Electroacupuncture(EA)has been widely used for functional restoration after stroke.However,its role in post-stroke rehabilitation and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood.In this study,we appl...Electroacupuncture(EA)has been widely used for functional restoration after stroke.However,its role in post-stroke rehabilitation and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood.In this study,we applied EA to the Zusanli(ST36)and Quchi(LI11)acupoints in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion.We found that EA effectively increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tyrosine kinase B,synapsin-1,postsynaptic dense protein 95,and microtubule-associated protein 2 in the ischemic penumbra of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion.Moreover,EA greatly reduced the expression of myelin-related inhibitors Nogo-A and NgR in the ischemic penumbra.Tyrosine kinase B inhibitor ANA-12 weakened the therapeutic effects of EA.These findings suggest that EA can improve neurological function after middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion,possibly through regulating the activity of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase B signal pathway.All procedures and experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,China(approval No.PZSHUTCM200110002)on January 10,2020.展开更多
BACKGROUND Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for patients with a delayed diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)in order to improve their chances of survival.Recent studies have shown potent...BACKGROUND Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for patients with a delayed diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)in order to improve their chances of survival.Recent studies have shown potent anti-neoplastic effects of curcumin and its analogues.In addition,the role of histone methyltransferases on cancer therapeutics has also been elucidated.However,the relationship between these two factors in the treatment of pancreatic cancer remains unknown.Our working hypothesis was that L48H37,a novel curcumin analog,has better efficacy in pancreatic cancer cell growth inhibition in the absence of histonelysine N-methyltransferase 2D(KMT2D).AIM To determine the anti-cancer effects of L48H37 in PDAC,and the role of KMT2D on its therapeutic efficacy.METHODS The viability and proliferation of primary(PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2)and metastatic(SW1990 and ASPC-1)PDAC cell lines treated with L48H37 was determined by CCK8 and colony formation assay.Apoptosis,mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels,and cell cycle profile were determined by staining the cells with Annexin-V/7-AAD,JC-1,DCFH-DA,and PI respectively,as well as flow cytometric acquisition.In vitro migration was assessed by the wound healing assay.The protein and mRNA levels of relevant factors were analyzed using Western blotting,immunofluorescence and real time-quantitative PCR.The in situ expression of KMT2D in both human PDAC and paired adjacent normal tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry.In vivo tumor xenografts were established by injecting nude mice with PDAC cells.Bioinformatics analyses were also conducted using gene expression databases and TCGA.RESULTS L48H37 inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis in SW1990 and ASPC-1 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner,while also reducing MMP,increasing ROS levels,arresting cell cycle at the G2/M stages and activating the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress-associated protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/eukaryotic initiation factor 2α/activating transcription factor 4(ATF4)/CHOP signaling pathway.Knocking down ATF4 significantly upregulated KMT2D in PDAC cells,and also decreased L48H37-induced apoptosis.Furthermore,silencing KMT2D in L48H37-treated cells significantly augmented apoptosis and the ER stress pathway,indicating that KMT2D depletion is essential for the anti-neoplastic effects of L48H37.Administering L48H37 to mice bearing tumors derived from control or KMT2Dknockdown PDAC cells significantly decreased the tumor burden.We also identified several differentially expressed genes in PDAC cell lines expressing very low levels of KMT2D that were functionally categorized into the extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway.The KMT2D high-and low-expressing PDAC patients from the TCGA database showed similar survival rates,but higher KMT2D expression was associated with poor tumor grade in clinical and pathological analyses.CONCLUSION L48H37 exerts a potent anti-cancer effect in PDAC,which is augmented by KMT2D deficiency.展开更多
Recent studies have shown that the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligand CXCL10 in the dorsal root ganglion mediate itch in experimental allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). CXCR3 in the spinal cord also con- tribut...Recent studies have shown that the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligand CXCL10 in the dorsal root ganglion mediate itch in experimental allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). CXCR3 in the spinal cord also con- tributes to the maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, whether spinal CXCR3 is involved in acute or chronic itch remains unclear. Here, we report that Cxcr3-/- mice showed normal scratching in acute itch models but reduced scratching in chronic itch models of dry skin and ACD. In contrast, both formalin-induced acute pain and complete Freund's adjuvant-induced chronic inflammatory pain were reduced in Cxcr3-/- mice. In addition, the expression of CXCR3 and CXCL10 was increased in the spinal cord in the dry skin model induced by acetone and diethyl ether followed by water (AEW). Intrathecal injection of a CXCR3 antagonist alleviated AEW-induced itch. Further- more, touch-elicited itch (alloknesis) after compound 48/80 or AEW treatment was suppressed in Cxcr3-/- mice. Finally, AEW-induced astrocyte activation was inhibited in Cxcr3-/- mice. Taken together, these data suggest that spinal CXCR3 mediates chronic itch and alloknesis, and targeting CXCR3 may provide effective treatment for chronic pruritus.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China,No.2018YFC2001600(to JGX)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81902301(to JJW)+3 种基金Budgetary Project of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China,No.2019LK024(to JJW)Intelligent Medical Program of Shanghai(Municipal)Health Commission of China,No.2018ZHYL0216(to CLS)Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Project of Shanghai Shen Kang Hospital Development Center of China,No.SHDC12018126(to CLS)Accelerated the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Three-Year Action Plan Project(of Shanghai Health Commission)of China,Nos.ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2001-06(to JGX and CLS)and ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2004-05(to JGX and CLS)。
文摘Electroacupuncture(EA)has been widely used for functional restoration after stroke.However,its role in post-stroke rehabilitation and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood.In this study,we applied EA to the Zusanli(ST36)and Quchi(LI11)acupoints in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion.We found that EA effectively increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tyrosine kinase B,synapsin-1,postsynaptic dense protein 95,and microtubule-associated protein 2 in the ischemic penumbra of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion.Moreover,EA greatly reduced the expression of myelin-related inhibitors Nogo-A and NgR in the ischemic penumbra.Tyrosine kinase B inhibitor ANA-12 weakened the therapeutic effects of EA.These findings suggest that EA can improve neurological function after middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion,possibly through regulating the activity of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/tyrosine kinase B signal pathway.All procedures and experiments were approved by the Animal Research Committee of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,China(approval No.PZSHUTCM200110002)on January 10,2020.
文摘BACKGROUND Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for patients with a delayed diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)in order to improve their chances of survival.Recent studies have shown potent anti-neoplastic effects of curcumin and its analogues.In addition,the role of histone methyltransferases on cancer therapeutics has also been elucidated.However,the relationship between these two factors in the treatment of pancreatic cancer remains unknown.Our working hypothesis was that L48H37,a novel curcumin analog,has better efficacy in pancreatic cancer cell growth inhibition in the absence of histonelysine N-methyltransferase 2D(KMT2D).AIM To determine the anti-cancer effects of L48H37 in PDAC,and the role of KMT2D on its therapeutic efficacy.METHODS The viability and proliferation of primary(PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2)and metastatic(SW1990 and ASPC-1)PDAC cell lines treated with L48H37 was determined by CCK8 and colony formation assay.Apoptosis,mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels,and cell cycle profile were determined by staining the cells with Annexin-V/7-AAD,JC-1,DCFH-DA,and PI respectively,as well as flow cytometric acquisition.In vitro migration was assessed by the wound healing assay.The protein and mRNA levels of relevant factors were analyzed using Western blotting,immunofluorescence and real time-quantitative PCR.The in situ expression of KMT2D in both human PDAC and paired adjacent normal tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry.In vivo tumor xenografts were established by injecting nude mice with PDAC cells.Bioinformatics analyses were also conducted using gene expression databases and TCGA.RESULTS L48H37 inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis in SW1990 and ASPC-1 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner,while also reducing MMP,increasing ROS levels,arresting cell cycle at the G2/M stages and activating the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress-associated protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/eukaryotic initiation factor 2α/activating transcription factor 4(ATF4)/CHOP signaling pathway.Knocking down ATF4 significantly upregulated KMT2D in PDAC cells,and also decreased L48H37-induced apoptosis.Furthermore,silencing KMT2D in L48H37-treated cells significantly augmented apoptosis and the ER stress pathway,indicating that KMT2D depletion is essential for the anti-neoplastic effects of L48H37.Administering L48H37 to mice bearing tumors derived from control or KMT2Dknockdown PDAC cells significantly decreased the tumor burden.We also identified several differentially expressed genes in PDAC cell lines expressing very low levels of KMT2D that were functionally categorized into the extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway.The KMT2D high-and low-expressing PDAC patients from the TCGA database showed similar survival rates,but higher KMT2D expression was associated with poor tumor grade in clinical and pathological analyses.CONCLUSION L48H37 exerts a potent anti-cancer effect in PDAC,which is augmented by KMT2D deficiency.
基金supported by Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31371121,81300954,and 31671091)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China
文摘Recent studies have shown that the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligand CXCL10 in the dorsal root ganglion mediate itch in experimental allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). CXCR3 in the spinal cord also con- tributes to the maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, whether spinal CXCR3 is involved in acute or chronic itch remains unclear. Here, we report that Cxcr3-/- mice showed normal scratching in acute itch models but reduced scratching in chronic itch models of dry skin and ACD. In contrast, both formalin-induced acute pain and complete Freund's adjuvant-induced chronic inflammatory pain were reduced in Cxcr3-/- mice. In addition, the expression of CXCR3 and CXCL10 was increased in the spinal cord in the dry skin model induced by acetone and diethyl ether followed by water (AEW). Intrathecal injection of a CXCR3 antagonist alleviated AEW-induced itch. Further- more, touch-elicited itch (alloknesis) after compound 48/80 or AEW treatment was suppressed in Cxcr3-/- mice. Finally, AEW-induced astrocyte activation was inhibited in Cxcr3-/- mice. Taken together, these data suggest that spinal CXCR3 mediates chronic itch and alloknesis, and targeting CXCR3 may provide effective treatment for chronic pruritus.