Upregulation of Zip14 correlates with induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)in hypertrophied hearts of Dahl saltsensitive rats

Zinc is a trace element involved in maintaining cellular structure and function.Although zinc is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH),there have been few reports on this association.This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between Zip14 and expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)associated molecules in hypertrophied hearts of rats.Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed a high salt diet to establish a left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH)rat model.RT-PCR was used to determine Zip14,activating transcription factor(ATF4),ATF6,x-box-binding protein 1(xBP1),C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP),immunoglobulin-binding protein(BiP)mRNA expression.Western blotting was used to evaluate Zip14,BiP,CHOP,GAPDH expression.Zinc levels were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy.The results indicated that compared with the Control group,Zip14 mRNA and protein expression in LVH rat hearts were markedly increased(P<0.01).Zinc content in rat heart tissue was significantly increased in the LVH group compared with the Control group(P<0.05).ATF4,ATF6,xBP1 mRNA expressions were increased in LVH rat hearts compared with Control hearts(P<0.001).Compared with the Control group,CHOP and BiP mRNA and protein expression were markedly increased in LVH rat hearts(P<0.05,P<0.01).Linear regression models showed that Zip14 mRNA expressions were positively correlated with zinc concentration,ATF4 and ATF6 mRNA expressions in Control hearts(P=0.0005,P=0.0052,P=0.0026,respectively)and LVH rat hearts(P<0.0001,P=0.0119,P=0.0033,respectively).In conclusion,upregulation of Zip14 in LVH rat hearts correlated with zinc accumulation and induction of ERS.

Network pharmacological study and molecular docking verification of Capparis spinosa in the treatment of systemic sclerosis

Objective:To explore the molecular mechanism of Capparis spinosa in the treatment of systemic sclerosis((SSC))based on network pharmacology.Methods:GEO,Genecards,Pharmgkb,TTD and Drugbank databases were used to obtain SSC targets,related literatures and Swisstargetprediction databases were used to obtain the main components of Citrus and their corresponding targets,and intersection was used to obtain prediction targets.Log in to the String database to analyze the protein interaction of the prediction target(PPI),further used Cytoscape to obtain the core gene by network topology analysis,and the core gene was docked with the main components of Capparis spinosa.The prediction targets were analyzed by gene ontology(GO)analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis using R software.Results:A total of 15 active components and their targets were obtained,3171 SSC targets were obtained,and 66 predicted targets were obtained by intersection.Ten PPI core genes such as VEGFA,TNF,AKT1,PTGS2 and MMP9 were obtained by topological analysis.GO analysis involved many biological processes such as reactive oxygen species metabolic process、protein kinase B signaling、regulation of inflammatory response、phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and so on.KEGG pathway analysis showed PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,Proteoglycans in cancer,Focal adhesion,Rap1 signaling pathway and other signaling pathways.Conclusion:The molecular mechanism of Capparis spinosa in the treatment of SSC is predicted by the method of network pharmacology,which provides theoretical basis and data support for the basic research of Citrus officinalis in the treatment of SSC.

The investigation of the stability of DNA-b-PPO vesicles formed through frame guided assembly

Frame-guided assembly is a novel assembly method which can control the shape and size of vesicles accurately. It has been reported that the DNA-b-PPO vesicles could be stable over two weeks. In this communication we have introduced restriction sites of EcoR1 in the interior DNA scaffold to the formed vesicles in order to further study their stability. Dynamic light scattering(DLS), transmission electron microscope(TEM) and fluorescence spectrum were used to characterize the digestion process. The final results revealed that the vesicles were still stable even after two weeks cultivated with EcoR1, which suggests potential in future biological applications.