膀胱癌组织HIF-1α与Survivin、Bcl-2表达的关系和意义

目的探讨膀胱癌组织中低氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)、生存素(Survivin)、Bcl-2的表达关系和临床意义。方法对68例膀胱移行细胞癌组织和20例正常膀胱组织石蜡标本进行免疫组化(SP)染色,检测HIF-1α与Survivin、Bcl-2的表达情况。结果膀胱癌组织中HIF-1α、Survivin、Bcl-2与正常膀胱组织相比均明显增强(P<0.05);3种蛋白质表达随病理分级、分期的升高而升高(P<0.05);复发膀胱癌组织中HIF-1α、Survivin表达较初发膀胱癌组织增强(P<0.05);相关分析显示,HIF-1α与Survivin、HIF-1α与Bcl-2表达均存在正相关关系(r=0.4486,0.3428,0.2016,P<0.05)。结论 HIF-1α在膀胱癌组织中表达增强,且随肿瘤进展表达进一步升高;其机制在于HIF-1α可能通过调节Survivin、Bcl-2表达而增强膀胱癌细胞的抗凋亡能力促进膀胱癌进展。

Tongxinluo Inhibits Cyclooxygenase-2, Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase, Hypoxia-inducible Factor-2α/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor to Antagonize Injury in Hypoxia-stimulated Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Background： Endothelial dysflinction is considered as the initiating process and pathological basis of cardiovascnlar disease. Cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） and prostacyclin synthase （PGIS）, inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and endothelial NOS （eNOS） are key enzymes with opposing actions in inflammation and oxidative stress, which are believed to be the major driver of endothelial dysfunction. And in hypoxia （Hx）, Hx-inducible factor （HIF）-1α and HIF-2α are predominantly induced to activate vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）, restllting in abnormal proliferation. Whether and how Tongxinluo （TXL） modulates COX-2, PGIS, iNOS, eNOS, HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and VEGF in Hx-stimulated human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells （HCM ECs） have not been clarified. Methods： HCMEC were treated with CoCl2 to mimic Hx and the mRNA expressions of COX-2, PGIS, iNOS, eNOS, HIF-1α, HIF-2α. and VEGF were first confirmed, and then their mRNA expression and protein content as well as the cell pathological alterations were evaluated for TXL treatment with different concentrations, In addition, the effector molecular of inflammation prostaglandin E2 （PGE2） and the oxidative marker nitrotyrosine （NT） was adopted to reflect HCMEC in.jury. Results： Hx could induce time-dependent increase of COX-2, iNOS, HIF-2α, and VEGF in HCMEC. Based on the Hx-induced increase, TXL could mainly decrease COX-2, iNOS, HIF-2α, and VEGF in a concentration-dependent manner, with limited effect on the increase of PGIS and eNOS. Their protein contents verified the mRNA expression changes, which was consistent with the cell morphological alterations. Furthermore, high dose TXL could inhibit the Hx-induced increase of PG E, and NT contents, attenuating the inflammatory and oxidative injury. Conclusions： TXL could inhibit inflammation-related COX-2, oxidative stress-related iNOS, and H IF-2α/VEGF to antagonize Hx-induced HCMEC injury.

Expression and significance of factors related to angiogenesis in choroidal melanoma

AIM: To investigate expression of factors related to angiogenesis: HIF-1 alpha, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in choroidal melanoma and its clinical significance. METHODS: Fifty samples of choroidal melanoma and 15 samples of melanocytic nevi of the eyelid identified by pathology were collected. Immunohistochemistry SP method was used to examine the expression of HIF-1 alpha, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in these samples. The comparison among groups was done by SPSS 13.0 software. RESULTS: The positive expression rates of HIF-1 alpha, iNOS, COX-2 and VEGF in choroidal melanoma group were significantly higher than those in eyelid nevi group (chi(2)= 6.5542, 7.7224, 8.5828, 15.1749). The positive expression rate of VEGF was associated with the tumor size (chi(2)= 10.9194), but was not associated with pathological type (chi(2)=2.0712) and the situation of scleral invasion (chi(2)= 5.4289). The positive expression rate of HIF-1 alpha was associated with the tumor size (chi(2)=7.1216) and pathological type (chi(2)=9.0889), but was not associated with the situation of scleral invasion (chi(2)=3.3586). The positive expression rate of iNOS was associated with the tumor size (chi(2)=9.5503), but was not associated with pathological type (chi(2)=1.9450) and the situation of scleral invasion (chi(2)=2.3810). The positive expression rate of COX-2 was associated with the tumor size (chi(2)=7.2970), but was not associated with pathological type (chi(2)=1.8421) and the situation of sclera! invasion (chi(2)= 0.4018). The expression of HIF-1 alpha, iNOS and COX-2 were significantly associated with the expression of VEGF (r = 0.9429, 1, 0.9857). The expression of COX-2 was significantly associated with the expression of iNOS (r=0.9857). The expression of HIF-1 alpha was significantly associated with the expression of COX-2 ( r=0.9857). The expression of HIF-1 alpha was significantly associated with the expression of iNOS (r= 0. 9429). CONCLUSION: The expression of HIF-1 alpha, iNOS and COX-2 protein in choroidal melanoma were higher and may relate to angiogenesis and stimulate tumor growth. Determination of HIF-1 alpha, iNOS and COX-2 may be helpful for the diagnosis and therapy of this tumor.

Amentoflavone protects hippocampal neurons: anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic effects

Amentoflavone is a natural biflavone compound with many biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neuroprotective effects. We presumed that amentoflavone exerts a neuroprotective effect in epilepsy models. Prior to model establishment, mice were intragastrically administered 25 mg/kg amentoflavone for 3 consecutive days. Amentoflavone effectively prevented pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in a mouse kindling model, suppressed nuclear factor-κB activation and expression, inhibited excessive discharge of hippocampal neurons resulting in a reduction in epileptic seizures, shortened attack time, and diminished loss and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Results suggested that amentoflavone protected hippocampal neurons in epilepsy mice via anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and antiapoptosis, and then effectively prevented the occurrence of seizures.

Aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer is repressed by naringin via the HIF1Α pathway

Metabolic reprogramming is a common phenomenon in cancer,with aerobic glycolysis being one of its important characteristics.Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF1Α)is thought to play an important role in aerobic glycolysis.Meanwhile,naringin is a natural flavanone glycoside derived from grapefruits and many other citrus fruits.In this work,we identified glycolytic genes related to HIF1Αby analyzing the colon cancer database.The analysis of extracellular acidification rate and cell function verified the regulatory effects of HIF1Αoverexpression on glycolysis,and the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells.Moreover,naringin was used as an inhibitor of colon cancer cells to illustrate its effect on HIF1Αfunction.The results showed that the HIF1Αand enolase 2(ENO2)levels in colon cancer tissues were highly correlated,and their high expression indicated a poor prognosis for colon cancer patients.Mechanistically,HIF1Αdirectly binds to the DNA promoter region and upregulates the transcription of ENO2;ectopic expression of ENO2 increased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells.Most importantly,we found that the appropriate concentration of naringin inhibited the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α,which in turn decreased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells.Generally,naringin reduces glycolysis in colon cancer cells by reducing the transcriptional activity of HIF1Αand the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells.This study helps to elucidate the relationship between colon cancer progression and glucose metabolism,and demonstrates the efficacy of naringin in the treatment of colon cancer.

Aquaporin-4 is a potential drug target for traumatic brain injury via aggravating the severity of brain edema

Background:Traumatic brain edema(TBE)is caused by a specific water channel mediated by membrane aquaporins.Aquaporin-4(AQP4)plays an especially important role in this process,but the relationship between AQP4 and TBE remains unclear.The purpose of this study was to explore expression of AQP4 in the hippocampus after traumatic brain injury(TBI),as well as the effect of brain edema on skeletal protein and its function in hippocampal neurons.Methods:The adult male Wistar rats we divided into a sham group and a TBI group,the latter of which was further divided into 1,3,6,12,24 and 72 hours(h)and 15 days(d)post injury subgroups.A proper TBI model was established,and brain edema was assessed in each group by water content.We measured the abundance of various proteins,including hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α),AQP4,microtubule-associated protein 2(MAP2),tau-5 protein,phosphorylated level of TAU,synaptophysin,cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein(CREB),phosphorylated CREB and general control nonrepressed 2,in each group.Hippocampal neurons and spatial memory test were analyzed in different time points.Results:Compared with that in the sham group,the level of AQP4 in hippocampal neurons began to significantly increase at 1 h post TBI and then decreased at 15 d post TBI.During this time frame,AQP4 level peaked at 12 and 72 h,and these peaks were closely correlated with high brain water content.HIF-1αdisplayed a similar trend.Conversely,levels of MAP2 began to decrease at 1 h post TBI and then increase at 15 d post TBI.In addition,the most severe brain edema in rats was found at 24 h post TBI,with neuronal loss and hippocampal dendritic spine injury.Compared to those in the sham group,rats in the TBI groups had significantly prolonged latency and significantly shortened exploration time.Conclusions:AQP4 level was closely correlated with severity of brain edema,and abnormal levels thereof aggravated such severity after TBI.