so on. This study provided a new insight into the antidepressant mechanism and active compounds of saffron, which also had a guiding effect on later experiments.

Rosiglitazone promotes glucose metabolism of GIFT tilapia based on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

The study aimed to explore the effects of rosiglitazone on glucose metabolism of GIFT tilapia based on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The experiment was divided into five groups: normal starch group (32%, LC), high starch group (53%, HC), high starch +rosiglitazone group 1 (10 mg/kg, R1), high starch + rosiglitazone group 2 (20 mg/kg, R2), and high starch + rosiglitazone group 3 (30 mg/kg, R3). The results showed that a high starch diet supplemented with 10-20 mg/kg rosiglitazone had a better specific growth rate and protein efficiency that was beneficial for the growth of the tilapia. Rosiglitazone had no significant effect on the contents of crude lipid, crude protein, crude ash, and moisture of the whole fish body (p > 0.05). The contents of triglycerides and total cholesterol in the R1, R2, and R3 groups were lower than those in the HC group. The levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in R1 and R2 groups were significantly lower than those in the HC groups (p < 0.05). However, the GOT and GPT levels in the R3 groups were significantly higher than those in the R1 and R2 groups (p < 0.05). With an increase in the rosiglitazone concentration, the contents of serum glucose, insulin, and hepatic glycogen in the R1, R2, and R3 groups decreased gradually. Meanwhile, the muscle glycogen content in the R1, R2, and R3 groups increased gradually. The mRNA expression of the IRS-1, PI3K, GLUT-4, and Akt proteins in the R1, R2, and R3 groups was significantly higher than that in the HC group (p < 0.05). Compared with the HC group, the expression of the GSK-3 mRNA in the R1, R2, and R3 groups was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The protein expression of p-Akt in the R1 and R2 groups was higher than that in the HC group (p > 0.05). The protein expression of p-GSK-3β in the R1 and R2 groups was significantly higher than that in the HC group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a high starch diet supplemented with rosiglitazone can improve growth, enhance the serum biochemical indices, and increase the muscle glycogen content in the GIFT tilapia. It benefits in upregulating the IRS-1, PI3K, and GLUT-4 mRNA levels in the skeletal muscle and promotes glucose uptake. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β increased significantly and resulted in the inactivation of GSK-3β and alleviation of insulin resistance.

NLRP3 Inflammasome Inhibition by MCC950 in Aged Mice Improves Health via Enhanced Autophagy and PPARα Activity

The NLRP3 inflammasome has emerged as an important regulator of metabolic disorders and age-related diseases in NLRP3-deficient mice. In this article, we determine whether, in old mice C57BL6J, the NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor MCC950 is able to attenuate age-related metabolic syndrome to providing health benefits. We report that MCC950 attenuates metabolic and hepatic dysfunction in aged mice. In addition, MCC950 inhibited the Pi3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, enhanced autophagy, and activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in vivo and in vitro. The data suggest that MCC950 mediates the protective effects by the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition, thus activating autophagy and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α. In conclusion, pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 in aged mice has a significant impact on health. Thus, NLRP3 may be a therapeutic target of human age-related metabolic syndrome.

Study on the Mechanism of Prunella Vulgaris L on Diabetes Mellitus Complicated with Hypertension Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Analyses

The role of traditional Chinese medicine Prunella vulagaris L in the treatment of tumors and inflammation has been widely confirmed. We found that some signaling pathways of Prunella vulgaris L action can also regulate diabetes and hypertension, so we decided to study the active ingredients, potential targets and signaling pathway of Prunrlla vulgaris L, and explore the "multi-target, multi-pathway" molecular mechanism of Prunella vulgaris L on diabetes mellitus complicated with hypertension(DH). Methods. Based on TCMSP(Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform) and CNKI(China National Knowledge Infrastructure), the components and action targets related to Prunella vulgaris L were screened. The OMIM(Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) and GeneCards (The human gene database) were used to search for targets related to DH. The "gene - drug - disease" relationship map was drawn by Cytoscape_v3.7.2 plug-in. The target was amplified by the STRING platform, and the "protein - protein" interaction relationship (PPI) network of the interacting target was obtained by the STRING online analysis platform and the Cytoscape_v3.7.2 plug-in. Finally, GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were conducted on David and Metascape platform to study the co-acting targets. Results. 11 active components, 41 key targets and 16 significant signaling pathways were identified from Prunella vulgaris L. The main active components of Prunella vulgaris L against DH were quercetin and kaumferol, etc, and potential action targets were IL-6 and INS, etc and signaling pathways were AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, etc. It involves in biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammatory response. Conclusions. The main molecular mechanism of Prunella vulgaris L against DH is that sterols and flavonoids play an active role by affecting TNF signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, MAPK pathway, PI3K-Akt pathway related targets such as IL-6 and INS.

Piperlongumine inhibits head and neck squamous cell carcinoma proliferation by docking to Akt

Piperlongumine (PL) is a biologically active alkaloid isolated from the long pepper roots and widely used as a traditional medicine in Ayurvedic medicine. However, the mechanism of PL's effect on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is not well understood. We performed cell experiments to confirm PL's inhibitory effect on HNSCC and employing cisplatin as positive control. Next, we conducted bioinformatics to predict PL's potential targets and verified by western blotting. Molecular docking, Biacore experiment and kinase activity assays were applied to elucidate the mechanism by which PL inhibited target activity. In vivo efficacy was verified by xenotransplantation and immunohistochemistry. PL inhibited proliferation, promoted late apoptosis, arrested cell cycle and inhibited DNA replication of the HEp-2 and FaDu cell lines. Employing bioinformatics, we found that PL's target was Akt and PL attenuated Akt phosphorylation. We found from molecular docking, Biacore experiment and kinase activity assay that PL inhibited Akt activation by docking to Akt to restrain its activity. In addition, PL significantly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors by down regulating the expression of p-Akt in vivo. This study provides new insights into the molecular functions of PL and indicate its potential as a therapeutic agent for HNSCC.

TRIM3 attenuates apoptosis in Parkinson's disease via activating PI3K/AKT signal pathway

This article aims to study tripartite motif-containing protein 3 (TRIM3) effects on Parkinson's disease (PD). TRIM3 expression in venous blood of PD patients was detected by qRT-PCR. PD mouse model and PD SH-SY5Y cell model were constructed. PD cells were treated by LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor). The apoptosis of PD mouse midbrain was detected. Glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) level in PD cells and mice midbrain was analyzed. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MMP were detected. The effect of TRIM3 on cell viability, apoptosis and PI3K/AKT signal pathway were analyzed. As a result, TRIM3 expression in venous blood of PD patients was decreased. TRIM3 up-regulation in PD mouse decreased midbrain tissues apoptosis. TRIM3 up-regulation increased GSH and SOD levels in PD mice midbrain tissues and PD cells. TRIM3 up-regulation in PD cells prominently reduced ROS and MMP. TRIM3 up-regulation increased PD cells viability and decreased apoptosis. TRIM3 up-regulation in PD cells elevated Bcl-2 protein expression and weakened Bax, Cleaved-caspase 3 and Cleaved-caspase 9 proteins expression. TRIM3 up-regulation increased p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT ratio. PI3K inhibitor treatment reversed the inhibitory effect of TRIM3 up-regulation on PD cells apoptosis. Thus, TRIM3 might attenuate apoptosis in PD via activating PI3K/AKT signal pathway.

The molecular mechanisms of celecoxib in tumor development

BACKGROUND

Clinical studies have shown that celecoxib can significantly inhibit the development of tumors, and basic experiments and in vitro experiments also provide a certain basis, but it is not clear how celecoxib inhibits tumor development in detail.

METHODS

A literature search of all major academic databases was conducted (PubMed, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), Wan-fang, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), including the main research on the mechanisms of celecoxib on tumors.

RESULTS

Celecoxib can intervene in tumor development and reduce the formation of drug resistance through multiple molecular mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

Celecoxib mainly regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells by inhibiting the cyclooxygenases-2/prostaglandin E2 signal axis and thereby inhibiting the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κ-gene binding, Akt, signal transducer and activator of transcription and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9. Meanwhile, it was found that celecoxib could promote the apoptosis of tumor cells by enhancing mitochondrial oxidation, activating mitochondrial apoptosis process, promoting endoplasmic reticulum stress process, and autophagy. Celecoxib can also reduce the occurrence of drug resistance by increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs.

Propofol Affects Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Biology By Regulating the miR-21/PTEN/AKT Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo

BACKGROUND

Propofol is a common sedative-hypnotic drug traditionally used for inducing and maintaining general anesthesia. Recent studies have drawn attention to the nonanesthetic effects of propofol, but the potential mechanism by which propofol suppresses non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression has not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

For the in vitro experiments, we used propofol (0, 2, 5, and 10 µg/mL) to treat A549 cells for 1, 4, and 12 hours and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) to detect proliferation. Apoptosis was measured with flow cytometry. We also transfected A549 cells with an microribonucleic acid-21 (miR-21) mimic or negative control ribonucleic acid (RNA) duplex and phosphatase and tensin homolog, deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) or negative control. PTEN, phosphorylated protein kinase B (pAKT), and protein kinase B (AKT) expression were detected using Western blotting, whereas miR-21 expression was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In vivo, nude mice were given injections of A549 cells to grow xenograft tumors; 8 days later, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with propofol (35 mg/kg) or soybean oil. Tumors were then collected from mice and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Propofol inhibited growth (1 hour, P = .001; 4 hours, P ≤ .0001; 12 hours, P = .0004) and miR-21 expression (P ≤ .0001) and induced apoptosis (1 hour, P = .0022; 4 hours, P = .0005; 12 hours, P ≤ .0001) in A549 cells in a time and concentration-dependent manner. MiR-21 mimic and PTEN siRNA transfection antagonized the suppressive effects of propofol on A549 cells by decreasing PTEN protein expression (mean differences [MD] [95% confidence interval {CI}], -0.51 [-0.86 to 0.16], P = .0058; MD [95% CI], 0.81 [0.07-1.55], P = .0349, respectively), resulting in an increase in pAKT levels (MD [95% CI] = -0.82 [-1.46 to -0.18], P = .0133) following propofol exposure. In vivo, propofol treatment reduced NSCLC tumor growth (MD [95% CI] = -109.47 [-167.03 to -51.91], P ≤ .0001) and promoted apoptosis (MD [95% CI] = 38.53 [11.69-65.36], P = .0093).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicated that propofol inhibited A549 cell growth, accelerated apoptosis via the miR-21/PTEN/AKT pathway in vitro, suppressed NSCLC tumor cell growth, and promoted apoptosis in vivo. Our findings provide new implications for propofol in cancer therapy and indicate that propofol is extremely advantageous in surgical treatment.

Histamine 2/3 receptor agonists alleviate perioperative neurocognitive disorders by inhibiting microglia activation through the PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 pathway in aged rats

BACKGROUND

Microglia, the principal sentinel immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), play an extensively vital role in neuroinflammation and perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND). Histamine, a potent mediator of inflammation, can both promote and prevent microglia-related neuroinflammation by activating different histamine receptors. Rat microglia express four histamine receptors (H1R, H2R, H3R, and H4R), among which the histamine 1 and 4 receptors can promote microglia activation, whereas the role and cellular mechanism of the histamine 2 and 3 receptors have not been elucidated. Therefore, we evaluated the effects and potential cellular mechanisms of histamine 2/3 receptors in microglia-mediated inflammation and PND.

METHODS

This study investigated the role of histamine 2/3 receptors in microglia-induced inflammation and PND both in vivo and in vitro. In the in vivo experiments, rats were injected with histamine 2/3 receptor agonists in the right lateral ventricle and were then subjected to exploratory laparotomy. In the in vitro experiments, primary microglia were pretreated with histamine 2/3 receptor agonists before stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cognitive function, microglia activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, NF-κb expression, M1/M2 phenotypes, cell migration, and Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) expression were assessed.

RESULTS

In our study, the histamine 2/3 receptor agonists inhibited exploratory laparotomy- or LPS-induced cognitive decline, microglia activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, NF-κb expression, M1/M2 phenotype transformation, cell migration, and TLR4 expression through the PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 pathway.

CONCLUSION

Based on our findings, we conclude that histamine 2/3 receptors ameliorate PND by inhibiting microglia activation through the PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 pathway. Our results highlight histamine 2/3 receptors as potential therapeutic targets to treat neurological conditions associated with PND.

Circulating extracellular vesicles from patients with valvular heart disease induce neutrophil chemotaxis via FOXO3a and the inhibiting role of dexmedetomidine

We previously demonstrated that circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from patients with valvular heart disease (VHD; vEVs) contain inflammatory components and inhibit endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Neutrophil chemotaxis plays a key role in renal dysfunction, and dexmedetomidine (DEX) can reduce renal dysfunction in cardiac surgery. However, the roles of vEVs in neutrophil chemotaxis and effects of DEX on vEVs are unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of vEVs on neutrophil chemotaxis in kidneys and the influence of DEX on vEVs. Circulating EVs were isolated from healthy subjects and patients with VHD. The effects of EVs on chemokine generation, forkhead box protein O3a (FOXO3a) pathway activation and neutrophil chemotaxis on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and kidneys in mice and the influence of DEX on EVs were detected. vEVs increased FOXO3a expression, decreased phosphorylation of Akt and FOXO3a, promoted FOXO3a nuclear translocation, and activated the FOXO3a signaling pathway in vitro. DEX pretreatment reduced vEV-induced CXCL4 and CCL5 expression and neutrophil chemotaxis in cultured HUVECs via the FOXO3a signaling pathway. vEVs were also found to suppress Akt phosphorylation and activate FOXO3a signaling to increase plasma levels of CXCL4 and CCL5 and neutrophil accumulation in kidney. The overall mechanism was inhibited in vivo with DEX pretreatment. Our data demonstrated that vEVs induced CXCL4-CCL5 to stimulate neutrophil infiltration in kidney, which can be inhibited by DEX via the FOXO3a signaling. Our findings reveal a unique mechanism involving vEVs in inducing neutrophils chemotaxis and may provide a novel basis for using DEX in reducing renal dysfunction in valvular heart surgery.

Melatonin enhances thrombopoiesis through ERK1/2 and Akt activation orchestrated by dual adaptor for phosphotyrosine and 3-phosphoinositides

Melatonin (MT), endogenously secreted by the pineal gland, is closely related to multiple biological processes; however, its effect on thrombopoiesis is still not well illustrated. Here, we demonstrate that MT administration can elevate peripheral platelet levels. Analysis of different stages in thrombopoiesis reveals that MT has the capacity to promote the expansion of CD34⁺ and CD41⁺ cells, and accelerate proplatelet formation (PPF) and platelet production. Furthermore, in vivo experiments show that MT has a potential therapeutic effect on radiation-induced thrombocytopenia. The underlying mechanism suggests that both extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt signaling are involved in the processes of thrombopoiesis facilitated by MT. Interestingly, in addition to the direct regulation of Akt signaling by its upstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), ERK1/2 signaling is also regulated by PI3K via its effector, dual adaptor for phosphotyrosine and 3-phosphoinositides (DAPP1), in megakaryocytes after MT treatment. Moreover, the expression level of DAPP1 during megakaryocyte differentiation is closely related to the activation of ERK1/2 and Akt at different stages of thrombopoiesis. In conclusion, our data suggest that MT treatment can promote thrombopoiesis, which is modulated by the DAPP1-orchestrated activation of ERK1/2 and Akt signaling.

Mangiferin Alleviates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice through Regulating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

Renal interstitial fibrosis is considered to be the typical manifestation of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Mangiferin has shown positive effect on the prevention or treatment of diabetes and its complications. The aim of this study was to explore the inhibitive effect and mechanism of mangiferin on renal interstitial fibrosis in diabetic mice. Streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic mice were treated with mangiferin (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks. The morphology of kidneys was observed by Masson's trichrome staining, and the biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), and urine protein) were determined by kits. In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-1β), antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px), MDA, and ROS were assessed. Furthermore, the expressions of fibronectin (FN), collagen I (Col I), and α-SMA were measured by immunohistochemistry. Regulations of TGF-β1 and the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway were detected by Western blotting. Treatment with mangiferin significantly ameliorated renal dysfunction in diabetic mice, as evidenced by the increase in body weight and decreases in FBG, TG, TC, BUN, SCr, urine protein, and the kidney to body weight ratio (KW/BW). Furthermore, mangiferin treatment prevented renal interstitial fibrosis evidenced by decreases in the positive expression of FN, Col I, and α-SMA, in comparison with morphological changes in the renal tissue. Meanwhile, mangiferin increased antioxidant enzymes, reduced the TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, as well as MDA and ROS. Additionally, mangiferin administration also downregulated TGF-β1, upregulated PTEN, and decreased the phosphorylation of both PI3K and Akt. These findings demonstrate that mangiferin may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in DN, thereby inhibiting the renal interstitial fibrosis by reducing the TGF-β1-mediated elevation of Col I, FN, and α-SMA through the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway.

The antagonist of CXCR1 and CXCR2 protects db/db mice from metabolic diseases through modulating inflammation

Interleukin-8 (IL-8, also named CXCL8) binds to its receptors (CXCR1 and CXCR2) with subsequent recruitment of neutrophils and enhancement of their infiltration into inflamed sites, which exaggerates inflammation in many diseases. Recent studies have proposed that metabolic disorders can be attenuated by counteracting certain inflammatory signal pathways. In this study, we examined whether intervention with G31P, an antagonist of CXCL8, could attenuate tissue inflammation and development of metabolic disorders in db/db mice. The db/m and db/db mice were subcutaneously injected with G31P or equivalent normal saline once a day for 6 wk. The physical and metabolic parameters, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, hepatic lipid accumulation, and inflammation markers were measured. G31P improved hepatic insulin sensitivity by modulating expression of genes related to gluconeogenesis and phosphorylated Akt levels. The expressions of several genes encoding proteins involved in de novo lipogenesis were decreased in G31P-treated db/db mice. Meanwhile, immune cell infiltration and cytokine release were attenuated in db/db mice with G31P treatment. G31P also improved the ratio of proinflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Furthermore, G31P ameliorates metabolic disturbances via inhibition of CXCR1 and CXCR2 pathways in db/db mice. These data suggest that the selective inhibition of CXC chemokines may have therapeutic effects on symptoms associated with obesity and diabetes.

No evidence of attenuation of placental insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and amino acid transport in maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus

Pregnancies complicated by obesity and/or gestational diabetes (GDM) are associated with peripheral insulin resistance; however, the insulin responsiveness of the placenta in these pregnancy complications remains largely unknown. We tested the hypothesis that primary human trophoblast cells and placental villous explants will be insulin responsive, characterized by amino acid transport, Akt and Erk activity with maternal obesity, and/or GDM. We evaluated term placentas from women with normal body mass index (BMI) (normal; n = 15), obesity (OB; n = 11), normal BMI with GDM (N-GDM; n = 11), and obesity with GDM (OB-GDM; n = 11). In a subgroup, primary human trophoblast cells (PHT) were isolated, and in an independent subgroup placental villous explants were exposed to varying concentrations of insulin. Amino acid transport capacity and insulin signaling activity were determined. Insulin significantly increased amino acid transport activity to a similar degree in PHT cells isolated from normal (+21%), N-GDM (+38%), OB (+37%), and OB-GDM (+35%) pregnancies. Insulin increased Akt and Erk phosphorylation in PHT cells (3-fold) and in villous explants (2-fold) in all groups to a similar degree. In contrast to the peripheral maternal insulin resistance commonly associated with obesity and/or GDM, we found that the placenta is insulin sensitive in these pregnancy complications. We suggest that elevated maternal insulin levels in pregnancies complicated by obesity and/or GDM promote critical placental functions, including amino acid transport. Insulin-stimulated placental nutrient delivery may contribute to the increased risk of fetal overgrowth and adiposity in these pregnancies. Moreover, our findings may inform efforts to optimize insulin regimens for women with GDM.

Anti-gastric cancer effect of Salidroside through elevating miR-99a expression

Salidroside is an active ingredient extracted from Rhodiola rosea that has anti-tumor activities. The current paper attempted to assess the impact of Salidroside on gastric cancer (GC) and explore the potential mechanism. GC cell lines (SNU-216 and MGC803) and gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 were treated with Salidroside. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry and Transwell assay were respectively performed to evaluate GC cells phenotype. qRT-PCR and western blot were conducted to reveal the downstream genes and signaling of Salidroside. We found that 800 μM Salidroside was capable of reducing GC cells viability, while has no such impacts on GES-1 cells. Salidroside inhibited GC cells proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted apoptosis, which coupled with the down-regulation of p21, Bcl-2, MMP2, RhoA, p-ROCK1, Vimentin and the up-regulations of CyclinD1, Bax, cleaved caspases. miR-99a was found to be highly expressed in response to Salidroside treatment. Besides, the inhibition of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling induced by Salidroside was attenuated by miR-99a silence and in this process, IGF1R worked as a target of miR-99a. The anti-GC effect of Salidroside was also confirmed in a mouse model of GC. The promoting effect of Salidroside on miR-99a expression was also verified in vivo. Furthermore, Salidroside promoted the cisplatin-sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Salidroside possessed anti-GC effects through regulating miR-99a/IGF1R axis and inhibiting MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways.

Single-Dose Neoadjuvant AKT Pathway Inhibitor Reduces Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Laser Thermal Ablation in Small-Animal Model

BackgroundLocal recurrence following thermal ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) larger than 2-3 cm remains a challenging clinical problem. Prior studies suggest that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent protein kinase B (AKT) signaling mediates HCC cell survival caused by moderate heat stress in vitro, but these findings need in vivo validation.PurposeTo test the hypothesis that neoadjuvant inhibition of PI3K/mTOR/AKT signaling reduces HCC tumor growth in vivo after laser ablation and to evaluate the effects of moderate heat stress on molecular signaling and cellular function in HCC cells in vitro.Materials and MethodsHCC tumor-bearing mice were randomized to neoadjuvant PI3K/mTOR inhibitor (BEZ235) or control groups followed by an intentional partial laser ablation or sham ablation; there were at least nine mice per group. Postablation tumor growth was monitored up to 7 days. Tumor volumes were compared for drug or ablation groups by using two-way analysis of variance. N1S1 HCC cells pretreated with BEZ235 or control and subjected to moderate heat stress (45°C for 10 minutes) or control (37°C for 10 minutes) were analyzed by using mass spectrometry. Protein interaction networks were derived from protein expression analysis software, and cellular function activation state (Z-score) and fold-change in AKT phosphorylation were calculated.ResultsThere was a 37%-75% reduction in HCC tumor volume by day 7 after ablation in the BEZ235 plus ablation group (713 mm3 ± 417) compared with vehicle plus sham (1559 mm3 ± 552), vehicle plus ablation (1041 mm3 ± 591), and BEZ235 plus sham (1108 mm3 ± 523) groups (P < .001, P = .04, and P = .005, respectively). PI3K/mTOR inhibition prevented moderate heat stress-induced AKT signaling (Z-score, -0.2; P < .001) and isoform-specific AKT phosphorylation compared with the vehicle plus heat stress group. PI3K/mTOR inhibition prevented moderate heat stress-induced global effects on HCC molecular signaling and cellular function, including decreased cell survival, growth, and proliferation (Z-score, -0.3 to -3.2; P < .001) and increased apoptosis and cell death (Z-score, 0.4-1.1; P < .001).ConclusionModerate heat stress induces PI3K/mTOR/AKT-dependent global effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell survival, function, and death. Neoadjuvant PI3K/mTOR/AKT inhibition reduces postablation HCC tumor growth.© RSNA, 2019Online supplemental material is available for this article.See also the editorial by White in this issue.

Antidepressive effects of kaempferol mediated by reduction of oxidative stress, proinflammatory cytokines and up-regulation of AKT/β-catenin cascade

Kaempferol (KFL), the major constituent of various fruits and vegetables, could attenuate oxidaitve stress and inflammation. The aims of the present study were to explore the ameliorative abilities of KFL on the depressive-like behaviors in a chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mouse model, and to determine the potential mechanisms on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and AKT/β-catenin signaling pathway. Three behavioral tests, sucrose preference test (SPT), social interaction test (SIT), and tail suspension test (TST), were used to evaluate the antidepressive effects of KFL in CSDS mice. Activity levels of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), glutathione s-transferase (GST), and concentrations of malonaldehyde (MDA) and protein carbonylation in the prefrontal cortex were assessed by commercial kits, respectively. Elisa was used to detect the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Q-PCR was used to determine the mRNA level of CD-11b. Furthermore, activity level of AKT/β-catenin signaling in the prefrontal cortex of CSDS mice was investigated by western blot. In addition, LY294002, a PI3-K inhibitor, was used to investigate the role of AKT/β-catenin signaling in the antidepressant effects of KFL. Social defeat stress reduced the bodyweights, sucrose consumptions, social interaction times, and the tail suspension mobility times in mice. CSDS mice were also exhibited remarkablely increased levels in oxidative stress markers, inflammatory mediators, and decreased activity of AKT/β-catenin cascade in the prefrontal cortex, which were reversed by treatment with KFL. Interestingly, LY294002 appeared to partly inhibit the overall KFL-mediated protective effects in the CSDS mice. These results confirmed that KFL exerted antidepressive effects, which might be mediated, at least in part, by enhanced antioxidant abilities and anti-inflammation effects via up-regulation AKT/β-catenin cascade activity in the prefrontal cortex of CSDS mice. Thus, KFL might be a promising, effective, and safe food medicine for depression treatment.

Rosmarinic Acid Analogue-11 Induces Apoptosis of Human Gastric Cancer SGC-7901 Cells via the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)/Akt/Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) Pathway

BACKGROUND According to the latest statistics from the American Cancer Society, there will be 1.73 million cancer cases and more than 600 000 cancer deaths in the United States in 2018, among which there will be 26 240 new cases of gastric cancer and around 10 800 deaths arising from gastric cancer. The objective of this study was to use RAA-11 to intervene in SGC-7901 cells to understand its effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis, and to explore the apoptosis mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS MTT assay was used to detect the survival of human gastric mucosal epithelial GES-1 cells and human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Colony formation assay was used to observe the colony forming ability in SGC-7901 cells. The apoptotic rate of SGC-7901 cells was evaluated by Hoechst33258 staining and flow cytometry. qRT-PCR was used to analyze the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA expression level in SGC-7901 cells. Western blot was used to examine the expression levels of caspase-3, Bcl-2, BAX, EGFR, Akt, p-Akt, and NF-κB in SGC-7901 cells. RESULTS RAA-11 is capable of inhibiting the proliferation and inducing the apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Western blot showed that the expression levels of caspase-3 and BAX were upregulated, while the expression levels of Bcl-2, EGFR, Akt, p-Akt, and NF-κB in the SGC-7901 cells were downregulated. CONCLUSIONS Apoptosis can be induced in SGC-7901 cells by RAA-11, potentially via the EGFR/Akt/NF-κB pathway, indicating that RAA-11 might be a potent agent for cancer treatment.

Effect of metformin and flutamide on insulin, lipogenic and androgen-estrogen signaling, and cardiometabolic risk in a PCOS-prone metabolic syndrome rodent model

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is highly associated with cardiometabolic risk and the metabolic syndrome (MetS), predisposing women to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Metformin is commonly used to treat insulin resistance-glucose intolerance, and flutamide, an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, is used to target hyperandrogenemia and dyslipidemia. Currently, the physiological mechanism of action of these treatments on androgen, lipidogenic, and insulin signaling pathways remains unclear in PCOS. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of action of metformin and flutamide on plasma lipid-apolipoprotein (Apo)B-lipoprotein and insulin-glucose metabolism, and endocrine-reproductive indices in a PCOS-prone MetS rodent model. PCOS-prone rodents were treated with metformin (300 mg/kg body wt), flutamide (30 mg/kg body wt), or metformin + flutamide combination treatment for 6 wk. Metformin was shown to improve fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, whereas flutamide and combination treatment were shown to reduce plasma triglycerides, ApoB48, and ApoB100, and this was associated with decreased intestinal secretion of ApoB48/triglyceride. Flutamide and metformin were shown to reduce plasma androgen indices and to improve ovarian primary and preovulatory follicle frequency. Metformin treatment increased hepatic estrogen receptor (ER)α, and metformin-flutamide decreased intestinal AR and increased ERα mRNA expression. Metformin-flutamide treatment upregulated hepatic and intestinal insulin signaling, including insulin receptor, MAPK1, and AKT2. In conclusion, cardiometabolic risk factors, in particular ApoB-hypertriglyceridemia, are independently modulated via the AR, and understanding the contribution of AR and insulin-signaling pathways further may facilitate the development of targeted interventions in high-risk women with PCOS and MetS.

Advanced Glycation End-Products and Hyperglycemia Increase Angiopoietin-2 Production by Impairing Angiopoietin-1-Tie-2 System

The angiopoietin-Tie-2 system plays a crucial role in the maintenance of endothelial integrity. Hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are involved in endothelial cell dysfunction responsible of the pathogenesis of microvascular complications of diabetes. Here, we investigated whether glycated serum (GS) or hyperglycemia (HG) affect the angiopoietin-Tie-2 system in the microvascular endothelial cells HMEC-1. We found that culture for 5 days in the presence of AGEs and HG (alone or in combination) decreased cell proliferation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and reduced ratio between the oxidized and the reduced form of glutathione. Since angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) signaling regulates angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) expression through inactivation of the forkhead transcription factor FoxO1, we investigated intracellular signaling of Ang-1 and expression of Ang-2. HG and AGEs reduced phosphorylation of Akt and abrogated phosphorylation of FoxO1 induced by Ang-1 without affecting neither Tie-2 expression nor its activation. Furthermore, AGEs and/or HG induced nuclear translocation of FoxO1 and increased Ang-2 production. In conclusion, we demonstrated that both hyperglycemia and AGEs affect the angiopoietin-Tie-2 system by impairing Ang-1/Tie-2 signaling and by increasing Ang-2 expression. These results suggest that therapeutic strategies useful in preventing or delaying the onset of diabetic vascular complications should be aimed to preserve Ang-1 signaling.

Identification of Key Potential Targets and Pathway for Arsenic Trioxide by Systemic Bioinformatics Analysis in Pancreatic Cancer

Arsenic trioxide is an approved chemotheraputic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Recently, numerous studies suggested that arsenic trioxide acts as anti-cancer roles in various human malignancies. However, the molecular mechanisms are not fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the critical targets of arsenic trioxide and their interaction network systematically by searching the publicly available published database like DrugBank (DB) and STRING. Seven direct protein targets (DPTs) and 111 DPT-associated genes were identified. The enrichment analysis of arsenic trioxide associated genes/proteins revealed 10 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Among these pathways, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate-3-kinase -Akt (PI3K-Akt) single pathway and pancreatic cancer pathway are highly correlated with arsenic trioxide and have 5 overlapped targets. Then we investigated the gene alternation of selected critical genes in pancreatic cancer studies using cBio portal. These results indicated that arsenic trioxide could act anti-tumor function through PI3K-Akt single pathway and identified critical genes might be therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.

The neuroprotective effect of agmatine against amyloid β-induced apoptosis in primary cultured hippocampal cells involving ERK, Akt/GSK-3β, and TNF-α

β-Amyloid peptide (Aβ), the major element of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD), has been found to accumulate in brain regions critical for memory and cognition. Deposits of Aβ trigger neurotoxic events which lead to neural apoptotic death. The present study examined whether agmatine, an endogenous polyamine formed by the decarboxylation of L-arginine, possesses a neuroprotective effect against Aβ-induced toxicity. Primary rat hippocampal cells extracted from the brains of 18-19-day-old embryos were exposed to 10 µM of Aβ (25-35) in the absence or presence of agmatine at 150 or 250 µM. Additionally, the involvement of Akt (Protein Kinae B), GSK-3β (glycogen synthase kinase 3-β), ERK (Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase) and TNF-α (Tumor necrosis factor-α) in the agmatine protection against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity was investigated. Agmatine significantly prevented the effect of Aβ exposure on cell viability and caspase-3 assays. Furthermore, agmatine considerably restored Aβ-induced decline of phospho-Akt and phospho-GSK and blocked Aβ-induced increase of phospho-ERK and TNF-alpha. Taken together, these findings might shed light on the protective effect of agmatine as a potential therapeutic agent for AD.

Propranolol inhibits the activity of PI3K, AKT, and HIF-1α in infantile hemangiomas

PURPOSE

We sought to evaluate effect of propranolol in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas by quantifying the amount of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α).

METHODS

Hemangioma tissue was isolated from an infant patient and implanted into nude mice to establish a hemangioma model. Twenty-four hemangioma-model nude mice were divided into two groups including a control group (saline, by gastrogavage) and an experimental group (propranolol, by gastrogavage). The hemangioma-model nude mice were euthanized and tumors were removed at 30 and 50 days (before and after treatment). HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes, and western blot and quantitative real-time PCR were used to describe levels of protein and mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT, and HIF-1α.

RESULTS

Propranolol treatment decreased tumor size as compared to the control group. Protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K, AKT, and HIF-1α were lower in the experimental group at day 50 compared to the control group at day 50 and the experimental group at day 30 (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Propranolol can promote regression of infantile hemangiomas, which may be related to the inhibition of PI3K, AKT, and HIF-1α activity.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Effects on Muscle Atrophy Induced by Simulated Microgravity

BACKGROUND

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a striking example of the multiple changes in the physiological state of humans and animals induced by microgravity. Previous studies have shown that a blood circulation disorder may be a cause of this atrophy, and traditional Chinese medicine has been regarded as a potential countermeasure to reverse the atrophy in China. This study was carried out to test the effects of Xuefuzhuyu capsules (XFZY) on the skeletal muscle atrophy induced by simulated microgravity.

METHODS

The mass and cross-sectional area of the soleus muscle were compared in rats treated with XFZY that were hindlimb unloaded for 30 d (XFZY-TS group), untreated rats that were hindlimb unloaded for 30 d (TS group), and control rats (CON group). The expression and phosphorylation levels of key proteins of the sarcoplasmic reticulum stress system were also measured.

RESULTS

Treatment with XFZY attenuated the loss of muscle mass and cross-sectional area induced by hindlimb unloading. Western blot analysis showed that the phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/phospho-Akt (PI3K/p-Akt) pathways were down-regulated after 30 d in the TS group compared with the CON group. This effect was partly reversed by XFZY. Hindlimb unloading increased the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), cytosine-cytosine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Caspase 12. Treatment with XFZY alleviated this increased protein expression.

DISCUSSION

Our results suggest that XFZY could partially reverse the effects of hindlimb unloading on muscle atrophy and perhaps target the sarcoplasmic reticulum stress system, possibly through the GRP78-CHOP-JNK-Caspase 12 pathway.Zhang S, Yuan M, Cheng C, Xia D, Wu S. Chinese herbal medicine effects on muscle atrophy induced by simulated microgravity. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(10):883-888.

Formoterol treatment prevents the effects of endotoxin on muscle TNF/NF-kB, Akt/mTOR, and proteolytic pathways in a rat model. Role of IGF-I and miRNA 29b

Inflammatory diseases are associated with muscle wasting as a result of an increase in proteolysis. The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether administration of a β2 adrenergic agonist, formoterol, was able to prevent the acute effects of sepsis induced by liposaccharide (LPS) injection on rat gastrocnemius muscle and to evaluate the possible roles of corticosterone, IGF-I, miR-23a, and miR-29b. For this purpose, male Wistar rats were injected with LPS and/or formoterol. Formoterol treatment decreased LPS-induced increase in serum corticosterone, TNFα upregulation, and NF-κB(p65) and Forkhead box protein O1 activation in the gastrocnemius. Atrogin-1, muscle RING-finger protein-1, microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3b (LC3b), and the lipidation of LC3b-I to LC3b-II were increased by LPS, and formoterol blocked these effects. Serum IGF-I and its mRNA levels in the gastrocnemius were decreased, whereas mecano growth factor and IGF binding protein 3 mRNA levels were increased in the rats injected with LPS but not in the rats that received LPS and formoterol. Similarly, LPS decreased Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation, and formoterol blocked these decreases. Finally, miR-29b expression in the gastrocnemius was upregulated by endotoxin injection, whereas miR-23a was not significantly different. Formoterol treatment did not significantly modify LPS-induced increase in muscle miR-29b. Furthermore, in control rats formoterol increased the expression of this miRNA. We conclude that formoterol decreases endotoxin-induced inflammation and proteolysis in rat skeletal muscle. Those responses can be a direct effect of β2 adrenergic receptor stimulation or/and of blocking the effects of LPS on corticosterone and IGF-I. Muscle miR-23a and -29b do not seem to play an important role in those responses.

Cilostazol disrupts TLR-4, Akt/GSK-3β/CREB, and IL-6/JAK-2/STAT-3/SOCS-3 crosstalk in a rat model of Huntington's disease

Countless neurodegenerative diseases are associated with perverse multiple targets of cyclic nucleotide signalling, hastening neuronal death. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor, exerts neuroprotective effects against sundry models of neurotoxicity, however, its role against Huntington's disease (HD) has not yet been tackled. Hence, its modulatory effect on several signalling pathways using the 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) model was conducted. Animals were injected with 3-NP (10 mg/kg/day, i.p) for two successive weeks with or without the administration of cilostazol (100 mg/kg/day, p.o.). Contrary to the 3-NP effects, cilostazol largely preserved striatal dopaminergic neurons, improved motor coordination, and enhanced the immunohistochemical reaction of tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme. The anti-inflammatory effect of cilostazol was documented by the pronounced reduction of the toll like receptor-4 (TLR-4) protein expression and the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, but with a marked elevation in IL-10 striatal contents. As a consequence, cilostazol reduced IL-6 downstream signal, where it promoted the level of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3), while abated the phosphorylation of Janus Kinase 2 (JAK-2) and Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT-3). Phosphorylation of the protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase-3β/cAMP response element binding protein (Akt/GSK-3β/CREB) cue is another signalling pathway that was modulated by cilostazol to further signify its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic capacities. The latter was associated with a reduction in the caspase-3 expression assessed by immunohistochemical assay. In conclusion the present study provided a new insight into the possible mechanisms by which cilostazol possesses neuroprotective properties. These intersecting mechanisms involve the interference between TLR-4, IL-6-IL-10/JAK-2/STAT-3/SOCS-3, and Akt/GSK-3β/CREB signalling pathways.