Role of lipids in the control of autophagy and primary cilium signaling in neurons

The brain is,after the adipose tissue,the organ with the greatest amount of lipids and diversity in their composition in the human body.In neurons,lipids are involved in signaling pathways controlling autophagy,a lysosome-dependent catabolic process essential for the maintenance of neuronal homeostasis and the function of the primary cilium,a cellular antenna that acts as a communication hub that transfers extracellular signals into intracellular responses required for neurogenesis and brain development.A crosstalk between primary cilia and autophagy has been established;however,its role in the control of neuronal activity and homeostasis is barely known.In this review,we briefly discuss the current knowledge regarding the role of autophagy and the primary cilium in neurons.Then we review the recent literature about specific lipid subclasses in the regulation of autophagy,in the control of primary cilium structure and its dependent cellular signaling in physiological and pathological conditions,specifically focusing on neurons,an area of research that could have major implications in neurodevelopment,energy homeostasis,and neurodegeneration.

From macroautophagy to mitophagy:Unveiling the hidden role of mitophagy in gastrointestinal disorders

In this editorial,we comment on an article titled“Morphological and biochemical characteristics associated with autophagy in gastrointestinal diseases”,which was published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We focused on the statement that“autophagy is closely related to the digestion,secretion,and regeneration of gastrointestinal cells”.With advancing research,autophagy,and particularly the pivotal role of the macroautophagy in maintaining cellular equilibrium and stress response in the gastrointestinal system,has garnered extensive study.However,the significance of mitophagy,a unique selective autophagy pathway with ubiquitin-dependent and independent variants,should not be overlooked.In recent decades,mitophagy has been shown to be closely related to the occurrence and development of gastrointestinal diseases,especially inflammatory bowel disease,gastric cancer,and colorectal cancer.The interplay between mitophagy and mitochondrial quality control is crucial for elucidating disease mechanisms,as well as for the development of novel treatment strategies.Exploring the pathogenesis behind gastrointestinal diseases and providing individualized and efficient treatment for patients are subjects we have been exploring.This article reviews the potential mechanism of mitophagy in gastrointestinal diseases with the hope of providing new ideas for diagnosis and treatment.

Pterostilbene attenuates intrauterine growth retardation-induced colon inflamm tion in piglets by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy

Background:Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress and autophagy are implicated in the pathophysiology of intestinal inflammation;however,their roles in intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)-induced colon inflammation are unclear.This study explored the protective effects of natural stilbene pterostilbene on colon inflammation using the IUGR piglets and the tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)-treated human colonic epithelial cells(Caco-2)by targeting ER stress and autophagy.Results:Both the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells exhibited inflammatory responses,ER stress,and impaired autophagic flux(P<0.05).The ER stress inducer tunicamycin and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine further augmented inflammatory responses and apoptosis in the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells(P<0.05).Conversely,pterostilbene inhibited ER stress and restored autophagic flux in the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated cells(P<0.05).Pterostilbene also prevented the release of inflammatory cytokines and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B p65,reduced intestinal permeability and cell apoptosis,and facilitated the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins in the IUGR colon and the TNF-α-treated cells(P<0.05).Importantly,treatment with tunicamycin or autophagosome-lysosome binding inhibitor chloroquine blocked the positive effects of pterostilbene on inflammatory response,cell apoptosis,and intestinal barrier function in the TNF-α-exposed Caco-2 cells(P<0.05).Conclusion:Pterostilbene mitigates ER stress and promotes autophagic flux,thereby improving colon inflammation and barrier dysfunction in the IUGR piglets and the TNF-α-treated Caco-2 cells.

Neuronal autophagy aggravates microglial inflammatory injury by downregulating CX3CL1/fractalkine after ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke often induces excessive neuronal autophagy, resulting in brain damage; meanwhile, inflammatory responses stimulated by ischemia exacerbate neural injury. However, interactions between neuronal autophagy and microglial inflammation following ischemic stroke are poorly understood. CX3CL1/fractalkine, a membrane-bound chemokine expressed on neurons, can suppress microglial inflammation by binding to its receptor CX3CR1 on microglia. In the present study, to investigate whether autophagy could alter CX3CL1 expression on neurons and consequently change microglial inflammatory activity, middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) was established in Sprague-Dawley rats to model ischemic stroke, and tissues from the ischemic penumbra were obtained to evaluate autophagy level and microglial inflammatory activity. MCAO rats were administered 3-methyladenine(autophagy inhibitor) or Tat-Beclin 1(autophagy inducer). Western blot assays were conducted to quantify expression of Beclin-1, nuclear factor kappa Bp65(NF-κB), light chain 3B(LC3B), and CX3CL1 in ischemic penumbra. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining was performed to quantify numbers of LC3B-, CX3CL1-, and Iba-1-positive cells in ischemic penumbra. In addition, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays were utilized to analyze concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α), interleukin 6(IL-6), interleukin 1 beta(IL-1β), and prostaglandin E2(PGE2). A dry/wet weight method was used to detect brain water content, while 2,3,5,-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was utilized to measure infarct volume. The results demonstrated that autophagy signaling(Beclin-1 and LC3B expression) in penumbra was prominently activated by MCAO, while CX3CL1 expression on autophagic neurons was significantly reduced and microglial inflammation was markedly activated. However, after inhibition of autophagy signaling with 3-methyladenine, CX3CL1 expression on neurons was obviously increased, whereas Iba-1 and NF-κB expression was downregulated; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2 levels were decreased; and cerebral edema was obviously mitigated. In contrast, after treatment with the autophagy inducer Tat-Beclin 1, CX3CL1 expression on neurons was further reduced; Iba-1 and NF-κB expression was increased; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2 levels were enhanced; and cerebral edema was aggravated. Our study suggests that ischemia-induced neuronal autophagy facilitates microglial inflammatory injury after ischemic stroke, and the efficacy of this process may be associated with downregulated CX3CL1 expression on autophagic neurons.

Autophagy activation by Jiang Zhi Granule protects against metabolic stress-induced hepatocyte injury

AIM To elucidate the potential role of autophagy and the protective effects of Jiang Zhi Granule(JZG) in metabolic stress-induced hepatocyte injury.METHODS An in vitro and in vivo approach was used in this study. Hep G2 cells were incubated in culture medium containing palmitate(PA; 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5 mmol/L) and treated with or without JZG(100 μg/m L) for 24 h or 48 h, and the progression of autophagy was visualized by stable fluorescence-expressing cell lines LC3 and p62. Western blot analyses were performed to examine the expression of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, p62, m TOR and PI3 K, while mitochondrial integrity and oxidative stress were observed by fluorescence staining of JC-1 and reactive oxygen species. C57 BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: control group(n = 10), high fat(HF) group(n = 13) and JZG group(n = 13); and, histological staining was carried out to detect inflammation and lipid content in the liver.RESULTS The cell trauma induced by PA was aggravated in a dose-and time-dependent manner, and hepatic function was improved by JZG. PA had dual effects on autophagy by activating autophagy induction and blocking autophagic flux. The PI3 K-AKT-m TOR signaling pathway and the fusion of isolated hepatic autophagosomes and lysosomes were critically involved in this process. JZG activated autophagy progression by either induction of autophagosomes or co-localization of autophagosomes and lysosomes as well as degradation of autolysosomes to protect against PA-induced hepatocyte injury, and protected mitochondrial integrity against oxidative stress in PA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, JZG ameliorated lipid droplets and inflammation induced by HF diet in vivo, leading to improved metabolic disorder and associated liver injury in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).CONCLUSION Metabolic stress-induced hepatocyte injury exhibited dual effects on autophagy and JZG activated the entire process, resulting in beneficial effects in NAFLD.

Autophagy prevents autophagic cell death in Tetrahymena in response to oxidative stress

Autophagy is a major cellular pathway used to degrade long-lived proteins or organelles that may be damaged due to increased reactive oxygen species（ROS） generated by cellular stress. Autophagy typically enhances cell survival, but it may also act to promote cell death under certain conditions. The mechanism underlying this paradox, however, remains unclear. We showed that Tetrahymena cells exerted increased membranebound vacuoles characteristic of autophagy followed by autophagic cell death（referred to as cell death with autophagy） after exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine or 3-methyladenine significantly augmented autophagic cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide. Blockage of the mitochondrial electron transport chain or starvation triggered activation of autophagy followed by cell death by inducing the production of ROS due to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. This indicated a regulatory role of mitochondrial ROS in programming autophagy and autophagic cell death in Tetrahymena. Importantly, suppression of autophagy enhanced autophagic cell death in Tetrahymena in response to elevated ROS production from starvation, and this was reversed by antioxidants. Therefore, our results suggest that autophagy was activated upon oxidative stress to prevent the initiation of autophagic cell death in Tetrahymena until the accumulation of ROS passed the point of no return, leading to delayed cell death in Tetrahymena.

Autophagic cell death induced by reactive oxygen species is involved in hyperthermic sensitization to ionizing radiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

AIM To investigate whether autophagic cell death is involved in hyperthermic sensitization to ionizing radiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and to explore the underlying mechanism.METHODS Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells were treated with hyperthermia and ionizing radiation. MTT and clonogenic assays were performed to determine cell survival. Cell autophagy was detected using acridine orange staining and flow cytometric analysis, and the expression of autophagy-associated proteins, LC3 and p62, was determined by Western blot analysis. Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS) were quantified using the fluorescent probe DCFH-DA.RESULTS Treatment with hyperthermia and ionizing radiation significantly decreased cell viability and surviving fraction as compared with hyperthermia or ionizing radiation alone. Cell autophagy was significantly increased after ionizing radiation combined with hyperthermia treatment, as evidenced by increased formation of acidic vesicular organelles, increased expression of LC3 II and decreased expression of p62. Intracellular ROS were also increased after combined treatment with hyperthermia and ionizing radiation. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, an ROS scavenger, markedly inhibited the cytotoxicity and cell autophagy induced by hyperthermia and ionizing radiation.CONCLUSION Autophagic cell death is involved in hyperthermic sensitization of cancer cells to ionizing radiation, and its induction may be due to the increased intracellular ROS.

Herpes simplex virus typeⅠ induces an autophagic response and accelerates the fragmentation of apolipoproteins E protein

OBJECTIVE How infection of Herpes simplex virus typeⅠ(HSV-1) induces enhancement of autophagy.MEHTODS The wild type HSV-1 strain Kos 1.1 was propagated in Vero cells and purified.SK-N-SH cells seeded in DMEM/F12 were exposed to HSV-1 with 6 h or 12 h and multiplicity of infection(MOI) for 10 or 40 in each experiment.The infectious titers of the HSV-1 samples were determined by plaque assays.MDC staining to test the number of autophagosome within the cell after infection with time and moi was indicated in each experiment.At the molecular level,Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were done to study the expression of the proteins related to the cell autophagy.The mRNA transcribed from the gene related to autophagy was quantified by reverse transcription followed by real-time PCR.After intranasal infection of different transgenic mice,immunoflurorence studies were done to detected the expression of Aβ42 and proteins related to autophagy from the brain sections.Morris water maze experiment was performed to test the change of spatial learning and memory between different transgenic mice.RESULTS SK-N-SH cell showed time-and moi-dependent increase of MDC positive staining after HSV-1 infection.Western blotting analysis showed that LC3-Ⅱ was less in mock-infected cells but it was detected after 12 h from 10 to 40 moi HSV-1 infected cells.The level increased in a viral concentration-dependent manner.In agreement with the Western blotting results,direct fluorescence microscopy revealed that the signals of LC3 were consistent with their localization on autophagic compartments.P62,another protein related to autophagoysome formation,also increased with MOI.15 ku fragment of intracellular apolipoproteins E(APOE) protein increased after infection,but at the mRNA level it remained the same.The expression of APP showed less decrease but intracellular Aβ42 increased significantly compared with the mock group.Within the brain,after intranasal infection for 7 d,autophagy related proteins LC3 b and P62 increased as well,at the same time Aβ42 was found co-localized with LC3 b within the cell.Behavior test revealed that 17-month-old APOE4 mice had pool spatial learning and memory after infection compared with other groups.CONCLUSION HSV-1 induces an autophagic response and accelerates the fragmentation of APOE protein.

DJ-1 Activation Raf/ERK Pathways Promotes Autophagy Maturation of PC-12 Cells

Park 7 gene encodes a conserved protein called DJ-1 protein, which involves autophagy stress, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mechanism of DJ-1 regulation PC-12 autophagical stress. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technique to construct DJ-1 knockout PC-12 cell lines, we culture wild-type and DJ-1 knockout PC-12 cell lines, establish oxidative stress cell model by MPP+, and divide them into wild-type control group (WT), wild-type intervention group (WT + MPP+), DJ-1 knockout control group (KO) and DJ-1 knockout intervention group (KO + MPP+), and explore the role of DJ-1 in regulating neuronal autophagy stress by cell viability assay, immunofluorescence, confocal, western blotting and electron microscopy. The results show that the growth ability of DJ-1 knockout cells is inferior to that of normal cells, and DJ-1 knockout cells are more sensitive to oxidative stress and more vulnerable to damage than wild-type cells. Exposing to MPP+, DJ-1 proteins undergo oxidative responses at Cys-106 sites, while DJ-1 knockout PC-12 cells do not show similar responses. The wild-type PC-12 cells have the confocal in both anti-oxidant DJ-1 antibody and anti-C-Raf phosphorylation antibody. The activated DJ-1 induces the phosphorylation of C-Raf at Ser338 sites to activate directly C-Raf, and subsequently activates ERK1/2 signaling pathways to antagonize MPP+-induced neurotoxicity. Lack of DJ-1, oxidative stress can not promote C-Raf activation. Although the phosphorylation level of cell ERK is also increased, the increase of intranucleus pERK is not obvious. Wild type and DJ-1 knockout PC-12 cells can produce autophagical stress in the face of oxidative stress, but the proportion of autophagolysosomes produced in wild type PC-12 cells is larger than that in DJ-1 knockout cells. PD98059 can reduce autophagy stress in the state of oxidative stress in wild-type PC-12 cells, and the number of autophagolysosomes is similarly reduced, while sorafenib decreased slightly DJ-1 the autophagical stress, and the proportion of autophagolysosomes decreased more. Therefore, we can infer that activated DJ-1 directly phosphorylates C-Raf at Ser-338 sites, then activating C-Raf, subsequent activation of the MEK/ERK pathway. DJ-1 promotes autophagy maturation through the C-Raf/ERK pathway, thereby improving cell survival.

Vaspin alleviates pathological cardiac hypertrophy by regulating autophagy-dependent myocardial senescence

Background:Visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor(vaspin),a secretory adipokine,protects against insulin resistance.Recent studies have demonstrated that serum vaspin levels are decreased in patients with coronary artery disease and that vaspin protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and atherosclerosis.However,it remains unclear whether vaspin exerts specific effects on pathological cardiac hypertrophy.Methods:An in vivo study was conducted using a cardiac hypertrophy model established by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol(ISO)in C57BL/6 and vaspin-ko mice.Rapamycin was administered intraperitoneally to mice,for further study.H9c2 cells and neonatal rat ventricular myocytes(NRVMs)were treated with ISO to induce hypertrophy.Human vaspin fusion protein,the proteasome inhibitor MG132,and chloroquine diphosphate were used for further mechanistic studies.Results:Here,we provide the first evidence that vaspin knockdown results in markedly exaggerated cardiac hypertrophy,fibrosis,and cardiomyocyte senescence in mice treated with ISO.Conversely,the administration of exogenous recombinant human vaspin protected NRVMs in vitro against ISO-induced hypertrophy and senescence.Furthermore,vaspin significantly potentiated the ISO-induced decrease in autophagy.Both rapamycin and chloroquine diphosphate regulated autophagy in vivo and in vitro,respectively,and participated in vaspin-mediated cardioprotection.Moreover,the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway plays a critical role in vaspin-mediated autophagy in cardiac tissues and NRVMs.Our data showed that vaspin downregulated the p85 and p110 subunits of PI3K by linking p85 and p110 to NEDD4L-mediated ubiquitination degradation.Conclusion:Our results show,for the first time,that vaspin functions as a critical regulator that alleviates pathological cardiac hypertrophy by regulating autophagy-dependent myocardial senescence,providing potential preventive and therapeutic targets for pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Engineering cannabidiol synergistic carbon monoxide nanocomplexes to enhance cancer therapy via excessive autophagy

Although carbon monoxide(CO)-based treatments have demonstrated the high cancer efficacy by promoting mitochondrial damage and core-region penetrating ability,the efficiency was often compromised by protective autophagy(mitophagy).Herein,cannabidiol(CBD)is integrated into biomimetic carbon monoxide nanocomplexes(HMPOC@M)to address this issue by inducing excessive autophagy.The biomimetic membrane not only prevents premature drugs leakage,but also prolongs blood circulation for tumor enrichment.After entering the acidic tumor microenvironment,carbon monoxide(CO)donors are stimulated by hydrogen oxide(H_(2)O_(2))to disintegrate into CO and Mn^(2+).The comprehensive effect of CO/Mn^(2+)and CBD can induce ROS-mediated cell apoptosis.In addition,HMPOC@Mmediated excessive autophagy can promote cancer cell death by increasing autophagic flux via classⅢPI3K/BECN1 complex activation and blocking autolysosome degradation via LAMP1 downregulation.Furthermore,in vivo experiments showed that HMPOC@M+laser strongly inhibited tumor growth and attenuated liver and lung metastases by downregulating VEGF and MMP9 proteins.This strategy may highlight the pro-death role of excessive autophagy in TNBC treatment,providing a novel yet versatile avenue to enhance the efficacy of CO treatments.Importantly,this work also indicated the applicability of CBD for triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)therapy through excessive autophagy.

Autophagic activity in neuronal cell death

As post-mitotic cells with great energy demands, neurons depend upon the homeostatic and waste-recycling functions provided by autophagy. In addition, autophagy also promotes survival during periods of harsh stress and targets aggregate-prone proteins associated with neurodegeneration for degradation. Despite this, autophagy has also been controversially described as a mechanism of programmed cell death. Instances of autophagic cell death are typically associated with elevated numbers of cytoplasmic autophagosomes, which have been assumed to lead to excessive degradation of cellular components. Due to the high activity and reliance on autophagy in neurons, these cells may be particularly susceptible to autophagic death. In this review, we summarize and assess current evidence in support of autophagic cell death in neurons, as well as how the dysregulation of autophagy commonly seen in neurodegeneration can contribute to neuron loss. From here, we discuss potential treatment strategies relevant to such cell-death pathways.

雷帕霉素上调人脐静脉内皮细胞自噬活性抑制细胞增殖

目的探讨人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)自噬激活对细胞增殖的影响。方法使用雷帕霉素(Rapa)处理HUVECs,Western blot法检测微管相关蛋白1轻链3(LC3)、Beclin 1和unc-51样激酶1(ULK1)的表达,透射电镜(TEM)检测自噬小体,丹酰尸胺染色(MDC)检测自噬荧光;CCK-8法和EdU法检测自噬激活对细胞增殖的影响;血管形成实验检测成管能力。结果Rapa处理后,与对照组相比,LC3、Beclin 1和ULK1表达增强,实验组绿色自噬荧光表达强于对照组,TEM可见自噬小体;CCK-8和EdU结果显示,与对照组相比,实验组细胞自噬活化后细胞增殖能力减弱,成管能力降低。结论在一定时间内,Rapa上调HUVECs自噬活性抑制细胞增殖。

Loss of VAPB Regulates Autophagy in a Beclin 1-Dependent Manner

Autophagy is an evolutionarily-conserved selfdegradative process that maintains cellular homeostasis by eliminating protein aggregates and damaged organelles.Recently, vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B(VAPB), which is associated with the familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has been shown to regulate autophagy. In the present study, we demonstrated that knockdown of VAPB induced the up-regulation of beclin 1 expression, which promoted LC3(microtubuleassociated protein light chain 3) conversion and the formation of LC3 puncta, whereas overexpression of VAPB inhibited these processes. The regulation of beclin1 by VAPB was at the transcriptional level. Moreover,knockdown of VAPB increased autophagic flux, which promoted the degradation of the autophagy substrate p62 and neurodegenerative disease proteins. Our study provides evidence that the regulation of autophagy by VAPB is associated with the autophagy-initiating factor beclin 1.

Neuroprotective Autophagic Flux Induced by Hyperbaric Oxygen Preconditioning is Mediated by Cystatin C

We have previously reported that Cystatin C(CysC) is a pivotal mediator in the neuroprotection induced by hyperbaric oxygen(HBO) preconditioning; however,the underlying mechanism and how CysC changes after stroke are not clear. In the present study, we demonstrated that CysC expression was elevated as early as 3 h after reperfusion, and this was further enhanced by HBO preconditioning. Concurrently, LC3-II and Beclin-1, two positive-markers for autophagy induction, exhibited increases similar to CysC, while knockdown of CysC blocked these elevations. As a marker of autophagy inhibition, p62 was downregulated by HBO preconditioning and this was blocked by CysC knockdown. Besides, the beneficial effects of preserving lysosomal membrane integrity and enhancing autolysosome formation induced by HBO preconditioning were abolished in CysC-/-rats.Furthermore, we demonstrated that exogenous CysC reduced the neurological deficits and infarct volume after brain ischemic injury, while 3-methyladenine partially reversed this neuroprotection. In the present study, we showed that CysC is biochemically and morphologically essential for promoting autophagic flux, and highlighted the translational potential of HBO preconditioning and CysC for stroke treatment.

自噬流的诱导与检测综合性实验的设计与实践

将国际前沿理论和技术拆解和提炼及时补充到实验教学中,是提高实验教学水平和人才培养质量的重要途径之一。该研究以科研成果为基础设计了“自噬流的诱导和检测”综合性实验,包含细胞传代培养、细胞转染、自噬诱导与观察3个部分,形成系统性、综合性和探究性的模块化实验教学内容,通过细胞培养、转染技术在细胞中表达双荧光标记自噬体标志蛋白,经饥饿诱导细胞,在荧光显微镜下观察自噬体和自噬流变化。在本科生实验教学中的实践结果表明,该实验有助于培养学生科研思维和创新意识、提升学生分析问题和解决问题的能力。

MicroRNA-34c-5p provokes isoprenaline-induced cardiac hypertrophy by modulating autophagy via targeting ATG4B

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy serves as a significant foundation for cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Recently, growing evidence has revealed that microRNAs(miRNAs) play multiple roles in biological processes and participate in cardiovascular diseases. In the present research, we investigate the impact of miRNA-34 c-5 p on cardiac hypertrophy and the mechanism involved. The expression of miR-34 c-5 p was proved to be elevated in heart tissues from isoprenaline(ISO)-infused mice. ISO also promoted miR-34 c-5 p level in primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes(NRCMs). Transfection with miR-34 c-5 p mimic enhanced cell surface area and expression levels of foetal-type genes atrial natriuretic factor(Anf) and β-myosin heavy chain(β-Mhc) in NRCMs. In contrast, treatment with miR-34 c-5 p inhibitor attenuated ISO-induced hypertrophic responses. Enforced expression of miR-34 c-5 p by tail intravenous injection of its agomir led to cardiac dysfunction and hypertrophy in mice, whereas inhibiting miR-34 c-5 p by specific antagomir could protect the animals against ISO-triggered hypertrophic abnormalities. Mechanistically, miR-34 c-5 p suppressed autophagic flux in cardiomyocytes, which contributed to the development of hypertrophy. Furthermore, the autophagy-related gene 4 B(ATG4 B) was identified as a direct target of miR-34 c-5 p, and miR-34 c-5 p was certified to interact with 3’untranslated region of Atg4 b mRNA by dual-luciferase reporter assay. miR-34 c-5 p reduced the expression of ATG4 B, thereby resulting in decreased autophagy activity and induction of hypertrophy. Inhibition of miR-34 c-5 p abolished the detrimental effects of ISO by restoring ATG4 B and increasing autophagy. In conclusion, our findings illuminate that miR-34 c-5 p participates in ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy, at least partly through suppressing ATG4 B and autophagy. It suggests that regulation of miR-34 c-5 p may offer a new way for handling hypertrophy-related cardiac dysfunction.

β-烟酰胺单核苷酸对氧糖剥夺PC12细胞自噬的影响

为了探讨β-烟酰胺单核苷酸(β-nicotinamide mononucleotide,NMN)对氧糖剥夺(oxygen glucose deprivation,OGD)诱导的PC12细胞自噬的影响及其可能机制。通过体外建立OGD PC12细胞自噬损伤模型,MTT法检测各组细胞存活率。透射电镜观察NMN处理后的自噬小体及溶酶体,MDC荧光染色观测NMN对自噬小体的影响。Western blot检测LC3-II/LC3-I、Beclin1、p62、P-mTOR/mTOR等自噬相关蛋白表达水平。结果显示,与Con比,OGD组细胞存活率显著降低(P<0.01),自噬小体及自噬溶酶体增多(P<0.01),MDC荧光斑点及强度增强(P<0.01),Beclin1、LC3-II/LC3-I表达量显著上调(P<0.01),p62、P-mTOR/mTOR表达量显著下调(P<0.01)。与OGD组比,NMN组细胞存活率显著提高(P<0.01),NMN组和3-甲基腺嘌呤(3-methyladenine,3-MA)组自噬小体及自噬溶酶体减少(P<0.01),MDC荧光斑点及强度减弱(P<0.01),Beclin1、LC3-II/LC3-I表达量下调(P<0.01),p62、P-mTOR/mTOR表达量上调(P<0.01),而雷帕霉素(rapamycin,RAPA)组则与之相反。与RAPA组相比,RAPA+NMN组自噬小体及自噬溶酶体显著减少(P<0.01),MDC荧光斑点及强度减弱(P<0.01),Beclin1、LC3-II/LC3-I表达量显著下调(P<0.01),p62、P-mTOR/mTOR表达量显著上调(P<0.01)。因此,NMN可抑制OGD诱导的PC12细胞自噬损伤,发挥抗神经元自噬损伤的保护作用,并且这种保护作用可能与mTOR相关通路有关。本研究可为NMN防治OGD诱导的细胞自噬损伤提供一定的靶标参考,为天然化合物的开发累积一定实验室数据。

缺血性脑卒中后促进转录因子EB核转位改善神经元自噬流障碍的分子机制

脑卒中(cerebral stroke)是由脑动脉出血或梗塞引起的急性脑血管病,约80%的脑卒中临床病例为缺血性脑卒中。自噬流障碍是导致神经元缺血性损伤的重要致病因素,而如何改善自噬流障碍从而减轻缺血性脑损伤的策略仍需深入探究。研究表明,转录因子EB(transcription factor EB,TFEB)是自噬-溶酶体信号通路的关键调节分子。TFEB的活性由其磷酸化水平决定,磷酸化的TFEB通过与14-3-3黏附蛋白结合存留于胞质,当其去磷酸化后则快速向核内转位,进而上调“协同溶酶体表达与调控(coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation,CLEAR)”信号,促进溶酶体生成及自噬相关基因转录,从而增强自噬流。本文重点就TFEB核转位改善缺血性脑卒中神经元自噬流障碍的分子机制进行详细阐述,旨在为脑卒中治疗及脑缺血病理研究提供参考。

Actively priming autophagic cell death with novel transferrin receptor-targeted nanomedicine for synergistic chemotherapy against breast cancer

Recently, considerable attention in the field of cancer therapy has been focused on the mammalian rapamycin target(m TOR), inhibition of which could result in autophagic cell death(ACD). Though novel combination chemotherapy of autophagy inducers with chemotherapeutic agents is extensively investigated, nanomedicine-based combination therapy for ACD remains in infancy. In attempt to actively trigger ACD for synergistic chemotherapy, here we incorporated autophagy inducer rapamycin(RAP) into 7 pep-modified PEG-DSPE polymer micelles(7 pep-M-RAP) to specifically target and efficiently priming ACD of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with high expression of transferrin receptor(Tf R). Cytotoxic paclitaxel(PTX)-loaded micelle(7 pep-M-PTX) was regarded as chemotherapeutic drug model. We discovered that with superior intracellular uptake in vitro and more tumor accumulation of micelles in vivo, 7 pep-M-RAP exhibited excellent autophagy induction and synergistic antitumor efficacy with 7 pep-M-PTX. Mechanism study further revealed that 7 pep-M-RAP and 7 pep-MPTX used in combination provided enhanced efficacy through induction of both apoptosis-and mitochondria-associated autophagic cell death. Together, our findings suggested that the targeted excess autophagy may provide a rational strategy to improve therapeutic outcome of breast cancer, and simultaneous induction of ACD and apoptosis may be a promising anticancer modality.