Novel nervous and multi-system regenerative therapeutic strategies for diabetes mellitus with mTOR

Throughout the globe,diabetes mellitus（DM） is increasing in incidence with limited therapies presently available to prevent or resolve the significant complications of this disorder.DM impacts multiple organs and affects all components of the central and peripheral nervous systems that can range from dementia to diabetic neuropathy.The mechanistic target of rapamycin（m TOR） is a promising agent for the development of novel regenerative strategies for the treatment of DM.m TOR and its related signaling pathways impact multiple metabolic parameters that include cellular metabolic homeostasis,insulin resistance,insulin secretion,stem cell proliferation and differentiation,pancreatic β-cell function,and programmed cell death with apoptosis and autophagy.m TOR is central element for the protein complexes m TOR Complex 1（m TORC1） and m TOR Complex 2（m TORC2） and is a critical component for a number of signaling pathways that involve phosphoinositide 3-kinase（PI 3-K）,protein kinase B（Akt）,AMP activated protein kinase（AMPK）,silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1（Saccharomyces cerevisiae）（SIRT1）,Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1（WISP1）,and growth factors.As a result,m TOR represents an exciting target to offer new clinical avenues for the treatment of DM and the complications of this disease.Future studies directed to elucidate the delicate balance m TOR holds over cellular metabolism and the impact of its broad signaling pathways should foster the translation of these targets into effective clinical regimens for DM.

Wenshen Yangxue decoction(温肾养血方) promotes follicular development in aged female mice via stimulation of the silent information regulator 3/forkhead transcription factor O1 3a pathway

OBJECTIVE:To primarily explore the effect and mechanism of Wenshen Yangxue decoction(温肾养血方)in promoting follicular development in elderly female mice.METHODS:Fifty Institute of Cancer Research mice were randomly divided into blank,controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH),low-dose Wenshen Yangxue decoction,medium-dose Wenshen Yangxue decoction,and high-dose Wenshen Yangxue decoction groups,with 10 mice in each group.The number of ovulations,number of fertilizations,mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate(ATP)level,and mitochondrial DNA(mt DNA)of oocytes in each group were compared.Reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to detect the m RNA and protein expression levels of silent information regulator 3(Sirt3)and forkhead transcription factor O13a(FOXO3a).RESULTS:Wenshen Yangxue decoction significantly increased the number of ovulations in mice(P<0.05)and promoted the formation of fertilized eggs.The ATP level and mt DNA copy number of mice oocytes in the highdose groups were significantly higher than those in the COH group(P<0.05).Wenshen Yangxue decoction significantly increased the m RNA and protein levels of Sirt3 and FOXO3a in mouse oocytes.CONCLUSION:Wenshen Yangxue decoction promoted the development of follicles in elderly female mice,increased the number of ovulations and improved fertility.Its mechanism may be related to increased mitochondrial energy metabolism and regulation of the Sirt3/FOXO3a pathway.

Polo-like kinase 1,a new therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM： To investigate the role of polo-like kinase 1 （PLK1） as a therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. METHODS： PLK1 gene expression was evaluated in HCC tissue and HCC cell lines. Gene knockdown with short-interfering RNA （siRNA） was used to study PLK1 gene and protein expression using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and Western blotting, and cell proliferation using 3-（4,5-dim ethylthiazol-2-yl）-5-（3-carboxymethoxyphenyl）-2（4-sulf ophenyl）-2H-tetrazolium （MTS） and bromodeoxyuridine （BrdU） assays. Apoptosis was evaluated using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end label- ing （TUNEL） assay, and caspase-inhibition assay. Huh-7 cells were transplanted into nude mice and co-cultured with PLK1 siRNA or control siRNA, and tumor progres- sion was compared with controls. RESULTS： RT-PCR showed that PLK1 was overexpre- ssed 12-fold in tumor samples compared with controls, and also was overexpressed in Huh-7 cells, siRNA against PLK1 showed a reduction in PLK1 gene and protein expression of up to 96% in Huh-7 cells, and a reduction in cell proliferation by 68% and 92% in MTS and BrdU cell proliferation assays, respectively. There was a 3-fold increase in apoptosis events, and TUNEL staining and caspase-3 assays suggested that this was caspase-independent. The pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was unable to rescue the apoptotic cells. Immnofluorescence co-localized endonuclease-G to fragmented chromosomes, implicating it in apoptosis. Huh-7 cells transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice showed tumor regression in siPLKl-treated mice, but not in controls. CONCLUSION： Knockdown of PLK1 overexpression in HCC was shown to be a potential therapeutic target, leading to apoptosis through the endonuclease-G path- way.

A forkhead transcription factor contributes to the regulatory differences of pathogenicity in closely related fungal pathogens

Cryptococcus neoformans and its sister species Cryptococcus deuterogattii are important human fungal pathogens.Despite their phylogenetically close relationship,these two Cryptococcus pathogens are greatly different in their clinical characteristics.However,the determinants underlying the regulatory differences of their pathogenicity remain largely unknown.Here,we show that the forkhead transcription factor Hcm1 promotes infection in C.neoformans but not in C.deuterogattii.Monitoring in vitro and in vivo fitness outcomes of multiple clinical isolates from the two pathogens indicates that Hcm1 mediates pathogenicity in C.neoformans through its key involvement in oxidative stress defense.By comparison,Hcm1 is not critical for antioxidation in C.deuterogattii.Furthermore,we identified SRX1,which encodes the antioxidant sulfiredoxin,as a conserved target of Hcm1 in two Cryptococcus pathogens.Like HCM1,SRX1 had a greater role in antioxidation in C.neoformans than in C.deuterogattii.Significantly,overexpression of SRX1 can largely rescue the defective pathogenicity caused by the absence of Hcm1 in C.neoformans.Conversely,Srx1 is dispensable for virulence in C.deuterogattii.Overall,our findings demonstrate that the difference in the contribution of the antioxidant sulfiredoxin to oxidative stress defense underlies the Hcm1-mediated regulatory differences of pathogenicity in two closely related pathogens.

Modified Shenlingbaizhu decoction reduces intestinal adenoma formation in adenomatous polyposis coli multiple intestinal neoplasia mice by suppression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α-induced CD4+CD25+forkhead box P3 regulatory T cells

OBJECTIVE： To test the hypothesis that modified Shenlingbaizhu decoction （MSD） attenuates the for- mation of intestinal adenomas by regulating activa- tion of CD4＋CD25＋ forkhead box P3 （FoxP3） regu- latory T cells （Tregs） by downregulation of hypox- ia-inducible factor la （HIF-la）. METHODS： Chemical fingerprints of ginsenoside Rbl, ginsenoside Rc, paeoniflorin, and dioscin in standard extractions were used as material bases of MSD. Adenomatous polyposis coli multiple intesti- nal neoplasia （ApcM＇n/＋） mice, which harbor a muta- tion in adenomatous polyposis coil, were used to host intestinal adenomas. Peripheral blood and spleen Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Pro- tein expression was analyzed by immunohisto- chemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS： The number and size of intestinal adenomas were significantly reduced by MSD treatment. Mucosal thickening and the spleen size were also substantially decreased by MSD. The carcinogenesis process in Apc^min/＋ mice resembled that of human colorectal cancer. Molecular markers of neoplasms, such as 13-catenin, cyclooxygenase-2, prolif- erating cell nuclear antigen, and p53, were substantially ameliorated by MSD treatment. Moreover, MSD downregulated peripheral and spleen CD4＋ CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs and reduced in situ expression of CD4, CD25, and FoxP3 in intestinal adenomas. MSD also suppressed HIF-la expression in the intestinal adenomas, and HIF-la inhibition decreased expression of FoxP3 in Jurkat T cells under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION： MSD is a valid prescription to control the formation of intestinal adenomas in Apc^min/＋mice. It exerts anti-cancer effects partially through suppression of HIF-la that induced activation of CD4＋CD25＋FoxP3＋ Tregs in vivo and in vitro.

Efficacy of active ingredients in Qingdai(Indigo Naturalis)on ulcerative colitis:a network pharmacology-based evaluation

OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the protective effect of Qingdai(Indigo Naturalis,QD)on ulcerative colitis(UC)by means of in silico and in vivo approaches.METHODS:A systems pharmacology analysis was performed to predict the active components of QD whereas the putative biological targets of QD against UC were obtained through target fishing,network cons-truction and enrichment analyses.Meanwhile,we examined the ameliorative effect of QD in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced colitis.During the 10-day experiment,the control and diseased mice were given with oral gavages of QD(1.3 g raw herbs·kg^(-1)·d^(-1))or 5-aminosalicylic acid(5-ASA,100 mg·kg^(-1)·d^(-1))every day.The underlying pharma-cological mechanisms of QD in UC were determined using polymerase chain reaction tests,histological staining,enzyme-linked immunoassays,and Western blotting analysis.RESULTS:Searching from various network pharmacology databases,29 compounds were identified in QD.According to the screening criteria suggested by TCMSP(i.e.OB≥30%and DL≥0.18),nine of them were considered the active ingredients that contribute to the ameliorative effects of QD on different mouse models of colitis.Most importantly,the protective effect of QD on DSS-induced colitis was significantly associated with modulations of the expression levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3-β(Gsk3-β)and forkhead box p3(Foxp3),which are widely considered as important regulators of excessive inflammatory responses.CONCLUSIONS:The results of this study provide solid scientific evidence for the use of QD or its core active components in the clinical management of UC.

Zhizhu Decoction Alleviates Intestinal Barrier Damage via Regulating SIRT1/FoxO1 Signaling Pathway in Slow Transit Constipation Model Mice

Objective:To explore the possible effects and mechanism of Zhizhu Decoction(ZZD)on the pathophysiology of slow transit constipation(STC).Methods A total of 54 C57BL/6 mice was randomly divided into the following 6 groups by a random number table,including control,STC model(model),positive control,and low-,medium-and high-doses ZZD treatment groups(5,10,20 g/kg,namely L,M-,and H-ZZD,respectively),9 mice in each group.Following 2-week treatment,intestinal transport rate(ITR)and fecal water content were determined,and blood and colon tissue samples were collected.Hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed to evaluate the morphology of colon tissues and calculate the number of goblet cells.To determine intestinal permeability,serum levels of lipopolysaccharide(LPS),low-density lipoprotein(LDL)and mannose were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Western blot analysis was carried out to detect the expression levels of intestinal tight junction proteins zona-occludens-1(ZO-1),claudin-1,occludin and recombinant mucin 2(MUC2).The mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,IL-4,IL-10 and IL-22 were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative reverse transcription reaction.Colon indexes of oxidative stress were measured by ELISA,and protein expression levels of colon silent information regulator 1/forkhead box O transcription factor 1(SIRT1/FoxO1)antioxidant signaling pathway were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the model group,ITR and fecal moisture were significantly enhanced in STC mice in the M-ZZD and H-ZZD groups(P<0.01).Additionally,ZZD treatment notably increased the thickness of mucosal and muscular tissue,elevated the number of goblet cells in the colon of STC mice,reduced the secretion levels of LPS,LDL and mannose,and upregulated ZO-1,claudin-1,occludin and MUC2 expressions in the colon in a dose-dependent manner,compared with the model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In addition,ZZD significantly attenuated intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress and activated the SIRT1/FoxO1 signaling pathway(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion ZZD exhibited beneficial effects on the intestinal system of STC mice and alleviated intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress via activating SIRT1/FoxO1 antioxidant signaling pathway in the colon.

Changes of phenotype and function of human CD4^(+)CD25^(-) T cells induced by transfection of Foxp3

The aim of this paper is to explore the effects of transfection of Foxp3 gene on the phenotype and function of naive CD4^(+)T cells.The pMSCV-Foxp3 retroviral vec-tor encoding Foxp3 gene was transduced into the PT67 packaging cell line.Virus-containing supernatant was applied to differentiate CD4^(+)CD25^(-) T cells.The resulting cells were sorted with flow cytometry.The expressions of CD25,CD127,CTLA-4 and the proliferation of trans-fected T cells were examined.The effect of transfected CD4^(+)T cells on the proliferation and cytokine production of CD4^(+)CD25^(-) T cells was examined.Foxp3-gene trans-fected CD4^(+)T cells could express Foxp3 and transfection of Foxp3 gene up-regulated the expressions of CD25 and CTLA-4,but down-regulated CD127 expression.After transfection,the proliferation of CD4^(+)T cells was elimi-nated.Transfected T cells inhibited the proliferation of CD4^(+)CD25^(-) T cells.CD4^(+)CD25^(-) T cells acquired a reg-ulatory phenotype and function after it was transduced with the Foxp3 gene.This suggested a key role of Foxp3 in the generation of CD4^(+)CD25^(+) regulatory T cells.

Effects of Shen-Fu Injection (参附注射液) on Apoptosis of Regulatory T Lymphocytes in Spleen during Post-Resuscitation Immune Dysfunction in A Porcine Model of Cardiac Arrest

Objective： To investigate whether Shen-Fu Injection（参附注射液, SFI） reduces post-resuscitation immune dysfunction in a porcine model of cardiac arrest by modulating apoptosis of regulatory T lymphocytes（Treg） in the spleen. Methods： After 8-min untreated ventricular fibrillation and 2-min basic life support, 24 pigs were divided into 3 groups with a random number table, i.e. SFI group, epinephrine（EP） group, and saline（SA） group（8 in each group）, which received central venous injection of SFI（1.0 m L/kg）, EP（0.02 mg/kg） and SA, respectively. The same procedure without CA initiation was achieved in the sham-operated（sham） group（n=6）. After successful return of spontaneous circulation（ROSC）, apoptosis rate of splenic Treg was detected by flow cytometry; and the m RNA expression of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor（Foxp3） of splenic Treg was detected by real time-polymerase chain reaction; and the levels of interleukin-4（IL-4） and interferon-γ（IFN-γ） in porcine splenic Treg were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Results： Compared with the sham group, the apoptosis rate of Treg was significantly decreased, and the levels of Foxp3 m RNA expression, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-4 were increased in the SA group（P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. Compared with the EP and SA groups, SFI treatment increased the apoptosis rate of Treg and reduced the levels of Foxp3 m RNA expression, IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4（P〈0.05）. Conclusions： SFI has significant effects in attenuating post-resuscitation immune dysfunction by modulating apoptosis of Treg in the spleen.