Indole-3-propionic Acid-aggravated CCl_(4)-induced Liver Fibrosis via the TGF-β1/Smads Signaling Pathway

Background and Aims:The pathogenesis of liver fibrosis involves liver damage,inflammation,oxidative stress,and intestinal dysfunction.Indole-3-propionic acid(IPA)has been demonstrated to have antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities,and a role in maintaining gut homeostasis.The current study aimed to investigate the role of IPA in carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis and explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods:The liver fibrosis model was established in male C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 twice weekly.IPA intervention was made orally(20 mg/kg daily).The degree of liver injury and fibrosis were assessed by serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and histopathology.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)were used to detect the inflammatory cytokines.The malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione,glutathione peroxidase,superoxide dismutase,and catalase were determined via commercial kits.Hepatocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay.The expression of mRNA and protein was assayed by qPCR,Western blotting,or immunohistochemical staining.Results:After IPA treatment,the ALT and AST,apoptotic cells,and pro-inflammatory factor levels were enhanced significantly.Moreover,IPA intervention up-regulated the expression of collagen I,α-smooth muscle actin,tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1,matrix metalloproteinase-2,transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),Smad3,and phosphorylated-Smad2/3.Additionally,IPA intervention did not affect the MDA level.Attractively,the administration of IPA remodeled the gut flora structure.Conclusions:IPA aggravated CCl_(4)-induced liver damage and fibrosis by activating HSCs via the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Thermal Behavior and Photoluminescence of a Novel Two-dimensional Cd(Ⅱ) Coordination Polymer

A new coordination polymer, [Cd2（bptc）（L）2（H2O）2]·5H2O（1, L = 2-（2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl）-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline and H4 bptc = 3,3＇,4,4＇-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid）, has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to monoclinic, space group P21/n with a = 18.868（4）, b = 7.2111（14）, c = 19.464（4）A, β = 95.75（3）°, C54H31Cd2Cl2F2N8O15, Mr = 1365.57, V = 2635.0（9）A3, Z = 2, Dc = 1.721 g/cm^3, S = 1.034, μ（MoKα） = 0.995 mm^–1, F（000） = 1358, R = 0.0501 and wR = 0.1076. In 1, each bptc anion bridges four Cd（II） atoms to form 2D layer structures, which are further extended by π-π stacking interactions into a 3D supramolecular architecture. The thermal behavior and luminescent properties of the compound have also been studied.

Two Metal-organic Frameworks(MOFs) Assembled from One Asymmetric Semirigid Multicarboxylate Ligand:Syntheses and Crystal Structural Characterizations

Hydrothermal reactions between a new flexible multicarboxylate ligand of 3-（2-carboxy-phenoxy）-benzoic acid（H2L） and transitional metal cations of M2＋（M = Cu2＋,Ni2＋） in the presence of the secondary ligands of 1,10-phenanthroline（phen）,2,2＇-bipyridine（2,2？-bpy）,and 4,4＇-bipyridine（4,4＇-bpy） afford two novel coordination polymers Ni2（H2O）2L2（phen）（μ-4,4＇-bpy）（1） and CuIIL（2,2＇-bpy）（2）.Both compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallography.Crystal data of 1：C31H24N3NiO7,Mr = 609.24,monoclinic,space group P21/c,a = 17.560（8）,b = 10.528（5）,c = 30.613（15） ,V = 5659（5） 3,Z = 4,Dc = 1.430 g/cm3,F（000） = 502,μ = 0.739 mm-1,R = 0.0902,wR = 0.1346（I 2σ（I））,S = 1.002.Crystal data of 2：C24H16CuN2O5,Mr = 475.93,monoclinic,space group P21/n,a = 9.8904（13）,b = 11.0782（16）,c = 18.321（3） ,β = 11.0782（16）°,V = 1993.8（5） 3,Z = 4,Dc = 1.585 g/cm3,F（000） = 972,μ = 1.137 mm-1,R = 0.0433,wR = 0.0723（I 2σ（I）） and S = 1.004.Compound 1 displays a one-dimensional（1D） zigzag chain structure constructed from phen ligands and the deprotonated ligands of L2-,which further forms a ladder-shaped supramolecular architecture via the bridge of 4,4＇-bpy ligand.Complex 2 also possesses a ladder-shaped architecture based on the dinuclear CuII units.