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  • Barnes Silva posted an update 1 day, 10 hours ago

    Treating the early Aβ exposed flies with antioxidants such as vitamin E, melatonin and lipoic acid, after the removal of Aβ also preserved the learning ability in later life. Taken together, we demonstrated that early and transient Aβ exposure can have a profound impact on animal behavior in later life and also revealed the cellular and molecular mechanism underlying the development of learning impairment by the early and transient Aβ exposure.Although substantial progress has been made in reducing the burden of the disease by preventing the risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), potential risk factors still exist and lead to its progression. In recent years, numerous studies have revealed that intestinal flora can interfere with the physiological processes of the host through changes in composition and function or related metabolites. Intestinal flora thus affects the occurrence and development of a variety of CVDs, including atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure. Moreover, studies have found that interventions for intestinal flora and its metabolites provide new opportunities for CVD treatment. This article mainly discusses the interaction between the human intestinal flora and its metabolites, the occurrence and development of CVD, and the potential of intestinal flora as a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of CVD.Fibrosis is a pathological manifestation of wound healing that replaces dead/damaged tissue with collagen-rich scar tissue to maintain homeostasis, and complications from fibrosis contribute to nearly half of all deaths in the industrialized world. Ageing is closely associated with a progressive decline in organ function, and the prevalence of tissue fibrosis dramatically increases with age. Despite the heavy clinical and economic burden of organ fibrosis as the population ages, to date, there is a paucity of therapeutic strategies that are specifically designed to slow fibrosis. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an environment-sensing transcription factor that exacerbates aging phenotypes in different tissues that has been brought back into the spotlight again with economic development since AhR could interact with persistent organic pollutants derived from incomplete waste combustion. In addition, gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, and microbiota-associated tryptophan metabolites are dedicated contributors to fibrogenesis by acting as AhR ligands. Therefore, a better understanding of the effects of tryptophan metabolites on fibrosis modulation through AhR may facilitate the exploitation of new therapeutic avenues for patients with organ fibrosis. In this review, we primarily focus on how tryptophan-derived metabolites are involved in renal fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hepatic fibrosis and cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, a series of ongoing clinical trials are highlighted.Astrocytes play an essential role in the modulation of blood-brain barrier function. Neurological diseases induce the transformation of astrocytes into a neurotoxic A1 phenotype, exacerbating brain injury. However, the effect of A1 astrocytes on the BBB dysfunction after stroke is unknown. Adult male ICR mice (n=97) were subjected to 90-minute transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Immunohistochemical staining of A1 (C3d) and A2 (S100A10) was performed to characterize phenotypic changes in astrocytes over time after tMCAO. The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide was intraperitoneally injected into mice to inhibit A1 astrocytes. Infarct volume, atrophy volume, neurobehavioral outcomes, and BBB permeability were evaluated. RNA-seq was adopted to explore the potential targets and signaling pathways of A1 astrocyte-induced BBB dysfunction. Astrocytic C3d expression was increased, while expression of S100A10 was decreased in the first two weeks after tMCAO, reflecting a shift in the ag C3d+/GFAP+ astrocyte formation represents a novel strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke.Alveolar epithelial cell damage is an important determinant of the severity of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS). However, the molecular mechanisms of alveolar epithelial death during the development of ALI/ARDS remain unclear. In this study, we explore the role of miR-29a-3p in ALI/ARDS and its molecular mechanism. Plasma samples were collected from healthy controls and ARDS patients. Mice were intratracheally instilled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish acute lung injury. N6-adenosine (m6A) quantification, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation, cell viability assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting were performed. We found that miR-29a-3p was down-regulated in plasma of ARDS patients and lung tissue of ALI model mice, and miR-29a-3p agomir injection down-regulated the levels of the inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the lungs, reducing alveolar epithelial cell PANoptosis as evaluated by the downregulation of Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1), gasdermin D (GSDMD), caspase-3, caspase-8, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), ultimately improving lung injury in the ALI model mice. Mechanism studies demonstrated that the knockout of methyltransferase 3 (N6-adenosine-methyltransferase complex catalytic subunit) removed the m6A modification of miR-29a-3p and reduced miR-29a-3p expression. Our findings suggest that miR-29a-3p is a potential target that can be manipulated for ALI/ARDS.Vascular age-related diseases describe a group of age-related chronic diseases that result in a considerable healthcare burden to society. Vascular aging includes structural changes and dysfunctions of endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in blood vessels. Compared with conventional treatment for vascular age-related diseases, stem cell (SC) therapy elicits better anti-aging effects viathe inhibition/delay ECs and SMCs from entering senescence. Exosomal noncoding RNA (ncRNAs) in vascular aging and stem cell-derived exosomal microRNAs (SCEV-miRNAs), especially in mesenchymal stem cells, have an important role in the development of age-related diseases. This review summarizes SCEV-miRNAs of diverse origins that may play a vital role in treating subclinical and clinical stages of vascular age-related disorders. We further explored possible age-related pathways and molecular targets of SCEV-miRNA, which are associated with dysfunctions of ECs and SMCs in the senescent stage. Moreover, the perspectives and difficulties of SCEV-miRNA clinical translation are discussed. This review aims to provide greater understanding of the biology of vascular aging and to identify critical therapeutic targets for SCEV-miRNAs. read more Though still in its infancy, the potential value of SCEV-miRNAs for vascular age-related diseases is clear.Chronic kidney disease is a devastating condition resulting from irreversible loss of nephron numbers and function and leading to end-stage renal disease and mineral disorders. Vascular calcification, an ectopic deposition of calcium-phosphate salts in blood vessel walls and heart valves, is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease. Moreover, aging and related metabolic disorders are essential risk factors for chronic kidney disease and vascular calcification. Marked progress has been recently made in understanding and treating vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease. However, there is a paucity of systematic reviews summarizing this progress, and investigating unresolved issues is warranted. In this systematic review, we aimed to overview the underlying mechanisms of vascular calcification in chronic kidney diseases and discuss the impact of chronic kidney disease on the pathophysiology of vascular calcification. Additionally, we summarized potential clinical diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic applications for vascular calcification with chronic kidney disease. This review may offer new insights into the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention of vascular calcification.Tissue ischemia and hypoxia caused by the abnormal proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the diabetic state is an important pathological basis for diabetic microangiopathy. Studies in recent years have shown that the chronic complications of diabetes are related to the decrease of endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in diabetic patients, and it has been proven that H2S can inhibit the proliferation of vascular SMCs (VSMCs). Our study showed that the endogenous H2S content and the expression of cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE), which is the key enzyme of H2S production, were decreased in arterial SMCs of diabetic mice. The expression of PCNA and Cyclin D1 was increased, and the expression of p21 was decreased in the diabetic state. After administration of dopamine 1-like receptors (DR1) agonist SKF38393 and exogenous H2S donor NaHS, the expression of CSE was increased and the change in proliferation-related proteins caused by diabetes was reversed. It was further verified by cell experiments that SKF38393 activated calmodulin (CaM) by increasing the intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) concentration, which activated the CSE/H2S pathway, enhancing the H2S content in vivo. We also found that SKF38393 and NaHS inhibited insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/IGF-1R and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF)/EGFR, as well as their downstream PI3K/Akt, JAK2/STAT3 and ERK1/2 pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that DR1 activation up-regulates the CSE/H2S system by increasing Ca2+-CaM binding, which inhibits the IGF-1/IGF-1R and HB-EGF/EGFR pathways, thereby decreasing their downstream PI3K/Akt, JAK2/STAT3 and ERK1/2 pathways to achieve the effect of inhibiting HG-induced VSMCs proliferation.There are rarely new therapeutic breakthroughs present for neurodegenerative diseases in the last decades. Thus, new effective drugs are urgently needed for millions of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Celastrol, a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound, is one of the main active ingredients isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. that has multiple biological activities. Recently, amount evidence indicates that celastrol exerts neuroprotective effects and holds therapeutic potential to serve as a novel agent for neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on the therapeutic efficacy and major regulatory mechanisms of celastrol to rescue damaged neurons, restore normal cognitive and sensory motor functions in neurodegenerative diseases. Importantly, we highlight recent progress regarding identification of the drug targets of celastrol by using advanced quantitative chemical proteomics technology. Overall, this review provides novel insights into the pharmacological activities and therapeutic potential of celastrol for incurable neurodegenerative diseases.Renal fibrosis is a common process of almost all the chronic kidney diseases progressing to end-stage kidney disease. As a highly conserved lysosomal protein degradation pathway, autophagy is responsible for degrading protein aggregates, damaged organelles, or invading pathogens to maintain intracellular homeostasis. Growing evidence reveals that autophagy is involved in the progression of renal fibrosis, both in the tubulointerstitial compartment and in the glomeruli. Nevertheless, the specific role of autophagy in renal fibrosis has still not been fully understood. Therefore, in this review we will describe the characteristics of autophagy and summarize the recent advances in understanding the functions of autophagy in renal fibrosis. Moreover, the problem existing in this field and the possibility of autophagy as the potential therapeutic target for renal fibrosis have also been discussed.