Lycium barbarum glycopeptide(wolfberry extract)slows N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced degradation of photoreceptors

Photoreceptor cell degeneration leads to blindness, for which there is currently no effective treatment. Our previous studies have shown that Lycium barbarum(L. barbarum) polysaccharide(LBP) protects degenerated photoreceptors in rd1, a transgenic mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. L. barbarum glycopeptide(Lb GP) is an immunoreactive glycoprotein extracted from LBP. In this study, we investigated the potential protective effect of Lb GP on a chemically induced photoreceptor-degenerative mouse model. Wild-type mice received the following: oral administration of Lb GP as a protective pre-treatment on days 1–7;intraperitoneal administration of 40 mg/kg N-methylN-nitrosourea to induce photoreceptor injury on day 7;and continuation of orally administered Lb GP on days 8–14. Treatment with Lb GP increased photoreceptor survival and improved the structure of photoreceptors, retinal photoresponse, and visual behaviors of mice with photoreceptor degeneration. Lb GP was also found to partially inhibit the activation of microglia in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-injured retinas and significantly decreased the expression of two pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, Lb GP effectively slowed the rate of photoreceptor degeneration in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-injured mice, possibly through an anti-inflammatory mechanism, and has potential as a candidate drug for the clinical treatment of photoreceptor degeneration.

Diagnostic and classification value of immune-related lncRNAs in dilated cardiomyopathy

Background:Various physiological mechanisms are linked to dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM)development,including oxidative stress,immune irregularities,inflammation,fibrosis,and genetic changes.However,precise molecular drivers of DCM,especially regarding abnormal immune responses,remain unclear.This study investigates immune-related long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)in DCM’s diagnostic and therapeutic potential.Methods:GSE141910,GSE135055,and GSE165303 datasets were acquired from the GEO database.LASSO,SVM-RFE,and random forest algorithms identified DCM-associated immune-related lncRNAs.Diagnostic capabilities were assessed by Nomogram and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Multivariate linear regression explored lncRNA correlations with ejection fraction.Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis(ssGSEA)gauged immune cell infiltration/functions.Functional enrichment analyses were performed using Gene set variation analysis(GSVA),gene ontology(GO),and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Consensus clustering categorized DCM cases.Results:Ten immune-related lncRNAs emerged:C10orf71-AS1,FHAD1-AS1,SCIRT,FNDC1-AS1,MELTFAS1,LOC101928834,GDNF-AS1,DCXR-DT,C3orf36,and LOC107985323.These lncRNAs,tied to immunomodulation,showed promising DCM diagnostic accuracy.Adjusted for confounders,they independently correlated with ejection fraction.Using lncRNA expression,DCM patients were grouped into subtypes.Subtype C1 displayed a higher level of immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint expression compared to subtype C2,emphasizing the variations in the immune microenvironment.Conclusion:This study identifies ten immune-related lncRNAs for further exploration in DCM diagnosis and subtyping.Based on expression patterns,we propose two potential DCM subtypes.Notably,findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating,demanding validation and further investigation.This research provides insights into DCM diagnosis and classification.