Clinical significance of SQSTM1/P62 and nuclear factor-κB expression in pancreatic carcinoma

BACKGROUND Overexpression of SQSTM1(sequestosome 1,P62)and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of a variety of malignant tumors.AIM To explore the expression of P62 and NF-κB in pancreatic cancer and their relationship with clinicopathological features.METHODS The expression levels of P62 and NF-κB were analyzed by immunohistochemistry with a tissue chip containing 40 cases of human pancreatic carcinoma.Then we analyzed the correlation among P62 expression,phospho-P65 expression,and clinicopathological features of pancreatic carcinoma samples.RESULTS P62 expression was mainly observed in the cytoplasm of pancreatic carcinoma cells.Phosphorylated P65(phospho-P65)was mainly expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of pancreatic carcinoma cells.There was a significant difference in P62 expression among T stages.And a significant difference in phosphor-P65 expression among pathology types was noted.In the cases with strongly positive P62 expression,significant differences were found in age.And there were significant differences in T stage and tumor-node-metastasis stage in the cases with strongly positive phosphor-P65 expression.CONCLUSION In pancreatic carcinoma,P62 expression is significantly correlated with T stage.It may be a valuable malignant indicator for human pancreatic carcinoma.

益气化痰活血方对动脉粥样硬化小鼠主动脉p-NF-κB(p65)、p-IκB表达的影响

目的探讨益气化痰活血方调脂通脉颗粒对载脂蛋白E(apolipoprotein E,ApoE)基因敲除小鼠血脂、主动脉弓粥样硬化斑块、主动脉弓磷酸化核因子κB(phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa B,p-NF-κB)及腹主动脉p-NF-κB、磷酸化κB抑制蛋白(phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B,p-IκB)表达的影响。方法将30只ApoE基因敲除小鼠随机分为模型组、非诺贝特组和调脂通脉颗粒组,每组10只,分别给予高脂饮食及相应药物干预;10只C57BL/6J小鼠为正常对照组,予普通饮食,连续给药12周后,检测血清血脂水平。HE染色观察主动脉弓病理改变;荧光免疫染色观察主动脉弓p-NF-κB(p65)表达;蛋白免疫印记法观察腹主动脉p-NF-κB(p65)、p-IκB表达。结果连续用药12周后,模型组血清总胆固醇(total cholesterol,TC)、甘油三酯(triglyceride,TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(low density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(high density lipoprotein cholesterol,HDL-C)升高,主动脉弓粥样硬化斑块形成,主动脉弓p-NF-κB(p65)表达增多(P<0.05),腹主动脉p-NF-κB、p-IκB表达增多(P<0.05);调脂通脉颗粒组血清TG明显降低,动脉粥样硬化斑块病变缓解,主动脉弓p-NF-κB及腹主动脉p-NF-κB、p-IκB表达减少,与模型组比较差异明显(P<0.05)。结论调脂通脉颗粒具有降低血清TG水平,抑制血管内皮NF-κB磷酸化,减少p-NF-κB(p65)、p-IκB蛋白表达的作用。

Givinostat inhibition of hepatic stellate cell proliferation and protein acetylation

AIM: To explore the effect of the histone deacetylase inhibitor givinostat on proteins related to regulation of hepatic stellate cell proliferation.METHODS: The cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to observe changes in proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle in hepatic stellate cells treated with givinostat. Western blot was used to observe expression changes in p21, p57, CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, caspase-3, and caspase-9 in hepatic stellate cells exposed to givinostat. The scratch assay was used to analyze the effect of givinostat on cell migration. Effects of givinostat on the reactive oxygen species profile, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening in JS-1 cells were observed by laser confocal microscopy.RESULTS: Givinostat significantly inhibited JS-1 cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis, leading to cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phases. Treatment with givinostat downregulated protein expression of CDK4, CDK6, and cyclin D1, whereas expression of p21 and p57 was significantly increased. The givinostat-induced apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells was mainly mediatedthrough p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. Givinostat treatment increased intracellular reactive oxygen species production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and promoted mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. Acetylation of superoxide dismutase(acetyl K68) and nuclear factor-κB p65(acetyl K310) was upregulated, while there was no change in protein expression. Moreover, the notable beneficial effect of givinostat on liver fibrosis was also confirmed in the mouse models.CONCLUSION: Givinostat has antifibrotic activities via regulating the acetylation of nuclear factor-κB and superoxide dismutase 2, thus inhibiting hepatic stellate cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

Effects of IκBα and its mutants on NF-κB and p53 signaling pathways

AIM： To study the effects of IκBα and its mutants （IκBαM, IκBα3N, IκBαM44C） on NF-κB, p53 and their downstream target genes. The relationship of NF-κB, p53, and IκBα was further discussed. METHODS： pECFP-IκBα, pECFP-IκBαM （amino acides 1-317, Ser32, 36A）, pECFP-IκBα243N （amino acides 1-243）, pECFP-IκBα244C （amino acides 24±317）, pEYFP-p65 and pp53-DsRed were constructed and transfected to ASTC-α-1 cells. Cells were transfected with pECFP-Cl as a control. 30 h after the transfection, location patterns of NF-κB, p53 and IκBα（IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBα224C） were observed by a laser scanning microscope （LSM510/ConfoCor2, Zeiss）. RNA extraction and reverse transcription were performed in cells transfected or co-transfected with different plasmids. Effects of IκBα and its mutants on the transprition level of NF-κB, NF-κB downstream target gene TNF-α, p53 and p53 downstream target gene Bax were observed by real time QT-PCR. In all experiments β-actin was reference. Results are expressed as the target/reference ratio of the sample divided by the target/reference ratio of the control. Different transfected cells were incubated with CCK-8 for 2 h in the incubator. Then the absorbance at 450 nm was measured by using a microplate reader. RESULTS： Cells that were transfected with p53- DsRed revealed a predominant nuclear localization. YFP-p65 mainly existed in the cytoplasm. Cells were transfected with CFP-IκBα, CFP-IκBαM, and CFP-IκBα243N respectively and revealed a predominant cytosolic localization. However, cells transfected of CFP-IκBα244C revealed a predominant nuclear localization. The rnRNA levels of p65, TNF-α, p53 and Bax in CFP-IκBα transfected cells did not change significantly, while in YFP-p65/CFP-IκBα co-transfected cells, IκBα decreased the transcription of p65 downstream gene TNF-α （2.24 ± 0.503） compared with the YFP-p65/ CFP-C1 co-transfected cells （5.08 ± 0.891） （P 〈 0.05）. Phosphorylation defective IκBα （IκBαM） decreased the transcription levels of all the four genes compared with the control （P 〈 0.05）. The N terminus of IκBα（IκBα243N） increased the transcription of NF-κB （1.84 ± 0.176） and TNF-α （1.51 ± 0.203） a little bit. However, the C terminus of IκBα（IκBα244C） increased the transcription of NF-κB, TNF-α, p53 and Bax significantly （8.29 ± 1.662, 14.16 ± 2.121, 10.2 ± 0.621, 3.72 ± 0.346） （P 〈 0.05）. The CCK-8 experiment also showed that IκBα244C and p53 synergistically mediate apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS： IκBα and its mutants （IκBαM, IκBα243N, IκBαM244C） have different effects on NF- KB and p53 signaling pathways, according to their different structures. IκBαbounds with NF-KB and p53 in cytoplasm steadily, and inhibits both of the two signaling pathways, p53 and IκBα244C may be co-factor in inducing apoptosis. The C terminal of IκBαnhanced cell death, which suggests that it may be a pro-apoptotic protein existed in cells.

颅痛颗粒对偏头痛模型大鼠行为学及NF-κB信号转导通路的影响

【目的】观察颅痛颗粒(袪风药合虫类药)对偏头痛模型大鼠行为学及核因子κB(NF-κB)信号通路的影响,探讨其作用机制。【方法】将60只雄性大鼠随机分为正常组,模型组,西药组,中药高、中、低剂量组,每组10只。中药高、中、低剂量组大鼠分别给予颅痛颗粒(剂量为4.0、2.0、1.0 g·kg-1·d-1)灌胃,西药组给予舒马普坦(剂量为6.0 mg·kg-1·d-1)灌胃,正常组、模型组给予等体积蒸馏水灌胃,连续灌胃7 d后,给予大鼠颈背部皮下一次性注射10 mg/kg硝酸甘油复制偏头痛模型,观察大鼠行为学改变,Western blot法检测脑干NF-κBp65、磷酸化核因子κB抑制蛋白α(p-IκBα)的表达。【结果】(1)行为学变化:与正常组比较,模型组大鼠挠头及爬笼次数均明显增加(P <0.05),于造模后2～5 min出现双耳发红现象;与模型组比较,中药高、中、低剂量组及西药组大鼠挠头及爬笼次数均明显减少,耳红出现时间延后,耳红持续时间缩短(P <0.05),且中药各剂量组的治疗作用呈剂量依赖性。(2)NF-κBp65、p-IκBα的表达:与正常组比较,模型组脑干NF-κBp65、p-IκBα蛋白表达升高;与模型组比较,中药高、中、低剂量组及西药组NF-κBp65、p-IκBα蛋白表达均降低(P <0.05),且中药各剂量组的治疗作用呈剂量依赖性。【结论】颅痛颗粒可改善偏头痛大鼠的行为学变化,其作用机制可能与抑制脑干NF-κB信号通路的激活有关。

助脉二仙汤联合镇心膏穴位贴敷治疗缓慢型心律失常患者的临床研究

目的:探讨助脉二仙汤联合镇心膏穴位贴敷治疗缓慢型心律失常患者的临床疗效及对患者心功能、炎症因子水平的影响。方法:选取2021年2月~2023年2月期间于某院就诊的120例缓慢型心律失常患者作为研究对象,采用随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组,每组60例。对照组患者给予硫酸阿托品片治疗,观察组在对照组治疗基础上加用助脉二仙汤口服、镇心膏穴位贴敷治疗,两组均治疗4周。比较两组患者临床疗效、中医证候积分、心功能[心脏指数(CI)、每搏输出量(SV)、左室射血分数(LVEF)]、炎症因子[白介素-6(IL-6)、白介素-8(IL-8)、超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)、核转录因子-κB p65(NF-κB p65)、磷酸化细胞核转录因子κB抑制蛋白α(p-IκBα)]水平及不良反应发生情况。结果:治疗后,观察组患者治疗总有效率(96.67%)高于对照组(83.33%,P<0.05);两组患者心悸胸闷、短气乏力、身寒肢冷、面色晦暗、胸痛、腰膝酸软得分均降低(P<0.05),且观察组低于对照组(P<0.05);两组患者CI、SV、LVEF均升高(P<0.05),且观察组高于对照组(P<0.05);两组患者IL-6、IL-8、hs-CRP、NF-κB p65及p-IκBα均降低(P<0.05),且观察组低于对照组(P<0.05);两组患者用药期间均未发生明显不良反应。结论:在硫酸阿托品片的治疗基础上联合助脉二仙汤口服、镇心膏穴位贴敷治疗缓慢型心律失常临床疗效较佳,可有效减轻患者临床症状,改善心功能,减轻炎症反应,且安全性较高。

IKKε、p-IKKε在肝癌组织中的表达及意义

目的探讨原发性肝细胞肝癌(HCC)患者肝癌组织中核因子-κB抑制物激酶ε(IKKε)、磷酸化核因子-κB抑制物激酶ε(p-IKKε)的表达与患者临床病理特征及生存期的关系。方法收集2006年12月至2008年8月64例手术切除的HCC组织标本,采用免疫组化染色技术检测肝癌及癌旁组织中IKKε、p-IKKε蛋白的表达。对IKKε、p-IKKε的表达水平与临床分期、转移之间的关系进行单因素分析。采用Kaplan-Meier分析法对其进行生存评估。对患者进行随访1~160周(平均64.90周)。结果 IKKε与p-IKKε蛋白在癌旁组织中表达均不明显,但在肝癌组织中均高表达。IKKε的阳性表达与肿瘤分化程度(P=0.049)、临床分期(P=0.039)显著相关,而与年龄、性别、血清甲胎蛋白(AFP)、肿瘤大小以及有无转移无相关性(P均>0.05)。p-IKKε的阳性表达与肿瘤分化程度(P=0.017)、有无转移(P=0.031)显著相关,而与年龄、性别、血清AFP、肿瘤大小以及临床分期无相关性(P均>0.05)。与IKKε表达阴性患者比较,IKKε表达阳性的HCC患者其生存时间显著降低(P=0.035)。结论IKKε、p-IKKε蛋白在肝癌组织中的表达明显高于癌旁组织;且IKKε阳性表达的HCC患者生存时间明显缩短,pIKKε阳性表达与HCC患者生存时间无明显相关性。IKKε的检测可作为HCC的预后判断指标。